Claiming Honor (Bad Boys of River City Book 3) (5 page)

“Breakfast can wait a minute. I can’t,” he growls as his mouth brushes mine.

He nips at my lips until I part them, then his tongue strokes in. It doesn’t take much to build the heat between us, make me needy. Clinging to him like he’s my only connection to reality. The man’s kiss should be outlawed. I moan. It’s an inarticulate plea for more, for everything. He responds with seduction, temptation, demand. We're both panting when he breaks away. In the distance I think I hear a door open and shut, then Mercy calls us for breakfast.

"Breakfast is overrated," I complain when he makes a move towards the hall.

He flashes me a wicked grin, takes my hand, and pulls me with him. "Don’t worry. We'll be alone after breakfast, baby."

And, oh doesn't that give me a few dirty ideas. Maybe I should tease him under the table in retaliation. I'm liking this idea. We enter the kitchen to find Mercy, Lake, and Ryder already eating around the counter. Im disappointed when Hunter nudges me to a stool. Guess the teasing is out. He walks to the opposite counter and makes us both a plate.

"Faye and I are going down to the beach with Lynn and Grace," Mercy says to me. "You should come with us."

That sounds like a damned good idea. "Hell yeah. When are you leaving?"

"After breakfast."

I nod. "Sounds good to me."

Hunter squeezes the back of my neck. I expect him to order me to stay put, but he's more bemused than irritated when I look up at him. "Aren't you forgetting something, sweetheart?"

"What?" I ask cautiously. I don't trust his tone or the glint in his eyes.

"I already told you I won't let you go anywhere without me or a guard. Not until your problem is solved."

He definitely has gall. I understand he's worried about me, but could he be just a little bit tactful? Besides, aren't I safer out of town? What are the chances Wayne will track me down at the beach before Hunter's people find him? He continues before I can argue.

"I can take the weekend off. I'm sure the rest of the guys will want to go too."

Mercy purses her lips. "So much for a girls' weekend."

I share her frustration, but after yesterday getting out of town for a couple days sounds like heaven, even if Hunter insists on being my shadow. And honestly a weekend at the beach with Hunter? I have to admit that sounds pretty freaking awesome.

After breakfast is cleaned up, we pack and Hunter loads the car. I take my laptop to the library and hook into the WIFI so I can check my email real quick. My trusty security blanket is staying behind. A weekend without 'net…I'm not sure if I'll survive it. After that, we hit the road. Somehow I end up in the backseat of Hunter's SUV with Mercy while Lake rides shot gun. Faye's riding with the others. The guys bullshit about sports for the three hour drive. Mercy closes her eyes and pretends to sleep, leaving me with nothing to do but worry. About what I'm doing with Hunter. About whoever is stalking me.

Speaking of which, is anyone ever gonna fill me in about what's going on with that? I just want it all to go away. Not, you know, in a permanent manner. More like it never happened. Maybe I'm over reacting, though. Hunter did contact the cops and got a report filed. Hell, knowing Hunter is looking for him ought to scare Cox enough to disappear on his own, right? Or maybe I'm just rationalizing.

I try to figure out the best way to bring it up, when to interrupt their conversation, but a funny thing happens. The farther we get from River City the more Hunter relaxes. The tension eases from his shoulders and back, and the anger and worry in his voice begins to disappear. Like it or not, the change has an effect on me. I'm intrigued by the difference and when he meets my gaze in the rearview mirror, I decide to wait before I ask him any questions. At least until we're alone, I rationalize. I know I need to quit hiding from the situation but I'm like this reprieve a lot. I'm sure he won't tell me anything in front of the guys anyway.

I'm surprised when we arrive in Destin that we don't go to one of the big high-rises on the water. Nope. Hunter pulls up to a gate guarding a house across the street from the beach, punches in a code, and in we drive. The house is a large Mediterranean style. Beautiful. After seeing where he lives, I shouldn't be surprised. Besides, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't trust the security of a condo. Whatever. My mind is on other things. I get out of the car and turn to stare at the Gulf. Grace sidles up next to me.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" she asks.

That we have a good three or four hours of sun worshipping before anyone starts thinking about lunch? "Hell yeah. Let's go."

Hunter grabs our bags and heads inside, upstairs to the master bedroom. It's spectacular, of course, but I'm more interested in getting into my bathing suit and onto the sand. His phone rings and he answers it as I step into the bathroom to change. When I come out, he's listening to his caller, wearing his serious face again. I begin to tense but he winks at me, covers the phone, and leans down to press a quick kiss to my lips.

"Stay with Trace and Walker. I'll be out when I finish this call," he orders me, before slapping my ass and returning to the phone call.

I know a dismissal when I hear one. Normally that would piss me off, but right now I just don't care. It's a beautiful day and the ocean is calling. Lynn and Grace are waiting for me in the foyer and we head out. I spread a towel on the warm sand and pretend I don't have a trouble in the world.

Chapter Seven

Hunter

I stand in the hall and watch Honor leave, fighting the instinct to follow her or better yet, drag her back to the bedroom. Unfortunately, I have to deal with business first. I lied about taking the weekend off. I can handle it from here, though, and Honor is going to figure out soon enough that I don't do days off. I don't do vacations, unless they're working ones. Fuck, I wish I did. I'd love to take her and disappear for a few days. Not an option right now.

"You still there?" Phillips asks on the phone.

"Yeah. You find him yet?"

"Got a line on him. He told a friend he was making a run to Montgomery. I called in some favors and have some acquaintances looking for him there. My tech guy says his phone is turned off. He can't trace it."

I shouldn't be surprised he has a computer/gadget guy, should I? Hell, we all do these days. I wonder if Ryder would have better luck.

"You sure he's there?"

Fear is a tight knot in my chest. If he's dropped out of sight and can't be tracked, then he's still a danger to Honor.

Dan laughs. "Oh, he's there. He was seen at his favorite tittie bar last night."

Which doesn't mean he's still there.

"He went home with one of the dancers. What I hear she's his girlfriend. I have someone looking for them. They aren’t at her place."

I exhale my relief. There's no way he can be here or find Honor this weekend. No one in River City knows where we are and none of my people would say anything if they were asked. Not that it matters. The people I trust most are here with me now. He's still a threat, however. Or is he? Something isn’t right here. Why would a guy with a girlfriend stalk someone else? Or break into her house and only steal new clothes? I need to have a little chat with Cox.

"Find him, Dan," I order.

"I'll have him for you by tomorrow."

Another call beeps in. I don't know the number but it's a Birmingham area code, so I have a good guess who it is.

"Keep me updated," I tell Dan. I hang up and answer the other call.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you looking for some low life drug dealer in a city you don't do business in, Wallace?"

I should have known this would get back to Chase. Hell, Dan probably filled him in.

"It's personal," I growl.

There's a long pause. "I need more than that, man," he says softly.

Beaumont got married recently. Rumor is he is feral in his protectiveness. I can relate to that, so I take a risk. 

"He's stalking my woman."

There's a long surprised pause. "Okay. If you need anything let Phillips know. Just keep business out of it."

"Thanks," I say, ignoring the warning.

He's probably wondering how to work this to his advantage.  I hang up before he can go there. I just want to find Honor. Enjoy this weekend and convince her we fit each other. I change into swim trunks and head out. When I reach the beach the women are in the water and the guys watch from where they've spread out a couple of blankets. Trace hands me a beer. He looks like a man with something on his mind. Walker's giving me the side-eye, too.

"What?"

The brothers exchange a look and I get the impression they're fixing to get into my personal business. Normally, I'd shut them down but I can appreciate my men looking after Honor, even if they're protecting her from me.

"Serenity and Grace are…" Trace begins, looking at Walker for help.

"Concerned," he finishes.

"Right. Concerned," Trace continues uncomfortably. Then he snorts, a hint of amusement crossing his face. "They want to make sure your intentions are honorable."

I'm not sure which he is finds amusing. That I have honorable intentions about a woman or that her name happens to be Honor. They've all expressed their amusement about that at one time or another. Or maybe it's that men like us could be serious about any woman, but no, that ain't it. There is no mistaking how he feels about Lynn or how she feels about him. Same goes for Walker and Grace. And given how they feel about their women, they'll do whatever they think is necessary to protect Honor for them. Even questioning me. She's family, after all.

"I'm going to marry her," I say.

Walker cocks an eyebrow. "She know that?"

I take a long pull from my beer and watch as she slowly approaches. She's wearing the tiniest bikini I've ever seen and getting a lot of attention, but she's focused solely on me.

"She will soon enough," I answer.

"Good luck," Trace mutters, standing then running out to meet Serenity. He picks her up and spins her around, and her laughter reaches me on the wind.

Honor sits next to me, water sluicing over her skin, and plucks my beer from loose fingers. She doesn’t look at me as she drinks, her wistful gazed pinned on Trace and Serenity. It makes my stomach knot. She wants that open, easy affection and I don’t know how to give it to her. I'll just have to learn. There's nothing I haven’t been able to figure out if I wanted to.

"Any news on Cox?"

I don’t expect the question and take the beer back to finish it off. I don’t want to tell her anything. I don’t want her involved. One look at her belligerent face though, and I know I have to tell her something.

"He's in Montgomery, apparently."

She exhales a sigh I can only interpret as relief since she doesn’t look the least bit frightened. That's good and bad. I don’t want her afraid to leave the house but I don’t want her afraid of me either, so I'm limited on the reassurances I can give. And I can't flat out lie to her.

"I can't let this go, baby. If I do everyone, enemies and competitors," and let's be honest here, there will be more, "will think you're fair game."

"Are there that many?" she asks softly.

"A few," I admit reluctantly.

I don’t like the way her eyes dim so I change the subject. "So what exactly does a personal assistant do?"

"You really want to know?" she asks, a skeptical expression on her beautiful face.

"I want to know everything about you, Honor."

It's the god's honest truth. I want to know what she loves and hates, what makes her laugh or cry. What makes her tick. No, not just want.
Need
. She shrugs one shoulder.

"It isn’t exciting. I keep Mark's calendar. Make travel arrangements, plan parties, deal with the mail and pay the bills. Whatever needs to be done basically."

"Do you like it?" I ask, hoping she'll say no.

Hoping she hates it so I can keep her all to myself. She doesn’t have to work. I know I have to tread carefully here, however. She'd probably accuse me of trying to buy her if she knew what I'm thinking, which is complete shit. There's not a fucking thing wrong with me wanting to take of care her. She rolls her eyes.

"I know what you're thinking, Hunter, and forget it. I'm not quitting my job just to satisfy your possessiveness."

"What else will it take?"

Her eyebrows scrunch up and I want to kiss the scowl off her face. "What?"

"You said just. I assume that means there is something you'd quit your job for."

A pretty pink blush spreads across her cheeks and I'm dying to know what caused it.

"What?" I ask.

She bites the corner of her lip and shakes her head a little. "Nothing."

Now that is a flat out lie but instead of getting pissed off I'm amused. She doesn’t have a chance in hell of keeping secrets from me, but how to get it out of her? Sweet talk her? Kiss her? Order her to tell me? I reach for her when she looks like she's going to stand and push her to her back to lean over her. My fingers brush her waist and she squirms, then squeals when I do it again. I don’t even bother to hide a grin.

"Ticklish, baby?"

She tries to wriggle free but there is no way I'm letting her loose. Soon she's gasping between giggles, begging me to stop.

"It'll cost you," I tease her.

"What?" she half gasps, half laughs as my fingers skim her belly again. I'm having too much fun to stop now.

"The secret. The thing you'd quit your job for. Tell me, Honor," I cajole.

I want to make that happen for her, whatever it is. I want her to know she can count on me for everything and the sooner the better. She's serious again, thoughtful as she studies me. I wait her out.

"I make jewelry."

She says it fast like it embarrasses her or she expects me to consider it unimportant or trivial. Her insecurity surprises me. She always seems so sure and confidant to me.

"Do you want to make a business out of it?"

She gives me a rueful smile. "I don’t think it would be as much fun if it's how I had to support myself."

"You don’t have to worry about money," I say, a little exasperated that hasn’t sunk in yet.

She glares and shoves at my chest until I let her sit up. "What are you gonna do, Hunter? Pay my mortgage? Give me an allowance in exchange for my company?" she says sarcastically using air quotes. I'm so livid I understand the expression seeing red.

"You think I'd cheapen you like that?"

She stares back at me looking horrified. "God. I'm sorry, Hunter. Sometimes my mouth gets away from me. I know you mean well. I'm just on edge and you're trying to take over my life. Let's just forget it, okay?"

I can't, but unable to stomach the distress in her eyes, I drop it for now. There will be a better time and place, once we're home. Today and tomorrow I want to focus on showing her how much she means to me. That she can trust me to protect her, not just physically but emotionally too. I stand, take her hand, and urge her to her feet. She gives me a wicked grin and takes off towards the surf. Of course I have to follow her. She dives into a wave and comes up a few feet away from me but I close the distance quickly. I pull her into my arms and kiss her until we're both gasping for air.

"You're a bad influence, Hunter," she whispers. I try to deny that.

"Not for you."

"For me most of all," she disagrees with a tiny smile that makes my chest hurt.

"Never, baby." I brush a wet tendril of hair out of her face. "Let's go back to the house."

I need to be alone with her. Need to banish the fear and uncertainty from her eyes. She doesn’t say a word, just nods, and I lead the way. We stop on the sand just long enough to get our towels and flip-flops. Neither of speaks, not even when we enter the master bath to strip off our wet bathing suits. As soon as she's naked I pick her up and carry her to the bed. I'm taking things nice and slow this time.

Honor

There's something different in the way he's looking at me, touching me. I want to call it reverence and it shakes me. Have I grown accustomed to fast and out of control so quickly that I expect that to be the only thing he's capable of? That is so very short sighted of me.

He lays me gently on the bed and stretches out next to me. His hands are soft on my skin, his lips tender when they feather over my face, down my throat to my chest. He cups one breast and lowers his head, swirling his tongue around my nipple, getting it nice and wet before blowing a hot breath over it and repeating the process on my other breast.

This is a different kind of pleasure than I've experienced before. Most of the time I want a firm touch, an edge of pain. This is the opposite. Seduction, sweet, a side of him I never suspected existed. Intriguing and irresistible. I surrender my body to him. I know my heart is in danger as he continues down my body with soft, nibbling little kisses until he's lifting my legs over his shoulders. When he drags his tongue from my opening to my clitoris, I cry out, the first sound either of us have muttered since we left the beach.

His teeth close over my piercing and tug once before releasing it. He flicks his tongue over my clit, gradually increasing speed and pressure. Each lap shoots sensation through my core, pleasure turning into rapture when I explode. But he doesn’t stop. He makes me come again and again, my cries filling the air until I want to scream. I curl my fingers in his short hair and pull into he lifts his head and scowls at me.

"I need you inside me, Hunter. Please."

His eyes soften and he kisses his way back up my body until we draw even. The head of his cock nudges my entrance, but he holds me still when I try to tilt my hips to take him inside me. Our eyes stay locked while he pushes into me so slowly I want to yell at him to hurry up. It feels so good I hold the words in, though. He fills me until finally he's inside me to the hilt. He's gritting his teeth, his muscles tense and straining, clearly holding back. It's sexy as hell because he thinks I need this. Thinks I need to see a softer side of him. At least, that's my interpretation. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. Getting as close as I can, soaking up the passion I see raging in his eyes.

"Do you have to continue the slow and gentle treatment? What if I want you hard and fast?" I ask.

I know how my words effect him in bed. He just gives me a lazy smile though, and lowers his head to nip at my lips.