Page 5 of Heartless
“Ah, sure.” He found an empty mug and began pouring coffee into it. “I mean, yes, Reaper.”
“It’s a request, not an order." Reaper leaned back in his chair, setting his coffee mug on his knee. “You don’t have to if you have something more pressing, but Vance seems keen on showing us this new area he’s developing. And I think he’s curious about the injured hero of Four Corners.”
Shadow bristled at being called a hero, and I couldn’t help from running a hand along his upper back, where Blakeworth’s arrows came too close to killing him, and down his arm as I took a seat next to him.
“I’ll go. I don’t have anything else going on.” His fingers clasped mine briefly before letting go.
“What are your plans today, sugar?” Reaper lifted his mug to his lips as his gaze settled on me.
“I was thinking of checking out the hospital.” I reached for a pastry from the basket in the center of the table. “See if the head doctor has time to give me a tour, or if I can lend my services in any way.”
“On that note,” Gunner leaned back in his chair next to me, placing one of his feet in my lap, “how do you feel about driving there?”
“Drive?” I nearly choked on my Danish. “You mean, your bike?”
“Notmine, but one of the little dirt bikes.” He snatched an apple from the basket and tossed it in the air with a grin. “It’s about time you learn, baby girl. I’ll have Jandro check them over and get you the most reliable one.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat nervously. “You’ll be there with me?”
“Course I will.” He poked his toes into my side. “I’ll be in your bitch seat. A little roll reversal, how about that?”
Reaper snorted. “Of all of us most likely to be in a bitch seat.”
“You’re just sour you didn’t get her ass first.” Gunner took a loud bite out of his apple, pointedly ignoring my glare. Holy shit, could he not drop details of our sex life out on the breakfast table? In front of Shadow, no less? We just started making out, he did not need to know who had my ass first.
“It’s too fucking early for this,” I groaned, shoving Gunner’s foot out of my lap. “I’m getting a shower first.”
He laughed and leaned over to smack a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll let Jandro know what we need.”
I finished wolfing down my pastry and coffee, then returned my hand to Shadow’s shoulder as I stood. He was like a magnet, I just could not stop touching him. He watched me curiously, only slightly shorter than me standing even while he was sitting down.
“You guys have fun with the governor today.” My touch slid up his shoulder, fingertips brushing along his neck and cheek.
“We will.” His arm came around my waist in a gentle hug to his side. “Enjoy the hospital and riding lessons.”
“Will do.” I leaned down, only planning for a sweet, brief kiss, but all my lips wanted to do was linger on his.
Who was I kidding? All I wanted to do was crawl into his lap and shove my tongue in his mouth, to feel and explore this mountain of a man with every inch of my skin until I uncovered every mystery about him.
His arm tightened around me, soft sighs escaping him as I pressed kiss after kiss onto the mouth that had learned mine so thoroughly and quickly the night before. He returned every one, sipping lightly with just enough pressure and sensation for me to feel like I was floating.
Reaper and Gunner only looked amused when we finally separated. “Did you forget we were here?” the president chuckled.
“Not another word out of you,” I warned, rounding the table to kiss him full of teeth and rough scraping of lips, just how he liked it. My fingers speared through his hair, gripping the dark strands to hold his head in place. Reaper emitted a growl of satisfaction that lit up my core like a match. “Have a good day, love,” I whispered against his mouth.
“Yes fuckin’ ma’am.” He grinned in return. “And hey, listen.” His face turned hard, eyes sharp and jaw clenched. “Be careful, sugar. You hear me?”
I stroked my husband’s face, pushing his hair back and trying my best to soothe the worried lines etched into his forehead.
“I will,” I promised him with another long, lingering kiss.
Two
MARIPOSA
“Squeeze the brake lever nice and slow. Easy, easy…” Gunner’s hand guided mine with steady patience on the dirt bike as we pulled up to the hospital. My stop was abrupt, but not as hard as when I took my first spin around the block and nearly lurched over the handlebars.
“Good job, baby girl!” He patted my sides. “You’re getting the hang of it.”
