Read Jermy, Marie - Together Forever [The Andersons 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) Online
Authors: Marie Jermy
The half smile vanished. “Damn! On a scale of one to ten, what are the chances?”
“With Harknett? A guaranteed ten.”
“Double damn! Jessica?”
“Yeah, she’s okay. But I think she took Harknett’s phone. It’s not on his body. You do know he’s got every member of the Federation listed on it? Yours included.”
“Triple damn! And who said Jessica wasn’t gonna be a problem? Oh, yeah. Me.” He swatted at an annoying fly buzzing in front of his face. “Where are you now?”
“Still at the crime scene. But once I’ve finished, do you want me to watch over Jessica?”
“No, don’t wait. Do it now. And try and get that phone from her. If you can’t, then warn her. But be subtle.”
“Will do.” There was a pause, then he said, “I’m worried about Harknett. I don’t think he compiled that list for the purpose of sending out Christmas cards. He’s up to something, and it’s nothing to do with narcotics.”
“What does Charlie say on the subject?” he asked, barely able to contain his contempt.
“Don’t know. I can’t get hold of him. His phone’s constantly engaged.”
“Then after you’ve made sure Jessica’s safe, go and pay him a visit. I’ve got a feeling that pompous prick is about to do something real dumb.” That annoying fly was back. Lightning reflexes that hadn’t diminished with time enabled him to catch it, before squishing the bug between his thumb and forefinger. “Oh, and one more thing. I’d like to say I couldn’t give a rat’s ass about Anderson, but you know I can’t. He’ll be an asset. Get him to join us.”
“What? You can’t be serious—”
He disconnected the call and once again turned his attention to the tall, blond-haired, tanned, and shirtless man. “About as serious as a bullet to the back.”
Chapter 2
With a weary sigh, Ross lumped down on the sofa, crossed his hands behind his head and rested his feet on the arm. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn
’
t forget about what had happened in the bar earlier that evening. Particularly the kissing Jessica Ferris part, a kiss that had only occurred because they’d stuck out like a solitary penguin on an iceberg thanks to all the other couples having their tongues shoved down each other’s throats.
For as long as he could remember, he had wanted to kiss Jessica, but even he couldn
’
t have envisaged how responsive she would be. Hell, no, she had been more than responsive. She had practically melted into him. He swore he could still feel the imprint of her hard nipples on his chest and her soft, eager tongue tangled around his.
Possessed with waist-length, glossy, dark-brown hair, deep, cobalt eyes with amber flecks, a pert nose, a wide, generous mouth, and a body that could give a man a permanent hard-on, Jessica was a very beautiful woman. She was also, with the exception of his mother, the most hot-tempered woman he knew.
And tonight, probably because he’d been the only one within firing range, she’d directed her temper at him. If he didn’t know the warm, funny, passionate, and vulnerable Jessica beneath the tough exterior she so often displayed, he would have been more pissed off than he had been.
He’d been in love with her for as long as he could remember, too.
Since joining the NYPD some seven years previously, he’d had a couple of serious relationships, but Jessica had always been the only woman for him. He even acknowledged he had been arrogant and selfish for honing his bedroom skills on the women he’d dated in the hope of spending one night pleasuring Jessica until she couldn’t deny he was the man for her. However, she had never once shown any indication she was interested in him.
Until now.
Ross again sighed and closed his eyes. Visions of a naked and very responsive Jessica made him open them again. He looked down and groaned. Hell, he hadn
’
t even seen her naked, yet due to his overactive imagination he had a hard-on.
“
Great. What will it be tonight, pal? Cold shower or hand job?
”
A knock on the front door was his answer. Getting to his feet and readjusting his jeans so it didn
’
t look as though he were flying the Stars and Stripes, he went to the door and looked through the peephole. His cock immediately sprang back to its original position. Standing on his doorstep was Jessica. He was just toying with the idea of completely ignoring her when she again knocked.
“
Ross, I know you
’
re in. Your lights are on.
”
The waving of a bottle of Jack Daniel’s in front of the peephole made him open the door. Not enough for her to see his flagpole-sized hard-on, though.
“
Peace offering? Oh, c’mon, Ross, I’m trying to apologize here,
”
she said when the door remained a crack-width
’
s open. A frown then wrinkled her neatly plucked brows.
“
Oh, have you got company?
”
“
No, of course not. Come in.
”
He practically merged with the door as he opened it wider and she waltzed past him.
“
You got any Coke?
”
“
Of course.
”
“
Ice?
”
“
Ditto.”
Sadly enough, not enough for me to fill a bucket and stick my cock in.
Ross paced back into the living room and was sitting on the sofa, a scatter cushion resting on his lap, when Jessica emerged from the kitchen and handed him a Jack Daniel’s on the rocks. He watched her sit in the armchair opposite, folding her denim-clad legs—jeans that must have been sprayed on they were that tight—beneath her.
“
I
’
m truly sorry about earlier. I didn
’
t mean to shove you like I did. You
’
re definitely not a moron. And
thank you for saving my mighty fine ass.”
“
My pleasure, Jess.
”
He shifted slightly, easing the cock/zipper battle, and
switched
his attention from the lacy bra showing through her flimsy, white shirt to the shelves of CDs dominating one wall.
“
Do you know, apart from your mother, you
’
re the only person who calls me Jess?
”
“
Am I?
”
“
You
’
re still pissed with me, aren
’
t you?
”
“
Whatever makes you say that?
”
“
Because you find your CD collection more interesting than me.
”
Ross turned back to Jessica and looked her straight in the eye.
“
Don
’
t be silly. Given the choice of my vast collection of ‘80s and ‘90s music or your beautiful face, your face wins hands down.
”
He hurriedly took a large swallow of whiskey to stop himself from saying that her beautiful body won hands down, as well. He didn’t want to push his luck. There was always the chance he’d imagined Jessica’s response to his kiss.
He hadn’t waited this long to fuck it up now.
A soft sigh drew Ross back from his thoughts to Jessica. She was staring at him, specifically the cushion in his lap. A flush then tinged her cheeks pink. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was turned on. As turned on as him, particularly if the way his cock was lifting the cushion upward was anything to go by.
Jessica again sighed softly. “What’s up?” Ross inwardly groaned at his choice of words. His cock was up, that’s what. She didn’t answer. Instead she stood and crossed the room to sit beside him. Her breast brushed his arm, and he couldn’t help but stare at the two pointy peaks pushing the flimsy material of her shirt outward.
Many nights, he’d dreamed about what her breasts looked like. The erotic images he’d conjured had made him hard and desperate to see them in the flesh. He wanted to hold them, put his mouth on them and make her moan in delight. The glass he was holding was then lifted from his hand.
“
You know, Ross, before Harknett left this world for the next, I rather enjoyed you kissing me.
”
“
Yeah?
”
“
Mmm-hmm. And I wouldn
’
t mind a repeat performance.
”
“
Yeah?
”
“
Definitely. And I wouldn
’
t mind it now.
”
“
Yeah?
”
Her tone held a smile.
“
Is, ‘yeah’ all you can say?
”
“
Yeah.
”
She giggled and put on a thick German accent.
“Ve
hav vays of making you talk.
”
He finally lifted his gaze from her breasts and met her eyes. “
And I have ways of making you moan,
”
he declared, making her do just that.
Ross curled an arm around Jessica’s slender waist and maneuvered her to straddle him, her thighs on either side of his. While her fingers sifted the hair curled at his nape, he tugged hers loose from its braided topknot. Mesmerized, he watched the glossy tresses tumble, the herbal scents of her shampoo hitting his nostrils in undulating waves.
She tilted her head and inched closer, her whiskey-smelling breath mingling with his as he pressed his lips to hers, their tongues meeting for another wild and erotic dance lesson.
After quite a few minutes of oral exploration, Ross drew back.
“
Is that what you had in mind?
”
he asked, expertly masking his excitement. He hadn’t imagined her response. She
was
melting into him.
“
That, and a whole lot more.
”
Oh, yes!
“
Take your shirt off.
”
With every button Jessica slowly undid, Ross felt sure he was going to combust. He helped her pull the cuffs off her wrists, then slipped his hands around her back and unhooked her bra. As he dropped the bra and the shirt on the floor, he caught her grimace as she glanced down.