Dangerous Connections (Aegis Group Book 9)

by Sidney Bristol

  It had to be this crazy situation. Logically it made sense that heightened emotions and danger might seek an outlet. In this instance, a case of raging lust for a man she wasn’t entirely sure liked her. Oh, he’d called her beautiful and kissed her, but did he like her? If they weren’t forced together would he want to be around her?

  They’d had fun that afternoon, but did that tell her anything about how they might work together?

  Ekko backed away, resolved to keep her distance. At least for tonight. Maybe she’d come to a better answer while she stared at the ceiling, and maybe she wouldn’t.

  The floorboard underfoot creaked.

  She winced and glanced over her shoulder, right as Silas stepped into view.

  His face was partially in shadow, making it impossible to see him clearly. Didn’t change the fact that he’d caught her. Now if only he wanted to keep her for a night.

  10.

  Saturday. Safe House, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

  “You heading to bed?” She couldn’t tell anything from his tone. It was perfectly neutral.

  She pasted on a smile. “Yeah, I was thinking I would. Early morning and all that.”

  He slowly closed the distance between them. “How early are you going to get up?”

  She swallowed then tried to pretend she wasn’t hyper aware of his nearness. “About half an hour before I need to stream. Just long enough to make myself presentable and eat something.”

  Silas was close enough now she could see him despite the lack of light. He nodded and lifted a hand. She braced herself and held still, both hungry for his touch and dreading it. He slid his fingers along her cheek and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

  That simple gesture had a three-fold reaction. She inhaled sharply, her nipples tightened and a tingling sensation spread up through her body. From a scientific standpoint her reaction to him was getting worse. Much worse. At this rate she’d be pacing in her room tonight.

  Did he have bat-like hearing? Would he know?

  “Good night,” Silas whispered.

  That was when she realized that he’d bent his head. His nose almost brushed her own. It was too dim to see much. Why hadn’t she turned on the bedroom light yet?

  He leaned forward and their lips touched. She tensed, holding herself back. She hadn’t kissed him, had she?

  He didn’t have the same hesitation. His mouth molded to hers and his hands slid around her waist.

  Oh, God...

  There went her resolve.

  Ekko swayed toward him, gripping his shoulders in case he had the silly idea to only kiss her once. She tipped her chin up and parted her lips, his tongue teasing her. His hand splayed against her back, tugging her closer. The tingling sensation intensified and spread. Warmth blossomed low in her belly.

  Part of her brain knew this was all a product of their crazy circumstances. The rest of her didn’t care. Silas was there kissing her and she wanted him.

  When was the last time she’d wanted a man like this?

  The one thought flashing in her mind with neon lights was that she didn’t want the kiss to end. She wanted it to go farther. She wanted him in every way possible.

  Silas pressed her back against the wall. She might have screamed, Yes, if his tongue weren’t in her mouth. Instead she curled her arms over his shoulders and stood on tip-toe to get closer. His hand skimmed up and down her side.

  His teeth bit down gently on her lower lip. She gasped, not because it hurt or even surprised her, but because the sensation that one act stirred in her. Her breasts were heavy now, sensitive to the point that her most comfortable bra felt itchy. Her panties were decidedly damp. Her head spun to the point she really didn’t want to be standing right now. Even better, she knew he wasn’t unaffected by the kiss. She could feel the press of his erection against her.

  It wasn’t just her.

  She hadn’t been the one kissing him earlier.

  He’d more than simply kissed her back.

  It was a small victory, but one that would put her mind at ease later when she was trying to sleep. Though right now she hoped sleep was an activity for much later.

  He lifted his head and looked down at her. She wished she could see his face, the darkness of his eyes, anything really.

  “Good night,” Silas said again, his voice rougher and deeper by almost an octave.

  “Good night?” She stared up at him. “You kiss me like that and then want to say, good night?”

  Was it her imagination or did he grimace slightly?

  “Yeah,” he said.

  Could it be that he was trying to hold back? She didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but it didn’t seem like he wanted to just part ways and go to bed either.

  She lifted her hand and drew her finger down across his lips. “That was not a goodnight kiss. At least not the kind of kiss that you just go to sleep after.”

  “What kind of kiss is that?” He leaned against her a little more.

  There was something about the way he held her there that didn’t just make her feel desirable, she felt safe.

  She smiled and traced his lips before gently pressing a chaste kiss to his mouth. Though she lingered a moment, it wasn’t anything that made her toes curled.

  “Good night,” she purred, peering up at him.

  Silas’ gaze narrowed.

  Clearly she wasn’t the only one who liked the idea of parting ways like that.

  He lifted his hands and swiped his thumb across her lips, tracing the edges not all that dissimilar from what she’d done to him.

  “You’re a distraction. Distractions cost lives. I don’t want you to get hurt, but I’m struggling here.”

  Her insides wobbled.

  His words shouldn’t be sexy. They were talking about their lives here and everything she’d worked on for months to make happen. And yet, the only thing she heard was that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Just like she couldn’t stop thinking about him.

  “Maybe we scratch that itch, see if it helps?” It was one theory at least. “What happens while you’re sleeping?”

  “Someone in our Seattle office monitors the cameras.”

  “And they aren’t available yet?”

  “Zain decided to keep someone on the desk round the clock.”

  Ekko hadn’t known that. It was comforting to think that a team across the globe was looking out for them, even if it didn’t do much for them here beyond give them a warning.

  Despite the dimness she felt his gaze travel down her face to her chest and back.

  Was he considering it?

  “I need to tell them I’m going to be off comms for the rest of the night.” His tone was hard and there was an ominous note.

  The rest of the night?

  She shivered.

  “Can you follow directions?” he asked.

  “What?”

  “Can you follow directions?” He repeated himself slower this time.

  “Depends if I want to.”

  One side of his mouth hitched up. “Oh, you’ll want to.”

  “Prove it,” she said in a sing-song voice.

  His big hand grabbed her ass and in one move he hoisted her up until her toes barely touched the ground. She clung to him as his lips moved against her ear.

  “You really want me to make you?” he asked.

  She barely resisted shivering this time as she clung to him. It was the devil in her that made her shoot back, “Maybe.”

  He nipped her ear and this time she jumped.

  “Go into my bedroom. I can’t see you and have a decent conversation right now.” He set her down and patted her hip. “Go on now.”

  She smirked. “And be a good little girl?”

  He grinned at her, his dark eyes alight with mischief. “I don’t think you have a good girl bone in your body.”

  She laughed and braced herself against the wall for fear her knees were too wobbly to hold her up.

  Ekko had to agree. She’d never
be the type to docilely do as she was told. Her mouth would always get in her way.

  Silas took a step back then another.

  The traitorous floorboard squeaked under his weight. She flinched and glanced at Chayan’s door. There was no light shining, no sign that he was awake, but that didn’t mean anything. Her bedroom shared a wall with his and she’d heard him moving about at all hours.

  She glanced back at Silas, only he wasn’t there.

  Her skin heated and she knew she was grinning.

  This was crazy.

  Everything in her life the last few weeks was crazy, but this more so.

  She ducked into Silas’ bedroom, turned on the light and pushed the door partially shut in the name of privacy.

  Ekko turned, taking in the space as if it would tell her some hidden secret about the man.

  The furniture was laid out much like her room with a queen sized bed, dresser, wardrobe and nightstand. The bed was neat. He didn’t have clothes lying about. In fact, at second glance, she had to assume his things were permanently packed.

  Not a bad idea given the circumstances.

  She felt more than heard the door swing open at her back. Goose flesh broke out on her arms and legs. She glanced over her shoulder as strong, warm arms wrapped around her waist and Silas pressed himself to her back.

  “Miss me?” he whispered.

  She chuckled. It was a silly question, and yet it said something about him. She’d all but said, please have sex with me, and his first move wasn’t to yank her clothes off. It was to make her laugh. Her insides melted that much more.

  His hand dipped under her shirt to splay against her stomach. Once more, he didn’t move to do anything, just held her skin to skin.

  “I want you naked.” He kissed her neck. “And then I want to do things to you.”

  “To me? I’m not sure if that sounds sexy or if I need a safe word.”

  His breath warmed her skin as he chuckled. “You’re safe with me. I just want to indulge a little.”

  Indulge.

  That was certainly an appropriate word.

  “What about what I want?” She covered his hands with hers and glanced over her shoulder.

  Light twinkled in his dark brown eyes, making him look younger and very hungry. “I don’t think you’ll have any complaints.”

  “So sure of yourself?”

  “I am.”

  Her knees were in danger here. She wasn’t sure being vertical was going to work for her much longer.

  “I’ll wait to be impressed,” she managed to say with just enough sass.

  “Now you’re just asking for it.” His hands slid to her sides, fingers splayed.

  She tilted her head. “Am I?”

  He tugged her shirt up. She grinned to herself as he pulled it off and let the shirt fall to the floor.

  Silas gathered her hair into a tail and lifted it off her neck. He kissed the back of her neck, just to the right of her spine, then again on the left. She let her eyes close and simply lose herself in the feel of his lips dropping kisses across one shoulder then the other.

  Was it going to take him all night to get to the sex part?

  She wasn’t sure she was that patient.

  Silas tugged on her hair and once more he hugged her from behind. She let him turn her head until she could look at him. He pressed a gentle kiss to her mouth. As she relaxed against him the hand on her stomach slid down, his fingers dipping into her pants and panties. She sucked in a breath and went up on tip-toe before she could stop herself. His big fingers stroked down over her mound as his body curled around her. His tongue teased her lips as he pressed against her, sliding a finger over her clit and between her folds.

  He groaned against her mouth and tore his hand away from her. Still holding her hair, he turned her, their lips never parting. The kiss took on a decidedly hungry feel as he moved against her and in her. He took a step, forcing her back, as he half-carried her to the edge of the bed then gently pushed her.

  She sat down, bouncing a bit with the mattress, and stared up at him. He was breathing hard, his hair sticking up on one side.

  “I was going to go slow, but you’re so damn wet.” He lifted his hand and licked one finger.

  Ekko opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

  He grinned at her. “Cat got your tongue? I’ll help you find it.”

  Silas leaned down and kissed her again, saving her from having to respond to him. Her brain just wasn’t working, not with him touching her like that. His hand was at her waist again, only this time he fumbled with the elastic.

  Fuck that.

  She shoved her pants and panties down with his help, kicking them off and onto the floor.

  He cupped her mound as his tongue thrust into her mouth. She moaned into the kiss. He spread her legs and stroked her folds. No part of her cared about him learning just how wet she’d been. Especially as he slid thick fingers inside of her. She clawed at his shoulders as he pumped in and out.

  Silas pulled away, his eyes locking with hers. “Lie back.”

  Him and his following directions. She was momentarily torn between being contrary and wanting whatever it was he was going to do next. In the end, her need won out and she eased back onto the mattress, watching him the whole time.

  Silas went to his knees at the edge of the bed. That was when she understood.

  Her stomach did a somersault, and not a good one. Before she could voice an alternative, be bent his head and licked her. All at once her ability to speak vanished. Her vision blurred and she gasped for air. He did something with his fingers inside of her, stroking some hidden bundle of nerves. Ripples of pleasure went through her, her muscles warming and relaxing.

  She fisted handfuls of the comforter as he bent to his task. His tongue rubbed against her clit, sending electrical zips of awareness through her. He didn’t fumble or waste time doing anything out of an adult film, no, it was clear that Silas knew exactly how to work the female body.

  His mouth pressed against her so intimately. She looked down at him and saw her hand in his hair and his eyes on her. At the same moment he gently sucked. She wasn’t sure what did it, the suction on her clit or the fire in his eyes, but she tumbled over into pleasure. She let her eyes close, fisted the blanket and rode his mouth, milking the pleasure out of him.

  She was vaguely aware of Silas’ chuckle, not that she cared. She lay there, boneless and momentarily spent.

  God, she hadn’t expected that.

  His stubble scraped against her skin as he pressed a kiss to her hip and pulled his fingers from her. She hissed and squeezed her eyes shut tight. He kissed her other hip, as if that would ease her. It was an oddly sweet gesture from a man with so many rough edges.

  The bed dipped, but he didn’t join her. His footfalls were soft thuds. She listened to rustling fabric while floating on endorphins.

  “I might like you,” she said between breaths.

  “Might? I’ll have to work harder.”

  “I look forward to that.”

  She cracked an eye and found him standing at the side of the bed. His shirt was off and his belt undone. In his hand he held a familiar square foil packet.

  Despite her orgasm, her body perked up.

  She propped herself up on her elbows, though it made her bra rub against her sensitive flesh.

  “How well do you take orders?” she asked.

  He quirked a brow at her. “I’m a Marine.”

  She grinned. “Strip, soldier.”

  His lips quirked in a barely resisted smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

  It didn’t take much effort. His jeans were being held up by the pure magical quality of his firm ass. One push and his remaining clothing fell to the ground, revealing a very impressive erection.

  He leaned over her, but she didn’t yield to him. “Any other orders you have for me?”

  She took the condom from between his fingers and sat up, which put their faces so close her nose bumped his as she
spoke. “On the bed.”

  He did as she ordered, that air of mischief still clinging to him. She wasn’t sure if she should trust him, but she was fairly certain she’d enjoy herself no matter what.

  Silas stretched out, hands behind his head. “Anything else, ma’am?”

  “Oh, we’re just getting started.” She straddled his thighs and reached behind her to unclasp her bra.

  His gaze went straight to her breasts, his gaze darkening. His hands slid out from behind his head and grasped her knees.

  She rolled the condom on and eased forward until his cock was trapped between them. She braced herself on his shoulder and kissed him, allowing her breasts to draw circles on his skin. He cupped her ass, pulling her forward and deepening the kiss, while allowing his erection to slide free. She chuckled and eased back, finding his erection by feel. He reached between them and held his cock, his hungry gaze watching where their bodies met. She slid down, impaling herself on him.

  “Christ,” he groaned and gripped her thighs.

  “Oh, yeah.” She sucked in a breath.

  He fit her, but her muscles strained around him.

  Silas sat up and wrapped his arms around her, looking deep into her eyes. There was just something about him. Something she’d liked from the beginning. Staring into his eyes she felt her insides flutter. After tonight she knew she’d more than like him. She was inviting trouble, but that was a bridge to cross later. Right now she wanted to revel in these moments.

  She gathered herself and rose. His face tightened even as he made noises of appreciation. She gripped his shoulders and let her eyes shut, giving herself over to the pleasure of it as she lowered onto him. Her body stretched around him, adjusting to his girth. This didn’t feel like fumbling first time together sex. There was more need. The way he held her, how he looked into her eyes, it felt as though he needed this as much as she did.

  “God, you feel so damn good,” he whispered.

  She wanted to reply, but her mind had already gone blank, too focused on her movements. Her thighs wobbled a little, not quite recovered from the first orgasm. But he was there to steady her and help guide her.

  Ekko rose again and this time Silas ducked his head. He wrapped his lips around her nipple and she gasped, her hyper-sensitive body reacting to him.