Bulletproof Badge Page 12

  But complete relief wasn’t to be his. She took his hands in hers and guided them to her waist, then up to her firm rib cage.

  He gave her the same feathery treatment. His thumbs brushed across her nipples, which fought to peak through the workout bra. She closed her eyes and threw back her head as she’d done several times over the past two days. This time he didn’t hesitate. He dove forward, bending her backward just far enough to catch the delicate white of her throat with his lips. He limited his kisses to her collarbone.

  Restraint. Patience. Two of his evils, not virtues.

  Instead of helping himself to the delights of her swelling breasts like a man needing a drink in the desert, he held her closer by wrapping his arms around her completely. There was no hiding his desire. She still sat in his lap and could feel his erection.

  The yoga pants did nothing to hide the shape of her body as it molded around him. If it weren’t for the jeans, he would have been inside of her—that’s how badly he wanted her.

  Jeans were a good thing, or he wouldn’t be able to wait for her to make the decision about what came next.

  Aw, hell. He couldn’t wait.

  He let his lips give up their hard-won territory of her magnificent skin to make his move. He was one move away from setting her to the side and shucking the barriers between them when she smoothed one cheek with her palm.

  Then Kenderly took his face between her hands and kissed him. She opened her mouth, inviting his tongue deep inside as their lips devoured each other, exploring the intimate warmth.

  No explanations or reasoning. If they talked he might try to convince her it wasn’t right, convincing himself again that it shouldn’t happen. And making love to Kenderly—right or wrong—was going to happen without regrets.

  His hands skimmed her sides and tugged at the bottom of her workout bra while her fingers clung to the back of his neck. He could have left it hanging around her neck when the perfect globes were released. Kenderly helped him out by pulling it off over her head while he leaned back against the pillows and stared.

  Had he ever seen breasts before? He had, but not like these. Kenderly’s were perfectly round with a dusky pink nipple. He barely outlined each one, cupping the undersides gently, extracting a deep moan as his thumb brushed across the center.

  She shivered and he noticed. He watched each of her reactions, her quick drawn breath when he tweaked her nipple to attention. The surprise as her eyes opened wide when his knuckle grazed her most intimate place, still resting near his.

  “Let’s move to the bed.”

  “Shhh.” She leaned forward, laying her finger across his lips, dusting his abs with her breasts. “I won the bet, remember? I get to decide what happens when.”

  Stretching out against his body, she caught his hand intimately between them. He took care of the rest until she gasped with relief and her body calmed on top of him.

  He stayed put. Unable to jeopardize what should come next. She was in command, after all, and might try to teach him a lesson.

  “Now.”

  Barely a whisper or just the outline of the word with her lips. He didn’t care if it was his imagination. He couldn’t wait any longer and grabbed her waist, flipping their positions.

  He supported them with one arm so he wouldn’t crash down on her with all his weight, until he realized they still had clothes on. Her hands shoved at his jeans at the same time he tried to kick free of his boots. He thought he’d been smart keeping them on earlier. A layer of protection to keep from making love to her.

  Kenderly was like no other woman. She tugged at the yoga pants. He helped.

  Lying next to each other as intimate as two people could be, he’d learned at least one lesson. He couldn’t keep his hands off her.

  And drove into her body, which was completely ready for him. He doubted he’d ever be able to be hands-off with her. And he didn’t want to be. That was the biggest surprise of all.

  * * *

  THE WONDERFUL SENSATION surrounded her completely. She closed her eyes and was consumed, completely safe. Each intimate stroke, each soft touch, each gentle teasing kiss kept the illusion that no one could hurt her again.

  Garrison explored her everywhere. The light hint of the back of his hand flickered across her ribs. The slight graze of his scruff of a beard across her breast. Fluttering awareness overcame any hesitation she might have had that this was the right thing to do.

  Her body and mind needed this release.

  Their bodies fit tightly together. Garrison didn’t leave any part of her untouched. The rhythm might be as old as the world, but newer than fresh raindrops for them. They rocked and strained, pushing themselves to their limits and enjoying every second of it.

  Just when she didn’t think she could take another wondrous second, she exploded like a string of firecrackers. The climax shattered her into fragments, and Garrison was there, holding her, pulling her back together. He kept her safe so she could do the same for him moments later when he reached his own pinnacle.

  Chest pounding, gulping air through his mouth, eyes rolling slightly back in his head...he collapsed on top of her. She loved it. Every second of it. She ran her fingers through his sandy hair, super glad they hadn’t dyed it black. She brushed a few beads of sweat from his brow with her finger.

  She pulled another sheet over them and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. She was completely content and refusing to think about men trying to kill them. “I hardly know anything about you.”

  “Sure you do. No one except Jesse knows my aunt’s address. Hey, you’ve even met my dogs.” He stroked her arm, then drew circles over her skin.

  The simple gesture sent shivers down her spine. “Come on, Garrison. Spill something. Any little secrets hidden in there?” She tapped his forehead, then smoothed his wrinkled brow.

  “I’m an open book.”

  “That’s hard to believe.” Then again. “Maybe you do believe that. So I’ll just ask what I want to know. How did you get your name? Garrison is like a fort, right?”

  “It’s also a couple of famous Texas Rangers. Including one of the original commanders. My dad was a big history buff. I can’t tell you how many times he stopped by the museum near our house.” He continued to drag his fingertips across her hot body.

  Kenderly wasn’t certain if the gesture was calculated to turn her on again or if he was just comfortable with her. “And you grew up to be one? That’s awesome. What’s his name, your dad, I mean.”

  “William,” he whispered. “He was shot and killed in the line of duty when I was fourteen.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry or bring up bad memories.”

  “No bad memories there. Besides, it was a long time ago. He worked with the Texas DPS. One day, making a routine speeding stop, he was shot. That’s about all I know. About all that anyone knows. The shooter was never caught. Dad radioed dispatch, left his vehicle, and the next thing is a 911 call from a driver who saw him fall to the ground.”

  “That must drive you crazy. Not knowing why...” She’d thought about why she’d been abandoned at the mall. “Georgia always told me to imagine the good reasons. That my biological mother must have wanted a better life for me. I got it, but others don’t.”

  “It was my dad’s dream to become a Texas Ranger, you know?” His hand wrapped around her upper arm. “After he died, I swore I’d do this for him. I sort of hauled Jesse right along with me. Everything clicked. It all made sense.”

  “That’s a nice way to honor your father.”

  “Hey, it’s something I wanted, too. My mom...not so much. She hates that I went into law enforcement.”

  “Have you been in trouble to make her worry? Good grief, I bet she’s scared for you now. There’s no way she hasn’t seen the reports about us on TV, and I know y
ou haven’t called her.”

  “She knows I’m safe. Jesse would have taken care of things.” He shifted to his side, head resting on his elbow now.

  “I hope she does know. It must be crazy being worried about you all the time. I’ve only been a part of your life for a couple of days, and I can already see that.”

  The sheet drifted lower when Garrison moved to his side. When it continued to glide down to her hip, his hand floated across her bare skin.

  Kenderly’s body was hungry for his touch. There were so many emotions running through her. It was a constant mixture of excitement from their attraction and the fright of hiding. But what girl wouldn’t want to be in the arms of a man protecting her? This adventure was surreal.

  Something she’d never imagined would happen to her. And was still a mystery about how it would end.

  “What’s your next command, sweetheart?”

  More commands? He was hers for the day. His skilled hand brushed her breast. The answer might have been hers to decide, but the hints of what he wanted were very plain.

  “Well, at the Best Little Hair House in Texas where I work, we have a saying.”

  “Wait a minute.” He paused, laughing under his breath and rolling on to his back. He pulled her on top of him, fitting his hands onto her waist. “You actually work at a place called the Best Little Hair House?”

  “As I was saying.” She swatted at his wandering hands. “Our policy is lather, rinse...repeat.”

  “Lather, rinse, repeat? I don’t get—oh, repeat? That’s your command?”

  “That’s...right.” She smiled wide enough that Garrison Travis would be proud of her.

  His hands cupped both her breasts, and she began the ascent to heaven again.

  “If it’s company policy...”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Garrison propped the blinds open just enough that he could see through them sitting on the corner of the couch. The parking lot was silent. No sign of the dog walker. The lamp pole was collecting some crickets at its base. He dug into his front pocket and snagged the flash drive, turning it over and sideways.

  A regular flash drive. Nothing special. It could be bought at any checkout and probably had been. But Isabella Tenoreno wouldn’t have made the purchase. Other people did her shopping.

  “If you keep rubbing that thing like Aladdin’s lamp, will it give up its secrets? Or maybe yours?” Kenderly leaned against the wall separating the room from the kitchen. She wore his T-shirt and the underwear he’d bought her. “Don’t you still need a computer?”

  Long blond hair—scratch that. Her hair was still every shade of blond he’d ever seen. Every time she turned her head, he saw a new color. It fascinated him. He’d never been fascinated by hair before.

  He needed to concentrate on something—anything—or he’d take her back to bed. “It’s hard to believe we have one crucial clue, and it has to be tucked away instead of turned over to clear our names.” Garrison stuffed the drive back in his pocket.

  Going back to bed might not be a bad idea. They were supposed to lie low another day before calling Jesse back. Then what?

  “Whatever’s on that drive started this entire mess. Didn’t it?” She moved to sit in the middle of the couch.

  Until he knew for certain, all he had was a theory—a strong theory—but nothing more than that. “I don’t know, Kenderly.” He slid off the arm to a spot next to her.

  “Two women have been executed for no apparent reason. It had to be planned. Not random. So one of their husbands has to be responsible.”

  He pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin, wanting to comfort her. It surprised him as much as the conversation. He couldn’t have pictured this two days ago. “Who else would risk the wrath of the two biggest crime families in Texas?”

  “No one? What good came out of killing them? What purpose did it serve?”

  “Damn, I want a computer to find out what’s on this thing.”

  She pulled back. “I know we’re supposed to stay hidden, but I can’t stand not knowing what’s there. It’s driving me crazy. What about the library?”

  “What about it?”

  “Garrison, we could read what’s on the flash drive at the library’s computer. Who would know?” She spread her fingers across his chest. “Even if plugging it into a computer activated a tracer or something, we could be gone before they find us.”

  He wanted to kiss her and twirl her around the room. It would let them know what they were dealing with. “That’s right. Who would know?”

  “Let’s get dressed.”

  “Right after—”

  He swooped in and let his lips have their way, putting his brain on hold.

  * * *

  GARRISON FOLLOWED KENDERLY into the library, keeping three or four people between them. He was wearing the curly black wig again, but this time without the heavy makeup. He didn’t have the stamina to wash it off again. He’d already asked how women do that to themselves on a daily basis.

  Kenderly had just laughed at him and kept getting dressed.

  The plan was to sit next to each other at the library’s computer center. She took a seat, and he had to wander for another ten minutes before the one next to her opened up. He glanced at her screen as he passed behind her. She was reading articles about the murders and about them as suspects.

  “Don’t push your luck,” he whispered.

  “The library will close in ten minutes. Please, bring your articles to the checkout.” The voice through the speaker did one thing for them. It cleared out the area as the other patrons closed their notebooks and signed off.

  Garrison plugged the flash drive into the slot. He was taking a huge risk by coming to the library and exposing them. Opening the files was just as risky. He clicked on the buttons, Kenderly moved to his side.

  Several numbered files. Only one had a name. He double clicked “Kenderly.”

  My dear Kenderly,

  Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to me and Trinity. I am sorry we won’t meet again, but leaving in secret is the only way we can escape. We decided that we want our freedom. We can no longer live this life knowing the horrible things about our husbands that we do. This is why we are leaving, never to return, and no one must know where we are.

  Please, deliver the information from the files to the authorities. There is a list of information I copied from my husband’s computer. We do not know who you can trust, but every name in that file has accepted bribe money. Many others have received money from our families to do illegal things. Some files involve the Roscos, but most are about Paul. The files should be enough to prosecute my husband for his sins.

  We trust you to know what’s right and to find someone to help you. Because, sweet girl, our husbands will come after you. Being the last person outside our home that we spoke with, they will suspect that you helped.

  It is very important that you take the files to the police and get protection for yourself. I am begging your forgiveness for putting you in this situation.

  Isabella

  * * *

  HE PROBABLY SHOULDN’T HAVE, but he opened one of the numbered files. Three names down, there was an easy one to recognize, then another...and another. He closed the file, stuck the drive deep in his pocket, grabbed Kenderly’s hand and practically yanked her from the small study room. They wove their way through the library until Kenderly pulled her arm from his grasp.

  Kenderly wiped her eyes. “Isabella’s note had been so hopeful of a new life. Oh, God.” She covered her mouth.

  Of course she was upset. She hid her crying from being heard by library patrons leaving with their books and videos. He pulled her closer, tucked under his arm.

  “Come on, let’s get out of here.” Garrison’s heart raced. T
his was exactly what they needed. “No reason to wait. We need to get to Waco. Pronto.”

  He didn’t think that she knew what they’d just stumbled on. Hell, he didn’t know much. Isabella Tenoreno hadn’t just put together a list of names. She’d copied ledgers.

  “What did you see?”

  “This flash drive is the jackpot of jackpots for a prosecutor. A lot of important names are on the list.”

  They were in way over their heads. This information couldn’t sit in his pocket. They couldn’t take a chance that these files never made it to someone legit who could use it in court.

  “How are we going to get to Waco?”

  “Good question. We have about six bucks left.”

  “Should we just call your friend Jesse? Couldn’t someone from Austin pick us up? We could go back and email it.”

  Lights at the back of the room flipped on and off. They had timed their visit perfectly in case the flash drive triggered some type of trace.

  “I can’t call just anybody.”

  “Why not? You’ve called Jesse before. Even if your friend can’t help, he could find someone who can.”

  “If we wait around,” he whispered, “Tenoreno’s people will find us. I’ll be honest with you, Kenderly. We’ve underestimated this crime family’s reach. I wouldn’t put it past them to be listening to conversations in and out of Company F. It’s probably one of the reasons Oaks set up this operation limiting the people who knew. We need to get to my company commander. Major Parker will know how to handle things.”

  “And your certain his name isn’t on the list?”

  He nodded and grinned. For a hairdresser, Kenderly Tyler was fast catching on to the concept of trust no one. “I don’t have any doubts about Parker. You ready?”

  “I’m okay now. You don’t have to squeeze so tight.” She wiped another tear and turned her face toward him.

  He gave her a quick kiss and knew exactly what they needed. “The quickest way to get this in Parker’s hands is for us to get to Waco. We need transportation and my motorcycle will still be at my aunt’s house. The police had no reason to confiscate it. We can take the bus nearby.”