Justice for Boone: Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes, Book 6 (13 page)

He chuckled, realizing she wasn’t going to delve into his words…at all. “And that right there is why we’re dating as well. You don’t play games with me. You don’t fish for compliments, you state what you’re thinking, you don’t beat around the bush. It’s refreshing.”

Hayden looked up at Boone. “I’m not good in bed, Boone.”

“What?”

“Bed. I’m not good at it. I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you. I don’t think I have whatever womanly gene it is that makes me able to get off easily. None of the guys I’ve been with have ever been impressed with me. I can’t—”

“Shhhhhh.” Boone put his finger over her lips. “Again, we’ve already established that you’ve been dating idiots.”

“Boone, really,” Hayden mumbled around his finger, reaching up to remove it so she could warn him again. “You like that I tell you what I’m thinking, so I’m trying to do that here. I don’t enjoy going down on a guy, the taste is weird and I gag way too easily. I don’t even like it much when they go down on
me
. I’m awkward and don’t know what to do so I usually just lay there. I’ve been accused of being a limp fish before…” Her voice trailed off awkwardly. “I just thought you should know.”

Boone didn’t say anything, but put his finger under her chin and lifted her head to his. “Close your eyes, Hay.”

When she continued staring at him, he laughed low and rumbly, and repeated, “Close your eyes.”

She did and held her breath. When nothing happened after a couple moments, she opened her eyes to see Boone’s lips a hairsbreadth away from her own. “Boone?”

“Close your eyes and keep them closed. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Hayden was confused, but did as Boone asked. She squeezed her eyelids shut and took a deep breath, trusting him. She could feel his finger under her chin and his warm breath against her face.

Boone waited until Hayden’s breathing evened out, felt her muscles against him relax, and then took the time to take her in. She would never be a poster child for femininity, but when her tough outer shell was peeled back, she was irresistible. Every time he did something for her, she melted. She obviously hadn’t ever had someone do things for her simply because they wanted to…he was thrilled as he could be that he was the first. It was quickly becoming his mission in life to make sure Hayden knew how much he valued her and enjoyed doing things for her…simply because he could. Including her sexuality. He’d take care of her in the bedroom as well as out of it.

Boone had absolutely no worries whatsoever about Hayden’s sensuality. Their chemistry was off the charts and Boone felt more desire for her than anyone he’d ever met. He had no doubt when they came together, it’d be out of this world.

With the masculine job she had and the clothes she wore most of the time, clothes that hid her body from the world, Hayden was the most interesting woman he’d ever met. She had no idea of her appeal and how much he wanted to take care of her, whether she realized she was being taken care of or not.

He leaned in and brushed his lips over her left eye, then her right. He didn’t stop when she inhaled and her fingers clutched his shirt. He moved the arm that had been behind her on the couch until it hung around her shoulders and he shifted until he’d brought her even closer to him. His lips next kissed the tip of her nose and moved to her cheekbones. He kissed the apple of her cheek before shifting to her ear. Boone brought his free hand up and palmed the side of her neck, loving how she seemed to fit perfectly in his grip.

He ran his tongue lightly over the lobe of her ear, never staying in one place for long, but trying to worship every part of her. He sucked the lobe into his mouth for a moment before moving on. He moved her head so it was tilted even farther, giving him more room. He brushed her hair off her shoulder and blew on her neck as he moved down.

Smiling as goosebumps rose on her skin, he didn’t stop. Boone licked the skin below her ear and rejoiced at the small groan that escaped her lips.

“Boone…”

“Shhhhh,” he murmured as he continued. He worked his way back to her face, running his thumb over her bottom lip as he spoke. “You’re beautiful, Hayden. I can see the pulse beating in your throat, your breathing has sped up, and the goosebumps on your skin have all given you away. You’re more sensual than any woman I’ve ever seen. I’m guessing the assholes you’ve been with have just climbed on top and started thrusting. And I bet they only made a cursory effort at eating you out, and you could tell. So of course it wasn’t good for you…and they blamed you.” Boone made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat.

“When we go to bed, I’m going to take my time and worship every inch of you. Your toes. Your knees, your belly button, your gorgeous tits…there won’t be anywhere on your body that I haven’t caressed, licked, or kissed…and that’s all before we make love. Hayden, it’s a man’s responsibility to make sure his woman is ready for him. That she wants him more than she wants to take her next breath. We’ll take it slow. We’ll do only what feels right to both of us. But I have no doubt whatsoever that you’ll be anything but a limp fish, sweetheart.”

Without giving her a chance to respond, Boone brought his lips to hers…finally. He licked her bottom lip, then the top one. When she opened for him, he fused their mouths together. They licked and explored, tongues dueling with each other. Hayden might have been docile as he spoke, but she was anything but docile now. Her hands gripped his T-shirt even harder and she tried to pull him toward her.

Boone shifted and pulled her across his lap until she was straddling him. She pulled her mouth off his and looked at him, then slowly leaned in until their lips touched again. Boone brought both hands up to frame her face and to hold her where he wanted her. He felt Hayden’s arms go around him. One rested on his upper back and the other clutched the nape of his neck.

They writhed in each other’s grasp until he couldn’t think of anything but her taste, her lips, and how good she felt in his arms. Boone was hard as a rock, and he groaned as Hayden ground herself down on him. She rode his cock, even through both of their pants. It was the single sexiest thing he’d ever experienced in his life. They were both fully clothed, but he was as close as he’d ever been to coming…with just the friction of her frantic movements on him. It was probably his imagination, but Boone swore he could feel her heat through his jeans and her slacks.

Finally, knowing he needed to pull back or he’d throw her down sideways on the couch, rip her pants off and go at her right there—which he didn’t want to do their first time—he tried to ease his mouth off of hers. Boone wanted what he’d told her earlier. He wanted to worship her body the first time they made love, not shove his cock deep inside her while they were still half dressed on her couch.

Boone tried to break the kiss but Hayden wasn’t having any of it. She gripped him harder behind his neck and refused to give up his mouth. He smiled and tightened his grip on her face. He was finally successful in breaking their kiss, but he only moved back an inch.

“Fucking amazing, Hay.”

“Mmmmmm.”

His smile grew. “Open your eyes.”

She did and Boone saw they were dazed and full of lust…but he also saw the exhaustion she’d been trying to hide from him all night.

“What time do we have to be there tomorrow evening?”

Hayden tried to get herself together. She’d never felt anything like what she felt right now in Boone’s arms. She could feel his hard erection under her and she shifted in his lap, wanting to get closer, to rub her clit against his hard cock until she came. She leaned back and looked down between them and moaned. God, he was huge. She could see the outline of his erection through his pants and between her legs. If they’d been naked, all she’d have to do was lift up a couple of inches and—

“Hay. What time?”

She looked up at Boone and blushed. “Oh. Uh. Seven.”

“Pick you up here at six-thirty? Will that give us enough time to get there? I don’t know where your parents live.”

Talking about her parents was enough to bring her out of her happy place where only she and Boone existed. She sighed and answered, “Yeah, that’ll work.” She unwound her arms from Boone and awkwardly rested them on his shoulders, feeling uncomfortable now that they weren’t kissing.

“Hey, look at me.”

Hayden looked into Boone’s eyes and bit her lip nervously.

“Don’t be embarrassed. We’re dating. We’re allowed to make out on the couch,” he joked lightly.

Hayden smiled back, still discomfited, but trying to hide it. “Yeah.”

“Come on, time for me to go and you to get some sleep.”

Hayden nodded, because she
was
tired…and she needed some time away from Boone to process what had just happened. She awkwardly lifted her leg off of him and stood on shaky legs. Boone got up and grabbed her hand. They walked to her front door and he stopped before opening it.

“What’s your schedule for the next week?”

Hayden tried to get her mind off of Boone’s kisses, the heat between her legs, and instead on her work shifts. “I’m off tomorrow, then I have three days of regular eight-hour days, then two days of twelves. Then I’m off for two days.”

“I want to take you out—on a real date—on one of your days off. That okay with you?”

Hayden looked up at Boone. How in the hell this gorgeous man was interested in her was beyond her at the moment, but she was going to go with it. “Yeah. That’s more than okay with me.”

Boone smiled. “No games. I love it.”

“You already know how much I like you. I think I made it more than obvious back there on my couch.” She gestured to where they’d been making out with her head.

“I was right there with ya, Hay. I think I might have that couch bronzed.” He grinned down at her. “I’ll see you tomorrow at six-thirty.” He leaned down and kissed her, putting his hands on the small of her back to steady her as she went up on her tiptoes to reach him better.

“Sleep well, sweetheart.”

“Be safe driving home. Text me when you get there?”

“I don’t want to wake you up.”

“I sleep like a log. I’ll hear your text and go right back to sleep. Promise.”

“Okay then. I will. Lock up behind me.”

“Always.”

Boone kissed her one more time and took a step back, waiting until she had her balance. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

Hayden closed and locked the door behind Boone and leaned heavily against it. “Wow,” she whispered to the empty room. She walked to the table and grabbed the leftover pizza and put it in the fridge. She’d have breakfast
and
lunch tomorrow. Awesome.

She headed to her room, grabbing her vibrator as she climbed into bed. She’d figured it wouldn’t take her long to orgasm, not when she could still feel Boone’s hard length between her legs as she’d ground herself over him on the couch. And she was right, within minutes she was trembling and shaking as she came, moaning Boone’s name. Sated, exhausted, and feeling content for the first time in a long time, Hayden snuggled Ellie in her arms and closed her eyes, knowing she’d sleep better than she had in ages; not even the impending trip home would interrupt her sleep tonight.

Twenty minutes later, Hayden sleepily heard her phone ding with a text. She picked it up and smiled at Boone’s message.

Home. Go back to sleep.

She clicked the screen and typed out a response.

Glad
.
C u tomorrow.

Then she put down the phone, buried her face into Ellie’s fur, and was asleep within moments.

H
ayden paced
her living room while she waited for Boone. This was a bad idea. A really bad idea. What was she thinking? Bringing him with her for dinner with her folks? Temporary insanity brought on by a really bad day.

She’d slept in that morning and gotten up and done a few errands…grocery store, dry cleaners, and then home to do laundry and eat some lunch. She’d texted Mack just to say hi, liking that they were getting closer ever since the night she and Dax had gone to her place to get some of her things after Dana had drugged her.

Now she’d gotten dressed and was trying to come up with a reason for Boone to not come with her—one that he’d buy and agree to.

Her doorbell pealed and Hayden looked through the peephole and opened it to see Boone, looking absolutely delicious on her doorstep.

“Hey.”

Boone took a step in, shut the door behind him, and took Hayden’s face in his big palms. “You look freaked.”

“That’s because I
am
freaked.”

Hayden was honest with him as usual. She’d gripped his wrists as they held her still. Boone could feel her little fingernails digging into his skin. “Do you want me to bow out?”

Hayden sighed and shut her eyes. “Yes, but not because I don’t think they’ll like you. They’re gonna love you. Seriously. But I’m embarrassed for you to see their relationship with me.”

Boone studied Hayden as she trembled in his hands. He hadn’t thought he’d be meeting her parents this quickly in their relationship, but he relished the chance to get to know her better, by getting to know her parents. Even though Hayden was pretty, she completely down-played her feminine side, especially when she was out in public. Part of it was because of her occupation, but he’d known other females who worked in typically male-dominated occupations and they didn’t seem to have as much issue with it as Hayden did. It might have something to do with how she’d grown up, and meeting her parents might give him a small glimpse into her psyche.

Boone wanted to figure it out. Figure
her
out. “I couldn’t care less about your relationship, except for how it affects you.”

Hayden sighed and leaned into him, putting her hands around him, resting her cheek against his chest, and squeezing him tightly. “I’m being a baby about this. I know. But I want you to
want
to keep seeing me and I’m afraid this is gonna put you off.”

Boone kept his arms around Hayden, reveling in her reaching out for him and allowing him to provide her the comfort of his arms. “Hayden, this is not gonna put me off. We’re adults. While I want your parents to like me, I want them to like me for
you
. But if they don’t, I don’t give a shit. It has no bearing on the way I feel about you and I hope it has no bearing on how you feel about me. Now, I thought you’d be ready. Go get dressed and we’ll go. Whatever happens, happens. It won’t affect us one way or another. Okay?”

Hayden pulled back and glanced up at Boone, then down at herself uncertainly. “But I
am
dressed.”

Boone looked at Hayden. She had her hair pulled back into a tight coil at the back of her neck, not a strand escaping. She was wearing a polo shirt that looked about a size too big for her, totally hiding her slight curves, and a pair of black jeans with cowboy boots. She looked about like she had when they’d gone out with her coworkers, and definitely not like she had when they’d gone to Cow Town. Masculine, not the beautiful woman he knew her to be.

“Do I not look okay?” Hayden asked her brows drawn together in concern.

“You look fine,” Boone soothed. “I just thought you’d dress up a bit more.”

“To see my parents?” She sounded horrified, then sighed. “Boone, my dad…he expects me to look like this. He—”

“Come on, let’s get this over with,” Boone interrupted. He didn’t really want to hear what her dad wanted. Whatever it was, would be bullshit, especially if he expected his daughter to dress like a man. “It’s like a Band-Aid, Hay. It’s better to pull it off quickly. You’re all worked up about it. We’ll go over there, eat, then come back here and make out on your couch again to take your mind off of the visit.”

Boone was relieved to see the smile spread over Hayden’s face. He’d almost blown it there. He had no idea why she wanted to look like a boy when she went to see her parents…hell, they were almost dressed alike. She could’ve passed for a ranch hand on his farm if she wanted to.

She grabbed her cell and put her ID and some bills into her back pocket, not bothering with a purse, and they left. She pocketed her keys and Boone held the door as she got into his truck. He closed the door for her, hoping he’d get more answers about why Hayden was acting the way she was tonight.

B
oone clenched
his teeth and held back the scathing retort that was resting on the tip of his tongue. He’d been looking forward to the evening and getting to know Hayden’s parents, but this was pure torture.

From the moment they’d laid eyes on him, Mr. and Mrs. Yates had practically ignored their daughter.

“You own a cattle farm? How very Texan of you.”

“Did you play football in school?”

“I bet you’re very popular with the ladies.”

And it went on and on. It was obvious the couple was impressed more with the fact that he had a dick than what
kind
of man he was. Shit, he could’ve been a serial killer, or knocked Hayden around every night and he didn’t think her parents would’ve cared. All they seemed to be focused on was his gender. It was weird and made him feel uncomfortable.

Boone had watched Hayden’s personality change before his eyes. She swaggered when she walked, she took on the mannerisms of his ranch hands and the guys she worked with, complete with resting her thumbs in the pockets of her jeans, giving her dad a chin lift when he asked her a question, and drinking a damn beer her dad handed to her without asking if she wanted one, and Boone knew she hated the stuff.

They were now sitting in the family room, with a Dallas Cowboys game playing on the television. Her mom was knitting and her dad was trying to talk to him about the game.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Yates, but I don’t particularly care for football.”

“Yeah, right. I’ll see if I can’t find a rodeo…there’s bound to be one on the million and one channels we have.” He chuckled as he busied himself with the TV.

“Hey, Dad, I had my qualifications the other day,” Hayden said suddenly into the silence.

“Mmm hmmm…”

“I beat out all the other guys except for maybe two.”

“You should’ve won. You’ve never been the best at anything. No matter how much you practiced, it wasn’t ever enough. I’ve told you time and time again— Hey, Boone, look! Found one, and the bull riding is up next!”

Boone looked at Hayden. She was biting her lip and looking down at her lap, picking at her thumb nail. He nudged her with his knee. When she looked up at him, he smiled at her.

Her smile was weak, with no discernible dimple, but she returned it. Boone couldn’t stand the sad look on her face anymore. “Mr. Yates, if you don’t mind, Hayden said she’d give me a tour of the house.”

“Oh, but it’s about to start. You don’t need to see the damn house; don’t understand why Hayden would want to show you a bunch of rooms. Sissy-ass thing to do.” He gestured toward the television. “The bulls are on.”

Boone stood and pulled Hayden up with him, not letting go of her hand. “We won’t take too long.”

Boone didn’t wait for the man’s answer. He pulled Hayden behind him and headed down a hall. “Which one was your room?”

Hayden looked up at him in confusion. “You want a tour of the house?”

“Which one?” Boone’s voice was unrelenting.

“Third door on the left.”

Boone tugged Hayden along and opened the door. He closed it behind him and took a quick look around, not too surprised at what he saw.

Dark blue comforter, twin bed, a desk in the corner, an empty bookcase—but the posters still on the wall
did
surprise him.

Boone dropped Hayden’s hand and wandered over to the wall. One poster had four rows of different types of handguns. Each one had a short description under it, with the caliber bullet it shot, as well as the manufacturer. He moved to the next one. It was of the 1996 Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl-winning team.

There were a few other posters of the football teams from a local high school, obviously from when she was a student. Boone continued to look around the room. If he didn’t know better, he’d think this was where a teenage boy lived.

“You have a brother?”

“No.”

“This really was your room?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are the posters still on the wall?”

Hayden shrugged and threw him attitude. “Because. I don’t know. My parents haven’t bothered to remove them? What the hell, Boone? You wanna make out on my bed and pretend we’re in high school or what?”

Boone ignored her defensive attitude and walked up to her, not stopping even when she backed away from him and hit the wall by the door. “Talk to me, Hay.”

“About what?” She tried to act dumb.

Boone wasn’t buying it. “About why your parents treat you as if you’re a guy, when you’re obviously not.”

She sighed and sagged. Boone clasped his hands at the small of her back and held her to him. She didn’t look up, but rested her hands on his chest, picking at a stray thread on his shirt, and answered him. “They wanted a boy. Mom miscarried twice before she had me. Both boys. Dad had been so excited to have a son. When she carried me to term, they were really disappointed I wasn’t male. Mom had wanted to try again, but the doctor advised against it. I got footballs and trucks for Christmas presents as far back as I can remember. I was told to be tough, and to suck it up anytime I got hurt. When I told my dad I wanted to get into gymnastics and ballet when I was five, I still remember the disappointed look on his face and his outright refusal. He signed me up for T-ball the next day.”

She tried to change the subject.

“
You’re
their dream guy, Boone. Tall, handsome, a cowboy, and you own a cattle farm. Dad’s in heaven. I don’t think he’s ever watched a rodeo in his life, but suddenly you’re here and he can’t frickin’ wait.”

“Hayden—”

She ignored him and continued, even looking up at him as she did. “They’re proud of what I do, Boone. At least I think they are. Dad enjoys hearing my stories about the stuff that happens at work. I might not be a boy, but he’s happy with what I do for a living.”

“What did you want to be when you grew up?”

“What?”

“You said your dad is happy with what you do…but are you? Don’t get me wrong. You’re a damn good cop. You’re fucking great at what you do—but are you doing it for you, or for them? What did you want to be when you grew up?”

Hayden looked down again. “You’re too fucking observant for your own good.”

Boone waited.

She finally answered. “It doesn’t matter what I wanted to do. I’m not about to give up what I’ve spent ten years of my life working toward. I have the respect of my coworkers and my family. If you don’t like—”

Boone interrupted her. “You
know
I like everything about you, but I’ll stop hounding you. And I hope you know I’m proud of you, Hay. I was serious when I said you were a damn good cop. You took in the situation with Dana that first day, walked around my house for two seconds, then decimated her story when your friends and coworkers were about to handcuff me and haul me in for domestic assault. But, Hayden, I see
you
. I see the beautiful woman under your uniform. I see past your jeans and cowboy boots to the girl underneath who’s dying to wear short, silky dresses and high heels.”

“I’m not so sure about the heels part.”

Boone smiled at her, loving that she could pull herself together and smile at him.

“Okay, maybe small heels then.” Boone moved one of his hands down until he rested it on the curve of her ass and pulled her into him until there was no space whatsoever between them. Boone knew his erection was obvious against her stomach, but he didn’t give a shit. “You can wear whatever you want, but I know you’re all woman under your clothes. Feel how much you turn me on. And yeah, there’s definitely a part of me that wants to throw you down on that bed behind us and make out with you just to spite your parents. Bet they never even worried about you meeting curfew or having a boy back here with the door shut, did they?”

Hayden blushed, but kept her eyes on his. “Nope. I didn’t have any boyfriends in high school. I was the weird tomboy.”

Boone leaned down, waiting for Hayden to stretch up to him and said in a voice thick with lust, “You’re not a weird tomboy anymore.”

He took her lips with his own and they both groaned. God, he loved the way she felt in his arms and how she lost control with one touch of his tongue to hers. Boone moved the hand that had been at the small of her back around to her front and rested it over her breast. He squeezed at the same time he nipped her lip. She gasped and he drew back. He continued to caress her chest, pinching her nipple through both her shirt and bra.

“Boone?”

He heard all sorts of questions in that one word out of her mouth and he took pity on her. He released her nipple and rested his hand over her now aroused flesh. Boone leaned in and nuzzled her under her ear. “How long do you think your dad is gonna torture me by making me watch that damn rodeo before we can get out of here?”

Loving the giggle that rose out of Hayden’s chest, Boone pulled back and smiled at her, moving his hand up to her hair and pulling out the clip holding it in the neat bun at the back of her neck. He ran his hand through her hair, loving how it cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. She might dress like a boy, but he wanted her parents to start to see she was all woman.

He moved his hand, still holding her clip, back to the small indentation in her back.

“He’ll probably have adoption papers ready for you to sign when we go back out there,” Hayden said, only half kidding.

Boone shook his head. “I’m sorry your dad doesn’t see what a wonderful, accomplished woman you are.”