Lethal Game

by Katie Reus

  When his work phone buzzed in his pocket, he bit back a curse. It might be nothing, but it was late enough that if he was getting a call, he was going to have to go in. With this huge case right now, he had no choice. Hell, he was lucky he’d been able to take a few hours off with her.

  “It’s work, isn’t it?” she asked as he pulled his phone out.

  Sighing, he nodded as he glanced at the screen. “Yeah.”

  He answered the call from his boss. Ten minutes later he ended it, more than frustrated.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Emerson said as he set the phone on the center console. She’d heard enough of his half of the conversation to know he’d been called in. “Why don’t you just drop me off at my place—”

  “What did I say about that?”

  She laughed lightly, the sound pure music. “Okay, okay. I was just giving you the option if you wanted it. I feel a little weird being at your place without you there.”

  He frowned, not liking that at all. His place was hers, as far as he was concerned. But he knew when to keep his mouth shut. Especially since he’d already pushed her into staying with him. Not that she’d pushed back but… He didn’t want to give her a reason to leave.

  After getting her settled into his place and double-checking that she would set the alarm, he headed to the station. Apparently the Feds were there and wanted to talk to him. Again. Something told him it was going to be a long night.

  * * *

  Carlito stared at Emerson sleeping on his couch. He’d been gone almost six hours so he hadn’t expected her to still be awake. A blanket was tucked around her, but one foot was sticking out, showing her painted red toenails with little white snowmen on her big toes. Everything about her was adorable. Yep, never letting her go. It might have only been six months since he first met her, but he felt as if he’d been waiting for this woman for a lifetime. As if she’d been made just for him.

  She must have been exhausted since she didn’t even hear him come in and disarm the security system. Moving slowly, he lifted the blanket off her—froze when he realized she was just wearing one of his T-shirts, then scooped her up. She was lean and leggy, and he loved the feel of her up against him. Knew he’d never tire of it, of her. Protectiveness like he’d never known surged through him as he held her close. He had the insane urge to keep her close to him all the time after what had happened Thursday. Yeah, he knew it would pass, but right now he was in overprotective mode.

  She made a soft moaning sound and shifted against him. Her blue eyes opened, her expression softening. “Hey,” she murmured, laying her head on his shoulder as she curled into him. “What time is it?”

  “A little after three.” He’d done everything in his power to get back to her as soon as he could.

  “I tried to wait up.”

  He nudged his bedroom door open with his foot, his cock hard at just the feel of her in his arms. He’d been restraining himself for six damn months, pretending he just wanted friendship. That was all over now. Now she was going to have no doubt how much he wanted her. He felt almost possessed with the need to have her, claim her. After everything that had happened Thursday, he guessed part of his blinding need was because he kept reminding himself she was safe with him.

  The wood slat blinds over the windows let in enough light for him to see, even though he had the layout of his room memorized.

  He stretched her out on the middle of his bed before switching on the bathroom light. He’d waited a long time for this and he wasn’t going to be cheated out of seeing all of her completely bared to him. Every. Single. Inch.

  She made a cute little sound as she arched her back, stretching her hands over her head. “You, naked, now.” Her voice was as sleepy as her expression.

  He grinned at her words, loving this side of her. It didn’t take him long to strip off his service weapon and clothes. The only thing he left on was his boxers. Because once those were off, he’d have no control left.

  Crawling onto the bed, he spread her thighs as he moved in between them, gliding his hands over her smooth legs.

  She shivered, moaned softly as he reached under her T-shirt and tugged at her panties. He liked not being able to see what she had on under, to just feel. When he pulled away a skimpy black scrap of material that was mostly lace, he knew for certain that very soon he was going to ask her to model for him in various stages of undress.

  Now the only thing that mattered was tasting her.

  “Been thinking about doing this for so long,” he murmured, moving until he had her completely caged in beneath him.

  “What kinds of things did you imagine doing?” Her grin was wicked as she smoothed her hands up his chest and over his shoulders.

  He shuddered at the feel of her touching him. She hadn’t even gotten close to his cock and he was ready to come. Yeah, he needed to slow things down. This woman got him more turned on than he’d ever been, just by existing.

  “Burying my face between your legs while you were sitting at your desk at work…when anyone could walk in.” The truth was he’d never risk anyone seeing her in that state, but it was something he’d fantasized about more than once.

  He crushed his mouth over hers before she could respond, savored the way she arched up against him. He could have lost her this week, less than thirty-six hours ago. If she’d gone without him, hadn’t thought to call him… He broke out in a sweat just thinking about that. They both needed this.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist as he teased his tongue past her lips. When she dug her fingers into his back and started grinding against him, he pulled back, breathing hard. At this rate, he’d be inside her in seconds.

  They’d already had “the talk” and were both clean, so he wasn’t using a condom. Something he was eternally grateful for. Getting to be inside Emerson without any barriers was his idea of heaven.

  She watched him with heavy-lidded eyes as she trailed her fingers down his chest, over his abdomen—he sucked in a sharp breath, rolled his hips back. Nope.

  “Not yet, darlin’.” He simply didn’t trust himself, and she deserved a hell of a lot of foreplay.

  She pouted a little until he stripped her T-shirt off—and he sucked in another breath.

  Fantasizing about her and seeing her bared to him were two very different things. As if drawn by a magnet, he reached out, cupped one full breast. Shuddering hunger sparked in her gaze.

  He wanted more of that from her. Wanted everything from her.

  Slowly, he teased a thumb over her nipple, watching the pink bud harden even more.

  She squirmed against the bed, tightened her legs around him as he began teasing her other nipple. Her breathing grew even more erratic, her face flushed as he oh so slowly ran his thumbs around her nipples, making her hitch in a breath. He could watch her forever.

  “You are perfect,” he murmured. His cock was heavy between his legs, but he ignored it.

  “And you are a giant tease.” Her voice was raspy and uneven.

  He could tease her even longer, but that would mean depriving both of them. Not happening. Leaning down, he took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucked.

  The action seemed to set her off. Groaning, she arched her back, trying to push herself deeper into his mouth as he gently pressed his teeth down.

  She slid her fingers through his hair, cupped his head tight. “Touch me between my legs.” The words were part demand, part plea.

  He slid his hand down her stomach, moving slowly until he cupped her mound. She had the barest amount of fine, blonde hair there. She rolled her hips against his hand, the action sensual.

  All the muscles in his body were pulled taut as he traced a finger down her slick folds. She was so wet. For him. Hell, yeah.

  Feeling how turned on she was made it hard to think straight. “I’m not letting you go, Emerson.” The words ripped from him as he slipped a finger inside her. Christ, she was tight. So damn tight.

  He knew it had been a while for her
—as it had been for him. Even before he’d met her. He’d seen what his best friend had with his wife, saw what his sisters had, and he wanted it too. He’d just never thought he’d actually meet someone he wanted forever with until Emerson.

  “Good. Not letting you go either.” She moaned, rolled her hips as he slid another finger inside her.

  Desperate to taste her, to bring her to climax, he leaned down, began feathering kisses along her abdomen. Her inner walls tightened around his fingers the farther down he moved.

  His cock jerked once as he thought about what she’d feel like once he slid inside her.

  Her clit was swollen, peeking out from her folds. He closed his eyes for a long moment, inhaled her sweet scent. He wanted to remember everything about this moment. The day he made Emerson his forever.

  When he flicked his tongue over her sensitive bundle of nerves, she jerked against his face, an excited moan tearing from her.

  “Carlito.” The sound of her saying his name, all breathy and needy, made him crazy. And determined to have her shout it as she came against his face.

  He increased the pressure against her clit, stroking her over and over as she writhed against his face.

  “Yes, yes…” She dug her fingers into his scalp as she moved closer to the edge.

  He had no doubt she was close, could feel the way her inner walls tightened around his fingers faster and faster. Her hips rolled against his face, wild and erratic.

  “About to come,” she rasped out.

  He laved his tongue against her, harder and harder until her back arched and her inner walls clenched convulsively around his fingers. Her climax seemed to slam through her. He didn’t stop until he’d wrenched every bit of pleasure from her, until she was lying boneless against his sheets.

  On his bed. Right where she belonged.

  He lifted his head, felt pure male satisfaction at her sated expression. She looked down the length of her body at him, her face flushed and her eyes a little dazed.

  “I’m going to have a ring on your finger by New Year’s.” He figured he probably should have kept that to himself a little longer, but he’d almost lost her. Could easily lose her at any moment, and he wasn’t going to waste a second of the time they had together.

  More than most he knew how fragile life was. He saw death and what humans did to other humans every day. And he was locking her down, claiming her as soon as possible. A couple weeks seemed like long enough for her to get used to the idea.

  She blinked once, quickly coming out of her daze, and pushed up so that she was sitting. “That better not be your idea of a proposal,” she whispered. “Because it sucks.” With a grin, she reached for his boxers, shoved them down his hips. By the time he’d gotten them fully off, she had her long fingers wrapped around his hard length.

  “Not…a proposal,” he managed to get out as she stroked him once, twice. Because he was going to do things right. It was old-fashioned and probably what she’d consider archaic, but he was still going to talk to her father first. But no matter what, his ring was going on her finger. If she’d have him.

  “Good.” She stared down at his erection as she continued stroking him, seemed pleased by what she saw.

  And hell if that didn’t make him feel a hundred feet tall. But he needed inside her now. Though he hated to stop her from touching him, even for a second, he lightly grasped her wrist, moved it away.

  But he didn’t let go. He guided her arm above her head, then the other one, and clasped her wrists together as he covered her body with his.

  He could feel every inch of her nakedness underneath his. Her nipples beaded tightly against his chest and though he wanted to capture one in his mouth, he stayed where he was, kept his focus on her face. “I love you, Emerson.” After what he’d just admitted he needed to say the damn words that he’d never said to any woman. He wasn’t going to hide how he felt, deny what she was to him.

  “I love you too.” Even with the muted light streaming in, he could see her face clearly, could see she meant every word.

  Her words wrapped around him, soothed the darkest edge of him. She loves me back. He crushed his mouth to hers as he repositioned himself at her entrance. He’d felt how slick she was, knew she was ready, but he still thrust inside her slowly. Savoring every second.

  She gasped into his mouth, jerking her wrists against his hold. He decided to let go because he wanted to feel her fingers stroking over him.

  As soon as he loosened his grip she wrapped her arms around him, dug her fingers into his back. She arched, tightening her grip on him as he began thrusting inside her.

  This was what heaven was. Pure heaven. His balls pulled up tight as he drove into her, over and over.

  He forced himself not to come yet, to hold off as he savored the feel of her tight walls wrapped around him, the way her pliant body felt beneath him.

  When she nipped at his bottom lip and slid her hands down until she was gripping his ass, he let go. A man only had so much control.

  And Emerson had shredded the last of his.

  Groaning, he tore his mouth from hers as he came. He slid his hand through her hair, cupped her head. He wanted to watch her, for her to see exactly how much she owned him.

  Then he reached between their bodies and teased her already sensitive clit. A few gentle strokes, and it pushed her into another orgasm. Her inner walls clenched around his cock just as they’d done around his fingers.

  But this was more intense. His own climax still punched through him, slamming against all his nerve endings as she found another release.

  Though he wanted to watch her as she came, he buried his face against her neck, breathed in her scent as he emptied himself inside her. Eventually he stopped thrusting, lifted his head to look at her.

  She had that sated look again as she cupped his face between her hands. “That was perfect.” She brushed her lips against his and sighed in satisfaction as her head fell back against the pillow.

  Slowly he pulled out of her, even as his cock protested. She was exactly where he wanted to be. Always. But he wanted to clean her up. First, however, he rolled onto his side and pulled her close.

  She immediately curled into him, laying her head against his chest. “I’m pretty sure I could stay like this all night. Or all morning now, I suppose.” She let out a little laugh at the last word.

  “There’s no reason we can’t do that. I’m not going in later today.” He’d already gotten approval from his boss. The Feds and the lead detective on the case were wrapping things up and they didn’t need him. And if they did, his phone would be off. He had priorities.

  “You sure you don’t need to?”

  “I’m sure. We’re going to be naked the majority of the day. Just FYI.”

  She laughed against his chest. “Your bossiness really is going to take some getting used to.”

  He slid his hand down her spine and kept going until he reached her ass, squeezed once. “I think you like it.”

  “I definitely do.” She nipped lightly at his chest and just like that, his cock started to lengthen again.

  Oh yeah, they were in for a lot more naked time before they left this bed.

  * * *

  Emerson pressed mute on the television at the sound of Carlito’s front door opening. He’d just left ten minutes ago and said he would be back in about thirty. He was getting them breakfast—well, technically a late lunch by this hour—since he had pretty much no food here. His refrigerator was just as bad as hers.

  “You’re back early,” she called out from the living room. Stretched out on his couch, she hadn’t moved since he’d left. The last few hours they’d made love multiple times and she was exhausted.

  Happy, but exhausted.

  “Emerson?”

  She jerked up at the sound of a familiar voice. Two seconds later three very familiar faces came into view as Carlito’s mom and two sisters stepped into the living room. Since she was just wearing a T-shirt and panties, and wa
s in his house in the middle of the day on a Sunday, it was pretty clear they were more than just friends.

  Camilla, who was thirty-seven years old, beamed then turned to her sister Gabriela and actually high-fived her. “I told you telling her that he was seeing someone would work.”

  Even though the T-shirt came to mid-thigh, Emerson still pulled the blanket tightly around her and stood. She felt really awkward being half dressed in his living room facing his family, but smiled at them. “Hey, guys. Carlito just went out for food. He didn’t say you were stopping by.”

  His mom hurried over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. “He doesn’t know we planned to stop by. But after seeing the news we wanted to come and check on him and he wasn’t answering his phone.”

  Carlito had told her how his family sometimes stopped by unannounced, but he’d left out that they must have keys. “He’s doing good. We both are.” She narrowed her gaze on Camilla. “You lied to me about Carlito seeing someone?”

  Camilla’s face flushed a light shade of pink. “It was the only thing I could think of to get you to see him as more than a friend. It was…”

  “Totally wrong?”

  Her cheeks turned darker as her sister nudged her. “It worked, right?”

  Emerson just shook her head. What had worked was Carlito finally just asking her out. But she didn’t say that. “So…do you all want coffee or anything?” She was pretty sure that was all Carlito had anyway.

  His mother, Ariana, shook her head and sat on the couch Emerson had just been on. She patted it and motioned for Emerson to sit as Carlito’s sisters both sat on a loveseat.

  Feeling a little like she was under a microscope as the women all watched her almost expectantly, Emerson sat—even if she really wanted to go put on pants. Or real clothes that weren’t rumpled and didn’t smell like sex.

  “So when did this happen?” Gabriela finally spoke. Of the two sisters, she was always the quietest. And that was a relative term. Because his family was pretty loud.

  “Ah, well, Thursday night.” She wasn’t going to go into details about everything that had happened. The news had gotten some of it right, but they had no idea how bad everything had been, what could have happened with those drones. Unfortunately her name had been released to the media today as one of the survivors of the terrorist attack.