Speed King (Men of Action 1)

“What are you doing?”

I swivel toward his voice and find him leaning against the door. He’s completely nude with his arms across his chest, scowling at me. My skin scorches under the heat in his glare and my stomach flips at the sight.

He’s nothing short of perfection. My knees go weak, remembering him moving inside me, and I grip the counter for support. When I bring my gaze back to his, I’m pretty sure I’m having a hot flash.

“Harley, what are you doing?” This time, the question comes out smoother.

“Right this second, I’m admiring. You should go nude all the time.”

His glare softens. “If you think that, then why the fuck are you dressed and in here packing your shit?”

“I figured since it’s raining, we aren’t going by the pool and we have to go soon.”

In true Achilles’ fashion, he stalks to me, throws the items in my hands into the sink, and lifts me off my feet. I wrap around him to make it easier and kiss along his jaw until we reach the bed. He falls against the pillows propped on his headboard, keeping me in the same position. “Arms up,” he instructs, whipping my shirt over my head. There’s no missing the flicker of appreciation when he sees my baby blue demi-cup bra. Jewls will be pissed when she finds out how much I dipped into my vacation fund to shop for this weekend, but it will be worth the wrath.

“Bra stays, for now.”

“I take it we don’t have to go soon?”

“Not until I take you home tomorrow morning.”

“Ace.” I stop his hands from roaming down my stomach until he looks at me. “You know I love the guys, but I’m not sure I’m comfortable staying here while you’re at work tonight.”

“I’m not working tonight. Made arrangements to work tomorrow.”

I’m not exactly up to date on the human resources handbook, but I know rookies don’t get to set their own schedules. Achilles and the guys may be hardcore badass Marines, but they are still rookies on the low end of the totem pole at the police department. “Achilles! You can’t.”

He moves fast, throwing me to my back and situating himself between my thighs. “I can and I did. Major told me this morning when he got home that Hal is sick, and I saw an opportunity to work to my advantage. It’s handled. I work tomorrow day shift. Hopefully, Hal’s back. If not, then I deal.”

“Will you get in trouble?”

“I don’t get in trouble.”

None of this makes sense, but I store it away for a later conversation. “So, we have all day?”

“Yep, that’s why we’re going back to bed.”

My stomach chooses that moment to growl, and his eyes drop to our joined hands. “Change of plans. First I feed you, and then we come back to bed.”

I want to argue that I don’t need food, but he doesn’t give me a chance, sitting us back up. His phone rings and his eyes shoot to the nightstand in irritation. He ignores it, placing me on my feet and handing me my shirt from the floor.

“Where are your clothes? Did you go to the kitchen naked?”

“I got undressed to slide back in bed with you.” He heads to his dresser and grabs some shorts lying on top.

While he’s slipping them on, I glance at his phone, and my stomach pitches at the voicemail notification from his mom. Another notification pops up, alerting him that this is the fourth missed call from her. Immediately, I think something is wrong, and turn to see him watching.

“Don’t,” he shuts me down.

I snap my mouth closed, aware of the ice in the air. His sweet-natured mood has disappeared, replaced with a blank stare. “Okay.”

He comes to me, lifting my face to his and brushing his lips across mine. “Baby, whatever she has to say can wait. I woke up today knowing you gave me the most precious gift I’ve ever received in my life. She doesn’t get to cloud that.”

“Something could be wrong.”

“Nothing is wrong.”

“How do you know?”

“Because if something was wrong, your mom would be calling.”

“You know about her keeping in touch with Mom?”

“Of course I do. I also know she called your mom last week to gather an ally.”

“Apparently, she misses you.”

“She told me repeatedly when we spoke on Thursday.”

“You did?”

“Yes, she’s thrilled to death about us. Rambling on about getting together with you and Amanda, wanting to take us out to dinner or any kind of get-together.”

“What did you say?”

“That I work mostly nights and you are holding down two jobs, one of them nights. Told her I’d get back to her and plan something.”

“You didn’t mention it.” He picks up on the hurt in my voice.

“Because it slipped my mind the instant I walked into Tom’s. And we’ve had a lot going on since then.”