"Tell me." She said in a whisper.
"How about I show you." The control he held on to so tightly snapped. There was no turning back.
He barely got the words out before he grabbed her upper arms and pulled her to him. His lips came down hard on hers. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss. His tongue did not wait for an invitation, but as soon it found an opening slid into the wet warmth of her mouth. She opened to him as he crushed her against him. He had his Elli back in his arms and unless bullets came through the windows around them he did not plan on letting go of her any time soon.
Callum paused and his deep voice whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck, "You'd better tell me right now to stop."
Elizabeth tilted her head further back and gave him full access to her neck as she said the words he wanted to hear.
"Don't stop."
As his hands relaxed their grip, her arms snaked around his neck and he heard her soft moan. His mind went blank with raw need. His hands reached behind her and pulled her zipper down in one fluid motion. Lips and tongues mated as his fingertips found skin. His kisses left her mouth and followed her jawline to her ear lobe where he sucked at the tender flesh.
She arched her neck giving him complete access to her jugular which he seized with his mouth. One of his hands wound its way up to the base of her neck while the other headed south and slowly maneuvered its way beneath her dress to the small of her back. Using both hands, he pressed her harder against him hoping she could feel the effect she had on him as his lips reconnected with hers in a deep kiss.
Elizabeth pulled back an inch, which was enough for her heavy dress to fall down between them. She stood in front of him dressed in a black strapless bra and panties, thigh-high stockings and a garter belt and thin black heels. He felt his knees buckle at the sight. The moonlight cast silver ribbons of shadows across her body as if the night itself wanted to caress her. He took a minute as he engraved her image into his mind.
She reached out and relieved him of his tuxedo jacket. Her fingers followed its decent along his thick arms. As soon as she heard it swish to the floor, she reached up and pulled at one edge of his bow tie and let the knot unfurl. Using her thumb and forefinger she undid the first three buttons of his shirt. She leaned in and smoothed her palms over his exposed skin. Everywhere she touched was followed by warm kisses that made him forget everything except what was happening between them.
"You are so much more than a solider. You are warm. You are beautiful. And see," She rubbed her palms over his chest. "no camouflage underneath. Your skin is not green and covered in ribbons and rank. You are a man that does a hard job. Be here with me now, Callum. No mission. No army. Just us."
He reached up and threaded his fingers though her hair pulling her toward him. When their lips touched again it was if they released all of the emotions that they had held in for four years.
Her palms pressed a path over his shirt and paused as they came to his broad shoulders. Her fingers took hold of his white bracers and pushed them down his arms until they hung down around his legs. Eager to touch his skin, to feel him as he felt her, she trailed her hands down his sculpted chest and pulled his shirt out from the waistband. After a few tugs, she reached up underneath his shirt and rubbed her hands in the trail of hair just above his belt. The need to touch him made her movements less graceful that she would like, but they were well past the point of no return.
He took a step away from her and she saw the look of hunger in his eyes. She let the last sliver of doubt disappear from her mind. With his eyes locked on her, she took off all out her stocking and garter. As soon as she stepped over the pile of clothes toward him, his hands reached around and splayed themselves across her bottom as his lips found hers again. She let him lift her as she wrapped her legs around his waist and twisted her arms around his neck. Lost in the kisses and warmth of his body next to hers, she barely felt the cool stone wall against her back.
Callum had taken her deeper into the room and away from the windows. They were almost in complete darkness. Once she was propped up against the wall, his lips followed her jaw line again. He sucked and pulled and drove her almost mad with need. She threaded her fingers through his thick hair and held on to him like a lifeline in a raging sea. He adjusted his position only to allow him room to reach between them and undo his belt buckle and pants.
She felt his need and ground herself down against him making sure he knew what she wanted. He readjusted his balance and drove himself in her in one fluid motion. He paused as if he needed to recover for a moment. She squeezed herself around him and he growled out a curse. One of his palms pressed again the wall above her head as he stroked her hard and deep. Soon his rhythm increased and she felt her body tense in anticipation. It did not take long for both of them to reach the peak. Sparks of heat rose within her. Just as she was about to scream out her need, he covered his lips with hers. She felt him shake with release and held him close.
Neither of them moved. Their shallow panting was the only sound in the room as they both tried to catch their breath. After a moment, Callum took a deep breath, kissed her gently then pulled away a few inches. His eyes searched her face as if her expression would give him the answers he needed. His brow furrowed and he looked like he was seconding guessing what they just did.
Her eyes did not flinch or blink when they locked with his. She was not shy or sorry for what happened and she refused to let him regret the moment they just shared.
"You okay?" He asked. His voice was hoarse.
"Yeah, I'm good. Really good." She wanted to tell him she could not remember ever feeling better, but thought that such a declaration might scare him away.
He leaned in and kissed her forehead before he pulled away completely and let her down so her feet touched the floor. Elizabeth felt her legs give out when she tried to stand, but Callum was right there and held her before she fell over. Before Elizabeth had a chance to right herself, Callum swooped her into his arms and carried her to the bench. He placed her down as if he might break her.
"What here. I'll go find your things." He disappeared into the darkness of the room before she could tell him to stop. The moonlight had faded and the sound of rain beat against the windows. Callum came back in a moment carrying her dress and shoes. He must have used the time to fix his own clothes, because when he came back his shirt was tucked inside his waistband with his braces back in place. The only sign of their frantic coupling was the black bow tie that hung loose on either side of his neck and the top two buttons of his shirt were left undone. She stood and put on her underclothes.
"Sit." His voice was gravelly when he spoke.
He bent down on one knee on the floor in front of her and reached for her leg. As he pulled her leg to rest on his bent knee, his hands caressed her calf before he slid her shoe on.
"Callum, you don't half to do this." She did not want him to treat her as something breakable.
"Hand me your other foot."
Elizabeth lifted her leg and placed her ankle in his open palm. His fingers kneaded and smoothed her leg before he placed the shoe on her other foot.
"Give me your hand."
She did as he asked. She had no idea what thoughts ran through his mind. Were they full of joy or regret?
"I'm fine." She insisted, as she placed the weight of her hand in his as her helped her stand.
"Lift up your arms." Callum held her dress over her head. Once her arms were in place, the weight of the beads and fabric draped down over her and covered her body.
She wished she knew what he was thinking. His face was lined with determination as if he fought for control. She let him put her back together as she thought of ways to break past the walls he was putting up between them. It was if she could see him build his defenses brick by brick. It was hard to imagine he had been inside of her only moments before. Their coupling should have brought them closer, but instead he seemed more distant than ever.
"Turn around." His voi
ce was flat when he spoke, but she obeyed him not sure what else to do.
She felt his knuckle blaze a path of heat as her zipper pulled the fabric closed over her back. When she was finally encased back in her dress, he stayed behind her. Elizabeth was frozen in place, unsure what she should do. Just as she was about to turn and face him, she felt him bend down and plant a warm kiss at the place where her neck and shoulder met. His lips lingered for a moment before he pulled away.
Chapter 13
Callum brushed his thumb across the smooth skin of her exposed collarbone before he turned and bent over to pick up his tuxedo jacket. Rain continued a steady beat against the glass that surrounded them. A reminder that the world outside waited for them.
He gave the jacket a few brushes before he dropped it over his arm. He had not meant for this encounter to go quite so far. He shook his head and tried to erase the memory of Elizabeth pressed against the wall as he drove himself in to her. He was sure that somewhere in an old dusty law book what he did was an offense punishable by death. This was not how he wanted their last night together to end.
The skin between her eyebrows puckered as she gave him a questioning look. The last thing he wanted was to rehash what just happened. Even if he tried, he knew he could never find the words that would explain his actions or the emotions that threatened to consume him. So, he did what he did best when he felt cornered. He locked his feelings up and threw away the key.
Callum angled himself away from Elizabeth and switched his radio off mute to call in a status check.
"Cal, what is the perimeter status?"
"Oh, hey, Mac. Everything is quiet and clear out here."
Cal's voice sounded as if he was uncomfortable. He wondered if the young soldier knew about his previous relationship with the Princess. Callum knew that no one saw them. He had intentionally moved away from the windows that surrounded the little house and hid their bodies in the darkness, but that would not stop a bored solider on a quiet stakeout from a runaway imagination.
"The Princess and I are coming out. Sam, you there?"
"Yep, I'm here, Mac. Everything is quite here as well. Eerily so. It's like everyone went to ground." Callum heard the stress in Sam's voice.
Sam's words put Callum on alert. Any field operator understood that there was always calm before a big operation where all parties went radio silent and concentrated on the individual roles they played in a larger mission. All of the orders had been given and the only thing left to do was wait for the clock to run down to zero hour.
A moment of pure fear went through Callum. He looked at Elizabeth as she fused with her hair. He wished they could stay in this little stone house all night, but both of them would be missed. Their moment of peace was over.
Just as Callum was about to give orders to his team, JT came on the radio. "Mac, I'm in the op room Edward set up at the Embassy. The new hospital wing was just broken in to. No alarms went off, but some woman just called it in to the police. Sounds like the lab and offices are trashed."
Callum felt adrenaline raced through his veins. His vision and hearing went on alert making every object clearer and every sound more intense. He felt Elizabeth come up next to him and she put her hand on his arm.
"What happened?" He saw the concern on her face. He knew her first thought would be about her father.
"JT, what is the King's status?"
"Green. He took to the meds well and the last report was that his pulse had normalized and he regained consciousness."
Callum relayed the good news to Elizabeth and he saw her face relax.
He refocused his attention on the new development at the hospital. It might be unrelated, but he needed to check it out for himself. He did not believe in coincidences.
"I'm heading to the hospital now. Cal, meet us at the door and escort the Princess back to her rooms."
"Edward wants you to say with the Princess." JT chimed in.
"She will be fine with, Cal. I want to see the hospital for myself. Make sure you get our team out there dusting for prints. This is connected, I just don't know how." He turned to Elizabeth. "Get to your room and stay there. Do not go anywhere with me or Cal."
He turned and walked toward the entrance where Cal would meet him. He needed to put some space in between them. He had not recovered completely from being with her. His foggy thoughts out them all in jeopardy. Callum planned to go to the hospital then come back and assume his bodyguard duties. He as sure she would be safe in a room his team had alarmed and that Cal watched.
"What happened at the hospital?"
Elizabeth chased after him, reaching him just as he opened the door. A tall, blond man startled her as he silently moved in front of them with an umbrella. She assumed he must be a member of Callum's team since Callum did show any signs of alarm. The rain came down in a steady flow. Mac stepped across the threshold into the downpour, his white shirt became plastered to his chest. The blond soldier held the large umbrella over her as she stepped outside.
"I got her from here, Mac." The blond man said.
"Wait." Elizabeth reached out and tugged at Callum's arm. Her arm wet from the rain. How dare he not clue her in. "What is going on? Why are you going to the hospital?"
Callum looked annoyed that she stopped him from leaving, bit she did not care. She gave him a hard look.
"Just stick with Cal. I'll come back tonight and fill you in." His voice was terse and he turned again as if he was about to leave.
He was all business now. They might have been strangers the way he spoke to her. The last vestiges of satisfaction and warmth from their time together disappeared. She used her royal highness voice when she spoke again.
"You can fill me in now or I'm not moving another foot."
Callum took a step toward her. His face twisted in a scowl. "Look, I don't have time for this. You are not that heavy, Elizabeth. You’re moving if I say move. It’s your choice if you use your feet or is Cal throws you over his shoulder."
Elizabeth glanced at the young soldier. A look of complete terror spread across his face.
"And I'll scream bloody murder. Which will take more time, you telling me what the hell is going on or dealing with the crowds and questions?" Elizabeth put her hands on her hips. This was her country and she was not some just-for-show Princess. If something was happening with Argent or her hospital, she and Callum were going to deal with it together. Whether he liked it or not.
He must have believed her threat. He let out a loud sigh of frustration, and turned away from them as he headed up the stone walkway that lead through the garden to the back of the palace. "Fine. You both follow me. And keep up."
The blonde looked grateful. The young man did his best to hold the umbrella over Elizabeth as they both tried to keep with Callum. She finally caught up and hobbled on one foot then the other as she wiggled out of her shoes. She flashed the blonde a look before she jogged out in the rain in her stocking covered feet. It was the only way she could possibly keep up. He grinned, collapsed the umbrella and caught up with Callum.
"Do you have a car?" Callum called behind him to her. He did not turn around, but instead picked up the pace.
"Of course, I have a car." She said. He voice breathy from exertion. "If you are heading to the car park, there is a quicker way to get there."
She turned off the path and ran across the grass in to a small grove of trees. They were all soaked to the bone by the time the pass the trees and made a hard left turn down a narrow paved path.
"Maybe you should tell me what's going on and I can help you." Elizabeth called out to Callum mid-run and he turned his head toward her.
"Someone came in a trashed the new wing of hospital."
Elizabeth stopped mid-stride. "What? The new wing? My new wing?" She emphasized the word my.
He turned and gestured for her to catch-up. She shook her head and put her body back in motion.
"How bad is it?"
"I don't know. That's why I want to get
there and find out for myself. Go with Cal. I'll fill you in when I get back. Just get in my car, Elizabeth."
"I'll get you a car, but I'm coming with you."
He ignored her comment. Like hell she was coming with him. He had no idea what he was walking into and he would not put her in jeopardy like that.
They ran through a wrought-iron gate. He could see the long row of garage doors in front of him. Elizabeth ran ahead and pulled open a door at the end of the large stone and wooden structure. All at once six garage doors opened and revealed close to ten million dollars’ worth of automotive power. He heard Cal give a low whistle. It was an impressive sight.
"Perk of the job. Pick one." Elizabeth stood a few yards away from him. Her hair suck to her head and her dress hung limp. Her chest moved in and out at rapid intervals as she caught her breath. Yeah, he would need to become a monk when this mission was over. There would never be another woman that could hold a candle to her in his eyes. Ever.
"Which one is yours?" He asked.
"They are available to anyone who needs them."
"Sweet." Cal stood next to him and grinned like a kid who just broke into a toy store. Callum hated what he was about to do.
"Cal, you stay here with the Princess." Callum saw the smile fall and a look of disappointment close his face, but he was too solid of a professional to complain. "I promise, when this is over, I'll make sure you get to take one of the guys for a spin. K?"
Cal nodded. They both walked into the shelter of the garage and over to the midnight blue Aston Martin Vanquish. For the roads conditions and sharp turns they would need to make to get the hospital. Elizabeth met the men at the car.
"Cal can stay, but I'm going" She insisted.
Callum held out his hand. "Give me the keys. You're not going anywhere."
She leaned against the driver side door shocked that it was only moments ago that the arrogant man in front of her had kissed her senseless. She crossed her arms. He was not the only one who could compartmentalize emotions. She crossed her arms.
Princess Bodyguard Page 15
