Ultimate Surrender: The Surrender Series, Book 2 (3 page)

“Both,” whispered out of her and she swayed toward him. “What’s wrong with me?”

His hands brushed against her waist and he took half a step closer, eliminating the rest of the distance between them. “Nothing wrong with a bit of animal magnetism.”

“You think way too highly of yourself.” She licked her lips and he most definitely didn’t miss the action.

“And you don’t think highly enough of yourself.”

He was right but he didn’t need to know that. “What makes you so smart?”

“I know women. Know when they need something. When they’re denying something happening between themselves and another person.”

“So you can read minds, Dr. Campbell?”

His smile. This time it was pure dominant male. “No. Body language.” His hand on her waist moved to the back and down. A bit more. More. He slid it down over her jeans and pulled her into him a bit more. “And scent, Natalie. I can pick up on your need from that too.”

Watching his nostrils flare, she let a little moan slip out.

“Fuck I need your taste again.” His other hand slid into her hair and he grabbed a handful of it and yanked her head back. Exposing her throat seemed to be exactly what he wanted. His tongue slid up the column of her throat and her pussy pulsed between her thighs.

She should stop him.

Calling a halt to—this—was exactly what she needed to do.

Being seduced by him wasn’t on her planner. Getting caught in some kind of torrid affair so it could be splashed all over the headlines was the last thing she needed on her plate at the moment. Especially with the psycho dude after her for who knew what fucked-up reason.

What could it hurt?
tickled her mind, as his hand snuck beneath her shirt and his palm slid along her skin, getting closer and closer to her breasts.

Her breath caught in her throat as he flicked open the front closure of her bra, and one of her large breasts spilled into his hand.

“Fuucckkk,” he cursed against her mouth right before he pinched her nipple.

Her back arched, and she pulled at his shirt. Naked. He needed to be naked. And so did she.

The
knock knock knock
sounded just as he reached behind himself to yank his shirt over his head.

They stood there. Frozen. Two paths laid out before them in that pregnant pause and neither of them said anything. Neither of them moved.

Knock knock knock
. “It’s Wyatt.”

Campbell cursed and pulled his shirt back down.

“Thank God,” she whispered and stepped away from him. Scrambling to trap her boobs back in her bra was definitely not how she wanted to greet a NYPD detective.

Dammit, she’d almost made a huge-ass mistake.

She knew Campbell was a playboy. No question about it. He admitted it. It’s not like he was trying to coax her under false pretenses into his bed.

No. She’d been about to make an egregiously stupid mistake with her eyes wide open.

Watching him out of the corner of her eye, she thought he seemed…something. Pissed. Horny. Who knew?

She didn’t. And she shouldn’t care. Wouldn’t care.

Rolling her eyes at herself didn’t happen often but she made up for it.

Detective Wyatt was getting added to her Christmas card list for the interruption of the century. What if he hadn’t come for several more minutes?

Gawd. Heat suffused her cheeks as several scenarios ran through her head with rapid fire.

Glad. She was glad they’d been interrupted.

She didn’t need him and couldn’t afford his distraction.

By the door he stood, waiting for her to get finished.

And there wasn’t even an ounce of her that wanted to know what he was packing below his belt.

Glancing at his fly from twenty feet away, she could have sworn his dick jumped.

Not even an ounce of her.

Totally not.

At all.

Chapter Three

Campbell

Natalie confining her tits back in her bra was some kind of crime against nature.

One handful.

That was all he got before Wyatt showed up.

One. Fucking. Handful.

And honestly that one only counted as like a half because he’d been so stunned his hand was up her shirt. Only explanation he could come up with was he’d gotten on some kind of autopilot on her. Nothing else made sense. Especially not that he’d just wanted to comfort her. That he’d honestly been interested in her answers to his questions above and beyond creating a file in his head on her. Wanting to solve the who, what, why mystery of who was after her hadn’t even entered his mind.

Shaking his head, he turned away from her. Last thing he needed was to think of her bodacious rack again. His dick was going to need a serious cum-ectomy if he thought of her. Again. Naked. On the table behind him. Her feet over his shoulders. His hands wrapped around her wrists, holding her in place. His cock buried deep inside her as she came on him.

Opening the door, he barely kept his growl in place. “Wyatt. Thanks for coming.” ’
Cause apparently you’re the only one who is.

“No problem. Sorry it took so long. I stopped down at the scene of the latest hit-and-run to see if there were any cameras in place watching that intersection.”

“And?” Natalie asked as she approached. “Find anything?”

“Nothing. There was a camera supposed to be on there but it stopped working two months ago.”

“That’s quite coincidental.” Campbell tried not to sound accusatory but he totally failed.

“With budget cuts for the city there are lots of things that suffer. Red light cameras aren’t one of them. They’re maintained above several other items.”

“City revenue,” Natalie offered.

“Exactly. But this one just happened to be a standard intersection camera due to the number of accidents that occur there.”

“So no footage.” Natalie’s disappointment was a punch to the gut he wasn’t expecting.

“Nada.”

Campbell didn’t like how hopelessness made her look and he was confused by his need to pull her to his side and comfort her. Instead he planted his fists on his hips and faced Wyatt as he stepped to the table and laid a pad and pen down. “Anything else? Any other footage? Other surveillance from the businesses around Mirch? Eyewitnesses? Fucking cell phone footage from a fourteen-year-old YouTuber?”

“Nada,” Wyatt sighed and yawned. “Sorry. I’m pulling a double and am going on a full twenty-four with no sleep.” He yawned again and shook his head. “Natalie, why don’t you come with me?”

“Where?” Campbell and Natalie asked at the same time. Hers sounded a bit nicer, but whatever.

“We’ll use your office, Campbell. I’ll get her statement and then I’ll take yours. See if either of you remember any details about this time.”

“Why not talk to us together?” He asked the question but Natalie waited just like he did to hear the answer. “Maybe it will speed up the interrogation, too. That way you can get home and we can figure out what Natalie and I are going to do to keep her safe.”

“Nope. Her first. Then you. And while I’m talking to her you can brainstorm on what safety measures need to be taken.”

“How long are you going to be?” Campbell enquired through gritted teeth.

Wyatt picked up his pad and the pen clipped to it and gestured for Natalie to precede him into the office. “As long as it takes. You know that’s always the same answer. We’ll be out as soon as we’re done. And lay off the coffee, Campbell. You’re looking a bit jumpy.”

If you only knew the half of it.

Natalie never looked back. Not once. Just walked ahead with her fists clenched at her sides.

The office door closed Natalie and Wyatt in together and Campbell firmly on the other side of it. Not allowed into his own office. What the fuck? With tight fists he started a walking path around the fucking conference table and receptionist area.

Pissed off didn’t even touch his mood.

He was worried about Natalie and more than just as a client.

Horny didn’t get close to how bad he needed to come and he was lusting after Natalie. His client. Whom he didn’t like.

How the hell did he fall down that rabbit hole?

He was smarter than that.

Mixing business and pleasure was spelled one way only. It started with
dis
and ended with
aster
.

But fuck she came alive in his hands. It was like she lit up. Could it have been a natural effect of the adrenaline pumping in her system after he took her down to the ground before she got hit?

Of course.

Could she be just as confused by the whole thing as he was?

Would make sense.

Was he going to listen to the good sense God gave him and steer very clear from her and the trouble he could see behind her eyes?

One trek around the room.

Another.

And an extra for good measure.

No clue. None at all.

First thing he needed to do was stop thinking about her. Easy. Seriously. He could do that.

Half a dozen promenades around the room and he was right back deciding what he could do with the hottie in his office. True he didn’t make it half a lap without her filling all of his thoughts, but whatever. He could quit anytime.

His head weighed in with a resounding,
Run
.

Didn’t take his dick two seconds to kick his head to the curb so he’d have a clear shot at nailing her.

Listening to his dick hadn’t led him astray yet. Well… Not exactly astray he didn’t think. Maybe a bit off course, but man had he partaken in some amazing scenes before.

The kicker?

Something in his chest kept squeezing when he even considered walking away from her. Almost as if his heart or—
shudder
—his feelings were trying to weigh in on the monumental decision he was battling over.

That couldn’t be right though.

It sure as hell hadn’t ever happened before.

He hadn’t officially accepted the job yet. Maybe he could switch with Clay.

If he wasn’t invested in her detail then he could maybe get a bit frisky—

Hands on the door and muffled voices outside drew his attention. The metal door swung open with a not-so-happy Clay leading the way. “You don’t need to be here until we know what’s going on and what we’re dealing with. I don’t even know the condition we’re going to find her in.”

“Which is even that much more of a reason that I should be here.” Angela followed him in with baby Wyatt in tow. Named after the detective interrogating his wom—client in the other room.”

“Hey, Campbell? You all right?”

Glancing over at Clay, he shrugged. “I’m solid.” Mostly.

“Then can you safety the weapon you have pointed at my family?”

His Glock was in his right hand. When the fuck had he done that?

So much for thinking he wasn’t one hundred ten percent invested in Natalie and getting her safe again. At least his finger wasn’t on the trigger. But Lordy. He released the hammer, safetied the gun, and tucked it back in his side harness. Clicking it into place, he shook his head. “Sorry, man. My fault. Guess I’m a bit on edge still. Earlier was…rough.”

Natalie’s voice kicked up inside his head.
Thanks, Captain Obvious.

Just what he didn’t need. To hear her even when she wasn’t standing there. What in the world had he gotten himself into?

Angela gestured toward Campbell and then to Clay. “See, everything is just fine. We need to be here for our friends and I have the best and most wonderful security guard in the world to protect me and baby Wyatt.” Leaning over, she brushed a kiss on Clay’s cheek and then hummed against his mouth.

“You can stay.”

Begrudgingly. Campbell didn’t think he’d ever really seen that word put into a visual display before, but he couldn’t say that anymore after Clay sorta gave his wife the green light.

Not that baby Wyatt had even the slightest of a clue something was amiss in his world. Snuggled against his mama’s throat, with his little mouth hanging open, he had nothing to be concerned with in the entire world.

Campbell gave Clay shit about him having a kid all the time, but honestly? He was wicked envious. Angela was awesome. Her whole family was amazing, and they’d kind of made him an honorary member after they learned he was the one protecting her for most of her pregnancy.

Unable to stay away, Campbell stepped forward and patted the sleeping baby on the back. He stirred for a couple seconds and then resettled, going completely limp again.

“He loves you, Campbell,” Angela offered, and it wasn’t the first time she’d said it. “Anytime you’re around he calms right down.”

“Well, he does have an amazing middle name. Probably has something to do with it.”

Clay snorted and ushered Angela over to a soft armchair in the corner they’d brought in just for her.

“Angela, why didn’t you ever fall for my charming personality?”

Angela laughed silently, trying hard not to jostle the baby.

Clay stared him down with a growl.

“Oh can it, Cujo. I know she’s all into you and shit—uhh—sorry. Stuff. But none of my charm worked on you. At all. It baffles me still to this day.”

He wasn’t all that curious about the answer but he needed something else to think about. Anything other than the fact the detective had been talking to Natalie for quite a while and he was ready to climb a damn wall.

“You are charming, but you know that. I was immune to you. There was no one else but Clay for me. I knew it when we were kids. No one else held any interest for me. Nothing you did wrong, and nothing you could have done differently. You just weren’t the man for me.”

“That’s it?”

“Well and you were quite a man-whore if I do remember correctly the few tales you shared.”

“You shared what with my wife?”

Campbell just smiled and drew a fake halo above his head.

“You’d better hope I never find out what awfulness you regurgitated.”

Campbell paced again. “You sure as hell won’t hear it from me.”

Clay nodded at Campbell’s office. “We saw Wyatt’s unmarked car downstairs. How long’s he been in there?”

Glancing at his watch, Campbell had to estimate it. “Twenty-four minutes.”
And thirty-two seconds.
Okay, maybe not so much of an estimate.

“So what happened?” Angela asked with her brow scrunched low in worry.

“She’d just run outside and less than a minute after that a car nearly ran her over.”

“Why did she run outside?” Clay asked it and Campbell acted oblivious. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

“Language,” Angela reminded him with a sweet smile.

Clay touched baby Wyatt’s arm, and then scowled at Campbell again. As if he was the one who made him cuss and get in trouble with his wife. “What did you do?”

Campbell ran a hand over his face and checked his watch again. “We were talking in the restaurant and she got her feathers all ruffled. Before I could smooth anything over she’d grabbed her jacket and took off. I had to throw money on the table and run after her.”

“What did you do?” Clay asked again.

Campbell narrowed his eyes at him, truly not needing his overbearing attitude at the moment. The fact he already felt bad for not believing her story had nothing to do with it. “I protected her. She was in danger and I protected her.”

“And you want a medal for saving her from a situation you pushed her into no doubt? Not freaking likely.”

“Nudged maybe. Offered a helping hand possibly. It’s not like I shoved her into the street for the psycho to come ram her.”

“Let me guess,” Angela prompted with an understanding smile. “You didn’t believe her after she gave you a whole lotta no details, she got pissed and bolted. That about cover it?”

Campbell stopped in his tracks and faced her.

There was no accusation marring her features or her words. Just a straight accounting of pretty much exactly how things went down.

No showboating, boasting, or false blame. Just the facts.

“Yeah. That’s almost exactly what happened. Did she tell you about what was going on?”

“She told me something had her worried. That some harassing emails were coming in, and I persistently suggested she contact Detective Wyatt and get him in on what was going on. Talking about her issues is definitely not her style.”

Which made Campbell kick himself that much harder because she’d tried to open up to him and he’d done nothing but scoff and sneer at her. And her rack.

“Fuck,” Campbell cursed under his breath.

“Language.”

“Language,” he was reminded in stereo.

“Sorry.” He said it halfheartedly, already thinking about how he needed to handle helping Natalie without completely taking over her life, which he couldn’t imagine going over real well with her.

“Did you get any helpful info off the vehicle?” Clay prompted.

“Not a fuc—uhh—thing. I couldn’t get anything. There were no plates on the front when I glanced up, shocking they weren’t following the law to have them. Then after I took us both to the concrete we had to keep our eyes averted because of the broken glass.”

“Oh no, Campbell. Your hand. It’s bleeding.” Angela’s worried voice penetrated some of his fog.

Glancing down, he stared at the back of his right hand. Dried blood crusted two of his knuckles. Didn’t hurt. He certainly hadn’t noticed it.

Angela was already trying to get up out of the chair with the baby to hover over him.

“Stay seated, Pickles. I’ll take care of it.”

“Pickles?” Clay repeated with a shake of his head and a hint of a smile. “The fact that you still call her that this many months later cracks me up.”

“Dude.” Campbell grabbed a paper towel and got it wet out of a side bathroom sink to clean up his hand. “You weren’t around when she was having all of her god-awful pregnancy chick cravings. It damaged me. I should have been put on worker’s comp for that stint with her.” Campbell shuddered, only playing up his unease a tiny bit for theatrical purposes.

“And you’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”