by Karen Kelley
When his shirt was open, she pushed the sides off his shoulders, relishing sliding her hands over his sinewy muscles. Her body quivered with anticipation as he stood, letting the shirt fall to the floor with a shrug of his shoulders.
She stood as well, kicking off her sandals. He toed off his shoes, then removed his socks before reaching for her again.
Her mouth went dry when he unfastened her shorts, tugging the zipper down. His palms caressed her at the same time as he pushed her shorts over her hips. She stood in front of him wearing only a lacy pink bra and a matching thong.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“So are you.”
“I’m a man, a hunter, not beautiful.”
She stilled. “A hunter?”
He frowned, then grabbed his head. He groaned, then closed his eyes tight, his expression pained.
“What?” Worry shot through her. She touched his arm, guiding him back down in the chair. “Surlock, what’s happening?”
“Noise,” he gasped. “In my head.” He fumbled in his pocket, but he wasn’t having much luck retrieving whatever he was trying to get.
“What? How can I help?”
“The doctor gave me eardrops.”
She brushed his hand out of the way and reached inside his pocket, bringing out the small bottle. “Got it. Move your hands and I’ll put some drops in.” He moved one hand. She put in several drops and hoped it wasn’t too many, then repeated in the other ear.
As soon as she finished, he put his hands over his ears and dropped his head between his legs. She could see he struggled to keep from crying out. Once again, guilt flooded her.
“Maybe I should take you to the hospital.”
“No, it’s easing. It only happens when I remember something. It’s not so much painful as it is loud. Like someone screaming in my ear.”
A few moments passed until he straightened. She breathed a sigh of relief. He slowly lowered his hands as if he was afraid the noise would return.
“Better?” she asked, nibbling her bottom lip.
“Better.”
She stood, reaching for her clothes. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. It’s probably too soon after your injury.” Could she feel any more guilty? Or embarrassed?
When she straightened, he was beside her, taking her into his arms, lowering his mouth to hers. She let the clothes fall to the floor, forgotten as she lost herself in the man. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer still. He undid the clasp of her bra, then his hands slipped under to cup her breasts. He teased her nipples. They tightened and became more sensitive.
When the kiss ended, she was breathing hard. She rested her head against his chest, and heard the pounding of his heart. He slid his hands down her back, cupped her butt and pulled her close. She wiggled against him, and smiled when he groaned.
He stepped away from her. Her body tingled as she watched him undo his pants, then slide the zipper down. Her pulse raced when he shoved them downward, his briefs going with them. The man was truly magnificent. He was thick, swollen with need. She imagined what it would feel like to have him buried deep inside her. Hot, scorching, stroking … unprotected.
Damn!
“I’ll be right back.” Before she gave him the chance to say anything, she was at the door, cautiously opening it. All clear. The maids always cleaned the upstairs first. She prayed they were gone now as she ran naked down the hall—a thong didn’t really count as clothes. Her bedroom was only two doors down, thank goodness.
Once inside, she hurried to her dresser and yanked open the top drawer. In the far back corner she found the condoms. She rifled through them until she found an extra large. Her fingers trembled as she hurried back to the door. She cracked it open. All clear. Her pulse raced as she darted back to the media room and slipped inside.
“Protection,” she said, completely out of breath as she waved the condom in the air, then realized what the hell she was doing. God, how embarrassing. She was acting as if she had never had sex before. She’d just never had really, really good sex, but she had a feeling this time would be different.
“Protection?” His forehead wrinkled.
“You know, sexually transmitted diseases?”
“You are diseased?”
She frowned. “Well, no, but it’s better not to take any chances.” She thrust the condom toward him. She had a feeling he had no idea what to do with it. “I’ll show you.” Right before she died of embarrassment.
She tore open the foil packet and removed the condom. “It, uh, sheaths your, uh, erection.” She was so glad she’d dimmed the lights. He jerked when she brushed across the head of his penis. She had an insane desire to wrap her hands around him and slide his foreskin down. But she didn’t. Instead, she slowly rolled the condom onto him. It was a snug fit.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Was he too big? She hadn’t had sex in almost a year.
“I want you,” he said, his voice husky.
Screw it. She couldn’t stand not feeling him buried inside her. She jerked her thong down and kicked it away. He pulled her close, sliding his hand down, slipping between her legs. She drew in a sharp breath when he scraped his fingers through her curls.
“Yes,” she breathed, moving closer. “More.”
He slipped a finger inside. Her body quivered from the small eruption he caused. She bit her bottom lip, moving against his finger. “More,” she cried.
But rather than give her what she asked, he slipped his finger out and moved to a recliner, tugging her hand so that she went with him. At this point, she would’ve done anything he asked, followed him anywhere, just as long as he promised to give her more of what he already had.
He sat first, then pulled her onto his lap so that she straddled him. She rubbed against his erection. He groaned. She raised herself enough so he could move inside her, then slowly brought herself down on him. Each inch of him was an explosion of delight. She waited until her body adjusted to his size. It didn’t take long.
He watched her, also waiting, and seemed to know when she was ready. He raised his hips. She moaned with pleasure, raising and lowering her body.
“Feels so good,” he gasped.
“Yes,” she cried out.
In the background James Bond raced across the screen. Shots rang out, a car crashed and burst into flames. A woman screamed. More shots, running feet.
Darcy ran her hands through her hair. He massaged her breasts, tugging on the nipples. Heat filled her. The blood pounded through her veins. She moved her body against his. Faster, harder.
She heard an old familiar humming in her ears, growing louder. She blocked the sound, only wanting to feel what he was doing to her body. Blocked it as she had when she was younger. The humming stopped as suddenly as it had begun. She only wanted to feel what was happening to her body, the incredible sensations that were exploding inside her.
“Look at me,” he said, his voice hoarse with need.
She opened her eyes, made the connection. Something passed between them. More than just making love. It was almost as if they were becoming one. Words were no longer necessary between them. She knew what he wanted, needed, without his saying a word.
The fire built inside her. Rising to a crescendo.
Release shook her body. She stilled. Muscles clenched. Heard him cry out and was glad the sound was turned up on the movie. His body suddenly tightened, then slowly relaxed.
She melted against his chest, a film of sweat covering her body as she tried to bring her breathing under control. She’d never, ever had an orgasm like the one she’d just experienced. She was afraid Surlock had ruined her for other men. Right now, she really didn’t care.
She rose slightly, looking into his face. “That was good,” she said, then laughed.
“Yes, it was.” He smiled, but then his face contorted into a grimace of pain. He grabbed his head.
“What? What is it?”
“The screaming,” he
gasped. “It won’t stop.”
She quickly slipped off him. “What can I do? The eardrops. I’ll get them.” She rushed over to his slacks and grabbed the bottle out of his pocket, then hurried back.
But when she looked at him, for a moment, she could’ve sworn she looked at the eyes of the wolf. She rubbed her eyes. The wolf eyes were gone and she saw Surlock’s eyes again.
“Ahh … I can’t stand it.”
She ran to him. “I have the drops.” She moved his hand away and hoped she got some inside. It was so dim in the room she could barely see.
She moved to the other ear. He growled from low in his throat. She jumped, but didn’t pause. He was only in pain. She put drops in the other ear. He began to quiet, and when she leaned down and looked into his face, she saw his eyes, not the eyes of an animal. It had only been a trick of the light. That’s all it could have been.
“Better?” she asked.
He nodded, letting out his breath. “I felt as though something tried to pull me away.”
“What do you mean?”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“No, it does matter. There could be something seriously wrong. I should take you to the doctor again. This isn’t normal. You could have swelling of the brain or something.”
He shook his head. “I’m feeling better now. No more screaming in my head. And I don’t want to see the doctor.”
“I still think I should call him.” She worried her bottom lip.
He squeezed her arm. “And tell him what? That we mated, then the humming in my head got louder?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “I’d leave out the part about us making love. I’d tell him you overexerted yourself.”
He gave her a wobbly grin. “You think I did?”
“Well, no, I mean—”
“I enjoyed mating—making love with you.”
She smiled. “I enjoyed it, too.” And she was now naked in front of him and she was more than a little self-conscious. “There’s a bathroom on the other side of that door. I’ll slip to my room and freshen up. I’ll meet you back in here. And I will call Dr. Wilson just to see what he thinks.”
He nodded. “If it will make you feel better.”
“It will.” She scooped up her clothes and hurried from the room. As she slipped inside her bedroom, she wondered exactly what she thought she saw happening to Surlock. She might have tried to dismiss it as the light, but something strange had happened.
And why had the humming in her ears suddenly started up again? She’d actually forgotten about it until now. She dropped her clothes in the hamper, then turned the water on in the shower.
Strange things were starting to happen. She’d never felt this connection with someone when she had sex. Hell, she’d never felt any connection.
Darcy shook her head and stepped in the shower. Nothing strange had happened. The humming had started because she’d been—excited. Nothing more. And it was just as she’d thought, Surlock knew how to please a woman. She’d only had the best orgasm ever and was still in shock.
Right?
CHAPTER 6
Surlock stared into the bathroom mirror. What had happened in there? For a moment, he’d been someone else. No, something else, and that something else had tried to take over his body. A deep shudder washed over him.
The humming grew louder in his ears. Not as loud as before, but enough that he knew it was there. Maybe he was crazy. Maybe the blow to his head had affected him more than he’d thought. Maybe … He scraped his fingers through his hair.
Who the hell was he?
He turned on the water, splashing some on his face. He didn’t belong here. He could feel it all the way to his bones. Could he be this secret agent man like the James Bond character? He’d remembered he was a hunter, but not much else.
Was he one of the good guys? There had been killers in the movie as well. Darcy had said they were the bad guys. If he could be one of the good guys, couldn’t he be a bad one just as well?
He jumped when someone tapp ed on the door of the bathroom. “Yes?”
“Are you okay?” Darcy asked.
He patted his face dry on the hand towel, tossing it on the counter. When he opened the door, he was in control again. “Yes, all better.” He smiled.
“You look worried,” she said. She took his hand and squeezed.
Worried? Surlock had thought he could hide what he felt from Darcy. Apparently not. She had easily picked up on his emotions. Again he wondered at the bond between them.
“I’ll find out who you are, don’t worry. The doctor said your memory would come back naturally. He said the humming you’re hearing might be from trying too hard to remember.”
“He’s probably right. There’s no pain now.”
His gaze swept over her. Darcy was fresh from the shower. She smelled sweet. He’d loved mating with her. She’d given as much as he had. By the gods, he didn’t want to hurt her if it turned out he was a criminal.
He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. Her skin was smooth, soft. She smiled and his pulse quickened. “Am I one of the good guys?” His voice sounded raspy.
“Of course, you’re one of the good guys,” she said softly.
“But how can you be sure?”
She stepped closer, and his arms automatically went around her, settling on her hips.
“You’re one of the good guys because I’d know if you weren’t. I have fantastic instincts. Besides, remember what you said? You’re here to protect someone, not hurt them. What kind of bad guy would protect someone?”
He sighed, knowing she was probably right. “I don’t feel like one of those killers in the movie.”
She leaned back and looked him in the eye. “Exactly.”
Her lips were too soft and inviting. He lowered his mouth to hers, then pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss. She was sweet and hot all mixed together, and he wanted her again. But he wasn’t sure he could go through another episode where it felt as though something was trying to possess him. He ended the kiss.
She took a deep breath, stepping out of his arms. “Wow, you’re a good kisser.”
He smiled.
She shrugged one shoulder. “Well, you are. I have a tendency to speak what’s on my mind. Unfortunately.”
“I like that about you.” He studied her for a moment. She was beautiful, sexy and very tempting. “Why did you need me to pretend to care about you? Men should be falling all over themselves to be your boyfriend.”
She abruptly turned and went to the machine that had played the movie, removing the disk. “Most of the men I’ve dated seem only interested in my money. The ones who haven’t been, well, they didn’t work out.” She put the round disk into the case and snapped it closed. “My parents will be joining me here in one month. I told my mother I had a boyfriend.”
“And this is important to your mother?”
She walked back over to where he stood. He liked the way she walked—smoothly, gracefully.
“Oh, yeah, it’s real important. My mother wants me married. She wants me to be a social butterfly.”
“You don’t want this?”
She shook her head. “I want to get my hands dirty. Do you know what I’m saying?”
He didn’t, but her expression said she hoped he would agree. “Yes,” he lied.
She exhaled a deep breath. “I’ll find out your identity, too. It’ll be the first real job I’ve ever had.” She glanced at her watch. “Ms. Abernathy should have lunch fixed. Let’s eat, then we’ll run down to the sheriff’s office.”
“You enjoy running?”
She smiled. “An expression. I’ll drive us in my car.”
He followed her out of the room. “What is at the sheriff’s office?”
“Jillian’s brother works there. She’s one of the maids. She called her brother and he said we could drop by this afternoon. He’s going to run your prints. If you’re in the system, we’ll know who you are.”
<
br /> He gripped the railing on the staircase. “I need to keep my identity a secret.”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Eddie will be discreet.”
His world felt as though it was unraveling around him. He wasn’t sure discreet would matter.
If he was supposed to keep his identity a secret, he was doing a great job. Even he didn’t know who he was. He had a feeling he needed to fill in the blanks as quickly as possible. Maybe Darcy could make it happen.
Darcy glanced at Surlock from the corner of her eye. He was hesitant when he got out of the car. Right now he looked at the sheriff’s building as if he was about to go to jail. She only hoped that she was right, and that Surlock was one of the good guys.
“It’ll be okay,” she told him. “I’ve known Jillian and Eddie a long time. Her brother will be careful when he runs your prints.” Of course, all bets were off if Surlock was wanted by the law. Eddie would have Surlock picked up and behind bars before she had a chance to get him out of the country.
She missed a step and stumbled. Surlock grabbed her elbow to steady her. Crap, would it come to that? Would she end up just as much a criminal?
No, that wouldn’t happen. She refused to even think about it as a possibility.
“It’ll be okay,” she said, more to reassure herself.
He nodded, but he still didn’t look too sure about any of this. Her instincts were usually spot on, which was why she wanted to open her own agency. There was no way Surlock could be the bad guy.
But who was he?
If he was supposed to protect someone, then who? Could he have been trying to do his job and maybe been captured? Robbed of everything he had, including his clothes? Had he somehow escaped? Great, then when he’d stepped out of the woods, she’d whacked him over the head, and added to his problems.
She only hoped the person Surlock was supposed to protect was okay, maybe in hiding. She’d hate to think she’d caused someone to be in more danger, or worse, killed. Ack, she didn’t even want to go there.
They stepped inside the dim interior of the building. It was a typical small-town sheriff’s office. The dispatcher’s cubicle was behind glass panels. There was a short hallway, the doors on both sides closed. On the other side were locked double doors that led to the jail and fingerprinting area.
