Daddy Undercover (Crescent Cove Book 9) Read online

  “I would too. It scared a decade off my life.”

  Silently, she cupped my cheek, rubbing her thumb over my scruff. “I’m sorry. I wore that dress for you, not him. I was going to go see you afterward.”

  That knowledge settled inside me, easing the rest of what I had to say. “I lied to you about working that night. I scheduled the shift after you asked.”

  Lines dug in around her eyes, matching the wrinkles of confusion in her forehead. Both smoothed almost immediately. “Okay.”

  “No, it’s not okay. I didn’t want all that family exposure. I don’t know what to do with all that happiness.”

  “Maybe take some for yourself?”

  “I’m trying. I took his place on that date to maybe see if I could do this family thing.”

  She watched me without responding.

  “If I can, it’s because of you. I want you to be happy with me, Bee. I’m going to mess this up. I’ll probably put my job first sometimes and lean on you too hard and forget to make sure you have two orgasms for each of mine.” I picked up her hand and kissed her fingertips. “But I can promise you, you’ll be my first thought every day and my last.”

  Her dark gaze flashed bright before she gripped my hand. “I promise the same.” She yawned, letting go of my hand to stretch her arms over her head. Her breasts bounced, her nipples seeming to tighten even more. “Damn early riser.”

  I tried to stop staring at her tits. It was futile. “You always work early shifts at the diner.”

  “Doesn’t mean I like it or do it on my days off.” Her lips curved as she hooked her arm around my neck. “I could get used to this kind of wake-up call.”

  Her words set off a warmth inside me even hotter than the fire I’d rekindled on my trip to the bathroom a bit ago. “How do you feel about my head between your thighs every morning?”

  “Is that a philosophical question?”

  “Practical. I fully intend to do it.” I kissed her inner arm.

  “I approve. I’m okay with the reverse on weekends and holidays.”

  “Are you? Big of you.”

  “Big of you,” she said with a purr in her voice as she rubbed against my growing shaft. “You should’ve clued me in years ago. I sort of guessed based on trouser creases and such, but it would’ve been nice to give me a head’s up.”

  “Should I write it on my business card maybe? Say hello and offer my credentials?”

  “Absolutely not. You’re never to tell anyone else. But I can tell Luna because bragging to girlfriends is a rite of passage.”

  “I should demand utter secrecy on all aspects of everything we do, but hell, I have nothing to ashamed of. Besides, I’m so glad I have you here you could probably hire a skywriter, and I’d deal with it.”

  “That so? What else can I ask for when you’re so charitably inclined?”

  “You already asked for plenty, Ramos.” I nodded toward the nightstand on her side where I’d propped my tie from last night, the band that had come out of her hair, and my badge. “Photo op.”

  She snorted. “That implies sex to you? They know I come over here. I could assemble those items anytime.”

  “Do you want a to scale rendering of my dick? Sorry, it’s not going to happen. I’m a man of the law.” I arched a brow. “Take it or leave it.”

  “I’ll take it.” She rolled toward the edge of the bed, offering a glimpse of her fine ass and mashing her breasts into the mattress in an entirely too distracting way. She grabbed her phone and swiped a few times before taking her snapshot and sending it off to whomever would bear the news of our coupling.

  I tried not to cringe. On the heels of encountering Christian while we were in the Jeep, this was nothing.

  She texted frantically with her thumbs, giggling to herself, and I closed my eyes. I truly did not want to know.

  “Yay, the money’s ours. Good timing, Brooks. You always come through in the bottom of the ninth.” She tossed aside her phone and shifted onto her back, eyeing my stiff cock with a lick of her lips. “Or is that the top? You’re reaching some heights right now.”

  “I can’t really accept that money. Illegal betting is a serious violation.”

  “It’s disconcerting to be lectured while your dick is pointing at me in a very authoritative manner. Did you train it to do tricks?” She laughed as I rolled her underneath me and kissed her to keep her quiet.

  She framed my face in her hands, her palms buzzing over my whiskers while her amusement turned into moans. I cupped her breast, playing with one taut tip as she parted her legs and hitched them on my hips.

  “Already?” I teased between kisses. “I might need foreplay, you know. What kind of man do you think I am?”

  “Mine,” she said simply, flexing her hips so that driving into her was as natural as taking my next breath. “And this time, take off the kid gloves. I’m fine,” she said her words breaking off as I did exactly what she asked.

  Long, slow, deep, then deeper and harder as I grabbed her wrists and drew them over her head. I pulled her lower lip between my teeth before I adjusted my stance and yanked her leg over my shoulder, forcing her back into the pillows. She wrestled against me, trying to get free, and I dug in, using the force of my hands and my cock to keep her right where I wanted her.

  “I have practice at this,” I reminded her, kissing her as hard as I was fucking her.

  She nipped the tip of my tongue, and I chuckled before her pussy clamped around me and nearly made me come on the spot.

  “I need my damn hand.” I let go of her wrists and rolled her on top of me as I arched to grab my tie off the nightstand.

  She moaned at the brief separation before she seated herself on my cock again, sliding down right to the root with a look of pure feminine power lighting her eyes.

  And then she noticed the tie.

  I yanked it tight between my hands before I leaned up to catch her behind the neck, using it to drag her mouth to mine. She made that sound in her throat, the one that I craved with every fiber of my being.

  “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

  It was all I needed.

  “Next time, you’ll finish that ride.”

  She braced one hand on the tight muscles right above my groin and drew herself up and down a few times, adding a swivel of her hips on every pass. Her wetness coated my length in the pale morning light. “Time to get off.”

  And then she shifted off me and slid onto the bed, ass in the air, wrists crossed at the small of her back.

  The perfect supplicant, giving me her total trust.

  I swallowed hard, moving into position behind her. Even if she hadn’t said aloud the words I’d given her last night, I didn’t need them. Her trust was worth as much.

  Loosely, I bound her wrists. This wasn’t the proper thing for something like this, but it wouldn’t take long. I was already hard enough to cut glass. Seeing her prone before me, her dark wavy hair cascading down her back to her ass, was nearly enough to send me over.

  I drove into her, using the tie to drag her up, and she cried out like I’d hit her just right. So, I did it again. And again. Going farther and with more force, trusting she’d tell me if I was hurting her.

  “More. Please.”

  I got off one more stroke before her head dropped forward and she convulsed around me, milking my pleasure until it nearly poured out of me into her pulsing pussy.

  Bare. Naked. Giving me all of her like she’d take every drop of me.

  I jerked her back against my chest and scraped my teeth over her shoulder before I slid my hand around her thigh to rub her clit. Gently now, since she was still trembling. But I didn’t let up on my attention as I adjusted my position and thrust into her again, hard and fast and deep.

  She slumped with her renewed spasms and would’ve fallen into the pillows if my iron grip on the tie hadn’t kept her upright. My gaze shot to her reddened wrists, and I debated loosening the fabric until she sent me a blazing look over her shoulder.

&
nbsp; “Don’t you dare.”

  “Don’t tell me what to do.” I let go of her and she fell into the bedding, letting out a frustrated growl.

  I put my hand low on her back and lined us up, sinking into her to the hilt. Stroke after stroke, I forced her to take my cock while she quaked and begged.

  Not for mercy.

  More.

  Always more with her. And I freaking loved it.

  Hanging by a thread, I yanked out of her and bent to pry apart her soaked thighs so I could have her this way too. Her pussy clutched at my tongue and fingers and her moans filled the room.

  When she started to shake, I forced myself up again, sweat blurring my gaze and my breath sawing out of my throat. I drew her up with me and slammed into her once more.

  She dropped to the bed while her orgasm rocked her, but this time, she took me with her. I shouted as the world exploded around me, finally relenting my hold on the tie.

  I fell to the mattress beside her, panting and half blind. She inched over to me on her belly and pressed kisses to any part of me she could reach, her lips swollen and soft. Chest, chin, mouth.

  I couldn’t do anything but accept. And enjoy.

  “You let go,” she whispered.

  My brain couldn’t make sense of her words. “Umm…”

  “When you were coming, you let go of the tie. So you didn’t pull too tight when you couldn’t control it.”

  Even in my half dead state, heat flooded my ears. “Did I?”

  “You know you did.”

  I reached back to undo the silky material around her wrists and tossed it aside before massaging her skin. Not too bad. The marks shouldn’t last long.

  “If you ask me if you hurt me, it’ll probably dent my afterglow. Just don’t.”

  It almost physically pained me not to. “Three orgasms’ worth of afterglow?”

  “Not just a pretty face. You can count too.” She cuddled into my chest. “One of these years, I’m going to need a shower.”

  “And a change of sheets.”

  “And breakfast.” She lifted her head and cocked one eye open. “Did you eat all the bacon?”

  “Are you kidding me? I know my woman.”

  She stilled for a moment and then she smiled her typical ready-for-anything Gina smile. “I could eat a pound of it.” She rolled off me into a sitting position. “Worked up an appetite.”

  “Why don’t you go grab a shower while I make us some breakfast? Your mom said we could come over to collect the girls anytime.”

  Gina snorted. “She’s totally lying. I have a list a mile long to get done before this afternoon. But I’ll get presentable and then we’ll scarf down some food before we head over there.”

  I sat up, since apparently, the more relaxed part of the day was over. Good thing we’d gotten an early start. “Your mom seemed to be enjoying herself. She said Sadie was herding your sisters.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me. With everyone in the house because of the shower today, it’s been chaos.” She climbed out of bed, making a face. “Ow. Ow. Big ow.”

  I was on my feet in an instant and coming around the bed. “Is it your head? Let me call Dix to come check you out, and then if it’s warranted, we can bring you in.” I frowned at her smirk. “Why are you laughing?”

  “My ow was for my girl parts.” She padded toward me and patted my chest. “Been awhile.”

  “Good. I mean, that’s a shame.”

  She grinned and inched up on her tiptoes to kiss my chin. “You’re incorrigible. Now go make me breakfast, manservant.” She slapped my ass before turning to go into the bathroom. The door shut with a definite click.

  I grinned while I cleaned up in the other bathroom and got dressed.

  Grinned while I made our breakfast of bacon, eggs, and even pancakes with Bisquick mix.

  Hey, I wasn’t trying to be Betty Crocker, just trying to satisfy my woman.

  Then maybe we could both be satisfied one more time before it was time to go pick up Sami and Sadie.

  I was plating everything on my good dishes when I heard a cry upstairs.

  Shit.

  “Bee?” I took the stairs two at a time and found Gina standing in the open doorway to the second-level deck, clad in nothing but one of my enormous white towels. Cold air was rushing in through the sliding glass doors she’d opened, but she seemed oblivious.

  I came up behind her and set my hands on her shoulders. “Guess you found my handiwork.”

  “When did you do all this?”

  She stared at the blanket of fake snow I’d put down. It’d been a little cheeky, since we got the real thing often enough, but I’d checked the forecast first and we had a warm-up ahead. On top of the faux snow, I’d set up some old-fashioned blow molds Dad had unearthed from the basement yesterday. More fake snow lined the railings, interspersed with a bunch of different mini penguins arranged to look like they were sort of cross-country skiing.

  “Yesterday. My dad helped a lot. Moose told me a while back they were doing some fancy holiday shoot for the kids, and I know it’s too late for any of that this year. But I thought we could set up something for Sami out here, since she only gets one first Christmas.”

  Gina turned toward me and slid her hands up my chest to my shoulders. “That little girl is so lucky you’re her dad. I knew you would step up. I knew it. But you’ve been even more amazing than I could’ve imagined.”

  “I didn’t want kids.”

  “You wouldn’t let yourself want kids. Vital difference. You’re daddy material, Brooks.” She swallowed audibly. “Husband material.”

  “I’m pretty particular about who I want to be that for.” I tipped up her chin. “Know anyone who might fit the bill?”

  Seventeen

  Gina smiled, but her eyes shuttered.

  Too soon, jackass. Reel it in.

  “This is going to be the cutest photo shoot ever, but you better do it fast. The real stuff is in the forecast in a couple days.”

  “Since when? I checked.” I sighed. “Balls.”

  That made her laugh. “Yeah, balls, but we can make it happen. Speaking of making it happen, I smell bacon.”

  “I know my role.”

  “And you play it so well. I’ll get dressed, and we’ll scarf down breakfast. Then we gotta go. My mom won’t care I got some when she’s blistering my ear in Spanish about letting down my poor, pregnant sister.”

  She had an excellent point.

  We hurried up and ate before heading across town. I did not speed, although it was close. I didn’t want Christian to pull me over. He’d enjoy it too much.

  At the Ramos house, chaos was alive and well. I collected my daughter and my dog—both of whom seemed excited to see me—and gave my woman a discreet kiss.

  So discreet that Gabby sang, “My sister’s seen the sheriff naked,” in a disturbingly cheerful singsong voice.

  I practically ran away after that. The only things that slowed me down were the car seat I carried and the dog yanking on her leash.

  Once I was home, I fed the baby and the beast and started texting my friends. Shockingly, many of them were busy on a Sunday afternoon. But I wasn’t above threats of parking tickets suddenly coming due if they didn’t show up for an hour.

  I needed extra hands. Oh, and yeah, to tell them I had a kid.

  John Gideon showed up first, driving his handyman truck. “I didn’t know if the help you needed required tools.”

  “Nope, just manpower. Womenpower would be better, since they’re fundamentally more skilled at these sorts of things, but all of them are busy.”

  “All of them? Like in town?”

  “Close enough.”

  “I’ll have you know, my wife says you will never get free coffee for keeping law and order again since you interrupted our Sunday.”

  I shrugged. “There’s that stack of coasters now where people pay it forward with free coffees. I’ll just live off those.”

  Sadie came barreling down the
hall to leap all over my friend. Handily, he crouched to hug her before she could knock him flat on his ass. That was a special skill of hers, evidently.

  After a couple of moments of thorough petting, she wandered off, probably to keep watch on the sleeping baby.

  I’d gotten so lucky with all three of my girls. I smiled and tucked my fists under my arms.

  Three. I’d gone from Gina coming over now and then to hang with Sadie and I to having a houseful of love.

  And I was officially sipping the sappy stuff, so that was enough of that.

  John shook his head as he shed his coat. “Here I thought you were a man of the people. Instead, you just want freebies.”

  “Freebies through wiles or intimidation. It’s how I live my life.” I clapped him on the back and led him into the living room. “How’s the family?”

  “Good. Kid’s growing like a damn weed.”

  “Do they ever stop hitting five milestones a week? It’s incredible how fast they advance.”

  If John thought the question was odd, he didn’t say. “No, in my experience, it’s pretty constant. Especially at that age. Once they get to about—” He frowned at the whimper coming from the baby monitor on the coffee table. “It’s true? Are you serious?”

  “Can you define the question?”

  At the baby’s cry, John lifted a brow. “Macy said scuttlebutt indicated you were carrying around a reindeer baby like a fashion accessory last night when Gina took a spill. I figured there was an explanation, since you never told me. Added to that, you once claimed I was your best friend.”

  “I was drunk,” I told him. “It’s a very rare event and makes me loopy.”

  “Hmm.”

  “What else did Macy hear about last night?”

  “That there was some kind of scamming going on to make her lose the Gina-and-the-Sheriff-are-they-or-aren’t-they official betting pool.”

  “There was no scamming. She was premature and I wasn’t and we provided proof.”

  He held up a hand. “I’m glad for you and all, but too much information. It’s about damn time though. You and Gina were overdue.”