Your To Take - Connaghers 03 (15 page)

“For protecting me. That means a lot to me.”

“No sweat,” Elias replied in a gruff voice that made Jesse
roll his eyes and laugh. Good. The kid was beginning to figure out he wasn’t
all bite after all.

Colby tossed an ice pack to Jesse. “Yeah, we’ve got your
back, Jesse. But you might want to take care of that lip before you get home,
or Vicki’ll rip poor Elias limb from limb. I’m out of here.” He shook hands
with both of them. “I’ve got a hot date.”

Elias groaned. “You’re not going out with Mal, are you?”

Colby winked at Jesse. “Maybe.”

Elias called after him. “Then you’ll be the one ripped limb
from limb!”

Surely he was mistaken, because he thought Colby muttered,
“God, I hope so.”

Chapter Sixteen

The phone would not stop ringing. Harried and stressed with
last minute preparations for the fashion show, Vicki finally turned the phone
off until she could hire a secretary. The ad had been running on VCONN all week
and boy, was it paying off. Shiloh’s idea had generated hundreds of orders
already.

How am I ever going to keep up?
Vicki stared at the
stack of forms and despaired. It was a wonderful problem to have, definitely.
More
hiring is in my future.

After this damned show.

She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, twisting so
she could see the sides and back of the gown she’d crafted. Pride brought tears
to her eyes. After all these years, she’d finally made something she was proud
of. It made her feel beautiful, powerful, invincible, everything she’d need to
get through the clamor and glitz tonight. Victor had warned that the media
attention would be fierce and the questions might get too personal.

What could she expect after starring in the ad? She could
stand there and protest it didn’t mean anything, it was just an ad. Or she
could smile mysteriously and lead her two men inside.

At least that’s what I intend to do. If Elias shows, that
is.

He’d promised to escort her to the show, claiming he wanted
nothing less than to sit beside her and cheer as her designs came down the
runway, but her mind came up with dozens of reasons he’d surely rather absent
himself. Not the least of which was his reputation as a Dallas police officer.
She understood, which only made her doubt worse. She wouldn’t blame him at all
for skipping.

She could only pray he wouldn’t.

Jesse called from the front room. “Vicki?”

“In here. Come on in.”

She checked her makeup one last time and turned back toward
the bedroom. With a low whistle of appreciation, he stepped into the bedroom,
while she lost her breath as though someone had steamrolled her to the ground.
She couldn’t tear her gaze away. His eyes commanded her attention, emphasized
by the turquoise of his shirt. He’d slicked his hair back in a ponytail,
accentuating the lean lines of his cheekbones and his chiseled jaw.

“Wow,” she finally managed to say. They’d seen each other in
these outfits already, but never alone, without the demands of the set and
cameras. This was personal.
Especially with my bed so close.

He blushed, which only made her want him more. Pulling her
gaze away, she turned to dig in the closet for an evening bag that would match
the gown better than her normal saddlebag, as Elias sometimes joked. “Are you
ready?”

“I need help tying the cravat.”

“Ah. Not exactly a common requirement any longer.” She tried
to chuckle but her throat was too tight. She pulled out a satin clutch that
would look nice with her gown, but she lingered in the walk-in closet. So dumb,
but part of her was afraid to look too much at him. He was too gorgeous, too
tempting for words.

It’s just nerves.
Her excuse rang falsely in her
head.

Gathering her courage, she stepped back into the bedroom but
immediately faltered again. Jesse stared at her bed like a starving man.

A tremor sent the gown swishing about her legs. He’d never
been this deep into her house. The look on his face made her weak in the knees
and so embarrassingly wet she considered going back into the bathroom to change
her panties again.

“Which side do you sleep on?”

His voice was deep and low, strumming her spine with desire.
She indicated the side closest to the bathroom. “Elias likes to be between me
and the door. It’s a cop thing.”

“Can I…” Jesse was having a hard time breathing too, and
when he looked at her, she trembled, scorched by the heat in his eyes. “Smell
your pillow?”

Wordlessly, she nodded. She never expected him to stretch
out on her side of the bed and bury his whole face where she slept. She took a
step closer, opening her mouth to stop him, but it was too late, and she was
too close to temptation.

If I touch him while he’s in my bed, Elias might come
home to a nasty surprise.

Jesse rubbed his face in her pillow, sliding his hands
beneath it to lift it up and around him like he was suffocating himself. The
memory of him between her thighs, rubbing his face just like that, made her
tremble again. Another surge of desire rocked her foundations and she took
another involuntary step closer to him. Almost close enough to touch his
shoulder. Or to grip that ponytail and yank his head back so she could kiss
him.

“You smell so good,” he groaned, his voice muffled. He ground
his hips into the bed, and she couldn’t help but picture him moving between her
thighs while she stared up into those stunning eyes. “I could come right now,
if you gave me permission.”

Too caught up in the image he was weaving for her, she made
no answer. He peeked up at her, his lips soft with invitation. “I suppose that
would ruin my clothing for the show.”

She cleared her throat, but when she spoke, her voice was
still ragged. “Definitely. If you sit up, I’ll tie your cravat.”

Control yourself, Vik.
She watched him sit on the
edge of the bed, tilting his head back as she neared.
You can do this
without losing your mind.

She tied the cloth around his neck, even while her mind
conjured images of her tying his hands behind his back, or wrapping the silk
around his cock and tying it in a huge bow.
So I can untie it with my teeth.

Groaning out loud, she pushed that image away and changed
the subject to the one most likely to keep her hands—and mouth—to herself. “Is
Elias here yet?”

Jesse’s eyes narrowed and he searched her face. Evidently
she wasn’t so good at hiding her doubts after all. “No.”

This kind of event certainly wasn’t Elias’s favorite thing
to do. If he wasn’t there, the questions might be less, because people wouldn’t
recognize him. But if she showed up with two men on her arm, after there had
been two men in the commercial—one of which was easily identified since Jesse
hadn’t worn any mask—then the gossip would spread like wildfire.

Here I go again, worrying about what everyone else will
think.
She scowled at herself, which made Jesse arch his brows with
surprise. She forced a laugh and let her hands settle on his shoulders. Much
safer than playing and tugging on that tempting ponytail. “Sorry, I’m hearing
Mama’s voice in my head. Either way, we’ll be fine.”

“Do you think he’ll make it?”

She hesitated. There could be a million and one very
justifiable reasons Elias might be delayed. If he got a big break in a case, or
there was an accident on the freeway, or a murder in his district…

“I made it.”

They both jumped at his voice, guiltily, like he’d caught
them doing more than talking about him. Leaning against the doorjamb, he gave
her a sardonic wink. He’d already dressed for the evening. Dark to Jesse’s
light, hard to soft, grim to demanding to light and giving, he, too, managed to
take her breath away.

He lifted his chin and pointed at the neck cloth of the
black silk. “Did I tie it fancy enough?”

She walked over and ran her hands over his chest, checking
the fit, she told herself, but she already knew it fit him perfectly. She
hadn’t had time to make him an entire suit—and he wasn’t in the fashion show—so
he’d paired her shirt with a black pin-striped suit. The thin silver stripes in
the coat helped relieve the unrelenting black, but the color definitely suited
him. “You look great. Are you sure you want to come tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it, babe.” He kissed her, but she sensed him
watching Jesse over her shoulder. Always the cop, he was carefully cataloguing
the other man’s reaction, and of course, reaffirming his claim on her in this
room. His mouth wasn’t demanding or hard, so she couldn’t tell if he was
jealous or not to see Jesse here with her, no matter how innocently. “I just
hope the job cooperates long enough for me to stay the entire night.”

“It’s the thought that counts. Making the appearance with
me.” Her lips wobbled, so she simply skipped ahead to, “Thank you.”

Watching Vicki come into her own made Elias so proud that
his chest ached. Cameras flashed in all directions. A glitzy crowd clamored and
pressed closer, sending his blood pressure rising higher. This kind of event
was a cop’s nightmare. He scanned the crushing crowd constantly, watching for
anyone acting strangely, who seemed fixated on Vicki or any of the other
guests.

He gripped her elbow and kept her close, but she didn’t seem
to mind. In fact, every time she turned her face up to him she beamed. Her eyes
glowed like starbursts had exploded in those dark depths and her cheeks were
flushed.

She’s never looked more beautiful.

He had a sudden vision of her walking down a church aisle
toward him. Would she glow as much? Could she possibly look more beautiful in a
white wedding dress?
Only if you have the balls to ask her.

Surely part of that warm glow was due to the handsome young
man on her other arm. Jesse cleaned up real good, too good, Elias admitted. The
kid looked like a cover model for a fashion magazine. Women’s heads were
turning left and right as Jesse walked by, but he had eyes only for Vicki.
Hell, Elias couldn’t even blame him, because he was having a hard time looking
anywhere but her direction too. This was her night, a dream come true. So by
God, he was going to smile until his face broke, clap until his hands hurt, and
cheer until he lost his voice as her designs came down the runway.

And then his phone buzzed.

Cursing silently, he pulled the phone out of his inside
jacket pocket. Shit. He met her gaze and that glorious smile faltered. It
damned near broke his heart.

Ducking his head, he backed away a few steps to answer the
call. “Somebody’d better be dead.”

“Several, in fact,” Colby replied. “Looks like we’re on the
verge of a cartel war.”

Elias sighed, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her
yet. He couldn’t bear to see the disappointment on her face.
Someday, she’s
going to hate me. That’s why I should have done the noble thing and left her to
enjoy Jesse.

Wincing, he rubbed his chest absently. “Pick me up—”

“Already outside,” Colby broke in. “I gave you as long as
possible.”

“Thanks, man. I’ll be out in a few.”

Elias stared down at the phone, trying to think of an easy
way to break the news. Either she’d be pissed as hell or so hurt she might cry,
and if the latter, then he was going to ask his partner to shoot him. If she
were only pissed, then he’d have to remember to order flowers. Lots of flowers.
And he’d better be nicer to the kid.

Hell, who was he kidding? He’d already bent over backward
for them. He’d watched them together and not committed murder. It was a start,
right?

Grow some stones
, he growled at himself. Whirling
around, he put on his best badass cop face, but immediately felt that mask slip
off because Vicki stood just a foot away. By the resignation in her eyes, she
knew he was leaving. Guilt tightened around his throat like a noose, but at least
she wasn’t crying, thank God.

“We’ve got trouble. I’ve got to go.”

Smoothing the lapels of his jacket, she gave him a tiny nod.
“I know. Do what you do best, Detective Reyes.”

“Babe…”

She smiled and he could only picture her as a kid giving a
brave little smile to her rough and tumble older brothers. “It’s okay, Elias. I
know you have to go and I understand. It means the world to me that you came
tonight.”

Still, he hesitated. He felt like crap for leaving, like it
was his last, only chance to prove how much he cared for her. Jesse wasn’t
leaving her big event. A dozen drug dealers wouldn’t be able to pry the former
druggie away from her side.

“I’m not mad.” She gave him a firmer tug on his lapels, her
eyes sparking with that familiar Vicki flare he loved so much. “Disappointed,
yes. Pissed, no. I understand. Go. Save people. And remember—” she leaned up on
her tip-toes and brushed her mouth against his, “—that I love you.”

It was surreal to walk down a runway. Just a few weeks ago,
Jesse had been walking down the street with every precious scrap of possessions
he owned on his back. Now he wore brand-new clothes he had no hope of ever
affording, cameras flashed, and people applauded. None of it was real except
the light in Vicki’s eyes.

God, she was so gorgeous. She glowed with happiness. Her
designs were on his back, so it was easy to saunter with pride down the runway.
She made him forget the hopelessness and years of hunger and suffering. She
made him forget everything.

Afterward, they stood together drinking champagne that
probably cost more than a year at his cheap shack of an apartment. Countless
people came up to them, smiling, shaking hands, like he was somebody. They
looked him in the eye instead of ducking their heads and quickening their
steps, hoping he wouldn’t beg.

“Is this who I think it is?”

At the woman’s snotty voice, he stiffened. All the shame and
desperation of a life on the streets came roaring back. Filth, stench, shame,
he’d never be able to wash it off, no matter how many showers Vicki let him
take.

“Yes, it is.” She tightened her grip on his arm and leaned
against him. Her touch gave him the courage to lift his head and meet the other
woman’s incredulous stare. “Susan, this is Jesse. Jesse, this is Susan Tolbert.
Are you still an attorney for Leeman & Wagner?”

“Yes, partner now.” The woman looked Jesse up and down, as
though she just couldn’t believe her eyes. “This is your artist we teased you
about?”

“He sure is.” Vicki looked up at him and smiled. It was like
a cloudy sky suddenly opened up and a powerful bolt of pure sunshine beamed
down on him, washing away all those bad days on the streets. “And he’s mine,
all mine. I always knew he was special.”