Be Ours: A Valentine's Day Romance Read online

“Whoa! Fuck, what—”

  She crashes into me in the bed, throwing her arms around me and burying her face in my chest. She’s shivering, and I frown. Instantly, my arms circle her on instinct. I hold her close and safe with one arm. The other reaches for the gun I keep in the bedside table.

  “Cora, what the hell just—”

  “Nightmare,” she blurts, shaking.

  I let my breath out a little. I slide the drawer closed.

  “Can I please…shit, I’m sorry,” she winces, pulling away.

  But I hold her tight with my arms. “No, what is it?”

  She blushes and looks away.

  “Cora, whatever it is, yes.”

  She blushes deeper. “I just keep reliving that shooting. Every freaking time I close my eyes or start to fall asleep—”

  “You can stay in here,” I say gently.

  Her eyes look up into mine. “No, I didn’t mean…I wouldn’t want to put you in that—”

  “You’ve seen some real shit tonight,” I growl. I hold her close, protectively. “Of course you can stay in here.”

  Except, there’s one little problem, and it ain’t so little: I’m still rock-hard.

  I’ve got her wrapped tight in my arms, but my cock is throbbing and thick. And I’m shirtless. To make it even worse, Cora’s in a flimsy white t-shirt and boxers so big they’re practically falling off that tight little body.

  I groan as she snuggles into me, still shaking. I hold her tighter, and she burrows against me. I’m torn in two. On one hand, it feels like my duty to keep her safe. To shield her from harm—with my body if need be.

  But on the other hand, this gorgeous temptation squirming against me under the covers has me so fucking hard.

  She snuggles closer. I groan when my cock pulses against her stomach. I know damn well she can feel it, too. Cora gasps softly. It’s a soft, innocent sound, but shit if it doesn’t get me even harder. I’m literally pulsing with need. My mouth is suddenly aching to taste her—my hands dying to explore all of her.

  My cock pulses again. Cora trembles and looks up at me. Her eyes are wide in the moonlight coming in through the windows. But she knows—she knows I’m hard for her.

  Fuck it.

  I close the distance without thinking. I know it’s fucking wrong—and I mean really, really fucking wrong. I know I’ve got no business touching this girl, much less kissing her mouth. But there ain’t a power on earth or in heaven that could stop me from taking those lips right now.

  I move in and crush my mouth to hers. Her lips are soft and swollen, and so eager for me. They open for my tongue, and she pulls close to me. My cock throbs like hot steel against her soft skin. Reality feels like it’s blurring around us. And all I know is her lips on mine and her skin under my hands.

  And then, reason hits me like a slap in the head. I pull back, and so does she, both of us panting and wide-eyed.

  “Oh my God,” she whispers hoarsely. “Oh, fuck,” she pulls back and away from me. “Tanner, “I’m so fucking sorry—”

  “No,” I growl tensely. My hand grabs her wrist. I don’t pull her into me, but I keep her from pulling further away.

  “No, that wasn’t you. That was all me,” I whisper gently. “That was my fuck up.”

  “I—I’m sorry,” she whispers, her eyes wide in the darkness. “That’s not why…”

  “I know, Cora,” I growl.

  “I should leave.”

  She pulls away. Then she slips out of the bed and bolts. I stare in disbelief as she’s out the door and down the hall before I can even blink. But then I lunge after her. Like hell am I letting her just run off like that.

  I run into the living area after her. I grab her and pull her back—not aggressively, but just to stop her from leaving. Because I don’t want this girl to ever leave a room I’m in. One damn kiss, and I never want her away from me.

  “Who the hell are you?” I growl.

  She looks away.

  “Cora, I’ve made a point of not asking questions. But none of this shit is adding up. You’re a burglar who was only stealing a shower and use of a towel. The cartel was after you. And you’ve got video of the Chief of Police executing a guy and making a drug deal.”

  My eyes burn into hers.

  “How the hell did you end up in Loretta Kenner’s bathroom—”

  “Because she’s my aunt,” she blurts out.

  My eyes grow wide. My jaw clenches in disbelief. “What?”

  Cora looks down. She swallows thickly. “She’s my great aunt. My name is Cora Kenner.”

  Suddenly, she starts to cry. Without even blinking, I pull her close to me again. I growl, possessively and deeply. She looks up into my eyes, and one more time, there’s no stopping this.

  Her hands are on my bare chest. Mine slide down to grip her hips and pull her against me. I’m still so fucking hard, and I can feel the heat pulsing under her skin. Our lips crush together, and I groan when she whimpers eagerly into my mouth.

  I growl and hold her tight body against mine. I kiss her like her mouth was meant for mine to take. I’m lost in this girl—and I do mean honestly and truly lost. So much so, that I didn’t even hear my front door open.

  “What the fuck!”

  Cora gasps, and I whirl. There in the doorway, looking at me with a mix of “what the fuck” and like he wants to shoot me, is Bishop.

  5

  Bishop

  “You sure you don’t want anything?”

  My jaw is clenched. I glare silent daggers at Tanner. Oh, I want something alright. I want to beat the fuck out of him. Except I’m not totally clear on the why.

  Walking into his house like that to see him and Cora like, well, like that? It snapped something in me. I want to say it’s that he’s being insanely unprofessional. Not to mention morally absurd. I mean the girl is a victim—of what we’re not clear yet. But I want to scream “what the actual fuck” in his face. Kissing her, in his fucking boxers, with his hands all over her? Is he fucking insane?

  The other problem is, I know what the emotion is that I’ve got burning hot like diesel inside of me. I’m just not ready to accept that feeling or exactly what that means or says about me.

  It’s jealousy. I saw him and the gorgeous little runaway locking lips, and I was fucking jealous. I mean what the fuck does that say about me?

  “No tea?”

  “No fucking tea,” I snap at him.

  It’s been ten minutes since I walked in. Cora’s in a hoodie sweatshirt now, and Tanner has some fucking clothes on. She won’t look at me. He’s just trying to play it off like I didn’t just see what we all know I saw. But whatever the hell was happening between the two of them can wait. Right now, we’re getting to the bottom of who this girl is and how the hell this has played out like this.

  “So you’re Loretta’s niece?”

  “Great niece,” she says quietly.

  I nod. I’m not mad at her, at all. I mean what right do I have to be mad? It’s my dumbass friend I’ve got a bone to pick with. But for her sake, I try and soften my gruff look. “Start from the beginning, so I can get this.”

  She nods and sips her tea. “I barely know Loretta anymore, and I haven’t seen her in years. She’s my grandma Nancy’s sister, on my mother’s side. We used to come here when I was a kid. My mom and my grandmother were pretty estranged, so Loretta was sort of a grandmother to me the once a year I saw her. When my mom passed…”

  She shrugs, and I grit my teeth.

  “I’m sorry,” I say gently.

  “Thanks. It was a while ago. We really didn’t see Loretta much after that, since she’s not the biggest fan of my dad.” She looks at her tea. “Neither am I.” She sighs. “Sorry, I’m babbling.”

  “No, this is helpful,” Tanner says gently.

  She looks at him and smiles, the jealousy flares in me again.

  “So, I moved to San Francisco for school two years ago.”

  “Loretta and you get back in contact?”<
br />
  Cora shakes her head. “No. She’s been traveling I think, and I just…” she shrugs. “I think she always wanted me to be this grand lady like her. And I was, well, not. I was broke, working crappy jobs, and in a school with no idea what I wanted to do in my life. I guess I was waiting until I got my shit together before I reached out. I think I was embarrassed.”

  I chuckle. “I think I know the feeling. So, the shooting. If you want to talk about it, that is.”

  She nods and looks at me hesitantly.

  “I made my report,” I say quietly. “About the shoot-out tonight. But I didn’t mention you. The forensics are going over your great aunt’s house now.”

  Cora pales.

  “I, uh…” I frown. “I went over there first and got anything obvious. Hair out of the drain, wiped for prints, etc.” I turn and glare at Tanner. “They’re going to call you about the gun.”

  He nods, and I turn back to Cora.

  “So, this shooting.”

  “I got a job as a cocktail waitress at this club my friend worked at. It really wasn’t my scene—clubs aren’t at all. But the money was okay even if the clientele was scummy. I’d only been there two weeks when I…” she shivers. “When I saw it.”

  “And you came to Santa Marina right after?”

  “I know, it’s stupid because of the Chief of Police. But I knew this town because of Loretta, and I knew she was in Europe. So I figured I’d just hide out there.”

  “This is a lot, I know,” I grunt. “But we’re going to figure this out.”

  “You see Chief Millbrook tonight?” Tanner asks.

  I nod. “Yeah, he was at the station. Seemed pretty fucking weirded out about the cartel being involved tonight.”

  “I bet,” Tanner mutters.

  “Which does look suspicious as fuck now that I’ve seen that video.” I sigh, clasping my hands together. “Okay, here’s what we’re doing.” I look at Cora softly. “You’re exhausted, so here’s the plan. You stay here and lay low. I’ll start amassing troops down at the station.”

  “Troops?”

  “This is political, before anything else. It’s an election year for Chief Millbrook. I need to get people on my side so when I drop this bomb, it doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass.”

  “Or shoot it,” Tanner grunts.

  Cora yawns, even as she tries to stifle it. I can’t help but smile when I see it. God, she’s so young and innocent, but so fucking gorgeous. She’s got this allure to her—this magnetism like no woman I’ve ever come across before.

  “Let’s get you to bed,” I murmur.

  She nods. “Thanks.”

  I help her up and lead her down the hall to the guest room. At the door, she pauses and turns to me.

  “Um, I… what you saw before…”

  “Was none of my business,” I growl quietly.

  She smiles shyly, blushing. “Thanks.”

  “Get some sleep.”

  She nods, smiling again. “Thank you, Bishop. I honestly don’t know what I’d be doing without you.”

  She steps into her room, and I smile and turn away. But then I pause, frowning. Shit, we should figure out tomorrow before she goes to bed.

  I turn back, turn the knob, and swing the door back open.

  “Wait, Cora, we should—”

  She gasps, whirling wide-eyed to face me—naked and barely holding a towel in front of her. I groan, and my pulse roars like an engine.

  Fuck.

  If I were a stronger man, I’d walk away. But I’m not strong with her. With her, I’m fucking weak. I close the distance between us. I don’t care about the obvious reasons why I shouldn’t: her age and mine, that she’s a suspect—or victim—in all of this. Or that I just saw her kissing my friend. The only thing I know is that I see what I want. And I won’t stop until I get it.

  I slam into her like a storm. My lips crush to hers, and I kiss her hard. I growl into her mouth even deeper when she moans into mine. She whimpers, her tongue seeking mine as her hands grip my shirt. Mine slide down to cup her ass, grinding her into me.

  But then it’s like lighting jolts us. We both startle and jump apart, panting.

  “Fuck,” I curse. I’m both horrified at myself and still completely hard.

  “I—what the fuck is wrong with me?” She gasps, her face falling as her hand flies to her lips.

  “Nothing,” I grunt. “Nothing is wrong with you, honey, that was all—”

  “Yes,” she hisses. “There is. I mean what the hell is wrong me? You? Tanner?”

  “Or me and him need to know better. Me and him do know better,” I hiss. “We sure as fuck shouldn’t be touching you, or kissing you. Or having anything to do with you like this.”

  She looks down, and something in me softens. I move close and reach out to touch her chin. She raises her eyes up, looking at me sheepishly.

  “I mean that because of us, not you,” I growl. I shake my head. “You’re fucking perfect, Cora.”

  She blushes, and I smile. It’s taking everything I have to walk away, especially since my cock is still threatening to rip a hole in my pants.

  “Get some sleep,” I say gently. “Tomorrow’s going to be a strange one.” I step out of the room. She pauses, and it looks like she wants to say something, but I shake my head. “Close the door,” I growl quietly. “Please.”

  She blushes. She looks at me hard in the eyes, and then nods.

  “Goodnight,” she whispers.

  Cora shuts the door. I blow air out through my lips and groan to myself.

  Fuck.

  I drop my head to the wall next to her door, shaking. I want to walk back in. Hell, I want to smash my way back in, and not come out until I’ve taken her every single way I can. Not until I’ve left marks from my mouth on her skin. Until I’ve licked every inch of her skin and drowned myself in the taste of her.

  I grit my teeth and force myself away, though. I turn and head to the living room. Tanner and I need to have a serious, serious talk.

  6

  Tanner

  “You need to leave.”

  I glance up from my tea. My eyes narrow at my friend. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “You need to leave the house.”

  “It’s my fucking house,” I grunt.

  “And if this was a normal day, we’d be shooting the shit, having a beer, and I wouldn’t be telling you to get out.” Bishop looks at me sternly. “But this ain’t a normal day, now is it?”

  I grit my teeth. “No,” I mutter. “It’s not.” I sigh. “Look, before—”

  “I know what I saw, Tanner,” he grunts.

  “What you saw is none of your—“

  He laughs coldly. “Like hell it isn’t. She’s a fucking witness, man! She’s at center of this whole fucking thing!”

  “I know, I know,” I mutter.

  “Yeah, I know you know. So you need to leave. Because you’re obviously compromised with her.” He frowns. “I’m leaving too, for what it’s worth.”

  I frown. “What, and just leave her here alone? Are you fucking insane? She needs to be protected!”

  Bishop rolls his eyes. “She’s safe here, Tanner. You know it and so do I. Your house is a goddamn castle. And I don’t mean you need to take a flight somewhere. But you do need to stay outside in your car or something.”

  I snarl. “And if the cartel comes knocking?”

  “Here? Seriously?” Bishop grunts. “You think the first place they’re going to be looking for their missing witness is the house of some fired cop?”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Fuck you too, pal. You know how dumb that sounds. You just want her here.”

  “Yes,” I snarl. “I do.”

  “And I do too,” Bishop says evenly. “But not with you here too.”

  “I can behave myself, dad,” I throw back at him.

  Bishop doesn’t take the bait. He just smirks. “If earlier is any indication, no, you can’t. She’s confused, Tanner. You k
now that. She’s humming on adrenaline, she’s scared—“

  “I’m not a fucking predator, dickhead!” I snap. “I didn’t fucking seduce her or something.”

  “No, you were just half naked and kissing her!” Bishop barks back.

  “Jealous?” I hiss.

  We both go silent. I know I’ve maybe just pushed things too far. I’m not blind, and I know my friend well. I’ve seen the way his eyes follow her. I saw the way he looked at me with possessive fury when I was kissing her.

  “Of a fired cop?” Bishop mutters. “Nah, I think I’m good.”

  My lips curl into a snarl. “You’re about to cross the fucking line.”

  He laughs coldly. “Don’t fucking preach to me, Tanner.”

  He glares at me, turns, and head for the front door. I growl and stomp after him. Outside, the door slams behind me as he heads for his truck.

  “What?!” I yell at Bishop’s back. I know he just walked in on something questionable. I know I had no right to be touching her, or kissing her. But I’m just a fucking guy; I’m not a cop anymore. And Bishop and I both know what happened to me was a fucking crucifixion on the altar of dirty politics. But he still thinks I need to be living the same code he is. And I’m not having it.

  “A fired cop! Yep! That’s me, asshole!” I jab a finger at him, paused by his truck. “But I’m pretty fucking sure I got fucked after saving your ass!”

  Bishop whirls. “Yeah, you saved me. And I thanked you. And yeah man, it’s some bullshit how things played out for you. But you’ve spent the last two years thinking you’re this fucking cowboy! This ‘maverick ex cop tough guy with the security company’ act is getting fucking old.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “There are rules, Tanner!” He barks. “And just because you bought yourself a fancy house and a slick SUV, doesn’t mean—”

  “Doesn’t mean what,” I snap. “Doesn’t mean I get to stop playing by your goddamn code, Bishop? Because actually, it does.”

  “This is police business, Tanner,” my friend snarls. “She is police business. So stay the fuck out of it.”

  He turns and yanks the door of his truck open. I smile coldly. “That’s what this is, huh? This about her?”