Daddy Undercover (Crescent Cove Book 9) Read online

  My palms tingled to touch. To explore every inch of him when he wouldn’t know and couldn’t stop me from learning his secrets.

  I wanted so much for him to trust me with them. Just as I ached to trust.

  My stomach rumbled as I rolled up to a sitting position, testing my legs. They seemed steady enough, so I rose to go to the bathroom.

  When I came back, moving slowly but moving nonetheless, he was still dozing. He looked worn out.

  We were a pair. Walking around like broken zombies, when the key to beginning to make each other whole was in our grasp.

  So fucking close.

  I grabbed the extra throw off the couch—he always kept two on hand for us—and tucked it around him. He stirred momentarily, his lips moving, but then he was asleep again.

  “I love you,” I breathed, knowing he couldn’t hear me. Still stunned he’d said those words to me when everything had been so fuzzy and indistinct.

  But not that. Never that. Deep in my heart, I’d known but hearing it was so much different. Even if he’d said the words while he was frightened for me.

  God, he’d been crying. My strong, stoic, sweet sheriff had laid himself bare for me.

  When you were unconscious.

  What would happen when he woke? When the temporary—albeit ridiculous—crisis had passed, would he retreat behind the rigid demeanor he clung to?

  I couldn’t think about any of that right now. I couldn’t really think, period. My brain had put up a vacancy sign. Oh, I was processing things just fine, but I didn’t want to go back to the same feelings of confusion and worry and pain I’d left behind.

  Those were for future Gina.

  I tightened the blanket around me and padded across the floor to look for the baby and Sadie. They had to be hungry. I went upstairs to Sami’s nursery-slash-Jared’s office and flipped on the light, my panic growing when I found it empty. I turned the light back off and rushed downstairs to the kitchen to Sadie’s bed by the back door. It was empty and cold.

  In the center of his kitchen, I turned in a slow circle, getting my bearings. This wasn’t a dream. I hadn’t imagined the baby’s existence. She was fine and safe and probably being watched by someone extremely trustworthy. Jared would settle for nothing else.

  “She’s with your mother. So’s Sadie.”

  I shifted toward his sleep-roughened voice. He slouched in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, his hair a spiky, disordered crown. I went to him without thought, wrapping my arms around his waist as I tucked my face against his throat where his scent was strongest. And I settled, as if I’d never been nervous at all.

  “For a minute, I thought it wasn’t real. That she’d never been here. That we didn’t have her.”

  He cupped my face and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “She’s ours.”

  The logical side of me wanted to remind him she was his. I didn’t want to get too used to the idea of anything otherwise. Not yet. Not when there was so much he didn’t know. But I only nodded.

  “She’s here and she’s staying.”

  I nodded again, searching his eyes. “I knew I was being silly. But I was so scared.”

  “I understand being afraid. Believe me.”

  “I’m okay. Really. A little out of sorts, a little achy, a lot embarrassed. But mostly fine. Every time I woke up, you were there.”

  “I always will be.” His thumb slid over my cheekbone as the corner of his mouth tipped up. “I might even let you take that picture.”

  Vaguely, I remembered saying something about his butt. I narrowed my eyes as I reached up to touch his head. “Did Sadie knock you over too?”

  He grabbed my hand and kissed the center of my palm. “How much money do we get?”

  “Macy’s entry was disqualified since we hadn’t actually hit the end zone. So, I went in with Luna to up her bet. I have to split the pot with her, but we can share my half.”

  He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him. “Nothing to share yet.”

  I reached up to undo his buttons, nice and slow. As if we had forever.

  “We look like we crashed a wedding and got thrown to the curb.” I focused on keeping my fingers steady so they didn’t shake.

  Now that this was really happening, I was quivering inside and out.

  In the car after Thanksgiving dinner, we’d been riding a wave of lust. This was intentional. We were both making the choice when nothing could stand in our way. There was no crying baby. No one to tell us to leave.

  No place to run.

  “You look beautiful.” He brushed at my hair and picked out a crumpled leaf.

  I swallowed a laugh. “Again, sure you didn’t hit your head?”

  “Positive. I’ve never seen a woman half as gorgeous as you.” He trailed a fingertip down my necklace to where it ended just above my breasts. “I can’t wait to see all of you.”

  Warmth suffused my face. My sweet, sweet sheriff. “Ditto.”

  “Let’s go upstairs.”

  “But there’s perfectly good countertops down here.” I laughed when he swept me up in his arms and headed upstairs. “You’re getting too used to carrying me.”

  “I like keeping a good hold on you.” He smiled down at me as he carried me up the steps as if I was precious cargo, his unkempt hair dipping over his temple, and my heart just dropped at his feet.

  I didn’t own it anymore. It was just his. Lock, stock, and Brooks.

  He set me down on his big bed in the deep, dark night. There was no light up here except for the nightlight in the hall. He went to turn on the lamp beside the bed, but I stilled his hand. “Can we have the fire?”

  His fingers squeezed mine before he went to do as I’d asked. Outside, rain pelted the windows, a fine mix with the melting snow.

  I shivered, but not from the cold.

  The fire snapped to life, giving the room a soft orange glow. He turned back to me, and the image of him highlighted by firelight would live in my memory forever. Especially when he stripped off his shirt and let it lay where it fell. His golden skin seemed even more so now, his muscles full and pronounced as he stalked toward the bed.

  I worked off my boots and leaned back on my elbows to enjoy the show.

  “Keep going.” I lifted my foot to tease his damn near washboard abs with my socked toes.

  He ignored me, as he often did. Slowly, he drew off my socks and tossed them aside, bypassing my foot to nibble on my ankle. Watching him feast on such a typically unsexy part shouldn’t have made me try to press my thighs together.

  “Uh uh.” He gripped my foot. “No relief. Just like I haven’t had relief for three years.”

  The smart ass in my brain nearly ruined the moment. I hit her with a mallet and made her shut the hell up.

  He dove under my crazy layered skirt and swiftly separated me from my panties before he shoved my leg far to the side, clamping it to the mattress. His iron-clad hold didn’t weaken as he brushed his mouth over the seam of my pussy—or when I reared up straight from the slash of his tongue.

  I writhed against the bed, but not being able to move my leg was strangely exciting. I was grounded at the same time he was daring me to fly.

  He flipped up my skirt and cursed when it flopped down over him again. I giggled as I tried to help him with it, but he was a do-it-yourself sort of guy.

  “Hold on to the comforter. Don’t move your hands. Just take.”

  I did as he asked, squeezing it between my fists as he sank his tongue deep inside me. He added two fingers, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. His strokes picked up at the same moment he sucked on my clit, and I fell back against the bed while my leg twitched in his hold. I couldn’t control it. My toes curled at the pressure from his erotic kisses and the slow slide of his fingers. Two turned into three, and I thrashed against the mattress, kicking at him impatiently as the need spiraled so tight I couldn’t bear it.

  He didn’t stop. If anything, he worked me harder, forcing my body to b
end to his will. To just unspool for him so he could collect the pieces and scatter them wherever he wished.

  I was so close, hovering on the verge of detonating when he let go of my leg and climbed up the bed to grip my chin. His mouth found mine in the dark, his tongue sliding against mine so slowly I couldn’t breathe. Tasting myself that way scrambled what was left of my thoughts. I couldn’t do anything but reach up to hold his broad shoulders. My nails scored his skin, and he hissed in my ear, his still clothed cock jumping against my thigh.

  “I hate clothes,” he muttered, easing back enough that we could fight to yank my dress over my head. It landed somewhere on the floor and his fingers dipped to the clasp of my bra. The rasp of fabric seemed like the last lock giving way. The last part of myself hidden away, although he’d seen my breasts before.

  But there would be no stopping now.

  My bra joined my dress on the floor, and he drew my arms slowly upward as he strummed his hand over me like he was playing an instrument. Learning my curves and hollows on a path to twisting first one nipple then the other. He kneeled while I sat, and the way he loomed over me made my blood hum.

  His touch turned rougher, one hand diving into my messy updo while the other teased my breasts until I verged on insanity.

  Finally, he undid his pants. His movements were methodical, completely unrushed. I couldn’t keep still, but he took his time to tug his pants and boxer briefs down his thighs. That was as far as he got before I drew him into my mouth, gripping the base as best I could because holy shit, he was big. And hard.

  And big.

  From the hiss he released, he didn’t mind my efforts, so I redoubled them, learning him with my lips and tongue and eager fingers. The earthy scent of him had me pushing to take more, to swallow him deeper. With my other hand, I reached down to touch myself, but I didn’t get far. He blinked through the haze and saw the direction of my hand and yanked it up to his chest, holding it over his stampeding heart.

  Never saying a word. Never relenting from his unhurried thrusts between my lips.

  I lost myself in pleasuring him. His uneven breaths and the minute flutters in the head of his cock against my tongue spurred me on. I reached underneath to cup him where he was soft and vulnerable, and his hand disappeared into my hair again to gently cup the base of my head. After a moment, he nudged me off his cock and stared at me in the darkness, his eyes glowing in the firelight.

  “When I’m inside you,” he gritted out. “That’s how we’re both going to come tonight.”

  I scooted up the bed until I could recline against the pillows. I spread my legs slowly and cupped my breasts in offering.

  If my hands shook, he couldn’t see it in the darkness. I hoped.

  He growled and finally took off his pants and boxer briefs the rest of the way and dropped them to the floor. He moved between my splayed legs and gripped my hips, hauling me up against him so I was sitting on his lap. I twined my arms and legs around him, so close we were practically one. My breasts pressed to his chest and his cock bobbed between us, trailing wetness over my flame-hot skin.

  “Do you want me to use a condom?”

  I eased back to see his face. Somehow I knew that wasn’t a question he’d asked before.

  In answer, I kissed him.

  He scooped me up in his arms again and surprised me by laying me back into the pillows. And when my leg anchored on his waist, he slipped into me as if we’d both been waiting for this day and could finally exhale.

  Finally, finally, he was inside me, filling all the parts of me that had been so achingly empty.

  He dropped his forehead to mine and panted against my lips. “Just give me a second to make sure I’m still alive.”

  I had to laugh even through my wince as he pulled out and pushed in again, somehow feeling even fuller. I was stuffed to the max, and I couldn’t do anything but whimper for more.

  He’d told me to take. I could do nothing but.

  When he moved too fast and I grimaced at the bounce of my sore head against the pillows, he reached up to slide his hand into my hair, tenderly cushioning his thrusts. Unwinding me until I trembled around him, my nails searing down his back to dig into his ass.

  I didn’t even have the breath to say I wanted more. Yet he took my cues, driving me harder, his wide hand still so carefully holding my head. He kissed me sweetly, his kisses as long as his strokes. My leg started to jerk and he hauled it higher, changing the angle, going so far that I couldn’t hold back my cries. I opened my eyes and found him watching me, a drip of sweat on his lip, and I leaned up to taste it as I clenched him so tightly he could never leave.

  “God, Bee.” Tasting my nickname while he pounded into me was impossibly intimate. And I kept right on coming while he reached the end of his control and drained himself into me.

  His wild pulses of release made me bite his shoulder, the slice of my teeth only making him come harder.

  Even when it was over, he stayed inside me. Neither of us moved. We collapsed in a sweaty pile, trying to get our breath back. Realizing it was pointless and moving together again.

  This time, when he filled me, the sensation pushed me into another orgasm, silent but shuddering.

  When we were both exhausted, he rolled me into his arms and sheltered me with his body. We didn’t even bother to clean up. Or say anything.

  What words were left?

  Other than the three most important ones he imprinted with his lips on the back of my neck.

  I kissed his forearm, doing the same. And we fell asleep with firelight dancing over us, locked together at last.

  Finally.

  Sixteen

  Waking with Bee in my arms made me thankful to be alive.

  Thankful she was alive, and whole, and mostly unhurt after last night’s fall.

  I grimaced. I’d had our romantic night all planned out. Cocoas and carols and the tree lighting with our friends, most of whom still did not know about the baby. At least I didn’t think so. I hadn’t managed to invite the guys over yet, but maybe I could do an impromptu thing today while Bee was at her sister’s baby shower. I needed to tell John and August and Moose in person. Taking the coward’s way out and letting the grapevine take care of my dirty work wasn’t fair to my daughter or my friends.

  Besides, I’d done the hard part already and told my family and the Ramos family. The rest was cake.

  I’d already texted Bonnie about an hour ago to check on my girls. She’d answered immediately, saying they were fine and asleep with full bellies. Then she’d asked the same and I realized I’d never fed Bee last night.

  Not in a way that was appropriate to disclose to her mother.

  I hated asking Christian to catch more shifts on a holiday weekend, but he claimed he had an extra expense to pay for and appreciated the overtime.

  I also hated that he’d seen me in a compromising position with Gina, but I took comfort in the fact that she’d been covered up. It could’ve been so much worse. I’d been wrong to do something like that as sheriff, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t damn good at my job.

  Beware of rampant lust—while on duty anyway.

  At home, however...

  I brushed a kiss over her shoulder, working my way over to her neck.

  She reacted after a couple minutes, smiling and stretching. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning to you. How are you feeling?” I fumbled around the back of her head, checking for the knot. It seemed smaller. Almost unnoticeable. “How’s the head? If you’re not feeling well—”

  “You’ll have the ambulance out here before I can get my underwear on? Believe me, I know. I’m okay. Slightest soreness ever. It was just a tiny tap. Don’t even know why I fainted.”

  “Concrete’s not meant for heads to land on.”

  “And the women in town say it’s the baby blues that make you hot. Little do they know about your powers of observation.”

  “Smart ass.”

  “You like my ass
.”

  I peeked under the sheet and murmured in approval. “Sure do.”

  “Why were you even there last night? I thought you had to work.” She smiled. “Sami looked so sweet in that reindeer onesie. Where did you find that?”

  “My dad found it actually. Turns out he’s already getting into the PawPaw thing.”

  “PawPaw? Cute. And of course he would. Parents live to be grandparents. It’s like their job in life to wheedle grandkids out of their unsuspecting children. You just presented him with one.”

  “So did you.”

  She didn’t reply.

  I had to keep my cool. We’d taken years to get to this place. It wasn’t as if I could tie off bows on everything just because we’d had sex.

  Roof-raising sex. The kind I’d always known we’d have—when I wasn’t burying the very idea.

  One thing at a time.

  I set my chin on her shoulder and tried a different direction.

  “I called Caleb,” I admitted. “He wanted to cancel the date because he had this crazy idea I wanted to drive him out of town and leave him for dead.”

  Her brow arched. “You? How could he?”

  Since she was warm and sated in my bed, I was magnanimous enough to laugh. “I don’t know. I’m a nonviolent sort.”

  “Right. Practically a puppy. Who carries a gun legally.” She sent a sultry look at me over her shoulder. “Two guns.”

  “Flattery will get you nowhere you haven’t been already. I didn’t demand he cancel. If he’d intended to go, I would’ve stepped back.”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  “I would have.”

  “Just lurked in the bushes like a creeper?”

  “No. I would’ve gone to look for people at the lookout point to get out my frustrations.”

  “I just bet. And I imagine you still have a lot of frustrations, so let’s stop talking.” She rolled on her back and nudged down the sheet to give me a full view of her perfect breasts. Her nipples were already hard. “I’d much rather fuck than think of my epic wipeout because of ice, slippery boots, and Sadie.”