She sucked and licked until he tried to stop. “Babe, I’m going to come.”
She didn’t let go, instead holding tightly to his ass. With a few more thrusts and a loud groan, he came, and she sucked until he was spent.
He dropped his chin and stared down at her. Quickly shucking off his shoes and pushing his pants and boxers the rest of the way off, he bent and pulled her into his arms. “Christ, babe, you own me. Absolutely own me.”
His lips landed on hers, and his kiss stole her breath. He traveled down her body, sucking lightly on her neck before continuing on his way. She squirmed as the sensation sent shock waves through her body, but his loving assault continued.
Raising her head, she watched as he kissed a trail of open-mouthed, wet kisses from her breasts down her stomach, ending between her legs. Throwing her head back on her pillow as the sensations swept over her, she clutched the comforter with her fingers.
Rachel rocked her hips upward, unable to keep still. He chuckled, placing his large hand on her stomach to hold her in place. She cried out as sparks flew out from her core in all directions.
Lifting her head, she admired Jack’s physique towering over her. Seeing him naked, his muscular body proudly on display, her chest heaved as she dragged in a deep breath. He kissed her legs as he moved up her body, nipping at her stomach before moving to her breasts. Lowering his hips between her legs after rolling on a condom, he halted before entering.
“Be glad when we don’t need these fuckers.”
She burst out laughing, but had to admit she used to dream about having Jack’s babies. But before her thoughts could go down that road, he leaned over while resting his weight on one hand as he admired her body. She felt seen and loved.
“Hey, Rach,” he whispered against her smiling lips.
“Hi,” she whispered in return.
He plunged deep inside her in one thrust, and she groaned at the sensations filling her. Her hips moved upward to meet him as his thrusts became more forceful, as though reaching for a secret place inside her that he wanted to touch. With that intensity, it didn’t take long until she was moaning his name, and his release followed quickly.
They lay tangled together, breathing hard, Rachel's hand resting over Jack's heart, feeling the pounding.
“I love you,” Jack said into the quiet. “I need you to know that. I love you, Rachel. Not the version of you I remember from when we were kids. You. Right now. Exactly as you are.”
Rachel felt tears prick her eyes. “I love you too. And I'm not going anywhere.”
“Good.” Jack's arms tightened around her. “Because I plan on keeping you this time.”
They stayed wrapped up in each other, the stress of the day finally fading into something manageable. Eventually, they made love again, sweeter and slower this time, with none of the desperation but all of the need.
Afterward, Rachel lay with her head on Jack's chest, tracing idle patterns on his skin. “What’s going on with the investigation?” she asked quietly.
“I'm going to talk to Dad and Mark tomorrow,” Jack said. “Keep them up to speed while we wait on the state lab reports. And then we're going to figure out how to handle this without putting you or the kids at risk.”
“It could be a coach, a parent, another staff member, or even another student,” she moaned. “We have no idea.”
“Then we'll figure that out too.” Jack pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “But I've got you. And I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise.”
Rachel closed her eyes and let herself believe him. Just like so long ago, they were in it together. And that made all the difference.
27
Jack sat at his desk in the detectives' bullpen, staring at his computer screen without really seeing it. The hum of conversation around him faded into background noise as his mind kept circling back to those boys in the dugout.
Oval pale-yellow pills. A man in a hoodie. Promises of improved performance and championships.
Jack's jaw tightened. He'd seen this kind of thing before, though not in Baytown. In the Navy, there'd been guys who'd taken things they shouldn't have, chasing an edge that always came with a price. Some of them paid for it with damaged kidneys or heart problems. Some paid for it with their careers. A few paid for it with their lives.
And now someone was pushing something on kids.
Mark Robbins appeared at Jack's elbow, a manila folder in his hand. “Got something,” he said quietly.
Jack looked up. Mark's expression carried an intense sharpness that made Jack's pulse kick up. “The lab report?” Jack asked.
Mark nodded and set the folder on Jack's desk. “Just came in. Thought you'd want to see it right away.”
