Lori Foster (28 page)

Damn, she tasted good.

She eased away, breathing fast. “People are looking.”

“Let them.” He wanted everyone to know that Avery wasn’t alone, not anymore.

She looked around, saw Dash and grinned again.

“It’s not that funny.” But he found himself smiling, too. Before Avery, he couldn’t remember ever being so lighthearted.

She’d changed him, maybe irrevocably.

Probably for the better.

“It’s hilarious.” Hands on his chest, Avery frowned up at him. “Unless you’re planning something unseemly for that poor woman.”

Did she miss nothing? “If you mean Lieutenant Margaret Peterson, she is not a poor woman, trust me. She devours guys like Dash. I just threw him to the wolves. It’ll be a miracle if he survives.”

One brow lifted, Avery gave a pointed look at where Dash talked with four women while they more or less fawned on him. “Yeah, poor guy. He looks like a lamb to the slaughter.”

“He’s just warming up. Wait and see.”

Not a minute later, Dash excused himself from his admirers and started toward the back.

“He’s going to her?”

“Yeah.” Rowdy pitched in, helping Avery with refills. “She’s up to something, but no idea what.” He only knew he didn’t want to be a part of it.

“She came to see you.”

“Maybe.” He wasn’t entirely convinced of that, either. He and Peterson had come to an understanding of sorts, but there’d been no sparks between them. Before Avery, sure, he wouldn’t have kicked the lieutenant out of bed. But she
was
a lieutenant, so he wouldn’t have pursued her, either.

Cops in general put him on edge. Female cops with a mean streak...not really his thing.

And now that he’d had Avery he plain wasn’t interested in anyone else.

Dash disappeared from sight into the back room where Peterson had gone, but Rowdy didn’t hear any fireworks, so maybe they’d work it out.

“She’s very attractive,” Avery pointed out.

“In a cold-steel type of way, sure.” Avery and the lieutenant were both petite women, but that’s where the similarity ended. The lieutenant had short-cropped dark curls and a military posture. Avery’s long red hair, even when tied back, could inspire fantasies, and he much preferred her laid-back, easy way.

Just then, Peterson and Dash emerged. Dash tried to lead her back to the booth, but Peterson wasn’t cooperating. People glanced their way as Dash grinned at her and Peterson balled up her fists as if she might attack.

“Shit.” Rowdy handed over a beer mug he’d just refilled and wiped off his hands. “Looks like I need to run interference.” He gave it some quick thought, and made a decision. “Have Cannon give you a break and then join us.”

Avery stepped back. “Oh, I don’t want to intrude—”

“I need you with me, okay?” What better way to dissuade Peterson than by showing her he had other interests?

Avery looked like he’d doused her in ice water. She stood there staring up at him, lips parted, eyes wide.

What the hell?

Belatedly, she got herself together. “Yes, of course.” She smiled brightly. “Go on. I’ll be over as soon as I can get Cannon here.”

Was she that thrown by him asking a favor? “Thanks, babe.”

He reached Dash and the lieutenant in time to hear her say, “I am not doing this with you, Dash.”

“Well, Rowdy’s out, so it’s me or you go home empty-handed.”

Ah, hell. Were they bartering sex? Rowdy nudged Peterson toward the booth, saying, “How about we sit down and talk this out?”

She wrapped her arms around one of his and dragged him into the seat with her. Pulling him close, so close Rowdy thought she was going to kiss him, Peterson said, “I’m undercover, you ass.”

Huh.

“I need you to shore up my cover.” She slid a hand to his chest, stroking him. “And I don’t want this other ass—” she looked at Dash so there’d be no misunderstandings “—in my way.”

Dash said, “And yet, here I am.”

When the lieutenant’s thumb brushed over his left nipple, Rowdy nearly jumped out of the booth. Catching her wrist and lifting it away, Rowdy disengaged as much as he could. “Why are you here, in my place, if you’re undercover?” The last thing the bar needed was more trouble.

She leaned in again, so close that her boobs were on his arm, her moist breath in his ear. “What do you know about BD videos?”

Bondage and discipline pornos? He rubbed his ear, wishing Avery would hurry it up. “That I don’t need or want to see them. Why?”

“Sometimes...” Her mouth firmed. “Sometimes the women aren’t as willing as you’d think.”

As he made some quick mental connections, ice ran through his veins. “You think someone is forcing them? Women from
my
bar?”

“I think the ones producing the videos might hang out here.”

“Why would you think that?”

Her fingers walked up his chest to his chin. “Evidence.”

“See what I’m dealing with?” Dash leaned forward, forearms on the booth. “She needs help with her cover. If she just hangs out here looking like that, every dick in the place will be on her.”

“You,” Peterson said, still teasing her fingers over Rowdy. She turned those big blue eyes on Dash and enunciated clearly, “Not him.”

No, and no again. “Sorry, I can’t oblige.” Rowdy forcibly set her a few inches away. “Earlier today I went out of my way to let all and sundry know that I’m with Avery. If I mix it up with you, they’ll think she’s fair game again.”

Peterson’s brows lifted. “And she’s not?”

“Definitely not.”

“And here I got the impression you weren’t the type to settle on one woman. Interesting.” Her gaze slid to Dash. “You still won’t do.”

“You’d have to try me on for size before you make that judgment.”

Rowdy half expected Peterson to shoot Dash. He didn’t have a single doubt that she was packing. The lieutenant was not a woman who went out and about unarmed.

She surprised him by being reasonable. “I need to be here in the evenings. You work construction. The nights could be late....”

“I’ll persevere.” Knowing he had her, Dash sat back and smiled. “I own the company, remember. I can set any hours for myself that I want.”

Finally Avery showed up. With her bottom lip caught in her teeth, her gaze tentative, she paused by the booth and dried her hands on her apron.

Dash scooted over to make room for her, and Avery slid into the seat beside him.

Rowdy muttered, “This is fucked up.”

“Rowdy,” Avery chastised, glancing at Peterson in apology. “Language.”

Peterson gave a startled laugh, looked at Rowdy, and then at Avery and laughed again. “Oh, I like her, Rowdy. I really do.”

Dash stretched an arm out along the back of the booth. “Me, too.”

“She’s heard worse,” Rowdy said. And if Dash touched Avery, he’d—

“Still,” Avery said. She held out her hand. “I’m the bartender.”

Peterson looked more than a little delighted. “Very nice to meet you.”

Dash leaned down close to Avery’s ear, no doubt on the pretense of subterfuge, not that anyone paid any attention to them. “She’s Logan’s lieutenant,” Dash said. “And she’s undercover to catch some men who are forcing women into bondage videos.”

Avery’s eyes widened. “That’s why you’re here and why you were hitting on Rowdy?”

“Why else?”

“The usual reasons?” Avery reached over the table and took his hand. “That’s why most of the women chase after him.”

The lieutenant’s mouth quirked. “No, not the usual reasons for me.” Still amused, she turned her attention on Dash. “Overall, I don’t have time or patience to put up with men.”

“But now you need me.” Dash held out his arms. “And lucky for you, I’m ready, willing and able.”

“I suppose you’d be better than some unknown.” Peterson drummed her fingertips on the booth. “I have rules.”

“You can tell me all about them when we’re alone.”

Rowdy looked around, but they still had relative privacy. “You mentioned evidence that involves the bar?”

She glanced at Avery, who looked ready to excuse herself again.

Rowdy laced their fingers together and held on to her. “You can speak in front of Avery. In fact, it’s better if she knows. She interacts with the customers more than I do.”

Giving it some thought, Peterson tugged at a small curl behind her ear. She must have decided to trust Avery because, voice low, she launched into a quick explanation. “Reese and Logan know about this, but not many others.”

Dash said to Avery, “She has major trust issues.”

“I don’t like to take chances,” Peterson corrected.

Rowdy knew the station had once been rife with corruption. To his knowledge, Peterson had cleared house, kicking out everyone on the take. But he didn’t blame her for remaining cautious.

She turned her wineglass, her expression tight. “A young lady claims she was forced to take part in a discipline video. She wasn’t hurt too badly—physically that is. And they eventually let her go. But you can imagine her humiliation and the fear she suffered.”

Avery sat frozen in horror; Dash looked disgusted.

Rowdy thought any man involved needed to spend the rest of his life behind bars—or worse.

“Because she’d been blindfolded during transportation, it took her some time to show us the area where she’d been held. We raided the building where the videos were being shot, but by the time we got there, they’d already cleared out.”

Avery covered her mouth. “The woman is okay?”

“Yes.” Peterson tightened more. “She’s still scared, probably always will be. But other than some bruises, she’s not too badly hurt.”

“You found a connection to the bar?”

“Cocktail napkins and a matchbook.”

And here he’d only recently gotten those in. “That’s not much to go on.”

“It’s all I have right now. But know this, Rowdy. The woman was grabbed right off the street not that far from here. You might want to put up some extra security cameras and be a little more cautious.”

He’d planned to do that anyway, here, at his apartment and at Avery’s. “I’ll get right on it.”

“In the meantime, if you see anything at all that looks suspicious—”

“I’ll let you know first thing.” He had a sudden burning need to get Avery someplace safe—even if it was away from him. She wasn’t cut out for this life, being in this area, surrounded by the worst society had to offer—

Avery took his hand. “We’ll be extra vigilant.” With a squeeze, she reassured him, almost as if she’d known his turbulent thoughts.

Looking at Avery only ramped up his awareness of her, of the reasons why he shouldn’t tie her to him and the sordid, uncertain life he’d built for himself.

He slid out of the seat, drawing Avery out, too. “We need to get back to work.” To Peterson, he added, “I won’t tell the other employees, but feel free to come to Avery or me for anything you need.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at Avery. “I suppose we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

Avery leaned into him, her hand around his biceps. “Now that I know you’re not actually after Rowdy, I’ll enjoy that.”

As he and Avery went behind the bar to relieve Cannon, Rowdy checked his watch. “Only a few more hours and I can get you alone.”

“I hope you’re thinking what I’m thinking,” she teased. “Because I need one of those hugs that turns into sex.”

Sounded good to him. He planned to fill up every available minute with loving her. And maybe, in the time left to him, it’d be enough.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“H
EY
,
SEXY
.”

Rowdy smiled even before he got his eyes open. Avery rested half over his chest, one leg over his lap—just as she’d slept all night. He moved his hand, realized it was curled over her ass and said, “Looking for another swat, huh?”

She kissed his chin, his jaw, the top of his cheekbone and finally his mouth. “The wonder of it is that Dash somehow thought the women were talking to him.” The kisses trailed over his throat to his chest. “Because you are by far the sexiest man I have ever known.”

He rumbled a groan, enjoying how she rubbed against him. “I can’t imagine a better start to my day than having you naked, your mouth on my body.”

“My hand doing...this?” She curled her fingers around his erection, squeezing gently.

“Yeah,” Rowdy managed to say. “That, too.”

“Then you’ll love this.” He heard the smile in her voice, and the growing lust.

She kissed her way down his body, her mouth so hot and sweet that he stopped thinking and could only feel. She’d wrung him out last night, not only physically but emotionally, too.

When she’d climaxed, twice, she’d told him again that she loved him.

More and more she said it, and more and more he enjoyed hearing it.

He needed to hear it now.

“Tell me again.” Tangling a hand in her hair, Rowdy held himself perfectly still as she lightly bit his abdomen and then licked the spot.

“I love you, Rowdy Yates.” She brushed her cheek over the head of his dick. “So much.”

After last night, he should have been mellow. Instead, she easily put him on the ragged edge.

Never, not once, had Avery asked him how he felt about her. She didn’t demand he reciprocate. She didn’t insist on a declaration.

She just gave to him. “Again.”

“I love you.” Her lips touched his shaft in a butterfly kiss, making his every muscle coil tight.

Like an addict needing a fix, Rowdy squeezed his eyes shut and begged, “Again.”

Her tongue licked from the base up to the head.... “I love you.” She closed her mouth over him.

He groaned loudly, lost, immersed in sensation. His hips lifted off the bed as he strained upward against her.

She took him deeper, her tongue curling around him, her mouth so hot and wet—

“Avery.” He loved saying her name. He loved feeling her mouth, having her pleasure him. He loved...her.

Oh, God, he was lost. So fucking lost.

She stayed with him, sucking, licking, and he knew he wouldn’t last a second more.

He cupped one hand around her nape, keeping her close, and cupped the other to her cheek, his thumb finding her wet bottom lip. Such a turn-on. So fucking hot.

“Avery,” he said again, this time lower, his voice like gravel as he felt his testicles tighten, the hot surge of release.

It was too much.

It would never be enough.

He held her to him and let go, pleasure ripped from him, tension drained away.

He wasn’t aware of Avery crawling back up over him, or of her snuggling in close and holding him tight.

But he heard her when she whispered, oh-so-sweetly, “I love you, Rowdy Yates, and I always will.”

Still breathing like a bellows, he struggled to get it together, to fight the dampness burning the back of his eyelids. Thank God, Avery asked nothing of him. She just stayed close, curled around him, her hand over his thumping heart.

Time passed and still he didn’t move. He wasn’t sure he could. He knew Avery hadn’t gone back to sleep because she idly stroked him and every so often, almost as if she understood his turmoil, she pressed a gentle kiss to his ribs.

He could have stayed there like that for hours, recovering, wallowing in her love, fighting demons and struggling to make decisions, but the intrusion of his cell phone forced him to move.

Avery rolled to her back and stretched. That stalled him for a minute, seeing her lithe little body drawn tight, her hair all fanned out around her, her small pink nipples and her sex—damp with need.

She relaxed again, smiled at him and said, “The phone?” with such a knowing, seductive note that he felt himself stirring again.

“Yeah.” Rowdy twisted and grabbed up the cell phone to check the caller ID. His sister. Shit. He answered with, “What’s up, kiddo?”

“I’ll be at your door in five minutes. If you’re doing anything I don’t want to see, stop and get dressed.”

He knew Pepper well enough that he could tell nothing was wrong. “The reason for the visit?”

“Logan is off working and I’m worried and I need a distraction. Alice and Marcus are busy with house stuff today, so you’re it.”

Avery had already sat up and pulled on a T-shirt, but no way would he leave her unsatisfied. “Can you make it ten minutes?”

“Seriously, Rowdy? It’s the butt crack of dawn. I figured I’d be waking you.”

“Sorry, no. Give me ten and then we’ll greet you.”

She sighed dramatically. “I’ll stop to buy coffee and doughnuts.”

“Perfect, thanks.” He disconnected the call and caught Avery before she could leave the bed. “Not so fast.”

“That was your sister, right? She’s due here soon?”

“I have ten minutes.” He drew her down flat to the bed. “And now it’s my turn.”

Trying to fend him off, she laughed. “You just had your turn.”

“And I thank you for that. But as incredible as it was, I enjoy getting you off, too.”

She touched his face. “I can wait.”

“Maybe.” He slid a hand between her thighs, found her hot, creamy, and his heart punched into overtime. “But I can’t.”

* * *

R
OWDY
WAS
IN
the shower when his sister knocked on the door. Feeling very self-conscious—
he’d told Pepper to give them time to have sex!—
Avery went to the door to let her in. Whenever Pepper was around she felt unaccountably nervous, in large part because she knew how close they were. They shared a love stronger than any she’d ever known, and that made Pepper a very special person to Rowdy.

Which also made her a very special person to Avery.

Dressed in requisite jeans and a T-shirt, with one of Rowdy’s flannels to help ward off the morning chill, Avery hurried to the door. She loved his loft apartment, but the floors could be so very cold, and the high ceilings made it difficult to heat. If she ever truly moved in, she’d put down colorful area rugs.

But she and Rowdy weren’t there yet. Her place in his life was tentative at best; she would do nothing to rock the boat.

After giving herself a quick pep talk, Avery opened the door and before she could say a word, Pepper swept in. She carried coffee and doughnuts and, as always, she looked beautiful.

“Where’s Rowdy?”

So much for hello. “He’s taking a quick shower.” Avery secured the door again and followed Pepper down to the kitchen. “He won’t be long. Doctor’s orders. He can only take quick showers until the stitches are removed.”

Pepper grinned at her. “Hi.”

“Good morning.”

Pepper set everything on the table. “You know, I never thought I’d see the day where I had to deal with my brother having a significant other. One-night stand, sure. Groupie, no problem. But a regular?” Pepper shook her head. “Unheard of.”

Disapproval, or mere observation? Avery wasn’t sure. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, I wasn’t complaining.” Making herself at home, Pepper got sugar and creamer and put them on the table. “I think it’s awesome. Rowdy deserves someone who cares, and he deserves to be happy.”

“Amen to that.”

Pepper raised a brow. “Meaning you do care?”

Seeing no reason to lie about it, Avery lifted one shoulder. “I love him.”

Pepper did a double take before smirking. “Huh.” She loaded one of the cups with sugar. “Have you told him that?”

“Many times.” Often, regularly, especially during sex—when Rowdy seemed to enjoy hearing it most.

Pepper missed the coffee cup and sugar went all over the table. “You’ve told him?”

“Yes.” Avery pulled out a chair and grabbed her own cup of caffeine. Her hands shook just a little, but then, Rowdy had made her wild in such a short time, she still hadn’t quite recovered from the mind-blowing release. “I felt he had a right to know.”

Coffee forgotten, Pepper, too, pulled out a chair, her attention rapt. “Wow. And you’re still here?”

“Amazing, I know.” Grabbing the sugar bowl, Avery doctored her own coffee. “But then, I haven’t asked him for anything in return. I know how he feels about settling down.” She hesitated, but because Pepper kept staring at her agog, she gave a mental shrug and continued. “I also know some of his past. Your past. I understand why he doesn’t trust the idea of love, and why he’s...uncertain about settling down.”

Pepper continued to stare.

“Some might think that because he’s bought a bar and obviously enjoys working it, he’s put down roots. But that’s a deceptive notion. If he decided to move on again, the bar wouldn’t keep him here.” She smiled at Pepper. “The fact that
you’re
here would be the only reason he might stick around.”

“We’re super close,” Pepper said in an aside, then, “That doesn’t bother you? I mean, knowing he might up and take off again?”

“Not enough I guess.” She propped her head on a hand. “Rowdy is such an amazing man in so many ways. How could I not love him?”

“Yeah.” Shaking herself, Pepper used a hand to clear the sugar off the table and went to dump it in the sink. She said nothing as she washed her hands, came back to finish prepping her coffee and took a big drink.

The shower shut off, letting them both know Rowdy would soon join them.

Avery gave her time. She understood that Pepper might distrust her. The last thing Rowdy ever needed was more hurt.

“What will you do if he tells you to hit the road?”

“I’d go without causing a scene.” Avery smiled sadly. “Eventually it’ll happen, right? But my heart keeps telling me
maybe not.
” She blew out a breath, shrugged. “So I’m happy to stay and wait and love him and...hope.”

Rowdy came out dressed in jeans, still pulling a T-shirt over his head.

Pepper launched from her seat and went to him. “How’s your back?”

“I’m ready to get the damn stitches out.” He caught her up in a hug before she could get behind him. “No, don’t start mothering me. My back is fine and you looking at it won’t change anything. Avery checks it enough for ten women.”

“Hey!” Avery gave mock protest. “I’m not that bad.”

“You’re not bad at all.” He winked at her. “So, kiddo.” Slinging an arm around his sister, he steered her back to the table. “You’re at loose ends today?”

“Logan is working on a big case, so I need to be preoccupied.” She said to Avery, “Cleaning house and doing laundry just doesn’t cut it for me, not when I start worrying. And I
hate
worrying.”

“That’s what you get for marrying a cop.”

Pepper rolled her eyes at Rowdy. “
Cop
is not a dirty word, you know, no matter how you say it.”

Their banter never failed to make Avery smile. “I always enjoyed mindless work, but I know what you mean. When I want to be distracted, playing bartender does the trick. I get so busy I don’t even have time to think.”

“I should learn to do that.” Reseating herself at the table, Pepper picked up her coffee. “I could help out at the bar and—”

“No.” Rowdy fished a doughnut out of the bag. “Get that thought out of your head right now.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want you hanging around a bar, that’s why.” He pointed the doughnut at her. “And I can guarantee Logan will feel the same.”

Mulish indignation straightened her spine. “If it’s okay for Avery, why isn’t it okay for me?”

Rowdy didn’t look at Avery—a very deliberate move, she knew.

“It’s not great for her, either,” he grumbled.

“Don’t go there, Rowdy.” Though he wasn’t ready to admit it, Avery knew he was starting to care. Not as much as she did, but enough that he saw things differently now. “I love my job and I’m keeping it.”
Until you break things off, and then I’ll go to mend my broken heart elsewhere.

He hooked a chair, turning it so he could straddle the seat. “I’m still the boss.”

“And you’re fair.” She wouldn’t let him start making her decisions for her. “That means you won’t fire me unless I deserve it, and we both know I don’t.”
Please tell me I’m right, that you wouldn’t do that to me.

“You’re a good worker,” he agreed. Taking his time, he sipped his coffee, took a bite of doughnut. “But I was thinking you could just work an earlier shift—”

She sat up a little straighter. “I need all the hours I can get.” And she wanted to be there with him. “All the hours I’m
used
to getting.”

“You’re staying with me now.” He threw that out as if it made perfect sense, as if they’d somehow committed to each other when they both knew that wasn’t the case. “That cuts back on your bills, right?”

But for how long? She wouldn’t put him on the spot by asking. “I still have my apartment, still have the bills associated with it.”

“So cancel your lease.”

Her heart nearly jumped into her throat. What was he suggesting? She searched his face, but she couldn’t tell. He could be so damn enigmatic when he chose. “I like my independence, Rowdy. You know that.”
But if you tell me you care, that you want me to stay with you, I’d risk it all.

What he said instead was, “It’s not safe for you there.”

Her heart sank again. She wanted him to want her, not just feel a need to protect her. “Maybe not right now,” she agreed. “But once we deal with Fisher—”

“Once we deal with him, there’d be no reason for you to stay away from your folks.”

Hurt stole her breath. “You’re telling me to go back home?”

“Wow.” Pepper’s timely interruption kept Rowdy from answering. His sister bounced her gaze back and forth between them. “What’s going on? Who’s Fisher?”

Rowdy gave her a very abbreviated explanation. Protecting her privacy, he made Fisher sound more like an annoyance than anything else.