Lover in Hell: A Post-Apocalyptic Paranormal Romance

by Dia Cole

  My gaze flickered to the sculpted muscles of his back.

  It’s not like I’m contagious.

  The news reports had made it clear the virus could only be transmitted after death.

  I fisted my hands. This was my one and only chance to experience passion with a man I found undeniably attractive.

  Before I could second-guess myself, I stood up and untied my belt. The robe fell to the hardwood floor with a whisper of a sound.

  Mike spun around and inhaled sharply. His widening gaze raked over me from head to toe. “Eden?”

  Heart thumping against my ribs, I took a deep breath and straightened my spine. “Will you have sex with me?”

  He made a sound like he was choking. “What the… You didn’t want to kiss me. And now you’re asking me to…”

  I fought the instinct to cover myself with my hands. “Are you saying no?”

  “I’m saying I want you to be sure. Are you sure?”

  No.

  “Yes.” My voice was as tremulous as a gossamer thread.

  He moved so fast it was almost a blur. One second he was by the French doors, the next he was standing in front of me. He reached for me and then, as if changing his mind, he dropped his hands. “I don’t want to rush this. I want to be the best you’ve ever had.”

  I blinked up at him. “Well, I haven’t had any so the bar isn’t that high.”

  He froze. “You’re a virgin?”

  I nodded, feeling the blood rush to my face.

  Mike looked shell-shocked. “How is that even possible?”

  You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted.

  I raised my hand up and laid it on his bare chest. His heartbeat thundered against my fingers. “Do you still want me?”

  “Fuck yes.” He searched my face as if looking for any sign of indecision. “But I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

  I licked my suddenly dry lips. “The only thing I’ll regret is not being with you tonight.”

  He grinned. “Then let’s not waste any time.” Without warning, he scooped me up into his arms and carried me to the bed.

  My breathing grew jagged as he set me down on the sheets and laid next to me.

  “Do you know you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen?”

  I barked a surprise laugh. “You’ve met Lee, right?” My whole life I’d lived in the shadow of her drop-dead gorgeous looks.

  “You’re more attractive.”

  Well, that’s a first.

  Happiness sparked inside me at the ring of truth in his words.

  He rubbed a damp lock of my hair between his thumb and forefinger. “I have to be the luckiest man in the world to be trapped for the night with you.”

  “There aren’t many men left, so probably.”

  Ignoring my sad attempt at humor, Mike caressed my face with the pads of his fingers as if he was memorizing each curve. Then he lightly touched the valley between my breasts, before tracing the length of my hip and thigh. “Your skin is soft as silk.”

  I was too focused on his hands to respond. My breathing hitched when he returned his attention to my breasts. My nipples tightened painfully and my breasts seem to grow fuller under his heated gaze.

  Avoiding the scratches Tango had given me, he dipped his head down and traced a circle around my nipples. Then he drew one of the hardening peaks into his mouth.

  I moaned at the exquisite feeling.

  He gently bit down.

  I nearly bucked off the bed.

  He chuckled. “Sensitive nipples. I like that.” He ran his hand down my stomach. “Spread your legs.”

  Fighting away a sudden onset of shyness, I slid my legs open.

  He rumbled his approval and gently nudged my thighs farther apart. Then he touched me. “You’re so wet.”

  Embarrassed, I tried to move away.

  “Stay right here.” He grabbed my hip and forced me back to his hand. “Does this feel good?”

  “Yes,” I hissed in pleasure as he zeroed in on my clit. White lightning arced through me with every pass of his masterful fingers. Never had I felt such an overwhelming carnal hunger.

  “Look at me,” he commanded.

  I opened my eyes to meet his.

  He rumbled his approval and pinched my clit between his thumb and forefinger.

  Oh, God.

  Blazing heat radiated out from my core. Biting back a scream, I flew apart.

  Wow.

  While I lay there boneless, he slid off the bed. “Where are yo—”

  I lost my train of thought when I saw him shrugging off his shoulder holster. His tanned skin looked almost gold in the soft light of the chandelier. My breath shallowed as he pushed down his pants and released a huge erection. The broad crown pulsed under my gaze.

  I was drawn in like a fish on a lure. I’d always been curious about men’s bodies.

  This is the only time I’ll ever get to explore one.

  “Can I touch you?”

  He shuddered. “Hell no. If you put your hands on me, this will be over.” He must’ve seen the disappointment on my face, because he walked to the edge of the bed. “Fine. I’ll try to control myself.”

  Filled with excitement, I slid over to the end of the bed and ran my fingers down his hard abs.

  They flexed and danced under my touch. I dipped my hand down and wrapped my fingers around his swollen length.

  Like satin-wrapped steel.

  He bit off a moan as I traced the thick tip. It grew even larger under my touch.

  There was a moment of awkwardness when I wasn’t sure how best to stroke him. Experimenting, I fisted him and moved my hand up and down.

  “Oh hell.” His head fell back, his hips thrusting with the rhythm of my hand.

  A primal thrill shot through me.

  I’m making him lose control.

  His cock glistened with a drop of precum.

  Curious, I leaned over and licked the tip. The salty sweet flavor was unlike anything I’d tasted before.

  Mike moaned my name.

  Seeing him panting for breath filled me with feminine power. A delicious heat grew between my legs.

  I looked up at him through my lashes. “Can I go down on you?”

  His nostrils flared. “Fuck.” His voice was raw with need.

  Taking that as a yes, I took him into my mouth.

  He stiffened as if every muscle in his body contracted.

  I tried to take his entire length, but gagged. I pulled away feeling a stab of anxiety. “I’ve never done this before.”

  He looked down at me with a strained smile. “Just take it slow.”

  I tentatively slid my tongue around the engorged head as I wrapped my fist around the base of his cock.

  His body shuddered. “That feels so—fucking good.”

  Smiling around his hard flesh, I sucked him up and down while moving my fist back and forth.

  He inhaled sharply, his eyes glazing over.

  My entire focus centered on licking and sucking and keeping the friction going with my hand. Erotic pleasure sizzled through me with each raspy moan he made.

  His hand tangled in my hair as he thrust against my lips.

  I opened my throat to accommodate his full length.

  Impossibly, he grew even larger around my lips.

  Sweat dotted his bronze skin like fine mist. He tried to pull me away. “Stop. I can’t hold back.”

  I want to see him totally lose control.

  Drunk on the hot musky taste of him, I slid off the bed and knelt on the hardwood floor. I dug my nails into his tight ass, holding him in place as I sucked harder.

  I want all of him.

  He tensed, his hands gripping the back of my head. “I’m going to come.” He jerked suddenly and howled my name.

  Warmth shot against the back of my throat. I swallowed instinctively, drinking down his essence.

  He swayed unsteadily on his feet, his heavy-lidded eyes locking with mine. In his gaze I saw shock
and awe and something else. Something that overwhelmed me and excited me at the same time.

  I could easily get addicted to this. To him.

  I don’t know how long we stayed like that, with me on my knees looking up at him, but eventually he let out a shuddering breath.

  “There is something you should know about me,” he said kneeling down next to me.

  “What’s that?” I said with a squeak as he lowered his head to my breast.

  His eyes darkened with a predatory glint. “I give as good as I get.”

  7

  The dark promise in his gaze made me tremble. All of my sexual confidence evaporated in one shaky breath.

  He drew one nipple into his mouth and suckled the taut nub.

  Wet heat bloomed between my thighs. Bolts of lust curled low in my belly, stealing my capacity for thinking. For breathing.

  The throbbing between my legs intensified when Mike released one nipple and claimed the other. Then he licked his way down my body.

  He’s going to…

  I sucked in a shaky breath.

  Mike circled my belly button with his tongue, and then his head dipped lower. “My turn to taste you,” he said pressing his lips against my dark curls.

  A flash of shyness had me pressing my legs together. A million self-conscious thoughts danced through my mind.

  “You want this. I promise,” he said nibbling the inside of my thigh.

  Remember, I only get one chance at this. It’s now or never.

  I moved my knees apart.

  He slid my legs over his shoulders. “I’m going to stick my tongue deep in your pussy. Has anyone ever done that to you?”

  “No,” I gasped. The image of his tongue there had me trembling.

  Mike lowered his head and licked the center of my core.

  “Oh, God.” I arched off the hardwood floor, my clit throbbing in time with my racing heart.

  “You taste so sweet.” He gripped my hips and fastened his mouth over me.

  Instantly, I was lost. I shuddered as he lapped, nibbled, and sucked. The electric burn of his tongue on my clit was so incredible, the pleasure bordered on pain.

  “That feels so good. Mike, don’t stop.” I bucked and writhed against him, my senses overloading.

  “Come for me,” he ordered thrusting his tongue deep into my wet channel.

  Without warning, my core contracted and I exploded in an orgasm that seemed to go on forever. When I came to my senses Mike was carrying me back to the bed.

  He set me down on the mattress and walked over to the nightstand. Bending down, he rummaged through the drawer.

  Lost in admiring the hard, muscular globes of his ass, I started when I heard the sound of something tearing.

  “We’re lucky the former occupants of this bedroom were fully stocked.” He pulled a condom out of a foil package and slid it onto his throbbing length. Then, somehow a second later he was on his knees sliding his legs between mine.

  I gasped, feeling the insistent pulse of his thick shaft against my inner thigh.

  He rested on his elbows above me, his dog tags tickling my breasts. “I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want you right now.”

  Me either.

  Feeling wanton, I lifted my hips and rubbed my mound against his erection.

  He groaned, the harsh angles of his face freezing into an expression somewhere between pleasure and pain. Then he entered me inch by inch.

  My first time.

  I painted a mental picture of the moment. The softness of the sheets against my back. The intoxicating smell of his aftershave. The sound of my heartbeat like a trapped hummingbird beating inside my chest.

  He moved slowly, sweat trickling down his temples.

  The sensation of being stretched past the breaking point had me gasping. A whimper escaped my lips as he pushed through my flesh until his entire length was buried in my body.

  Mike held still a moment and gulped a breath of air. “Are you okay?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  Hopefully, this gets better.

  Mike slowly rocked his hips.

  It didn’t feel good. Or bad really. Just different. As I adjusted to the unfamiliar sensation of him inside me, he moved his hand between our bodies and found my clit. Pleasure arced through me. “Oh, yes.”

  So good.

  He began thrusting his hips in time with his fingers. Slowly at first and then picking up speed.

  Incoherent words escaped my lips as an inferno of desire raged through me. I dug my heels into the mattress driving my hips upward to chase the incredible sensation. “Yes. Yes,” I screamed.

  Something seemed to snap inside of him. His gaze lit with an almost savage intensity. His thrusting went wild as if something feral and primitive had taken over.

  His loss of control set fire to my blood. I met every one of his thrusts with one of my own.

  His hand tangled in my hair, tugging my head back. He slanted his mouth over mine and kissed me deep and rough.

  Oh, God.

  I gasped for breath against his lips. The intense friction was becoming almost too much to bear. Thunder roared in my ears.

  He thrust faster and harder.

  My inner muscles spasmed around his pistoning cock and, with a shuddering cry, I splintered into a soul-shattering climax.

  He reared above me, shouting my name.

  Our gazes locked.

  In that moment of desperate unbearable bliss, it felt as if our souls merged into one.

  There was no Mike.

  No Eden.

  We were something infinitely more.

  The feelings I’d tried to keep at bay for so long crashed through my emotional defenses. There was no point in denying it any longer.

  I’ve fallen for him.

  Filled with dazed wonder, I fought the urge to pull him back when he rolled off onto his side.

  He kissed my shoulder. “That was incredible.”

  All I could do was nod in agreement. I didn’t trust myself to put my feelings into words.

  Mike is my first lover…and my last.

  I flinched at the unwelcome tidal wave of grief gathering in my chest.

  It is so unfair. I don’t ever want this to end.

  He pulled off the condom and put it in the waste bin by the nightstand. Then he reached over and pulled me close.

  I laid my head against his chest, listening to the galloping of his heart. Every moment we were together I felt a deeper draw to him.

  If only I wasn’t dying. If only we’d gotten together sooner.

  A tear slipped out of the corner of my eye.

  “Is everything okay?”

  I won’t ruin what little time I have left.

  “Yes,” I said pushing the sadness away. I put my arms around him and hugged him tightly. “I was just thinking that we should have done this a long time ago.”

  He let out a laugh. “You’re telling me. Why did you fight this for so long?” He motioned between the two of us.

  Haunting memories blew through me, sweeping away my afterglow. “I don’t want to—”

  “Talk about it,” he finished for me. His brows knitted together. “Don’t you trust me, Eden?”

  “Yes, but…”

  It seemed to have gotten colder in the room.

  I sat up and rubbed my arms. “I’ve never talked to anyone about what happened.”

  His expression softened. “It’s okay. You can tell me some other time.”

  There will be no other time.

  Swallowing hard, I looked at the dog tags around his neck. “My father was a soldier like you.”

  He looked up at me with surprise. “I didn’t know that.”

  “Lee doesn’t think I remember him. But I do. He did bad things. Terrible things.”

  A shuttered look came over Mike’s face. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of. In battle soldiers have to follow orders that—”

  “No. I’m not talking about that.” My chest felt tigh
t as the nightmarish memories weighed down on me. “One night he went crazy and killed my mom and older sister, Angel. After attacking Lee, he came for me.”

  Mike inhaled sharply.

  “I’d never felt fear like that before.” I closed my eyes as shivers racked my body. In my mind, I saw my father’s combat boots thumping across the floor as he walked over to my hiding place under the bed. “Even though she was badly hurt, Lee protected me.”

  I owed my life to my sister.

  The mattress shifted.

  I opened my eyes to find that Mike had sat up.

  “Jesus. I had no idea. When did this happen?”

  I let out a shaky breath. “A long time ago. I was just a little kid. But I never forgot the feeling of being so scared and helpless. I guess that’s why I care so much about rescuing animals. So often they’re in situations where they are scared and helpless too.”

  His eyes widened as if he’d come to some realization. “You didn’t want to be with a soldier like your dad.”

  “I never wanted to be with any man,” I said looking away. “My dad was so into my mom. The way he looked at her, it was like nothing else existed when she was in the room. He was obsessed with her and for him to…do what he did. I’ll never understand it.” Tears swam in my eyes.

  Mike pulled me into his arms. “Eden. I would never hurt you.”

  “I know,” I said softly. And I realized the truth of my words.

  Mike is nothing like my father.

  The tender feelings I’d been trying so hard to suppress rose to the surface. I couldn’t deny that I cared for this man.

  He kissed my forehead. “I’m so sorry you had to live through that.”

  “I still miss my mom.” My throat tightened as memories of her flashed through my mind. Gran had tried her best to raise Lee and me, but she’d never replaced my mother in my heart. No one ever could.

  “It’s hard to lose someone you care about.”

  I wiped my eyes. “You sound like you know from experience.”

  He tensed. “I’ve been to war. I’ve lost fellow soldiers who were like brothers and sisters to me.”

  I raised my uninjured hand to his face rubbing it against the faint stubble of his chin. “I’m sorry.”

  He turned his head and kissed my palm. “Don’t be. We all have to die.”