Cowboy Love (23 page)

Tanner slipped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "Hey, baby, doing anythin' tonight?" His familiar scent wrapped itself through her senses and she sighed.

"Um…I don't know. What did you have in mind?" Shivers ran down her arms as he caressed the side of her neck with his lips.

"I'm sure I could show you a good time." His warm breath whispered against her ear.

"I don't think it would be wise. My boyfriend is supposed to be meeting me here and he doesn't like to share."

"You're damned right I don't," he growled, spinning her in his arms before his mouth came down on hers, slanting across her lips as she groaned. They were both breathing hard when he finally lifted his head and she smiled.

"You didn't happen to notice a very handsome stranger around here, did you? He just propositioned me." She laughed, rubbing against him as his cock pressed prominently against her stomach.

Tanner leaned in until her spine met the car behind her and his hands bracketed her shoulders as his forehead met hers.

"I chased him off for you. I knew you weren't enticed by his suggestion anyway."

"Darn it! I thought maybe you might be interested in a threesome. I've never tried that. Of course, you are more than enough to keep me busy." She ran her hands up his chest to wrap them in his hair and she felt him tremble slightly under her touch.

"No way, lady, you're mine."

"I like the sound of that."

She groaned as he pressed his lips to hers again, loving the feel of him next to her.

After a moment, he pulled away and wrapped his arm around her waist possessively as they walked toward the door.

* * * *

Tanner waved at George when they passed him on the way to the elevator. He remembered how the guard had kept Jack from going up stairs that night and when the police questioned him about the assault, George backed up his story of self-defense after Jack swung first. "He sure looks out for the residents of this building."

"That's his job I guess, but he sure seems to take things seriously."

"So what's the plan for our short time together?" He nuzzled her neck, wanting nothing more than to get her alone.

"I'm sure you can help me think of something."

The elevator finally opened and they moved inside. As the doors began to close, someone stuck their hand between the panels, stopping them from closing all the way. With a sly grin, Jack entered and the door shut behind him, enveloping the three in uncomfortable silence.

Amy stiffened next to Tanner as Jack said, "Well, hello again. Can you push five for me? Thanks."

Tanner pushed the button for the fifth floor as she snarled, "What are you doing here, Jack?"

"Relax, Amy. I'm here visiting someone. I know how much you miss me and all, but I have other interests besides you." His maniacal smile sent shivers down her spine.

Tanner pushed Amy behind him, stepping between her and Jack.

"Relax, wannabe. I'm not after your pretty little filly. She's worn out her usefulness to me, and once the hospital gets done with her, you'll probably need to move her down where you come from. She won't be able to work anywhere in Dallas." He laughed as the doors opened to the fifth floor and he stepped out. He tipped his hat to a young woman who waited for the elevator, right before she walked in and Amy wondered at the glance exchanged between the two.

When the door slid shut with Jack on the other side, she shuddered and Tanner wrapped his arms around her.

"Well, hello, Amy. I didn't realize you lived here."

Amy lifted her head to meet the intense stare of a co-worker from the hospital. "Hi, Anna."

"How is life treating you?"

"Good. I'm trying to stay out of trouble."

"I'm sure you are."

The elevator shuttered to a halt.

"This is our stop. Nice to see you, Anna."

"You too, Amy."

Amy and Tanner stepped out and as the door slid shut behind them, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his shoulder for a moment before she whispered, "Jack's crazy."

"You need to stay away from him as much as you can. Who knows what the man will do to get back at you?"

"I feel sorry for who he's got his sights set on now. Lord knows if the girl has any clue what he's like. Maybe I need to find out so I can warn whomever he's hooked up with."

Tanner pushed her back so he could look into her face. "Don't get involved, Amy. I'm afraid you'll get hurt."

"I have to, Tanner. If I can prevent someone else from going through what he's put me through, don't you think I need to try?"

"You, my love, need to stay away from him." Tanner ran his fingers down her cheek. "Enough of this in the hall, I want you alone."

No more was said as they walked down the hall to her apartment. Once inside, she reached for Tanner, pulled him into her arms and slanted her mouth over his. Her tongue slid along the crease of his lips, caressing until he opened to her touch with a groan. She slipped her hands up his chest to the opening of his shirt, yanking until the buttons popped off and flew across the room.

He pulled his mouth from hers and grinned as he said, "In a hurry?"

"Yes, I want you," she growled, tugging his shirt out of his jeans, and slipping the material off his shoulders, before reaching for the belt buckle he wore.

Grasping her hands in his, he stopped her from unbuckling his belt and she looked up at him in confusion.

"Slow down. This ain't a race," he murmured against her mouth as he slowly caressed her shoulder, and then skimmed across her arm. Up her side his fingers played until he took her breast in his palm.

"I think you do this to torture me," she whispered as a shiver rolled down her spine.

He grinned as he looked into her eyes.

His lips licked at her flesh, until he took her nipple in his mouth and lapped at it with his tongue through the fabric of her shirt. A moan rose in her throat, escaping between her clenched teeth.

He reached for the tie at her waist, pulling the knot free and slipping her scrubs from her hips before he lifted her up and brought her long legs around his hips. The rasp of denim on her clit sent her need spiraling as she moaned.

Her bare ass hit the icy stone of the island countertop and she squealed, "Shit, that's cold!"

He chuckled softly as he slipped her shirt and bra off, before he pushed her back so she laid flat on the stone and kissed his way from her lips to her chest. He raked his mouth over her right nipple, nipping at the pink tip with his teeth. She threaded her fingers through his hair as she held his head harder against the aching tip and whimpered deep in her throat. His tongue licked at her skin as he worked his way down her abdomen and she spread her legs, begging for his mouth. When he reached her throbbing center and his tongue made a wide sweep from her vagina to her clit, her hips came off the cold surface beneath her, pleading for more pressure.

"God Tanner, please. Make me come. I need to, please." Her frantic appeal echoed in the stillness of the kitchen.

He lifted his head as she softly complained at the loss of tactile sensation. "I want inside you when you come, milkin' my cock, ripplin' around me."

Her eyes opened to mere slits at his words, and she watched him strip off his jeans. Grabbing her hips, he slid her across the hard surface until she her ass met the edge. She spread her legs wider as his cock nudged at her opening.

"Now. Fuck me now."

A tortured groan slipped from between his lips as he plunged into her pussy, his hips thrusting against hers. His finger found her clit, massaging the hard nub as he hammered into her and she almost came unglued.

"Faster, harder."

"Your wish is my command," he whispered as his tempo increased. The slap of skin and the grunts of pleasure rang in the air around them.

Blood rushed out of her head to her belly as liquid seep from where they were coupled together. Warmth spread quickly from her toes and up her legs, bursting over her in a rush tingles as sparks burst behind her eyelids and she scream his name. He joined her a moment later with soft cries of, "Oh God."

* * * *

Two shadows blended in the night as their tongues entwined, each seeking satisfaction from the other. The rip of material echoed in the apartment as the moonlight filtered through the window, casting the bodies in silver light.

"Now, I want you now," the woman whispered, fumbling with the buttons on the front of the man's shirt.

The man chuckled as he untied the pants at her waist, sliding the string out of the waistband and pushed them down until she kicked them off. "Impatient?"

"Yes. You've been teasing me for weeks. I need to feel your hard dick ramming inside me."

"Patience, my pet," he said, pulling her hands away and leading her to the couch. "You need to fill me in on the details first."

"Why? I've already told you."

"Everything is in place as we discussed?"

"Yes, damn it! I've done everything you asked. The narcotic count has been off for weeks, but only on the days she's there."

"Now, will you fuck me?" she pleaded, her fingers finding her clit and massaging it with increasing force.

His lips trailed down her cheek to bite at the curve of her neck as the woman whimpered. He pulled her off the couch, pushed her down on the floor and lifted her hips as he spread her thighs. Reaching down, he rasped his zipper open and grabbed his enormous erection in his hand. Hips in position, he slammed into her, almost sliding her across the floor with the force of his thrust. His climax rushed through him on a strangled moan as the woman beneath him screamed his name.

Several moments later, he disengaged himself from her and buttoned his pants again. Walking toward the balcony door, he watched the skyline shimmer on the wave of the coming morning. The woman slipped up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He turned in her arms and bent his head to kiss her neck. When he lifted his head, the string from her scrubs was wrapped tightly around her neck. He kissed her mouth as her hands grasped the binding, tugging and clawing while her breath became ragged and rasping.

"Sorry my pet, but I can't leave witnesses."

"But, I thought," her strangled words whispered from between her lips, "you loved me?"

"No, sweetheart, I don't. I only love one and it's not you." He pulled the string tighter until she gasped her last breath and slumped against him.

* * * *

The next morning found Amy and Tanner lying side-by-side in her bed sound asleep until the phone rang, bringing them both upright.

With a groan, Amy rolled over and grabbed the receiver as Tanner pulled the pillow over his head.

"Yeah, who is this?" she grumbled.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetheart. I wanted to check on you. I thought you might be upset." She vaguely heard the words as she settled back on the pillows trying not to go back to sleep.

"Why would I be upset, Mom? I don't know you are talking about."

"You haven't heard?"

"Mom, please," she said, coming alert, as Tanner rolled over beside her.

"They found a woman dead in your building this morning."

Amy dropped the phone into her lap as the words sunk into her brain and she gasped, making Tanner come fully awake.

"What's the matter?"

"Someone died in this building last night," she whispered.

Chapter 17

"What? No way!"

"Amy?" She heard from the bedding where she dropped the receiver.

She grabbed the phone again. "Sorry, Mom. I dropped the phone."

"Did I hear someone?"

"Uh…yeah, Mom. You heard Tanner."

"Tanner? Amy, who's Tanner?"

"I can't explain right now, Mom. Tanner is the guy I'm seeing now." The doorbell rang. "I need to go. I'll call you later."

She hung up the phone and, she turned to the man beside her. He rolled out of the other side of the bed, slipping on his pants. "I'll get it. You probably should get dressed. We need to find out what's going on."

She watched him button his jeans and head toward the living room before she slipped out of the other side of the bed and walked to the dresser to pull out some clean clothing.

"Who the hell are you? No, we don't have any comments concernin' the homicide in the buildin' last night. Now, please leave." The firmness in Tanner's voice drove her from the bed as she quickly put on her clothes. She crossed the threshold as Tanner forcibly shut the door.

"What was that all about?"

"Reporters. There are several outside who want a comment from you concernin' the murder here. Flip on the television." Tanner locked the door, before he moved to her side.

She sat on the couch, grabbed the remote and turned on the television. She gasped as the news channel showed the front of her apartment building and several reporters.

"This is Joyce Allen and we are live, here at the Mayfield/Rochester Apartment complex in the suburb of Hazelton, to report on the death of a young woman here by the name of Anna Cooper. She worked at Fort Worth Metropolitan Hospital as a registered nurse on the tenth floor. Our question this morning is why was she found here in a hallway on the fifth floor of this apartment complex with obvious ligature marks on her neck?"

"Oh my God, I know her! I work with her. She's the woman in the elevator last night. How horrible," Amy whispered.

"Many questions go unanswered, but we are hoping someone here can unravel the puzzle. Another nurse who works with this young woman also lives in this building, but Ms. Russell is unavailable for comment this morning. We will continue to try to get a statement from Ms. Russell as the investigation continues. We will bring you breaking news as things develop. Back to you, Marty."

"What the hell is going on, Tanner?"

"I don't know, but we need to find out. Chris might be able to give us some insight. Let me call her," he said, picking up his cell phone and dialing.

When Chris answered, Amy heard their murmurs as she tried to wrap her mind around the facts. Anna died sometime last night, here in her apartment building.
Who could have killed her?
Her scattered thoughts ricocheted back to the present when Tanner said goodbye and hung up the phone.