Letting Go of You (Anchored Hearts #2) (14 page)

He then did what he did best.  He started teasing me, his lips barely touching mine.  Before I could stop it a soft moan left me.  It was my body’s way of saying ‘yes’ to him.  He aggressively locked his lips to mine as his hands held on to me.  The butterflies and ripples that ran through me caused my knees to give out.  But he was right there and simply pressed me up against the back of my car.  He latched on to my tongue like it contained the sweetest nectar.  I had to stop this before we took it too far.

“James.”

James!  Where was he?  He’d been upstairs longer than five minutes.  Maybe he fell asleep.  I couldn’t blame him.  I muted the TV and heard him walking around.  What was he doing?  I waited another moment and he still didn’t come down.

“Cassidy.  Can you come here?”

He must
have been looking for something.  I started walking up the stairs and I heard music start to play, coming from my room.  What was he up to? I walked in and the sight before me was almost majestic. 

James had pulled out every candle I kept in my armoire and had them lit in various spots throughout the room.  He was still lighting a few and didn’t realize that I was watching him.  My eyes drifted over him as I took in the scene before me.  When my eyes came back to him I saw that his hair was down and he wore only a white tank and his underwear.  My breath caught in my chest as I stood and waited for his next move. 

When he turned and spotted me watching him, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled that goofy grin of his.  Then he stretched out his hand to me.  “Dance with me.”

I Won’t Give Up
by Jason Mraz
was currently playing as I took his hand and let him pull me close.
  I breathed him in and allowed his scent to intoxicate me like it always did.  I was where I wanted to be, able to breathe, knowing he was with me.  It was a hell of a day, but I felt like we had made great progress.

“I’m sorry about everything.  I’m a work in progress.  But always know that I love you and I won’t give up on us.  Ever.”

“I’m sorry too.  I love you.”  I lifted my head from its resting place on his chest and brought my hands with me.  Tracing his scar I whispered, “I won’t give up either.”

My hands moved to his arms and down to his waist, finding their way under his shirt.  Running my fingers over the V above
his hips and up the contours of the muscles that adorned his abdomen.  I suddenly craved him in my mouth.  I wanted to drive him to the brink, show him how much I missed him. 

I dropped to my knees, taking his underwear with me.  He kicked them aside as I ran my hands over the backs of his thighs.  Bringing a hand to his front, I gently stroked him before taking him into my mouth.  His hands tangled in my hair, slightly rocking my head back and forth on his cock.  I felt the pulse quickening in him and his breathing
became raspy. 

“Blackbird, please wait.”  I pulled away from him, knowing he wanted it all to last longer.  “Come here.” 

I stood up and he reached his arms out, pulling my shirt over my head.  My nipples were already hard, rubbing against the fabric of my bra.  His hands didn’t delay as he found the front clasp and released it.  I shrugged the straps off as he bent and took a breast in his mouth and massaged the other.  His free hand found the waistband to my pants and sank his hands down to cup my ass.

Pulling back to look at me he asked,
“Do you have something against underwear?”  I chuckled as his hand found my ass bare under my pants. 

“I was just trying to save time.”

“I like taking my time, you should know that by now!”  He winked as his other hand abandoned my breast to pull my pants off. 

“Another ‘while you’re down there’ moment.”

He looked up at me with the smoldering look in his eyes as he kissed my belly.  His hands dug into the back of my thighs and ass, forcing me closer to his mouth.  Gripping his head to hang on, I cried out when his tongue circled my clit before diving in deeper.

We hadn’t even kissed yet and I was thirsty for his mouth.
“James, please kiss me.”  I gently tugged on his hair as he kissed his way up my abdomen.  He began sucking and nipping on my neck and ear and I started shaking at the amount of passion running through me.

He turned
us around, pushing me up against the bed and as I moved back on to it, he climbed above me, till my head was resting on the pillows.  He hovered above me, searching my face as I tried capturing his mouth with my own.  His hand moved to grip my chin as he held me still.

“Did you want something?” 

My eyes found his as I whispered, “I want you.”

“How bad do you want me?”  His words lingered over my head as his other hand moved down and between my legs.  “How bad, Cassidy?”  Pushing two fingers inside, my eyes rolled back as I moaned and his mouth claimed mine.  “Pretty bad.  You’re pulsing so tight around me.  I think someone missed me.”

“I never want to miss you again.”

He savored my mouth as his fingers twirled inside me.  Releasing my chin, he asked me to put my arms above my head.  I did as he asked
, aching for more as his fingers left my body and moved up to my wrists.  I looked up and saw him wrap the cool steel of handcuffs around one wrist and then the other. 

Cuffed to the bed with nowhere to go I closed my eyes to savor the feelings.  Knowing him this would be a slow, sensual, hard fuck.  And I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.  His mouth was exploring my neck and shoulders as his erection pressed against my leg.  I tried shifting, eager to feel him against me.

“Ah, don’t make me restrain your legs too.”  I felt his breath above me and opened my eyes.  “Unless that’s what you want.”

“Your birthday present is under my bed.”  That got his attention.

“What have you been up to Blackbird?”

“This and that.”  I watched as he looked under the bed and pulled the large box out, placing it on the bed. 
He lifted the lid and his eyes grew wide as a grin spread across his face.  “I remember you mentioning wanting to get some new things for here.” 

“You’re amazing.”  He pulled out the nylon rope, wrist and ankle restraints, a spreader bar and a hog tie restraint set.  “Damn.”

Blushing, I said, “There’s more.”  He found the gift certificate.  “I thought we could pick some things out together.”  He moved closer and leaned down and kissed me before looking to me and asking what I had in mind.  “You decide.”

He looked back to the items and at me a couple times before pulling out the spreader bar.  Replacing the box back under my bed, he moved to the end of the bed and hooked up the spreader bar.  Lifting my legs in the air, he crawled under the bar and between my legs.  Licking an
d nuzzling his way up my body, I was dying for him to be inside me.

“Please…”

“Patience, Blackbird.”

I arched my back, lengthening my arms until the cuffs dug into my skin.  It was sweet misery.  He was sucking and tugging on my breasts so hard that I cried out as his hands dug into my thighs.
  I watched as he raised to his knees and positioned himself for my taking.  Bringing my legs up, I attempted to pull him closer and he gave me that look I knew well, as he licked his thumb.  He started circling my clit, driving me crazy.  When I didn’t think I could take anymore, he pushed into me hard and steady.  The pleasure was momentarily blinding as he sank in to his full depth.

“God I love you.”  He said the words as he did it again.  “I’ll never get enough of fucking you.”

He was careful about exuding self-control and when I got close he would stop until I wasn’t at the brink anymore.  Crawling out from under the spreader bar, he reached up, un-cuffed one wrist and helped me roll over.  He put me on my knees and re-cuffed my free wrist.  For a short moment of bliss, he rubbed his tip all over my opening then plunged in and fucked me, losing all restraint.  It felt so good, but I wasn’t ready to come.  He filled me up and kissed my back as he caught his breath. 

His hands drew designs I couldn’t decipher on my ass and lower back.
He moved a finger down my crack, causing me to tense briefly, before his fingers sank into me.  He gripped my hip as he started fucking me with his fingers.  Rocking my hips to the rhythm to get the most pressure, I started to clench around him.  Smacking my ass with his free hand, I was startled and had to refocus.  Over and over again he did this.  Every nerve ending was quivering in longing.

“I love that you let me fuck you how I want, when I want, where I want.”  I moaned louder, as he kept at it.  “I love that you like it dirty.  I want you to come, Cassidy.  Come hard.”  His other hand moved to massage my clit and I couldn’t hold on any longer. 
Screaming his name, he encouraged me, “Yes, baby.  I’m right here.  I’m not letting go of you.”

I was well past my climax as he continued.  Whimpering in protest, he slid back into me, renewed again.  There was nothing I could do with his legs between mine and the spreader bar.  I was becoming delusional as the room seemed to sway like a boat on the water.  The orgasm that took me was only matched by the guttural moan that escaped his lips.  When my body came back into itself, I was in his arms, no cuffs and no bar restraining me.  I dozed off in the warmth of his embrace listening to his
heartbeat.

C
hapter
14
~
S
uspect

~ CASSIDY ~

Startled, I awoke and discovered I was alone in bed.  I bolted upright and saw him getting dressed.  It was still dark out.  Looking at the clock I saw it was almost 4 a.m.

“Hey, I couldn’t sleep.  I’m going to go for a run.
”  The relief that came over me was telling.  “I’m not leaving.  You should go back to sleep.”

“You’re coming back, right?”

“With breakfast.  Get some sleep.  I’ll be back soon.”  He kissed me and tucked me back under the covers.  It was very sweet.  I could only guess that he probably woke having another nightmare, but I wasn’t going to press the issue. 

~ JAMES ~

Once I stepped outside I had a change of heart and decided to take her car to the hospital to check in on mom.  I knew it was early, but I wouldn’t wake her.  Pulling into the parking garage, I drove around until I found my truck and parked close by before walking to the nurse’s station on mom’s floor. 
The floor was quiet and I knew if they saw me at this hour, they would’ve asked me to leave.  I snuck around like a thief in the night. 

I peered into her room and she was sound asleep.  I wrote her a note on her whiteboard and headed toward the elevator
, unseen as far as I could tell.  Curiosity got the better of me and I headed to Derek’s room.  I had an eerie feeling and turned to look down the hall I’d just traveled.  Nothing alarmed me so I continued on my way.  He too was sleeping, piece of shit.  He’d get what was coming to him.

After leaving the hospital, I went for my run.  I texted Smith, asking him to pick up my truck and dr
op it off at Cassidy’s.  I stopped at a twenty-four hour diner and grabbed enough breakfast for Cassidy and me.  When I got back to her place it was around 7 a.m.  She was still asleep, sprawled on her front and hugging my pillow to her.  I placed a loose tendril of hair behind her ear and leaned in to nuzzle her.  She quietly moaned, but wasn’t going to give me the satisfaction of waking up.

Removing my clothes, I jumped in the shower.  I’d give her a few minutes before waking her up and insisting she eat with me.  When I got out, I threw on some underwear and lounge pants, thankful I
still had clothes at her place.  I ran downstairs, put breakfast on a platter and carried it upstairs with the gallon of OJ. 

She started to stir and I couldn’t contain the snicker that escaped me.  I was fanning the bacon in front of her face when her eyes fluttered open. 

“Mmm.”  She rolled over, stretching.  “What time is it?”  She looked to the clock and yawned out, “Man, I haven’t slept that good in a long time.”

“
You were exhausted.”

“So were you.  That didn’t stop you from getting up so early.”

“We were in bed pretty early.  I got enough rest.”  I motioned her to scoot and she did as I brought the tray to her.  “Eat.”

Later in the morning we were headed to the hospital for a visit with mom before stopping in to see Calvin and Jane.  They
had made the necessary arrangements and mom would be going home Monday, like predicted.  When we pulled up to Cal’s place, there was a squad car out front and it looked like Frank was walking to the door.

“What’s going on?”  Cassidy verbalized my own thoughts.  Pulling in, she jumped out before I had the engine off and was running to the door.  When I got out I heard her questioning Frank.  “Is everything okay?”

“I need to talk to Cal, ASAP.”  Cal opened the door then and invited everyone in.  “Where’s Jane?”

“She worked last night.  She’s
still sleeping.” 

Frank huffed out a big breath and even I started to get nervous.  “I need you to sit down.”

“Frank, what the fuck is going on.”  Cal grabbed his chest before sitting down.

“Cal?”  Cassidy was on him in a second.

“I’m okay.  Just some pain.  I’ll be fine.”  He glared at Frank and barked, “Out with it.”

“Derek’s dead.  It’s all over the station.  I shouldn’t even be here.  I could get suspended.”

Everyone was speechless, just staring at Frank.  “He’s dead?”  We all turned to see Jane standing on the stairs.  Cal got up and walked over to her. 

“It’s over Baby Doll.  He’s never going to hurt you again.”  I noticed a bandage on Jane’s left forearm and was immediately suspicious.  She looked guilty, but of what.

“I should go.  I was already taken off the case.  They were already throwing around the names of the suspects.”

“Suspects?”  Cassidy stared at him in disbelief.

“There was a struggle.  Derek was murdered.”

I was enraged.  “After what that fucker did, it’s not murder.  It’s justice.”

“And that’s what’s going to get you arrested.  I’m looking at the top three suspects.”  We all stood and looked from one to the other.  Cassidy turned white as a ghost.  This just got bad, really, really bad.  “You better get your alibis and stories straight.”  With that, Frank left.

~ CASSIDY ~

The top three suspects?  I was in a complete daze, watching as Frank left.  I looked at Cal and James and back again.  I couldn’t blame either of them for wanting to kill Derek after what he did to Jane, but they wouldn’t, would they?  Sinking onto the couch, I put my head in my hands and tried taking a few deep breaths.  Life just wasn’t fair.

“Jane, let me call Annie.”  James sounded calm and I immediately wondered if he thought Jane did it.

“She doesn’t need an attorney, she didn’t do anything.”  Cal was immediately defensive.  Did
he
do it?  Thinking that was absurd.  “Jane, what’s wrong?”

I looked over to her as she started talking so quietly, I had to strain to hear her.  “I went to visit him last night.”

“What?”

“Why?”

Cal and James were both becoming agitated.  “I don’t know.  I had some things to say to him and I said them.”  She looked to her arm and I noticed she had a small bandage on it.  “He got physical and, and, but.  He was alive when I left.”

“Where was the guard watching his room?”

Responding to Cal’s question, “He wasn’t there.  I didn’t think about it.”

“God dammit.”  Cal started pacing before he grabbed her
arm and removed the bandage.  She had a few scratches on her.  Cal looked to James and nodded, “You better call Annie.”

“I didn’t kill him.  I promise.”  Jane was frightened and becoming erratic.

“I know, but if he scratched you, well, all fingers are going to be pointing at you.”  Jane started sobbing, as Cal wrapped his arms around her. 

James pulled out his cell phone and stepped outside.  Cal took Jane upstairs and I sat on the couch trying to wrap my brain around everything that was happening.  I was feeling sorry for myself, for all of us.  Why couldn’t we just get a break?  Life wasn’t fair.  James came back inside then, stood by the door and just stared at me.

“There’s something you should know.”  My stomach churned as he sat next to me and took my hand.  “When I went out for my run this morning, I stopped by the hospital.  After checking in on my mom, I went to Derek’s room.”  I looked at him, shock written all over my face and tried pulling my hand out of his grasp.  “Cassidy, I promise you, I didn’t do this.  I wanted to, but it wasn’t me.”

I searched his eye for a moment, trying to put the pieces together.  “But, if Jane says it wasn’t her and you say it wasn’t you…Cal?  I don’t believe it.”

“I didn’t say that either.  It could have been anyone.  Jane said the guard wasn’t on post.  And now that I think about it, he wasn’t there when I stopped in either.”     

“I think I’m going to be sick.”  I rushed to the kitchen sink, splashing some cold water on my face.  The cool water helped calm me
, ceasing the need to hurl. “Did anyone see you there?”

“I don’t think so.  I didn’t talk to anyone.” 

James rubbed my back as there was another knock at the front door.  Cal was walking down the stairs and opened the door after taking a deep breath.  It wasn’t who we expected.  Paul stood there with a smile on his face, which dropped when he saw James and me. 

“Sorry.  I thought you could use a workout buddy.  You said today, right?”

“Yea, come on in.  You haven’t met Cassidy’s boyfriend yet.”

“No, it’s okay.  I can come back.”

I felt horrible and I didn’t want things to be difficult between us all.  If Paul was here to stay, we were all going to have to get used to being around each other. 

“Paul
, please come in.”  He looked to James and I and smiled politely before coming in.  “Cal, Paul and James actually served together too.  Paul is working for James.”

Cal must’ve sensed the tension in the room.  He looked between the
three of us before saying, “Oh.  Well alrighty then.  Your timing has always been impeccable, Paul.” 

He slapped Paul on the shoulder
to which he responded with, “Tell me about it.”

“You should sit down.  I have some news.”

James immediately tensed and said, “This is a family matter, Cal.”

Cal looked to James,
answering, “I trust Paul with my life.  After what we’ve been through, I would think you do too.” 

What the fuck was going on?  Had Cal and James discussed their time in the war?  Now I was on the verge of getting pissed.
  Why did everyone know but me?  “James, you can trust him.”  I glanced at Paul and he smiled at me.

“I’m sorry.  We’re all under a lot of stress.  Of course, I know I can trust him.”  James walked over to Paul and put his hand out between the two of them.  “I’m sorry, man.  No hard feelings.”

“Nah, it’s cool.”  They shook hands and then Paul asked, “So, what the hell has you all so serious?”    

~<>~<>~<>~

That night in bed we were chatting about the day’s events.  No arrests had been made, yet.  Annie was set to represent any and all three of them if need be.  The cops had questioned Jane and she in turn answered the questions they asked with Annie was present the whole time.  They were waiting for the coroner’s report which could take days or weeks. 

“You believe me, right?”

Peering up at him, “Of course, but I don’t want to believe that any of you did this.  Just thinking about it depresses me.  I mean, if it was Jane, at least she’d have the sympathy of the court.” 

Glaring at me, he retorted, “She didn’t do it.”

“How do you know that?  We don’t know what happened in that hospital room.”

“Exactly, it could’ve been your brother.  None of us has an alibi.”

“I should’ve made you stay.  If I’d insisted you stay this morning at least you’d have an alibi.”

“Something about this whole thing seems off.  It’s too convenient.”  Kissing my forehead and scratching my back, he whispered, “Don’t worry.  We’ll figure it out.  I’ll spend every last penny to make sure Cal and Jane have the representation they need.”

I fell asleep shortly after, though my sleep was restless. 

He followed me to work in the morning then headed to his office.  H
is mom was scheduled to go home, and she’d have twenty-four hour care and hospice would be brought in when the time was right. 

On Wednesday Paul had texted, asking if I was free for lunch.  I accepted, not thinking anything of it.  I met him at the diner down the street and as I walked in and saw him I got nervous.  If James found out he’d probably be furious. 
Paul stood and gave me a hug before we sat down.  The waitress brought two waters immediately and said she’d be back for our order.  Why did I feel like I was on a date?  I was playing with my straw wrapper, tying it in knots and avoiding his gaze.     

“I wanted to apologize.”  He words surprised me.

“For what?”

“I hope my being back in town hasn’t caused any issues with you and James.  I should’ve put the pieces together when Smith mentioned he had a fiery redhead.”  We both laughed.  “I have to admit that when I ran in to Cal all those weeks ago, I was very eager to see you too.”

“Paul.  You didn’t cause any issues that weren’t already there.  I admit that I wondered for a long time what happened to you, to us.”  I nervously looked at him and took a sip of my water.

He forcefully blew the air out of his lungs.  “I was an idiot.  That’s what happened.  I’m really sorry if I hurt you.”

Hurt me?  He destroyed me.  After confessing my love, he walked down the terminal, side by side with my brother and I never saw him again.  It wasn’t until James that I felt those feelings again. 

“It’s ancient history.  No hard feelings.”

He smiled at me and then the waitress came and took our orders.  “So, what have you been up to all these years?  You seem to be doing pretty good for yourself.”

“I’m doing okay.  I’m an event planner, graduated school a few years ago, nothing too exciting.  What about you?”