Unveiled Treasures (13 page)

* * * *

He dropped his hands from her arms and stuffed them in his pockets. His resolve was breaking. A very large part of him knew Rachel had nothing to do with the break-ins. But he still couldn’t shake the feeling completely. Pacing the room, he looked at her. “I’m under constant scrutiny by the public and press. I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I became sheriff when my predecessor was killed during a routine traffic stop. He was gunned down in cold blood while writing a speeding ticket. His killer is still at large. That was six years ago. Three years ago, I won the general election and was re-elected. Next year, I plan to run again. I became a cop to help people. To serve and protect is not a motto, it’s a creed. Sheriff Thompson was a great man, I learned a lot from him in the two years I was his deputy. My point in all this, in a very round about way, is I take my job very seriously and have a tendency to get defensive. I’m sorry.”

* * * *

Rachel wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. Brutus whined and pushed his way between them.

He pressed his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. “Thanks, Rachel, I haven’t spoken about that to anyone in a long time. Why is it so easy to talk to you?”

She kissed him long and thoroughly on the lips. “Because I’m a good listener, I’d offer to make you dinner but I don’t have any food in the house and Brutus doesn’t like to share his kibble.”

“I have a better idea,” he said. “Since I’m not a real big fan of kibble, I’ll make you dinner.”

“You cook?” she asked astonished.

“Why are you so surprised I can cook? Are you stereotyping me as the bumbling man burning water in the kitchen?” he asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“No, not at all, I’m just surprised,” she said quickly. The expression on her face told him that was exactly what she had been thinking.

“You did. Didn’t you?” he asked, feigning a hurt look on his face.

She couldn’t hold it any longer. The grin spread to a smile and she began laughing. “Jessica said you can smell it when people lie. I wonder, what do people smell like when they lie?”

“I can, only you smell a whole lot better,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

He began sniffing along her neck until she squealed for him to stop.

“Let me go so I can change my clothes. You better be a good cook because I’m starving.”

Slowly, he released her. That stormy look in his gray eyes told her he had more than food on his mind. “I’ll help you,” he said, following her down the hallway and into her bedroom.

“Todd,” she said, slapping his hands away. “I am capable of getting dressed by myself.”

“I’m very sure you are. But I’m not going to help you get dressed, honey. I’m going to help you get undressed,” he said as he slipped the sweatshirt off over her head, backing her up against the mattress.

“Oh, well, that’s entirely different then,” she purred as he caressed her nipples erect.

Kneeling down in front of her, he rained kisses across her heated flesh. Slowly, he slid her sweatpants down to expose her creamy white thighs. She stepped out of the pants and he tossed them in the pile with her shirt. Still kneeling in front of her, he began to kiss her stomach with soft, featherlike kisses. She felt his breath floating across her skin and it heated her to the core. Running her fingers through his hair, she let her head fall back and enjoyed the sensations he was creating.

Gripping her hips, he trailed kisses down her thighs, and back up again. He flicked his tongue across her center and she gasped. He gently guided her down onto the mattress. Wrapping her legs around his shoulders, she opened herself more fully to him. He inserted two fingers inside her pulsing body and continued to drive her wild with his tongue and lips. Sliding his other hand up along her body, he gently kneaded her breast. Rachel was beyond reason and wild with desire. She began to buck and grind her body against his mouth. Once again, Todd brought her to an intense climactic pinnacle and left her suspended there for what felt to be an eternity and then pushed her over. Slowly, her breathing began to return to normal. Todd stood up in front of her tearing the clothes from his body. With a sudden move that caught him off-guard, Rachel lunged for his cock and began to suck on it furiously.

* * * *

The intense pleasure she brought him was unbelievable. Never before had any woman given him such a passionate experience. She made him feel so alive. So completely sexy, it was a powerful rush. He looked down to watch her lovingly suck on his cock. Tangling his hands in her hair, he held her head still as he sawed his throbbing shaft in and out of her mouth. She moaned as she slid two fingers in and out of her own wet heat. Her muffled moans became louder and more intense. She looked up and held his gaze as she came on her own fingers. Watching Rachel get herself off was more than Todd could stand. Pulling his cock out of her mouth, he helped her to her feet. Breathing heavily, he slowly pushed her back onto the bed again. Rachel watched him intently; her half-closed eyes were glazed with passion. As he lowered himself on top of her, he slipped deep inside her wet body. He was so aroused he couldn’t hold back, he didn’t want to. Thrusting deep inside her, he whispered her name on a gasp as the orgasm ripped through him.

* * * *

After their lovemaking, Rachel arched her back and pressed her breasts against his chest. She loved the friction of his chest hair against her sensitive nipples. The feel of his flesh touching hers aroused her again. Lifting her face to meet his, she kissed him. Sliding her hand down his body, she gripped his cock, causing it to jump at her touch. She loved the fact she could arouse him so easily with just a touch. Never before had she felt so in tune with her sexuality. Running her tongue across his chest, she moved up his neck and began to rain kisses over his face. He gripped her face between his hands and kissed her ardently. Tangling their tongues together, she raised her hips and took him deep inside her. She rode him hard and furiously. She couldn’t get enough. The sensation of his cock buried deep inside her body drove her insane. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she urged him deeper into her heat.

Pushing him onto his back while he was still inside her, Rachel took control. Todd gasped as she drove him to the edge. She took him with such wild abandon and passion, he didn’t think he could handle much more. The woman was a minx! Thrusting his hips up to meet hers, they danced the oldest dance of time. She threw back her hair and rode him harder and faster. Their sweat-slicked bodies intertwined and tangled together in the sheets. The need began building stronger, thrusting faster, she cried out his name again as she once again peaked passion’s highest point. Todd grabbed her hips, crested and rode with her down the other side.

Her hair was draped over him like a cloak. He could feel her warm breasts pressing in to his chest. She was still breathing heavy when he started running his hands over her hair.

“Am I crushing you?” she asked in a muffled voice. Raising her head, she flipped her hair back out of her face.

“No, and don’t even think about moving yet,” he said as his arms banded around her holding her close.

“But I am thinking about it,” she said as she propped up on her elbows to look at him. “You promised me a home cooked meal. As incredibly satisfying as you are, I can’t live on sex alone,” she purred.

“You’re right, I did,” he said, swatting her bottom as she climbed out of bed. She squealed and jumped out of his reach.

“Give me a few minutes to shower and get dressed.”

“I really think you need me to wash your back for you,” he said as he followed her in the bathroom.

“Are you ready to go again?” she asked as she turned the shower taps on.

“Yeah, I’m ready to go again,” he replied with that wicked little grin on his face. “I’ve been waiting to get you wet, naked, and in the shower. You have no idea what kind of mental torture you put me through the other day.”

Rachel held out her hand to him after she stepped in the shower. “Well here is your chance. Not only can you see me wet and naked in the shower, but you can have me too.”

* * * *

Rachel insisted on making sure Brutus was taken care of before they left. She gave him a fresh bowl of food, even though he had just recently eaten. She gave him a fresh bowl of water as well. She bent down to kiss him on top of the head as she was walking out the door. “You behave while I’m gone. I don’t want you sleeping on my bed.” With that being said, she closed and locked the door. Walking across the drive, she hopped into Todd’s truck.

“You didn’t tell me you were my closest neighbor,” Rachel said as they pulled in the drive.

“You never asked,” he replied, grinning at her.

She opened her mouth to say something and decided to shut it instead. Laughing at her pout, Todd walked around the truck and opened her door for her. “Welcome to Chez Bradley, Ms. Hardy.”

Her first glimpse of his house took her breath away. There tucked in amongst the pines sat a beautiful A-frame log cabin. “Todd, this place is gorgeous.”

“My father and I thank you.”

“You built it? Yourselves?”

“Now there you go, attacking me again,” he said, grinning at her.

“That’s not what I meant. I mean it looks professionally built. Oops, open wide, Rachel, here comes the other foot.”

“I think in your own twisted way, you are trying to compliment me.”

“Yes I am, and failing miserably at it too. It’s a beautiful cabin, Todd.”

They walked up the steps to the porch and paused at the front door. Loud rock music met them when they opened it and walked in. “Jessica tries to wake the dead with her music,” he said as he headed for the stereo. Van Halen was screaming about running with the devil before Todd could turn it off. “I like rock too, but I guess I’ve outgrown listening to it at an earsplitting level.”

Rachel laughed and spun around to look at the house. The interior walls were peeled lumber, the same logs as on the outside of the home. If she had to guess, she would say pine. The living room and kitchen were open, she couldn’t tell where one stopped and the other started. The north and south walls were made entirely of glass. Rachel was envious of the views. She saw a staircase leading up to a hole in the loft above her head. She presumed the bedrooms were up there. She turned around to look at him. “Your house is gorgeous, Todd.”

Just as he was getting ready to reply, he heard stomping feet from overhead. “Princess Jessica will be down in five-four-three-two-one.”

He was right. Jessica came stomping down the stairs on his mark. “Hey, what gives? Why did you turn my music off? Oh, hi.” She turned to Rachel with an embarrassed smile on her face. “I didn’t know you were here. I thought butthead here was just being a jerk again.”

“Your brother was kind enough to invite me to dinner,” Rachel said.

“Is that so? Well, he is a pretty good cook. Hey, wait a minute…Oh my God! You guys had sex! No, don’t try to deny it. I can see it, it’s written all over your face.”

“Jess,” Todd growled. “Don’t you have homework or a case study to work on? Upstairs?”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah right,” she said, catching on. “Save me some of whatever it is your making, I’ll munch later. Rachel, enjoy your evening with my charming brother.” She bowed from the waist and dashed back up the stairs.

Rachel turned and looked at Todd. “Has the red drained out of my face yet?”

“Not completely, but it looks good on you. Jessica is harmless. Blunt, but harmless.”

“We’ve started to develop a friendship; a relationship between you and I won’t jeopardize that, will it?”

“I don’t see why it would. Here, try this wine. I’m not much on wines, more of a bottled beer man personally, but I like this one,” he said, handing her a wine glass filled with white wine.

Rachel sipped her wine. “It’s good. It’s very light with a subtle fruity flavor. Where did you get this?”

“A local winery Jessica found in Flagstaff.”

“So, what is for dinner? I’m starving.”

“I’m a meat and potatoes man so…I hope you like meat and potatoes.”

“What a coincidence, I love meat and potatoes. Can I help you with anything?”

“Thanks, but I got it. The potatoes are in the oven and the steaks are simmering. Why don’t we take our wine and enjoy it on the deck?”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Rachel replied as they walked out in to the cool autumn night. “The stars are amazing out here. Look, you can see the Milky Way,” she exclaimed.

“We don’t have big city lights to block out the star shine,” Todd said as he walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

She leaned back against his chest and breathed in the musky scent that was Todd. Content to be held in his arms, she let out a relaxing sigh and allowed the stress and anxiety she hadn’t realized she was holding onto slide away.

* * * *

Jessica stood watching them from her upstairs window. A huge smile spread across her face, she couldn’t be happier for her brother. “He deserves somebody wonderful,” she said to herself. “I couldn’t have picked better myself.” With thoughts of happily ever after in her mind, she went back to her field notes and assignments.