Fire Burns Hot ((An FBI/ Romance Thriller~ (Book 5))) (58 page)

Callen wasn’t as astute as an agent as his brother and Elizabeth, but he could see that she wasn’t being completely forthright. “Sure thing, Lyzee. Let’s go.” Immediately, he shut down his
tablet and grabbed his coat. “I’m ready, sweetheart.”

Elizabeth held out her hand and without a second thought he took it, linking their fingers together.

Okay, something was definitely wrong. Elizabeth didn’t do public displays of affection in the office place. Out in the lobby they said goodnight to Ginny and headed to the car. In the elevator he pulled her close to his body and just let her lean against him.

“You can tell me anything, Elizabeth,” he said, giving her the opportunity to lessen her burden.

“When we get to the house, Cal. We need to talk when we get home. Not here, please.”

“Okay
Elizabeth.”

The drive home was silent, and the entire time he was beginning to worry. The last time they took a car ride with this much tension
, she was preparing to tell him about his grandfather dying. Now he was a nervous wreck as they pulled into the driveway of their home. Callen grabbed the files for her and followed her inside.

“Can we go upstairs?” she asked,
dropping her things on the counter.

Callen just followed. His stomach was sick and churning violently. All the bad scenarios ran through his mind, the worst being that she was dumping him. When their door was closed, she finally turned to him.

“Today I did something behind your back.”

Oh Christ, the sickness intensified.

“I went down to Chris and had him test my blood and Ethan’s for paternity. I probably should have told you, but I wanted to be the one that told both you and Ethan the results if Chris was able to get them.”

“So, you know who the father is?” he asked. One wave of sickness was abated, but the other was rising. He wasn’t dumped, but he wasn’t going to be the father of her child.

“Yes, I know and so does Ethan. He’s decided to stay at the office until after his meeting.”

Callen’s cheek twitched. He was the last to know because once again he was odd man out in the games of life and love. “It’s okay, you can tell me.” He braced for the blow that he knew would crush his heart.
Callen already planned for the worst case scenario. He’d smile and tell her congratulations, and die inside.

Alone.

Elizabeth tried to make it unique and special. She went to him, touching his face and speaking in French just for him.

“Oh great. Mercy French to distract me.” Now he was sure it couldn’t be good.

Elizabeth grinned and translated it for him. “Congratulations, Callen. You’re going to be a father.”

He stared at her like he misheard her. Callen actually had to repeat the words to himself. “I’m the father?” he repeated.

Elizabeth smiled at the man, because even though her heart hurt for Ethan, it was over joyed for Callen. “You’re going to be a dad.”

“Really?”

Now she was laughing. “Yes, really. I rarely kid while discussing paternity with the father of my child.”

Everything he’d ever hoped and dreamed of had just been handed to him. He got the girl and n
ow he was going to be a father with the most beautiful woman in the world. He pulled her to his body, hugging her close. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair. “I love you more than I can ever put into words, Lyzee.”

Elizabeth hugged him back, and let herself fall into the emotion of the moment with him. Tonight they’d celebrate, and then they’d heal Ethan’s heart.

“Oh God,” he whispered, tears filling his eyes. “I can’t believe it,” he stated, then dropped to his knees before her. Callen lifted her shirt to talk to the tiny little life growing inside her. “I promise to be the best father in the world. I’ll never let you down,” he vowed, leaving a trail of kisses across her flesh. “You have the best mommy in the world too. We’re both so lucky, little one.”

Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. “He’s lucky that he has you too, Cal. You’re going to make an amazing father.”

He stood and gazed down into her eyes and then kissed her. Right then and there he wanted to spend the next hour worshipping her body and thanking her for sharing the most amazing thing with him. Since Elizabeth, he’d been reborn and given a second lease in life. This woman was his redemption and this baby was his greatest joy.

She melted into the kiss as his hands began wandering and undressing her. Elizabeth enjoyed the feel of his fingers touching and stroking flesh. As layer
after layer of clothing was shed, she began undressing him too. Tonight they’d celebrate the new beginning that tied them together forever. True they could never legally marry, but they definitely had more to bind them together. Forever they’d be one, in the new life they’d created. This was the marriage of him and her, knotting them indelibly together for all time.

“I want to taste you,” he said, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to their bed. Placing her gently in the center, he
lay above her body and began leaving kisses across her throat and shoulders.

Elizabeth loved the weight of him pressing her into
the mattress, pinning her beneath him protectively. Immediately, her hands found the ponytail at the nape of Callen’s neck, and she released his hair. As it cascaded around them, she pulled him to her lips for a kiss. It held sweetness, gentleness and nothing but love.

Breaking away, Callen stared into her icy blue eyes and enjoyed the idea that they were going to be parents together. “I'm so in love with you right now,” he said, beginning his exploration down her body
. It made him want to hear more from her, and he continued his trail to her belly button and where his son was hiding. “I hope granddad was right about you having all boys, Elizabeth. I want a son so badly.”

             
As he swirled his tongue around her bellybutton, Elizabeth was having a difficult time thinking. “Me too,” she finally got out, as he went even lower. Before she knew it, her panties were off and Callen was teasing her further with his eager, creative mouth.

When he found just the right spot and pressure, she ruptured into a million pieces. “Callen!” she shouted, as he worked his way back up her body, until he was waiting between her legs.

Sliding into her body gently, he stared down at her. “I’ll love you both forever,” he whispered, as he began the slow glide in and out. Before Elizabeth, sex was meaningless and had no feeling. Now it meant everything. Every stroke was precious, and every second filled him with such love and emotion that he never wanted to look back at his past.

“I love you too,” she whispered, arching into each stroke and running her hands up his body to his neck. Pulling him down, she made love to his mouth
. The kiss was gentle, sweet and achingly tender. One of her favorite things was kissing the men in her life. The intimacy swamped her and the need began building.

Callen
could feel the heat building, as her body welcomed him, offering him so much more. Elizabeth met him stroke for stroke, her hips keeping the rhythm he set. The feeling of joy was so overpowering that Callen knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. As Elizabeth quivered beneath him, he let himself get lost in the heat and warmth. As she shook, falling off the abyss, Callen went with her. They fell into the bliss and together.

Automatically, he fell to her side, pulling her body with him. Laying her on his chest, his hand protectively went to his baby growing in her body.

Elizabeth cuddled into him and tried to enjoy the peace, even as turmoil brewed in her heart for Ethan.

Callen grinned smugly. Not only did he have great sex,
but he had gotten Elizabeth pregnant. Then the grin was gone, as realization dawned. His poor brother had to be dying inside.

“How’s Ethan taking this?”
The man meant the world to him, and this had to wound him incredibly.

She sighed. “Not well.” Elizabeth had no intention of lying to Callen. They were a family and they’d handle everything head on and not buried under half-truths and
deception.

Since he’d lived through Elizabeth’s first pregnancy he
understood how his brother must feel. “If we have a boy, I want to honor my brother with giving my son his name.”

Elizabeth was touched. “I think he’d love that.”

Callen ran his hands up and down her back. “I would really like to sit down as a family and come up with a solution to guarantee that Ethan has the next child with you.”

She smiled. “I think
Ethan would appreciate that.” Elizabeth pushed up and stared down into his eyes. “You’re a very kind and sweet man, Callen. Our child is going to be very blessed.” She kissed him softly on the lips. “I’m a very lucky girl,” Elizabeth said after breaking the kiss.

Callen grinned. “I’m going to go talk to Ethan,” he said, running his fingers across her cheek.

Elizabeth placed her head back on his shoulder, her lips close to his ear. “You’re half my heart,” she whispered.

His whole body tightened at the words and the light tickle of breath across his flesh. This time Callen moved fast taking her mouth with his hungrily. When he broke away he stared down into her eyes. “
As tempting as it is to stay here with you, I really need to go find my brother and fix this.”

Elizabeth
caught her breath. “I think that’s for the best,” she answered, as one of the men she loved, did everything right. Callen was willing to pass up sex to heal their unit. She placed her faith in him and knew he’d make it all right.

                                *    *     *

Nothing was more cathartic than sitting down to dinner with a woman you love. Julian was glad they were sharing pizza and beer on her couch. Since Tori really didn’t cook, and they didn’t have time to grab supplies, pizza was the easiest route.

Ever since leaving the office, Tori was incredibly quiet. Julian imagined it had to do with the response she had at the crime scene. It looked like she blacked out.

If that was the case, then he knew he was going to have to talk to Elizabeth and soon. An agent in the field that was losing the ability to focus was a big liability to herself and her partner. The last thing Julian wanted was to see her get hurt or worse die.

“What happened today?” he asked, staring into her eyes. “You went somewhere, and I was really worried.”

Tori knew it was eventually going to come up again. It wasn’t like she could blame him. It was probably frightening to watch helplessly, as she was lost in her past and the demons that chased her.

“There was this smell
, and it pulled me back into the war. I was back in the sandbox, in an alley and hearing and smelling the same things all over again.”

Julian was seriously worried for the woman.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said, staring into his very calm eyes. “I’m going to get help when all this is over.” Tori closed her eyes. “Can we keep this between us?” she asked, knowing she had no right to ask him to trust her and risk his life with a damaged partner in the field.

“I won’t say anything,” he answered, making the decision.

Tori was touched. “Thank you, Julian,” she said, leaning over and kissing him on the lips.

Julian knew he should march right into Elizabeth’s office and
spill the truth, but the woman was leaning on him again, and he didn’t want to ruin that. They were beginning to build something together, and at the end of all this, he’d need every chance he could get to keep her by his side.

“Want to go back to my place and maybe have dessert?” she said, tucking his hai
r behind his ear. “It’s not far away,” she pointed to the doorway that led to her bedroom.

He grinned wickedly
and laughed at how silly she was being. “Thank God it’s close. I’ve been drinking.”

No
w she laughed, as he picked her up off the couch and cradled her against his chest. “Is there Victoria on the menu? She happens to be my favorite sweet thing in the entire world.”

She laughed at his comment. “I’m most definitely on the menu
, Julian.”

It took him five steps to the door, and he kicked it open and then closed. Julian paused to stare into her eyes. “
It’s a good thing. I’ve never been hungrier.”

Tori swallowed the words that came to mind as his lips crashed to hers stealing all thoughts but one.

How was she going to live without him?

The answer?

She couldn’t, so why try…

                                *    *     *

The silence of his office wasn’t offering him any peace. Normally if he wanted to think, this was the place he’d come. Before falling in love with Elizabeth, in Salem, on assignment, he was a certified work-a-holic with no life. Yeah, he had many women to fill his time and bed, but still his heart was completely cold and void of love. Suddenly, the emptiness was creeping back. Right now he should be at home with his wife and brother, celebrating the best thing in Callen’s life. Ethan should be happy for him, and yet all he could muster was a cold hard twist of the knife in his gut.