Temporary Home (11 page)

Frustration welled over and she swore as she rolled then punched her pillow. Hell, now she couldn’t even get off without her brain adding in some damn comments. But that wasn’t what truly bothered her, it was the fact they had been dead on. She wanted Sam. And in more than just the physical. Something deep inside her found peace when she was with him.

Her sleep, once she succumbed, was light and fitful. When the phone jarred her from it, she was more grateful than pissed off to be receiving a call at two-thirty in the morning. Reaching for handset, she pressed the talk button after she held the phone.

“Yes?”

“Ms Mammon, this is Chet Haskell from Security Protection Inspection and Enforcement Services. The silent alarm at your bank has been activated. The police are already en route, I called the bank manager, Jules King, and he asked that you be there in his stead, since he is out of the state.”

The minute the caller had identified himself as being from SPIES, she’d been fully awake and already on the move. They were expecting a large shipment of diamonds to their safe deposit and vault area and she immediately wondered if that was the target. “I’ll be on my way, thank you for the call, Chet.” She hung up on him and finished throwing on her clothing.

At the door, she paused. Eric. Without thinking about the wisdom of her decision, she opened the door to Sam’s room and approached the bed.

“Sam,” she whispered, remembering at the last moment it may not be in her best interest to grab him while he was sleeping.

“Roxi?” His sleep-laden voice dragged along her skin like warmed velvet.

“I have to run to the bank. Can you keep an eye out on Eric for me? If I’m not back by the time he wakes, he knows how to get his own—”

“What’s wrong?”

“The alarm’s been activated.”

His hand gripped her and held her as he stepped from the bed. In the dark of the room she couldn’t see him, but she sure as hell could feel the heat from his body. Lord, she wanted to rub against him. Lick him. Bite him. Suck him.

“I’ve got Eric. Go.”

He drew her in closer instead of releasing her, though. When his lips brushed hers lightly she held her breath, anticipating a kiss. She didn’t get it.

“Be careful, Roxi.”

“Thank you, Sam.” She swallowed. “For…you know, keeping an eye on Eric.”

“You’d better go.”

Was it her or did his voice sound even more raspy? She stepped back and headed for the door, closing it almost all the way. Ignoring the pounding of her heart and the cry of her body which told her to hightail it back into that room and join that man in bed, she hastened to her vehicle and headed off.

As she drove, she cursed the number of cars on the road.
Damn Black Friday shopping deals.
She wove in and out of traffic nearing her destination. She parked next to a large SUV with flashing lights and jumped out. Scanning the crowd, she spotted the man in charge.

She headed for him only to be stopped by another officer. “I’m sorry, ma’am, you need to stay back.”

“I’m Roxanne Mammon, my boss sent me here. He’s out of town. I’m part of security for the bank.”

“Head of security?”

She shook her head. “I need to speak to the man in charge so I can get in there and let you know if anything was taken.”

After he looked at her identification he led her to the man she’d come to see. His name turned out to be Eric as well. This man was tall, white and balding.

Together they went in the building and she immediately began her assessment. Yes, some money had been taken, but thankfully the robbers hadn’t known about the diamonds, for they still remained where they’d been placed.

Chapter Six

Sam woke earlier than normal. To be fair, he’d really only dozed since Roxi had come into his room and had woken him with her news of a bank break-in. He sat out in the living room, watching the news to see if he could catch any information on it.

He’d wanted desperately to go down there with her.
For what?
His brain posed the question.
The police were there and Roxi is capable of handling herself. She
was
a Marine after all.

He knew that and logically he knew she didn’t need him at her side. It didn’t stop him from wishing, though. He heard Eric stir and got up, shutting off the television. In the kitchen he poured himself a cup of the coffee he’d brewed earlier.

Not much later, Eric walked in, still appearing a bit sleepy. “Morning, Sam,” the boy said.

“Eric.”

He studied the room. “Where’s Aunt Roxi?”

“She got called to work early this morning.”

A flash of emotion filled Eric’s face. He knew the look. Concern.

“She said she’d be back as soon as she can. And that we’re to start breakfast without her.”

That seemed to be what Eric needed to hear for he nodded and smiled. “We usually do waffles the day after Thanksgiving. Can you make them? I know where the iron is.”

Never had before, but he’d do his best. “Why waffles over pancakes?” He was curious.

Eric’s grin lit up his entire face. “Aunt Roxi says they’re better because they have little pockets to hold your syrup and butter. She says pancakes just can’t compare.”

“Waffles it is then.” Made sense why she’d made them before as opposed to pancakes.

Eric knew where everything was and soon Sam was holding a box of mix as his helper grabbed the bowl. It didn’t take long and he had the batter whipped up. After first measuring the one out, he poured it on the heated iron. He closed the lid, watching as Eric set plates beside them then grabbed syrup from the fridge.

“This gets heated.” He handed Sam the syrup.

“All right.”

He made waffles for Roxi as well in case she made it back before lunch. The hot links he found in the fridge were cooked up as well and it didn’t take long until he and Eric were sitting down and eating, like only hungry men could. The boy had orange juice before him along with a glass of milk. Sam had juice and coffee.

A funny shiver went down his spine and he peered up to see Roxi leaning against the doorway into the kitchen. She looked tired but beautiful. Her hair cascaded around her face, hiding the shadows under her eyes.

“Any left for me?” she asked, hope in her words.

“Aunt Roxi!” Eric said with a grin. “Sam made me waffles.”

“I see that.” Her warm brown eyes moved back to his face and she gave him the slightest of grins.

He got to his feet and fixed her a plate, heating the waffles then placing the food on the table, beside her nephew and again, across from him. It was fast becoming a favourite pastime of his, watching her. She was so expressive. His Roxi was such a strong woman, fiercely protective of those she cared for, and from what he could tell, she cared for a lot of people.

But there were a few times, usually when she watched her nephew, that she got this almost wistful look on her face. Everything about her softened and he couldn’t see a Marine, a security officer, all he could see was woman. And it called to him, deep down. He wanted to protect her, gather her close, and fight all her battles for her.

“Thank you,” she said.

He saw the tension in her shoulders as she sat down. She was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. There was an image of Calvin and Hobbes on her top. He read the words and shook his head, amused.

She ate and offered to clean up. He sat in his chair and watched her after Eric left them alone. Sliding his chair back, he rose and joined her at the sink.

“You look tired.”

“Yeah, I am. Thanks for fixing him breakfast. I know how much he loves his waffles.”

He inhaled and allowed the tantalising scent of autumn to flow over him. “He tells me you’re the one who prefers waffles to pancakes because of the pockets in them.”

“He’s right. I do. But thank you still, for keeping an eye on him.”

“Not a problem.” He couldn’t resist anymore and reached out to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. When she moved away from his touch, he frowned. Did she suddenly not wish for him to touch her?

She glanced at him and said, “I’m sorry, Sam. I don’t want Eric to make up or think there’s anything between us.”

He nodded and stepped back. His mind raced with the words she’d just spoken.
Make up or think
…what did that mean? He opened his mouth to ask but snapped it shut instead. This was neither the time nor the place for this conversation. He watched how stiffly she held herself and paid no heed to the unpleasant feeling which coursed through him at the knowledge this may just be a fling for her.

You have no claim on her,
he told himself, gathering the rest of the items from the table. A denial from deep within his soul roared at him. It shocked him—why was he suddenly caring about a relationship? True, he didn’t go out and fuck anything that moved, he had way more discretion than that, but never once had he allowed real emotions into the picture.

Until Roxi.

Something clenched around his heart and he recognised the foul caress and stench of fear. She scared him. This woman had the ability to get him to care deeply for her. That in turn meant she wielded the power to eviscerate him as well, leaving him a shell of a man again.

It was his turn to stiffen. He wasn’t about to go out that way. He had to protect himself. This was why he couldn’t afford attachments. He didn’t trust anyone with that type of power over him.

Still, he couldn’t help but be drawn to Roxi. There was this magnetic quality about her that pulled him. He wanted to know more about her. He wanted more, period. Another clench around his heart. With a deep breath, he told himself it was nothing more than two people enjoying one another. Nothing more personal than that.

Like sleeping with another person, being intimate with them, isn’t personal.

Okay, so his brain and subconscious really needed to shut their traps and keep opinions to themselves. He didn’t need to think about it that way. Sex could just be sex. And sex with Roxi was…well…oh so nice.

The scent of her skin, the feel of her curves against him. Her tight sheath around his shaft. Those silken walls inside her heated, velvet core.

“Sam?”

He bit back a groan as his cock rose swiftly to life. Roxi was beside him. No, not beside, partially in front of, and her gaze was directed at his lower anatomy. The heat in her brown eyes was such that it burned him. His cock jerked as he read the blatant desire on her face. He almost lost his meagre hold on his control when she licked her lips.

“Roxi.” His voice was raspy and full of his own need for her.

Her gaze jumped to his and she gulped hard before blinking a few times. “Um, wanted to know if you would like to join Eric and I. We’re going to the hospital to visit Master Guns.”

It took him a few seconds to process what she’d said. His mind was firmly wrapped around his desire to take her up against the nearest wall. Thrusting hard and fast. Slow and deep. Until her nails dug into his back and she screamed his name as they came together in a fiery ball of passion.

But sink in it did. Hospital. Master Guns. “I’d like that, thanks. Let me just…go change.”

Her stare drifted down to his crotch again and he watched her swallow. Hard. Dear Lord in heaven, she was going to kill him. All without a single touch. Sam left the room before he gave into his desires.

“You coming with us?” Eric asked as he went by.

“Sure am. Just going to shower quickly.” He grabbed some clothes from his bag without paying much attention to them and headed for the bathroom. Stepping in the shower, he released a frustrated groan and rested balled fists on the walls. His breaths were deep and uneven.

Never before had he felt so out of control with his emotions. The sexual pull towards Roxi was powerful and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could resist it, regardless of the boy being in the house. Surely they could be quiet.

He showered and got out after quickly jacking off to thoughts of how amazing it had been to be buried balls deep inside Roxi. His release had barely taken the edge off his raw need for her. Forcing himself to calm down, he dried off and dressed. After he’d shaved, he left to find Roxi and Eric waiting for him in the living room.

Roxi wore the same thing except she’d put her hair up off her neck. They both rose when he walked in.

“I’ll drive,” he said, opening the door to the garage.

He’d partially been expecting an argument from Roxi but none came. After Eric was in they backed out of the garage. He idled in the drive until the garage door lowered then he got on the way. The ride was silent and he knew that Roxi had dozed off so he kept quiet. Eric just looked out of the window.

At the hospital, he watched her come fully awake after he’d parked the large truck. Her eyes snapped around as she gauged the situation before she seemed to settle. He didn’t remark on it, knowing full well he did the same thing. It told him a bit more about her—she’d seen combat while she’d served.

They walked in together and took the elevator up to the room. He knocked on the door and just before he opened it, stopped. Roxi had slipped her hand into his and gave it a quick but reassuring squeeze. As fast as she’d put her hand there she took it away. They entered the room.

Roxi let him go through first, she and Eric following behind. He approached the bed, staring down at the man who meant so much to him. His skin had paled considerably and he just looked so damn weak lying there, it tore at him.

Dean opened his eyes and a smile filled his wizened face. “Sam.” The voice was but a fraction of what it used to be—however, it was still full of love.

“How are you today, Dean?”

“I’ll be out by Christmas.”

Lord, he hoped so. And not to be fitted for a pine box. “Up for some visitors?”

“Always.”

Sam waved them closer. Roxi walked up beside him—not on the other side of the bed, no, she moved beside him—and pressed a kiss to Dean’s cheek. “Good to see you awake, Master Guns.”

“Roxanne. I’d begun to miss your beautiful face around here.”