My Tye (35 page)
It was Tye’s turn to prod. “And?”
Haven’s cheeks pinked as she stuffed her hands in the pockets of the slacks she wore. She looked to Laine before pinning Tye with a pointed stare. “Put in a good word for me with McKay?”
A feather could’ve knocked him over at that, but Laine just smiled. “Jack?” he asked.
Haven’s green eyes practically glittered. “Yeah. Let’s just say that, revelations being what they are, my eyes are wide open now.”
Tye couldn’t help but smile too. He’d be the first to admit it—he was guilty of pre-judging Haven without ever really getting to know her. It did his heart and mind some good to think he might’ve been wrong about her. Of course, he’d leave it up to Jack McKay to find out for sure.
“Give me one of your cards and I’ll pass along the message,” he said.
The set of Haven’s entire body relaxed as she grinned, dug through her bag and handed over one of her business cards. “My cell number is on the back.”
Laine took it, read it and then shook her head. “Hold on. This isn’t right.”
The abrupt disappointment on Haven’s face was enough to give Tye whiplash.
“Wait. What isn’t right?” Haven asked, not hiding the dejection in her voice.
“Not about Mac,” Laine assured her. “But about Harlan. You should tell this story.” Laine waved her hand in front of her face when Tye started to protest. “Not
our
story. Harlan’s. He attacked me out of revenge. I’ll testify to that. The deeply personal aspects of the story can stay out of the public eye, sure, but it’s important for women to be more aware. Men like Harlan are all too real. Women need to know that.” Laine laid her hand on Haven’s forearm. “I trust you to report on this ethically and aboveboard. Matter of fact, I won’t talk to anyone else about it.”
“An exclusive?”
“Absolutely.”
Haven just stood there for a moment, quiet as Tye kissed the top of Laine’s head again. He couldn’t be more proud of her. Her openness and willingness to help others was a hells-bells, full-body turn-on for him.
“You’re sure?” Haven finally asked.
Laine squeezed the other woman’s arm and nodded. “I am. You were an integral part of taking Earl down, Haven. You deserve an in-depth interview.”
“Okay,” she said, grinning again. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
“Good.” Laine held up the business card between her first two fingers. “We’ll make sure Mac gets this.”
“Thank you,” Haven said. “For everything.”
After the women said their goodbyes, Laine snuggled in closer to him. “It’s been a long day. Take me home?”
Hell yes, he’d take her home. To
his
home.
Their
home. He wasn’t sure he could get her there quick enough.
As he held the car door open for her, he remembered when he’d helped her into his truck after she she’d been released from the hospital. She’d been hurt, and so fragile. But not anymore. She was so different now. She had an amazing strength about her. Her skin practically glowed. Her eyes were clear and focused, and when she looked at him, his entire body responded.
Like now.
“Come here,” he said, settling in on the driver’s side. She didn’t hesitate to lean in over the center armrest. He kissed her gently, desperately needing a taste of her before he took care of anything else.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said.
Her eyes brightened even more. “You do?”
“Yep.” He didn’t say anything further, he simply smiled back and started the car.
As he drove out of the parking lot and headed toward the outskirts of town, they each took turns talking about the activities of their day. He kept one of her hands held in his while she feathered the fingertips of her other hand lightly up and down his arm. Her touch was driving him crazy enough that he was having a hell of a time staying focused on the road. Torturous minutes later, he pulled into his driveway and killed the engine.
“I need about fifteen minutes for your surprise,” he said.
She eyed him sideways, feigning her suspicion. “I don’t know,” she teased, drawing the words out. “Fifteen minutes sounds way too long to be apart.”
He slid out of the car and held his hand out for her to follow him. She took it, still giving him the look. “It’ll be worth it, I promise.”
She had no doubt it would be. “Sounds like just enough time for me to grab a shower.”
He drew her into his arms and growled. God, she loved it when he made that sound.
“Perfect. Then meet me in the dining room, wearing nothing but that gorgeous smile of yours.”
Heat rushed to her sex at his command. “Nothing?”
He turned her to his side and walked her up the stairs. Making quick work of the lock, he led her inside the house. He kissed her once, deep and penetrating. Her heart raced and her pussy dampened. “Not a stitch. Your fifteen minutes begins now.”
He smacked her on the ass as she hurried to do as he said. In his bedroom, she tore off her work clothes, tossing them into the basket he kept by the bathroom door. She marveled at how quickly they’d developed a routine together, how at peace they’d both become in each other’s company.
She took her time in the shower, using his shaving cream to shave her legs and the vanilla-scented body wash he’d bought for her to soap up the rest of her skin. Her nipples ached as she rasped over them with the palm of her sudsy hand. Her sex throbbed when she dipped to wash lower.
She was so ready for his touch, so ready for
him
, that she could hardly stand it.
Instead of shampooing her hair, she wore it clipped up out of the spray and tousled it with her fingers once she got out and dried off. The end result, with her flushed skin from the heat of the shower and her lower lip swollen from biting it in an attempt to keep her sanity, was sultry yet demure.
She was going to knock his socks off.
In the bedroom, she looked at the clock on his nightstand. Her fifteen minutes were up. A buzz sped through her body as she twisted the doorknob and walked out into the hallway. The order he gave her to meet him naked wasn’t one he’d issued before, and she couldn’t keep her mind from bombarding her with ideas of what might happen next.
Tye was sitting on the very edge of the dining room table with his arms folded over his chest as she approached. At some point, he’d changed out of his uniform. Now he wore a pair of faded jeans and nothing else. His eyes darkened when he saw her and she nearly lost it when he made that sexy growly noise again.
He took her hand and led her to the chair at his right. “Sit,” he said, guiding her into the chair.
The table had been set with covered dishes, filled wineglasses and lit candles. The aroma wafting up to meet her had her stomach rumbling for more than just Tye naked.
He leaned over her from behind and lifted the cover from her plate. Underneath was the most delectable cheeseburger she’d ever seen, complete with a deli pickle and a side order of fries.
“I wanted to make this for you myself, and I will someday soon, but there’s so many other things I have in store for tonight. I didn’t want to waste any time by cooking.”
Her heart caught in her throat as the rest of her body blazed. “No, it’s perfect.” She twisted in her seat to look up at him. “You’re perfect. Thank you.”
He lowered his lips to her so achingly slowly she wanted to cry. His heated kiss spoke of promises and passion yet to come. All too soon, he pulled away and took his seat next to her. “Eat before it gets cold,” he said.
She smiled and dug in. The cheeseburger tasted like pure heaven on her tongue.
“I was thinking,” he said after taking a bite of his own burger, “that we could go to Club Euphoria. Together. If that’s what you still want.”
She knew what to say before the words had even left his mouth. She put the burger back down on her plate, wiped her lips with her napkin and turned to face him. “I don’t need to go back there, Tye.”
“No?”
She shook her head. “No. I went there looking for something I thought I wanted. What I found instead was you.” She laughed a little. “In a roundabout sort of way, yes. But I found you nonetheless. I don’t need a club. I don’t need others watching me—watching us. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret trying. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here right now. I wouldn’t be with the one man who understands my needs. With the only man who truly
gets
me.”
He spun sideways in his chair and lifted her onto his lap. Cradled in his warmth, she felt empowered. Beautiful. Strong, yet she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that here, in his arms, was the one place where she could be at her most vulnerable and still feel utterly safe.
She was simply his.
“I like our privacy, Tye. I like knowing that inside this house, I’m completely yours.”
“Move in,” he said. “Live with me, Laine. Marry me. Give me babies, bunches of them. Grow old with me.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning from ear to ear. “I can’t think of anything in this world that I want more. Yes, yes, yes and yes.”
The ferocity of his kiss had her melting into his lap. Before she could catch her breath, he stood with her in his arms and headed straight for the bedroom. “I hope you don’t mind eating cold cheeseburgers, because by the time I’m done making love to you, that’s exactly what we’ll be left with.”
“I don’t mind at all,” she whispered against his neck.
She couldn’t. Not when what she found in return was her sexy sheriff, her generous lover, her patient Dom. Not when what she found was her very own fantasy come true.
Kristin Daniels has always been a reader of romance, but it wasn’t until she discovered the
erotic
romance genre that she finally figured out what had been missing from all the books she’d read before. The heat, the passion…that was it! Her love of reading (any genre, any format…really just anything) led to her taking a chance on writing something of her own, and she’s been hooked ever since.
Kristin calls the suburbs of Chicago home, where she lives with a hero of her very own and their three great kids.
Kris welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her
author bio page
at
www.ellorascave.com
.
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Kristin Daniels
Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy I
anthology
Ellora’s Cavemen: Flavors of Ecstasy I
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Ellora’s Cave Publishing
My Tye
ISBN 9781419941351
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
My Tye Copyright © 2013 Kristin Daniels
Edited by Raelene Gorlinsky
Cover design and photography by Syneca
Model: David
Electronic book publication April 2013
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