WATCHING (36 page)

“
Don
’
t get snotty,
”
he ordered, reaching down and nipping her collarbone. She squealed, they both laughed.

“
Hell
.
”
She watched him with dark eyes filled with a hunger he echoed. One he
’
d thought never to see on her face, but was so glad he did, now.

His fingers made quick work of the buttons on his shirt, the fly on his pants. Soon he stood by the bed wearing only navy boxers.

“
Sweetheart, it
’
s been too damned long
.
”
He moved onto the bed fully, his knee sliding
between hers and then higher.

She looked up at him and he was struck again by the depth of sexual need glazing her eyes.
She
wanted
him
. He couldn
’
t explain how that made him feel. Ten feet tall? Definitely. Like a damned superhero. Assuredly.

“
A day? That
’
s too long for you
?
”
She smirked, then arched as his hand cupped her through her jeans.

“
Eternity
.
”
He pulled back a little more, hands pausing on the band of her pants. He wanted them off of her, but not if she
’
d regret it later.
“
Are you going to be ok with this, with Matthew just down the hall
?
”

“
Yes
.
”
She took a deep breath, and the movement of her chest was almost enough to distract him from his question.
“
Please, Hell
.
”

“
If you
’
re sure
.
”
His hands made quick work of the denim, stripping her naked in front of him to reveal skin he just had to touch. Again. He did.
“
Oh, God
.
”

***

Georgia stared at him as he moved over her. The intensity in his eyes shocked her, the depth of whatever he was feeling more than she expected. It wasn
’
t just sex, for either of them. He nudged one knee between hers, then higher. He ran his lips over her shoulder, and she arched her head back, giving him greater access. She shivered at the feel of his tongue on her skin.

Georgia had never been just an observer, and when he moved back to kiss her again, she was ready and waiting for him. Her hands touched him everywhere she could reach; her lips were as active as his. She bit him, a small wound on his shoulder, that she soothed quickly with her tongue. She thrilled at the sound he made when she ran her teeth and tongue over his neck.

He shivered in her arms, and she reveled in the knowledge that she had the great Michael Hellbrook vulnerable and trembling before her.

There was nothing headier than a strong man made defenseless. The power filled her, thrilled her
—
emboldened her.

She took full advantage of having his entire attention focused on her. She used teeth and tongue, lips and fingers, touching him as hotly and deftly as he touched her.

He used his hands surely, skillfully, used his mouth as freely, both kissing and whispering hot words, and even hotter instructions until she was as mindless as she
’
d ever been.

When they could both breathe again and she was wrapped in his shirt, she cuddled against him.
“
Congratulations, Agent Hellbrook
.
”

“
On
?
”
His eyes were half closed, the look of a satisfied predator all over his face. His mane of hair stuck up around his head, mussed by her hands.

He was hers. In her bed. Now, she felt like the lioness, satisfied with the prey she
’
d captured. She kissed his chest, giggling when his heart immediately beat faster beneath his lips.
“
The success of the CCU. You
’
ve earned it
.
”

“
Thank you. Now, no more talk about the FBI or anything like it
.
”
He pulled her to him, covered her mouth with his. This time, his shirt stayed on her, both of them too impatient to remove it. Georgia fell into an exhausted sleep several long minutes later, held tight against his chest, surrounded by his warmth.

Chapter
46

****

Hell heard sniffling before his eyes even opened the next morning. He turned his head, opening his eyes to see exactly who he expected. Georgia
’
s son stood by Hell
’
s pillow, a look of confusion on his face.

“
Matthew
.
”
Hell didn
’
t know whether to nudge the woman sleeping beside him until she woke or just deal with the kid himself.
“
Hey, buddy, what
’
s wrong
?
”

That was all the invitation the kid apparently needed. He climbed onto the bed and over Hell
’
s chest before Hell could even start to wake his mother.

“
I hads a bad dream, Mr. Giant
.
”
He snuggled into the tiny space between Hell and Georgia before pulling the blanket up over himself and the toy dog he clutched.
“
Mommy always makes them go away
.
”

“
I
’
m sure she does
.
”
Hell felt a moment
’
s panic and slipped a hand beneath the blanket to make sure he
’
d slipped his shorts back on after their last bout of sexual Olympics before falling asleep. He had, thank God.

“
Relax, Hell
.
”
Georgia
’
s voice was amused and sleepy.
“
He
’
ll fall back to sleep in a few minutes. Then you can escape
.
”

“
I can honestly say this has never happened to me before
.
”
He tried to keep his voice low but the little boy looked at him, blinking sleepy eyes at him.

“
Did you and Mommy have a sleepover
?
”

“
Sure did, Mattie
.
”
Georgia ruffled his hair, then snuggled him closer.

God, Hell realized, she still wore his shirt.

Matthew was already asleep. Georgia kissed his forehead, her own eyes drifting shut. Hell reached over the child and brushed a hand down her cheek, stopping to ghost
a finger
over her lips.
“
Good morning
.
”

“
Good morning
.
”
She smiled
, sleepy and soft
.
“
How many hours until we have to be at the morning briefing
?
”

“
Two
.
”

“
Good. Wake me up in half an hour? I
’
m exhausted. Someone wore me out last night
.
”

“
Will do
.
”

Hell stayed where he was for several minutes, though he knew he
’
d not be able to slide back into sleep so easily. And it wasn
’
t just because he was an earlier riser.

He
’
d never felt so awkward or so accepted in his life. For a moment he was tempted to let himself imagine that these two people were his, and his presence was just the way their life was. Tempting thought. Very tempting thought. Something for him to think about.

He slipped from the bed, grabbing the jeans he
’
d worn the day before and pulled them on. He
’
d head down to Georgia
’
s kitchen and see about getting them all some breakfast. As soon as they were on their way to work, he and Georgia would be making some serious long-term plans.

Half an hour later he had toast made, eggs scrambled, and had found the chocolate syrup to make chocolate pancakes. He was just setting the table when he heard a key in the lock.

Edward Dennis pushed the back door to his daughter
’
s townhouse open.

Hell froze.

Neither man spoke for several long moments. Finally Dennis closed the door behind him, the soft click echoing in the silence. Dennis stepped further into the kitchen, took in Hell
’
s disheveled appearance and lack of shoes or socks. Lack of shirt. The breakfast laid out that Hell had prepared. Hell knew Dennis would have no trouble adding it all up.

“
I take it you
’
ve been here for a while? That discussion you needed to have with my daughter, it turn into an all-night one
?
”

His words were mild but Hell didn
’
t miss the anger behind them. Hell straightened, kept his expression cool. He
’
d known this was going to be a big hurdle, he just wasn
’
t expecting to face it quite so early.
“
Yes
.
”

“
Grandpa!
”
Matthew shrieked the word, running down the stairs and throwing his arms around the older man
’
s knees.

“
Hey, Matthew!
”
Dennis picked him up while still watching Hell.

“
I hads a bad dream again,
”
Matthew said.
“
Mommy and Mr. Giant made it go away
.
”

“
Did they? That
’
s good
.
”
Dennis
’
expression darkened even more.
“
Where
’
s Mommy
?
”

“
She
’
s in the shower. She told me to tell Mr. Giant she
’
ll be down in a minute
.
”
Matthew nodded with grea
t importance.
“
They had a sleep
over in Mommy
’
s room last night
.
”

Hell reminded himself that he wasn
’
t an awkward teenager caught out with his first girl, despite the heat that hit his face. He was a full grown man of thirty-eight. If he spent the night with a woman that was their business.

Even reminding himself of that didn
’
t lessen the awkward embarrassment he felt staring at that woman
’
s father.

“
Pancakes!
”
Matthew squealed when he saw the food on the table.
“
Mommy only makes pancakes at special times
.
”

“
Matthew, Grandpa and Agent Hellbrook are going to step outside for a few minutes. Can you eat your breakfast like a big boy
?
”
Dennis sat the child in his booster chair.

“
Yes. Can I have the chocolate stuff
?
”
Greedy eyes were on the chocolate syrup Hell still held.

Dennis quickly fixed the child
’
s plate.

Hell dutifully stepped outside.

Dennis
’
eyes were colder than Hell had ever seen them.
“
Care to explain
?
”

“
No. It
’
s between your daughter and myself
.
”
He was adamant about that. Dennis would not influence that.

“
How long
?
”
Dennis shot the words through gritted teeth.

Hell had seen the other man upset countless times-had even been the direct cause of that upset some of the time. But never had Dennis looked as he did in that moment.

“
A few days
.
”
Hell studied the flowers Georgia had planted in the flowerbox outside her living room window. When had she had the time? This was a home, and a family. And if he wanted to be a part of it, Edward Dennis was someone he had to accept. Had to somehow get along with, make his peace with. Dammit, he
’
d known that, just hadn
’
t expected it to be at seven-forty-five in the morning.
“
It wasn
’
t planned
.
”

“
You know about her transfer request
?
”

“
Yes. It
’
s been discussed
.
”

“
So you know she wants out
—
this your way of changing her mind
?
”
Dennis took a step back, his eyes going from hot anger to cold calculation.
“
Or
is
this your way of screwing with her? Confusing her
?
”

“
What do you mean by that? She
’
s more than-
”
Hell straightened, fist clenching.

“
She
’
d better be,
”
Dennis said, smirking as if he
’
d gotten an answer he wanted.
“
I won
’
t have her toyed with. You got me
?
”

“
She
’
s capable of handling herself and doesn
’
t need you to protect her anymore
.
”
Because
Hell
wanted to be the one to protect her.

“
I won
’
t have some dick who has issues with me messing around with her
.
”

“
I
’
m not Emmons
.
”
Hell understood then. It wasn
’
t Georgia or even Hell himself that Dennis doubted. It was residual guilt.
“
I have no intention of using Georgia. Ever
.
”

“
You know about Emmons
?
”

“
She
’
s
told me, yes
.
I wish you had. I blamed you for Stanislaski for years. When it should have been Emmons blamed.
”
Hell watched as the older man paled, then wrapped hands that trembled around the iron balustrade. Dennis looked away for a moment. When he looked back at Hell his expression was more open than Hell had ever seen it. Pained.
“
I wish that bastard had lived long enough to really suffer for what he tried to do
.
”

“
It took years for her to get even close to being the girl she was
.
”

“
I wish I had known
.
”

“
There are a few things I regret about that day. What happened to my daughter mentally and what happened to you and Stan. He was my friend,
did
you know
?
”
Dennis
’
words were soft. Sad.

“
No
.
”
Hell
hadn
’
t
known that. Guilt settled on his own shoulders.

“
He was. Went through the academy together. Had our daughters around the same time. Lived in the same damned neighborhood. I
’
d give almost anything to go back and do that day over again. Somehow
.
”

“
Don
’
t. I don
’
t blame you for what happened. Why would I? You made a choice, and protected
her
.
”
He meant it. What happened to Stan was a tragedy, but the only ones at fault were Emmons, and to some extent Georgia
’
s mother.
“
Everything else that
’
s happened since then is over and done. This...
thing
...between your daughter and me...
it isn
’
t
about that. And
it isn
’
t
about her leaving the CCU, though I
’
d prefer it if she didn
’
t. But that
’
s got to be her decision. I won
’
t pressure her, and I won
’
t force her to do anything. Ever
.
”