Emily (Dreamcatchers Romantic Suspense Series Book 1) Read online

  After sitting there watching Reece flip and back and forth for nearly an hour, talking now and then on the phone to some guy named Mark, Emily was frustrated, tipsy, and out of wine. Each time he spoke to Mark, Reece had gotten angrier, until it almost like a volcano that was about to blow was sitting next to her on the couch. She wondered what was going on with all the back and forth phone calls, but she didn’t ask. The last thing Emily wanted was to piss Reece off further or make him change his mind on sharing parts of the investigation with her. She flopped back on the couch with a sigh as Reece resumed his pacing, in silence this time. Her thoughts wandered back to the last time her dreams had plagued her. The last time she’d dreamed of the man had been the night Lily had died. When the murders had stopped, so too had her dreams. There was no way that was a coincidence. She let out another sigh, this time, loud enough for Reece to hear her. Oops. He stopped his pacing and sat down beside her.

  “The knife,” she said slowly, her eyes widening at the thought. Her head swimming slightly from the alcohol, remembering her dreams again was a little less scary, and a detail her mind usually sped over had made itself more clear. Go figure, getting tipsy at least was actually useful for a change. “I’m sure I’ve seen the patterns before, somewhere else, and his tattoo…” her voice trailed off.

  “Could you describe the tattoo to a sketch artist?”

  Emily shook her head. “No, I could only see the outline of black ink. It was too dark to make out the shapes.”

  Reece ran his hand across his face in frustration. “OK, the knife. You’ve seen those markings before? Where?”

  Emily’s eyes drifted close. “Let me think for a moment,” she stood without realizing it, her legs having a mind of her own, and took over Reece’s pacing role. At this rate, she really would have a hole in her rug. Her new rug that had cost nearly a whole day’s wages. She wanted to drop back into her chair, but her feet moved almost of their own volition as her thoughts churned. Somewhere in the back her mind she vowed to never get cranky at Reece for pacing again.

  “Emily? Anything?” he urged her.

  She stopped and frowned at him. “I’m trying here.”

  “We’re at a dead end here, Emily. I need to know what’s locked away in that head of yours, and I need to know now.”

  One thing was for certain, this man sure knew how to ruin a moment. She sure as hell didn’t want to kiss him now. In fact, punching him in the face sounded like a great idea. Maybe Hannah had been wrong, maybe he was only interested in what she could give him to solve the case. Tonight was the first time he’d shown any physical affection toward her since their kiss, and it had been just holding her hand for fucks sake. She needed to get a grip.

  “Comments like that don’t help,” she shot back at him. “They just piss me off.”

  “What should piss you off is that there’s a goddamn killer after you, that he’s killing other innocent women.”

  His words hit her like a cold slap in the face, and any hope she had of concentrating flew away. Did he honestly think she didn’t realize that? Didn’t feel as guilty as hell that anyone else had died? Emily stopped her pacing and slumped down on the floor, resting her back against the wall. Reece shook his head and pressed a hand to his forehead. He briefly shot her a look before standing again and walking to the other side of the room, making yet another phone call. She rest her head back against the wall, her anger growing when Reece didn’t sit back on the couch after hanging up the phone.

  “You know, you can be a real asshole sometimes. I’ve been trying to figure out what makes you so hot and then cold again,” Emily stood and walked over to him, poking him in the shoulder when he didn’t reply. “The only thing I can think of is that someone must have really screwed you over.”

  “So says the crazy woman,” he replied without missing a beat.

  “OK, so now I know what you really think of me,” Emily said, blinking back angry tears that flooded her eyes.

  Reece almost growled, pulling on his hair before stepping up to her. “No!” he said, stepping in closer and leaning his forehead against hers. “It’s just, the thought of you in danger nearly make me lose my shit. You have no idea how I feel about you,” he whispered.

  “Then do me a favor and just tell me, so that I can stop beating my head ag—” Emily’s words were cut short as Reece’s strong arms reached around her and pulled her into him. He walked her backward into the wall, caging her between its hardness and his own. The fire in his eyes blazed as he slowly bent his head down, touching his lips to hers and silencing any further protests she had. His mouth moved softly but firmly against hers.

  Emily melted into the kiss, and Reece’s gentle embrace that followed. One hand reached up to cup her face and the other pulled her off the wall and into him. She slipped her hands beneath the open collar of his shirt and touched his bare skin, Reece sucking in a sharp breath at her touch. His lips touched to her forehead, and he braced his hands against the wall on either side of her.

  “Emily,” Reece almost breathed her name.

  She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek into his hard chest, burying her fingers in his hair. “It’s OK,” she whispered back.

  One of his fingers touched beneath her chin, lifting her face to look into his eyes as he kissed her again. It was a gentle, whisper of a kiss but for Emily, it said everything Reece hadn’t been able to say out loud. His lips moved against hers in a longing that echoed her own. His hard body felt incredible pressed up against hers. It had been so long she had forgotten just how euphoric skin against skin contact could be. But then, every other prior experience had already paled in comparison to Reece’s touch, and they were just kissing. If there were a heaven, then she’d found it here.

  His fingers glided down her body to rest softly on her hips as he walked them backward toward the bedroom door, the intensity of his kisses increasing with every step. When her knees touched the edge of the bed, he gently pushed her backward, falling with her without breaking the kiss. His lips left hers then, trailing down her cheek and then her neck, as he slowly unbuttoned her shirt, slipping it from her shoulders. Emily let out a deep sigh, reveling in the feeling of his hand running the entire length of her arm, his fingers entwining with hers. His touch left a trail of gooseflesh behind it. Reece lifted her arms and held her wrists on the bed above her head, kissing her long and deep. He pressed himself tightly against her. So tight she almost couldn’t breathe, but Emily wasn’t sure she wanted to if it meant stopping kissing Reece. The hard length of him pressed into her thigh, and it took her remaining breath away.

  Reece released her hands then, and Emily’s fingers found a new home tangled deeply in his hair as he feathered kisses down her neck to the curve of her collarbone, his breath hot against her sensitive skin. Emily shivered at the sensation and felt him smile against her skin before his tongue darted out and he licked her neck right across the sweet spot he’d found, grinning as he looked down at her. Oh yeah, he knew exactly what he was doing to her. Reece tilted his head to the side, his eyes asking the question. Emily let her eyes drifted closed in response and Reece’s fingers drifted upwards again, making easy work of the front clasp of her bra. He removed it along with her shirt, throwing them over the side of the bed. Lowering his head, Reece left a trail of kisses down the center of her chest before moving left and ghosting his lips across the tops of her breasts. His hands cupped them gently, grazing his thumbs over her nipples before he swiftly took one in his mouth, sucking it hard as this thumb tweaked the other. Emily’s body jerked at the pleasure.

  “That feels so good,” she sighed, lowering her gaze to watch him, his dark head moving against her, giving her the pleasure she craved, that she needed from him. His warm mouth swapped to her other breast and Emily’s head dropped back down at the pleasure coursing through her. His tongue flicked against the sensitive tip and his teeth then nipped her gently, making Emily cry out. A warmth bloomed inside her and traveled directly to her core. S
he groaned softly as his mouth continued its ministrations, Reece’s right hand moving slowly toward the sensitive skin on her thighs. He stroked her there, his hand drifting over her skin, stopping just before it reached where Emily longed for his touch.

  Damn it, he was still wearing far too many clothes.

  Emily reached up and slowly unbuttoned Reece’s shirt, slipping it over his shoulders and throwing it to join the pile on the floor. She ran her fingers up and down his strong back, his muscles rippling as her fingers passed over each one. Emily loved every bit of his raw masculine strength. His skin was hot beneath her fingertips, and she felt a slow pulse of pleasure start.

  Reece lifted himself from pressing deeply against her, and Emily took a moment to stare shamelessly at his shirtless body. The sight of his well-toned chest made her already weak knees tremble, and her tongue darted out to lick her lips. Well damn, if there was such a thing as an orgasm for the eyes. His strong shoulders lead to toned pecs above—oh my god, was that an eight pack? —sculpted abs, a thin trail of hair pointing directly to a well-defined bulge in his jeans. God, she wanted to lick over every bump of his abs and follow that happy trail all the way down to its final destination.

  Reece grinned at her. “What are you looking at?”

  Emily sat up and ran her fingertips across his chest, tugging at the slight scattering of hair there before tracing each ab muscle, her fingers pausing at his belt buckle. “You,” she said, lowering her lips to his stomach.

  Reece let out a low groan as her tongue met his skin. “God, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he whispered, his hands reaching out to her stomach, mimicking her own movements. His eyes roamed over her and he smiled. A sudden burst of shyness overtook her and she lifted her hands to cover to breasts. Bringing them back down to the bed, Reece took each of her hands in his own and kissed each palm before lowering his head back to her breasts.

  “You are gorgeous,” he whispered, before taking her nipple in his mouth again. His hands played against her skin, and Emily resumed her exploration, slipping her fingers into the waistband of his jeans. She traced around his abdomen until her hands reached his front, where she slowly unbuckled his belt and then undid the button at the top of his jeans. Reece looked at her and grinned, raising an eyebrow. Emily lifted her head from the pillow and kissed him hard in response. He angled his head and deepened the kiss, the sensation of his naked chest against hers almost overwhelming. Emily wanted him completely naked and on top of her, right now. She wanted all of him, to feel every inch of his body against her, and inside her.

  Her hands took on an urgency now, and she unzipped his jeans, pushing them down over his hips. Reece’s hands followed hers, and he found the side closure on her skirt, easing her out of it, followed quickly by her panties. As they passed over her hips, Emily slipped her hand inside his boxer briefs and closed her hand around the length of him.

  Reece tensed and then groaned into her mouth as her hand encircled him, and she gave him a gentle squeeze. “Fuck, Emily…” he moaned. Emily pulled down on the waistband of his jeans with her free hand, forcing them down further. She needed to feel all of him. Reece took over, ridding himself of his shoes and socks, and then quickly sliding off his jeans. He pushed her legs open further with his knee and settled between them, resting his weight on top of her. Emily felt his fabric covered cock make contact with her core and she whimpered. Reece responded by kissing her again, thrusting himself against her. Her eyes nearly rolled back into her head. Shit. She’d spent nearly the entire week reliving their first kiss. If she’d had this on her mind, she would have spontaneously combusted. The man was pure sin.

  Grabbing a hold of his shoulder, Emily rolled until she was on top, straddling his legs. Reece chuckled and smiled up at her with an expression on his face that made her want to rock, to move against him. His black boxer briefs clung to his body, fitting him as though they were tailored just for him. All of him, and oh my, Reece wasn’t small. His erection was pressing hard against the thin fabric, and she teased him through it, massaging him before gently cupping his balls. Reece groaned again, thrusting his hips up into her again and again, as she caught his lips. Emily kissed his mouth and down his neck before pausing to rest her body on top of his, her hands on his hard pecs, letting her arousal wash over her as she felt him continue to move beneath her.

  “I want you,” he whispered as she trailed more kisses down his chest. Her lips closed over his nipple and she grazed her teeth across the flat disc. His hands gripped her head as he pulled her up and to his mouth for another kiss. Reece’s hands moved to grip her ass and press her into him. Emily broke the kiss, moaning quietly as his erect cock pressed against her clit, sending sparks of pleasure through her. Running her hands along his thighs, she quickly found the top of his boxers and pulled them down over his hips. She pushed them down as far as she could reach before Reece took over and tugged them off the rest of the way with his feet, refusing to remove his hands from her ass, squeezing her again as Emily gasped. Reece used her moment of distraction to roll them again, flipping her under him. Taking one of her nipples into his mouth and then the other, sucking on them until both were hard and red. His hand stroked down toward her thighs again, but this time, he didn’t stop, brushing his fingers lightly over her core as he sucked. Emily writhed on the bed as bliss sizzled through every nerve. Her heart pounded and her breaths quickened. Reece slipped a single finger inside of her, stroking the hunger building inside Emily. Her hips jerked, pressing the palm of his hand against her clit and she nearly combusted. God, she was going to come before he even got inside her.

  “Take me, Reece. Make love to me.”

  A shudder ran through him at her words. Laving her nipple with his tongue one last time, he withdrew his finger, sucking it into his mouth and licking it clean of her moisture, his eyes closing at the taste.

  “Mmm Emily, you taste divine. I can’t wait to make you come on my tongue, but right now I have to get inside you.”

  Scooping his jeans off the floor, Reece quickly rifled through his pockets and retrieved the small foil wrapped package. Ripping it open with his teeth he sheathed his cock before nestling himself back between her thighs. Emily could feel the length of him twitching and pulsing, but even as she rocked her hips forward Reece stayed where he was, the tip of his cock just brushing the outside of her entrance.

  “Are you sure, sweetheart? Once I’ve had you, I’m not sure I’ll ever be letting you go.”

  Emily smiled up at him and kissed him again, giving him the consent he sought. She reached her hands up and around his neck, pulling him down into her. His lips met hers again as he slipped the tip of himself inside her wet and waiting core. Her muscles tightened at the intrusion and then relaxed as Reece’s tongue slid against hers. He pushed a little deeper and then pleasure crackled up her spine as Reece rocked forward, pushing himself deep and filling her completely.

  The room around Emily blurred as she lifted her hips to meet each thrust with her own. The friction grew between them, and her fingers dug into his ass, pushing him even deeper as his tongue explored her mouth. She could see nothing beyond him, feel nothing but him, and nothing else mattered in the world but the feeling of him moving inside her. Pleasure swirled through her, and trails of fire licked at every place Reece touched as the climax that was now boiling through her veins overtook her. The world splintered as her core tightened and her back arched as ecstasy overwhelmed her. Reece’s lips found her breast again as his thrusts quickened. He pushed his cock deep inside her before holding himself there, letting out a low moan as she felt him pulse inside of her, her core milking every drop of pleasure from him.

  Emily was still catching her breath in the aftermath when Reece rolled them onto their sides a moment later, still deep inside her. This is what heaven must be like. Emily wanted nothing more than to be left in the afterglow with the man who had just dazzled her entire being. As the world returned, she heard the smattering of rai
n against her windows, and she burrowed into Reece’s warm embrace. After several long moments, he kissed her and then withdrew from her body with a groan, taking a moment to dispose of the condom. Returning to bed, Reece lay beside her and hugged her close as the rain picked up in earnest outside. Emily rested her head on his chest, counting his heartbeats and tracing patterns across his skin. Reece remained silent, holding her close as their breathing returned to normal.

  “A penny for your thoughts,” he spoke quietly after several minutes, just loudly enough for her to hear him.

  “You,” she whispered back, hugging him to her. “My thoughts, my dreams, are only about you.”

  She could feel him smile against the top of her head as he lifted her face to drop a light kiss on her lips. Her eyes closed and Emily smiled. Sex, warm embraces, and a lot of tender loving care. It was just what the doctor had ordered.

  But it wouldn’t last.

  20

  She couldn’t see more than a couple of feet in front of her. The world was dark, and everything around her had lost its color. The drab gray of the street she was standing on chilled her feet, and the silence was broken only by the wind that blew unrestrained. Fear rooted her to the spot, and she knew this was no ordinary dream. This was no ordinary place. Her head shifted from one side to the other, looking for anything familiar. This wasn’t an alley, it was an empty street. A street without a single house, the trees that lined the darkness obstructing her view of anything else. She tried to look beyond them, but she could see nothing. When she turned her head back toward the north, the mist crawling down the street became a menacing threat. She turned and ran.

  “Emily,” she heard the soft voice calling to her. A woman. “Emily.”

  Her feet stopped running, and she looked toward the mist that was no slowly receding. The voice called again, but she couldn’t move. She could do nothing but stare into the fog, waiting for something horrible to jump out at her.