Page 31 of My One and Only (Blackhawk Security #10)

J o finally let her shoulders relax. She couldn’t believe it was over. Don was in the hospital, and he would go from there to jail. But Cam still needed her protection. They hadn’t figured out who had put the bomb on his truck.

The police had told Cam they’d lifted fingerprints from it, but they didn’t match any prints in the IAFIS national fingerprint database. Don had been fingerprinted, but the prints on the bomb didn’t belong to him. Which wasn’t a surprise, because as far as she knew, Don had no expertise in bomb-making.

Until they knew who’d made the bomb, Jo wasn’t going anywhere.

As Cam pulled out his key and opened the door, Jo pushed the issue out of her head. They could think about that tomorrow. Tonight she just wanted to spend time with Cam.

“You want something to eat? A glass of wine?” he asked as he closed and locked the door behind them.

The only thing she wanted right now was Cam. She had no idea how many days she had left with him, and she wanted to spend as much time as possible together.

She put her hands on his cheeks, loving the prickles of his whiskers against her palms. “There’s only one thing I want right now, and it’s not food. Or drinks. I just want you, Cam.”

Cam swallowed, and she pressed her mouth against the ripple in his throat. Wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly, feeling the rapid beat of his heart against her chest.

“I could have lost you today,” he murmured into her ear as he stroked his palm down her back. “You could have disappeared from my life in the blink of an eye. If you hadn’t had that backup gun? If Don had managed to drive you into the river? He would have held your head down, just like he did to Ashley.”

She pressed her mouth against his neck and smiled into his skin. “I don’t think he would have succeeded,” she said. “I knew he intended to kill me. That definitely focused my attention. I figured that shooting him would take his mind off me. And once I was able to put the car in reverse, I knew I wasn’t going to drown in the Fox River.”

“Thank God you were able to keep your composure and save yourself.” He stroked his hand over her hair and down her back again, making her shiver, and stared into her eyes. “But it was too close. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that Don was behind everything.”

Jo drew in a deep breath. Blew it out slowly. “I’m so sorry, Cam,” she said, tightening her hold on him. “You trusted Don, and he betrayed you. That’s on Don all the way, and he’ll have to answer for that.” Tears gathered in her eyes -- for Cam. Never for Don. “With his admission that he killed Ashley, and his attempt to kill me, I’m sure he’ll be in prison for a long time.”

Cam shook his head. “I never suspected him,” he whispered. “Didn’t even consider it. What does that say about me?”

Jo grabbed his hands. Held on tightly. “It says you’re a good man who trusted the guy you thought of as your brother.” Her mouth tightened. “I suspect he’s going to try and convince you not to testify against him. And to persuade me not to, either.”

Cam closed his eyes. Opened them and stared at her. “That would be a fool’s errand,” he said, his voice hard. “He almost killed you, and he was willing to kill Fiona. I’m done with Don.”

Jo wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry. This must be so painful for you.”

“Thinking about what he tried to do to you? What he would have done to Fiona?” He shook his head. “No, it’s not painful at all. I just hope he gets what he deserves. Life in prison, with no chance of parole.”

“Me, too,” she murmured. “I would be terrified of what he’d do if he ever got out.”

Cam took both her hands in his and studied her. “You’re right. I thought of Don as my brother. And at some point, when I’ve had time to absorb what he did, it’ll knock me sideways. Right now, though? I’m angry. Glad he’s in jail. Happy he can’t hurt you or Fiona.”

“Or you,” she reminded him.

“Or me,” he repeated grimly. “You can be sure I won’t be so trusting in the future. With the exception of you, Fiona and my parents.”

Jo sighed. “Your wariness about trusting people? That’s on Don’s shoulders, too. That was one of the things I always admired about you, Cam. You were so open. Trusting. So loyal to your friends. I hope Don hasn’t destroyed that.”

“Not destroyed it,” he murmured. “Put a ding in it, maybe. Made me aware that I can’t take anyone but my family at face value.”

“Good.” She squeezed his hands and took a step back. “Now, I think I’d like that glass of wine you promised me.”

Smiling, Cam reached for her hand and twined their fingers together. “I can do that. Let’s go into the kitchen.”

Five minutes later, they sat in the living room, sipping wine and avoiding the topic of Don and everything he’d done. She’d called Mel and told her what had happened. Explained that there was at least one more perp out there, the person who’d planted the bomb. She’d check in with Mel as soon as they apprehended the culprit.

Now she was on Cam’s lap, her fingers twined in his hair, her mouth nibbling at the edges of his. “Can I say that I’m glad Fiona fell asleep at your parents’ house?” she murmured, kissing his neck beneath his ear. “I needed this evening with you, Cam. To wipe away the memories of Don and the Fox River rushing toward me.”

“I needed it too, Jo. To celebrate that you’re alive.”

“That we’re both alive,” she said, swinging one leg over Cam’s lap so she was facing him. She slid closer so the hard heat of his cock was exactly where she needed it. “Make love with me, Cam. Please.”

He plucked her half-full glass of wine from her fingers and set it carefully on the end table next to his. Then he stood up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She didn’t have to say this might be the only night they were alone in the house. She saw that knowledge in Cam’s eyes, as well.

He carried her down the hall to his bedroom and set her carefully on his bed. Then he retrieved condoms from a dresser drawer, and Jo’s eyes widened when she saw how many he had.

“I really hope that’s not overly optimistic,” she said, smiling at his handful of foil packets. She held out her hand for him, and he dropped the condoms on the nightstand beside the bed. She raised one eyebrow. “You sure we’ll go through all of those?”

Cam grinned back at her. “I predict we’ll need more before the night is over.”

“I like that prediction,” she murmured, reaching for his shirt.

She unbuttoned it slowly, pausing after each button to kiss the part of his chest that was exposed. When she undid the last button, she drew it off his shoulders and tossed it onto the floor. Then she ran her hands over his chest, letting strands of the silky hair slide through her fingers.

Leaning forward, she took one of his tight male nipples in her mouth. Bit down lightly, then sucked the sting away. When he groaned and fumbled with her sweater, she helped him lift it over her head, and it joined his shirt on the floor.

Moments later, he had unhooked her bra and drawn the straps down her arms. The cups fell away from her breasts, and Cam sucked in a breath. Studied them for a few moments, then bent his head to first one, then the other.

By the time he drew his mouth away, she was moaning and rubbing against the thick length of his cock. “Hmm,” he said. “Looks like we both have too many clothes on.”

“We do,” she said, her voice breathy. “Let’s fix that.” She reached for the button on his jeans and popped it open. Drew down his zipper, and tried to push the jeans down his legs, her hands shaking. Trembling.

Cam slid off the bed, his eyes staring into hers, and shoved his jeans and boxer briefs down his legs. Kicked them off, then started on her jeans. In moments, she was as bare as he was.

As he grabbed one of the condoms, Jo let her gaze devour him. “Can I just say how beautiful you are?” she murmured. “We were in such a rush last time that I didn’t get a chance to really appreciate you. This time, I want to devour you.”

“I think the devouring will be mutual,” he said, his voice low. Sultry. He ripped open the condom, and when she reached for it, he held it away from her. “Not this time, Jo. If you touch me, I’m going off like a rocket.” He grinned at her. “Maybe by the fourth or fifth one, I’ll let you slide it on.”

Trembling already, Jo raised one eyebrow at him. “Fourth or fifth time? Can I just say, ‘wow’, Cam?”

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for you, Jo? It’s been a very long fifteen years. I love what we did on the couch, but we were trying not to wake Fiona up. Tonight? Neither of us has to take care.”

“I’ve waited just as long for you, Cam,” she said, reaching for his hands and twining their fingers together. “Even after I joined the Army, I dreamed about you all the time.”

“Until you got married, I hope?”

Jo shook her head slowly. “No. Even then I dreamed about you. That’s when I realized I’d made a mistake. I shouldn’t have married Mike. But I had to do it. He needed an advocate, and I was the only real choice.”

She sat up and reached for Cam’s hands. “Enough ancient history. Tonight is about you and me, Cam. We’ve waited a long time for this night. I want to enjoy every second of it.”

“And you will.” His eyes gleamed with lust and love and need. “And so will I.”

He bent and put his mouth on her, pressing his tongue against the sensitive bud between her legs. When she moaned and trembled, he slid a finger inside her. Then a second one. Her hands gripped the sheets, and her hips jerked against him. “Oh, God, Cam. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”

He pressed his tongue hard against her clitoris, and she screamed and jerked her hips. When she finally collapsed on the bed, he slid into her. Began moving, and she moved with him. “Cam. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop. I’m gonna come again.”

“I want to feel you come on my cock,” he said, kissing her and sucking her lower lip into his mouth. “I want to feel you squeeze my cock.” He thrust harder, and she fell over the edge again. All she could do was cling to Cam and let herself feel. Savor the sensation of him moving inside her.

Finally, they both collapsed onto the bed. Cam rolled her over so she was on top, then he wrapped his arms around her. Nuzzled her neck. Drew her lower lip into his mouth. Kissed his way down to her breasts, then back up to her mouth.

“I love you, Cam,” she murmured, her fingers tangling in his hair.

“And I love you too, Jo. Always have. Always will.”

“Me, too,” she breathed. She twined their fingers together and pressed her face against his neck, inhaling deeply. Holding his scent inside her.

After a few minutes, he eased away from her. “I need to get rid of the condom,” he said.

She managed to open her eyes. “Hurry back,” she said, her voice raspy.

“Nothing on this earth could keep me away.”

When he joined her on the bed again, he tucked her into his side and she fell asleep immediately.

She lost track of how many times they woke up and made love again. By the time the sun was shining through the window, she was completely exhausted and wrapped tightly around Cam. She inhaled his scent and held it in her lungs until she was sure she’d always remember it.

“Holy shit,” Cam said, shooting up in the bed beside her. “It’s nine-thirty. Fiona has to be in school by eight-forty-five.”

Jo sat up in bed, the sheet falling to her waist. “Can you call her in absent?” she said. “After everything that happened yesterday, I’m sure she wants to be with you today.”

“Yeah, let me do that.” he said. But as he reached for his phone, it began to ring.

“My mom’s number.” He swallowed and answered it. “Hey, Mom.”

“I called Fiona in sick this morning,” she said. “I thought, after what happened yesterday, you’d want to spend the day with her. And she needs to see that you and Jo are all right.”

He blew out a breath. “Yeah. I do. And I’m sure Jo does, too. We’ll be over in fifteen minutes, okay?”

“That’s fine. Take your time. She’s happy knowing that you’re coming for her.”

“See you in a bit, Mom.”

He disconnected the call. “My mom called her in sick. Let’s shower, then go and get her. I want to call the principal and tell her what happened yesterday. With any luck, the girls on the playground didn’t see anything alarming. Didn’t see Don pointing that gun at them. But I have to be sure. And their parents need to know that Don’s in the hospital, and he’s going to jail, so the girls don’t have to worry about him.”

Jo leaned over and kissed him, breaking it off before it could turn into more. “You’re a good man, Cam Pierce. I’d love to spend the day with you and Fiona.” She swallowed. “I’d tell you to take her out by yourself, let her have your full attention, but we still don’t know who planted that bomb. So I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for a while longer.”

“There’s no ‘stuck with me’ about it, Jo. I want you with us. And I’m sure Fiona does, too. Let’s shower and go pick her up.”