Heroes in Uniform: Soldiers, SEALs, Spies, Rangers and Cops: Sexy Hot Contemporary Alpha Heroes From NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors

by Sharon Hamilton

  She needed to get out of here and find out more about Luke St. James. A fixer looking for a missing person was unsurprising, but looking and asking for a missing Drei was sending warning signals in her head. Without her ally, she had to be extra careful.

  He looked at her thoughtfully for a second. “All right. I’m taking you back to the car, but you have to put the hood back on. Where do you want to be let off?”

  His quick capitulation surprised and, sort of disappointed, her. She couldn’t help a parting shot. “That’s it? However do you ever get your information? There are so many things you haven’t tried yet. I’m surprised you lasted this long in this business.”

  He gave her one of those dark stares that made her hot all over. His hands hesitated on her cuffs, as if he was reconsidering. Then he smiled, a slow curve of his lips.

  “I last as long as needed,” he told her, and added, “You’re right. I should try something before releasing you.”

  Something in his tone of voice told Nina he wasn’t talking about business.

  * * *

  Luke knew he should let her go. A missing operative could bring stuff down on his head. The sight of Miss Litchenko cuffed to a bed was giving him images that had nothing to do with getting information. He wanted to take her clothes off piece by piece. He wanted to take off his own clothes and then slide between those long luscious legs. Lots of images of sweaty sheets followed. He smiled.

  It must be Kotya’s damn vodka. He was usually more reserved. But La Niina up close and personal was very potent. Her challenging stare spurred him on.

  “Would you like to try the theory out?” His invitation came out before he could stop himself. “I know I would.”

  She sat very still as he ran his finger on the metal cuff and around her wrist, resting on her pulse. Her heart was racing. He gently massaged the area, his gaze meeting hers. Slowly, he brought her cuffed hand up while he bent down, still looking at her. Her lips opened a fraction. He ran his tongue along the inside of her wrist. Her teeth caught her lower lip. Not taking his eyes off hers, he pushed the sleeve up and licked his way along the soft flesh and nibbled the inside of her elbow. Her head fell back against the pillows, her eyes closed to half-slits. Her sultry expression made already tight places feel even tighter. Hotter.

  “Are you going to make me tell you?” she whispered.

  “I thought you said you’ve nothing else to tell,” he whispered back, giving her another little nibble.

  “If you keep doing that, I’ll think of something.”

  She was temptation personified. He’d wanted her for so long. All these months, he’d wanted and resisted, and now, they were alone together. It looked like the lady wanted him too, unless she was trying to trick him.

  Maybe it was time to go a little further.

  He reached down and boldly touched the front of her pants. She went very still but didn’t voice any protest. Her big, dark eyes, so beautiful and expressive, stared into his challengingly. Not taking his eyes away, he cupped her. Her lower body reared up, pressing against his hand.

  “You’re in bed, tied up. You’re right, I don’t think I should pass up the chance to seduce you,” he told her.

  “Maybe I’m seducing you,” she countered, then gasped.

  He looked down at her, his hand moving deliberately between her legs. “You think?” He pulled at the zipper in the way. “May I?”

  “What if I say no?”

  “If you aren’t wet down there already, I’ll zip your pants back up,” he promised. She was undulating against his hand, so he was fairly confident he’d win this bet. He slowly pulled at the zipper, giving her a chance to tell him to stop. When she didn’t, he slipped his hand inside. A tight fit there, just like his pants was right now. His triumph was tempered with his need. “So wet, baby.”

  There was hardly any room to move but the sight of her skinny black thong and all that was revealed sent hot currents of anticipation down his spine. Slowly, gently, he let one finger explore, looking for the right spot. Another small gasp escaped her lips. Found it. He leaned forward over her pliant body, resting one hand on the headboard, so that the tip of his finger could reach lower into her wet heat. Then he drew a long glide upwards and then down again, repeating it a few times. Her eyes closed. The lady was very, very wet.

  “Can I take your pants off now?” He teased, feeling both tense and exhilarated at the same time. All his usual caution had long flown out the proverbial window. “If you don’t come in the next five minutes, I’ll put them back on.”

  Her eyes flickered open. She made to say something and he slid his finger inside her, interrupting whatever she had in mind. Instead, a half-formed word came out and her neck arched up. He wanted to nibble there too, but first things first. He didn’t let up, making circles with his thumb as he pushed his finger deeper into that incredibly tight heat. God, he wanted to push something else inside her.

  He’d never been one to wait too long to pick up his advantage. His rodeo experience came in handy again. He could pull at and folded limbs and legs, and in mere seconds, do whatever needed to get his quarry. Jerking her pants down and off with her soft black shoes were easy. Pulling her legs apart and over his shoulders took only a second. Damp pink flesh, beckoning for a taste. The scent of female desire hit his nostrils. He went a little crazy. Placing his mouth where he wanted, he worked his tongue over her clitoris, making sure to stroke it the same way his finger had been. Savoring her with his tongue. Kissing her deeply.

  This time there was room to slide in two fingers as he lapped at Nina’s clit, working that wetness to his advantage, finding sensitive nerve endings until her moans told him she was close. Her squirming body froze as she neared her orgasm and he pressed down firmly with tongue and fingers. The taste of her filled his mouth as she came, sexy whimpers coming from her throat.

  Not letting up, he moved up from between her thighs and climbed over her, giving her a hard kiss on her mouth.

  “Can I take off my pants now?” He murmured against her lips, moving her cuffed hands over his bulge. “Can I fuck you? I promise if you don’t like it, I’ll stop and put my pants back on.”

  “Did you take me prisoner…to…only make promises and ask dumb questions?”

  He smiled at her husky sassiness. “But you’re answering them so well, being tied up and all. When my prisoner gives me what I want, I reward them. Do you want your reward now?”

  Her answer was her hand clenching on the front of his pants, squeezing non-too-lightly. “Show me this reward,” she invited.

  * * *

  Nina’s heart raced as she watched the pair of male hands slowly unbuttoning his fly. Apparently, the wild and loud thumping she kept hearing in her head had knocked her brain senseless.

  She was supposed to be pissed-off. She should be lying any way she could to get herself out of here. She should be planning ways to make this man pay for taking her prisoner. So many shoulds that were taking their places way down the list of ‘important things to do immediately.’

  The Cowboy was seducing her and she was allowing it to happen. Okay, that was a laughable choice of word. Allowing? She was tied up and enjoying the whole thing. His fingers, his tongue—holy cow, that tongue. Had all these months of built-up sexual tension between them paid off. One intimate kiss from him and she had the best orgasm she could remember. And she didn’t want him to stop.

  He shucked his pants off, underwear and all. She stared at his erection.

  No, she definitely didn’t want him to stop. She cleared her throat as she watched him take a few moments to quickly sheathe a condom.

  “It’s not going to be easy with both our pants tying up our legs like this,” she told him. Why was her voice so damn husky? She hadn’t moaned that loudly.

  “Not easy,” he agreed, “but not impossible. I can’t wait, sweetheart. I want to be inside you right now.”

  She wanted to have him inside her too. In fact, she badly wanted to hold
that beautiful penis in her hands and do her own exploration.

  He was on top of her before she could take another look, and she gasped at the intimate contact between her legs. Nothing tentative about this man at all. In her current world of constant negotiations and deliberate counter moves, she liked how he did things. So damn American.

  Her breath came out in a soft gush as he pushed against her tender and willing flesh. Her legs parted on their own to accommodate him. He felt big and hot, the long slow stroke as he entered her rubbed already sensitive nerves, making her shiver. His face was close to hers and he stared into her eyes as he slowly and surely entered her inch by hard inch.

  He was all the way in her now. Then he started grinding against her with tiny strokes, rocking against her clitoris. The sensation was deliciously tortuous.

  “So can I start interrogating you now?” He asked, his voice a husky murmur.

  She laughed as the heat down there escalated. He was so deliciously evil too.

  “You think I’d capitulate so easily?”

  He rocked harder and she bit down on her lower lip to stop from moaning.

  “I count on your resistance,” he told her. “This interrogation could go on for hours and hours. We barely have our clothes off. I’ll make you come again and again until you give me what I want.”

  Hours and hours?

  She sighed. “I don’t have hours and hours and you know it. Besides, you’re contradicting yourself. We agreed this was a reward, not an interrogation.”

  “Oh. Well, thanks for reminding me,” he said, and starting moving in and out of her in long, sure strokes.

  * * *

  Her hips matched his, stroke for stroke.

  Luke found his eyes closing. The feel of her was incredible. Slick heat. Glove-tight. He wished he wasn’t wearing protection so he could feel how wet she was. He wished he’d taken the time to undress all of her instead of being in such a male hurry. Maybe next—

  Her feminine purrs of approval urged him on as her cuffed hands between their bodies clawed at his shirt front. He heard buttons popping. He felt her tightening around his hard length, pulling at him, milking him, hurrying him on even though he wanted to slow down a bit and savor her. There was a buzz starting in the back of his neck and a fuse was lighting its way from there all the way down his spine to the tip of cock. He could feel that fire burning, making its way to an orgasmic explosion. Her urgent hands scratching his chest demanded less finesse. Taking a deep breath, he pushed into her fiercely—

  The backfire of a motorcycle outside the window brought their frenzy to an immediate stop, like hitting pause in a movie, their eyes wide and alert, their whole bodies clenched in mid-action. The sensuous haze in his head screamed in frustrated need and he could feel his lower back muscles clenching and unclenching, wanting to keep pushing into that sweet heat.

  More noise outside the window.

  Luke cursed quietly. He moved quickly, ignoring his body and mind protesting as he pulled out of the gorgeous, hot woman beneath him.

  “Maybe it’s a passing vehicle,” Nina whispered.

  He shook his head. “Drei’s place has a long driveway. That was from right outside the house.”

  Her eyes widened. “We’re in Drei’s house.”

  Ah, well. So much for secrecy. He nodded as he quickly unlocked her cuffs. “I don’t know who’s down there but I have a feeling, at this late hour, they aren’t friends.”

  “Maybe it’s Drei.”

  She got out of the bed. Lucas sighed at the luscious pair of long legs begging for his attention.

  “If it is, he’s got lousy timing,” he muttered.

  She followed the direction of his gaze, then transferred her sultry stare toward him deliberately. “Agreed,” she said softly.

  He wanted to laugh. They were both half-naked, still turned on from their interrupted lovemaking, and trying very hard to focus on a possible threat. He cocked his head, taking note of the telltale sounds of three creaky steps Drei had warned him about. Correction. Not Drei. Not one, but multiple threats.

  Dangerously Hot: Chapter Four

  “What is it?” Nina picked up her pants, quickly turning them inside-out.

  His gaze had turned watchful. He’d pulled on his pants and was quickly buttoning his fly up with one hand while his other played with his cell phone. His expression hardened.

  “What?” She asked again as she walked.”

  “Do you know these people?” Luke showed her the shadowy images on his phone.

  Luke had obviously installed cameras outside Drei’s house that connected wirelessly to his smartphone. They were blurry shadows. She shook her head.

  “Time to go then,” Luke decided.

  “But what if they’re friends of Drei?” She asked.

  “Creeping about with hand signals. Sure. You staying to find out?”

  Nina combed her hair off her face. “No need to be so sarcastic. I think your not getting your reward has made you grouchy, Cowboy.”

  He gave a quiet laugh. “Their timing sucks.”

  She couldn’t agree more. She didn’t resist when he pulled her in to give her a hard kiss.

  “What’s the plan? It’s your call since you’re obviously familiar with the upstairs of Drei’s house.” She looked around. “I hope this isn’t his room. We’ve made a mess.”

  “Wait, are you saying you’re familiar with Drei’s downstairs?”

  She grinned. “Knew you’d catch that. You want to talk now when—” She gestured to the window. “—some bad guys are coming in to rob Drei? I wonder what he has in here.”

  That was the only reason she could come up with why there were men heading up Drei’s house this late. They couldn’t be after her since being here hadn’t been her plan, therefore, they must be after Drei or Cowboy.

  Luke shook his head. “Nothing. I’ve searched every nook and cranny. Drei’s place is clean. Not a clue.”

  But what was he looking for? She didn’t have time to ask as she peered over his shoulder again. “They have night goggles on too,” she noted in a low voice. “And those glints in the moonlight aren’t from their wristwatches.”

  “We’ll have to leave the car and go out the back window.”

  “If I remember, the river’s in the back. I don’t swim. Now what?”

  He sighed. “Come on.”

  There was no choice but to follow him. He opened the back window and it made a sliding noise as he did so. The chilly air wafted in. He shrugged at her and ducked his head outside into the dark. Then his big body followed in one graceful glide. A hand appeared, offering help.

  Nina rolled her eyes and pushed it away. As if she needed a hand to climb out a window!

  It took a few seconds to adjust her eyes to the darkness. The light from the room streamed out, showing the slope of the roof and shadows and angles of tree branches.

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him and she had to concentrate on keeping up with his bigger strides. She wondered whether she’d first get hurt from being shot at or from falling off a roof as they scrambled down the slope to the edge.

  “Wait,” he ordered softly.

  Like she had anywhere else to go at the edge? She swallowed a gasp when he released her hand and simply jumped off, disappearing over the side of the roof. She peered over. The man? Insane. The jump? Kind of hot.

  “Jump.” His whisper traveled up to her.

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Naya, jump. I got you.”

  She stood there looking down at his shadow. If he missed…. She looked behind her. Looked back down at Luke’s shadow.

  “Jump,” he said, again. “Don’t fall forward. Don’t fling yourself. Pretend you’re stepping off the pool into water. I got you.”

  She did as he ordered, taking care not to jump on top of him. There was a second of breathless weightlessness and then strong arms gathered around her thighs, sliding up her back as she fought for balance. S
he put her hands out onto his shoulders. In the dark, she felt them shake with amusement even as she realized his face was buried intimately against the front of her jeans. Slowly, he slid her body down, not breaking the close contact.

  “I prefer doing that without clothes,” he whispered. “Next time, the top comes off too.”

  She pushed against him. “There might not be a next time,” she muttered.

  “Let’s be positive,” he said, pulling her along.

  “What next?”

  “Drei has a bike in the shed at the back. Don’t worry, I’ve ridden it.”

  Yes, she remembered Drei’s motorcycle, a powerful hulk of noisy proportions. They were so going to get killed but the hand holding hers was insistent and she followed him down the short path. They reached the small shed and behind her, she heard some voices shouting.

  “I see them! Back there!”

  Luke pushed open the door and they ran inside. He seemed familiar with the place, going to the right. She stumbled along behind him, marveling at his lithe quickness as he climbed on the dark machine. It was running in one smooth turn of the key.

  “Jump behind me,” he ordered.

  She did so.

  “Hang on tight. It’s going to be a cattle chase.”

  “What?”

  “Just a lot of circling around while we try to get on the road. Just keep your head down. It all depends on whether they decide to shoot or chase us with their bikes.”

  Great. This was all she needed to hear, that she might be shot at while riding as a passenger. Time was running out and she hadn’t the time to change her mind.

  “Where did you put my gun?” she asked. If she was going down in a hail of bullets, she wasn’t going out without a fight.

  The bike took off. There were shouts as they emerged out of the shed.