His lips are full yet firm, opening under mine with barely any invitation. I may have initiated it, but his mouth leaves no doubt as to who is in charge of the kiss.
It’s liberating to give myself over and let him direct our moves. Therefore, I don’t hesitate when he tugs on the hand he’s still holding and with our mouths still fused, stands up as he pulls me to my feet. He presses my hand to his chest before circling me in his arms, molding my body to his.
I feel worshiped, floating on sensation which is only enhanced when I feel his erection, long and hard, against my stomach and his fingers dig into my flesh.
“Jay…” I whisper breathlessly when he lets me up for air, only to angle his head the opposite way and take my mouth again.
This time his kiss is hungry and demanding, filled with a need I match. His hands roam restlessly, one anchoring in my hair and the other sliding down to grab on to my ass. My own fingers curl around his neck, keeping him close.
He’s everywhere; his taste is on my lips, his scent already seared on my brain, and his large frame cocoons me. When he moves, I move, and I don’t even realize we’ve advanced inside until I’m hoisted up with my back against the wall, his thick thigh pressed between mine. The friction of his flexed muscle has me grinding my core against his leg unapologetically.
“Fuck, Merry,” he groans, ripping his mouth from mine. “I promised myself I’d take this slow, but I want inside you so bad.” Pressing his forehead against mine, his eyes are dark with need, and I can barely catch my breath. “Tell me to stop.”
The air around us is thick with sexual tension as he waits for me to give him the go-ahead, but before I can nod my head, his phone begins to buzz on the counter.
“Fuck!” He closes his eyes for a moment, listening to the sound. “Ignore it,” he pleads.
I’m about to, but then a familiar ring tone sounds from inside my purse I dropped on the couch earlier.
Both our phones going off at the same time can only mean one thing.
Jay
I spot the glare of the bright floodlights on my left and turn into the first dirt road I see. The only other lights are from the storage facility we just passed.
Nothing like a crime scene to ice down a hot libido. Especially one only a few minutes from your home.
I glance over to Meredith, who belatedly runs her fingers through her hair to undo the tangles I put there. She still has the flush of arousal staining her cheeks and I’d like nothing more than to turn my damn truck around and take her back to my place. I take a deep breath in through my nose and blow it out, willing the heavy ache in my balls to subside.
Tony Ramirez got the call about an hour ago but wasn’t quite sure what he was dealing with, other than a neighbor’s dog had shown up home with some bones that might be human. The trailer up ahead belongs to Tom Ward, an alcoholic we’ve all dealt with before, and the owner of Cletus, the dog.
I guess Tony went to check it out, fully expecting it to be some kind of false alarm, but it wasn’t. The bones Tom reported were more like a complete foot as it turned out. Or at least what was left of it. He put out the call right away.
“It’s like you two are joined at the hip.”
Blackfoot is getting out of his vehicle at the same time I am. I throw him a warning glare, which is met with a deep chuckle.
“Hey, Doc,” he says when Meredith comes around to this side of the truck, taking her in from top to bottom. I grind my teeth.
“Detective, what’ve you got?”
She sounds cool and professional, you’d never be able to tell she almost ignited under my touch only minutes ago, but for the fact she’s obviously wearing my sweats.
My partner smirks and opens his mouth to share some smart-ass remark, I’m sure, but with one arrogant lift of Meredith’s eyebrow in his direction, he appears to change his mind. Good choice.
“Just got here myself, Doc. Why don’t we go have a look?”
Tom Ward is so drunk I can smell the alcohol seeping from his pores, even though we’re standing outside his trailer.
“Where does Cletus usually go to do his business?” Keith asks with barely contained impatience.
Ramirez and one of the uniforms went off to see if they could find any signs of where the dog might’ve found the foot, but it’s a bit of a crapshoot. Nothing but empty land behind us, dirt, brush, and a few treed patches. Tom had been too busy tossing back the cheap beer, evident from the pile of empties, he hadn’t been paying attention to his dog.
“I dunno, prolly some’re up there in the tree lot.”
He waves his arm around, aiming it in no particular direction and throwing himself off-balance doing it. I have to grab his arm to prevent him from going down and fight the urge to wipe my hand on my pants. Keith walks off, clearly frustrated.
“Why don’t you sit down, Tom?”
I guide him to the old rusted folding chair which creaks under his weight.
“Where’s Cletus?”
“You put him inside the trailer, remember? He didn’t take too kindly to visitors,” I remind him.
Apparently he finds that amusing, as he barks out a laugh, which is immediately followed by a phlegmy cough.
“Good watchdog, my Cletus,” he manages. Then he clears his throat and lets a loogie fly. “He’ll chew the balls off any stranger stupid enough to get too close to my trailer.”
“That happen before?”
“Plenty ‘a times.”
Doesn’t look like I’m getting anywhere either, so I leave Tom slouched in his chair and head after Blackfoot. He’s standing by Meredith, who is bent over the table her assistant set up under one of the lights.
“…may be from the same body, but I don’t think this was wrapped in plastic,” I hear her say when I approach. “Decomposition appears more advanced. Looks like maybe some smaller scavengers have been at it. See this?”
I glance over Keith’s shoulder and see Meredith pointing the tip of a pencil at the toes.
“Second toe is missing,” I offer, earning me a flash of Meredith’s grin over her shoulder.
“Part of it anyway,” she confirms. “Could be animals. I’m going to have to take this back to the lab. Take a closer look. Paul, can you pack it up for me?”
“You’re going now?”
The sharp question is out of my mouth before I can check it. Meredith’s eyes dart to her assistant, then to Blackfoot, who doesn’t bother trying to hide his curiosity, before they land on me. I don’t have to guess she’s less than pleased with me with those darts she’s aiming my way.
“Could you guys excuse me?” She smiles at both other men before grabbing me by the arm and marching me to where I parked my truck.
“Merry, I’m—”
“Are you insane?” she hisses. “Do you know how hard I had to work to gain respect from those men? When I first arrived here Paul wouldn’t even talk to me, let alone listen. And I know most of the police force looked at me like some kind of imposter because I was replacing their beloved Doc Franco.”
“I didn’t.” I realize I should just have kept my mouth shut, but it feels like I’m getting dressed down for something I wasn’t guilty of.