Page 33 of The Rough Ride

He kissed her forehead and rested his nose against hers. She laughed out loud when he hauled her into the middle of the bed and removed her boxers in one swift move.

She reached down to tug off her lace undies, but he swatted her hand away.

“I’ll get them when I’m ready.” He stood proud as a bull for a moment before he straddled her.

Her pulse quickened at the intensity in his eyes. Finally, her Nick—hard-bodied and hot. All to herself in a soft bed.

She sighed with desire. He scooted behind and pulled them into a spoon position, his hands plucking softly at her nipples.Oh, please.She backed into him, longing forcloser,and reached again to get rid of her underwear.

“Nuh-uh, sugar. I get to take them off.” He slipped hisfingers through hers and guided them through the edge of her panties. “Show me the right spot, babe. I want to feel you.”

Oh, she loved this man.They moved in unison, each touch forcing her higher, tighter. Her core quivered with anticipation. She threw her injured leg over his hip and arched her back in a consuming freefall of pleasure, his voice a whispered echo in her ear.

“That’s my girl. Enjoy it as long as you can.” He kissed her hair and shoulder. “In a few minutes, we’re going do it again when I taste you.”

She moaned.He was always so thorough,

He feasted on her body and soul until her legs gave out and she shrieked with pleasure.

And then, one teasing inch at a time, he nudged inside her, whispering promises while she murmured love. They moved together, not hurried or urgent, but with care and tenderness, reunited finally. In the soft glow of a nightlight, they melted in each other’s arms, became one again, far from the combat area that had last separated them.

But how long could they keep the warzone at bay?

20

Asoft, muffled sound pierced the night. Nick bolted upright and listened, his heart in a staccato sprint. He turned toward the baby monitor. It was Ella. He gently pulled himself free of Liz’s warm body and sat up on the side of the bed.

More noises drifted from the baby monitor.What the hell?He didn’t want to wake Liz for a false alarm. He glanced at the time. They’d had three hours of sleep. The baby whined, and his feet hit the floor. He crept to the doorway of her room and listened.

She babbled and whimpered off and on. Maybe he should get some eyes on her? He turned on his phone flashlight and tiptoed toward the crib, shining the light on the blanket.Her little head popped up with a squeal.Judas priest! Shit.He stumbled backward and killed the light in his sweaty palm. It was as nerve wracking as night ops.

He inched backward out of the room and leaned against the wall in the hallway. If she didn’t quiet down, he’d turn the volume up on the baby monitor for Liz and leave. Hewouldnotpick that kid up under any circumstances. She was so small. One wrong move and he could break her. He stood there for the next five minutes while his heart jackhammered. Thankfully, it remained quiet in Ella’s room. She must’ve fallen back to sleep.

His phone chimed, and he read the new text.Damn.It was from Mason. Nick found his clothes and dressed in the bathroom. The snick of the front door was a soft whisper behind him when he left.

Mason would cover his shift with the Richardson’s today, but tomorrow, he’d ship out to the hurricane disaster area down south. Nick had less than twenty-four hours to find a replacement during one of the biggest holiday weekends of the year.Crap.How was he going to cover this work?His mind churned. He used a three-tier system in case of emergency with himself as last resort. Derek served as primary, Mason second.

The senator and Angie were flying to Dallas for a big fundraiser early the next morning. Beau had said they’d be socializing among friends and didn’t need to have Nick along. He preferred that Nick stayed east and made sure the nanny and kids had coverage.

Nick shook his head. He’d hired quite a few personnel on a sub-contractor basis. He’d start making phone calls once the sun came up to see who was available.

He mentally browsed parts of the list he could remember as he drove home. He couldn’t call the ex-mobster who’d cleaned up his act in the Army. The guy was a freaking mercenary these days and would scare the living crap out of the kids with the scars on his face and permanent sneer.

Nick turned onto the final road toward home. He’d start with the women on his auxiliary list. Yeah, he’d prefer awoman. They were tough as nails but with a softer face. That’d work. He’d get this taken care of by mid-morning. Talking to himself in the rear-view mirror, he grew positive. Who knew an entrepreneur required a lot of self-talk?

He parked in the garage under his building, and the elevator chugged him to his loft. He slid a mug under the coffee machine, punched the brew button and fired up his computer to open the document with possible temporary hires. A particular name and personality stuck out. She was a former CIA operative. She might work. He tapped the number and left the phone on speaker.

“Nick, you studmuffin. You’vegotto be on east coast time to be calling me at this hour of the night. What’s up, darling?”

He shook his head. Her breathy Marilyn Monroe voice always cracked him up, and made her sound like a softie. Underneath the voice and sex-kitten looks, she was an expert covert operative. “Where are you, Lana?”

“At the moment, I’m extricating myself from under a beautiful sleeping Canadian Mountie on vacation in a super king-size bed in Maui. I had myself an exhilarating evening. And you?”

Aww hell.Maui was a longer flight than he wanted to pay for. But he’d do it if he had to.

“DC. You’re on my back-up list. Any chance you’d want to fly back later today? I’ve got a senator’s family that needs protection for a few weeks. Three kids, a nanny, and a wife.” He mentally crossed his fingers and listened for something he could use to sweeten the pot.

“Ooh—kids. I love kids as long as they’re not mine,” she crooned.

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