“Who are you working for?”
The man laughed. Milo shook his wrist, preparing it for another attack. If he killed the bastard, he’d only endanger Dani further. He had to keep his cool.
Milo wouldn’t kill him, but he could coerce the asshole to talk. “Look, you tell me—”
The man flung his fist forward.
Wham!
A handful of gravel sprayed Milo’s face. The rocks hit his skin like tiny razor blades. Debris flaked into his eyes and he blinked, holding up his hands in front of him to stop another blow. As his vision cleared, he saw the man scurry away and disappear over the edge of the escarpment.
Milo let loose a stream of curses and stumbled to his SUV. From the back seat he pulled out a water bottle. He unscrewed the cap, lifted his chin, and dumped the contents over his face. Cool liquid rushed into his eyes as he blinked under the flow, flushing out the dirt from beneath his eyelids. He cast his gaze toward the escarpment. He shook off the remaining water and tossed the empty bottle on the seat.
He gripped the guardrail and searched the brush and rock below, but the grit and water had dried out his eyes. Fuck. He couldn’t see a damn thing. He’d probably break his neck if he pursued the bastard. He tore himself away from the escarpment. The assholes would pay. And when he, Brock, and Serena swept in to rescue Dani, he’d save a slew of punches for the pussy with the curly hair.
CHAPTER 9
Serena buried her hands in her hair for the dozenth time since Milo left. She’d been on edge for more than twenty-four hours, and now she teetered on the brink of insanity. If something happened to him . . . She closed her eyes, blocking out the words on the pages she’d stared at for the last forty-five minutes. She’d left Brock downstairs, escaped to Milo’s room, and pulled out Dani’s laptop to look for clues on the job she’d been planning. Chitchat wasn’t something she was capable of at the moment. All she could do was thank him for what he’d done for Dani, and every time she tried to, he cut her off.
Right now, she needed to force herself to work through the dull throb that pushed her temples together. She sucked in one deep breath after another through her nose.
Dani’s hoarse voice replayed in her head.
I should have listened to you when you told me the job was too big.
It made no sense. Dani had been trying to rope Serena into a job the night she’d been in the accident, but she hadn’t revealed what the job was. Weak and delirious, Dani was probably just blabbering about one of their many disagreements from years ago.
Right?
Creak
She jerked up her head and the room spun. Milo stood in the doorway, a crooked smile hooked on his mouth and his laser-focused gaze trained on her. Her belly flipped and she sprang to her feet.
Thank god!
He was here. He’d survived. Milo stepped further into the room and closed the door behind him. She flung her body against his, wrapping her arms around his waist and inhaling his woodsy scent. He flinched but wrapped her in a hug.
She’d been terrified.
Dani’s kidnapping had turned her life upside down. Losing Milo would have been too much.
“Oh my god, you’re all right,” she said with a laugh.
He smoothed his hands down her spine. “Of course I am. What did you think?”
She tilted her head back to glare at him. “Don’t give me that. You’re the one who preached about how dangerous meeting the kidnapper was.”
His hands stilled on her back and he shrugged. She frowned. Something wasn’t right. His shirt and hair were wet, his face bore small scratches, and the skin around his eyes glowed pink.
“What happened?”
He groaned. “Some asshole jumped out at me after the kidnapper made off with the money.” He moved his hand behind his neck, grabbed a handful of material, and yanked off his shirt.
His muscles, under olive-toned skin, rippled with the movement. She let her gaze wander over Milo’s high, tight pecs then down his washboard abdomen. Her fingers stung with the need to touch him. She pinched her fingers together and brought her attention back to his face.
He grinned.
Crap. He’d caught her checking him out. Again. She pulled her shoulders back despite the clenching of her lady parts.
“How did you get the scratches?” With the tip of her ring finger she touched a tiny scratch beneath his eye.
“I got the man on the ground and demanded he tell me who he worked for. Then he threw a handful of gravel at my face and ran off while I couldn’t see.”
Anger bubbled in her gut. “That’s a poor way to fight.”
“There wasn’t much fighting,” Milo said. He flashed her a smile. “He got one good shot in though.” His face fell and one of his hands went to his ribcage.
She leaned closer and winced. “I see that.” She touched the red mark on his side.
Milo jerked, and the sharp intake of his breath made her yank her head up. “It hurts that bad?” Oh no. He could have a broken rib.
“No, it tickles.” He caught her hand, pulling her body close to his. “I’m fine, babe.”
“You’re not fine. He got some cheap shots in.” She brought her thumb to his jaw. “Did he get you here too?”
He wrapped his fingers around hers, stilling her hand. “That one’s from you. And for the record, you hit harder.”
Mortification flooded through her. Oh god . . . she had hit him! Never in her life had she attacked anyone like that. Granted, she hadn’t gotten many blows in, but the reddish-purple hue on his jawbone showed her rage.
She scrunched her face. “I’m sorry. I was really upset.”
He chuckled. The sound was rough and throaty. “Yeah, I kind of gathered that.”
Despite his amusement, guilt made her chew her bottom lip. The mark on his face bothered her. He didn’t deserve her aggression. Well, maybe in that moment he had. But if it weren’t for him, she’d have zero help right now.
His hand caught the side of her neck and his eyes turned soft. Hazel hues melted into the green, sending a shiver of delight over her skin. She never tired of his touch. Whether he touched her once every ten years or once every ten minutes, he made her heart purr like a cat.
“Don’t make that face, babe.”
Shit. What face? Dear god, please tell me I didn’t summon my O face.
Before she could answer, he swept his thumb across her cheek. “I don’t care about a damn bruise or the fact that you hit me. I’m not leaving your side until this is over.”
Just like that, the protective ribbon that had kept her body clothed and her emotions intact broke. She let her body fall into his heat. One of his hands slid around her waist, the other kept its solid hold on her neck.
She swallowed over the lump in her throat. The deafening voice in her head that had been cautioning her to keep Milo at arm’s length became a whisper. She needed him. She needed a release. The stress and angst of the last day and a half were drawing on all her resources. A few minutes of bliss, that’s all she needed.
Milo’s eyes searched her face, as if memorizing every contour. His fingers flexed on her spine and she tilted up her chin. His lips came down but stopped an inch from meeting hers.
“I’m losing my sanity around you,” he said. His voice was strained, as if he’d had to force the admission. “I can barely think. You walk by and I want you. You speak and I hang on every word. Seeing you dressed is torture, and seeing you in that towel nearly killed me.” His fingers slid under her shirt, stopping on her ribcage. “I need—”
“Shh,” she said, planting her fingers on his lips.
His gaze turned hot, branding her. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. His words stemmed from lust. Nothing more. Dammit, she lusted after him too. She couldn’t blame him. They didn’t have much time, but trying to think and work with her libido set to horny 24/7 was proving counterproductive.
She had to get him out of her system.
And fast.
He pulled away and dropped his forehead to hers. Her panting mingled with his, and she slid her hands to his chest to ride the steady rhythm of his breath.
“I won’t be able to stop at kissing, Serena. I need you. All of you. If you can’t do this now, I understand, but we need to be on the same page.”
She closed her eyes and let his breath tickle her cheek. “I need you too.” She rested the back of her head against the wall. “I crave you every minute and it’s . . .” She swept her tongue over her lips to clear her head, but all it did was drag the faint hint of coffee that tainted his mouth across them. “Distracting. We need to clear the air . . . just once. But it has to be fast so we can get our fill and move on.”
He threw his head back, and a laugh rumbled against her hand.
She narrowed her eyes. “What’s so funny?”
He lowered his face to hers. Some of the humor left his eyes, but the skin around them crinkled with amusement. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. You’re asking me to be fast? Don’t most women want the opposite?”
She grinned, pushed away from his hold, and tugged her shirt over her head. His smile fell away and his gaze dropped to her black-lace-covered breasts.
“God damn,” he hissed.
She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her yoga pants and wiggled them down her legs, stripping to her thong. Now wasn’t the time for modesty, or beating around the bush. This wasn’t a budding romance but the fulfilling of a need for practicality.
You’re so full of shit.
She forced her inner voice away.
“I’m going to be honest with you, Milo. I haven’t had sex in a while. I don’t care how long you can last, not right now.” She stepped out of her pants and latched onto his body again. She brought her hand to the waistband of his pants, dragging her fingertips over the taut flesh of his abdomen.
A vein throbbed at Milo’s temple, and she framed her body to his. His cheekbones were stained red. He didn’t move. His aroused state made her smile, and her cheeks warmed. She unsnapped his jeans, slid down his zipper, and freed his dick from his briefs.
His hot, thick cock pulsed against her palm. She stroked her fingers up and down the length of him and her mouth went dry. He would stretch her. She tightened her hold on him, dragging in a slow, steady motion. She kept her eyes locked on his face, watching his lids lower with desire.
He reached for her, and his hands trailed around her hips, over her bare ass cheeks, and to the skin at the backs of her thighs. In one swift movement he lifted her. She swung her legs around his waist as if she’d done it a thousand times.
She rested her hands on the breadth of his shoulders. This would be her first—and only—time with Milo. Yet the familiarity of his scent and the warmth of his touch made it feel like the hundredth. She caught his bottom lip between her teeth and sucked. His muscles vibrated beneath her palms and a thrill arced through her. Supporting her weight with one hand, he crawled his fingers between her legs.
Her belly tightened and she flicked her tongue into his mouth, begging him to keep going. He worked his way under the material of her panties and his index finger slipped over her slit, spreading her wetness. She stifled her cries on his mouth. Another finger joined the first and he teased them in and out of her opening, sending a shockwave of delight through her.
“Now, Milo.”
He moaned and stalked across the room to the bed.
He fell on top of the covers with her, his fists planted on either side of her head and his hips nestled between hers.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” he said. His lips dragged lazy kisses over her cheeks then moved back to her mouth. He lowered his manhood to her thong and a jolt shot through her loins. He buried his face in her neck and kissed the sensitive flesh. She arched her back and dug her nails into his shoulders. He moved past her collarbone to the rise of her breast, where he stopped. He caught the cup with his hand and flipped the material down to expose her aching nipple.
Her legs trembled, and she clamped them against his sides to still them. She wanted to urge him to continue, to hurry, but her body craved the heat of his mouth. He took her nipple between his lips and sucked. Her pelvis lurched off the bed, making his hard cock press against her heat.
She threw her head back and savored every flick of his tongue. She had to move this along. If she didn’t, they’d never finish.
“Milo, please,” she croaked.
“This isn’t going to be enough, babe.” He dragged his mouth down to her panties, and he curled his fingers into the waistband. “Are you sure you want the fast version? I can promise you that the slow includes multiple orgasms.” He bobbed his eyebrows.
Part of her wanted to open up, to give in and spend as many hours as possible in this state.
She couldn’t. “You know the deal,” she said on a breath. If he didn’t hurry, she was going to come without his help.
He pulled down her panties and tossed them over the side of the bed. “I agreed under duress.” He pushed himself off the bed, shucked his pants and underwear, and crawled between her knees. Her pulse roared in her ears. He came down on top of her, planting his hands on either side of her head again. There was no hesitancy in his face. Fire lit his eyes as he guided his cock to her wetness.
She closed her eyes as he pushed into her in one long thrust.
“Ah, my god,” she cried.
He groaned long and deep as he filled her. She opened her eyes to stare at his face. The muscles in his jaw clenched and his eyelids lowered. He watched her through slits.
“My god, you feel so damn good.” He drew in and out in long strokes. She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip. Every movement stretched her to fit his girth. Her fingernails bit into the stacked muscles of his back. Warmth pumped from her womb throughout her belly, filling her.
His face fell to her shoulder and his arms closed tighter around her, clamping her in place. She let her legs fall open farther with every thrust, wanting every inch of him inside her. Her body welcomed him, needing this more than she ever could have imagined.
Pleasure hummed through her nervous system. She couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to come. Now. She inched up her knees, closing them into his sides.
“Milo,” she said on a pant. “I need . . .”
He let loose a curse and his face turned into her throat. His lips found the column of her neck, sending electric currents to her nipples. His groan showed his resistance to coming, but he gave in. He burrowed his cock deep inside her, and she let out a squeal in anticipation.
He rocked against her clitoris, bringing wave after wave of ecstasy to every cell in her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging him closer to her. She surrendered to the pleasure, surrendered her body to him. He slid one hand under her to the small of her back, raising her hips. The action brought him closer. She cried out as her body jerked on a ripple of the euphoria to come.
Fire surged through her body as he pumped into her. White bursts flickered behind her closed lids, and her cries filled her own ears, matching Milo’s moans.
“Serena, ah, Christ.”
Her body spasmed as he hit every ripple of her orgasm. Oblivion crashed down on her and heat gushed from her center. Her arms loosened and her body sagged beneath his as he moved in long, gentle strokes, slowly riding her down to earth.
Her body mourned the tingling that slipped away with every second that passed. She loved the feel of his body on hers, his breath on her neck, his lips on her body.
Milo was right. It wouldn’t be enough.
* * *
Not thirty seconds after he’d collapsed on top of her, Serena tapped her insistent fingers on his shoulder. He cracked his eyes open. Her hair was mussed, her makeup smudged, and lines of fatigue had appeared beneath her eyes. She needed rest, but there was no way in hell she would. Especially after they’d spent fifteen minutes having sex.
He’d imagined having sex with her hundreds, no, thousands of times, but in no way had he been prepared for the tousle in the sheets that had just occurred. She was playful, sexual, and as tight as a vise. Every man’s dream.
But she wasn’t his to keep.
He hadn’t worn a condom. The thought of donning a rubber had crossed his mind and vanished as quickly as it had arrived. Call him careless, but this was Serena. She wasn’t some stranger. Feeling each ridge and cushion of her warm cavern had been nirvana. If she gave him the opportunity to do it again, he’d make the same choice. Besides, she hadn’t protested.
“Milo, we need to get to work. We have twenty-six hours left.”
Half his chest lay flat across hers, but the bulk of his weight was pressing into the mattress. He couldn’t move. Didn’t want to. Not when he knew he’d never get into this position again.
Not with her anyway.
“I know we’re past negotiations—”
“Long past.”
He chuckled. “I’d like to add something to the deal.”
She cocked an eyebrow.
“Five minutes.”
“Oh no you don’t. We said we’d only do this once.”
Fuck, he wanted to kick himself in the ass for agreeing to that. He couldn’t be held liable. In that moment, after that kiss, he’d have said anything.
“Exactly. We’ll never get to lie like this again. Let’s rest like this for a few minutes before we have to be alert for another twenty-six hours.”
Her mouth stretched open on a yawn, and she covered it with the back of her hand. “Fine. Five minutes, but then we really need to get up.”
The Last Heist (Pretty Thieves Book 1) Page 11
