Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
“I’m right here.”
Tyler jerked. His eyes flew open. His head turned.
The lamp was still on. It fell onto Esme as she stared worriedly back at him. “You called out my name.”
Fuck.
“It wasn’t exactly a happy call.” Her hand touched his shoulder. “Did you have a nightmare?”
Tyler swallowed.
“Because I thought you didn’t have those.”
“Everyone has those.” Even bastards like him.
“Did I do something bad in your dream?”
“Yes,” he gritted out. His hands reached for her. “Very, very fucking bad.” He caught her and pulled her on top of him. Her eyes widened as she straddled him. “Promise to never do it again,” he ordered.
“Wh-what did I do?” Her hands pressed lightly to his chest.
You died, Esme. I didn’t save you in time. You died, and I couldn’t bring you back. But as he stared up at her, he couldn’t say the words. Because saying them would make the dream too real.
It hadn’t been real. Esme wasn’t dead. She was alive. Warm and sexy and right in front of him. Right on top of him.
Her hair slid over her shoulders as she shook her head. “I can’t make a promise if you don’t tell me what I did.”
“Open the nightstand drawer,” he ordered.
Her eyes widened, then she reached over. Her breasts did a delicious jiggle, and he had to lean up and lick one. Suck it.
“Tyler!”
He nipped lightly and felt her sex get wet on his dick. Nothing separated them. If he just thrust up, he could sink straight into her tight core again. Want in. Need in. “Condoms inside. Get one.”
“You have more condoms in your wallet?”
“Not the wallet.” He’d already used the only one in there. “Inside the bottom drawer.”
“Uh, how are there condoms in the drawer?” And, sure enough, she shimmied and twisted, and pulled out a box. She shook the box at him. “Planned this already, did you?” Her voice seemed oddly flat. “Did you tell your friend to have them in the bottom drawer before we arrived?”
“I put them in there. Got them at the grocery store.” He hadn’t pulled them out earlier because he’d thought seeing an entire box might freak her out the first time they had sex.
Her eyes widened.
“Got them on our second trip.” She’d been talking to Clay. Tyler had thrown as much into the buggy as he could and hauled ass out of the place.
“You…you knew you were going to fuck me then?” She wa s back to straddling him. Her silken folds slid over his dick, but she didn’t take him inside.
Need to put on the condom. But, wait, she’d asked him about fucking her. A rough laugh broke from him. “I knew I wanted to fuck you the minute you first told me that you were trouble—that was back at Jorlan’s BS party.”
She opened one packet and slid back so she was resting on his thighs. “I didn’t tell you I was trouble.” Slowly, inch by torturous inch, she rolled the condom onto his dick.
His back teeth clenched.
“Do you think I’m trouble?” Esme asked him.
He stared into her eyes. Eyes gone even darker. And he thought about his nightmare. “Yes.” Rasped. “You are the worst kind of trouble.” The kind that could wreck a man.
What could have been pain flashed in her stare. He couldn’t have that. He tumbled her back onto the bed. His mouth pressed to hers. Claimed. Possessed. She gave the little moan that was quickly coming to addict him, and then he was kissing a path down her neck.
Something within him felt marked by her. Changed.
And he wanted to mark her.
His mouth pressed harder to her neck.
“That feels so good.” She whimpered. “Tyler, fuck me.”
Like he wanted to do anything else. The condom was on. Her legs were spread, her hips were rocking eagerly against him, and he sank in deep.
Her head tipped back against the mattress. Her breasts thrust toward him, and he had to taste. To lick. Even as his hips pistoned against her. Over and over, he drove into her hot, tight body. Sanity slipped away as he hurtled toward the release that waited for him.
The bed heaved beneath them. Her gasps filled his ears. His mouth was on her breast. One hand strummed her clit. And when she came, she squeezed his dick so hard that he lost his breath.
Fucking perfection.
There was no more holding back. There was only the fierce, driving need that consumed him. For the first time in his life, he let go completely. His self-control snapped as he fucked her. As he sent them both straight into brutal oblivion. The pleasure consumed and seemed to burn everything else away until the only thing that existed?
Esme.
She couldn’t catch her breath. Aftershocks of pleasure still pulsed in her sex, and Esme’s heartbeat still hadn’t returned to normal.
He’d pulled out of her. Ditched his condom in the bathroom.
Then came back to the bed.
His arms were around her. He held her close, like she mattered to him, and she didn’t say a word. A woman who hated silence, but she found she couldn’t talk. Why? Because sex with Tyler had just wrecked her. In the best possible way.
Sex had never been that good for her. So good that she’d lost herself completely. The orgasm hadn’t been for a beat of time. It had gone on and on and on, wringing her out. Leaving her sated and limp. And, possibly, utterly destroyed for other men. Dammit.
Her eyes closed. Sleep pulled at her. For the first time in a very, very long while, she actually felt safe. How could she not? She was in her marshal’s arms. He’d sworn to protect her. And after what they’d just done, she couldn’t merely be a case to him. Not anymore.
Hope flickered. The dream she’d had for so long.
Her heartbeat finally began to settle.
“When are you going to tell me the truth?”
Her eyes had just been sagging closed. At his low question, they flew right back open again. The lamp was off. Darkness surrounded her.
“You weren’t after diamonds at Jorlan’s party, were you?”
She could not move. He had to feel the tension in her body. Anger built inside of her. The twisting, stabbing pain of betrayal grew stronger with each tick of time that passed. Don’t do this, Tyler. Not now.
“Jorlan is pissed, Esme.”
Had he just kissed the back of her head?
“He came looking for you at Gray’s office. Demanded to talk to you. And now he’s gone missing.”
Oh, no. Her breath shuddered out. Jorlan can’t find me.
“Why does he want you so badly? Can’t be just about the diamonds. We took those from you. They’re safe. The diamonds were flash, weren’t they? They were to distract everyone from noticing what you really wanted. What you took.”
The anger inside was getting worse. As was the stab of betrayal. So much for the best sex ever. “Your post-sex chitchat needs a whole lot of work.” She tried to pull away.
He didn’t let her go. “You trusted me enough to fuck me.”
Yes, she had.
“Trust me enough to handle your secrets.”
She didn’t trust anyone with those. She turned in his arms. Their faces were close. “I have no secrets.” A whisper .
“Liar.” But the word sounded like a caress, not a condemnation.
Weird. “You know exactly what I am. I’ve never pretended to be anything else with you.” She’d told him the truth from the first moment. Sometimes, you meet someone…and you know right away that the person is trouble. She hadn’t been saying that Tyler was trouble. She’d been trying to warn him that she was trouble.
“You went outside on that ledge at Jorlan’s place. You walked in the rain.”
“Light rain at the time. Hardly a sprinkle,” she dismissed. She wouldn’t remember the fear she’d felt. Or the way her left foot had slipped off the ledge on her way back to the library.
“You risked your life. You didn’t do that for diamonds.”
“No?”
“Something more valuable was waiting for you in that safe. Tell me, Esme. ”
Her chest ached. “Did you think if you fucked me that I’d suddenly reveal every deep, dark secret that I have? The sex was good, but not that good.” And, furious, she rolled once more—this time, away from him. She sat up and shot off the bed.
But he grabbed her wrist. “It wasn’t good.”
Her jaw dropped. The hell it hadn’t been. He’d better not pretend that the sex between them had not been phenomenal.
“It wasn’t good. It was the best I’ve ever had. The only reason I’m not fucking you again—right now—is because I know I hurt you.”
Her lips pressed together.
“You were damn tight. You said it had been a while for you. How long, Esme? ”
Her chin lifted even though he couldn’t see the move. “Am I grilling you? Asking about your ex lovers? Tacky, Tyler, very tacky. Again, your post-sex talk is abysmal. Work on it.”
“How long.” Not a question. A very rough demand.
Jeez. “Two years.” A beat. “How long for you?”
“Six months.”
Do not think of Tyler having sex with anyone else. Her fingers might have curled into claws. “Are we done sharing about our exes now? Or do you want me to type up a list with names? Maybe want me to write a full report for you?”
“I don’t want to know the assholes. That will just make we want to beat the hell out of them.” His thumb slid along her inner wrist.
She forced her fingers to relax. To, ah, declaw. “Why would you want to do that?” For the same reason I want to attack your exes? Stupid jealousy?
“Because no one else should have you. Just me.”
“Sounds awful possessive for a pretend husband.” Remember that, Esme. It’s pretend. Just because you had an insane O, don’t go getting all confused and overly emotional. He doesn’t really care about you. It’s just an act.
“I am possessive.” No denial from Tyler. “Get back in bed.”
“So you can grill me again?”
“So I can hold you.”
A pang slid through her. It would be nice to be held.
“You’re tired. You nearly got run over today. Adrenaline wrecked you. And then I fucked you.” A pause. “Twice.”
She’d come more than twice. Not something she cared to share at the moment.
“I can be a gentleman for the rest of the night. Hell, you can take the bed, and I’ll go back to bunking on the floor if that’s what you want.”
“Not necessary.” She eased back into the bed. He kept right on holding her wrist. Stroking over her pulse point. “I’m sure you can maintain control. Not like you’ll go all lust-crazed on me.”
“You have no idea.” A mutter.
“What?”
“I’ll keep you safe while you sleep, Esme.”
Yes, she thought he would.
Her eyes closed. Was she hiding from him? Or from herself?
“And when you wake up…” Low, but this time, she understood him perfectly. “I’ll still be keeping you safe.”
She wasn’t in bed.
Tyler shot upright. “Esme!” Sunlight trickled through the curtains on the other side of the room. His gaze frantically flew around every nook and cranny in the space.
No Esme.
How the hell had she slipped away from him? He usually woke at the slightest sound. But she’d left the bed. Left him, and he leapt across the room and yanked open the bedroom door. His steps thundered down the stairs as a surge of fear spiked through him. “Esme!” A bellow. He hit the landing and turned to?—
Esme strolled out of the kitchen. She carried a covered plate in her hands. She was fully dressed—jeans, a black top, matching black tennis shoes, every hair in place, light make-up on her face and soft pink tint on her lips. Gold hoops hung from her delicate earlobes. A little frown pulled at her eyebrows. “Do you have to yell? This grumpy morning asshole routine of yours has to stop.”
His breath shuddered out. “You weren’t in bed.”
“Absolutely correct.” Her gaze darted down his body. His naked body. Her eyes widened, then her stare whipped right back up. “ You’re naked. ”
“Because I came looking for you!” He sawed a hand over his jaw. It grated against the stubble. “You weren’t in bed.”
“You said that already.” Her gaze darted down once more. Then right back up. “You need clothes. And you, ah, well, at least we can now say for certain that one part of you wakes up in a good mood, eh?”
“ Esme. ”
“You looked so peaceful sleeping in the bed. I didn’t want to disturb you.” A shrug. “So I crept out of the room on my tippy toes. No big deal.”
It was a big deal. She shouldn’t have been able to get away from him. He should have heard something. Tyler closed in on her. “How the hell do you slip past my guard? I’m an extremely light sleeper. As soon as you climbed from the bed, my eyes should have been open.”
“Technically, I had to first pry your arm off me, then I climbed from bed. Someone is a bit possessive in his sleep.”
He stopped right in front of her.
“Someone is also not very shy.” She nodded. “Another fun point to know about you. You like being naked, huh? Not that I am complaining. Not at all. I support this life choice that you have.” Again, her stare dropped. Only this time, it didn’t rise. It lingered with definite appreciation.
One part of him had certainly risen to the occasion. How could his dick not salute? Esme was right there. And the memories of what they’d done the previous night burned in his mind.
She’s distracting you. Hell, the woman distracted him by breathing. “How’d you get away without waking me?” A point he needed to understand.
“I moved your hand. I rolled to the right. I tiptoed out. Done. Well, I did pause to dress first so…”
And he’d missed all of that?
One of Esme’s hands continued to hold the covered plate. The other rose to lightly tap his cheek. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell the other U.S. Marshals that you slept on the job. No one will kick you out of the cool club.” Soft laughter. “It’s really all right that you didn’t wake up. Even tough guys like you need their beauty sleep.” Her hand fell. “Now, if you will excuse me, I have that good deed to go do.”
What the fuck?
When she moved to the side, so did he. No way was he getting out of her way. “You’re a perfect thief.”
A sigh slipped from her. “This early in the day, and we’ve already started with the name calling?”
“You move soundlessly. When you want to,” he amended as he turned over memories in his mind. “A very impressive trick. I want to know who taught it to you.”
She stared back at him.
“Master thieves aren’t born, Esme. They’re made. Who made you?”
Her delicate jaw hardened. “I was a gymnast until I has fifteen. You learn all sorts of things about movement when you’re training five hours a day, five days a week.” A quick rush of air burst from her in an angry exhale. “Happy now?”
“No.” Far from it. “Because you’re lying to me. Someone taught you how to be a thief. I want to know who the hell it was.” Though he had a suspicion.
She leaned toward him. “I have got to say, your morning-after routine sucks as much as your post-sex talk. This is not the way to make a marriage work, my love.”
My love. His chest ached. “Esme?—”
“I have a delivery to make.” She lifted the plate. “Fresh chocolate chip croissants. I think our neighbor will love them, don’t you?”
What was happening? His gaze jerked to the plate. And he became aware of the absolutely delicious scent wafting toward him. Chocolate chip croissants. “I’ll take one.”
“Don’t remember offering you one.” She took a step back and dropped the plate lower. Probably trying to get it out of his reach. “Though there is coffee in the kitchen for you.” A grudging admission.
He fought a smile. “You made me coffee again?”
“Yes, but that was before I knew you’d wake up and be a total ass accusing me of being some criminal-in-training my whole life.”
They stared at each other. He had obviously stepped over a line and pissed her off. Time to regroup. Maybe restart?
“Chocolate chip croissants will be wasted on Clay,” he finally told her in a careful voice. “Guy can’t stand chocolate.” Total lie. Clay loved chocolate.
“I’m not taking these to Clay. He’s not technically a neighbor, by the way. He lives too far away for that classification. Though he did assure me that he could be here within ten minutes if we ever need him.”
When in the hell had Clay told her that?
She skirted around Tyler. “We do have real neighbors, you know. Not just a sheriff who is pretending to drop by for a neighborly visit.” She made her way to the door as he gaped after her.
It was only when Esme opened the door that he realized she truly intended to waltz out. He bounded forward before she could actually leave and slammed his hand against the wood, shoving the door closed again. “Have you forgotten the little matter of a seven-million-dollar bounty on your head? You can’t just go skipping to random houses alone!”
Her head turned. Her mouth was kissably close. “Clay told me that we have a neighbor to the left of us. A single guy who is also fairly new to town. He told me that the man was probably lonely, and that it would be neighborly to say hi.”
Clay, you sonofabitch. “Oh, he told you all that, did he? When? ”
“During the insanely unnecessary question-and-answer session after that wee mishap at the grocery store. He got all chatty with me. Clay specifically said it would be fine for me to go over. That he’d already checked out the neighbor and that he was safe. No red flags flying.” She inched a little closer to Tyler. “Speaking of things flying, I’m pretty sure I feel your dick poking at me.”
Yeah, because it was flying. “Do not leave this house without me.”
“Well, then you had better put on some clothes because if you rush out naked, I am sure word will spread all around town about the fact that I have an exhibitionist husband.” Her eye lashes fluttered. “Not to tell you how to handle your business, but I don’t believe that’s the way to keep a low profile.”
Deliberately, he took the plate from her. Put it on the nearby table. Then he turned her around so that she had to fully face him. His body before her. The door at her back. “You think I’m going to ignore what happened?”
Her chin tipped up even as her dark eyes flashed at him. “Dirty sex in the middle of the night doesn’t change anything. We already covered this point, remember?”
He shook his head. “Wrong, sweetheart. I told you that it would change everything.”
Did a flicker of fear come and go in the darkness of her eyes? He thought it had. Dammit, she should not be afraid of him. Hadn’t they covered that point, too? Wanting a reaction from her, needing it, he said, “I’ve got scratch marks on my arms and back from you.”
Her lips parted. “Want me to apologize?”
“No, I want to fuck you up against the door. Right now. And let you mark me more.”
He could see the pulse drumming madly at the base of her throat. Grimly, he smiled. Hello, reaction. “And you want that, too, don’t you, my Esme?”
“I…want to deliver a gift to the neighbor.”
That sonofabitch. “Liar, liar.” Almost a caress. “I can see the lies easier now. Your mask is wearing thin when it comes to me. That’s a warning for you.” One hand rose and curled lightly around her throat. His touch was extra careful as his thumb stroked along the slender column. “You’re not the only one who left a mark.” He remembered exactly when he’d put his mark on her. “Told you last night, you’re mine.”
Her lower lip trembled.
A movement that surprised him. “Esme?”
“Until the case is over? Is that how long I’ll be yours? Until you get the master thief out of your life?” Her hands rose and pushed against his chest. “Until you learn all of my secrets? Is seducing them out of me the technique that you think will work best? ”
He didn’t back away. “You’re mine, Esme. I will protect what’s mine.”
“Even if you find out something terrible about me?” That tremble of her lip again. He didn’t think the tremble was part of any act. He thought it was real fear. “If you find out something horrible about me, will you throw me to the wolves?”
Is that what she thought would happen? “No.” Flat. “I could find out that you stabbed a man in the heart, and I still wouldn’t leave you to the wolves. That’s not who I am.”
“Stabbed a man in the heart, huh?” Her right hand pressed just over his heart. “You think I’m cold enough to do that?”
A phone was ringing somewhere in the house. Shit. It was his phone. Ringing upstairs.
“Better answer that,” she murmured. “We both know only a select few have this number.”
It rang again.
“Could be an emergency,” Esme added as her head cocked to the right. “A matter of life and death. My death, most likely.”
“Do not leave this house without me, Esme.” He wasn’t moving until he got her promise.
“Clay said it was safe to visit the neighbor.”
The phone rang again.
“Not without me.” He stared into her eyes. “You do not leave without me.”
“Fine.” Grudging. Very bit out.
“Thanks so much, sweetheart. It’s part of the twenty-four, seven protection rule. I want to be right next to that sweet ass of yours wherever you go.” He backed away. He also swiped a croissant as he ran up the stairs. He bit into it even as he shoved open the bedroom door .
Holy shit, this is heaven. The croissant was light and flaky and the chocolate chips melted in his mouth. Esme had some serious skills.
Like I didn’t know that already.
He swiped up the phone. Gray was calling. Don’t be life or death. Don’t be. His finger slid over the screen even as he put the phone to his ear. “Yo.” He wanted to devour the rest of the croissant. Then he wanted to go and devour Esme.
“We have a problem.”
Dammit.
“Did you know that Esme was planning to marry Jorlan Rodgers?”
The croissant lodged in his throat.
“And that she’d been fucking him?” Gray snapped out.
The phone nearly shattered in Tyler’s hand.