Back in the Bedroom (11 page)

W
AS HE UP
for hot sex? Was she kidding? He was “up” all right. Reilly tried concentrating on the traffic, but for once there wasn’t much. He glanced at Tessa, who was waiting for him to answer. “You realize we nearly simultaneously combust every time we touch.”

She nodded. “Yes. Which I figure will come in handy in bed.”

Restraint sorely tested, he gave up reasoning with her and just drove. They were within a few minutes of her place when his cell phone rang.

Eddie’s number showed up on the display. “You get your wish,” Reilly said into the phone in lieu of a greeting. “I’m staying away tonight.” But he got no response to that, which was strange. Eddie had a response for everything. “Eddie?”

Still nothing. Not breathing, not a sound, nothing but a wide open connection.

With cool, calm precision, Reilly did a U-turn and got on the freeway northbound, heading toward La Canada. “Eddie,” he said again.

Still nothing.

Tessa was looking at him. “What’s the matter?”

A very bad feeling, for one. “Eddie,” he said into the phone. “I’m going to call 9-1-1—”

“Reilly.”

He nearly sagged in relief at the sound of his father’s whispering voice, even though it came from far away, signaling that Eddie wasn’t speaking into the phone at all, but at it. “Eddie, are you—”

“I can’t hear you,” Eddie whispered in an odd voice. “So I hope you can hear me. I dialed with my toes. I sure as hell hope you’re there and that you haven’t let some sweet young thing answer your phone for you. Wait, what am I saying, you don’t even like sweet young things.” He let out a little laugh. “Anyway, son, I’m in a bit of a bind, as you might have guessed. Literally. Don’t call the cops,” he said quickly. “You’ll see why when you get here. You are getting here, aren’t you?”

Reilly shook his head and pressed on the gas.

“I don’t want you to get upset or anything,” Eddie whispered, “but the police were wrong about Sheila. I’d call them myself and mention it, but…well, you’ll see.”

Reilly got off the freeway in La Canada and raced up Foothill Boulevard, going far above the speed limit.

Tessa’s fingers gripped the console, but she said nothing about his driving. “Is he okay?”

“I’m not sure.”

They turned onto Eddie’s street, but instead of pulling into the driveway, Reilly turned off the engine and
kept his cell phone to his ear. Most of the La Canada Foothills were covered with growth indigenous to the mountains of Southern California. Eddie’s lot was no exception and the view of the house was blocked by tall, staggered oaks and pines. He turned to Tess. “Wait here.”

She already had her hand on the handle of the door. “What’s the matter?”

“I haven’t a clue.” Eddie had stopped talking, which was worrisome. “But given my father and his life, it could be anything.” He pulled a gun from the glove box and glanced at Tessa when she gasped. He tucked the gun in the waistband of his trousers. “You have your cell phone on you?”

“Yes. Reilly—”

“If I’m not back in ten minutes, call the cops.”

“Reilly.”

He looked into her shocked green eyes and saw pure stubbornness. She was going to be difficult about this. He shouldn’t have been surprised. “Look, the call was just a bit strange, even for Eddie. Given what we’ve been through in this very house, humor me.” He looked into her eyes, willing her to listen.

She nodded, then pulled out her cell phone and turned it on. “Ten minutes or call the police—” he said, breaking off when he leaned in for a quick, hard kiss he hadn’t known he needed.

He pulled back and started to get out of the car.

“It’s getting dark,” she whispered, her hand grab
bing the front of his shirt. “I know how you feel about the dark. Let me come with you.”

She was going to kill him, this woman of the soft eyes and soft heart and the body that could bring him to his knees. “Wait here,” he repeated, then got out of the car. He stepped off the sidewalk and into the thick grouping of trees as he made his way toward the house under the security of the growth, wondering what the hell he was walking into this time.

Darkness hadn’t fallen yet, but it was close and no lights had been put on upstairs. In comparison, the downstairs blazed with lights, as well as the sounds of glass shattering and other assorted thumps and bumps that signified either a temper tantrum or that someone had decided to help his father redecorate in a very expensive manner.

Reilly skimmed around the back, keeping hidden by all the bush, which was easy enough to do. Damn, his father was extremely lax in the security department. In fact, this whole place, with the myriad of windows and doors—everything—it was all a virtual security nightmare.

The back door was unlocked. Naturally. Eddie might as well put out a sign that said
come screw me over, please.
Since no more commentary had come from his cell, he stuck it in his pocket. Then he pulled out his gun and entered. At the sound of more glass raining down, he flattened himself against the wall and looked around. He stood in a lanai that led to a large den, which
opened into the great room. From there he’d be able to see the kitchen.

That’s where the glass-crashing sounds were coming from. He entered the den and saw no one.

From the kitchen came a screech that sounded furious and frustrated. “Take that!” a woman screamed.

He took the safety off the gun and headed into the great room. He could see a woman in the kitchen systematically tossing every piece of china and glass from the cabinets with glee. Reilly didn’t recognize the fortyish, tall, leggy blonde, though she had the usual look of one of Eddie’s preferred women—blond, stacked and…hard.

“And take
that!
” she cried and dropped a vase that looked quite expensive. She stomped on it. “Take that, you son of a bitch! Everything in this place should have been mine,
would
have been mine, if you’d just fallen in love with me.” Another vase hit the floor. She stomped on that, too. “Like I did with you!”

“Well,” Reilly said. “That was your first mistake, falling in love with the bastard.”

Her head came up and she stared at Reilly, at the gun pointed at her, and blinked. “How did you—” she said, blinking again. “You’re not Eddie.”

“Nope.”

“You look just like the no-good, son of a bitch.”

“I had some bad luck with the genes,” he agreed.

She tossed back her blond hair. Slowly licked her lips. “Are you as good in bed as he is?”

“Step away from the counter and the island,” he said. “Out into the open.”

Her full red lips affected a pout, but she did as he said. “I knew I was going to get caught this time,” she said.

“So, you’re the one. You’re the ex-girlfriend…Sheila, right?”

“Ex,”
she said, nearly spitting it out. “I hate that word. Look, you can put away the gun. I’m not dangerous or anything.”

“I don’t think so.” With his free hand, he pulled out his cell again and called the police, even though Eddie had asked him not to. He no longer cared. While he punched in the numbers, he kept an eye on the woman he assumed was as crazy as she seemed.

His father sure could pick them.

When he hung up, she tried a sweet smile. “I just wanted to hurt the schmuck like he hurt me,” she said. “He discarded me like…like week-old trash.”

“Not to be contrary or anything,” he said, “but Eddie discards all women like week-old trash.”

A sound behind him had him taking a quick peek, because he didn’t intend to be taken down by this crazy lady’s thugs again. But instead of thugs, he saw Tessa.

And his mother.

Cheri smiled weakly and waggled her fingers at him. “Um, I need to break in here.” She eyed the hard-looking blonde with interest, then the mess at their feet,
and finally Reilly, still holding his gun on the woman. “Honey, is that really necessary?”

Reilly laughed in disbelief. “Yes, very necessary. Mom—”

“Eddie doesn’t discard
all
women,” Cheri said softly.

“He discarded you—”

She shook her head and made her way closer. “It’s time I told you the truth, baby. Eddie never wanted me to tell you and I’m not sure if that was stubborn pride or misguided loyalty to me,” she said, sighing, “but I discarded him. I was young and stupid and didn’t want to be tied down.” She shook her head and said, “And you want to hear the crazy truth? I’ve been regretting that decision ever since.”

He stared at her. “And you’re telling me this now because…?”

“I don’t know,” Cheri said, lifting a shoulder. “Because you’re acting as if all your troubles are his fault.”

Sheila laughed. “Listen, Mommy Dearest, why don’t you take your boy’s gun away and then turn your head, huh? And I’ll just get the hell out of your hair.”

Cheri lifted a brow. Checked out the mess once more. And slowly smiled.

Sheila did, too, in relief.

“Sorry,” Cheri said, shaking her head. “You’re going to jail, and you’re never going to bother Eddie again.”

Sheila’s smile faded. She muttered, “Hell.”

Sirens sounded in the distance.

Reilly looked at Tessa, who was standing there quietly. “What happened to waiting in the car?”

“I was, but then your mother pulled up and there was no stopping her,” Tess said, smiling when Cheri put her arm around her shoulders. “I couldn’t let her come in here alone.”

Reilly looked around. “Where the hell is Eddie?” he asked.

Sheila laughed and the sound held enough evil that chills raced down Reilly’s spine. He shoved the gun at Tessa and ordered, “Keep this pointed at her until the cops come in. Mom, go show them where we are.”

“Got it,” Cheri said and Reilly ran through the house looking for Eddie.

He found him in his bedroom, tied spread-eagle to the bed. Naked. Eddie had a rueful smile on his face and the phone off the hook near his toes. “Found her, did ya, son?”

Reilly let out a disgusted sound and started on the knots. “You’re a case, you know that?” he said.

“I do.”

Reilly got one foot free. “And you sure know how to pick ’em.”

“Yeah.” Oddly enough, he didn’t say anything more, as if he was…embarrassed, which couldn’t possibly be the case, since nothing embarrassed Eddie.

At least nothing Reilly could think of.

When his father’s hands were free, he sat up, but not in time to catch the robe Reilly tossed him. It hit him in
the face. Pulling it down, he said, sighing, “Look, Reilly, about tonight…”

Reilly was certain he did not want to hear this, but just as certain he was going to hear it anyway. “What about it?” he asked.

“I was thinking…maybe you could forget to mention this whole incident to your mother.”

Reilly turned to face him and blinked at the genuine look of remorse on Eddie’s face.

“It’d be a bit mortifying,” Eddie admitted, “to find yourself at the mercy of a woman you don’t want, in front of the woman you do.”

“You…want Mom?”

“From the day I first saw her in gym class.”

“But… All those other women—”

“Hey, I never claimed to be a saint. Besides, for years now she wouldn’t give me the time of day. Playing around…it was a pretty fine way to pass the time when I thought she didn’t want me. But you know what?”

Reilly was afraid to know, he really was.

Eddie arched a brow. “Lately, I’ve got the feeling I’ve got a shot with her. Unless, of course, she’d have seen me up here tonight. That might have sealed it for me, the wrong way.”

The man truly
was
embarrassed, when Reilly would have bet his last dollar he’d have been laughing like hell over what had happened to him.

It didn’t make sense until he thought about what his
mother had said, how
she’d
left Eddie and not the other way around as he’d always thought.

And wondered why that, in turn, softened him, just a little, when he didn’t want to be softened. “So you’re saying that you’re not quite as smooth as you like everyone to think?”

“Oh, sure. Make me repeat it,” Eddie sighed. “Please. Whatever you think of me, just don’t tell her.”

The man was completely, one-hundred percent serious. Even…earnest. Reilly shifted uncomfortably at the compassion that blindsided him. “I’d promise, but it’s too late, Romeo. She’s downstairs.”

Eddie picked up his shirt and quickly shoved his arms in it.

Reilly sighed and tossed him his pants. “Hurry. Because… Dad?”

At the unaccustomed name, Eddie went still. Swallowed hard. “Yeah?”

“I won’t tell her.”

Reilly staggered back a step when Eddie hugged him hard, and then lifted his hands to hug his father back.

T
HE NIGHT WAS DARK
and warm. There was no moon and being Los Angeles, the stars weren’t that bright either, but there was just something about a summer night in Southern California that couldn’t be beat.

Tessa put her hand on Reilly’s when he turned off the engine of his car. They were parked in front of her apartment building and it was very late.

They’d had to stay for the police and then had started to help Eddie clean up his mess, at least until Cheri had softly ordered them to go.

When they’d left, Cheri had been helping Eddie, the two of them quiet. Not an uncomfortable quiet, but the silence of two people comfortable together.

They’d had a lot of time to get that comfortable, Tessa thought, looking at Reilly. Thirty-something years. And she could tell by the warm way the two of them had been looking at each other that maybe things were about to get even more comfortable tonight.

She hoped the same for her.

She didn’t know what had happened between Reilly and Eddie in Eddie’s bedroom, but whatever it had been, it had put Reilly in a quiet, pensive mood. “You
okay?” she asked and squeezed his hand. “And I’m not looking for an ‘I’m fine’ here.”

“But I am fine.”

She had to laugh. He was such a guy. “Okay then.”

Reilly looked at her and said, “How about this? When I’m not fine, I’ll tell you.”

That would have to do. Besides, he did look fine. He looked mighty fine. He looked she-wanted-to-see-him-naked fine.

She had no idea what had turned her into such a sexual creature lately, but knew he was a big part of it. She also knew he probably didn’t want to hear that.

He walked her to her door, which she took as a good sign. Her last date had hardly slowed down the car enough for her to jump out.

She hadn’t left any lights on and the porch was pitch-dark. She reached for his hand to show him the way, then unlocked and opened her door. Pushing it open she reached for the lights just inside and flipped them on. Then she turned on the living room lights and also her kitchen overhead, which illuminated her entire place in one fell swoop.

When she looked at him, he was shaking his head. He came close and cupped her face, a small smile curving his lips. “I’m not afraid of the dark,” he said.

“What
are
you afraid of?” she whispered.

He was silent for a long moment. Then he replied, “Besides enclosed spaces and failing? Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Well…maybe you. Maybe I’m afraid of you.”

“I’m not that scary,” she said, putting her hands over his. “I’m just a woman.”

“Just a woman.” He let out a rough laugh and put his forehead to hers. His hands went to her hips and squeezed before gliding up and down her back.

“I am.” It was hard to think past the brush of his fingers. Tessa skimmed her hands up and over his shoulders, which she never got tired of touching because they were broad and hard with muscle. Then she slid her fingers into his hair, which was short and soft and, as usual, pretty much standing up on end. “I’m certainly not as scary as, say…working in the CIA.”

He bent his head and put his face to her throat, letting out a breath that brought goose bumps to her skin. “You sure about that?”

She pressed closer and felt his body begin to react.

Her body was far ahead of him. “Pretty sure. At least I won’t ever betray you and lock you in a trunk.” She could smell his skin, feel the rumble of his voice and pressed even closer. “I’m not going to hurt you, Reilly, ever.”

“Ah.” His face still buried in her neck, he nodded and took a soft bite out of her flesh that made her knees wobble. “A promise that you can’t possibly keep.”

She tightened her fingers on his hair and lifted his head to look into his light-blue eyes that liked to hide behind a sheet of ice. “You don’t like promises?”

At her back, his fingers slid beneath the material of her blouse. “I don’t trust promises.”

She knew he had a good reason to feel that way and her heart squeezed. “Well, how’s this for one you can trust?” Unbelievably touched by this man and unbelievably turned-on, she wrapped him in her arms. He really was her man in black, still her superhero with the surprisingly soft center, her everything. She put her mouth to his ear and let out a slow breath, gratified to feel his arms tighten around her. “I promise to drive you wild tonight.”

Another harsh laugh. “That’s an easy one,” he said. “You’re doing it right now.”

“Really?”

“Why so surprised?” he asked, arching his hips into hers. “Can’t you tell?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She kicked the door closed behind them and pressed her breasts to his chest. Oh, yes, she could feel his body’s reaction and she arched into him even more, eliciting a low groan from deep in his throat. “How very interesting,” she whispered.

“What?”

“You like me. You really like me.”

Another groaning laugh. His fingers sank in her hair and he lightly tugged her head back, his eyes glittering into hers. “What are you trying to do, Tess?”

“If you don’t know, then we have a problem.”

“Tess.”

“Is it so wrong to give in to this heat between us tonight?” she wondered. “Is it?”

“Not if you mean it, that we’re only giving in for tonight.”

“I mean it,” she confirmed. She would have liked to negotiate for more, but Reilly was who he was, and she had no desire to change him; she just wanted him to let her in. For tonight. She’d deal with the rest later. Leaning in she rimmed his ear with her tongue, then bit gently on the lobe.

Again his arms tightened on her and he sucked in a harsh breath. His heart beat heavily against her breasts and beneath her hands, she felt his hard, hot muscles tensing. “Did you figure it out yet, Reilly?”

“You’re trying to seduce me.”

“Is it working?”

He looked into her eyes for a long, heated beat. “Oh, yeah. It’s working.”

“Good.” She had to remind herself that he wasn’t her warm, compassionate beta man. He was dark and edgy and dangerous, not to mention unpredictable and not a safe bet for a soul mate.

But he tasted good and she wanted him and for tonight, for right this minute, it would be enough. She’d make it so. “Kiss me, Reilly.”

“You took the thought right out of my head.” Then his mouth opened on hers and he slipped his tongue inside to languidly slide against hers. She didn’t fall to a boneless heap at his feet, but oh, she wanted to. Her fin
gers curled into his shirt and she held on for dear life as he delved deeper into her mouth.

It wasn’t enough and she tugged at his shirt, pulling it over his head when he lifted his arms. When it went sailing across the room, she busied herself kissing all the broad, sleek flesh she’d exposed.

He let out a shuddering breath and pulled her blouse free from her skirt so he could stroke her bare ribs. His thumbs swirled over her belly button, delving a little lower to toy with the waistband of her skirt, even dipping beneath it to skim over her new purple panties. “Bedroom,” he murmured thickly, and bent his knees a little to scoop her up in his arms.

“Wait.”

He went utterly still and stared down into her face. “Wait?”

His entire body was taut with careful restraint and she could have hugged him—except she already was. “It’s just that
I
was seducing you, and you’ve…sort of taken over. I want to do it, Reilly.”

“You…want to do it?”

“Yes. So could you set me down? Please?” she added when he hesitated.

He set her down. “I took over,” he repeated, sounding baffled.

“You do that a lot, actually.” She took a deep breath because he was once again without a shirt and looked really…yummy. Not only did he look yummy, he
looked hot and bothered and frustrated. She loved that look on him.

“Tess,” he said, running a finger over her shoulder, then following that up with a kiss to the spot.

She wanted to melt again.

“You wanted to run the show here,” he said. “Are you going to do that soon? Like maybe now?” he added hopefully when she just stood there absorbing his touch.

“Yes,” she said, laughing, then swallowed her smile, straightened and got serious. “Pick me up.”

His lips twitched. “Like I already had?”

“Yes.”

Looking amused on top of hot and bothered now, he scooped her up against his chest and looked down at her, her big, alpha guy awaiting her instructions.

She flung her arms around his neck. “Couch,” she commanded, ignoring his soft laugh, which turned into a groan when she bit his throat.

“I’m going to bite you back,” he growled and tossed her on the couch.

She hadn’t bounced once when his mouth found hers, hot and hungry while he unbuttoned her blouse, unhooked her bra and spread them away from her all in one movement. Before she caught her breath, a big, warm palm slid up the inside of her bare leg to touch her through her panties.

His gaze met hers as she arched into his hand. Pushing her skirt up to her waist, he slipped off her panties,
then settled himself between her thighs, leaning in to kiss her again.

A little undone, she slapped a hand to his bare chest.

He let out a breath. “Not again. Too fast?”

“No. Fast is fine. It’s just that you’re doing that take-over thing again.”

He let out a disbelieving laugh. “I’m at the good part and you want to discuss my take-over tendencies?
Now?
”

She smiled because he looked so…bewildered. “Yes.”

With a long-suffering sigh, he came up on his knees and lifted his hands in surrender. “Okay. Go ahead. You take over.”

“Lose the pants.”

“Gladly.” He wrenched himself away from her and got off the couch. The rasp of his zipper seemed extraordinarily loud. Looking down at her, he slowly stripped off his shoes, socks, pants and underwear and stepped free, holding something he’d taken from his pocket.

A condom.

And then just stood there, larger-than-life in her small living room, the contours of his hard body revealed by the lights she’d turned on earlier.

Definitely larger than life,
all
of him. She could have just looked at him forever, but he shifted restlessly and gave her a look that seared.

“You’re so beautiful, Reilly.”

He moved toward her with sexual intent blazing from his eyes, but when he reached the couch, he paused, fists clenched at his sides. “What now?”

He was trying to let her be in charge, trying, but not quite succeeding, and emotion swamped her. “Come here,” she whispered and when she opened her arms, he settled himself back between her legs. He felt so good, so warm and strong. She wanted him, all of him, and she dug her fingers into his tight bottom, trying to push him in.

He laughed softly. “Where’s the verbal instructions?”

“Hurry.”

“Now there’s a good one.” His hands tightened on her. She felt his mouth on her breasts, her belly, her thighs…and then in between. “Like this?” he murmured.

She let out a sort of strangled squeak that sounded horrifyingly needy. But she
was
horrifyingly needy. Her muscles were shaking, her everything was shaking and it wasn’t anything like the short, vaguely pleasurable experience she’d expected, but more—so much, much more.

“Tess?” He kissed the inside of her thigh before lifting his head. “What’s next?”

“Um…” She couldn’t remember what she’d planned.

With a knowing smile, he dipped his head and licked her like a lollipop. She arched right into his mouth.

“Oh, wait,” he said. “You didn’t say to do that.”

As if she was in charge at the moment. Ha! She’d never been in charge. But now he was looking at her, waiting, his eyes blazing. “More?” he asked politely.

“Yes.” Her fingers tightened fiercely in his hair. “In fact, if you stop, I might kill you.”

“Well, then.” And he bent his head again and sucked her exquisitely sensitive little center right into his mouth.

She exploded on impact, saw fireworks, heard the explosion, felt the tremors, everything. When she could breathe again, Reilly was still between her legs, ready to sink into her, but she managed to slap a hand to his hard chest. “Wait.”

His face was a mask of pleasured pain. “Again?” His voice sounded a bit strangled. He had a hand wrapped around his erection, holding himself poised at the juncture between her thighs and didn’t look predisposed to play anymore.

She sat up. Somehow she managed to reverse their positions, pushing him down on his back. Leaning over him, she decided he was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen. And he was all hers.

At least for tonight.

She kissed his chest, his belly and then, just as he had, she lay between his legs. “Hold still,” she said. “I want to try…” And again, just as he had, she licked him.

At the guttural sound that escaped him, she looked up. “Problem?” she asked.

“Hell, yes.” His jaw was granite, as was the rest of him. “I haven’t…” He swore. “It’s…been a while.”

Her entire heart softened. “I know.”

“Do you? Because one more touch from you and it’s going to be over.”

“Then we’ll start again.”

He let out a laughing groan that broke off in another groan when she took him into her mouth and suddenly, he was no longer laughing. When she swirled her tongue over the tip of him, he swore, then reached up and grabbed her, flipping her onto her back. He put on the condom, took her hands in his, stretched them up over her head and insinuated himself between her legs.

“Reilly—”

He covered her mouth with his and plunged inside her. “Sorry,” he said, looking anything but, and pulled back only to thrust in again. And then again.

He’d taken over, driven by passion, passion for her, and it was the most thrilling experience of her life, making a man like Reilly want her so badly that he’d given himself completely over to her.

“Wrap your legs around me,” he directed. “Yeah, like that— Tess…”

The way he said her name, the look on his face as he bent close to kiss her again, a hot, hard, demanding kiss that mimicked what the rest of his body was doing, all
combined, taking her out of herself and when he whispered her name, she started shuddering again. In her arms, his muscles went taut, and he buried his face in her throat as he found his own release, which only extended hers, taking her to a place she’d never been. Taking them both.