Gilded Craving: Cowboy Justice Association (Serials and Stalkers Book 3) Read online

  "You haven't even done it once yet," she said, her hand cupping cheek, his jaw stubbled against her palm. Her heart ached with such love for this man that had returned to her life. How had she ever made it through without him? She only felt truly whole when they were together. She'd simply been walking through life these last few years pretending to be completely alive. "Maybe we should take care of that first."

  "We can take care of both of us at the same time."

  Oh, that sounded like a good plan. Why didn't I think of that?

  Because I can't think straight when we're naked like this.

  A naked Ryan Beck was a sight to behold. He'd filled out in the last decade, his shoulders wider, his legs more muscular, his skin golden. His stomach was still just as flat and she couldn't stop herself from reaching out and running her fingertips over the ridged abdomen. The muscles under her palm jerked and jumped in response and she heard the sharp intake of his breath.

  "What are you up to, baby?" He tangled a hand in her hair and pulled her in for a long, hard kiss that left her barely able to form words.

  "I'm just...exploring."

  Rolling onto his back, Ryan gave her a wolfish grin. "Then go for it. I'm all yours."

  This sounds interesting.

  All mine.

  At one point in her life, Mariah might have hesitated. Not this time. She wanted to enjoy and savor every single moment of their reunion. Levering from the bed, she straddled Ryan so she was looking down at him from her lofty perch above.

  And the view was mighty fine indeed. She wasn't sure where she wanted to start. There were so many options and all of them good.

  He waggled his brows in challenge. "What are you waiting for?"

  She tapped her chin. "I'm just deciding. Don't rush me."

  "Far be it for me to hurry you along. I'll just wait here and do nothing."

  She ran her fingernails lightly down his torso, eliciting a groan. "Don't be sarcastic. This is serious business here."

  "Of course. Strictly business. Carry on then."

  That was exactly what she was going to do.

  As if she had all the time in the world, she let her hands glide all over his chest, stomach, and arms, delighting in every sigh and groan from his lips. She loved how his muscular body was so different than her own, and she savored the sensation of his skin against hers. The soft sprinkling of golden-brown hair on his arms and chest, and then that treasure trail that led from belly button to his cock. Once her hands were done exploring, she took her lips on the same adventure across his heated flesh, finding even more sensitive spots that she'd never knew existed.

  She was heading farther south when the world suddenly turned on its side and the breath was knocked out of her lungs.

  Somehow, Ryan had lifted up from the mattress and flipped her onto her back. Now he was the one straddling her body wearing an evil genius smile on his face. He leaned down so they were almost nose to nose, his hands on either side of her head.

  "Since this is serious business, I think it's about time to get down to it. I don't think I can wait anymore."

  She could feel him hot, hard, and ready against her thigh.

  I don't want to wait anymore either.

  She's already waited ten years. One more minute just might kill her.

  "I'm on the pill," she blurted out, suddenly realizing that they weren't kids anymore. They had to act like adults. Even back then they'd been careful. "You know...for my periods. It helps."

  She'd had awful, painful cycles until her doctor had found the right pill to help alleviate the symptoms.

  "I'm clean," he replied. "And healthy. But I don't have an issue wearing a condom if you want me to. We can get tested together so we don't have to later."

  Do I have condoms? Yes, I do.

  Liza had bought a box for Mariah after the divorce. It was shoved under the sink in the bathroom because frankly, she hadn't been thinking much about sex after the divorce.

  "I have condoms in the bathroom. Liza bought them for me."

  "That sounds like my sister. No need to go that far. I think I have one in my wallet."

  He quickly took care of the foil packet and then laid on top of her, his weight on his elbows. His lips brushed her cheek and jaw, nuzzling her ear.

  "Are you ready for me, sweetheart? Are you sure about this?"

  "Yes, I'm sure. I don't want to wait anymore."

  He started slowly, pressing forward inch by delicious inch and running over those hidden spots again. By the time he was in to the hilt she could have sworn she could see stars and the world was tilting again. Heat swept over her body, and an impatience took control. She wanted him now. She needed him now. She trusted Ryan with everything she was. She knew he'd never hurt her.

  Because he never had.

  "More," she panted, her nails scoring the skin on his shoulders, urging him to move. "Don't go slow. You know how I like it."

  He remembered it all. How she liked it when he scooped her knees over his elbows so he could thrust harder and faster. The way she loved to feel a little helpless. His rough cheek against her neck, his teeth nibbling at her shoulder. She whispered filthy words of encouragement that she'd never spoken with any other man. She let him take control and he didn't disappoint, their rhythm sending the two of them over the cliff.

  When they finally came down, sucking oxygen into their starved lungs, Ryan fell onto his back, pulling him with her so she was tucked into his side. She pillowed her head on his chest, loving the steady thump of his heart under her ear. It was so right, so solid, so safe and warm. She never wanted to move from here, content to live the rest of her life in this bed with this man.

  They'd have to order food in, of course.

  She was drifting in and out of sleep, Ryan's fingers stroking her skin when she heard it.

  The words.

  She hadn't known how much she wanted them until she heard them.

  "I love you, Mariah."

  The sting of tears behind her closed eyelids matched the ache in her chest. Licking her lips, the words fell easily from her tongue. She didn't want him to think for one minute that she didn't feel the same.

  "I love you, too."

  They would work it all out. It wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it.

  Ryan was worth it.

  It was the same old story. Ryan couldn't sleep.

  He ought to be sawing logs with Mister Sandman after making love with Mariah, but even amazing sex with the love of his life hadn't managed to put him out. His mind was simply too active, constantly keeping him up when most of the world was out like a light. Luckily, he was used to it and honestly, he didn't need much sleep. He could easily function on three or four hours. While Mariah slumbered peacefully, he'd try to get some work done. There was always a never-ending list of reports to do.

  "Some things never change."

  He heard her soft voice before he saw her. He was going through the emails on his phone when her bare feet came into his line of sight. His gaze rose to take her all in and his heart tumbled in his chest. How on earth had he lived one single minute without her?

  She looked absolutely adorable. All sleepy and mussed. Her long dark hair in a riot around her shoulders with a few stray strands sticking up in the back. Mariah's hair had a tendency to curl and a couple were clinging to her creamy cheeks as if for dear life. Wearing a tank top and striped sleep shorts, she yawned and rubbed at her eyes.

  "You're awake again. Do you ever sleep?"

  "I sleep. Just not as much as you do."

  Mariah loved to sleep. She had always extolled the virtues of eight solid hours of sack time a night. Ryan didn't think he'd slept that much even as a child. It simply wasn't in his DNA.

  "I don't know how you do it," she replied, settling down on the couch next to him and cuddling close. She was still warm from being wrapped up in the bedcovers, and he placed his phone on the side table so he could pull her even closer. "I would be a walking zombie if I didn
't sleep most of the time."

  "I'm used to it. I've actually learned to be glad about it over the years. I can stay up and get work done, if I need to, or read or watch television. It's sometimes nice to be awake when the rest of the world is asleep. It's quiet and peaceful."

  She rested her head on his shoulder. "Do you want me to leave you alone then?"

  "No," he laughed. "I like having your company. You can sit here with me as long as you like."

  "I like your company, too." She paused for a moment, but Ryan could tell that she wasn't finished speaking. She had something to say. "I'm not sorry that we did that."

  Ah, they were going to have the talk.

  "I'm not sorry either."

  Another long pause.

  "Did you mean what you said?"

  "About what?"

  "Maybe moving back here."

  She thought he wasn't serious about making compromises. Time to let her know that he really had changed.

  "I meant it. I want this to work between the two of us. It's now one of my main priorities."

  Her fingertips skittered over his arm. "I don't know that I've ever been a priority to you. This will be interesting."

  That was his fault. He hadn't been good at showing her, but then he'd been too young to know what to do. Hopefully, he had a better idea now.

  "I'm sorry that I made you feel that way. Truly sorry. I want you to believe that you're important to me, Mariah. I want you to believe that we can make this work."

  "I do believe it."

  A little bit. But she wasn't completely convinced.

  "We both need to see the change in action. We're different now, and we're still going to make some mistakes. At least I am, but I'm willing to acknowledge them and try to do better."

  "I want to do better, too," she vowed, sitting up so she could look directly at him. "I think I'd like to come out to where you live and look around a bit. Spend some time there. Maybe...maybe I'll move to you instead of you moving here."

  "I think you'd love Seattle, but it's okay if you don't. We'll figure it out. We don't have to make all the decisions tonight."

  "Thank goodness, because I'm fuzzy from lack of sleep."

  He didn't get a chance to reply. His phone buzzed, pulling him away briefly to check who would be sending him a text at two in the morning.

  Logan, of course. He didn't sleep either, plus it was earlier in Seattle. Ryan quickly read through the message, his heart in his throat.

  "You just got a strange look on your face," Mariah said. "Can I ask what's going on?"

  Ryan didn't answer until he'd read through the message a second time. He needed to be sure that he'd understood it correctly.

  "It's a message from my boss Logan. Apparently, someone has confessed to Brad's murder. A guy in state prison. Logan wants me to go talk to him tomorrow." Then Ryan remembered that it was past midnight in Chicago. "I mean today. He's not sure that this person isn't just looking for a few minutes of fame, but we have to check every lead."

  "That's good. You may be able to close the case. The Harrington family will be relieved."

  This would be closure for them, and for Ryan and his friends as well.

  Is that what happened to you, Brad? Were you killed by a stranger?

  Morning couldn't come fast enough. Ryan wanted to talk to this person. He wanted to know what happened that night.

  22

  Ryan was getting dressed in his own apartment the next morning when he heard a banging on the door. He'd just left Mariah less than half an hour ago, popping into his own place to shower and change, so he didn't think it could be her. She'd said something about working in her studio and then later having lunch with Liza.

  "Just a minute," he called out as the banging continued. "Jesus, give it a break."

  This building had a locked front door. How had someone slipped in?

  One look out of the peephole had him chuckling. He should have known.

  Knox Owens - one of his coworkers.

  For all Ryan knew, the guy had crawled up the side of the building and swung in an open window. He was that crazy.

  "You're making a hell of a racket," Ryan said when he opened the door. "A simple knock would have done it."

  "Apparently not," Knox said, walking into the apartment, carrying a small suitcase. "I did knock but no one answered. So I knocked louder."

  "I might not have been here."

  "Jared pinged your phone. You were here."

  That was the problem with working with investigators. They had tricks up their sleeves.

  "I was in the shower. I'm about to make some coffee. Do you want some?"

  Knox grinned and sat down at the kitchen island. "Hook me up to an IV. I couldn't sleep on the plane. The people around me were all snoring. Damn, they were loud. I wouldn't mind some breakfast either, if you were making some for yourself. I'm starving."

  Knox was always starving.

  Ryan retrieved the coffee from the cabinet. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are you here? I thought they were going to send Luke."

  Pretending to be hurt, Knox placed his hand over his heart and sighed. "Wow, that was a sharp stick in the eye. Am I not good enough?"

  "You're good enough. You're just a surprise."

  "Luke's all tangled up in a case. I wrapped up mine yesterday so they put me on the red-eye. No rest for the wicked."

  "I appreciate you coming out," Ryan said, cracking eggs into a bowl. "Hope you like scrambled eggs because that's all I can do with them."

  "No problem. Can I do anything to help?"

  "I got it. There's yogurt and fruit in the refrigerator if you want something more healthy and I have bread for toast. I even have strawberry jam to go on it."

  Courtesy of Liza's grocery run.

  "That all sounds good."

  They didn't talk much as they devoured their food. Knox filled him in on what was going on at the office, and Ryan talked about the status of the case.

  "So we're going to the prison today?" Knox asked, getting up to rinse his plate. Clearly, he was going to be a good guest. His mama had trained him right. "Do you think this guy did it?"

  "I have no idea," Ryan replied. "I've never had a case blown wide open with an out of the blue confession from someone that wasn't even a suspect. It seems a little too easy, if you ask me, but it would be great if this were the answer to all of my unanswered questions. I'm just not sure that I'm that lucky."

  "Do we need a plan when we talk to him? How will we know his confession is real?"

  Ryan drained his coffee cup and then checked his watch. They needed to get on the road. It was a long drive.

  "According to the coroner, Brad was killed with a piece of metal pipe that was found next to his body. It fit the fracture of the skull perfectly. That information has never been released to the public, though. If this guy did it, he's going to know about the pipe. The public only knows that it was blunt force trauma to the head."

  Knox nodded approvingly. "Got it. If he doesn't have that detail it can't be him."

  Ryan had borrowed Mariah's car for the drive to the prison just outside of Chicago. It was a maximum-security facility, and the man they were going to visit was already behind bars for a double murder in a convenience store robbery.

  Tim Muldeen. He had a record as long as Ryan's arm, starting with petty crime when he was a teenager and graduating to more hardcore activities as he aged. He had the perfect storm of a childhood - abusive and poverty-stricken. He was in and out of foster homes, hated school, and his father used him as a punching bag.

  This was what Mariah had been talking about. Ryan may not have had the perfect upbringing but he hadn't been abused in the least. His parents had done their best and he was one lucky son of a bitch to be born into the Beck family.

  Tim Muldeen, on the other hand, had been dealt a losing hand from birth. It wasn't difficult to imagine the man hitting another human being with a metal pipe.

  Muldeen was
a murderer. But was he Brad's murderer? Only time would tell.

  Mariah knew she wasn't going to get away with not talking to Liza about what she'd seen last night so instead she decided to face it head on. She scheduled a lunch for the two of them because the sooner they talked about it, the sooner they could all move on.

  She was sure that Liza was going to be thrilled about Mariah's second try with Ryan. She'd been pushing for it and now she was getting what she'd wanted for so long.

  So when she sat down at the table with Liza, she didn't bother to beat around the bush.

  "Yes, we're back together. We're going to give it another try."

  Letting out a squeal that had heads turning in the restaurant, Liza hopped out of her chair and gave Mariah a huge hug.

  "I'm so excited," she gushed, finally sitting down again. She was bouncing around in her chair though, her cheeks red with excitement. She looked like a five-year-old with a sugar-laden birthday cake. "I knew that if you two just spent a little time together that you'd see that you were meant to be. Oh my gosh, you're going to be my sister for real now."

  Mariah laughed and held up her hands in a surrender motion. "Easy there, we haven't plighted our troth or anything like that. We're not planning a wedding."

  "Not yet," Liza said, her eyes sparkling. "But you will be. Ryan's the marrying kind. He wants kids, too. You want kids, right? This is so wonderful. I'm going to be an auntie."

  "Could you please slow down? We're just in the beginning stages of this. Don't book a church, okay? I'm not even sure that I want to get married again, and you don't know for sure that Ryan wants to get married."

  "He does," Liza said, nodding knowingly. "And since when are you anti-marriage?"

  "The divorce wasn't easy. I don't really want to go through that again."

  "But you and Ryan would never get a divorce."

  "You have so much faith in us," Mariah chuckled. "I wish I had your optimism."

  That was the thing about the Beck family. They were so gosh darn sure that they were completely right. Even Liza was that way.