A Hero In Uniform - The Complete Series (15 page)

“
Nolan had the Audi parked outside the cabin. I was about to go check the place out when Jessi took off in the car, leaving Nolan and me to follow.”

“
It's a good thing she escaped him.” Steven said. “From what I've learned about his past, Kevin Nolan is a real, cold-hearted bastard.”

Ric glanced over at Jessi and knew his mate and colleague spoke the truth, even without looking at the information Steven had gathered. Anyone who could hurt a woman as sweet and innocent as Jessi wasn't anything less then a bastard.

Michael and Jessi rejoined them then, and Ric put his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side and holding her there as the federal agent shook hands with everyone before leaving. Then he looked down at Jessi and his heart lurched again when he saw she was near tears. His voice was soft and filled with genuine concern as he said, “Come on. I'll take you home.”

Six

At Jessi's apartment, Ric sat in the living room, flipping through a magazine that was on the couch as he waited for Jessi to get out of the shower. It was torture, knowing she was only a short distance away, naked and wet, and he kept thinking about mundane things like cleaning his service pistol or the mechanics of a patrol boats diesel engine just so he didn't embarrass himself by getting a hard-on in the living room of a woman he'd only known for two months.

It was now night, and a light rain had started to fall when they'd arrived at Jessi's apartment. He was glad her time with her ex-husband had only been short, because he knew how violent men like Kevin Nolan could get.

He didn't want anything more to happen to Jessi for as long as he could prevent it.

She came out of the bedroom then, dressed in gray sweatpants and a white tee with her hair pulled back into a braid. She looked clean and fresh and when she joined him on the couch, her scent of vanilla and shea butter filled his senses, making it hard for him to not react.

Jessi crossed her legs and sat facing him. “How did you find me?”

“
Steven, the RO for out ship, got in contact with the AFP and dug up information on Nolan. He learned that Nolan had rented a cabin at the national park, so that was the first logical place for us to look.” Ric told her. “I located the cabin and was there when you took off in the Audi.” He grinned at her and said, “By the way, that was some killer driving.'

Jessi smiled at that and replied, “I didn't meant to do that. I just didn't want to slow down and risk being caught again.”

Ric put the magazine on the table next to the couch and turned to face her, taking her hands in his as he told her, “He isn't going to get to you again. For as long as I can, I will keep you safe and away from him.”

Jessi stared at him and he could tell that she wasn't sure whether or not she could trust him. So he decided to give her something to think about. Lifting his hand, he placed his thumb and forefinger on her chin and lightly tugged, pulling her bottom lip down as he told her, “Do you know it's taking all of my energy to not kiss you right now?”

Her eyes went wide, but she didn't say anything.

“
Since I saw you this morning, in that dress, looking beautiful, all I've been able to think about is how much I want to kiss you and make love to you.” He continued, holding her startled gaze. “But I won't. Because it wouldn't be fair of me to make a move on you when you've had the day you've had.” He released her chin and hand and put his hands in his lap as he added, “So, I'll sleep out here on the couch, and you can go catch some sleep in your bed.”

He needed the distance before he went back on his word and took her right here on her couch.

But Jessi didn't move. Instead, she took him by surprise when she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. His heart jumped into his throat and his hand automatically lifted to her shoulders to steady her as he pulled back to look at her.

“
Jess ...”

“
I want this, Ric.” She whispered, holding his gaze. “I want you.”

He couldn't have resisted that.

Pulling her to him, he cradled her against his body like a porcelain doll as he claimed her mouth, his tongue sweeping inside to taste her sweetness as Jessi's hands rested on his chest and she kissed him back. The kiss went from soft and gentle to hard and intense, and he stood, lifted her into his arms, and carried her to her bedroom before setting her down on her bed and coming down on top of her.

She sighed his name as he removed her clothes, and when she helped him undress, Ric almost groaned as her fingers brushed against his skin in the most exquisite torture. He allowed himself a few moments to take in her naked form before he kissed her again, her breasts becoming crushed against his naked chest as he held her to him.

He couldn't explain it, but he never wanted to let her go.

Jessi couldn't believe this was actually happening.

After what had happened to her at the hands of her ex-husband, she thought she'd never find another man attractive, let alone one that she would want to be intimate with.

And yet, there she was, naked and in the middle of making love with a man she'd only met two months ago and knew next to nothing about.

The feeling of his hands on her body, of his mouth on hers and the way he held her close – close enough to crush her breasts and make them tingle with the bare skin-to-skin contact – it was pure bliss.

She could hear someone moaning and knew it was her, but she didn't care.

What Ric was doing to her made her feel … alive. Wanted and cherished.

He kissed every inch of skin on her body, paying close attention to her breasts and the area between her legs before his mouth moved back up to claim hers. His tongue was hot and skilled, driving her crazy with desire she never knew she could feel.

He touched her like she was delicate and held her like he didn't want to let her go. And when he slid into her, claiming and possessing her, it felt like he might actually love her.

Jessi knew that couldn't be possible because they were almost strangers, but she allowed herself the delusion as he made love to her because it was true for her.

Ric Jordan was her saviour. Her hero.

He'd saved her from a man trying to rape her at the rodeo two months ago, and he'd come to the rescue again when he'd come after her today.

She'd fallen for him, and she didn't think anything could change that.

The lovers lay in Jessi's bed, naked and wrapped around each other as they slept. The rain was now coming down in buckets and the city was completely dark outside the window in Jessi's bedroom.

After making love three times, they were both sated and would have slept through until morning if not for the sudden call around three in the morning that woke them.

“
Hello?” Ric answered, kissing the crown of Jessi's head as she snuggled closer to him.

“
It's Blake.” Michael said on the other end. “And I have some bad news.”

“
What?”

“
Kevin Nolan is in the wind.”

“
What? How did that happen?”

“
He took out the agents taking him back to Brisbane and drove their car over a small cliff. He's disappeared.”

“
Christ.” Ric breathed. He looked down at Jessi and was glad she'd fallen back asleep. “What happens now?”

“
I'd like to put Miss Lawson into the WPP, but I know she wouldn't go for that because she refused the last time we offered.” Michael said. “So instead, I want you and her at our HQ in Brisbane by no later then Wednesday. Is she's there, at least we know Nolan can't get to her.”

“
Alright. We'll leave first thing this morning.” Ric said.

“
Are you at her apartment now?”

Ric heard the trace of judgment in the agents voice and replied, “I am.”

“
I'll meet you there. 0900 hours. Be ready to leave.”

“
Will do.”

Ric hung up before waking Jessi to tell her the news. She was a little taken back by this latest development, but agreed to go to the AFP. Before they got up, he made love to her again, ignoring the feeling inside him that told him he was falling for this woman.

Seven

Jessi sat silently in the back seat of a Toyota Kluger 4x4, Ric at her side and AFP Agent Michael Blake behind the wheel as they left Cairns and headed for Brisbane. She'd been glad when Ric had told her he was going with her; she really didn't want to wait around for Kevin to make a move on her own.

She'd divorced him nearly six months ago and had thought her troubles would have ended when she left him behind and moved over fifteen-hundred kilometers away.

She'd believed that everything to do with her old life would have stayed behind, but it hadn't, and now Kevin was after her.

Ric and even Michael Blake were doing a fantastic job of keeping her safe, but she couldn't help but wonder how long they'd be able to keep doing it before he found them and she put all their lives in jeopardy.

But even as she thought this, the 4x4 was rammed and they were sent off the road. The speed Michael had been going was too fast for the federal agent to control the big 4x4 and they went over, rolling once before coming to a stop on their side.

Jessi heard the faint sound of tires squealing and someone shouting, then the darkness claimed her.

Ric braced himself against his door and the back seat as he looked down at Jessi's unconsciousness form. She lay against her door, blood on her head, arms and jeans.

“
Jess? Can you hear me?”

She didn't respond.

Michael was pulling himself up from, blood on his head. He swore when he grazed his fingers on glass and looked at Ric. “You okay?”

“
Yeah. What happened?”

“
We were run off the road.”

Ric swore. “Nolan?”