Sworn to Be His ( The Archer Family 3)

"Because I want you and I'm going to have you." Without another word, he wrapped an arm around her waist and hoisted her into a fireman's lift, carrying her up the stairs, down the hall, and into the bedroom. Gently, he laid her down on the bed and then closed the door.

The next morning Jade blinked awake, the world blurry as she shifted in her bed. Or, at least, as she tried to shift. Something big and hard and warm was curled around her, and as she raised her hand to touch it, she felt a long gush of warm air against her hair and smelled the sweet spice of aftershave.

Then she remembered.

Derrick.

He was still here in her bed, his arm wrapped protectively around her as they slept. What was more, if her senses were anything to go by, he was still naked from the night before, his hard length pressed to her back as he slept.

Derrick.

She wanted to sigh just at the thought of his name—like a wistful heroine thinking of their knight in shining armor. It was so strange, so silly to think that for all this time she'd had him right in front of her, only a few inches from her reach, and she'd never understood. Never really saw him.

Not until now.

Gently, she clasped his wrist and ran her finger along the delicate hairs on his forearm, closing her eyes as she studied the heat of his body on hers. As she remembered the way he'd stormed into her house and taken her.

Commanded her.

...Loved her.

But no, it was too soon to be thinking like that. Even if she did know him inside and out, the Derrick she knew was her friend, her partner. This new Derrick was her lover, her companion. Maybe even her knight in shining armor.

A warm pair of lips pressed against the shell of her ear, and then she heard his low, deep groan.

"Did I wake you?" she whispered.

A scratching against the sheets let her know he was shaking his head. "No, it's Saturday. I'm on call this weekend."

"No," she moaned. "Can't you call in sick?" She twisted in the bed and faced him. His mouth was pouty in the morning, his cheeks the slightest bit red with sleep. His eyes were still half-closed but for some reason that only made him look even sexier. Brought out the fullness of his lashes.

"Yeah, I'm sure that would go over well. We've got serious issues on the Scaglietti case, and I'm calling in sick to secretly bang my partner."

She curled a leg around him and pulled herself in tighter, until their bodies were flush and the length of his still-hard erection was pressed against her belly. "It does have its benefits, though." She smiled and then he leaned down and kissed her, prising her lips apart to make way for the slow, sinful teasing of his tongue.

She moaned against his mouth, willing him to roll on top of her and stay there all day long. He didn't even have to make love to her. He just had to be there.

A ringing sound hummed from the edge of the bed and then something clanged against the metal footboard. She looked down at the white metal scrollwork to see that it was shaking.

"Dammit," he mumbled. "My phone."

"But Derrick..." She groaned, not knowing what else to say. The truth of the matter was she knew how important the call might be. Knew better than to interfere.

He slid from the bed and she bit the inside of her cheek as he bent over in front of her to grab his phone.

Double Dammit. One more minute and I might have been screaming s

o loud we'd never have noticed the damned phone...

He checked the call screen, then thumbed the glass and held the little square to his ear.

"Detective Archer," he said, instantly all gruff professionalism.

She clutched a sheet to her chest and sat up in bed, waiting for some clue or sign. He gave none. Instead, he answered in yeses and nos and other vaguenesses until at last he said, "On my way," and tossed the phone onto the bed.

Wordlessly, he pulled on his pants and scanned the room for his shirt.

"What's going on?" she asked finally.