Hendrix took me by a fast food place to get dinner and then drove us home. After he checked the house out, I carried my food to the balcony and ate there in silence. Hendrix joined me when I was just about done and pulled out his own food.
“My brother called.”
My chest ached at the sadness in his voice. “Still nothing good to report?”
He shook his head. “No. Jagger called me right after Cash did and said that Cash tore apart his office today.”
I balled up my trash and put in back in the take-out bag. “Hendrix, go home if you have to. I’m serious. Stick me with some other stupid guard until you can get back here if it’s not over yet.”
“Stupid guard, huh?”
I laughed. “Obviously I don’t still feel that way about you…”
“If I thought I could actually help him right now, I’d go. At least, I think I would.” He ran his hand down his face and shrugged. “I’m pretty fond of keeping you safe, too.”
“Me? Pshhh. I’m fine. Two guys trying to kill me? More like only two guys trying to kill me, am I right?” I snorted as soon as I finished and then buried my face in my hands. I’d gone straight from “awkward, I don’t know what to do with you after I did that thing to your penis,” to biggest dork in the world status.
“Please don’t try to find more men who want to kill you.”
I curled up in the chair and lifted my hands. “I don’t try. They just find me. Swear.”
Hendrix finally laughed and then finished his food in silence. When my phone rang, he stood up and motioned towards the second bathroom. “I’m going to take a quick shower. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I nodded before answering. “Hello?”
“Darby Connors, you are in so much shit.” Chip’s voice was angry and loud, not uncommon from him. I was always in so much shit.
“What now?”
“What do you think?”
“Honestly, everything is great out here. I don’t know what you could be talking about.”
“Your name is coming across so many things right now, little sister. Are you doing another investigation? And apparently, some Gadberry fans attacked you?!” His voice got shriller as he went.
“I’m not doing anything, Chip. And I wasn’t attacked. They tossed a drink at me. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“Let me talk to your bodyguard. Right now.”
“He’s busy. You can’t.”
“Where the hell is he? He should be at your side, twenty-four-seven. Find him and put him on the phone, Darby.”
“I’m hanging up on you, you lunatic!”
Chip was still yelling when I ended the call and put my ringer on silent. I dropped my head back on the seat and groaned. My brother was a nutcase. I could already see the screen lighting up, him calling back to yell at me more.
“You good?” Hendrix stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets sending envy rushing through me as they stroked down his chest. His hair hung wet around his face and I could think of nothing I wanted more than to grab it and yank his face to mine.
“My brother, Chip. He’s being an asshole. Somehow he found out I’m working on another investigation. And that those two creeps threw a drink at me.”
“Want me to talk to him?”
“Not really. Chip needs to chill.”
Hendrix leaned over and grabbed my phone. “I can’t imagine being in his shoes, having to worry about you from far away. I’ll calm him down. Why don’t you head in and do whatever you need to do?”
“Fine. I’ll be in the shower.” My voice came out breathier than I’d meant for it to and the sentence sounded like an invitation. I almost corrected it, but then I realized that he was more than welcome to join me. If he wanted to take it as an invitation, that was fine by me.
I washed my body quickly once I got in the shower, eager to be clean, just in case he did join me. I slowly washed my hair and then conditioned it. I took my time shaving everything and still he didn’t show up. Finally, my fingers were starting to prune, so I had no choice but to get out.
Frustrated, I dried off and pulled on an oversized t-shirt and a pair of men’s underwear that usually served as my period panties because of how comfortable they were. Unflattering, but comfortable. I really needed to do laundry.
At that thought, I looked over at my bed and realized that I hadn’t done my sheets, yet. “Shit.”
I didn’t own backup sheets. I had extra blankets, but Hendrix had been using those on the couch. Grumbling, I went out in search of my bedding, and found it in the washing machine. The cycle was almost done, so I pulled myself on top of the washing machine and crossed my arms over my chest. This was what my life had become. Just one big game of hurry up and wait.
Hendrix walked in with a frown on his lips. “Guess I missed shower time.”
I took my phone back from him and nodded. “Yeah, you did.”
He leaned against the wall opposite of me and crossed his arms over his chest. “Your brother is talkative. He had lots of questions. Mainly things like why I put my hands on you today.”
I felt my face turn red and I sat up. “What?!”
“I’m kidding.” He laughed. “I just gave him a rundown of what’s been going on and how I’m keeping you safe.”
I gasped. “You told him everything that’s been happening?! That’s even worse!”
He frowned. “What’s the big deal? I figured you’d already told him some of it. When he asked, I didn’t see the problem.”
I groaned and let my head smack into the wall beside me. “They’re going to come here. They’re going to come here and I’m not going to get anything done at all. I’ll be sitting pretty like some princess in a fucking tower. Dammit!”
Hendrix quickly protected my head when I went to let it fall against the wall again. He caught it in his hands and then trapped me there, facing him. “Hey, stop it. You might bounce something I like out of there.”
I laughed, despite myself. When I met his eyes, warmth flooded my body and I couldn’t help but think of earlier in the day, when we were in a similar position. “They’re going to ruin everything.”
He caught my lips against his and kissed me softly. When he pulled back, his eyes caressed my face, searching for something. “They won’t. I won’t let them.”
I actually believed him. Hendrix was probably the only man I trusted to take on my brothers and win. I smiled at him and then laughed when the washing machine started shaking under me. My voice vibrated as I spoke. “I trust you.”
He’d put on a pair of pajama pants and the thin material was no match for the bulge he was sporting. “I have extra blankets on the couch. You could lay with me while you’re waiting on your sheets and stuff.”
I looked up at him through my lashes, a shy smile on my lips. I didn’t know if he meant what I hoped he meant, but I held out my hand and waited for him to make the first move.
The balcony door was open, but instead of closing it, he left it as it was before flipping off the lights and sitting on the couch. I couldn’t help but laugh when he leaned back and patted the mere inches of space next to him.
“You really think I’m going to fit there?”
Silently, he reached up and dragged me onto his chest. Our legs tangled together and then he pulled a blanket over us and rested his arm over my back. Then…nothing.
I waited with my breath lodged in my lungs, eager to see where his hands were going to wander. When they stayed exactly where they were, I roughly blew out my breath and turned my head so my cheek was resting on his chest.
His heartbeat was rough against my ear, pounding away. Despite his even breathing, his heart was racing. He was just as affected by me, that much had already been made obvious by the log poking me in the stomach. He still wasn’t acting on it, though.
I pursed my lips together and rolled my eyes in the dark. Frustration and desire warred in my head until I felt like an ugly ball of confusion. I sighed and tried to get comfortable, resigning myself to sleeping on top of him.
A deep growl came from under me and then Hendrix gripped both of my upper arms and dragged me higher on him. “I’ve had better control under enemy fire in a third-world country, Darby.”
I blinked down at him. “What do you want?”
He answered me by crashing his lips into mine. His lips were firm and his beard rough against my face. I was instantly on fire in his arms. I moaned into his kiss and whimpered when he pulled away right away.
“I want you. This. This is against the rules, though. I’m not supposed to be doing this. I just can’t stop it, Darby.”
I gasped as he tugged at my hair, the sharp sting a direct contrast with the pleasure his mouth delivered as he nipped and licked at my throat.
“Fuck if I can keep away from you.” His voice was rough as he kissed me again. He pulled back again, too soon. “I was wrong. There is no getting you out of my system. I’m always going to want more.”
I groaned and held his face in my hands. “Me, too. You make me crazy. I need this, Hendrix. I need you.”
He snapped then, giving in to me completely. His hands went to my hips as he kissed me and ground my body into his hard shaft. “You can change your mind. If you decide you don’t want this, I mean.”
I sat up and stripped my shirt over my head before throwing it away from us. With my upper body completely exposed, I straddled him and shook my head. “Not changing my mind.”
His big hands cupped my breasts and his thumbs started a torturous dance over my nipples. “Fucking perfect.”
I raked my nails gently over his chest and gasped as he rolled us over. Instead of flipping us on the couch, he rolled us right off the side. Instead of squashing me, he somehow managed to flip us again so he landed on the bottom. He grunted as I landed on him.
“You okay?”
“I think you broke my dick.”
I giggled before I could help myself and then pressed a gentle kiss on his lips. “I’ll make it better.”
A deep groan tore from his chest as I scooted my body lower. I trailed kisses over his chest and listened to him hiss as my wet hair touched his warm skin. Without preamble, I pulled his pants down as far as I could and then took him in my hands. I’d waited long enough for him.
“You don’t have to”
I stopped his weak objection by sliding my lips over him. I started slow but I wanted to please him as much as he pleased me. I wanted him to think about me and remember that moment if he left. I almost shook my head to clear that thought. When he left. He lived in Texas.
I moved my head up and down, taking as much of him into my mouth as I could, then stroking him with my tongue. Determined to make him weak from pleasure, I amped up the suction and moaned when I heard him crying out my name.
“Jesus, that’s enough. Come here.” He pulled me off of him and then rolled us over so he was on top of me. “You’re too good at that. I might need to talk to you about why later.”