The Callahan's: Secret Sins Part 16

h.e.l.l, she didn't have past lovers, thank G.o.d. What she did have was one far-too-stubborn lover who seemed to think he was now responsible for her life as well as her pleasure.

Which would have been okay if love were actually involved on his end, rather than just l.u.s.t.

Her gaze then turned to Rafer and Logan, both of whom now lived daily with the knowledge that if they made one mistake, blinked too long, or dared to drop their guard for a second, then the women they loved would die.

In Logan's case, his unborn child would die as well.

"I don't know how any of you have borne that pain," she finally said compa.s.sionately. "Or how you've borne what this County and your families have done to you and your cousins over the years. It was wrong, Crowe. But there are so many who were not a part of those years who are willing to stand behind you. Who are willing to help you. Don't turn your back on them because of what others did in the past."

His lips pursed for a moment, the roughly handsome features frighteningly savage for one long moment. "Lectures weren't on my agenda today, nor was anyone's pity. If you don't mind? Now." He turned to the bodyguards. "Thaddock, Stryker, and Owen Brolen are invisible. As for Rory, he's known Archer for several years and he's in town to visit for a while. He's renting the Brocks' garage apartment next to Archer. His morning jog will coincide with your walk to work. He'll get off work next door about the same time you do, and he'll walk you home if Archer isn't available to see you home."

He would never stop resenting her, she feared. And a part of her couldn't blame him. She would have argued it, but at the moment she had a far more imperative battle to fight.

"Why? Why is someone so determined to keep me out of Corbin County? To keep me from a.s.sociating with the three of you?"

"That's what we're hoping to find out, quickly," Archer a.s.sured her, his dark voice sending an unbidden thrill of sensation racing up her spine. "We'll figure it out, Anna, I promise."

Archer always kept his promises. She just hoped the price they paid for the truth was one they could all live with.

CHAPTER 10.

"Very well, then." Crowe gave a slow nod of his head as he rose from his seat. "Thaddock and his team will head out and, within hours, at least one will be in place at all times to ensure you're protected. Rory will leave as he came in, un.o.btrusively."

"In the trunk of Thaddock's car." Rory snickered. "Mine was left in Montrose."

"He'll return this evening and move into the apartment," Crowe finished as he picked up his files. "I'm sure you'll probably have more questions. Archer can answer them. We went over the plan extensively with him before calling you in."

Oh, had they?

Wasn't it rather nice of him to discuss it with her?

She felt as though her life was being taken over again. Controlled again.

Nodding, she waited until they all filed out, then watched as Archer rose from his chair and moved to the door. The click of the lock was loud, causing her head to jerk around as she watched him, her eyes narrowing.

He looked hot as h.e.l.l.

He was dressed in his customary uniform of jeans and the dun-colored sheriff's s.h.i.+rt, his badge clipped to his belt next to his holstered weapon. Scuffed, well-worn boots covered his feet. His expression was frankly sensual.

"You didn't discuss any of this with me first," she pointed out. "I hate that, Archer."

Surprise had his brows lifting as he stared down at her.

"I a.s.sumed you would know I wouldn't leave you unprotected, Anna. Just because you're living with me doesn't ensure you won't be in danger. For some reason, a madman decided you were never to stay long in this County after you turned nine. I want to know why, but I also want to make d.a.m.ned certain you're not hurt in the bargain."

"And you couldn't discuss it with me?" The knot of anger that had been growing inside her began to tear.

Coming to her feet, Anna confronted him, feeling her hands shaking with anger even as her body burned with arousal for him.

She couldn't shake the need for him, even in anger. She couldn't shake years of fantasies and an aching hunger for his touch, no matter how she tried. Even now, in the face of the knowledge that he was making decisions for her, that he wasn't discussing them with her, she couldn't shake that need.

"You're getting angry over nothing." His arms went over his chest as he glared down at her. "You should have known, at some point, a decision like this would have to be made."

"Just as I a.s.sumed, at some point, you would discuss it with me first." Placing a hand on her hip she tapped her index finger slowly to hold on to her patience. "I don't like being controlled, Archer, especially by you."

It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, the madder she became with Archer, the more it hurt and the more she ached for him.

"Anna, I wasn't trying to control you-"

"That's exactly what you're doing." Pus.h.i.+ng her fingers through her hair, she turned and stalked to the other side of the room before turning back to him. "You had me called in here like a child, and the decisions were made as though my opinion didn't matter. And it should matter. My opinion matters, Archer."

It should have mattered, she told herself. It was her life. Just as it should have mattered to her family. Once she was old enough to hear the truth, she should have been told.

They should have let her come home.

"Controlling you was the last d.a.m.ned thing on my mind," he growled. "When I told Crowe and his cousins about the meeting with the 'Barons,' the subject of your safety became uppermost. It's not as though we were discussing it for weeks, dammit. It was done right here in this f.u.c.king room, the decision made thirty minutes before you were called in."

Anna clenched her teeth. Seeing the logic in it didn't help.

Of course she could see how it could have happened, but it shouldn't have happened.

"The minute my name came up in the same sentence with protection, you should have had them send for me," she cried out. "Don't do this to me, Archer. Don't treat me like my family has all my life. Don't take the choice out of my hands, because I won't have it." Before she could stop herself she was striding to him, her hand jerked from her hip, her index finger pressing firmly into his chest with furious demand. "Not from my family, not from Crowe, and I d.a.m.ned sure won't have it from my lover."

"Exactly, your f.u.c.king lover." He jerked her to him.

One hand held her hip, the other wrapping around her back as she found her body suddenly flush with his, her hands pressing against his chest in surprise. "I'm your d.a.m.ned lover, Anna. You are my lover, and don't think for one minute I won't do exactly what it takes to protect you. You want to work? Work. You want to live in Corbin County, Aspen, or Tim-f.u.c.king-buktu, then that's your decision if I can't talk you out of it. You want to buy a new car? New shoes? A f.u.c.king horse to ride to work? I don't give a d.a.m.n. But by G.o.d, when it comes to making d.a.m.ned sure you're warm and safe, then don't think for one f.u.c.king minute I won't do exactly what I have to do to keep you warm and safe."

Shock reverberated through her.

He glared down at her as though what he felt for her might, just might, be more than just l.u.s.t.

"Next time, discuss it with me first," she demanded furiously, though she could hear the weakness in that demand. And she could feel the hunger for him beginning to race through her bloodstream at the feel of his erection pressing against her lower stomach. "I don't care where or when the discussion comes up. My protection, where I live, when I live, is all my business and I won't be left out of the conversation."

And she really needed that demand to sound more like a demand.

"If you're there." His head lowered, his lips inches from hers. "If whether or not you agree with the decision makes a difference in the decision being made. And as long as it has nothing to do with whether you live or die."

Her nostrils flared. Her lips parted to flay him alive for his arrogance when he suddenly covered them.

Before she could snap her teeth down on his tongue as it pushed past her parted lips, his hand was at her jaw, preventing it. His kiss demanded, moved over her lips and, far too quickly, there was no chance in h.e.l.l of daring to actually bite his tongue for its demanding invasion.

A moan tore from her despite her attempts to hold it back.

Pleasure began to invade her, the anger-based adrenaline suddenly turning to hunger, to flames of need striking at her c.l.i.t, her v.a.g.i.n.a, and racing to her nipples. All the flesh in between began to heat as well, each cell in her body suddenly aching for his touch.

She was hungry for him. It had only been hours since he'd had her, since the hard length of his c.o.c.k had filled her, possessed her, and she wanted it so desperately now that arguing with him was a thing of the past.

She had no idea what the argument was even about any longer.

A s.h.i.+ver raced up her spine as heat sparked, hot and tempting, spearing straight to her womb as her p.u.s.s.y began to ache, to clench in hungry need.

She'd told herself she wouldn't do this, wouldn't allow it. That she would not let him control any part of her. But he controlled this. The need, the desperation for his touch. He controlled it with such need she was moaning for more.

"I've been dying to f.u.c.k you since seeing you in this skirt this morning. If you hadn't run out so fast, I would have had you before you left the house," he breathed out roughly, his hands sliding from her hips to her thighs, bunching the material in his hands, pulling it up far enough that his hands could cup the curves of her a.s.s left bare by the silk of her thong panties.

Slick and hot, her juice gushed from her v.a.g.i.n.a, the feel of it sliding over the sensitive inner flesh dragging a low moan from her.

Archer's lips covered hers, his tongue licking over the seam of her lips. Pleasure washed over her, through her, as his lips sipped at hers, his tongue licked and stroked, penetrating her lips with a slow, sensual glide.

She could be p.i.s.sed later, Anna decided. Right now she wanted him, ached for him.

She wanted to fill the loneliness with his touch, the hurt and betrayal that lived inside her with pleasure.

Parting her lips, Anna's tongue peeked out as his licked over the lower curve. Her hands, at first pressed against his s.h.i.+rt, then moved to the b.u.t.tons holding the material together.

Clumsy, fumbling, Anna struggled with the too-tiny discs until, finally, the last one came free, revealing the hard contours of his chest and the light mat of dark blond curls that tempted her fingers.

Pus.h.i.+ng back, Anna stared up at him, and Archer had no idea what was causing his chest to tighten. His body hardened with such feeling that making sense of it was impossible.

"Archer," she whispered, her hands tightening on the material of his s.h.i.+rt, trying to still the trembling he'd glimpsed.

There was a need in her eyes, a hunger he couldn't decipher.

Her lips trembled before she stilled them as well, but she couldn't erase the unconscious plea in her gaze that she had no idea she was showing him.

"Whatever you want, Anna," he told her, his lips brus.h.i.+ng against hers, watching her pupils flare, watching the l.u.s.t, seeing some deeper, darker emotion he couldn't allow himself to acknowledge in the dark sea-green of her eyes.

Clenching his fingers in the curve of her a.s.s, feeling the muscles beneath his hold, left him fighting the need to take her as fast, as hard as possible.

But it wouldn't be enough, Archer knew. It wouldn't be enough for him, because he could sense what she was silently aching for, feel it in the tightening of his chest though he was unaware of exactly what it was.

"Tell me, Anna," he said. "Tell me what you want, baby. Don't you know I'd give you anything you asked for? If I have it, it's yours."

If he could give it to her without asking, then he would. If he could read the desire raging in her eyes, then he would do whatever he had to, to ensure she had it.

She licked her lips, the sight of her little pink tongue tasting her lips tightening his b.a.l.l.s. Her breathing accelerated, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s rising and falling beneath the light, silky material of the white sleeveless blouse.

Her gaze turned somber then, a flash of uncertainty sparking deep in the pretty green orbs.

Archer lowered his lips to her ear again, caressing the curve of the delicate sh.e.l.l.

She arched against him, her head tilting to the side to give him greater access to the flesh beneath her ear as he began kissing the soft curve.

"Please, Archer. Take me now. I don't want to wait." She shook her head and he could see the uncertainty, the hesitancy raging inside her.

She could ask him to take her, but whatever need was eating her alive, she wasn't yet comfortable asking for.

"Don't you trust me, Anna?" he whispered, kissing the corner of her lips.

Her lips trembled.

There were no tears in her eyes, but the need was only growing, burning hotter inside her.

"I trust you with my life."

But did she trust him with her dreams?

Lifting his hand, his fingers touched her cheek, his thumb brus.h.i.+ng against her lips. "Sweet Anna."

A part of him knew what she wanted. Knew and ached to give it to her.

Burying his face against the curve of her neck, a grimace tightened his expression as he fought to hold back, to at least take her easy.

The knowledge of what she wanted, the knowledge that he couldn't give it to her here, ate at him. What he could give her was the pleasure, though.

There was a hunger in Archer's kiss that Anna hadn't felt before, a need she hadn't known could exist, except in her.

When his lips covered hers, gently-oh G.o.d, so gently-his lips moved over hers, rubbing against them, stroking, warming them as sensation mixed with emotion to flare in heated pulses rus.h.i.+ng through her.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Anna's lips parted further as she eagerly accepted the deeper intensity that filled the kiss.

This was what she had needed.

This was what she had ached for.

As Archer's lips devoured hers, his tongue pus.h.i.+ng and teasing hers, the hard curve of his knee tucked high between her thighs. The heated warmth against the sensitive flesh of her silk-covered p.u.s.s.y pulled a moan from her lips. It was so good. It was the most incredible kiss she had experienced. Even in her deepest fantasies she hadn't known a kiss that fired her blood, her heart and soul, as well as her pleasure at once.

The slow arch and lift of her hips rubbed the aching bud of her c.l.i.t against his knee, blindly following the sensations suddenly tearing through her.

Burying her fingers in his hair, Anna licked at his lips as he had hers. Moving into his kiss, a muted cry of pleasure was lost beneath the harsh male groan that rumbled in his chest. The combined sounds of pleasure moved through her senses, multiplying the intensity of her pleasure.

Tightening her thighs on his knee, Anna's fingers slid from his nape, along his neck, then to his chest. Lowering her other hand, instinct and need guiding her actions, Anna was pus.h.i.+ng at the material of his s.h.i.+rt, needing to feel his flesh against her own.

As the soft cotton slid over his powerful shoulders, catching on his hard biceps, Archer suddenly moved back from her, jerking the s.h.i.+rt off and letting it fall forgotten to the floor.

Lifting her to the conference table Archer stared down at her, his breathing accelerating at the sight of the short skirt pushed above the silk of her panties as he lifted her knees and moved between them. Gripping her legs he parted them before his hands slid to her hips, drawing them to the edge of the table.

Lying out before him, her long, dark hair spread out above her, her pretty green eyes watching him with slumberous heat, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.