Badge Boys Read online

  “If you need to talk, Ivan or I are available. Anytime. Sometimes it creeps up on you. Sooner or later, you’ll need to talk about it.”

  “I thought I just did that. For several hours.” On and on, and over and over.

  “That was just satisfying the investigators that you’re a good girl and not a threat to society, that you weren’t part of the assault, that you didn’t premeditate killing anyone, and all the other twists someone could put on things. I’m talking when, after dark, it creeps up on you and haunts your dreams. When it comes back as a nightmare you can’t wake up from. Those times when you need a shoulder.”

  “I need to get off the pain meds.” Although she had pretty much cut them out. By both stretching the timing between them and by chopping them up. Maybe another day. Or maybe just stop them and see how long she could go. Her private way of not becoming addicted. It was an OCD thing.

  “You are hardly addicted,” he said, almost reading her mind. “You didn’t bring your pills with you. You are way overdue. Arm hurt?”

  “A little. Mostly when I use it.” Surprisingly, not all that much given this morning’s antics. She felt her lips curve up in a secret smile. An image of Ivan standing over her flashed by, making her tingly parts get all tingly again.

  “Well, I’ll have you home in a flash and get you resettled.”

  She wondered if he would come in with her. Ivan would. Would he try anything? Ivan did. What would she say? Do?

  She had no idea.

  Should she let Troy know she was fascinated at the idea of being shared by the two of them? Was she? Or was that the pain meds or the shock to her psyche? Was her slightly drugged state the way men liked their women? Her ex-husband had liked her blackout drunk. But then he was so bad at sex when sober it was probably better that she had no memory.

  Was she just missing Ivan? Wanting that cock back between her legs? That tongue getting her ready? That body naked under her while she tried a few contortions while riding his magnificent cock? Well, she hadn’t done that yet but wanted to try it. It was on the top of her things-to-do-with-Ivan list. There were a lot of things they hadn’t done yet. Lots of things she’d never done with anyone and wanted to try.

  Annie shoved her unruly thoughts away. One man at a time.

  She shouldn’t have let her vibrator batteries die.

  Troy had a radio call just as they reached her driveway. She hopped out and collected her things. Something about a neighbor down the street, running around the cul-de-sac naked and screaming while flashing a knife and a hammer.

  “Always something,” she told him, sending him on his way. His lights lit up. She could hear other sirens even as Troy’s had screamed to life. His tires squealed on the asphalt, and he was out of sight down the hill.

  People who didn’t pay attention thought cops just rode around, annoying drivers for the occasional traffic violation while eating donuts. A wild man with a hammer and a knife could kill.

  His cruiser had nearly been airborne, out of sight in seconds. Seconds. She wondered what engine was under that hood.

  There were little kids living on the street where the knife wielding man was running around. She knew that. It was late enough that they should all be inside. She could hope so.

  Annie hurried to get inside behind locked doors.

  Not that doors would stop Ivan if he decided to visit her. But they were protection against naked lunatics with a hammer. Unless he smashed a window.

  Secretly, she knew she wanted Ivan to break in. Well, go ahead and use the key and his knowledge of the alarm system. Maybe she wouldn’t bother to set the alarm. Maybe she should put on something pretty.

  Once behind her doors, she stopped to wonder just which of the quiet neighbors on the cul-de-sac had lost their minds.

  Last year there had been a shooting in the area. A mentally challenged, drunken contractor had been upset that his bad work didn’t warrant more money or further work, and he had emptied a magazine into the homeowner who had rejected him.

  The homeowner had survived. He was a celebrity on the local news, so of course that story played forever.

  The contractor was in jail. Maybe he shouldn’t have been driving a big old van with his phone number and name sprayed in large letters on the side.

  This was not normal for this safe neighborhood.

  Nowhere was safe these days. Nowhere.

  She refused to panic. It was a damn good place to live. She’d enjoy it while she had it.

  She hurried upstairs to see what she had in her closet that would be comfortable and show her curves to best advantage. Those two goals were often not compatible.

  She went back downstairs a few minutes later and took one third of a pain pill.

  Her brain was on vacation, worn out by all its earlier activity. She curled up on the sofa and flipped on mindless TV. All she was currently good for.

  The pain meds had left her brain free to be as bad as it wanted to be. No holds barred. She didn’t need pills.

  Let loose, her brain could be pretty damn naughty all by itself.

  Chapter Twelve

  Night had fallen while Annie napped. She managed to actually cook. A huge one pound chicken breast, vegetables peeled and chopped, seasoning, broth, and wine had been dumped into the pressure cooker pot and the push one button chicken cooking cycle was just finishing.

  Almost nine. Late. But she wasn’t sure about cooking frozen chicken so she had let the chicken breast defrost. She tended to eat at random times anyway.

  She had showered, alone this time. Washed and blown out her hair. Dressed in a simple nightgown and a mismatched robe. She was barefoot, padding around the kitchen, making tea, when there was a knock on the door to the garage.

  “Who is it?” She stepped closer to the door while trying to stop her jumping heart. Did she need to run upstairs for her gun? Or?

  “Ivan. Shall I come in?” When had he become Ivan and not Sergeant Hardwick? Oh yes. When I had discovered there were two Sergeant Hardwicks. How about after he had stuck his dick in her mouth, at her invitation? Yeah. Then.

  She giggled as she flipped the deadbolt. “Lost your key?”

  He filled the doorway. She couldn’t help but notice his size. Not overly bulky, just perfect. Tall. Just wide enough. No linebacker. Just a perfectly formed, muscular male. He exuded confidence. Authority. She bet he could have modeled nude for the Greeks. She’d have loved to see that statue.

  She stepped back and let him come in. She eyed his armful of pizza boxes. “I actually cooked.”

  “It will keep.”

  “You don’t even know what it is.”

  “I’m sure it’s great. But I’m starving, and I’ve already grabbed a slice or two.”

  “Two pizzas?” Make that two large pizzas as she checked the box size.

  “Troy is down the street, mopping up a crime scene. About fifteen cars damaged. Crazy kid had a bit of a psychotic break. Lot of that going around.”

  “I heard the sirens. I was ignoring them.” She checked on the pressure cooker.

  Troy was coming over, too?

  Her body perked up into overdrive. Her brain tried to wrap around this idea. Her brain was also sending pictures of her tangled up with the two men.

  Would they be the same? Or were there interesting differences? Suddenly she wanted to know.

  Ivan went into the kitchen. “Pressure cooker?” He went to check it out. “Neat.”

  “New. I have been terrified of them all my life. I now am a one-dish wonder. I will pick a recipe and make a different one next week. Maybe. I like chicken.”

  “Adventuresome? Is that new to you?”

  “A little. Realizing life is short.” With that, she moved over, reached down, and unzipped him. “How hungry?”

  His body reacted, his posture changed, he practically thrust his cock into her hand with a swift jerk of his hips.

  “I can wait. What did you have in mind?” He shut up when her hand reached insi
de and began to take his cock out of his shorts. A task made difficult since it had sprung to full attention the minute her teasing fingers had touched his heated flesh.

  She had him freed, and knelt on the floor. Her tongue came out and licked him, and he sharply inhaled, almost shuddered.

  “Shall I continue?” she asked, as her fingers went around the thick base and positioned the tip in reach of her mouth.

  “Please,” he hissed.

  “How fast do you want to come?”

  “As fast as you want. Just be ready...for me...to return the favor. Oh God.”

  She concentrated on how far she could suck his shaft down her throat. How fast she could lick and stroke him. How hard she could suck him and not have him explode too fast.

  He leaned against the counter, both hands behind his back. When his knees buckled, she finally let him come. Somehow, she had avoided any entanglements with the equipment belt and its heavy load.

  Standing up, Annie pulled his head down and kissed him, reveled in his arms wrapping around her, holding her tightly, molding her into all the bits and pieces.

  When they came up for air, she whispered into his neck, “How’s that for a hello?”

  “Incredible. What brought that on?”

  “Life is short.”

  “Isn’t that the ad for Ashley Madison? Life is short, have an affair?” he asked.

  “Is this an affair?”

  “I certainly hope it is a helluva lot more than that.” He cupped her backside.

  She wriggled into his hands. “So do I.” She leaned back to look in his eyes. “I want this. I want you. I can’t get you off my mind.”

  “You are still coming down from being shot. Being in a gunfight. Blood. Guts. Terror. You aren’t used to that. I’m a beast for taking advantage of your state of mind. I know I shouldn’t have taken advantage, but I can’t help it. I lit up the first moment I saw you in that damn meeting room, and the fire is still raging. I want you. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

  “I know I’m on the last bit of the meds. I did reduce them. But I also know how I feel. How I feel with you. I am a whole lot freer. You make me feel safe. I trust you. Nothing to do with the uniform by the way, in case you wondered. I’ve never been a badge bunny. Don’t let me get too crazy. I’m on new ground here.”

  “What do you want?” he asked.

  “To take this as far as it can go. I hope that’s a long, long time. I don’t want to be a one-night stand. Not even a one-week stand.”

  “A one-month stand?” He had that quirk at the side of his mouth.

  “No. I want the whole nine yards. Years maybe.”

  “You don’t know me all that well. I have baggage,” he said. “I had a woman leave me at the altar. Cold feet. Running off with someone else.”

  “So do I. Have baggage, I mean. I had an abusive drunken sot for a first husband. I don’t trust easily.”

  “Yet you are trusting me. What if—”

  She put a finger over his lips. “I am not going to wake up some morning and kick you to the curb. In fact, I might consider becoming a stalker if you leave me.” She waggled her eyebrows.

  “That’s not funny. Most cops take exception to that.” His eyes betrayed the fact he rather liked the idea.

  “No, it isn’t. Sorry. I’ve had one or two if those myself. But it makes the point. My feelings are intense. So are yours, I suspect. That will settle down. I plan to run with them as long as they stay. We can settle down into a more sensible relationship after. We know that’s how things go. We are not oversexed teenagers. I want you. I want every inch of you.”

  He looked like he might be actually considering what she had said. Was he game? Because she wanted him. God, she wanted him.

  “And why are you still dressed?” she added.

  “That can be remedied,” he said, reaching for her. “I want you naked.”

  Annie took his hand and led him upstairs.

  “You did reset the alarm?” he asked.

  She reached over to the panel and set it.

  “Good, because I locked the door,” he said, and then let her take all his clothing off. He helped with the gear. She was quick to learn. She also shed her clothing as she went. Skin to skin they came together. Impatient. Needy.

  “God, I thought that shift would never end,” he said, reaching down to place his cock between her thighs. She squeezed them around his shaft and watched his face register the feel of her muscles, rubbing him harder. Back up to hard and ready. Felt her own fires rise as that magnificent length stroked her folds. It couldn’t hold for long. They were both too excited.

  This time, she motioned him to lie down and she climbed up, rose over him, positioned his cock at her entrance and mounted herself on it one swift motion.

  “God, that is so damn sexy.” He moaned. His hands came up to cup her breasts, his thumbs caressing her hard nipples.

  Annie began a slow rolling rhythm, riding him, rubbing herself on him, rising and settling back down, her inner muscles clenching and stroking him. Her hands were free to play with her own breasts and Ivan’s gaze was glued to her fingers, watching how she touched herself.

  Ivan grabbed onto her thighs and held on. He lifted up enough to look at where their bodies joined. She felt her body let loose fluids that ran out and coated him, trickled over his hip and thigh, lubricating them both as she began to rock faster and faster. He bucked underneath her, driving himself up to as she was forcing herself down. Skin slapping skin. Skin sliding on skin. The sounds of hot sex. The smell of sex surrounded them.

  The friction built, reaching a peak that had her cry out as the orgasm took hold. He grabbed her hips and helped her continue pumping, riding his cock until he at last released with a cry of his own.

  They fell back on the bed, panting, a tangle of arms and legs.

  “You are simply incredible,” he said, pulling her full length against him.

  “I love your body. I love making you come. I love everything you do,” she said. “I love that you let me take charge.”

  He kissed her, long and hard. “I love it when you let me take charge. We are even. Which is perfect.” He waited a moment. “Troy—”

  She kissed him and interrupted his words. “We need to get up,” she said. “You brother is almost here.”

  She donned a caftan and went to mop herself up a little.

  The room was redolent with musk.

  “I wouldn’t bother with the full uniform,” she told him. “I’m not done with you.”

  With that, she flounced down the stairs, leaving Ivan to think about things. He grabbed his gear and followed her before she had reached the kitchen. She had known he would. She was learning the gear. The rules.

  He was partially redressed.

  With a hard-on.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ivan responded to Annie’s teasing departure from the bedroom by lifting her to a cleared space on the kitchen counter, sweeping her to the hard, cold surface. He pulled up her hurriedly donned caftan, exposing her lack of panties. He set the equipment belt aside with his vest and uniform shirt and mumbled that the belt had to stay near. Unfastened his pants and let them fall. Picked her up and brought her down on his rigid member, his shorts down around his thighs.

  Using the counter as an assist, he drove into her wet heat, and began thrusting while she wrapped arms and legs around him and hung on. It was over too fast. Way too fast. Because he had fanaticized doing this every time he had had a moment to himself all day long.

  The interlude upstairs hadn’t sated him. Even the preemptive blowjob hadn’t eased his need for her. Like this. His cock buried to the hilt. Her body pressed into his. The vest was off, letting him feel her pebbled nipples move against his chest. He felt her orgasm hit her. Reveled in her muscles squeezing him. Stroking him. He came, hard and fast.

  Spent, he let her slide off and down and get her feet on the floor. Then he swooped her up in his arms and kissed her near senseless.


  “I think I need something to eat. I seem to be weak,” he whispered.

  Annie stepped away and let him reassemble his clothing, sort of. The belt stayed off. “Pizza? Or Chicken stew?”

  “Pizza. Keep the chicken for tomorrow. I’ll remember not to make a fast food run.” He made a mental note. Watched as she absorbed the remark that he’d be back tomorrow. He’d be back every damn day he wasn’t on call out. He hoped.

  “Pizza it is. And Troy?”

  He took out his phone and checked it. “On his way. Should be here in moments.”

  “I smell like sex. I should shower,” she said, after grabbing paper towels and mopping up.

  “He won’t mind.”

  “I think you underestimate your brother.”

  “Has he said anything to you?” Because I’ll kill him. No rushing those fences. Ivan wanted this woman in his life. That meant she’d need to be introduced, carefully introduced, to the idea of taking them both to bed at once. Because that’s what he wanted. That incredible sex that they had that way. A twin thing. He wanted incredible sex with her. Well, more incredible sex than they already were having. Hell, he wanted everything.

  If Troy had messed that up—put her off—

  “He didn’t need to say a word, she said. “I have been thinking about what you said. About sharing. How do you do that exactly?”

  Stunned, he spun around from tucking in his uniform shirt and refastening his pants to stare dumbfounded for a moment.

  Ivan felt a little uncomfortable. She wants to know? Was this too soon? Could it all fall apart if they moved too fast?

  “That’s a big step,” he managed to sputter.

  “Tell me.” She had the look of a very interested woman. Big green eyes. A slight sex-flush on her cheeks. Or was it whisker burn? She was totally focused.

  “We both engage in sex with the woman.” And he had to swallow, because the image of her naked on the bed with Troy hit that little bit of possessiveness he felt about her. Made it rear up and roar in defiance. Jealousy.