Chill bumps rose on her skin and danced across her flesh, scattering delicately. Her nipples hardened and puckered until they strained upward, begging for attention. She stirred restlessly and let out a tiny whimper of need.
“Goddamn,” Truitt swore. “Get her up and ready before I come right here all over her.”
Rick chuckled. His words had been intended to get Jessie all hot and bothered, but they’d excited Truitt every bit as much.
“Help her,” he directed Truitt. “And get me the damn lube.”
Rick stood and walked around to the front of the bed before settling down on the edge. He waited until Truitt tossed him the lube and then leaned back so that his legs dangled over the edge and his cock jutted upward.
He smoothed lubricant over his erection until it was slick and then tossed the tube back to Truitt so he could prepare Jessie.
A moment later, Truitt lifted her and carried her around before carefully easing her down between Rick’s thighs. Rick raised himself up and clasped his hands around her hips, guiding her back until the cleft in her legs cradled his dick.
“I’m going to lift you up to straddle his thighs,” Truitt said to Jessie. “Dangle your legs over his and then let him guide you where you need to go.”
Jessie glanced over her shoulder and sent Rick a look that would set fire to an iceberg. Her gaze positively smoldered, and a surge of pure, unadulterated lust hit him so hard that he nearly hauled her back onto his erection right then and there.
“Hurry,” he gritted out in Truitt’s direction.
Truitt easily lifted her up and settled her so she was astride him, facing away. Her legs dangled down and he bore all her weight. Mindful of this, he was careful as he fit his cock to her tiny opening. He lifted her slightly and then tilted his hips upward, pressing to gain entrance.
He pulled her down as he thrust upward, and he groaned in agony as she slid snugly over the head of his dick, caught momentarily before, with another tug, he had himself more fully embedded.
She gripped his knees and her nails dug into his skin.
“Am I hurting you?” he demanded.
She shook her head vehemently and then tried to push herself down farther, taking more of him inside her.
Finally he was balls deep inside her ass and he couldn’t breathe. Every time he tried to suck air into his lungs, it felt like he was trying to thread a needle with a piece of rope.
He clutched at her hips and then slid his hands up and down her body, touching, caressing, reaching around to cup her full breasts. He was about to come all sorts of unglued and he tried like hell to get a grip before it was all over with.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. She sighed and snuggled into his embrace, purring like a contented kitten. He loved the feel of all that soft, feminine flesh pressed against him. So trusting. And her scent. He inhaled deeply and then buried his nose in her hair, wanting more, wanting to draw her to the very heart of him.
Truitt stared at the erotic sight of Rick buried deep in Jessie’s ass, her astride him, thighs splayed wide, her pussy completely bared to his view and impending possession.
Her head was thrown back, nestled in the curve of Rick’s neck, her eyes closed, her expression one of complete abandon. She looked like an angel.
Rick cupped her breasts, holding them up, and Truitt couldn’t resist such an invitation. He went to his knees between their tangled legs and sucked strongly at the breast being presented like a gift.
Jessie cried out and arched forward, her hand flying to tangle in Truitt’s hair. She held him there, her grip strong as he suckled first one nipple and then the other.
“Take me please, Truitt,” she pleaded. “I won’t last much longer and I want this so much. I want you both inside me.”
Hell if she’d ever have to beg for anything. He quickly rose, stepped closer so that he crowded in on her. He grabbed a condom, rolled it on, and then fit his dick to her opening.
She was going to be delectably tight with her ass full of Rick’s dick. It made her pussy even smaller, and she was already so tight that being inside her was like a slice of heaven.
He inched forward.
Sweet Jesus, she gripped his head like a fist squeezing for all it was worth.
Rick curled his fingers over her legs and pulled them even farther apart, which made her groan as she stretched around Rick ’s cock.
Knowing if he didn’t get in soon, he’d come being just an inch inside her, he pushed relentlessly forward until he was halfway in.
Jessie was uncontrollable. She twitched and writhed between him and Rick and it took their combined strength to keep her still enough that she didn’t unseat them both.
Truitt withdrew just enough to open her a little more and then thrust forward as he fused his mouth to hers.
He took her mouth and he took her pussy and he wasn’t gentle with either one. He’d reached his limit and he’d never had any finesse anyway.
Her breasts pressed hotly to his chest, her nipples little hard points, digging into his skin. She was sandwiched tightly between him and Rick, and Truitt had never seen a hotter sight in his life.
Delicate pale flesh caught between much darker, rougher skin.
He slid his hands down her body, gripped her waist, and then began thrusting in and out of her, loving the sounds that each thrust forced from her lips.
“How close are you, baby?” Truitt groaned.
“No,” Rick said harshly. “Not yet. I don’t want her to come yet. You finish but I need her still worked up or I’ll end up hurting her.”
Truitt tenderly cupped her cheek, a direct contradiction to the force with which he was pounding into her pussy. Then he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw so tight that he worried he’d break his teeth.
He came in a hot rush, his entire body trembling with the force of his orgasm. His legs went weak, his knees shook, and hot flashes rolled through his body until he panted for breath.
One last stroke to her very heart and he held himself there as he shuddered with the last of his release. For a long moment he simply stood there, buried inside her body. She was his. There was no more intimate possession than this. Bodies joined. Souls inexorably entwined.
His pulse raced, and as he pulled gently out, he nearly stumbled. As soon as he stepped back, Rick rose, still holding on to Jessie, lifting her but keeping himself buried deep inside her ass.
He turned then and lowered her, belly down, onto the bed. He slipped from her ass, eliciting a moan from Jessie.
“I want you flat, honey. Don’t put any pressure on that knee. I want you relaxed.”
She went limp on the bed, her cheek pressed to the mattress, and she closed her eyes as he mounted over her. He barely even spread her legs. He simply parted her ass cheeks, fit his cock to the seam, and then pressed forward.
As soon as he was inside, her stretched over her body, covering her as he thrust in and out.
He blanketed her completely, his hips cupped over her ass, the smack of flesh meeting flesh erotic and electric in the air. Faster. Harder. He rose and fell over her until finally he pushed himself up so he was supported by his palms flat on the mattress on either side of her shoulders, and he fucked her every bit as ruthlessly as he’d promised.
Truitt was already hard again, unbelievably turned on by the sight before him.
Just when Truitt was sure Rick would come, he tore himself away and impatiently turned Jessie over.
“Hold her injured knee so I don’t hurt it,” he said to Truitt even as he took her other leg and pushed it outward, baring her pussy and ass to him once more.
Truitt hurried forward, cradled her leg and gently held it while Rick lifted just enough so he could thrust into her ass once more.
On her back, his entry made her far more vulnerable. She was pushed upward as he drove into her ass. He reached between then and brushed his thumb over her clit as he powered inside again.
Her entire body
tightened and she arched upward. Then he slid his thumb inside her opening and stroked her clit with his fingers.
“Come, Jessie baby. Come for me,” Rick panted.
They both looked near to pain. Jessie’s face was drawn into tight lines. She slammed her eyes shut as Rick grew more forceful with his fingers. Then she cried out. Screamed both their names as Rick slammed home one last time.
Rick slumped down over her, and Truitt carefully lowered her leg until he was sure she was comfortable. Rick rolled away long enough to take care of both himself and Jessie, and then he motioned for Truitt to better position her.
Truitt was more than happy to pull her into his arms and let her snuggle against his chest. Rick climbed in behind her and pressed a row of tiny kisses over her bare shoulder.
“Are you all right?” Rick asked in a low voice.
Jessie smiled and turned just enough that she could meet his gaze. “That was amazing. You and Truitt are so ... perfect.”
Truitt didn’t entirely agree with that, but damn if it didn’t make him puff up like a blowfish to hear her say it. He kissed her brow even as her eyes were closing.
“How long before you leave?” Jessie murmured.
Rick sighed. “I wish we didn’t have to. We have maybe an hour.”
“I’ll have Kirsten come pick me up and take me over to my apartment. That way you guys don’t have to leave even earlier to drop me off.”
Rick smoothed her hair back and nuzzled her ear. “That sounds like a plan. We can use the remaining hour for much, much better pursuits.”
“I like that plan,” Truitt said as he fit his mouth to hers.
Chapter 13
So it wasn’t her best day but it was far from her worst. Her worst were hopefully behind her and her best were definitely ahead.
Feeling particularly philosophical, Jessie climbed into her car and waved at Kirsten as she pulled out of Kirsten’s drive.
Kirsten had come by Truitt’s house to pick her up and take her back to Kirsten’s apartment so Jessie could have her car. Kirsten had offered to go help Jessie pack up her apartment, but really, there just wasn’t much to do and Kirsten had to work.
Already she’d had a text from each of the guys, which she thought was incredibly sweet. She half wondered if she was crazy for jumping in so quickly, but wasn’t everyone entitled to one rash decision in their life?
She hoped like hell she wouldn’t ever regret it, but oh well, if she did, she’d have fun in the meantime.
She pulled up to her apartment and sighed. She wouldn’t miss this place. It had been a place to live. Not home. A place in which she’d been biding her time until she paid off her debt, finished school, and got a better job.
Accounting was boring, no doubt, but who didn’t need an accountant ? Companies always needed number crunchers and accountants were usually the last to be laid off. It seemed like a stable job, and above all, Jessie wanted some stability in her life.
Maybe in time she could open her own business. Do taxes and small-business accounting. The idea of having her own office space with her name outside gave her a ridiculous thrill.
The sooner she packed up and gave her notice, the quicker she could move on with her life. Things could only look up from here.
She let herself in and stared around the tiny efficiency, where she’d lived since her accident. No, she wouldn’t miss it.
Cheered by the thought of embarking on something new and exciting, she went into the bedroom and began packing her clothes. She went into the bathroom and tossed all her toiletries into a duffle bag and then lugged her suitcases to the front and left them by the door.
She was about to start into the kitchen when movement out her front window caught her eye. Frowning, she went over to peek out. Her frown got deeper when she saw a patrol car pulled right up to her front door on the narrow concrete driveway. Hell, she didn’t even park there and it galled her that some dumbass cop was blocking her now.
And then she thought that maybe Rick and Truitt were the dumbass cops in question and her cheeks warmed. Even if she hadn’t voiced the insult out loud she still felt guilty. Knee-jerk reaction after her experience with the police over the last few days.
She went to the door and stepped out onto her walkway, glancing toward the patrol car. To her surprise a tall, slender policewoman got out of the driver’s side and flashed a smile in Jessie’s direction.
Jessie frowned back at the woman.
The woman continued forward. “Are you Jessie Callahan?”
“What’s it to you?” Jessie asked belligerently.
“I wondered if you could come to the station with me. We need to ask you a few questions about one of your coworkers. We’re still investigating Merriam Powell’s murder.”
Oh, now they wanted her help? She didn’t care if this woman worked with Rick and Truitt. She could kiss Jessie’s ass. She may have forgiven Rick and Truitt but she wasn’t so forgiving to the rest of their department.
“I’m busy,” Jessie said shortly.
The woman’s eyebrows arched. “It won’t take long.”
“If it won’t take long then ask me here while I finish packing.”
Jessie started to turn away but to her surprise the woman quickly closed the distance and gripped Jessie’s arm.
“You going somewhere?” the woman asked softly. She let go and abruptly took one step back.
“That’s none of your b—”
The words broke off in midsentence as fire surged through Jessie’s body. Her entire body stiffened and she jittered from head to toe. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t speak, she couldn’t cry out. Her lips were numb and her tongue instantly dry in her mouth.
Her bad knee buckled and she would have hit the ground but the woman pushed forward and held her up, smiling the whole while. Casually she half-carried, half-dragged Jessie the three feet to the passenger side of her patrol car.
She opened the back and eased Jessie in as if she worried they were being watched. Then she leaned in as Jessie started to sag sideways.
All Jessie saw was the butt of a pistol flying toward her head and then her entire world went black.
“I wonder why Jessie won’t answer her cell. She answered my text hours ago but then nothing else afterward.”
Truitt yawned and rubbed a hand through his hair. It had been a long-ass day spent interviewing the victim’s family, friends, and coworkers.
All he really wanted was to go home, feel Jessie in his arms, and then sleep for about twenty-four hours straight.
He glanced up at Rick and saw that his partner was worried. Not just a little bit either. He frowned. “She was moving stuff today. She’s probably busy. She might be with her friend.”
“That doesn’t explain why she won’t answer her cell. It isn’t turned off or it would go straight to voice mail.”
Truitt frowned but before he could respond, the phone at his desk rang.
“Cavanaugh,” he said in greeting.
“Is this Truitt Cavanaugh?”
“Yes it is. Is this Kirsten? Jessie’s friend?” He recognized the voice.
“Yeah, it is. Look, have you heard from Jessie since I picked her up from your house?”
Dread began to form in Truitt’s stomach and he glanced over at Rick, who was still frowning at his phone.
“No, Rick was just saying she hadn’t answered her phone or his texts. You haven’t seen her either?”
Rick came to immediate attention and hovered over Truitt, his brows drawn together as he listened to the conversation.
“No,” Kirsten said. “And the thing is, I went over to her apartment. Her car is still there but the front door is locked. It doesn’t look like she’s there but where else would she be unless she was with you?”
“Okay, thanks for letting me know, sweetheart. Rick and I will find her. I promise.”
“Let me know that she’s okay. I worry about her.”
“Will do.”
Tru
itt hung up and then stood abruptly, grabbing for his keys. Rick was leaned over Truitt’s desk, his palms planted on the surface and his face a mask of worry.
“What’s going on?” Rick demanded.
“Kirsten’s worried. She hasn’t heard from Jessie all day and she said she drove by Jessie’s apartment and her car is still there but the door is locked and it looks like she isn’t home.”
“Shit,” Rick said. “It’s after eight and it’s been hours since we last heard from her. I knew I should have gone by to check on her. What if she’s inside the house hurt?”
“Let’s go,” Truitt said as he hurried out of his office.
Several minutes later they roared up to Jessie’s apartment and parked behind her car. Rick was out of the truck before Truitt had come to a full stop. Cursing, Truitt got out and ran to the front door behind Rick.
They tried the door but found it locked. They both put a shoulder to the wood and then rammed forward. On the second attempt, the door burst open and they rushed in.
“Jessie!” Truitt yelled. “Jessie, are you in here?”
Rick nearly tripped on her suitcases. They ran to the bedroom, the only other room besides the bathroom, but the apartment was empty.
“Where the hell is she?” Rick demanded.
“She’s mostly packed. Everything is out of the bedroom and bathroom. Looks like she only had the kitchen. Her suitcases are by the door and her car is out front. Where the hell could she have gone?”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Rick said. “This is going to sound crazy, Tru, but I can’t get the idea out of my head.”
“What? Spit it out, man.”
“The killer called before this time. He’s never done that. But this time he made it a point to call us and say that he’d already chosen his next victim. I know it sounds insane but it’s screaming in my head right now. What if the son of a bitch tagged her from the news story?”
“That’s a hell of a coincidence. What are the odds? Unless this guy is watching us. Then he’d know that we were involved with Jessie, but that’s just crazy.”