Way of the Warrior (Troubleshooters #17.5)(42)
“Sadie,” he said, his voice hesitant. “About that morning—”
A sudden crash in the kitchen cut off his words. Before she even realized what’d happened, he’d abruptly set her away from him and pulled his Glock, every muscle in his body taut, on alert and ready for a fight.
She opened her mouth to ask what the hell was going on, but he held a finger to his lips and motioned for her to stay where she was. Sadie’s heart raced, her blood pounding in her ears, every instinct urging her to run, but she nodded.
Joe crept toward the swinging door that led from the dining room to the kitchen, the only escape from the tiny dining room in the old Victorian home. He took a deep breath, then threw open the door, his gaze sweeping the room. Finding it clear, he darted away from the wall, peeking through the gap between the door and the frame, getting a quick look at that side of the room as well. Still not seeing the source of the noise, he motioned once more for Sadie to stay back and pivoted away from the wall and into the room, gun outstretched. A few seconds later, he cursed and stormed back into the dining room, gun down at his side.
“What was it?” Sadie asked, her heart in her throat.
Joe ran a hand over his hair. Then, with a quirked eyebrow, he held open the door and whistled. In response, a very guilty-looking black Lab slunk into the room, his muzzle slathered with sauce. “Looks like Jasper decided to do a little counter surfing for his dinner this evening.”
Sadie gasped then laughed, snorting with the force of her relieved mirth, which only served to make her laugh harder. She doubled over as the tension melted away. Finally, when her stomach muscles began to ache, she straightened, wiping tears from her cheeks, hoping to see Joe laughing too and maybe catch a glimpse of the smile she so adored. But instead, he was leaning against the dining room wall, his head back, eyes squeezed shut.
Her laughter instantly died. “Joe?”
He heaved a sigh. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this, Sadie.”
She went to him, cupping his cheek. “Do what?”
“Go back to being a deputy.” He opened his eyes, meeting her gaze. “Yeah, this week has been fine. Uneventful. But when Jasper knocked that damned pan off the counter, I nearly hit the frigging deck. How am I going to deal with it when I’m actually up against some * who’s trying to hurt me?” His brow furrowed, his gaze growing more intense as he searched her face. “Or hurt someone I love.”
Someone he loved? Did that mean…? Was he saying…?
Sadie smoothed her thumb over his cheek, her heart thundering with tentative hope that was growing more certain as their gazes held. She almost pulled back, afraid of another humiliating rejection like she’d experienced a few days ago, but then Joe’s arm slid around her waist, drawing her to him. And then his lips were brushing against hers, so warm, so gentle.
Her arms went around his neck, not about to let him back out of their kiss this time. She pressed her body into his, their kiss growing more insistent, frenzied, their breath coming in gasps as he pushed off the wall and walked her a few steps backward. For one crazy second, she thought maybe he was going to sweep their dinner from the table and take her right there, but then she heard the heavy thud of his gun as he set it down to free up his hands.
And—oh, dear God—those hands were magical. Rough, callused, powerful…manly. They slid under the hem of her T-shirt, lightly caressing her back until reaching the clasp of her bra. A quick flick of his fingers. She gasped, breaking their kiss as he cupped her breast, his thumb brushing over her nipple and making her shiver.
“I want you, Sadie,” he breathed against the curve of her throat, pinching her aching nipple, rolling it, making it impossible for her to do more than nod. “I always have.”
In the next instant, he was pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it aside. Her bra followed. For a millisecond, she almost brought her arms up to cover her chest to hide herself from his gaze, but then he was pulling her back to him, claiming her mouth in a harsh kiss. And his hand was sliding past the waistband of her jeans, cupping her ass with rough, demanding hands. And there was only one thing on her mind…
? ? ?
This was wrong. Joe knew it even as he and Sadie slammed into the wall of the upstairs hallway in their blind desperation to make it to her bedroom. He bent, taking one of her perfect breasts into his mouth, the little moan in the back of her throat making his already painfully hard cock throb even harder. Christ, if he didn’t bury himself in her soon, he was gonna blow like some virgin teenager.
He groaned, sliding his hand down between them, his heart somersaulting with joy when he found her burning up with need, already slick and ready for him. She cried out a little as his fingertip brushed against the sensitive bud of nerves.
“Oh no,” he murmured with a low chuckle. “Not yet.”
She writhed against his hand with a little whimper. “Please, Joe,” she gasped, tearing at his fly. “I want you inside me. Now.”
Holy hell. Okay, then. So much for his go slow strategy. He just hoped like hell she had a condom somewhere because he sure as shit hadn’t bought any in the last couple of years… But before they could take another step, Sadie was pulling him down to the ground, her hands pushing his jeans over his hips and freeing his swollen cock, taking him in her hand. She stroked him, gentle but purposeful, making his head spin.