Chapter 10

Landry showed up at Everly’s door promptly at ten the next morning looking incredibly yummy in a dark suit and another splashy tie. Damn, he really should be a model. He gave her a kiss, then stepped back to take in her short floral-print dress, sky-high sandals, and streak of temporary light blue color she’d put in her long hair on one side to match her outfit.

“You look amazing,” he said.

She smiled. “So do you.”

And if they didn’t have a wedding to attend, Everly would have dragged him off to her bedroom right then.

They got to the church an hour before the ceremony, which turned out to be a good thing since the pews were already filling up. There were hundreds of cops, firefighters, city officials, federal agents, and journalists from every paper and television station in Dallas, along with friends and family galore. Even so, Everly could easily identify the SWAT officers. They were all so damn big and muscular that they stood out in the crowd.

While the ceremony was beautiful, the reception at the SWAT compound was like something out of a fairy tale. Landry was right. Everly barely recognized the place. Several huge pavilion tents surrounded with tall ferns and palms, decorated with potted plants and fragrant flowers, had been set up to provide separate seating areas, as well as block the hot Texas sun. And right in the middle, next to the volleyball court, was a huge dance floor and DJ booth with twinkling lights and strobes. Everly could hardly wait to get Landry out there.

Off to the side, there were a dozen big grills manned by chefs. Everly had never thought of serving steak, burgers, hot dogs, and chicken at a wedding, but it smelled delicious.

She turned to Landry to find him smiling at her, the sun glinting off his brown eyes and making them the color of whiskey. She smiled back. This was going to be an amazing night. She could feel it.

He took her hand. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to Mac and Gage.”

Because there were so many guests at the wedding, the receiving line that usually took place right after the ceremony had been relocated to the reception. The line moved surprisingly quickly though.

“Gage, Mac, this is Everly Danu,” Landry said when they finally stood before the newlyweds. “Everly, my boss, Gage Dixon, and his wife, Mackenzie.”

Mac smiled warmly, pulling her in for a hug. “It’s so great to finally meet you, Everly. You and Cooper make such a perfect couple. Like you were made for each other.”

Blushing, Everly glanced at Landry to see if he’d overheard, but he seemed occupied with whatever Gage was saying—something about finally having one of his guys meet a woman “without having to worry about somebody ending up shot or sent to jail over it.”

Everly turned back to Mac with a smile. “Would it be too soon in our relationship if I admit I’ve been thinking we’re made for each other, too?”

Mac laughed. “Definitely not. When you meet the right guy, you know it.”

Everly silently agreed.

Congratulating Mac on her marriage, Everly wandered over to join Mia, while Landry finished up with his boss. Mia was staring in slack-jawed appreciation at all the hot guys walking around, so Everly took pity on her and pointed out the ones she knew—Xander, Trevor, Alex, Remy, Brooks, and Becker.

“Alex, Remy, Trevor, and Brooks are all single, in case you’re interested,” she added with a grin.

“Oh, I’m interested, girlfriend.” Mia let out an audible sigh of appreciation. “What the heck do they feed these SWAT cops—whole cows? They’re huge!”

Everly laughed. She’d had the same thought that night of the bank robbery when she’d met Landry’s teammates. It was hard to believe so many big, fit, hunky men could all work in the same place.

When Landry joined them, he introduced them to the rest of his SWAT teammates as well as quite a few officers in the Dallas Police Department. Everly had to work hard to keep from laughing as Mia’s eyes shined a little more with each sexy SWAT hunk they talked to.

First was Zane Kendrick, another six-foot-four stud with just the slightest hint of an accent. British, Everly thought, though she couldn’t imagine how a British guy had ended up on an American SWAT team in Dallas.

Then there was Max Lowry, a younger guy with the most amazing blue eyes that seriously sparkled with mischief the whole time they talked to him. She thought Mia was about to walk straight up and kiss him at one point, and Everly wouldn’t have blamed her. The guy pulled off sexy and adorable in a way Everly had never seen before.

Landry introduced them to another SWAT officer named Connor Malone, who had a blond surfer look going on complete with tanned skin, hazel eyes, and a great smile. But unfortunately for Mia, Connor seemed completely captivated by one of Mac’s bridesmaids. He looked up long enough to say hello, then went right back into the flirty conversation he was having with Mac’s old college roommate.

After that, she, Landry, and Mia wandered over to get something to eat. Landry was piling way too much BBQ on her plate when Everly saw the cutest thing she’d ever seen in her life—a sweet pit bull mix wearing a collar that matched Mac’s wedding colors walking around the grill area like she owned it.

“Who is that little cutie?” she asked Landry.

He turned to see who she was talking about and smiled at the dog—who was politely declining to eat a big piece of hamburger three kids were offering her. Everly watched in amazement as the beautiful dog accepted the same burger when Alex came over and held it out himself.

“That’s Tuffie,” Landry said. “We picked her up at a crime scene a few months ago. She’d been badly hurt, but Alex and our other medic, Trey Duncan, nursed her back to health. She hangs out with us at the compound during the day, then comes home with a different one of us each night.”

Tuffie must have heard them talking about her because she turned and smiled at them.

Everly smiled back. “Oh my God, she’s adorable!”

The compliment only made Tuffie wag her tail and grin even more.

Plates in hand, they walked into the main pavilion to grab a seat.

“How about over there?” Everly suggested, catching sight of Jayna and Megan at a table off to the side.

Landry nodded, and they made a beeline through the crowded tent. While he headed back to the bar area for drinks, Everly introduced Mia to her new friends.

“So, how did Becker and Zak like your new dresses?” she asked Jayna and Megan.

Jayna grinned. “Let’s just say you were right, and there was drool involved.”

“I knew it,” Everly said.

“Well, we owe it all to you,” Jayna said to Everly, then looked at Mia. “She convinced us to buy the dresses, even though they’re way more glamorous than we usually wear. But she was totally right. They’re perfect. I thought I was going to have to beat Eric off with a stick this morning so we wouldn’t be late.”

Everly laughed, then looked at Megan. “What did Zak think of your dress?”

Megan blushed. “I tried it on last night with the heels and everything so he could get the full effect. He…um…really liked the look. In fact, we didn’t go to bed until nearly five this morning.” Her color deepened. “I’ve been wearing this dress since ten o’clock last night.”

Everly’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t imagine Megan being so naughty, but she supposed it was the shy ones you had to watch out for.

They were still laughing when Khaki joined them with a plate of barbecue and enough wine coolers for all of them.

“Cooper asked me to drop these off for you,” she said as she set two bottles in front of Everly and Mia.

Everly looked around. “Where’d he go?”

Then she caught sight of him, along with the other SWAT guys and Zak, out on the sand-covered volleyball court with their jackets and shoes off. A moment later, Gage ran out to join them.

“Just remember you and your groomsmen rented those tuxes,” she heard Mac shout above the rising tide of laughter. “If you mess them up, you’re buying them.”

Gage waved in acknowledgment, then served the ball. Everly laughed as the guys flew around the sand, smiling and goofing like teenagers as they played a volleyball game in the middle of the reception.

“They’re like a bunch of kids, aren’t they?” Khaki said. “They’d rather run around half-dressed playing a game in the sand than sit in their suits.”

“Probably so,” Everly agreed. “But they look damn good doing it.”

In between watching the game, she, Mia, and the other women talked about shopping, hot guys and their silly games, dating, and weddings. It was like Everly had known Khaki, Jayna, and Megan as long as Mia. There was a bond developing between them unlike anything Everly had ever experienced. She couldn’t believe how quickly all of Cooper’s friends had made her feel welcome. Like she was family. She hadn’t ever felt so accepted by people she’d just met.

Which was why it wasn’t surprising Everly found herself telling them about what had happened at her father’s house.

“I feel like my father and brothers betrayed me,” she said. The same anger she’d felt last night threatened to consume her again, and she forced it down. “I finally meet this great guy, and they hate him. My father seriously ordered me never to see Landry again. I’m not some fifteen-year-old dating a bad boy. Landry’s a cop, for heaven’s sake.”

She would have said more, but fell silent as three cute guys came over and sat down at the table with them.

Jayna smiled. “This is Cooper’s girlfriend, Everly Danu, and her friend Mia Barlowe. Ladies, our roommates—Joseph Garner, Chris Hughes, and Moe Jenkins.”

Everly blinked. When Jayna and Mia said they lived with a group of friends, she hadn’t expected them to be a group of guys. None of them were as big as Landry or the other SWAT guys, but they weren’t wimpy either.

Moe’s perfect brown skin and bulging muscles made him look like a model—or a superhero. Chris had a serious Captain America thing going on and the most charming Southern accent. And Joseph, the oldest of the three, had blue eyes that positively twinkled. Everly nudged Mia, knowing her friend had a thing for blond-haired, blue-eyed cuties, but her roommate had already locked gazes with him. A moment later, they got up and left, ostensibly to get something to drink, even though her wine cooler and his bottle of beer were almost full.

Everly laughed. “I think Mia just found a date for the rest of the day.”

“Or longer,” Jayna agreed.

Moe and Chris effortlessly joined in the conversation, and Everly learned they not only lived in the same loft as Jayna and Megan, but they all worked together at a horse rescue and rehabilitation center outside of Dallas. She was about to ask how they’d all managed to get a job at the same place when Landry, Xander, and Zak joined them, their shoes and jackets back on, all traces of sand gone from their clothes.

“I hope you don’t mind that I played a few games of volleyball,” Landry said as he sat next to her. “Gage is going to be gone for two weeks on his honeymoon, so he won’t have a chance to play for a while.”

She smiled. “I don’t mind at all. You looked good out there. I never knew watching you run around in a shirt and tie could be so much fun.”

He leaned in and gave her a kiss. “You liked that, huh?”

“Yeah,” she said softly. “It would have been even nicer if you’d had less clothes on, but I made do.”

His eyes smoldered. “I’ll have to see what I can do about that later.”

The words sent a quiver of anticipation rushing through her. “Promises, promises.”

As they sat there and chatted with everyone else, Landry rested his hand casually on her thigh. Just being close to him like this, her hip almost touching his, his lips occasionally grazing her neck and jawline as he kissed her, made her heart beat faster and her breathing ragged. She could barely focus on what anyone was saying much less speak.

Instead she focused on Landry and watched his lips move as he talked. Of course, that made her think of all the other things he could be doing with that sensuous mouth. Doing them in public would only get them arrested, so she’d have to be satisfied with fantasizing. While she was slowly getting turned on, she could have happily sat there with Landry all night and done nothing but talk. The sun had started to set, and now that the hot Dallas day was finally cooling off, Gage and Mac went out and had their first dance together as husband and wife. She and Landry stood with the rest of the guests to watch, then took to the floor when the newlyweds invited everyone to join them.

Everly couldn’t remember dancing so much in years, or having so much fun. But she and Landry didn’t sit down once over the next few hours. Everly caught sight of Connor and the bridesmaid he was crushing on dancing beside them before the couple disappeared. Then Jayna, Megan, and Khaki dragged their guys onto the floor, and a little while later, she saw Mia and Joseph.

Half a dozen songs later, Mia stopped by long enough to let her know she was going to take off with Joseph and his friends, and that Everly should feel free to bring Landry back to their apartment because she’d be out until very late.

Mia flashed her a smile. “In fact, I might not be back until morning.”

While the dance floor was filled to capacity most of the night, it felt like she and Landry were the only two people out there. It didn’t seem to matter to him whether the songs were fast or slow, and it sure didn’t matter to her. She loved being in his arms.

“You dance very well,” she murmured as one slow song faded into another.

This one was a soft country tune, so she and Landry weren’t doing much more than rocking back and forth. But he even did that well, and with a perfect, sensual rhythm that matched her thumping heart.

“I think that might have something to do with you.” His mouth quirked. “I don’t usually dance, but I like doing it with you.”

She smiled. It was difficult to miss the big hard-on in his slacks that had been rubbing up against her tummy for the last hour. Still, she couldn’t help teasing him. “Really? What’s so special about dancing with me?”

He slipped his hands to her waist, letting his fingers spread wide along the top of her ass as he pulled her firmly against his erection. Then he leaned down until his mouth hovered right above her ear. “Dancing with you is special because it has me thinking about all the ways I’m going to make love to you later, starting with ripping off your dress and taking you up against the wall like an animal.”

Everly’s breath hitched. That admission, not to mention the way Landry’s warm breath tickled her ear, made her pussy spasm. It was entirely possible she could come simply from wiggling her thighs together, especially if he kept talking dirty.

He stood straighter, moving her through a little two-step around the floor. “I didn’t upset you, did I? Saying something like that out loud, I mean.”

She responded to his leading touch instinctively, keeping her feet moving with his, even though her knees were weak.

“Not at all. I did ask, and you only said what you were thinking.” She gently pressed her hip into his cock as they kept dancing, silently letting him know she was fully aware how excited he was. “And to be completely honest, they’re the same thoughts I’ve been having too. Except in my mind, I’m the one ripping off your clothes and pressing you against the wall, while I drop down to my knees in front of you.”

A growl slipped from Landry’s throat. He did that a lot, she noticed. It was unbelievably sexy. The lights strung up around the dance floor caught that gold reflection in his eyes. And that little sparkle was damn sexy, too.

She licked her lips, ready to ask in her very best coy voice if he minded she’d said something like that out loud, but she didn’t get a chance because Landry’s mouth came down on hers, his tongue slipping between her lips and doing its own kind of slow dance with her tongue.

Everly didn’t realize they’d stopped dancing until she found herself standing there in the middle of the floor, both arms draped around Landry’s strong neck and holding on tight as her knees turned to Jell-O. Landry had one hand in her hair, the other resting on the curve of her ass. Everly didn’t know how close they were to having sex right there until she felt his fingers wrap around hers, which were at the moment trying to undo the buttons of his crisp, white dress shirt.

“Maybe we should take this somewhere else?” he suggested in a husky voice.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Landry took her hand and led her toward the parking lot where his Jeep was parked. Thank God no one stopped them to talk. If they had, Everly probably would have done bodily harm to them. She was done waiting. They’d been getting closer and closer to this moment since the second they’d met. First Landry’s friend Jim had gotten between them, then her stupid, overprotective family. This was finally going to happen, and she wasn’t letting anything interrupt them this time.

When they reached his Jeep, Landry opened her door, but before she could climb in, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. In a heartbeat, his big, strong hand was on her bare leg, and he nudged her into the vehicle. Then with a groan, he dropped to his knee and pressed his mouth to the tender skin of her inner thigh, right above her knee.

She gasped in surprise. The part of her that vaguely remembered where they were told her that making out in the parking lot of the SWAT compound was crazy. But then she found herself helping, grabbing the hem of her skirt and yanking it higher, exposing her legs all the way to her panties. Tangling the fingers of her other hand in Landry’s silky hair, she impatiently urged his mouth higher.

He let out another one of those growls she loved and complied, his warm mouth moving along her inner thigh. When he finally got to her pussy, she was going to scream for sure.

She didn’t care. She was so hot for him that she was ready to let Landry have his way with her right there in the parking lot.

But then the sound of laughter from nearby intruded, and Landry jerked upright. Hands trembling, he carefully pulled down her dress and helped her back into a straight and upright position on the seat. A half-second later, a couple walked by. Landry waved at the police officer and the woman with him before turning back to Everly. He looked as excited as she felt.

“Let’s get out of here before we do something crazy,” he said.

“Sounds good.” She grabbed the seat belt and clicked it into place. “But crazy is good too,” she added when he climbed in beside her and started the engine. “So don’t make me wait too long, or I’m going to attack you right there in the driver’s seat.”

* * *

Everly still didn’t know how they made it out of Landry’s Jeep, across the parking lot, through the lobby, up the stairs, and into her apartment without anyone calling the cops. They had their hands all over each other the entire way. Once they got through the door and slammed it shut behind them, the clothes started flying.

She kicked off her high heels as Landry grabbed the hem of her dress and yanked it over her head. She could have pointed out that undoing the zipper first was usually a good idea before taking it off, but his method worked much faster—and was a whole lot sexier.

When she stood there in nothing but her bra and panties, Landry took a step back and gazed at her with appreciation. The look of pure, hungry lust on his face was the most empowering sensation she’d ever experienced. She felt like a complete and total goddess.

He reached around for her bra, but she batted his hands aside and went for the buttons on his shirt.

“It’s not fair for you to wear so many clothes when I’m practically naked,” she said.

Unfortunately, her hands were shaking so much she could barely find the buttons much less undo the little suckers. Thankfully, Landry came to the rescue. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and let it fall to the floor, then ripped open his shirt, scattering buttons everywhere. That was so sexy.

She yanked her bra off, showing him that she could be wild too. She would have stripped off her panties just as fast, but Landry came at her in a rush, trapping her between the door and his muscular chest. She reveled at the feel of her hard, tender nipples pressing into his warm skin, moaning as he dipped his mouth down to nibble her bare neck and shoulder. His teeth were sharp, but God, he knew how to use them, teasing her and nipping at her in a way she’d never felt before.

She was so dizzy from what he was doing, she could barely think straight, so when she heard a tearing noise, it took her a moment to realize what it was. Landry’s hand came out from between them, and she caught a glimpse of her tattered panties before they went flying across the room. A smart part of her mind tried to remember where they ended up, so she could grab them before Mia came home. But then Landry’s hand slipped between her legs, and she said the hell with her panties.

Landry nipped teasingly at her neck as his nimble fingers slid inside her. She was wetter than she’d ever been in her life. Lifting his head, he took a step back, keeping her pinned against the door with his gaze as he looked deep into her eyes and slowly fingered her pussy.

Everly wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him close as he pleasured her, but she couldn’t make herself move.

“Oh God,” she moaned as he moved faster. She reached one hand up to grab his shoulder to steady herself, the other down to cover those beautiful fingers manipulating her pussy. “You’re going to make me come so hard if you keep doing that.”

His eyes flared gold in the light as he gave her a lazy grin. “I know. That’s why I’m doing it.”

Just when she thought she would pass out from how good it felt, he slipped his fingers out and found her clit, making perfect little circles. It took mere moments for the first wave of her orgasm to hit her like a speeding truck, and then all she could do was throw back her head and scream as her climax rushed through her.

Everly would have collapsed if he hadn’t been holding her up, especially when he kept his fingers moving slowly over her clit, dragging another orgasm out of her on the heels of the first.

Landry waited until the last tremors faded before taking away his fingers. She thought for a moment he was going to say something, but instead, he pulled her naked body against him and kissed her hard. Her mouth responded of its own accord, kissing him back even though her mind was too scattered to do much beyond stand there and hold on to his shoulders for dear life.

When she could think clearly again—as clearly as she could after back-to-back orgasms—she realized that Landry was still wearing his pants. For some reason, that seemed terribly wrong, considering she was completely naked.

With a moan, she pushed Landry away. Then, while he was confused by why she’d done that, she got her hands on his belt and spun them around so he was the one with his back to the door now. That got his attention, especially when she put a hand in the center of his chest and held him there.

She lifted a brow. “Where do you think you’re going?”

He chuckled, relaxing against the door. “Well, now that I have your dress off, I was going to see about moving forward with the next part of that fantasy we talked about earlier,” he said. “You know—the part that involves me taking you up against the wall like an animal.”

She liked the sound of that so much she almost relented and let him drive. But then she remembered how hard he’d made her come and decided she owed him a little something first.

“Don’t worry,” she murmured as she reached for his belt. “We’ll get to that part of your fantasy soon enough. But for now, let’s spend time on mine. You know—the one that involves me on my knees in front of you.”

That stopped him from any further protest. In fact, he helped her yank open his belt and work his pants down his legs. Once she pushed them past his muscular thighs, she didn’t even bother getting them off. She simply let them puddle around his ankles as she dropped to her knees and reached for the straining material of his underwear. Her mouth watering, she slipped her fingers into the waistband of his boxer briefs, pushing them down to slowly reveal his extremely large, extremely aroused shaft.

She got his underwear down to mid-thigh, then promptly forgot about it as all of him filled her view. She let out a sigh of pleasure. He had the most beautiful cock she’d ever seen in her life. It was long, thick, and heavy, and even as she watched, a little pearl of essence appeared at the tip.

She leaned forward to wrap her lips around the head, moaning at how good he tasted. Circling his shaft with her hand, she moved it up his length at the same time her mouth started down. When her hand and mouth met in the middle, she wasn’t sure who moaned louder—her or Landry. Now that she had him in her mouth, she wanted to take him as deep as he could go. And she wasn’t going to let him go until he exploded.

Everly had never shied away from going down on a guy. In fact, if it was the right guy, it could be downright fun. But with Landry it was so much more than that. She was actually getting turned on from feeling him pulse and throb against her tongue, not to mention hearing him growl and groan in pleasure.

She wiggled closer, her mouth and hand moving faster as she tried to make him come just as intensely as she had. When she felt him get even harder and throb even more, she knew he was about to climax. But before she could get him there, he slipped his hand in her hair and gently pulled her off his cock.

“Hey, you were getting close,” she complained. “I was having fun.”

Cooper chuckled. “I’m sure you were. But what I have in mind is even more fun.”

Landry kicked off his shoes and pants then made quick work of his underwear before bending to pull something out of the back pocket of his slacks. She immediately recognized a condom packet.

As she watched him roll the condom down over his large cock, Everly was glad condoms came in different sizes. She had some in her bedroom, but they might be too small. She would need to get some bigger ones.

When he was done, he looked at her. “But you never said that your fantasy involved you making me come, just that you wanted to rip down my pants and drop to your knees in front of me. And that part, you most definitely did.”

Tugging her to her feet, he grasped her waist and lifted her up in one smooth motion. She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and draped her arms around his neck as he turned and pressed her back against the door. She felt the head of his cock against her and knew exactly which part of his fantasy they were going to be working on next.

“Is this the part where you take me up against the wall like an animal?” she asked coyly.

He smiled as he moved his hands under her ass and lifted her so he could wedge the head of his cock against the entrance of her pussy. A moment later, he slid her down on his shaft, eliciting a long moan from her. But rather than sheathing himself completely inside, he stopped after only a few inches.

His smile turned devious. “Oh, this is most definitely the part where I take you up against a wall—this wall, as a matter of fact.”

Everly squirmed around a little, trying to slip farther down on his length. But it was no use. He was so strong he could probably hold her here all night.

“Something tells me that with you doing the taking, this position might become my very favorite.”

Landry’s mouth quirked, as he let her slowly slide the rest of the way down his long, hard shaft. “Is that right?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but as she moved down on Landry’s cock, all she could do was gasp—and then gasp some more as she kept going. Was it possible that he might be too big for her?

Finally, when she thought there was no way she could handle any more, she felt him slip all the way in. She tightened her legs around his waist and dropped her head to his heavily muscled chest, panting. It felt so good, she didn’t want them to move, and yet she couldn’t resist experimenting a little, squeezing and relaxing her inner muscles while Landry held her comfortably against the door.

“I definitely think this could be my favorite,” she whispered. “This feels so good, and you’re not even moving yet.”

He flashed her a grin and pressed her harder against the door, burying himself deeper still. “Then I guess I should start moving so we can find out what you really think.”

He didn’t wait for her to respond. Instead, he held her steady against the door, then pulled back a little and shoved himself deep inside again. She gasped as her body tremored and her pussy spasmed. Everly tried to clench down tightly on Landry’s cock, keeping him from slipping out again.

No matter how hard she squeezed, she couldn’t prevent Landry from sliding out again, or from thrusting in. She gasped again, almost sobbing at how good it felt.

With each pump of his hips, Landry moved faster, slipping nearly all the way out, then plunging back in over and over. Everly tightened her arms around him, and when the trembling inside her threatened to make her scream, she bit down on Landry’s strong, muscular shoulder.

That earned her a deep, sexy growl, and more powerful thrusts.

She came harder than she ever thought possible. Her climax was one long, continuous orgasm that hit her like waves on the beach, each wave cresting in time with his thrusting.

She screamed into Landry’s shoulder, sure she’d pass out if this kept up any longer.

Then Landry groaned, his hands squeezing her ass cheeks hard as he thrust deep inside her and pinned her against the door. He held himself there, his mouth coming down on her neck, his teeth nipping her. She could feel heat flooding her pussy even through the condom.

She was practically dizzy as Landry repositioned her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, his shaft still hard and ready inside her. She couldn’t imagine she’d be able to make love to him again so soon.

But apparently, her pussy had other ideas because it was already quivering at the thought of what her man was going to do next.