Bulletproof Read online

  “I told you.” Dylan wiggled her eyebrows, and even though Briana knew it was all in jest, her pulse was high from the company more than the silly game. If only Dylan knew the effect she had on her all the time. Lights and sirens didn’t even hold a candle to simply being in her presence.

  “This is probably a stupid question, but how come you have all of these accessories in an undercover vehicle?” she asked just to change the topic.

  “It’s not a stupid question at all.” Dylan looked both ways at a four-way stop. “When we’re doing surveillances, following someone and all that, we try to blend in,” she explained. “So nondescript cars, common colors, et cetera. But”—she turned into the flow of traffic—“there are times when we need to chase vehicles. Pull them over.” Dylan checked her mirrors before switching lanes. “Lights and sirens are necessary in those situations.”

  “Of course.”

  “But it doesn’t happen that often. Which is why this light package is a bit more low profile than you might expect. On a patrol car or even an unmarked police car participating in traffic regulation and stuff like that, there’d be four times as many lights.”

  Briana liked the way Dylan explained it without making her feel foolish for asking. She also enjoyed the way Dylan wound through the narrow streets of downtown New York City like it was no big deal. She couldn’t tear her eyes from her long, smooth fingers as she gripped the steering wheel and adjusted the temperature. In a moment of silence, the radio crackled with activity, and she heard Trish Suarez report there was no activity at Benji’s residence. A second later, Ahmed Baisir called out negative hits for suspect vehicles near the Wine Bar.

  “How do you follow someone and not get caught?” Briana surprised herself with the question.

  Dylan smiled as she drove. “There is an art to it.”

  “And you just know how to do it?”

  “We help each other out.” She shrugged. “By talking on the radio. We take turns being the eye, that’s the lead car, and we do that by communicating and switching on and off. This way no one gets made.”

  “It sounds hard,” she said, letting a laugh slip out.

  “It’s not. Honestly, all it takes is practice.” Dylan waited at a stoplight. “I hadn’t done it too much before. Not this kind of surveillance. So I’m learning as I go. Trevor gives me pointers. The other guys too.”

  “Are you good at it?”

  They were still at the light, and Dylan turned to make eye contact. “I’m okay, yeah.”

  “Is that…modesty?”

  “Might be.” Dylan chewed her lower lip, and Briana stared at her perfect teeth, gleaming white in the darkness. She was pretty sure Dylan was staring at her mouth too, but the light changed, and just as they started to inch forward, a dark blue Mercedes-Benz cut them off.

  Dylan hit the brakes. “Holy shit.”

  “What?”

  “That’s Paul Rafferty. In front of us. Hang on.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” She keyed the mic. “Hey, guys. I got eyeballs on Paul Rafferty. Northbound on Water Street. Possibly headed for the FDR. I’m going to stay with him.”

  “Pres, what’s your cross street?”

  Dylan glanced up at the street sign. “Fulton Slip. I think he’s gonna pick up the Drive at Houston.”

  “I’m headed your way.”

  “Who was that?” Briana wasn’t sure why she was whispering.

  “Dom Ianelli.” Dylan accelerated, but only slightly. She let a car get between them and Paul’s Benz. “Shit, Briana.” Dylan braked. “Are you okay with this?” She touched Briana’s shoulder softly. “I don’t want to scare you.”

  Fear was the furthest thing from what she was feeling. Incredibly turned-on watching Dylan in action, check. Completely aroused from one small touch, you bet. Fear, not even on the radar.

  “Of course not. Do what you need to do. Pretend I’m not even here.”

  Dylan agreed but did the exact opposite. For the next fifteen minutes, she fully explained every move she made. She pointed out the ding in Paul’s rear bumper that had initially caught her attention and explained how she’d committed all the subjects’ license plates to memory. She clued her in when Ahmed joined the surveillance, then Trevor.

  Briana took it all in, mesmerized by the wacky shorthand Dylan and the other detectives communicated with over the radio. She was completely grateful when Dylan broke down the coded language, so she could truly follow what was going on. And, ugh, the way Dylan controlled the situation and made it seem perfectly routine was possibly the sexiest thing she’d experienced in her life. When they dropped off and let the rest of the team take over the surveillance, Briana was buzzing with secondhand adrenaline.

  “Do you need me to get out so you can stay with the rest of the team?” Briana was a full step behind. “I can take a subway. It’s no problem.” She touched her temple, more than a little embarrassed at her mental delay. “Dylan, I should have made that offer earlier. I guess I got a bit swept up in the excitement.”

  “It’s fine.” Dylan laughed. “The team has it covered.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to get you in trouble.” She had botched everything. It all came rushing to the surface. “Will you get in trouble for taking me on, like, a ride-along?” She knew there were always liabilities to be considered. She hated the thought of Dylan getting punished for doing exceptional police work in the middle of doing her a favor.

  “I won’t tell if you don’t,” Dylan answered with a real laugh.

  “But won’t Nieves know? From listening to the radio and stuff.”

  Dylan winced, and Briana wondered if she was considering the consequences of her spur-of-the-moment decision. “Eh, he barely listens to the radio. Miri won’t out us. Trevor’s a vault. And no one else knows. I think we’re good.”

  They were doubling back on the FDR, finally on the way home. “You have to promise to tell me if you get reprimanded. This way I can speak on your behalf.”

  “Absolutely not.” Dylan’s tone was completely jovial. “Stop worrying. It’s fine. I promise.” Dylan leaned slightly over the console. “So, what did you think? Was it fun?”

  “So much fun.”

  Briana bit her lip and nodded in support of her short answer, positive her face showed the excitement that was coursing through her veins. At least she had the car chase to blame for the heightened sensation she felt. She couldn’t bear the thought of Dylan knowing how turned-on she was. How having a front seat to seeing Dylan in action made her want to chuck all her restraint right off the Brooklyn Bridge.

  They were in front of her apartment in no time, and as much as Briana wasn’t ready for the night to end, she needed to be out of this car.

  Dylan pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine.

  “You don’t have to get out,” she said, unfastening her seat belt and avoiding eye contact altogether. “You’ve already driven me all the way home.”

  “With a massive detour.”

  “An exceptionally cool detour.”

  “Still.”

  “Where I got to watch you take charge,” she said, processing out loud. “It was—you were…amazing.”

  “Thank you.” Dylan’s eyes narrowed as though she wasn’t sure where this conversation was headed. Briana wasn’t sure either. She was certain of only one thing: Dylan made her want to break all the rules.

  Briana peered out the passenger window and let it all pour out.

  “It’s just…I have a good time with you. You make me laugh. Last night, tonight. You’re so easy to talk to. And fun. I haven’t connected like this with anyone…” She studied the stars and tried to remember the last time anyone had this effect on her. “I don’t even know,” she admitted. She let her head fall back against the headrest and closed her eyes. “I cannot stop thinking about you.”

  “Don’t.” Dylan’s voice was low and sexy. “Look at me.”

  “I can’t.”

 
“Please.”

  Briana tilted her head to the side and opened her eyes. Dylan was there.

  “You’re overthinking everything.”

  “I’m aware.”

  “So stop.” Dylan mimicked her position as she leaned her head back against the headrest. In the seat her body canted just the slightest bit toward her. For a second, Briana thought she might be imagining it. Dylan was only inches from her face, her gorgeous blue eyes loaded with desire. “You know where I stand. I don’t see the point in denying ourselves what we want.” Dylan seemed to swallow a laugh as her attention shifted from her mouth to her eyes. “But I know you have rules and doubts, and the last thing I want is for you to have any regrets. So come on, counselor.” She ticked her head toward the world waiting just outside the car. “As hard as it is to say good-bye to you, I’m still walking you to the front door. I gave my word on that.”

  Briana didn’t stop to think about it, or if she did her body was so far ahead of her brain that she’d already committed to what she wanted. It all seemed suddenly so clear. Without another word, she leaned all the way across the center console and right into Dylan’s space.

  No regrets.

  Chapter Ten

  Dylan’s lips were so much softer than she expected. It was literally the first thing Briana noticed as she sank into her embrace. Briana had started the kiss in a rush, afraid she’d lose her nerve or come to her senses—or both. Instead she dove in with everything she had and kissed Dylan like she’d imagined literally dozens of times. It was hurried, even a little sloppy, if she was being honest, until the second Dylan took over.

  How the shift occurred, she wasn’t even sure. It all felt so natural and organic. Out of nowhere Dylan was simply in control. Briana felt a hand at the base of her head, and Dylan’s thumb caressed her face as she kissed her over and over. Her tongue moved slow and deliberate, the passion between them escalating ever higher as they kissed for what felt like a divine eternity.

  For a second Briana thought it might end here. Just one heart-pounding, heat-inducing, sexy kiss in the undercover police car in front of her house. Maybe that was enough to release the pressure between them. But that thought terrified her more than never having kissed Dylan at all, and she heard herself whimper at the idea.

  Dylan pulled back and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?”

  “Not even a little.” It was a completely honest response, and she didn’t bother to try to qualify it. Logic and passion seemed to be at war inside her. She was pulsing everywhere. She should say good night. Her body felt like it was on fire. No good would come of this. She wasn’t even close to ready for it to be over.

  Ignoring all reason, Briana leaned in for another searing kiss and didn’t stop Dylan when she felt Dylan’s hand slide over the front of her body. She needed to be out of this car. She tipped her head back, and Dylan kissed her neck. Her mouth was warm and wet and demanding. She wanted all of it.

  “Inside. Right now,” she whispered in Dylan’s ear.

  Briana didn’t stop to assess Dylan’s reaction if there even was one. She didn’t make any eye contact whatsoever as she grabbed her purse and virtually ran up the walkway, into her foyer, and up the stairs to her second-floor apartment.

  It wasn’t until the door was shut safely behind them that she registered the hunger in Dylan’s eyes. It was matched only by her signature devilish smile. The look both enticed and relaxed her, but she hardly had time to process before Dylan leaned in and kissed her.

  Where she’d seemed controlled and measured before, Dylan was all desire now, and Briana was here for it.

  Her bag dropped to the floor, and Dylan’s mouth was all over hers. Her hands were in Dylan’s soft sculpted hair, and she moaned into her mouth. Dylan leaned back against the door, and Briana leaned into her, pressing her body up against Dylan. With seemingly no effort, Dylan lifted her, and she instinctively responded, wrapping her legs around Dylan’s torso, not caring one bit when her skirt hiked all the way up.

  Dylan carried her to the kitchen island, kissing her the whole way. Her lips were all over her face and neck, and her blouse was off before Briana even realized it. Dylan pushed the material of her bra down and kissed her bare breast. She gripped Dylan’s hair and pushed herself in deeper, needing to feel Dylan’s teeth against her flesh. Dylan’s fingers pressed against her center, and she groaned, knowing she was wet, fully aware Dylan knew it too.

  In the dark she felt Dylan expertly remove her panties. Briana knew she should stop her. They were in the freaking kitchen. Stef could come home any minute. But she simply could not bring herself to do it. Instead she leaned back and let it all happen.

  And oh God, her mouth was nothing short of a goddamn miracle. Dylan found her sensitive spot in seconds, and the first baby orgasm ripped through her in record time. Dylan could obviously tell—Briana could feel her smile against her skin after she let out a series of gasps and stifled moans.

  Clearly Dylan was just getting started as Briana felt her add a finger to the action. It already felt amazing but was too much for the kitchen counter.

  “My room,” she managed.

  “Of course. Yeah,” Dylan said as she stood and graciously helped her down. Briana was genuinely touched when Dylan bent down and picked up her shirt and underwear off the floor. It was such a simple action, but oddly thoughtful. She reached for Dylan’s hand and laced their fingers as she guided them down the hall to her bedroom.

  Standing next to her bed, Briana felt shy for a second. Somehow the ambient light from the street drew attention to the state of her semi-undress and made her just the slightest bit self-conscious. It literally made no sense considering what had just occurred—in the kitchen of all places—but facing a fully clothed Dylan while she was half-naked made her feel exposed instead of sexy.

  “You’re beautiful,” Dylan said. Briana wondered if she paid the compliment because she could sense her nervous energy, but then the look in her eyes seemed so sincere, it moved her regardless of the motive. When Dylan leaned forward to kiss her, she let all her defenses drop and stopped analyzing altogether. She got lost in the softness of Dylan’s lips, her tender touch, the way she asked permission before progressing onward. It was as though Dylan wanted to make sure even if this was a fluke, it was one Briana felt confident in pursuing.

  Briana was beyond speechless over what was most definitely happening. The irresponsibility of this decision did absolutely nothing to tamp down her need, and in the semidarkness she responded the only way she could manage, via tiny moans of approval and decadent kisses of encouragement.

  At first Dylan seemed to want to go slow, but Briana needed her too much to have any real patience. It was as though any deceleration might give her pause to consider the repercussions of their actions, and more than anything she wanted to live in this moment.

  She slipped her hands under Dylan’s shirt and lifted it off, letting it fall to the floor. She followed suit with a sports bra that was barely necessary, before Briana let her hands and her mouth explore with complete abandon. Dylan was wiry and muscular, all sharp angles and taut skin covered with multiple tattoos. She wore a single religious medal that caught her so off guard she almost stopped to ask questions. But before she could say anything, Dylan’s mouth was on hers, hard and demanding and so clearly ready to go to the next level.

  Briana scraped her nails along the outline of a six-pack before she made her way to Dylan’s belt, not breaking away from the deep kiss as she loosened the buckle. She undid the button of Dylan’s jeans and started on the zipper, but Dylan stopped her.

  “Just let me take care of this,” Dylan whispered as she removed her firearm from where it was secured to her belt. Briana was half mesmerized as she watched Dylan place the holstered weapon a step away on the nightstand. “Is it okay if I leave it there?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Yes. Of course.” The truth was she’d forgotten all about the fact that Dylan was armed, and while she d
idn’t have a cop fetish, this whole night was making her appreciate the allure. “I’m sorry if I got too close…”

  Dylan reentered her personal space. “You’re fine.” Dylan held her face. The kiss that followed was soft and sweet for one second before it turned right back into full heat.

  Briana broke from the kiss more than breathless. She inched back to the bed, never letting go of Dylan’s hand. Pulling back the covers, she felt Dylan embrace her from behind. She couldn’t contain a whimper when Dylan ran her hands over her breasts and her belly and kissed her neck. Briana turned around and met Dylan’s mouth as they fell into the bed together. She pushed Dylan’s boxers down, the need to feel her everywhere superseding all else.

  She held onto her shoulders as she felt Dylan’s fingers slide inside her. It felt amazing. Dylan seemed to know exactly where and how to touch her. How much pressure to use, when she should pull back, and when Briana needed her to go hard and deep and fast. Briana opened her legs wider ready for every last inch Dylan had to offer.

  Dylan kissed her neck, her chest, her mouth. Her actions were tender and raw at the same time, and they created an intimacy that somehow underscored the sensation. When Dylan hovered over her, Briana registered her slightly ragged breathing, and she wanted to make her feel even a fraction of what she was feeling with every kiss, with every thrust.

  “Can I…” Briana managed. She brushed her hand over Dylan’s center, completing her sentence with the promise of her touch.

  Dylan’s mouth hung slightly open as she nodded assent.

  At the contact, Dylan’s moan was deep and guttural and sexy as fuck. Briana felt herself gush in response, but she was already so wet she wondered if Dylan even noticed. Dylan moved in sync on top of her and inside her, and Briana moved with her, bucking and gasping and begging for more. She was barely in control of what she was even saying, but it didn’t matter. She was almost there and Dylan clearly knew it. Briana felt slight perspiration on Dylan’s back as she pumped harder and faster. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear Dylan was about to come with her. The thought evaporated as quickly as it came when all brain function ceased as her nerve endings took center stage.