There was a moment’s hesitation within him before he realized it wasn’t a memory he held in his arms, but flesh and blood woman. And she was seeking something he was happy to share.

  Making sure she was secure in his arms; he strode with determined steps back to the shelter where he ignored the ground floor and carried her up the stairs to the second to his bedroll he still hadn’t put away yet.

  He sank to his knees, her legs tight around him as she rocked against his cock. His body took control from his mind, as he focused on one thing. Her and making her scream his name with pleasure.

  Their clothes were gone in a flurry of frantic tugs and pulls, until he had her. Naked. Against him. Below him.

  She threaded her fingers in his hair and bucked up, grazing her core along his cock making it ache all the more with a single-minded purpose. He needed to be buried deep within her slick heat.

  “Rip.”

  That was it. One word. His name but the way it rolled off her tongue with that raspy slow southern drawl, sank into him, in ways he never knew a single would could.

  He didn’t wait, couldn’t any longer. Lined up his cock and thrust deep inside her with a single flex of his hips. Her pussy was snug and hot as it gripped him in a vice like grip.

  “Fuck yes,” she hissed, body trembling.

  “Damn it, you’re fucking tight. Christ, I’m ready to come right now.”

  She lifted up and nipped at his lower lip. “Me too. It’s been too long since I’ve had a thick cock inside me.”

  A flash of proprietary emotion slammed into him, the thought of another man lying between her thighs didn’t sit well with him. He nearly snapped at her that no one else would ever be there but him. Somehow, he managed to keep that command contained. Pretty certain if he opened his mouth it would fall free.

  Instead, he focused on her eyes and facial features as he began to stroke within her, making sure to pay attention to each nuance to learn what she liked and how much she liked it. He went fast and slow, shallow and deep.

  She released his hair and dug her fingers into his shoulders, nails biting the skin, creating another burn within him.

  Caitlyn didn’t lie beneath him, unparticipating and making him do all the work. No, she was an active participant. She met his thrusts, encouraging him to go deeper. Her heels dug into his back as she undulated with him.

  Through it all, he never released her gaze. Locking in on that gaze, the color of buffed pecan shells, he allowed it to draw him in deeper and deeper until she’d snared his heart. Whether or not she’d meant to didn’t matter—she had. Then she moved deeper, heading for his soul.

  Her eyes fluttered and he drew back until only the head of his cock was inside her. “Watch me,” he ordered, not ready to release her stare.

  She opened her eyes further and he leaned closer to kiss her. Only when his tongue twined around hers did he allow his own gaze to shut.

  She flexed around him, milking his cock as he powered within her.

  Shit. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to last.

  Maneuvering a hand between them, he sought her clit, flicking it with his finger, determined she find her release before him.

  She shuddered and clenched harder on his cock as well as digging her nails deeper into his skin.

  There would be marks later but he’d wear them with pride.

  He felt her body splinter beneath him. She stiffened seconds before her eyes flew wide, the color deeper than before as everything about her softened. From her expression to the hold, she had on his shoulders.

  Gentling his intense kiss, he powered into her three more times before he came with a low roar, spilling his seed as deep inside her as he could. Then he stopped and tried to catch his breath. She trembled and he could feel the mini orgasms moving through her.

  It took him a bit, but he managed to maneuver them inside the warmth of his sleeping bag. Lying on their sides, he pulled her tightly to him. Easy to do as the bag forced a closer existence.

  For a while, they didn’t talk, just touched, and allowed their heartrates to return to normal. As that happened, his cock began to harden once more. Yeah, he wasn’t finished with her yet.

  Her full lips twitched and she curled her fingers around his shaft. “This time,” she whispered. “I’m on top.”

  αβ

  Three hours later, Caitlyn walked along a trail, Abel running around them. She and Rip were side by side, as they moved. Not touching but she felt close to him in ways she hadn’t to anyone else. And not in a sexual way, just on a personal level.

  This was the calm that she’d gotten when she and her father had taken their trips. There wasn’t any need to talk, although she and her father did, but the silence with her and Rip sat well with her. Hands in her pockets, she closed her eyes as she allowed her head to drop back. When she opened them again, she saw nothing but the clear blue sky. Any clouds from this morning had moved on. It wasn’t warm by any means, but it was a beautiful day.

  His lips kicked up in a smile. “What are you thinking about?” He reached out and threaded his fingers through her hair.

  Yes, she knew it was from the colors in her hair. He spent a great deal of time stroking her hair and enjoying it. Not that she’d minded, his touch there was intoxicating. Caitlyn shrugged. “Just remembering my father.”

  Rip’s smile was gentle but he didn’t say anything else.

  She didn’t need him to. When they reached the place where they’d spent last night and this morning learning and enjoying each other’s body, she rocked back on her heels.

  He whistled for Abel who came back instantly. She looked down at the Giant Schnauzer and realized how much she liked him. Truth was, since he wasn’t an annoyance, she didn’t mind him so much. Even though he did look like he could eat a Volkswagen Beetle and still be hungry after.

  She reached out and captured the canine’s broad head in her hands before pressing a kiss to the top of his skull. “Keep him safe, Abel.” Her whisper was only for the canine. The brush of his rough tongue along her cheek made tears burn the backs of her eyes. She really liked this dog, damn it. Looking up at the dog’s owner, she said, “Thanks, you know. For everything.”

  As his brow furrowed, she turned and jogged off, ignoring him calling her name. Her plan was sound.

  Right up to the point where he caught up to her and spun her back to him.

  “Excuse me? Do you truly think this is how we end this?”

  She swallowed hard. “Look, it was a thing. That’s it. No reason to make more of it than it is.”

  He clenched his jaw.

  Caitlyn took the time to remove his hand and walk off. This time, she tried hard to ignore the pain this parting delivered to her heart.

  It’s better this way.

  Chapter Three

  A Month Later...

  The pillow muffled her cries, however just barely, as he thrust in from behind, inching her along her bed toward the padded headboard with every stroke.

  Her hands were behind her back, he held her wrists so she couldn’t play with herself. She had mixed emotions about that.

  “Please,” she screamed into the feather pillow. “God, please. I’m so close. I need to come.” She rotated her hips, trying to get more contact. “Play with my clit. Or let me do it. Shit!”

  Knock, knock.

  Caitlyn jumped, flushed, and turned to find Ian standing in the doorway. She forced a smile on her face and beckoned him in the room.

  Holy hell, I can’t believe I was dreaming of having sex with his father just now. Not because it’s his father, well okay, that’s part of it, but I truly thought I was having sex. Didn’t think it was a dream.

  She briefly glanced down along her body, grateful he couldn’t see her pebbled nipples or anything else that might give her real thoughts away. “What can I do for you, Mr. Walls?”

  “I have detention today and they said to come here.”

  Shit. Was I on detention today too, and forgot?

  “Come on in and grab a seat.” She made a few clicks on her computer to see and no, it wasn’t her but another teacher, Mrs. Inser who had the pleasure of this today. “Who told you to come down here?”

  “Mrs. Inser.” He paused in the act of sitting. “Am I not supposed to be here?” Exhaustion and defiance settled along his features.

  “You’re fine,” she assured him with a smile. “Although, we should find some time to talk about why you’re getting detention so much. I know it’s not the fighting, that has been stopped for a while, so what’s going on?” She switched her playlist to some Fats Waller music she’d recently downloaded. Ain’t Misbehavin’ began streaming into the room.

  He slouched in his seat, arms crossed, tossing out all the familiar signs of being on the defensive.

  She remained at her desk, sending an email down to Mrs. Inser just making sure she knew he had made it to class, so they didn’t try to pin on him not being in detention. It was a struggle to help this kid who didn’t seem to want help. She’d been aware he was having trouble and his relationship with his father wasn’t the best, but she wasn’t about to let a school who considered him a troublemaker to push him out when he was doing what was asked of him.

  For the most part.

  Five minutes passed before she looked up and found him sitting there with his head on the desk, sound asleep. She picked up a pencil and twirled it in her fingers as she watched him. For some reason, her heart went out to him.

  Probably because I was like him in school. And I can’t stand it that most of his teachers have already or are in the process of giving up on him.

  Problem was, she wasn’t his teacher. Not for any of his classes.

  She’d only run into Rip a few times after their rendezvous in the mountains and each time she’s struggled to keep herself remaining professional.

  Damn shame really, because all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and sink her fingers into his thick soft hair as she kissed him. Backed him against the wall and had her way with him. Tell him she wanted that thing between them once more.

  Or his thing. She swallowed her laughter and rolled her eyes.

  He’d been how she remembered him from their first meeting. Cold and arrogant as he looked at her. However, when he did so, without his mirrored sunglasses on, she couldn’t ignore the heat in his gaze. Nor the tension in her gut when he leveled that stare in her direction.

  She’d heard the other women as school mention him and how hot and sexy they thought he was. She couldn’t blame them and part of her laughed, as she knew what he was like in bed.

  Or at least... in a sleeping bag.

  That trip had been nothing short of amazing. He and Abel hung with her and she suspected the side of him she got to witness wasn’t the one most people saw. With her, he’d been quick to laugh and smile. Now when she saw him, he was closed off and guarded. She rubbed the back of her neck. Well, she had been cold the last few minutes with him on the mountain, telling him that them having sex was just a thing. Even now, she winced at the phrase.

  “I could go for a massage,” she grumbled as she got back to work on figuring out which songs to have her students work on this next week.

  She allowed him to sleep the entire time of detention. When her watch told her time was up, she made her way to his side and claimed a chair near him. “Mr. Walls.” No answer. “Mr. Walls?” she pitched her tone a bit louder.

  That did it. He bolted up in the seat, blinking as he peered through the strands of black hair that had fallen forward over his eyes. “Ms. Schneider?”

  “That’s me,” she chided gently. “Have a nice nap?”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry for. You got some rest, I got some work done. I’d say it was a win-win for both of us, except where you didn’t tell me what was going on with you to be needing detention.”

  “Like it matters.” Thick anger laced his words.

  “Why would you say that? Of course, it does.”

  “You’re not going to believe me. You’ll take their side.”

  “Wow,” she said, leaning back for a moment. “You’re pretty damn sure about me taking someone’s side when you’re right, I don’t know what is going on. But I’m hurt as never once have I not listened to your side. You’re a lot like your father in that way. Blanket statements and assumptions.” She got to her feet and wiped her palms off on her slacks. “If that’s how you feel, you are more than welcome to leave and wait for your father in the front.” She turned away and gathered her things. Feeling sorry for him or not, she didn’t like being lumped in like that.

  “After you, Mr. Walls,” she announced when she had her things and waited by the door for him to leave the desk. She could see it in his expression, he had something further to say, but he kept it to himself and went out the door. Following him, she locked her classroom door and made her way to the teacher’s lounge.

  An hour later after catching up with a few teachers she got along with, she made her way through the rain to her copper hued Kia Sportage. As she slid in behind the wheel, she tossed her bag to the passenger seat.

  “At least it will be clean from my last outing.” The dirt and dried mud on it was hiding the burnished color it was supposed to be. However, this rain was increasing, and it would be better than spending money for a car wash. Or heaven forbid, doing it herself.

  Before leaving the lot, she called in a pickup order at a local restaurant she enjoyed and headed over to grab that. The thought of cooking dinner right now wasn’t at all what she had in mind. A long hot bath with some hot memories of Rip were on her list.

  Even just the thought had her pussy clenching with wanton desire. She made a dash through the rain in and out to grab her food and allowed the heated seat to partially warm her as the interior filled with the scent of her meal.

  Driving down one of the side streets her attention picked up on a solitary figure walking along. When he passed beneath one of the streetlights and the illumination of his backpack was highlighted, she knew right away it was Ian.

  What the hell?

  She pulled up beside him and lowered the window. “Get in.”

  He didn’t look at her, just kept walking.

  She took offense until she noticed the wire connected to his ears. He had his earbuds in. Moving ahead of him a bit, she put her hazards on and jumped out, soaked in seconds. Again, even though it was spring, didn’t mean the rain was all that warm. Her teeth were chattering by the time she made it around the hood.

  Ian pulled up short when he spied her, his gaze darting around like a ping pong ball in tournament. “Ms. Schneider. What are you doing here?”

  “I think the better question is what are you doing out here? Get in my car. I won’t have you walking around here in this cold like this.”

  Ian shook his head.

  She crossed her arms. “No? Fine then, we’ll wait out here for your father to arrive.”

  More anger flashed. “He’s too busy working to give a damn.”

  “Is that what you think? How you really feel about him working all the hours he does?”

  “Not like he’s given me anything else to believe.”

  “Get in, let’s go.”

  He opened his mouth to speak.

  Caitlyn waved him off and shook her head. “No. No arguing. I’m cold and my dinner in there is getting that way. We’re not getting drier out here. So get in.”

  Sullen, he obeyed and she hurried to her side.

  Water ran down her face and clothes. His too, but she didn’t comment on that. Her vehicle would survive having wet people in it. Her concern now was getting them warm and dry. Turning up the heat, she drove off, making sure to shut off her hazards as well.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “My house. Then we’re getting dry. You’ll help me eat some of my dinner and we’ll wait for your father to show up. During which, we are going to have a chat you and I.”

  She noticed he didn’t argue with that and she cut her gaze to find him shivering and she’d bet her not-all-that-impressive paycheck, he was trying not to cry.

  Within the hour, she had his clothes in the dryer while he showered. She picked up her phone to call the police department and asked for Rip Walls. He wasn’t in, so she left a message.

  Soon, she ate with Ian and he finished up the larger part of the pasta she’d brought home. As she finished up the final bit of her breadstick, she waited for him to meet her gaze. “I will take your explanation now, if you please.”

  αβ

  Rip shuffled from foot to foot, as he waited for the door to open. Beside him, Abel was doing something similar as he picked up on his partner’s unease. Given he was still in uniform and they’d just gotten off a high adrenaline bust, an edge lingered in them both.

  But it was more than that. This was about his son.

  Shit, it had been four hours since that call had come into the station. He’d been in the middle of that bust, so the message hadn’t gotten to him until after.

  The door opened and Caitlyn stood there in an oversized sweatshirt and a dark pair of pants. Her hair had been gathered on top of her head, allowing him to see that amazing rainbow blend he’d been fantasizing about since he’d learned about it.

  “Where is he?” he demanded.

  “I’m fine, thanks for asking. He’s in the living room.”

  Rip moved forward, nearly pushing by her but she adjusted and remained in front of him.

  “What?”

  “He’s asleep.” She put a hand on his chest, causing his heart to slow then speed up. “Come in and eat something. Let him rest a bit.”

  He didn’t want Ian to sleep, he wanted to shake him awake and demand to know what the crap was going on with him. He couldn’t take this anymore.

  “Hey Abel,” she said ruffling him along the head.

  Damn if his dog didn’t lean into her touch. Not that he blamed him but they were supposed to be working. He gave her a nod and she moved out of the way, and he took several long strides to see for himself that his boy was truly safe. Removing Abel’s leash, the dog lay down near the couch by Ian. Rip shrugged out of his wet jacket and hung it over the back of a chair.