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Standard disclaimer.

Stevie showed up shortly after I showered and dried my hair.

Dressed in jeans and a shirt that said, THIS GIRL NEEDS A NAP, I dragged myself out to the living room. Seemed fitting, as I plopped down on the comfy couch and watched him, who watched his brother sit next to me.

Like sit waaay close to me.

Sam's leg was touching mine and his arm was draped along the back of my couch. If we were any closer, we'd be joined at the hip.

Stevie's shrewd stare missed nothing, as he sat in the chair opposite the couch, near the French doors.

"What's going on, little brother?"

"What's it look like?" Sam replied.

Truth be told, I had no idea how to answer what was going on between us. Even though we'd cleared the air and we were 'starting over' or something like that, I wasn't sure if we were at the stage, where we were willing to announce, whatever it was we were doing.

"Looks like my hand, is about to do a meet and greet, with the back of your head," Stevie retorted.

Sam chuckled deeply, and I couldn't repress the shiver in response, to the deep, rolling sound.

"Is he doing good by you?" Stevie directed that question to me.

I glanced around, like someone would pop out from behind the couch and answer the question for me.

"Yeah."

"He better." His voice dropped low, as he shot a warning look at Sam, who in return simply smirked. "Or I'm sure your father and either one of your brothers, will kick his ass."

My lips twitched, as I tried to picture my younger brother fighting anything, that didn't involve a hand controller and an Xbox.

Stevie reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a small notebook and pen. He flipped the notebook open, and just like his brother, Cop Face appeared.

Time to get serious.

"I need you to tell me everything that has happened, skipping no details. Okay? Even if it's small, it could be something huge."

I clasped my hands together, drew in a deep breath, and I told him everything, starting with the remote in the fridge and ending with the picture of me on my phone.

Through it all, he scribbled it down and Sam remained silent by my side. And when I got to the undies in the dishwasher part, he moved his hand from the back of the couch, to my shoulder, where his fingers sought out the tense muscles there and worked them over.

"Anything else?" Stevie asked, pen hovering over the notebook.

I couldn't help, but feel like I'd forgotten something.

I racked my brain, but couldn't quite put a finger on what was prompting that feeling.

"No," I said finally.

"Has anyone been causing you problems?" he asked.

I almost said no.

"I went on a date with this guy. His name is Sean Cook. I mean, I don't think he's a psycho, but he's kind of persistent."

I dared a quick peek at Sam when I felt him stiffened.

"And there's Patrick Karofsky. He came to the bar Friday night, but Noah ran him off."

Stevie scribbled down those names.

"I've got Patrick's info. Is Sean's on your phone?"

I nodded.

"If it's not them, do you think this is related to what's been happening?"

He glanced at Sam before he answered.

"Right now, there's no way to be sure. I've got to do some interviews with the victims, but as far as I know, they haven't reported anything like this."

"I'm not sure if I should be relieved by that or not," I admitted.

"No matter what, you're safe, Sam said." He slid his hand through my hair, curving his fingers along the nape of my neck. My gaze met his. "I'll make sure of that."

"Even if it doesn't have anything to do with the serial rapist, what's happening can't be taken lightly," Stevie said.

He slipped the notebook into his jacket, as I sucked in a harsh breath.

He'd said it. A serial rapist was here, targeting women. My stomach twisted.

"Someone is obviously stalking you, Mercedes. They've been doing it for a while, and taking that picture..."

"Means the fucker behind this is escalating," Sam said.

He withdrew his hand and rocked forward. His eyes were like chips of green ice.

"Before, he was doing things that didn't really alert you to his presence. Now he is."

"Agreed," Stevie said. His eyes, which were so much like his brother's, met mine. "This is serious, Mercedes."

"I know. It's not like I don't think it is. Trust me."

Sam arched a brow.

"Then, you will have no problem, with the fact you can't stay at your apartment. Not until we find out who is behind this."

I opened my mouth.

"The only way that apartment is safe for you, is if we nail those windows shut, which would be a stupid idea," Sam explained. "Cause, if there's a fire, you're screwed, if you're in one of the bedrooms and trapped."

"What about a security system?" I asked, glancing between the brothers. "They aren't as expensive as before."

"You're right on the monthly charges, but the installation and all the window and door sensors, is where they get you," Stevie advised.

Frustrated, I twisted toward Sam, my eyes wide.

"I cannot be run out of my home, Sam. I can't deal with that."

His jaw clenched.

"You're going to have to deal with it, babe. I want you safe. I'm not going to argue about it. It'll be temporary. We know a guy who can probably cut us a deal on the install."

Stevie nodded.

"He's a city cop down in Philadelphia. I know he'll do it. He owes us, but it may take a week or two. We'll be on his schedule, but I know for sure, he's got his kid next weekend."

'Beggars can't be choosers.'

"Okay. I guess I can stay with San or my parents until then."

Sam tilted his head to the side.

"Babe, you can stay with me. Nope, I can see your head working and your mouth is about to start working..."

My eyes narrowed.

"...But you'll be safe here. No doubt about that, and I'm sure you'd rather be here, than with your parents or San, because, both of them live a hell of a lot further away from Marcy's." He grinned at me. "Plus, I'm just better company."

"Debatable," muttered Stevie.

That went ignored.

"And I'll be more fun," Sam added.

Heat crept across my cheeks, as I bit down on my lip, looking away. I totally got what he meant. Yeah, he'd be a hell of a lot more fun, but...

"Can you give us a moment?" Sam said to his brother.

"Sure." Stevie sighed as he stood. "I've got to be going anyway. As soon as we hear anything back on your phone, or learn anything else, you two will be the first to know."

He started for the door, then stopped and looked at me.

"You should stay with my brother. I'm not saying that because he's good company. He leaves wet towels on the floor, but I'll sleep better, knowing you are with him."

As Stevie left, I glanced at Sam.

"You leave wet towels on the floor?"

He actually looked sheepish.

"Maybe. Sometimes."

I cocked a brow.

"Okay. After every shower, but for you, I'll pick up the towels," he offered.

"I don't know. Wet towels are gross."

He chuckled, but the humor fled when his eyes met mine.

"I know it seems like a huge step, you staying with me, but it's temporary, baby."

I got that, but staying with him, felt like a slippery slope into...well, a lot of things.

I was all about starting over with him. I was all about the friendship and the sex. I was even cool with dating him, but I wanted to keep all the chambers of my heart out of it, because, I knew...I knew I could lose him and that terrified me.

But he was right.

Staying with my parents would be a major pain and staying with San would probably be a train wreck of crazy...the fun kind, but also the kind, where you ended the night with a trip to jail.

God, I was stupid, but I found myself nodding nonetheless.

I managed to hold off, on telling my parents what was going on, which was great news.

I knew they'd freak, and rightfully so, but I also had a long shift ahead of me and way too much going on in my head.

Since I had to get to the bar and Sam needed to work, we really didn't have time for that conversation, so that meant, that was how I'd be spending my Sunday.

With my car still over at my apartment, Sam drove me to work in his car.

And that was different.

Excluding my brothers, I'd never been driven to work by a guy before.

Getting out of the car had also been a new experience for me. I wiggled my fingers at Sam and thanked him.

That hadn't been sufficient.

"Whoa." He'd caught my arm before I could step out of the truck. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Um...to work?"

"Not like that."

Confused, I'd opened my mouth to ask for a little more detail, but then he'd tugged me towards me.

"We don't say good-bye to one another," he'd claimed. "We kiss."

And we did.

He'd tilted his head, lining up his mouth with mine. And a heartbeat full of sweet anticipation passed, before he brushed his lips across mine.

I thought the kiss would've been sweet and quick, but I was mistaken.

Because, he really kissed me...hot and rough. The kiss sent my blood boiling and blistered my skin.

He kissed me, like he thought he might never be able to do it again, and that kiss left me drowning in him...in his taste and in his warmth.

I stumbled out of his truck and walked into Marcy's in a daze. And hours later, my lips were still tingling from that scorching kiss.

Working tonight, was definitely a lot different, from the previous couple of days.

Chatting with customers came more easily, my smiles became more sincere, and that meant my tips were through the roof.

Which was great, since it looked like I'd be adding another monthly bill, to the expense list. It sucked but was necessary.

During a lull in customers, Noah pulled me to the back of the bar, in front of the displayed bottles.

"Hey, I wanted to make sure you're not staying at your place tonight."

"I'm not," I assured him.

His expression was unreadable.

"Sam's?"

"How did you guess?"

He shot me a bland look. And I totally read it.

"I'm psychic. Instead of falling off a stripper pole, I hit my head on a liquor bottle."

Laughing, I smacked his arm.

"Shut up."

His lips twitched.

"Seriously. I'm glad to hear you're not staying there." He glanced at the customers sitting at the bar. "You doing okay?"

Truthfully, I wasn't allowing myself, to think about the fact, I had a legit stalker. If I let myself focus on it, I'd drive myself crazy, probably end up rocking in a corner.

"Yeah," I told him. "I'm as okay as I can be."

He studied me for a moment.

"If you need anything, let me know, alright?"

"Okay."

My affection for Noah rose, and I didn't think before I acted.

Springing forward, I wrapped my arms around his waist and he stiffened, like someone had dropped cement down his spine, but I squeezed him tight, ignoring the awkwardness of the hug.

"Thank you for last night. Thank you...thanks for caring."

His arms came around me and he awkwardly patted my back.

"Uh...it's no big deal."

"It's totally a biggie," I told him and then pulled back. Looking up at him, I smiled. "You're a really good guy, even though you have questionable dating practices."

He grinned then, before turning to a guy, who'd shimmied up against the bar.

"Keep that knowledge to yourself."

The rest of the night flew by and when it came time for Sam to arrive for my pickup, there was a nervous excitement, that felt like a nest of hungry butterflies, had erupted in my stomach.

He was pulling into the parking lot, just as Noah and I were finishing locking up.

He nodded at Noah, which earned him a weird manly nod back, in greeting.

I didn't get dudes sometimes. Why couldn't they just say hi to one another, like normal people?

Climbing into the cruiser, I was greeted with a bag from Subway.

"Roast beef for you, turkey club for me," Sam explained, shifting the car into drive. "Figured you'd be hungry."

"Thank you." I held the bag close. "That's really thoughtful."

I got the manly nod thing in return.

Glancing out the window, I watched the bar fade away in the night and a thought occurred to me.

"Will you get in trouble for picking me up in your cruiser?" I didn't know the rules, but I figured it was a valid question.

He shrugged.

"I'm on lunch, so it's really not like I'm going out of my way, and I'm in the county, so whatever."

"But you could get in trouble?" I asked again, worried.

"I won't," he assured me, grinning slightly. "How was work?"

"It went by fast. I think Will is coming back next week, so I'm sure the temp will be happy to have him back."

"That's good. No one makes old bay wings, quite like Will does."

It was different to be talking about how my day went with someone...with Sam. It was all so very intimate. It also felt...real.

I liked the idle, needless chat, as we got back to his condo and ate our subs.

"I've never done this," I blurted out, as I rolled up my wrapper.

Sam, who was sitting in the chair opposite me, leaned back. His dark blue uniform stretched across his shoulders.

"Done what? Eaten subs at three in the morning?"

"Ha. I've done that more than I can count."

Standing, I gathered up our trash and walked it into the kitchen.

"This. I haven't really talked to a guy, about what it was like at work. I mean, the guys I dated...we talked, but it wasn't like this."

"It was superficial?" he asked.

I glanced over my shoulder, my gaze gliding over his smooth, angular cheeks and then, my stare lingered on the handle of the gun, a frank reminder, of how dangerous his life was. How incredibly short it could be.

Knocking those thoughts out of my head, I dragged my gaze back to his face.

"Yeah, that's the right word for it."

Turning back around, I bit down on my lip. That really was the truth. Things were truly superficial, when it came down to the guys I'd dated.

I searched out the trash can and disposed of the trash. When I straightened, I swallowed a gasp of surprise. Sam was behind me. I hadn't even heard him move.

"Good God, can you teleport or something?" I asked.

Crowding me, in the most welcome way possible, he placed his hands against the counter on either side of me, and the warmth against my back, sent a wave of awareness through me.

He chuckled deeply.

"Did you see where scientists were able to teleport an atom successfully?"

Mouth dry, I shook my head.

"Nope."

"Yep." He moved one hand from the counter and brushed my hair to one side, exposing my neck. "Before you know it, we'll be beaming ourselves everywhere."

My skin heated, as I felt his breath on the side of my neck, sending my pulse fluttering.

"If you had a choice between teleporting and flying, what would you choose?" I asked.

"Such a weird question." He laughed again, and I grinned. "I'd teleport myself."

"Really?" I shivered, when I felt his finger drift down the side of my neck. "Because, if you teleported, you could end up with your arm sticking out of your head. So it's like you're choosing a ninety-nine percent chance of dying horrifically, versus a one percent chance of dying normally."

"I hate flying," he said, as he moved his finger along the line of my jaw. "I do it when I have to, but that's about it."

My eyes drifted shut.

"I love flying."

"You're not human," he murmured, pressing a kiss against my pulse point. "I still have some time left on lunch..."

He caught the lobe of my ear between his teeth and I gasped at the electric shock, that pulsed through me.

"...And I want dessert."

As cliché as that sounded, it was still incredibly hot.

"It's really all I've been thinking about," Sam went on.

He slid his hand down my throat, to my breast. And my nipples immediately beaded in response, as he smoothed his fingers over the tip.

"It's fucking distracting as hell, how bad I want you," he said.

A hot shiver hit me.

"Sorry?"

He nipped at my skin.

"Oh, you should feel sorry, baby. I've been hard as a rock all night long."

"That's got to make for some awkward traffic stops."

"Listen to you..."

He caught my nipple between his thumb and finger, and even through the clothes, the sharp slice of pleasure shot straight to my core.

"...I want you, Mercedes."

"You have me."

I breathed the words, before I could think better of them, because, they hung between us like a promise, like a key that unlocked something deep inside of him.

Stepping back, he gripped the hem of my shirt and lifted it up.

Cool air whipped over my flushed skin, as I looked over my shoulder at him.

His face was shadowed, but the features were intent.

Another thrill hummed through me, when he reached for the button on my jeans.

I kicked off my sandals, as he peeled the jeans off.

He paused, kissing the spot between my shoulder blades, and then smoothed his hands up the sides of my legs as he rose, stopping long enough, to press a kiss at the base of my spine.

"Sam," I whispered.

"Yes?" Those hands dragged up to my waist.

"What are you up to?"

The tips of his fingers toyed with the strap of my thong, as he leaned his hips against me. I could feel the hardness against my back.

"What does it feel like?"

He didn't give me much of a chance to answer, because, he glided one hand down my belly, under the skimpy panties and cupped me.

"In case you need a helpful hint. You said you were mine. And I'm acting on that."

Oh God, he totally was acting on that.

He slid a finger inside me, where I literally throbbed for him, gliding through the wetness.

My hips jerked, as he brushed against the spot, I thought only my trusty vibrator knew the location of. And his thumb circled the bundle of nerves with exquisite skill.

I surged against his hand shamelessly, my body completely taking over.

He ground his hips, as he continued to work me with his fingers.

"I could come just with you riding my hand."

My body burned at his words.

There was something truly hedonistic about this, raw and new to me. And I was so close to exploding, so much so, that when he pulled his hand away, I whimpered.

Then I heard the heavy sound of his equipment belt hitting the floor, and the tinny sound of the zipper.

My heart pounded.

"Hurry," I urged him.

He kissed my shoulder, as his arm circled my waist.

"Babe, if I hurry any faster, this will be over before I get inside you."

I reached down to tug my panties off, but he stopped me.

"Leave them on," he ordered. "And put those hands on the counter. Keep them there."

Surprised and turned on way too much, I placed my hands over the counter-top, biting back a moan.

I kind of...okay, I really did like when he got all bossy like this.

Using his foot, Sam spread my, legs while he blazed a path of hot kisses down the side of my neck.

Then he lifted me onto the tips of my toes, pushing my front down across the counter.

"Stay right there," he said.

I shuddered, as I heard foil ripping. There was a pause and then, he smoothed his hands over my bottom, kneading the flesh.

I cried out ,as he yanked the thin strip of material to the side.

"I wish you could see yourself right now. So fucking beautiful, baby."

I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me. In this moment, I never believed the words more than I did now.

"Oh God," I panted, feeling him between my legs.

His arm circled my waist again and he lifted me up, until my toes barely touched the ground.

There was something irrevocably sensual, about having sex, still somewhat dressed, and oddly enough, I felt more exposed, than I ever did while naked.

Those thoughts fled quickly, as Sam rocked his hips against my rear, stopping, as he slid in about an inch.

Then, he slammed his hips forward, entering me swiftly and deeply, going as far I could take him.

He surged inside me, forcing a scream of unfettered pleasure out of me.

"Hell, you're so tight," he said, sealing us together. "This way isn't hurting you, is it?"

"No. No way. Not at all." I swiveled my hips just in case he missed the point, and when he groaned, I did it again. "Please, Sam, I need this."

"No." He withdrew his hips, pulling out, until only the head remained in. "This isn't what you need."

"Yes, it is. Like for real."

He rocked those powerful hips, hitting that spot.

"You need me. Not just my dick. Me."

I wanted to scream my denial, but those words died on my tongue like ash.

He pulled me back against him, forcing my weight onto my arms. His hand balled into my hair, twisting it, until my head turned to the side.

And he kissed me.

The kiss was hot and aggressive, enough to get me right to the edge and he knew it.

Stretched as I was and because of the height difference, I couldn't move. Not even when he began to thrust fast and deep, setting a pace, that pushed me to my limits.

The hand in my hair let go and moved between my thighs.

"That's it," he urged, doing something truly shattering with his fingers at the juncture of my thighs. "Come for me."

His deep thrusts, his words, and what he was doing with his hand sent me flying over the edge.

Crying out, I reached up and over, dragging my fingers through the soft brush of his hair.

The release rolled through me, one tumultuous wave after another. It was like every nerve ending had fired at once.

And my body trembled with the force and the beauty of it.

"God, I feel you coming," Sam breathed. "It's fucking perfect. You're perfect."

I was boneless as he guided me down, so I was bent over the counter once more.

My fingers slipped over the granite, as I rested my weight on my forearms.

I looked over my shoulder at him, through a mess of my hair, seeing his striking face strained and his jaw locked tight.

Sam is such a beautiful man.

"I can't hold back any longer," he said, voice strangled.

A shiver whipped its way down my spine.

"Don't."

He gripped my waist and he didn't hold back.

My hips hit the counter, as he went wild, pushing into me.

My muscles clenched and before I knew it, those tiny shivery aftershocks, exploded into another release, that wrung a sharp cry out of me.

Sam curved his body over mine, his hips pumping, and then he shouted hoarsely.

I rested my cheek against the cool counter-top, eyes closed as I panted.

The roll of his hips slowed, as his lips pressed against the corner of mine.

"That's the best damn dessert I've ever had," he whispered. "I'm thinking this is going to be a requirement after every meal."

"Mmm," I murmured. It was all I was capable of.

"Though I'm not sure that's a good idea." He kissed my cheek. "You might not be able to walk if we keep this up."

'So true.'

Sam eased out of me and disposed of the condom. I didn't move while he tucked himself away and zipped up his pants.

I was just a puddle of post-coital bliss, as he turned me around and gathered me close against his chest.

He kissed me softly and it was such a beautiful, tender kiss.

Brushing my hair back from my face, he moved that sweet kiss to my brow.

"You should get some rest. In my bed, not that damn couch. We have a big day tomorrow."

"We do?" I looked up at him.

"Yeah." His features softened, and it pulled at my heart and it made me think crazy things like forever. "Tomorrow we talk to your parents."

Stay safe!