“Based on all this trash talk, and the fact that I’m the best and the youngest, all y’all are going down,” Nic was practically blowing smiles out of his ass.
“A baby like you hasn’t developed the endurance,” Ezio razzed him.
Max looked over at Leo. “What’s with you, Perez? I expected to hear from your corner of the world.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling. I’ve tried to get a hold of Daisy four times today, but nothing.”
Max gave him an intent look. “Do you think she’s skipped out of the hotel again?”
“Nope. I checked with Tom, he said that not only do they have the camera on her hotel room, they have her door tripped, so if it opens they’re alerted. It hasn’t been opened.”
“If she’s as good as you say she is, maybe she disengaged it,” Kane suggested.
“God, I hope not.” Leo pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose.
“Shit, you’re going to be useless out there today and you’ll lose, and you’ll say it’s because you were worried about the doctor’s daughter, so we won’t even be able to rub it in,” Max sighed. “Get the hell over to Kabul and check on the woman.”
Leo brightened. “Yes, sir.” He didn’t need to be told twice.
“Don’t take the motorcycle, take something that won’t kill you.”
“What’s the fun in that?”
“Leo.” Max’s tone brooked no argument.
Daisy pushed her head under the pillow. Anything to make her head stop hurting and the ringing stop.
It didn’t stop.
God, she felt hungover. She clasped the pillow with both arms and surrounded her head with it so that her ears were covered. Finally, some relief—she couldn’t hear the ringing. She didn’t remember drinking, but her mouth felt like somebody had planted six acres of cotton in it, stinky cotton. It felt like her brain had grown three times its normal size and was trying to burst through her skull.
What in the hell had happened to me?
Now there was pounding, not ringing.
Her dad. Now she remembered. Ethan. The blood and bruises.
She squeezed her eyes shut tight and whimpered but it didn’t shut out the pounding. She thought she heard someone calling her name.
What?
Daisy lifted the pillow off her head and that actually helped. Who knew a feather pillow could be so heavy?
“Daisy, are you all right?”
Pound.
Pound.
Pound.
“Open the door, Goddammit.”
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
It was Leo. And he sure was making his presence known. She staggered out of bed. She was halfway to the door when she realized what she was wearing.
Fuck it. Like Leo hadn’t seen some woman in a man’s T-shirt before.
She opened the door and he stared at her.
“Jesus, Daisy, what happened to you?”
“You get laid with that kind of sweet talk?” she muttered as he shoved his way into her room.
“What did you just say?” he asked as he shut the door and turned her around so he could get an even better look at her. If she’d been feeling better, she would have yanked herself out of his hold, but she wasn’t, so she just stood there staring up at him.
“Honey, answer me, what happened? Has somebody hurt you? What happened?” His questions came at her like bullets. It was too much.
“Stop it! Just stop it! I can’t think.”
She whirled away from him and went to stare out the window, clasping her arms around herself, trying to keep herself together.
Then he was there, behind her. “Shhhh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to come on so strong.” His breath tickled her hair. “I’m worried.” He eased himself between her body and the window and crouched down so that they were at eye level. She looked into those deep brown eyes, so full of concern.
She shook her head, her hair flying everywhere. It stuck in her mouth. “There’s nothing you can do for me. I’m behaving like an absolute idiot,” she gulped. As soon as she took that deep breath, she shuddered, and her eyes began to well up.
“Ahhhh, Daisy.” He stood up straight and pulled her into his arms. She stiffened, but Leo wasn’t having any of that. One of his hands was rubbing her back and began to soothe her, while his other hand held her head in such a delicate grip as he guided her cheek against his chest.
Daisy knew she shouldn’t be allowing this; she should handle this on her own like everything else. But God, it felt so good.
“Baby, you’re trembling, can you talk to me?”
She shook her head.
“Okay. Okay. I’ve got you.” He held her closer.
What was best? The warmth of his body that was helping to stop her chills? The feel of his strong arms enveloping her body, so that she felt nobody could get to her? Or was it that smell of sunshine and man that was uniquely Leo?
She snuggled closer and listened to his steady heartbeat, and decided that was the best thing, having another human being to share the storm.
How long did they stand like that in front of the window? Until it got hot.
Daisy felt the soft brush of Leo’s lips against the top of her hair. In her adult life, she had never met a man who made her feel so cared for. How was that possible? She’d only known him for seventy-two hours.
She moved her hands to push away from him, but instead, her fingers dug into his white T-shirt.
What am I doing?
God, she didn’t want to push him away, she wanted him even closer. She needed him closer.
She threw back her head so she could look up into his eyes.
“Are you ready to talk about it?” he asked soothingly.
“Kiss me.”
His eyes widened just a bit. “Daisy—”
“I know what I want. I know what I need. I know who I need. I need you, Leo. Inside me. Now. But I’ll settle for a kiss to start.”
His hand stroked her hair back from her forehead. “I think you’re emotional and you need to talk.”
Emotional was something Daisy tried never to be. “We’ll talk,” she promised him. “After.” Then she frowned. “Unless you don’t want me.”
“Fuck, Daisy, you’re kidding, right? Of course I want you. I’ve practically had a hard-on for three days just thinking about you. But this doesn’t feel right when you’re upset.”
“This is exactly what I need. It’ll make things better for a while, and then we can talk, but I can’t right now. I can’t talk. Okay?” She heard the trembling in her voice, and she wished she could stop it, but she couldn’t.
Really, was sex too much to ask for? He tipped up her chin and she looked into his assessing gaze. Fine, let him see for himself that she was serious. That this was exactly what needed to happen.
“You promised me a kiss. Let’s see where it leads.”
His thumb brushed against her bottom lip and that one touch zinged to every nerve throughout her body.
10
Daisy was shattered and Leo didn’t want to take advantage. At the same time, he knew what it was like when the only thing that would push the darkness away was sex. But he didn’t want to be some meaningless fuck in Daisy’s life.
Then you better make this a damn good kiss, Perez.
He looked into her glistening gray eyes. He bent at the knees just a little because Daisy was so damned petite, then he kissed the corner of her mouth. She moved her face, trying to capture his mouth for something deeper. He chuckled.
He brushed his lips against her jaw.
“No, I want a kiss.”
“I am kissing you,” he breathed against her ear.
“A real kiss.”
According to his dick, this was a real kiss. He slid his mouth down her cheek, inhaling the scent that was uniquely Daisy. And salt.
Shit, she’s been crying.
She reached up and grabbed his hair, angling his head so that their lips me
t. She thrust her tongue into his mouth. He stepped sideways so that he could keep his footing. God, she was going to be the death of him.
Her taste exploded in his mouth, through his head, his body, and settled in his heart.
Daisy.
He caressed her dainty tongue with his, savoring the velvet texture and how every stroke took him higher and hotter than he’d ever been. Daisy stepped forward, her stomach pushed against his erection, and he knew damn well it wasn’t an accident.
He felt her nails dig into the back of his neck; the little girl was seriously serious. Which was fine by him, but every so often he tasted tears. So, he was going to take control and do things his way.
He bent his knees even more and caught her up in his arms.
She wrenched her mouth away from his. “What?” she stuttered.
“We’re doing this right.” He looked over at the bed that looked like a tornado had hit it. Which was fine, they weren’t going to be needing any covers. With her securely in his arms, which felt so right, Leo strode over to the bed and yanked back the duvet and top sheet and threw them to the floor, then gently lowered Daisy to the bed.
He turned away.
“Don’t go,” she pleaded.
“I’m not going anywhere, Sweetheart, I promise.” He went to the window and shut the sheers so that they had privacy but still let in the light. He went over and cranked down the AC and checked for the third time that the door was locked. Daisy was lying up on her elbows, watching him. She had a vulnerable look on her face. It killed him.
“Okay, this stops here, Honey.”
“What?”
He sat down on the side of the bed and cupped her cheek. “I know something bad happened, and you’re looking for some way to put it behind you. I get that. Hell, I’ve been in your shoes, no judging here. But now it looks like you’ve changed your mind, and that’s okay too.”
She struggled to get into a sitting position and when she did her eyes were spitting fire. “Well, I’m sure glad there’s no judgment on your side. This isn’t just some mindless need to have sex with the first man who walked through the door, Leo Perez. I don’t know what in the hell you’ve done in your past, but I’ve been a whole hell of a lot more discriminating and I’ve wanted you since I saw you in the embassy, but I’ve really liked you since we had lunch.”
Leo couldn’t help but smile.
“Damn right you should smile. Not many men make it into my bed. I might be using you for the moment, but I was planning on doing this before I got all upset and needy. But by all means, let’s call this off…” her voice shook.
Ahh, God, he could see tears beginning to form in those storm-cloud-colored eyes of hers. He pulled her into his arms again.
“Daisy. My Daisy. You’re damn right you were going to end up in bed with me. It was destined since the embassy conference room.”
She didn’t say anything as she burrowed in closer, her face tight against his neck.
This time he wasn’t going to fuck it up. He was going to make love to this beautiful woman, then he was going to get her to open up to him. He cupped the back of her head and tipped her back for another one of those soul-defining kisses. But before he got too lost, he reached down with his other hand and started to untie his boot laces. He needed to climb into bed with her. Right. Now.
She pulled away. “What are you doing?” her eyes were dilated, and almost black.
“Taking off my boots.”
She smiled brightly. “Good idea. Naked.” As his fingers were working on his bootlaces, she began to work on the fastening on his pants, which was not helping a damn thing!
“Daisy, I need to get my boots off first before I can get my pants off,” he complained.
“You’re not fast enough,” she purred.
He looked down at her flushed, smiling face and grimaced. Yep, she was going to be the death of him. “Why don’t you stand over there by the desk and very slowly take off your sleep shirt? Very, very, very slowly,” he suggested.
Her smile turned sexy. She slid off the bed, while he watched and fumbled with taking off first one boot and then the other. He tossed them across the room, then his socks. He stood and grabbed his wallet out of his pants and put it on the nightstand so he’d have the condom ready, then he stood stock still as Daisy started to sway side-to-side, as she began lifting the sports shirt up and up and up, over her tummy, so that her breasts began to show, then he saw the most beautiful pink nipples. He kept looking between her face and her breasts and her white panties, and back again. He was on overload.
Daisy knew it too. He could tell by the look on her face she was enjoying putting on a show for him.
“Take it off,” he demanded in a husky voice.
“Make me.”
Oh, he wasn’t about to do that. It would ruin the fun.
He sat down on the bed and narrowed his eyes, watching her intently. She swayed even more.
“You’re gorgeous. I can’t wait to see all of you. Your skin is beautiful, it gleams in the sunlight. Your breasts are perfect, songs could be written about your breasts. But Honey, it’s your sultry smile that does me in. Take off your shirt and come to me.”
She slowly pulled it over her head, and her brown hair tumbled down around her shoulders. There was no hesitancy in her eyes. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. He was enthralled as she sauntered over to him.
“Stand up,” she commanded.
Of course, he did. She looked up at him. “We’re doing this, right?”
“Oh yeah,” Leo agreed. He put his hands on her shoulders and stroked them down her arms until he tangled his fingers with hers. Such small hands that took care of so much. Her lips were shiny, plump, and pretty. Leo couldn’t resist the invitation.
He bent his head and took all she offered. He licked at her lips, tasting her, savoring her. When she didn’t immediately open, he gently nipped at her plush lower lip. She gasped and he took advantage, thrusting his tongue inside the warm cavern of her mouth. Kissing Daisy was like jumping out of a plane, only better. Over and over she rubbed her tongue against his, and his blood heated, his head spun. Leo released her hands and cupped her face, his thumbs caressing her cheeks.
He pulled away for just a moment. He had to tell her… “Eres gloriosa.”
“You’re the glorious one,” Daisy said, as she pulled at the hem of his T-shirt. “I want to see you, Leo. I need it.”
He caught the note of desperation in her voice. Then he remembered how he’d found her. He pulled his shirt over his head. Once again she was working on the fastening of his pants. He heard her mew of frustration. As confident as she seemed, apparently she wasn’t adept at undressing men. For some reason that made Leo smile.
“Honey, it’ll be faster if I do this.”
“Fine,” she said, clearly irritated.
Leo pulled off his pants and briefs in one fell swoop. He bent and picked her up once again and placed her on the bed.
“I know you’re strong and I’m small, you don’t have to keep proving it.”
“I’m not trying to prove anything. It’s just expedient to put you just where I want you.” He put one knee on the bed and stroked his fingers from her throat, between the valley of her breasts, down her stomach to the top of her panties.
“I think these can go, what do you think?”
“Definitely.”
Slowly, he pulled the white cotton down her legs, exposing her pretty brown curls, with a hint of glistening pink.
As he pulled them all the way off, he couldn’t help but notice her siren-red toenails, so at odds with her no-nonsense lack of make-up and unadorned fingernails. It was like she hid this little bit of femininity and he was lucky enough to see it.
He picked up one dainty foot and kissed her arch.
“No, kiss me,” she protested.
“I am.”
He spread her legs so that he could crawl up the bed and lay between them.
He wrapped one arm around her head and stared at her delicate breasts, which were perfect for her petite body.
“You’re staring.”
“I’m just planning my attack, your body requires thought.”
She smothered a laugh.
He cupped one breast as he licked around the swollen nipple of her other breast. Warm, plump, and a flavor that was all Daisy. He twirled and swirled his tongue around the turgid tip, while his hand lovingly caressed and lightly squeezed her other breast. Daisy began to squirm beneath him, making little mewling sounds. He continued his ministrations, bound and determined to make her ask for what she wanted.
Her knees cocked up and squeezed his hips, starting her own brand of torture.
He groaned and gave in. He sucked her nipple into his mouth.
“Yes,” she moaned. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Leo felt her fingers spearing through his hair, holding him close to her body. He began to pluck her other nipple, loving it when her hips arched up and her nails bit into his scalp. He needed more, so much more, but this moment of play was better than anything he’d previously experienced and he didn’t want it to end.
Daisy moved again. This time it was her foot teasing the back of his leg, ever upward until it was resting on his right flank, leaving her hot, wet flesh pressed against his stomach, tempting him beyond belief.
When she started to rub herself against the ridges of his abdomen, he lost it. He literally lost it. He turned over and sat up, and grinned in satisfaction as he stared into Daisy’s surprised eyes.
“I think we should try this, what do you think?”
Her hands cupped his cheeks and she swooped in for a kiss as she undulated against him. She took him ever upwards, spinning up into the heavens with her dizzying blending of lips and tongues.
As she took him over, he moved his hands along her thighs until he reached the lips of her sex. She moaned against his lips as his thumbs stroked along her silken, wet folds. Up and down, he continued to caress her, moving upwards to her clit, then he circled her swollen bud.
Daisy threw back her head and cried out.
“Leo, don’t stop.”
Her Sensual Protector: A Navy SEAL Romance (Night Storm Book 5) Page 8
