“Up here,” she called.
I looked at the ceiling, then took the stairs two at a time. She met me halfway, all but leaping into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist and kissing me.
Thank fuck. This, right here, was what I’d needed for the past ten hours. Cricket, in my arms.
“Jesus, woman, you scared the shit out of me.” I lifted my head long enough to say that, to breathe, our lips an inch apart.
I carried her up the rest of the steps to the second floor. When I turned the corner, I saw Sutton leaning in the doorway of one of the bedrooms. His jeans were on, but not buttoned. He wore nothing else. Past him, I saw Archer on the bed, the sheets rumpled.
Cricket had on clothes, at least I felt soft cotton as I gripped her ass. Glancing down, I took in her thin, white tank top and tiny blue sleep shorts. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun. She looked perfect.
“Did you win?” she asked, hooking her ankles at my lower back.
I grinned. “Of course, I did.”
She grinned right back. “Of course, you did,” she repeated. “My hot cowboy.”
“Hey,” Sutton said, his tone laced with mock hurt.
Cricket turned her head to look over her shoulder. “You’re my hot cowboy, too.”
“But right here, with you in my arms, this is winning it all,” I told her. “Nothing else matters. I love you, baby.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away and smiled brilliantly. “I love you, too.”
I kissed her then, long and hard, my tongue finding hers.
“You’re okay?” I asked her when I finally lifted my head, walking into the bedroom. Sutton stepped back to let us pass, but joined us. I’d stolen her breath and she’d stolen my heart.
“I am. He scared me, but I used the mace, kneed him in the balls and ran off. I didn’t go in the apartment. I knew better. Penny called the police and they got there fast.”
It was a quick recount of the situation, but I didn’t want more than that now. I just wanted her.
“Penny’s okay?” I asked, just to make sure.
She nodded. “She’s fine. I think it will take Jamison and Boone a day or two to recover.”
I leaned my forehead against hers, reveled in the connection, the feel of her squirming in my hold. “Me, too, baby. Me, too.”
“Not a scratch on her,” Sutton said. “Don’t worry, we checked.”
Cricket rolled her eyes and flushed a pretty pink. I watched as the color crept down her neck and to the top swells of her gorgeous tits which were braless beneath the tank top. The color of her nipples was visible and so was each little hard bump around the peaked tip.
“You didn’t wait for me?” I asked.
Archer huffed from the bed. “Sutton didn’t make it in the front door before he took her.”
“Archer pulled up, found us,” Sutton confirmed. From the look on his face, he didn’t look the least bit sorry about it.
“He had the truck bed open and her bent over,” Archer added. “Fucked her right there.”
I looked to Cricket, saw the dreamy look on her face. Yeah, she’d wanted it.
“I couldn’t wait a second longer,” Sutton replied.
I totally understood. I was dying to get in her right now.
“I got her up here and in the shower before I had my turn,” Archer added.