Wrapped in Flame (17 page)

“I wish I’d never gone in there.” She tapped her spoon on the edge of her mug, then set it aside. Her coffee remained untouched. “I truly violated her privacy, and even though I found things that might help, I feel awful about this. Like I betrayed—”

“You aren’t responsible for their secrets or for exposing them.”

“Thirty-four years of marriage, Mike. Over like that.” Her finger snap punctuated the sentence.

“It’s not over yet. Give the man a chance to fight for her. He loves her.”

“But does she love him back?”

“For his sake, I hope so, because his trust in her has taken a major hit. Love might be all they’ve got going for them right now. And history. It’ll take a lot of patience and commitment to make this work.” Mike scooped her hand into his. “You gave them a fighting chance. It’s up to them to take it from here. You did the right thing. She’s in trouble and needs help. If she’s hurt somewhere and you hadn’t helped, you never would have forgiven yourself.”

“That is true.”

He let her go, eased back in his chair, and wrapped his hand around his mug. “Betty had her secrets, but Craig also put blinders on. They’re both at fault. Like I said before, I’m big on communicating, but I’m also not stupid enough to think it’s a breeze. It takes work and dedication. I’m not seeing they did either at this point. Maybe they will now. One thing about secrets, whether they’re good or bad, is that once they come out, things change.” He drained his mug and set it down. “Speaking of secrets, Sandy told us she’s pregnant. You knew?”

Erica nodded. “She asked me to keep quiet about it. I told her I would but wouldn’t lie if pressed about it. I encouraged her to come forward.” She looked him in the eye. “She still sick?”

“Yeah, and very worried about losing her job or doing her job and hurting her baby.”

“Her gut’s in turmoil over this. She’s seeing someone she really likes and hasn’t told him about being raped.”

Mike felt for her. “He’ll know everything now. Reporters were outside the station, ears perked when she told us.”

Erica tsked and looked away, then slowly shook her head. “I told her to tell him right away. I hope she did.”

“I hope so too.” Sandy needed something good in her life right now. Someone good. Mike hoped whoever she was seeing was a stand-up guy. Sandy needed solid support to get through this. “You have any luck finding Keith’s sister?”

“I called or texted every Karen Randall I could find. No takers yet.” She got up and carried her dishes to the sink, then returned with the coffeepot. “Although who would want to admit they were related to Keith? She could think I was a creditor trying to collect on one of his many debts.”

Something Erica would be responsible for now, since those debts had occurred during their marriage. She tried to keep up with the bills that accrued during their marriage as much as possible but knew there was a lot she didn’t know about. Like stuff before they’d married. Keith’s life insurance should cover any surprises. “Not my business, but I checked Keith’s personnel record last night. He did name you as the beneficiary on his life insurance. There’s no alternate. But if you need help settling things now…”

A flush covered her cheeks. “I… Mike… I do love you.”

“I love you too.” He wanted to kiss her. Something about her expression suggested she’d put up a barrier. Worry etched her brow. He refused to pry and dished up a smaller helping of food. His stomach felt like it was a bottomless pit this morning. “I could get used to this.”

She poured him a third cup, her free hand brushing over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t if I were you. A normal weekday would have me at work by now.”

“Duly noted.” Mike dug in to his food. “You do realize the upgrade in our relationship now requires me to have a toothbrush at your place.”

“Whew.” She wiped her hand across her forehead. “And here I thought I’d have to let you have a drawer.”

He feigned shock. “That
is
an awfully big step.”

She playfully hit his shoulder. “Smart-ass. If you think the knot on my robe belt is a son of a bitch, wait until I have you tied spread-eagle on the bed and at my mercy.”

The possibilities that spawned. His dick was fully engaged now. Mike struggled to think past the image of being laid out for her pleasure.

“I’m intrigued.” An understatement at best.

“Is that what we’re calling it these days?” Erica grinned down at him. “Eat up, stud. You’re going to need your energy.”

“As full as I am, you’re going to have to do all the work.”

“And that’s different how?”

Mike laughed. “Boy, someone’s asking for a spanking.”

She rested her chin on her palm, eyes sparkling. “Didn’t know I had to ask.”

His balls clenched. “You expect me to eat after that? Now all I can think about is your sweet ass squirming over my lap, your juices dripping over my thigh, your hip riding my dick.”

Her breath hitched. “Talk about intriguing. I can hardly wait.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

“You to finish eating?” She tickled her fingers up his neck. “I don’t want you distracted, and I do know how you love your food.”

“Not more than you.” Turning, he wrapped his arm around her hip and hauled her close as he stood. “Never more than you.” He gave her rear a love pat. “Lead the way. And see what you can do about losing that robe along the way.”

“You mean like this?” Deft fingers demolished the knot like it was nothing.

“Damn, you are good at that.” He grinned. “I look forward to being at your mercy.”

Pressing full against him, Erica draped her arms around his neck. “And I yours.”

Mike clamped his hands over her hips. “You keep rubbing against my dick like that, and—”

“You’ll come all over me?” She nipped his throat. “Soak my tits with your cum?”

His gut clenched with his balls. Mike felt the pressure low and hard. “You’re killing me here.”

“Am I?” Devilment danced in her eyes. She slipped the belt from its loops. “Maybe this will help stem the tide.” She draped it around the base of his cock and secured it with a square knot.

“Wow, I think things just got real.”

Erica smirked as she toyed with the trailing ends. “You have no idea how real.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “I look forward to savoring a new experience at your very talented hands.”

“Yikes.” She licked a path over his lips. “The pressure’s on.”

“Tell me about it. Shall we?”

“By all means.”

Erica kissed his chin, laced her fingers through his, and led him down the trail of discarded clothing toward the bedroom. Her panties lay at the foot of the bed. She’d staged other things for play as well. Front and center was her wooden hairbrush. She skirted past him to retrieve it, then returned to his side at the end of the bed, eyes filled with mischief.

He curled his fingers around the handle and took it from her. Her breasts quivered with every breath. Her nipples were taut, as if begging for his mouth. Dancing his thumb over the soft bristles, he paced a slow circle around her, marveling at her curves, her smooth skin, and that she was all his.

“You’ve been a very good girl, and that deserves its own reward.” He tickled the bristles over her ass. Her shaky gasp rewarded his action, made him feel like a king, and nearly turned his cock inside out.

Mike flipped the brush and lightly swatted her bottom. Her groan nearly brought him to his knees with his face buried in her pussy. He tightened the belt around his erection.

“Lie down,” he told her. “Faceup.”

Erica did so without hesitation, stretching into position with catlike grace, parting her legs ever so slightly and lifting her arms above her head to grasp the pillow. He hardly knew where to start, but he did know standing at the foot of the bed to admire the view wasn’t going to cut it.

He knelt at her feet, let his gaze take a leisurely stroll upward, then slowly brushed up the inside of one leg and paused at the top just shy of heaven. Erica spread her thighs farther and writhed closer. A swat to her thigh startled a gasp-groan from her.

He swept the bristles over her belly as he crawled between her legs. Thrusting two fingers into her heat, he toyed with her clit and moved the brush over her nipples. Eyes closed, she thrashed her head from side to side.

“Oh please,” she cried. “I’m going to come.”

“You bet you are. Every single chance I get.” He eased his fingers from her, continued his crawl up her body, and seated his cock in a slow glide that was damn hard to control. “You deserve to be well loved.” He pushed the belt knot against her clit. “Well fucked.”

Mike shoved his hands under her. One flip had him on his back and her right where he wanted. He ran the brush down her spine, over her perfect backside, then turned it and gave her a swat.

Erica tossed her head up on a hard groan.

“That’s it, baby. Ride me. Ride me hard while I warm your sweet ass.”

Mike locked his focus on raining light smacks over her cheeks, hoping it would be enough to keep him from coming prematurely. But damn she was hot. The more he had her, the more he wanted. She raised her ass into each stroke, then writhed into him when she got it. Whimpers, groans, pleas for “more, harder” drove him to distraction. If he could have remembered the alphabet at that point, he would have recited it backward and forward. But his mind, his body, and yeah, his heart and soul, were too filled with this woman.
His
woman.

Erica came with a deep-throated growl that screamed to the feral man buried inside him. Mike clamped his fingers onto her hot ass and came with her.

His head buzzed in the aftermath. Every muscle in his body felt like liquid. She slid to his side and tucked into the cove of his body, head on his shoulder, hand pressed over his heart. This was perfect.
She
was perfect.

Mike curled one arm around her, wrapped his free hand over hers, and kissed her forehead. “God, I love you.” It felt good to say it out loud. He planned to say it a lot, to show her every day.

“I love you too.”

Damn straight she did. Knowing that made him feel like a king. Blessed sleep started to creep in. His balls were empty, his stomach full, his arms wrapped around the love of his life.

Leave it to fate to have their damn phones ring. Neither of them moved.

Erica sighed. “The last time we didn’t answer our phones, my house was on fire.”

“When you say it like that…”

Mike left the bed when she reached over to grab her phone from the nightstand. His phone was still in the living room. By the time he reached it, he’d missed the call but saw it was from Craig. One punch redialed. Craig picked up right away.

“You called, Chief?”

“I found Betty. Someone saw the news this morning. She checked into rehab Friday night down in Palm Springs. I’m going down there now to see her.” The relief in his voice made Mike smile. They still had a long way to go to repair their marriage, but at least Betty had gotten help.

“Send her our best thoughts. Let us know how it goes.”

“Will do. Thank you both for everything. I… Just…thanks.”

Mike left the phone on the table and returned to share the news with Erica. She’d dressed in bra and panties and was reaching for a pair of jeans she’d tossed over her overnight bag.

“Do you need to go back in?” she asked.

“No. Tim will cover for Craig.”

“Good. Posner called,” she said. “He says it’s urgent that he speak with me. He’s on his way over. I saw no point in lying about where I was.”

He supposed not. Under the circumstances, it was important they be as up front as possible about their relationship. They wouldn’t flaunt it, but they wouldn’t be able to hide it either. They’d be spending every second they could together, either at her place or his.

He hurried himself to dress. They worked together to right the bedroom and were in the middle of cleaning up from breakfast when Posner showed up. Erica let him in without pause. Mike motioned him to a seat.

“I won’t be long.” Posner waved off the offer. “I wanted to get this news to you before it hit the airwaves.” He drew in a deep breath, then released it. “The body found in your house wasn’t your husband, Mrs. Randall.”

Fuck.

“What?” Erica gasped. “Who—”

“Right now, we don’t know who it is. But it’s not Keith Randall. This man has pins in his hip and thigh from a recent injury. Coroner says within the last six months.” Posner cleared his throat. “We’ve uncovered some more information about your husband that will be unsettling.”

She clutched her fingers. “Just tell me, and get it over with.”

Posner gave a quick nod. “Your husband—”

“Stop calling him that,” she snapped.

Another nod. “Keith Randall was previously married. Twice.”

“What?” she shouted this time. Mike didn’t blame her.

“Both wives died under what seem like suspicious circumstances,” he added.

“Explain,” she demanded. “I didn’t know he’d been married before.”

“First wife died of an overdose. And”—he grimaced, looked everywhere but at Erica—“his second wife lost her footing during a hike in the mountains.”

Erica pressed her hand over her mouth. Mike caught her as she staggered, then wrapped her trembling body against his.

“He’s alive, then. You think he intends to come after me?” Her voice shook with every word.

“Over my dead body,” Mike growled.

“We don’t know the answer to any of that, ma’am. We’re diligently searching for his stolen vehicle, hoping to find something, anything. The 911 call reporting the fire looks like it came from a burner phone. No leads there. Were you able to find his sister?”

“No.” Wasn’t that for the best under the circumstances? After all, Keith wasn’t dead.

Posner looked Mike’s way. “I’m hoping you can help us get some answers from the fire scene, Captain. We need you in there to investigate. There’s no reason now to keep you out.”

Erica was in possible danger, and he had to work? Duty and love warred.

“Go.” She pushed him toward the door. “I want this bastard found. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Go do your job, Captain.”