Deceived At Every Turn Read online

  “How did you get into my house?”

  “I broke in.”

  Her luscious, pink lips curled up slightly on one side. She found him funny. Good sign. “I told Fred and Ginger not to let you in.”

  He immediately thought of those full lips, wrapped around his dick, sliding over his length...

  “They couldn’t resist my charms.” He spread his arms out wide from his sides. “How about you? Are you unable to resist?” He cocked his head playfully and offered her a lopsided grin.

  Her expression remained unreadable. He found that disheartening.

  Riley dropped his hands to his sides, deflated. “Zandra and Olivia go to the same day care center. This afternoon when I picked Zandra up, I ran into Melina and I casually mentioned that we had dinner plans tonight. So, when I showed up with grocery bags in hand, she let me in.” He picked up the plate and spatula and gestured toward the door. “Come on, the grill’s ready to go. Are you hungry? We’re hungry, aren’t we, girls?” he called out as he walked out the back door.

  * * * *

  “You’re home!” Olivia squealed when Harper stepped out onto the patio. She ran, hurling herself at Harper, hugging her tight.

  “There’s my girl. And my hug.” Harper squeezed her back. “Mmm, I missed you so much today.”

  “This is Zandra. She’s my very best friend from school.” Olivia introduced her friend, who had run up with her and grabbed Harper’s hand, holding it tight.

  “Hi, Zandra, I’m Harper. It’s very nice to meet you.” She tugged playfully on one of the little girl’s pigtails. “You’re quite a cutie.”

  “Cuteness runs in the family,” Riley called over from the barbeque. “Zandra, smile big for Harper. Show her your dimples.”

  Zandra did.

  “See?” Riley pointed to his cheeks. “Just like mine.”

  Harper laughed and shook her head, her guard lowering.

  “I didn’t know you and Zandra’s Uncle Riley were best friends too.” Olivia stood with her little hands on her hips.

  “Riley and I are, uh, new friends.” She met Riley’s gaze. “That’s why you didn’t know. Now, why don’t you and Zandra go inside and get Fred and Ginger their dinner? I think we’re going to be eating soon.”

  The two girls disappeared into the house and came back a few minutes later with two dog dishes full of kibble and dog treats. Atop each bowl sat a chocolate chip cookie.

  Olivia, seeing Harper’s frown, quickly offered up an explanation. “We brought them dinner and dessert because they’ve been good. And we got a cookie because we’ve been good too.”

  Harper smiled. “How can I argue with that logic?”

  “Uh, Harper, I don’t know how much your dogs will eat. They welcomed Zandra with sloppy dog kisses, but I had to split a box of Milk-Bone biscuits between the two of them so they’d let me past the front hall,” Riley admitted.

  Harper laughed and rolled her eyes. “I knew they wouldn’t let you in. I’ll get the rest of dinner and some drinks, we’ll eat out here.”

  “Great. Hey, honey, grab us a couple more beers,” Riley called over to her as she reached for the door handle.

  Honey?

  “We’re both off for a couple of days, let’s unwind and relax, huh?”

  Harper spun around abruptly to face him as he tended to the patties on the barbeque. “What makes you think I’m off for a couple days?”

  “I talked to Tiny earlier today.”

  “Oh? Are the two of you buddies now?”

  “Hell no. We can’t stand the sight of one another. You know, he’s real protective of you. I like that. In that regard he’s a good man.”

  “Yes, he is.” And she was beginning to think that Riley Spence wasn’t that bad of a guy after all either.

  Harper entered the house and gathered the salads, sliced tomatoes and other condiments to go with the burgers, and loaded them on a tray. Riley had already taken plates out to the picnic table, but she noticed he’d forgotten napkins. On the way past the sink, she snagged the roll of paper towels and tucked it under her arm.

  Though her anxieties were dissipating, she couldn’t help but wonder the real reason for Riley’s surprise dinner date. His being in her house when she arrived home had definitely caught her off guard, but, she had to admit, the casual flow so far was making her feel good. It had been a long time since she’d felt comfortable and relaxed, but he’d managed the feat in a manner of moments.

  From the cupboard beside the fridge she grabbed a bag of potato chips to take outside, just as the back door opened.

  “You’ve been in here a while. Everything all right?” Riley asked.

  “Yeah. Just making sure I haven’t forgotten anything.”

  As she went to pick up the tray, Riley was at her side reaching for it. “I got it.”

  “Thanks. Let me grab those beers,” she said.

  After dinner was finished and the mess cleaned up, they leashed the dogs on their leads and walked to the corner for six ice cream cones. On the way back the girls walked ahead with the dogs, while Harper and Riley brought up the rear.

  “I never thought I’d see the day when two four year olds would be walking two Rotties like they were Chihuahuas. They’re very well behaved.”

  “The girls or the dogs?”

  Riley chuckled and rolled his eyes.

  “They’re very well trained. A big dog has to be. But I’m going to have to review with them the ‘do not let strangers in the house’ rule.”

  “I’m not a stranger, am I? Come on, Harper, we’ve spent every night for the past two weeks together. Hell, back in grade school, we’d have been married, divorced and remarried in that time.”

  Harper sighed. “Yeah. But we’re adults. Things are a lot more complicated when you’re grown up.” Her smile faded as she sunk into deep thought.

  “Hey, no serious stuff. This weekend is going to be all about fun and letting loose.” Riley reached over and tickled her ribs.

  A fire ignited in her belly as his hands touched her body. The heat from his fingertips through her clothes was electric.

  “Weekend?”

  This was the most Riley had spoken to her in two weeks, and now he was talking about spending the weekend together? Her hormones were already on overdrive. There was no way she was spending any more time with him than was absolutely necessary.

  “Can we get ready for the sleepover now, Riley?” Olivia blurted over her shoulder when she turned into the driveway.

  This isn’t going to be good, Harper thought. “W-what sleepover?” she stammered with unease.

  “The ‘Fun-Stuff Committee of Good Times’ met before you came home--”

  She cut him off by holding up a hand and arching her brows. “‘Fun-Stuff Committee of Good Times?’”

  “Well, yeah,” Riley said with complete seriousness. “A vote was called. The motion carried three votes in favor of a sleepover.”

  Olivia and Zandra looked between her and Riley, excitement dancing in their eyes.

  “I see.”

  He shrugged, flashing those adorable dimples. “I’ve brought a tent and sleeping bags, and some popcorn and weenies to roast, and storybooks to read by flashlight. Come on, it’ll be great.” Riley’s eyes were lit up like a kid in a candy store with ten bucks in his pocket and no parents in sight. “I thought it would be nice for the girls. Zandra doesn’t get a lot of interaction with other kids outside of day care, because of my work schedule, and I crave adult conversation. I spend all of my free time with Zandra. Don’t get me wrong, I cherish every minute with her, but tonight has been nice with you and Olivia. The girls are having a great time and I’m really enjoying your company, without either of our jobs looming between us. I think you are too. I promise to behave.” The last part he added barely above a whisper out of earshot of the girls.

  “Riley!” she exclaimed.

  Shit! That was a little too close for comfort!

  The truth was, Harper was enj
oying the evening with Riley. He was sensitive and had a great sense of humor. Laughing wasn’t something she’d done a lot of lately.

  And his sexy smile, and sexy smell, and sexy eyes were driving her ‘sex’ crazy.

  All three of them looked at her like she was the party pooper about to rain on their parade. However, Harper was not about to be a poor sport and blow a sleepover party.

  “All right, I guess a sleepover would be fun. You two go inside and get your jammies on while I help Riley set up the tent.”

  Olivia and Zandra squealed with excitement.

  If he’d planned to spend the night, guess that meant there was no significant other in Riley’s life. But Harper refused to listen to her libido. He was a cop, and she wasn’t going to put herself out there emotionally--despite the impression she had that he would rock her world sexually--especially to a uniform.

  Chapter 9

  Harper awoke in the middle of the night with a kink in her neck and an ache in her lower back. Unable to work it out with a simple stretch, she wiggled her way down to the open flap and quietly crawled out of the tent.

  Listening one last time to her three softly snoring tent mates, she headed into the house.

  Inside the kitchen she fumbled around in the fridge in search of a juice box. As she turned, she squeaked, nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw Riley’s large, silhouetted figure standing in front of her. The only illumination in the small kitchen came from a dim bulb in the hood light above the stove.

  “You scared the hell out of me,” she quietly blurted, rubbing her hand across the thumping heart pounding inside her chest. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Sorry I startled you.”

  “You don’t look sorry, Officer.” She smiled as she noticed his smug look.

  The quivering juncture between her thighs dampened. Mmm, he looked delicious all rumpled from sleep.

  “I’ve got a kink in my neck.” Harper groaned, twisting her head from side to side, trying to get her mind off his perfect, masculine form. “I can’t spend the rest of the night sleeping on the ground.”

  “Let me work that out for you.” Before she could protest, Riley’s hands wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her body against his. Gently, he massaged her stiff neck and tight shoulders.

  Harper instantly relaxed under his ministrations. Closing her eyes, she melted against his broad chest.

  “Feel good?” he whispered against her ear.

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  Harper rolled her head, enjoying the erotic sensations tickling her nerve endings. Her erect nipples pressed against Riley’s chest through her tank top. The exquisite irritation sent splinters of want straight to her pussy.

  She shivered as his hands slid beneath her top, along her bare back. His touch was like fire as he stroked over her skin. Harper moaned, her fingertips tightly gripping his biceps. She looked up into his face and gasped. Her breath caught in her throat.

  His dark hair was tousled from sleep, his lids heavy and eyes flickering with heat, desire, need.

  She had to taste him again, but hesitated.

  “If you have someone out there warming your bed, Riley, we need to stop this right now. I’m not into sleeping with taken men.”

  “Who said anything about sleeping?” he asked with a grin.

  “That isn’t funny.”

  He leaned in until his lips lightly brushed along hers. “There’s no one warming my bed, honey. But I do occasionally share it with a special four year old when she wakes from a bad dream.”

  Unable to control her need for him any longer, Harper placed her hands on his stubbled cheeks and pulled Riley’s mouth firmly to hers. She pushed her tongue past his lips to mate with his. She alternated between exploring his mouth and nipping his lower lip. He tasted like a man ought to. Confident, powerful, in control. Like sex.

  A rumble of a growl vibrated from Riley and into her. Harper shifted away to align herself better to his frame. She needed to feel every hard inch of him pressed against her.

  “Jesus, Harper,” he whispered against her parted lips as she moved.

  She needed to feel him love her, touch her, consume her. Just tonight, and only this once. That’s all they could be allowed. All she could afford. One night.

  “Riley,” she said softly. “Make love to me.”

  * * * *

  Riley still held her in his arms, but moved back to study her face. He needed to look into her eyes to ensure that she was serious. His breathing was harsh from her unexpected oral assault. His body raged with arousal the likes of which he’d never experienced before. At the moment, a gentle breeze might have been enough to set him off.

  He eyed her closely. Did she have any idea what she was asking of him? Every damn night for the two weeks that she’d sat beside him in his car, he’d thought of little else than the moment he’d join his body with hers. Never in his life had he wanted anything more.

  “My pleasure.” Raw desire made his voice quaver.

  He lowered his hands to cup her ass, picked her up and sat her on the counter top. He fumbled with her shirt, pulling it over her head, pausing to admire her full breasts. In the palm of each hand, he caressed her breasts, then lowered his mouth to suckle one puckered nipple between his lips, and feathered his thumb across the other.

  Harper groaned, and the sound moved through him like molten lava. Her fingers tangled in his hair. Releasing his curls, she reached down and tugged at his shirt, pushing at him as she peeled the fabric over his head.

  Freed of his shirt, Riley dipped his head again to flick his tongue over her neglected nipple. She trembled beneath his touch.

  Between them Harper reached for the tie fastening his lounging pants, yanking it free. She tucked her toes underneath the waistband and pushed the fabric over his hips and down his legs. Once released from its flimsy confines, Riley’s painfully hard cock pointed straight out at her, beckoning her touch.

  Fighting his last thread of self-control Riley released her breasts, grabbed her pants, tugged them over the flare of her hips, off her body, and tossed them aside. Needing to feel her soft, wet warmth against his hot hardness, he nestled himself between her spread thighs.

  The smooth head of his cock nudged the mouth of her wet opening, seeking entrance to her heaven. Riley’s body trembled as he hesitated. His lips pressed against her quivering ones as his hands gripped her hips, holding her still.

  “Are you sure? Because once I’m inside you, I won’t be able to stop.” He felt it only fair to warn her.

  “Please, Riley, love me.”

  He wanted her to feel his growing love for her.

  Love?

  Was this love?

  He’d never wanted another woman as badly as he wanted the one in his arms. But was it love?

  Lust?

  That’s what it was. Lust.

  Harper wiggled her backside on the counter, sliding her wetness along his cock, shattering Riley’s resolve. He started to press forward.

  “Wait!”

  He paused and shuttered at the effort if took for him to do so. His blood ran cold at the thought of her changing her mind.

  “Protection.”

  Damn! He’d been so focused on taking her he hadn’t given a thought to protection.

  “I don’t have anything, Riley. I’m sorry.” The regret in her voice rippled through him. He didn’t have anything either.

  Then he remembered.

  “Don’t move,” he growled, his voice heavy with desire. He wanted this woman. Needed her more than he needed to draw his next breath.

  Riley released his hold on Harper and tore off through the house to the bathroom where he’d left his clothes when he’d changed into something to sleep in. From the back pocket of his jeans he retrieved his wallet and plucked the two foil packets he’d stuffed in there, he knew more than two, maybe closer to three, years earlier. He hadn’t dated much before Zandra came to live with him, and he wasn’t interested afte
r her arrival. Spending time with her had been more important to him than dating.

  Back in the kitchen he grinned, revealing his find. “These are past their expiry date, sweetheart, but something’s better than nothing, right?”

  She nodded and reached for him. “Hurry. Please.”

  Riley wasted no time rolling the rubber on and moved between her legs once again. He’d been gone less than a minute, but wanted to ensure Harper was still ready to take him. He reached out and dipped a finger inside her folds, testing her wetness. A groan of satisfaction rumbled in his chest. Yes, she was ready for him.

  With one single thrust, he plunged into her slick heat. Her eyes rolled back as she clutched his biceps in a death grip. Her fingertips dug into his twitching muscles.

  Riley inhaled deeply, steeling himself from moving, reveling in the way her snugness tightened, gripped and convulsed around him, adjusting to his size. He knew he shouldn’t have been so forceful, but he’d been unable to stop himself from staking his claim in such a savage manner.

  “Damn, you feel good,” he praised in a hoarse tone.

  Harper finally exhaled and drew another shaky breath. She wiggled against his groin, making him utter a whimper of desperation. If she kept it up, he was going to blow like a geyser in record time. What he wanted more than anything was to have Harper come apart in his arms, and for that, he needed to hold onto the final strand of his control. He withdrew and thrust again. Sweat popped from his pores as he restrained his need for forceful thrusting.

  Her hands stroked across his chest. Between her fingers she pinched one of his aching nipples, which threatened to buckle his knees. Again his lips crashed against hers to claim her mouth, just as his cock claimed her pussy, her body, he hoped her very being.

  She pulled away from his assaulting kiss, her harsh breath a caress against his cheek. “Oh God, Riley, I’m going to come.”

  As good as being buried inside Harper felt, and as much as he didn’t want the moment to end, he was holding on by a frayed thread. Riley was experiencing an all over body high that had him teetering on the edge of insanity.