Hugh's Chase Read online

  With one hand still caressing his staff, she used the other to tease his balls, squeezing them gently, then firmly. Much like he’d done to her breasts earlier, but not so hard that she hurt him. She’d never ever hurt him. With his cock as deep as it would go, she continued to suck him, pulling out to lick his tip as a reward.

  “You might want to pull away, baby. I’m about to explode,” he warned.

  She wanted to have him spill inside her mouth, craving the taste of him, to take him to completion. Having him inside her, he gave her all the control, and it was exciting. His shaft grew tighter and tighter, his hips moved jerkier. His tip brushed the back of her throat and he cried out as his seed flowed inside her mouth. He lurched his hips as spurt after spurt poured. She didn’t turn her cheek but drank him in, swallowing every bit of his offering.

  Adira pulled back when his heavy pants eased some, swiping the back of her hand across her mouth. “Did I ruin your plans?”

  “Not in the slightest.” He easily lifted her and pressed her against the ceramic tiles, danger glistening in his eyes. “Now I’m going to do what I’ve been wanting to do since the moment I met you.”

  He kissed his way down her chest, her stomach, and she shivered under him. She stood on tiptoes, threading her fingers into his damp hair as he moved lower. He reached the top of the triangle of dark curls and swirled his finger through the soft downy, then down the length of her thigh. When he brought his head up, he licked her wet slit. “You’re dripping.”

  “Yes! I’ve also wanted you to do this since we first met,” she murmured back, her hips coming up and rolling across his lips. He used his fingers and opened her labia, exposing the parts of her that trembled. When he blew a puff of hot breath on her clit, she jerked and quaked. “Hugh, please! Don’t make me wait any longer.”

  “This scent. Like candy to a starving man. I could inhale this my every waking moment. Do you realize how fantastic your pussy is?”

  “No,” she cried out. Right now, she didn’t care if he thought she had a fantastic pussy. She just wanted him to put out the fire that was burning deep inside her.

  Thankfully, he did what she wanted.

  He lowered his head and used his tongue to draw a line along her slit. At the pleasure of his tongue on her most sensitive part, her belly tightened and her inner thighs quailed. He swirled his tongue over her clit, suckling the bead before blowing air along the flesh. She clenched her teeth, biting back a scream, resisting the need to pull his hair. But the sweet torture continued when he slid his finger inside her opening, joining it with a second. She arched her back against the cool ceramic, pressing her pussy against his face and lifting one foot on the side of the tub, giving him complete access. Her blood scorched her veins. If she didn’t have him soon she might explode into a million shards of desire.

  “Please, Hugh!” she pleaded.

  “Come for me, baby. Let it all go.” An expert with his tongue, he knew exactly how to coax her into orgasm. She came with the capacity of a tornado and thrusted her hips forward, while grabbing his head and shoving his face into the vee of her thighs. Never had she been so brazen, but never had she been taken up into a storm of desire. She closed her eyes and rode the waves, and when she opened her lids he was standing, his face next to hers.

  Her orgasm glinted on his lips. “You taste damn good.”

  “Let me see.” She pulled him in for a kiss, rolling her tongue around his plump lips. Her taste lingered on him and she found it to be erotic. His tip pressed against her slit, causing the remnants of the orgasm to grow stronger. “I’m glad you’re up for the occasion.” She brought her hips up to slide her wet seam down his length.

  “I’m afraid I won’t last long,” he murmured.

  Guiding his shaft like a joy stick, she led him to her opening, bringing herself down on his tip, allowing the thick head to stretch her. He filled her, even her heart. How would she forget him when it was time to leave?

  Chapter 9

  The post-orgasmic high brought with it a stringent reality. Adira nestled close to Hugh’s side, naked, bodies pressed together. She wanted to believe that what happened between them had been a complete shock, but she’d only be lying to herself. She had known from the start that eventually her resistance would fade. However, what was surprising, she’d never expected for her heart to get involved.

  This wasn’t in the cards.

  The best thing would be to pack up and head out. Unfortunately, leaving wouldn’t happen right now.

  “Do you want covered with a blanket?”

  This was just like Hugh. The protector. The caregiver. Could she be just another one of his muses? A bird with a broken wing? Why couldn’t she just take his concern as just that…concern? She wished she didn’t have an alert button that was triggered each time a man did something kind for her. Of course, he wasn’t just any man. They’d had sex in the shower, and not just sex, but amazing, soul searching sex that left her dazed. She needed to keep things in perspective. Hugh’s job involved taking care of people, but sex didn’t mean they were now an item. It certainly didn’t change the fact that she would be leaving Colton, and him, when the end of the month came.

  “Adira?” He nuzzled his nose in her hair. “Are you asleep?”

  Looking up, she gave him a smile, hoping to hide the fact that she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. For a mere second, she wanted to pretend that she was a one-night stand type of girl. “It’s a little chilly.”

  He reached for the blanket at the bottom of the bed and dragged it up over their bodies. She wondered if he would want her to leave his bed eventually and go to the guest bedroom? Not up on proper etiquette for one-night stands, she wondered if she should offer to go? Before she could open her mouth to ask, he shifted and rolled around to face her. A smile so big his dimples were large.

  “I hear thunder in the distance. We’re about to get a storm,” he said.

  The sticky wetness between her legs reminded her that they had unprotected sex. She’d washed before they left the shower, but he’d cum deep inside of her and she’d have proof of their rendezvous for a few more hours. Adira only had sex without a condom with one man, Preston. Yet, after they’d started having problems in their relationship and she suspected that he was doing more on the late nights at the casino than just gambling, she’d demanded that they use protection. He had grumbled at first, but once she told him she’d gone off birth control, he’d gladly given in. A man like Preston, who enjoyed his freedom, didn’t want to have a child. Although she started taking precautions with her own body again by using the Pill, it seemed too intimate to go bare back with a man she barely knew—and yet so right.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, placing a kiss on her cheek.

  Did he sense her turmoil? She traced the line of his neck, down his chest with the tip of her finger, pausing in the center of his stomach. “We didn’t use protection.” There was no reason not to be open with him.

  “Are you using anything,” he murmured against her temple.

  “Yes, but I don’t usually do this.”

  “Neither do I, but if you did end up pregnant, I’d be there for you and the baby.”

  Tears stung her eyes. She had no doubt he told the truth. The Jerichos were prideful, upstanding men. Something took root inside her, making her chest ache. “I just want you to know that I haven’t placed any expectations on you.”

  “Expectations?”

  “You know…like we’re connected now or I’ll be getting your name tattooed on my breast.”

  He pulled back slightly to look into her face. “Shucks. You shot down my hopes.” He chuckled.

  “I think you understand what I’ saying.”

  “That you want me to understand that I shouldn’t get hooked on you. That might be a little too late, darlin’.”

  ~~~~~

  Hugh realized long ago that Adira was vulnerable and lacked trust for men. He had hoped that he could prove to her that he
wasn’t like the others, and he especially didn’t fuck around with a woman’s feelings. Sure, he’d had a handful of one-night stands, but he’d always made it clear from the get-go that he wasn’t looking for a relationship. None of the buckle bunnies had dreams of a diamond ring.

  Those were the days of the past. Now, he kept his dick in his pants, until tonight when he’d allowed his control to slip. The sex had been great between them and he didn’t want her to feel as if she’d been taken advantage of.

  “Adira, if I was only looking for a screw I would have been upfront and told you that from the beginning.”

  She stared up at him, her eyes glistened vulnerability. “Maybe you should have told me from the beginning that you have feelings.”

  He blinked. “Are you suggesting that if I would have told you from the start that I like you, the outcome would have been different? We wouldn’t have landed in each other’s arms?”

  “I’m only saying that sex is all that you and I can have. I’ll be leaving Colton eventually. Nothing has changed.” She blinked and something changed in her.

  Although what she said had always been expected, why did he feel a sudden rush of pain in his chest? He’d just experienced the most intense thing in his life, and now she was making it clear that he shouldn’t get any ideas that it would happen again, and if it did it’d be nothing more than a fuck to her. Sure, those weren’t her exact words, but he got the message loud and clear and didn’t like it much.

  Thinking of her leaving didn’t settle well with him. Yet, how could he convince her to stay in Colton? What did he have to offer? Love? Not possible—at least not yet. They’d only known each, really knew each other, for a mere week. How would a person have love for someone so quickly? He certainly did like her… a lot. What they’d shared spurred him to want a repeat, preferably more than once or twice more. But did he just want to be a woman’s fuck? He’d been there and done that enough.

  His cell buzzed from the nightstand. Damn. He didn’t want to answer. He wanted to finish the conversation with Adira, but he had the responsibility as Sheriff.

  “Sorry. I have to get that.”

  “Sure.” She removed herself from his arm and slid to the far side of the bed. The cold seeped into his bones. He reached for the phone and clicked ‘talk’. At first all he could hear was static. “Hello?”

  “Hugh? This is Maggie.” The frantic sound of her voice made him sit up and drop his feet to the floor.

  “What’s wrong, Maggie?” He couldn’t remember ever hearing her so upset, and never had she called him at midnight. In fact, after their talk at the hospital he hadn’t expected to hear from her again.

  “It-It’s…Marshall. I-I need you here. Can you come to my house?” she said through heavy sniffs.

  “What is it?”

  “Please, Hugh. Just come as soon as you can.”

  “I’ll be there soon.” He hung up and stood. “That was Maggie. She sounds like she’s in trouble.”

  “You’re going there?” Adira climbed out of bed, dragging the sheet along with her to cover up.

  He nodded and tore a hand through his hair. He’d rather be here, holding Adira, but duty called. “She asked me to come. I shouldn’t be too long. We’ll talk tomorrow. Okay?” He shoved his feet into a clean pair of jeans and donned a fresh uniform shirt.

  Chapter 10

  Maggie opened the door.

  Hugh noted her smeared mascara, red eyes, and trembling bottom lip. Her hair was wild about her rosy cheeks. She wore a tiny red robe and clutched the ends of the belt tightly at her waist.

  He stepped in, wiping his feet off on the welcome mat. Music played from somewhere in the house, too muffled for him to make out the song. Two empty wineglasses sat on the coffee table and a bottle in an ice bucket. “I saw Reed’s truck parked out front. Where is he?” Hugh had no clue that Reed was her type, but it appeared he didn’t know her very well.

  “I-I have a problem. A big one.” Her lips twisted and she wrapped her arms around her waist.

  “Tell me what’s going on. Why did you ask me to come here?”

  She hesitated a long moment and then she pointed down the hall. “Marshall is in the bedroom.”

  “He is?” He rubbed his chin. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but—”

  “You have to see.” Her voice shook.

  He hooked his thumbs in his belt. “Ask Reed to come out and we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

  “That won’t happen.”

  “Did he hurt you? Are you two arguing?”

  She gave her head an unsteady shake. “No, he didn’t hurt me. He’s not okay.” The seriousness of the situation unfolded. “Can I go back, Maggie?”

  “Yes.”. More tears slid down her pale cheeks that she didn’t bother to swipe.

  Heading down the hall and then stopping in the open doorway of the bedroom, he peered into the dimly lit space. The lamp was turned on, providing the room a soft glow. Reed lay sprawled on the rumpled bed, naked, with his wrists held in handcuffs which were hooked on the bedposts.

  Hugh took a short step in, noticing that the man’s chest wasn’t moving. Hurrying to the bedside, and checking for a pulse, Reed was dead. His skin was cold and his color bordered on a pale blue. Hugh examined his bound wrists. There was no sign of redness or injury. His lids were semi-open. On the bedside table was an open prescription bottle. Rounding the end of the bed, Hugh read the label. Viagra.

  “I-I didn’t know what to do,” Maggie said from the doorway.

  “What happened exactly?” Hugh asked.

  “I-I…well, he came here and we…you know…one thing led to another. I had no longer handcuffed him and …and then suddenly, he froze up. I didn’t know…I had no clue this would happen.”

  “Did he take one of those?” Hugh nodded toward the bottle.

  “I-I had no idea he needed those. Yes, I believe he did before I handcuffed him.”

  “Did you call paramedics?”

  When she didn’t answer, he looked over his shoulder. She was insipid and her eyes were wide as she stared at Reed’s motionless body. Hugh went to her and took her elbow, gently leading her back into the hallway. “Maggie? Did you call paramedics?”

  Blindly, she looked up at him. Her eyes were misted with moisture. “I called you. He was gone and he wouldn’t want someone to see him like this. I don’t want people to see him like this.”

  He understood to a certain extent. Although he never liked Reed much, Hugh had no desire to see the man dead, or for his current ‘position’ to be spread all over Colton. Reed dying while naked and handcuffed to her bed would be a rumor that wouldn’t fade for years to come and it would be Maggie who suffered. “I can’t keep it secret that Reed died here at your place, but how he died won’t be leaked from my office. Can you have a seat in the living room and let me look around? I’ll need to ask you some questions later. Okay?”

  She nodded and looked past Hugh into the bedroom again. Some of her color had come back, but not entirely.

  Once Maggie was out of ear’s distance, Hugh contacted Carol and Ben and asked that they both come. Within ten minutes, they were on scene.

  “What the hell?” Carol said when she stepped into the room.

  “Not what I was expecting either,” Hugh admitted.

  “Who would have thought that Reed had a kinky side?”

  Hugh didn’t respond as he examined the scene, took pictures, making sure he didn’t leave any stone unturned. He uncuffed Reed before the coroner arrived and then his body was removed.

  “Marshall Reed and Maggie?” Carol said in a lowered voice. “Are you still as shocked as I am?”

  “I didn’t know she was seeing him, but it takes a lot to shock me.” He stared at the empty, crumpled bed. “Put the prescription bottle in an evidence bag.”

  “Imagine ol’ Reed getting snuffed out by way of sex.”

  “We’ll know exactly what killed him after the autopsy. Preliminary reports
on the cause of death should be ready tomorrow some time.”

  “It’s pretty obvious how he died, isn’t it?”

  He shrugged. “Some things aren’t always as obvious as they seem.”

  Inside of Reed’s slacks that were hanging over the back of a chair, Hugh found his wallet and phone. He clicked on ‘recent’ and scrolled through the incoming and outgoing calls and messages. Most appeared to be business calls, but the number that had called Reed last didn’t have a name. Looking through the phone’s history, the same person had called Reed twenty times over the last few days. “Deputy, I want you to take his phone and find out who the owner is of the last number that called Reed. Also, take the bottle and drop it off at the lab. I want to make sure they are the same pill that’s on the label. I’m going to interview Maggie while everything is fresh in her mind.”

  “Sure thing, Sheriff.”

  He found Maggie sitting on the couch, her hands clasped tightly together. He took a seat on the edge of the chair closest to her and removed his hat. “I need to ask you a few questions.”

  “Okay.” She didn’t even look at him. “You must think I’m horrible.” She wiped more tears.

  “Why would I think you’re horrible?”

  “Because of what this looks like…the cuffs, the pills.” She looked at him through her moist lashes.

  “It’s not my place to judge you, Maggie. I’m here to gather all the details so we can figure out what happened here tonight.”

  One corner of her mouth dipped. “You don’t think he died of natural causes?”

  “Was he complaining of any illnesses recently? Pain in his chest? Anything unusual?”

  She gave her head a gentle shake. “I wouldn’t have a clue. Marshall and I weren’t intimate before tonight. Like I said, it just happened.”

  “I understand. While he was here though, did you two discuss his life? Anything seem off?”

  “We never talked about his life, Hugh. That wasn’t part of the deal.” Her expression turned dull.