Reckless Hero (Savage Soldiers Book 5) Page 8

And even though I knew I should had done just that and left, I found myself moving farther into the room.

  I settled next to him without a word and pulled out my books.

  He turned his attention back to his books but left the headphones off.

  We were quiet for a while. The only sound was the ticking clock on the wall and book pages being flipped as we read, or at least pretended to.

  Suddenly, my cellphone beeped. With a few swipes of my finger, I unlocked it and saw a text from my dad, telling me Brandon had skipped school again and that we needed to have a family intervention.

  I frowned, thinking that would only push Brandon further away.

  “What’s the matter?” Tucker asked, watching me. His forehead wrinkled in concern.

  “Everything’s fine,” I said, trying to downplay the situation. He didn’t need to hear about my family drama.

  “Something’s bothering you. I can tell. What’s up?”

  I hesitated. I wanted to talk, but it felt wrong after I’d been so harsh with him over the last two weeks.

  “Come on, Anna. You can trust me. I just want to help.” He leaned closer and the scent of his cologne drifted toward me. I chanced a glance at him, seeing the earnestness in his eyes.

  “Brandon is in some kind of trouble. I have no idea what it might be and it’s driving me crazy,” I confided. I went on to tell him about the call from my father and my subsequent meeting with Brandon. “I have no idea how to help him, especially since I don’t even know what the hell is going on in the first place,” I ended, frustrated.

  Tucker looked thoughtful. “It’ll be okay. Your cousin has always had a good head on his shoulders, even as a kid. Sometimes guys just need time to figure out stuff on their own. Just remind him that you’re there for him and I’m sure it will all work out. He may not be your biological brother, but he’s still in that bubble of being a politician’s kid, you know? It can’t be easy. Autumn was always a goody-two-shoe, so it never bothered her. And you’ve always been so strong and independent, you were unfazed. But for a kid like Brandon? I can only imagine how hard it is. But he’s lucky to have you guys as family regardless. He’ll be all right eventually.”

  He cupped my cheek, and I found myself leaning into his touch.

  “You really think so?” I asked.

  He smiled. “I know so. Come here.” He proceeded to pull me into a comforting hug.

  I closed my eyes, savoring the moment. It had been so long since I’d allowed myself to lean on someone like this. With such a simple hold, Tucker made me feel safe, secure, and protected. I didn’t want the feeling to ever go away.

  He pulled away first.

  My eyes fluttered open to find his face close to mine.

  He was going to kiss me. I knew it and didn’t do anything to stop it.

  Sparks flew when our lips touched and ignited into a full-blown fire by the time we separated.

  We were both breathing hard. My chest touched his, hard nipples pressing into him.

  “I know you want me to stay away,” he whispered. “And I promise that I’ve tried. But I just can’t, Anna. I’m addicted to you and I don’t think that will ever change. And I don’t want it to.”

  I pushed my chair back, noting the disappointment in his gaze as I got up. I then went to the entrance of the room. But instead of leaving, I pulled the door closed, turned the lock, and turned off the light switch.

  Only the small florescent lights above the lecturer’s desk provided dim illumination.

  Tucker watched as I turned back toward him, a guarded look in his eyes.

  I walked back to where he sat, stopping only when our knees touched. His guarded look turned into a heated one while he watched me as I pulled my top over my head. I removed my bra and shimmied out of my skirt.

  “What are you doing?” he asked.

  “Seducing you,” I answered.

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And are you going to run away from me afterwards?” he asked, watching my face carefully.

  “I don’t know,” I answered honestly.

  He nodded. “I hope you don’t.”

  I took his hand and pulled him to his feet. He let me undressed him. When I was done, I pushed him back into his seat and made space for myself between his knees.

  I knelt down.

  He was so hard, it felt like I had to force the length away from his skin. He hissed when I gripped his jutting tool, although he was too thick for me to wrap my fingers around fully. His eyes closed briefly before shining on me again, and his hips jerked, coming off the chair before settling back down.

  He looked down at me with desire-laden eyes, but demanded nothing. He just watched to see what I would do next.

  I nuzzled him. He smelled warm, musky, and clean. I licked a path from the root of him to the tip, moaning softly at the slightly salty taste of him. I licked my lips and then went back to him eagerly, closing my lips around his head. I looked up at him and saw his pupils dilate as his thighs tensed under my actions.

  His fingers tangled in my hair and he bucked into my mouth, force-feeding himself into my throat.

  I gagged, an automatic reaction, and he immediately subdued his motions.

  “Fuck, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to lose control like that,” he said.

  I pulled away, holding his gaze. “Take what you need, Tucker. I can handle it.”

  With my permission, he slid deep inside and together we built a rhythm that made him shudder. I remembered how he liked to be pleasured and pulled out all the stops. My muscles adjusted to the invasion after being so long unused and he slid neatly into my throat with every upward push of his hips.

  He reacted to my every action, his control crumbling to pieces. I felt a heady feeling of power shooting straight to the center of me. Wetness made me slippery between my legs and I could feel the lips guarding my center rubbing against each other.

  “Stop, baby, please,” Tucker grunted. “I don’t want to come this way. I want to be inside you.”

  With the taste of him thick on my tongue, I got up and climbed onto his lap. With my feet planted firmly on the floor, my thighs were on either side of his. Cupping his face in my hands, I moved closer until only a whisper of air separated our lips.

  “Make love to me,” I pleaded, my heart close to the surface and my lips sharing more than I meant to say.

  All that was supposed to exist between us was sex. Nothing more, nothing less. But this time, I wanted a connection more than that. I wanted—needed—him emotionally.

  He let out a harsh breath. Looking into his eyes was like watching walls drop. Like looking into my own soul.

  I’d been so stupid to run away from him before.

  “You have no idea how bad I want to,” he said. He reached down and grabbed himself, positioning so that his cap lined with my center. I let my weight settle on him and gravity took care of the rest.

  I moaned as I slid down on him.

  How could I have thought that I could live without this man?

  He conquered every part of me as we became one. Every nerve ending in my body was stimulated and burned for him. Being stuffed with him was the most delicious pain.

  “Damn, you’re tight,” he groaned.

  I bounced on him, my motions growing increasingly fast and hard.

  He aided me with his hands, his hips meeting mine halfway. He then leaned down to capture my nipple in his mouth, while one hand snaked between us, stroking my clit.

  “Fuck, I’m going to come,” I whispered.

  I was still coming when he stood. In the next moment, my back was on the desk and he drilled into my still spasming core. His jerky erratic movements signaled his imminent release and in the next second, he pulled out of me.

  With a few strong tugs of his hand, he spurted his release onto my stomach. Afterwards, he lifted me off the desk and a few minutes later, sat me back in his lap.

  Sweaty and exhausted, I lingered in hi
s arms. He kissed my forehead and I allowed my heart to hope that maybe there could be more between us.

  But then my brain reminded me that when he found out my secret, he would likely want nothing to do with me…

  I would have to tell him soon though, and deal with the consequences.

  Still, I stayed in his arms, having no other place I would rather be in that moment.

  CHAPTER 14

  Anna

  The next day, I received another phone call from my father. He was so panicked that I barely understood what he said. But when I did, the blood drained from my face and my heart pounded with dismay.

  Brandon was missing, and he was wanted by the police for questioning in connection to a drug case.

  What. The. Fuck.

  I had just arrived on the college campus when I got the call. I’d been sitting in my car, prepared to walk Garrett across to daycare and head to class to meet Tucker.

  I’d been on cloud nine too. Tucker and I had separated on a high note and even though I knew the news I had for him would be hard to swallow, I’d convinced myself I was blowing it out of proportion in my head.

  I knew he had feelings for me. It was there in his touch and in the way he looked at me. In the way he said my name.

  How deep those feelings were, I didn’t know yet. But I had hope that we could bury the mistakes of the past and build a better, happier future. Hence, I was nervous, but hopeful.

  I had planned on telling him that day, hoping it would turn out for the best.

  But my father’s phone call had halted my plans, and telling Tucker the secret was now the last thing on my mind.

  I listened as Dad explained that he and Autumn were currently at Brandon’s school attempting to help the police locate him.

  “I’ll be right there,” I promised and hung up the phone, throwing it onto the passenger’s seat.

  “What’s wrong, Mommy?” Garrett asked from the backseat.

  I glanced back at him, trying to clear the anxiety from my expression. “Nothing, honey. Let’s get you to daycare,” I answered in an overly cheerful tone.

  Garrett gave me a skeptical look, like he was going to question me further. But I distracted him by mentioning the new students that would be welcomed into his class that day and his attention was immediately diverted. He started chatting about how nice he would be to them.

  Not wanting to bring Garrett with me into the drama centering around Brandon, I hurried from the parking lot to the daycare in a half run with him in my arms. He thought the mad dash was fun and giggled in a way that would have brought a smile to my face any other day.

  A few minutes later, I was driving like a bat out of hell to get to Brandon’s school. Horns blew and curses followed me as I cut off other drivers. I even almost ran over a pedestrian, only just hitting the brakes in time. The old woman threw me the bird then took her precious time crossing the road, sending me a spiteful look the entire way.

  I tried to be more careful after that but still reached the school in record time. Even though I tried to suppress them, thoughts of all the worse possible scenarios played in my mind.

  I couldn’t imagine my sweet little cousin, like a brother to me, doing drugs. But then again, I hardly recognized him these days.

  “Dammit Brandon, why didn’t you call me?” I said out loud. My angry words bounced off the walls of the empty car.

  The two of us had been so close. When had we drifted so far apart that he wouldn’t feel safe in confiding in me?

  I felt like I’d failed him.

  When I reached the school, I double parked but was unconcerned about that fact.

  Present were two police cruisers, one with lights flashing.

  I ran out of my car, leaving everything behind. I found my father and sister within a few minutes, being interviewed by the cops. Somewhere in the distance, I thought I saw camera flashes and suspected they were news cameras trying to catch drama around my father. But there was no time to be concerned about that at the moment.

  I quickly hugged my father and sister, and they updated me on what was going on. Brandon had skipped class early that morning and no one had seen him since. A small bag containing a suspicious substance had been located in his locker shortly thereafter. The school was obliged to report this to the police. They had also contacted Brandon’s mother, who was at work. Her workplace being located so far away, in addition to problems she was having with her boss, led her to call my father for help. Hearing how worried sick she was, he and Autumn rushed to the school to check on the situation.

  I listened to it all in shock and disbelief.

  What the hell was my cousin doing? I could only hope that he hadn’t just thrown his life down the drain.

  CHAPTER 15

  Tucker

  The seat next to me in class was empty. I felt Anna’s absence as if a piece of me was literally missing.

  I initially thought she might just be late, until a half hour passed, and she still hadn’t shown.

  I pulled my phone from my bag and sent her quick text reading: Hey, where are you?

  Even though I didn’t expect her to answer - at least not right away – I placed the phone facedown next to my textbook.

  Yesterday had been great. A turning point in our relationship, so to speak.

  I’d been scared that she would disappear on me again – or worse, give me another ‘we can’t be anything more than classmates’ speech. I had even mentally prepared myself for it, just in case. Anna had surprised me though, staying in my arms until we risked getting caught butt-naked in the college classroom.

  I had walked her to her car afterward, and she had even let me to hold her hand. Before parting ways, we shared a lingering kiss. Her eyes had been soft and welcoming, with no regrets. Consequently, I had allowed myself to hope the romp had been a changing tide in our relationship.

  I’d meant what I had said to her; I had tried to respect her wishes for me to keep my distance. As much as I wanted her, always watching her turn away from me was torture and I didn’t know how many more times I could take it without going insane.

  However, when she had taken comfort in my arms, I hadn’t been able to curb the urge to feel her lips on mine again. I had expected to get slapped and told off. Now, however, I was glad I to have taken the risk.

  Even after we had left each other’s company in the lab, she had called me later that night.

  I had just stepped out of the shower when I heard my cellphone ring.

  I adjusted the towel around my hips as I headed to my bedroom. I picked up the phone from where it had been thrown carelessly on the bed.

  My heart skipped when I saw Anna’s number on the screen.

  I swiped to answer and sat on the edge of the mattress. “Hey, sweetheart.”

  “Hey,” she said, sounding breathy. “I hope I’m not calling too late.”

  I glanced at the digital clock next to my bed. 11:23. “Not at all. You can call me any time. What’s up?”

  “There’s something I need to tell you,” she said after a pause. “But I think I should wait until we’re face-to-face.”

  “That doesn’t sound good,” I said, slightly worried but trying to keep my voice light. “Are you going to give me the boot again?”

  She hesitated, and my heart leapt to my throat.

  “Anna?” I said, so many questions racing through that one word.

  “I’m not giving you the boot,” she eventually answered, her voice soft. “In fact, I think it’s something you might like to hear, at least I’m hoping so, anyway… Can we talk after class?”

  “Of course. I’m sure we can work out whatever it is,” I said, my mind wondering what she possibly wanted to tell me.

  “I hope so,” she said. We both grew quiet for a moment, simply listening to each other breathe before she asked, “So, Mr. James, what are you wearing?”

  I chuckled. “Why, Ms. Harper,” I said, lying back on the bed, “are you trying to lure me into having p
hone sex with you? Because I have to tell you, I’d really be into that.”

  She laughed, low and sexy. “You would be. Is there anything you’re not into?”

  “With you, nothing’s off the table.”

  “Ohhh, I like the sound of that. Now, about that phone sex—how long do you think it’ll take you to make me come?”

  “Is that a challenge?” I asked, growing hard in anticipation. “Because I am more than up for it.”

  It had taken ten minutes before she moaned long and low from across the line. My hand had been beating at my meat, and the sound of her gratification sent me over the edge. The feeling engulfed me and I knew I was about to blow when…

  “Mr. James?”

  I was suddenly thrust out of the memory when I realized my name was being called.

  The professor, along with the rest of the class, was watching me. Some of the other students snickered, making me wonder how long I’d been out of it.

  “Are you with us?” the professor asked.

  “Yes, sir. Sorry about that.” I was sure my cheeks were as red as they felt. And it didn’t help that my cock was a steel pipe in my pants.

  “I would like to remind you to pay attention in this class, Mr. James,” the professor said sternly and then repeated his question.

  Luckily, I knew the answer.

  An hour later, everyone filed out of the room and I immediately picked up my phone to call Anna.

  No answer.

  After getting the same result the next three times I tried, worry settled in my gut. I knew how important passing was to Anna; she wouldn’t miss class unless something was wrong.

  I was about to dial her number again when the phone rang in my hand.

  The number was not recognized by the device, and it wasn’t familiar to me either.

  “Hello?” I answered.

  “Good afternoon Mr. James. I’m calling from the campus daycare. I’m so sorry, but Garrett is sick. Can you come pick him up? We’ve tried to contact Anna several times but haven’t been able to reach her. Is everything okay?”

  “Excuse me?” I said, confused. “I think you have the wrong number.”