Lucy focused on breathing, aimed her weapon, and assessed her surroundings.
One shooter.
Automatic weapon.
They're under siege.
Her original suspect's on the ground.
Medic shot.
Bailey's trapped and taking on fire.
Shit. Bailey.
"I'll cover you," she shouted.
Breathe. Focus. Fire.
Bailey pulled the other medic behind the ambulance with her.
"Stay down." Lucy grabbed her radio with her free hand and called for backup. "This is Officer Chen. Shots fired. I repeat, shots fired." She ducked and reloaded.
"We're three minutes out," came Lopez's response.
Thank fuck.
"You okay?" she asked Bailey, who nodded in response. Lucy returned fire on the shooter, holding him off while the sound of Lopez and Harper's siren drew near.
"Bradford? You with me?" Tim heard his commanding officer, yet he remained frozen, trying to process Lucy's distress call, readying for his op with Metro.
Lucy.
Breathe.
She's an incredible officer. Calm under fire. Fuck. She's one officer dealing with rapid gunfire.
The pounding on the door came again seconds before it yanked open. "Bradford, come on. We gotta go."
Fuck. "I-"
The sound of his blood rushing in his ears and thoughts of Lucy drowned out everything else.
The doors slid open, and Tim ran into the emergency room, barely stopping for the nurse to point him in the right direction. His heart raced with the urgency to get to Lucy. He skidded to a stop inside the doorway. Grey and Wesley stood to the side, but he only saw Lucy.
"Hey. Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm okay. We just received word Budney made it through surgery."
"Good."
"Lucy will still need to give a statement, and the investigation will continue if Budney dies, but for now, you're in the clear."
"Thanks, Wesley. Is it okay if she gives it at the station tomorrow?"
"That works. We'll see you then. Get some rest." Grey said and directed Wesley to follow him out of the room, leaving them alone.
"Come here," he said, and Lucy burrowed into his chest, her tears dampening his shirt the moment he wrapped his arms around her. She shuddered, and he held her tighter. "Shh... I got you," he said, rubbing her back and kissing her temple.
Tim lost track of time, listening to Lucy breathe when she spoke. "Can we go home now?"
He pressed a kiss to the center of her forehead. "Yeah, we can. I brought you a change of clothes," he said, pulling one of her sweaters and a pair of leggings from the bag over his shoulder.
"You keep a change of clothes for me in your gear bag?"
"Yeah. Like I know you keep a set of mine in yours." He gave her a wink when he handed over her clothes.
Tim relished the blush, heating Lucy's cheeks and adding much-needed color to her shallow complexion. Her exhausted gaze raked over him. "I'll be a minute," she said, heading toward the bathroom.
"Take all the time you need, babe."
Tim sucked in a deep breath the moment the door closed. She's safe. She's unhurt. Fuck. He didn't know what he'd do if something happened to her.
They dove into each other the moment they got through the door to their home. Lips, teeth, and tongues gnashing together while they tore their clothes off.
"You're sure you're not too sore or tired?" he asked against her lips; knowing what she went through, he didn't want to cause her further harm. He'd understand, ready to back off if she was, though he hoped she wasn't. He needed to connect with her on a primal level. Feel her pulse race and her body clenched around him.
"I swear, I'm fine. I need you, babe. Please," she panted, pulling his shirt over his head, but then she paused, trapping his arms. "Oh shit, I need to call Tamara. She'll be worried." Judging by Lucy's expression, she expected the girl, who kept notoriously poor timing, to burst through their door at any moment.
Tim tugged his arms free and tossed his shirt aside. "I sent her a text while you got changed at the hospital. I told her you're fine and to come and have breakfast with us in the morning. We won't be interrupted tonight."
"Good. I need this connection too," Lucy confessed, reading his mind. He met her gaze and reveled in the fact she wanted him as much. He gripped her ass when she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.
"Take me to bed." Lucy rocked against his cock, making them both moan. Except he didn't deposit her on their bed; taking her beyond into the adjoining bathroom, he sat her on the counter, freeing his hands to turn the shower on.
"Hey, aren't you taking me to bed?" she asked with a pout, making him want to kiss her lips. She teased him further, pulling her bra off, her sweater already long gone, and teased her nipples. Her fingers stroked them to hard points, then she cupped her breasts and offered them up like decadent treats for him to devour. "Tim, I need you…."
He groaned and rubbed his hand over his mouth, hungering to suck her sweet berry nipples until she ached for him, but he was determined to take care of her first. "Shower, then I'll fuck you. Promise." He closed the distance between them while the bathroom filled with steamy heat.
He cupped her face, then slid his hand down her throat, stopping when he reached a breast she still held out for him; lacing their fingers, he squeezed her flesh and searched her eyes, finding them dilated and filled with desire. "Let me take care of you." Then he did what he wanted and kissed the pout from her lips.
"I love you," she whispered against his lips, then he divested them of the rest of their clothes. Taking Lucy's hand, he entwined their fingers and pressed a kiss against her wrist before tugging her beneath the warm spray.
Lucy groaned when the spray hit her tense muscles, and then she arched her head back to soak her hair, jutting her breast toward him. "Tease." She didn't respond; she tilted her lips in a sexy, knowing smirk. "Now, turn around. I want to take care of you."
Lucy did what he asked, leaning against him while he shampooed her hair and massaged her scalp, easing the tension from her body. "Mm… feels good," she said, then she teased him some more by rocking her hips, dragging his cock between her ass cheeks.
It's his turn to groan. "Fuuuuck. Not fair."
"Who said I played fair?" she asked with a laugh, but let him lather and wash every inch of her.
When he got to himself, he returned her teasing with a little of his own. Lucy bit down on her bottom lip when he ran his soap-covered hand down the length of his cock. "See something you like?" he asked, stroking himself with slow, melodic pulls.
"Mm… fuck, that's hot. Tim, please… I need you. Don't make me wait anymore."
Tim rinsed, shut off the shower, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He dried Lucy, then himself, and tossed the towels toward the hamper. Sweeping her into his arms, he carried her to their bed and laid her out beneath him.
Lucy spread her legs, welcoming him between her thighs. He balanced on his forearm, trailed his fingers along her temple, and stared into her eyes, tucking the damp strands of her hair behind her ear. "I love you, Lucy."
"I love you, too." Her hands slid over his pecs and behind his neck, where she sank her fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. He took control from there, teasing the seam of her lips, demanding entry which she willfully surrendered, moaning into his mouth while he used his tongue to show the way he planned to fuck her with his cock. Slow. Deep and thorough.
He rocked against her core. Her slick heat guided his dick between her folds to notch at her opening, and he palmed Lucy's left breast. His thumb ghosted over her nipple as he slid inside her one thick inch at a time until his groin pressed against her mound. Each of them moaned with the ecstasy their powerful connection created.
He let go of her breast to grip her hip, urging her to lock her legs around his waist. "Yes, baby. I want you surrounding me everywhere." Tim increased his pace, Lucy meeting him thrust for thrust while he pounded into her, bringing them both to the edge. "You close, baby?"
"Yeah," Lucy whimpered.
He reached between them, sliding his thumb over her clit, and increasing the pace of his thrusts. His balls tightened, and his orgasm raced down his spine. He needed Lucy with him, and when her core fluttered around him, he knew she was. "That's it. Come with me, Luce. I'm right there with you." Her cry of release joined his, and she clenched around him while he filled her with his cum.
Lucy woke in the wee hours of the morning with a gasp. She didn't want to dwell on nightmares already returning from where they came from, and she realized Tim wasn't lying beside her. In the predawn light, she made out his silhouette, where he sat on the edge of the bed. "Babe?"
She didn't miss how his body shifted when he took a deep breath and turned toward her. He scooted back and leaned against the headboard. "Hey, you're awake," he said, pulling her into his arms, where she burrowed against his chest. "Everything okay?" he asked, yet he sounded… off.
"Yeah, a nightmare. But one I've already forgotten."
"For the best, I'm sure." He kissed her temple, and she shivered when he breathed her in.
"MmHm." They fell quiet for a few minutes, Lucy relaxing with the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek. "Are you okay?" she asked. His heart rate sped up while she waited for his answer.
With his body tense, what's on his mind spilled from his lips. "If we held other careers besides being first responders. I might not have gotten in to see you."
"But we are, and you did," she said, unsure where this was going.
He kept speaking like he didn't hear her. "I'm not your husband… I can't take the chance of being unable to get to you. Of not knowing if you're safe…."
Lucy pulled away from him enough to meet his gaze. "Tim," she said, trying to get through to him. "You said it yourself; we're police officers. You will always be able to get to me. I know today scared you, but-"
"I think we should get married."
She imagined the shock radiating inside her mirrored the look on her face. "What?" Unsure she heard him right.
He sat up and cupped her face. "I'm serious. Marry me, Lucy." She knew he meant it. Saw the love and sincerity in his eyes, but she also saw the fear and desperation.
Lucy did her best to blink away the sudden onslaught of tears while she tried to come to terms with her answer. She wanted to say yes. Desperately. But she didn't want to be asked because Tim feared he'd lose her. "I…."
She choked back a sob and hoped he understood.
"No."