Jas dropped to the porch floor as the chair hit the ground. The rounded back allowed it to roll across the lawn and on the chair’s second revolution it exploded. She was up immediately to light and toss the second chair beyond the first one. Her throw was powered by adrenaline and this chair landed exactly where she’d aimed it and rolled just as the first had, exploding after a brief roll.
Jas figured time was up. She’d cleared a path more than halfway across the lawn but there wasn’t time for more. The two quick explosions would be slightly muffled in the house but the maniac had just about enough time to realize she’d suspected his trap. He probably wasn’t expecting her to know the different types of charges he’d have used in the yard. They had to be heat or weight activated and out in the wilderness, wired on some sort of switch. He couldn’t have the yard secretly mined if animals could trip it. She needed to get the hell outta Dodge.
Watching her from the woods, Blaster felt pride expand as his fucking smart woman worked out her problems. Damn! Her natural situational awareness was poetry in motion for a warrior. The instinctive predator living in her skin was the rare personality that made up any Unit. He’d never witnessed it outside his highly trained comrades. She was working her enemy, crawling into his head.
Blaster whistled an owl call and she knew he was in the trees at the edge of the lawn. No real owl would hang around after the two explosions. Jas was over the porch rail in a side jump using her hand for leverage and landing in the path her first chair had taken. It was barely enough time as she carefully followed the alleyway of the chairs.
If she didn’t make it away from the building fast enough, it wouldn’t matter if she stepped on a land mine. Speed was more important than caution. Luck would find her, or not. Jas dove the last ten feet, coming straight at Blaster. He managed to catch her and roll them both. The cabin went up in a massive blast.
“You hurt?” he asked urgently as he was yanking her up.
“No.”
They were both running through the underbrush. Explosions kept going off behind them as the cabin debris fell on the lawn.
“Yard was a minefield,” Blaster stated as they ran.
“Ya think?” Jas mocked him, dodging around trees.
“How’d you know?” Blaster questioned as they neared the truck and he started it with the remote.
“Bastard didn’t mean for anyone to live, not even his own,” Jas stated, and flung herself in the passenger side of Blaster’s truck. Diving in the driver’s side, he squealed away, flying down the road to the sound of continued booms from the cabin area. “It was a trap for all of us.”
“How’d you know he was gonna detonate?” Blaster wanted to know as Jas slumped on the seat that was bouncing wildly as they sped away.
“He had to. Larkin knew it too.” Jas grinned at him as they reached dangerous speeds on the narrow road. “You’re not driving like an old woman anymore.”
“Nope.” Blaster tried to concentrate on driving but he knew the woman beside him was still in trouble. Her system was fried with “go juice” and she had no way down.
Jas fished the mic out of her pocket. “We still live?” she asked, holding it up. Her hand trembled violently and Jas immediately lowered it.
“Yes. And recording,” Blaster confirmed, glancing at her, trying to read her. The animal in him was reading equally wild woman in her. She brought the storm with her. It swirled around her body in undulating waves of adrenaline.
“Who’s listening?” Jas wanted to know as she continued to pant in harsh breaths.
“Gray Winston, Unit commander. Jackson picked up the bike. He’s on the same frequency. He’ll have the jet ready to go by the time we get there.”
Jas tried to sound casual. It was difficult to control her body’s palsied shaking much less the intensely sexual urges rioting through her as she looked at the man who’d been there. Exactly where he’d promised. The impulse to jump her hillbilly clawed at her. “Jet? Hillbilly has a jet?”
Blaster being outside that cabin had been as intense for her as the actual battle. He’d come. He’d kept his word. He’d respected her. He’d allowed the two of them to be equal without her having to fight for it. The feelings welling up in her didn’t have a name. Mostly because she’d never experienced them before. Mixing that with the battle rush created a volatile turmoil that apparently translated to sexual urges just about too intense to withstand.
“It’s not mine, woman. Belongs to Winston.”
“How does retired military afford a jet?” Jas asked frowning, and not caring about the answer. She just wanted his voice, needed the comfort of his rough rumble. She needed a damn sight more but was having difficulty reading him. Her own chaotic wants were getting in the way as well as the insecure fear that he couldn’t still want her. Men went for the helpless princess sort, not the fully capable wicked witch type.
Blaster picked up the spare headset that’d been on the console between them and handed it to her. “He can explain. I’m driving here.” He glanced at her again and sucked in air, frowning darkly.
She took the earbud from him and immediately his hand snaked down to thrust between her thighs. His grip was hard and brief on her upper thigh but intimate as hell. That was the sign she’d been waiting for. Her body twisted around so she leaned over the console facing him. His arm lifted quickly and re-gripped the wheel around her. Her hands dug into his shoulders as her head tilted and she took his mouth.
His eyes glued to the road over her head, he let the heat exploded between them. There were things they needed to discuss, but right now base physical contact was required. Blaster groaned. His head dipped to press her mouth open with his. He needed more of this witch and he needed it right now. Her mouth opened eagerly, sucking his tongue into her damp depths, encouraging him to fuck her with it. A feminine purr accompanied the damp sounds of the kiss.
There were not enough words in the world to tell her where they were. He was damn proud of her but he was never letting her go off to battle alone again. She’d proved herself warrior woman. He’d proved she could trust him. Those questions had been answered and would not be repeated. If she ever faced death again, it’d be with him at her back fighting it off. Her surrender in the kiss, giving him control, appeased his ravenous need to assert his right to protect her in some small degree.
“Stop that you two!” Jackson roared into the headset. “I swear to God, you get in an accident because she’s climbing you, Blaster, I will not scrape up the pieces. We don’t have time for this shit!”
Blaster couldn’t help a chuckle. Jas pulled a breath away from his mouth to press the earbud in her ear and adjust the boom. It was the same size as a cell phone hands-free device. She’d been able to hear Jackson bellowing through Blaster’s.
“Jackson, stop whining. I saw how you liked watching last time,” she accused softly with a laugh in her tone, and then reattached her mouth to Blaster’s. Again Blaster started growling as she sucked his tongue into her mouth and made love to it.
“Jasmina Carson! Get your mouth off him! I am not a voyeur,” Jackson yelled. “You behave like a lady this instant or I’ll… I’m not sure what I’ll do but you won’t like it.”
Jas moaned softly then sat back off Blaster, laughing. The three of them were bickering and that was a good thing. They needed to stay sharp to make it out. She trusted these two men and if that was a mistake, it was too damn late. Her acceptance of Jackson as part of Blaster was an example of the immediate trust Barry had wanted her to extend to Blaster in the editing trailer. This time it had worked. However, circumstances made it a black-and-white issue. Either Blaster was fighting her or fighting for her.
The relationship developing between her and Jackson was unique in her experience. Sharp-edged wit flew between them with uncommon ease and no concern for causing real damage. She expected him to understand her. Perhaps she was more comfortable with Jackson because of the way Blaster read her.
“You go ahea
d and believe that, honey,” she countered softly. Jackson was fun but she couldn’t focus on him. Her attention was drawn to the man beside her.
The needs crashing through her were wickedly powerful. There was no escaping as heat burned up her body. It was becoming painful. Sexual and savage, her reactions to the action tonight were focused on the fierce man in the truck with her.
Blaster shot her a scowl. “My woman. Don’t be teasing his infatuated ass. He can’t take it. He’s the baby and has no idea how to handle you.”
Jackson snorted. “I hadn’t noticed you doing such a damn fine job of handling her, hotshot. So far she’s gotten every wild-ass thing she wants. Taking my bike and going off into an ambush for starters.”
“Shut up, Jackson. She knew what she was doing.” Blaster glanced at Jas. Being proud of her washed over him again. She was leaning back, her long body stretched out, seemingly relaxed with her head resting on the seat back. Her eyes were closed. Trust. She was giving him complete trust by not even watching the road as they sped through the night on the narrow country routes.
“Jackson, who knew what I was really saying in the cabin? I’m betting it was hillbilly here,” she purred without opening her eyes, but her hands were busy.
Jackson agreed reluctantly. “Yeah. He’s the one who knew you’d figured out it was a trap.”
Blaster glanced over again. What he saw nearly threw him out of his concentration on the driving. Jas released the laces up the short fly of her pants and lifted her bottom to shove them down. Her hands were still shaking as she caressed her own bare thighs and her eyes opened to look at Blaster.
She responded to Jackson, “There you go. He knows he doesn’t need to handle me. He reads me just fine. That’s the difference.” Her hands slid to the insides of her tensed legs, lightly dragging clawed fingers up sensitive skin. Blaster’s glance flickered back and forth between the road and her as she framed the dark triangle he could barely see in the dashboard lights.
Jackson continued arguing. “Difference? A difference from what? From me being the only sane person? As I recall, every one of my suggestions involved not going near the rabid killers! You two wing nuts didn’t even hear me. Jesus, one of you can’t wait to blow everything up and the other one throws down weapons as if she were born with ’em in hand.”
They’d traveled far enough to be reasonably sure they were not being followed. Blaster eased off the gas. He understood the demon clawing at her. She’d made a clear choice, turning to him to focus all the rioting emotion on sexual need. It had become overwhelming just as the combat experience had been. She needed a way down and this was the path to get her off the adrenaline cliff she was teetering on.
His own need hadn’t peaked yet. He’d been damn scared for her but now that he had her with him, he wasn’t done getting her out of danger. However, she was being honest with how she needed off her battle high. That was a statement about her trust in him, whether she knew it or not.
He knew for males, the sexual hunger laced with a victor’s euphoria had always been a dangerous cocktail. It’s the reason rape was added to pillage. They went together. He knew the roar of that beast well. Could her needs be the mirror image of that? Was this a drive for confirmation of her feminine nature? Could she possibly need affirmation of her appeal?
Just because he wasn’t done battling for her safety didn’t mean he didn’t want exactly what she wanted. His own beast was well aware his woman needed him. He’d give her all the affirmation she could handle.
Her head was turned to stare at him as her fingers speared into damp folds. The earthy scent of the fire burning her from the inside out intensified. Blaster glanced over, traveling at a more sedate speed, he put a finger to his lips indicating she be quiet. Jas nodded and he reached over to flatten his palm over her trembling belly. Her body jerked up, pressing into him.
Jas closed her eyes and bit her lip to restrain the gasping pleasure he gave her with that firm touch. Her own hands left her body, one clutched the door handle and the other moved under his arm to dig into his hard thigh. With her feet braced as widely as her pants would allow, her bottom barely touched the seat as her hips moved in desperate need. She surrendered.
Firm fingers slid down over her mound and into wet folds with forceful demand. Pressing in hard, he separated outer lips from tender inner secrets. Her hips rocked up as he rimmed her wet opening while the heel of his palm pressed into her clit, grinding down on it. She met him with abandon, thrusting up as he opened her.
Jas grabbed his wrist with the hand that had been clutching the door, trying to force him to enter her. Blaster didn’t take his eyes off the road as he dealt with her. She needed his help to climb off the combat high, but she also needed to trust him and part of that was the intimate battle for control they were about to have. She’d never be satisfied with less, even though she might fight him for it. Right now the power struggle between them was one she desperately needed to lose. Even if she didn’t know that, he did.
His hand lifted off her pussy against the force of her hold. She couldn’t move him. She might be strong but she was no match for the contest of raw muscle power. Her eyes opened to glare at him and he looked at her. His teeth were drawn back in a silent snarl that commanded compliance. Her grip loosened and he didn’t move. As her hand lifted from his wrist, his palm came down between her legs in a sharp spank.
Jas jammed the back of her hand into her mouth to hold in the scream as burning sensation rocketed through her. He lifted again to repeat the explosively erotic punishment and her hips followed his hand, needing him like this. Oh God!! It felt so good. Brutal and intense, it matched her frantic hungers in mind-shattering perfection. All of it. His demand for control fed her needy soul in ways she’d never imagined anyone could. She could trust him to know what she craved but she couldn’t master him. Her body gushed in lewd approval and she gulped back sobs.
The open mic forced her to silence as he took her to the most erotic place she’d ever been. Never had she needed so badly. His complete control of her animal responses thrilled her in a way that shocked. She felt safe. No mater what occurred she was safe.
When had this happened? Who the fuck cared? The erotic slaps drove her exactly where she needed to go as her body burned and twisted under them. On the third smack, two thick fingers speared into her gushing cunt. The demanding invasion stretched her roughly and drove her to a new level of sensation. He forced the fingers in as far as possible and ripped them out again. He was fucking her hard and fast—she couldn’t hold back.
Doubling over so his forearm scraped her cheek as he invaded her with those digits, she came hard in a bone-melting crescendo. He continued finger-fucking her through it, never taking eyes off the road and she silently jerked on his thrusting hand. As her contractions declined, his motions slowed to gentle rubbing and then stilled.
Her mouth was open and panting as she rested her cheek against his arm. Buried in her as deeply as he could, he felt her calm down slowly. Finally she sat back and he reluctantly pulled out of her. Tender flesh clenched around him as he left her and Blaster met her eyes briefly. Out of her body, his fingers felt cold and he brought them to his face. Looking at the road again, he inhaled deeply then leisurely licked her taste from his hand.
“Going silent a minute. We’re not being followed,” Blaster said gruffly, and tapped a glowing blue button on his earbud, the blue light went out.
Jas immediately did the same. “You could have done that five minutes ago!” she accused harshly as she grabbed her pants and pulled them up.
“You needed the control. You were on the edge of totally losing it and you needed to control something. It was the best I could give you in the circumstances.” Blaster shot her a searching glance. “We gonna be all right?”
Jas finished lacing the leather pants, still breathing heavily. “I think so.” Her tone was shaky. The anger had been short-lived. “You knew were I was, didn’t you? What I needed.”
<
br /> “You were with me, baby, right where you should be. I take care of what you need and how you need it,” he replied in understanding that answered several questions they didn’t have time to discuss. “We’re not separate, Jas. Not anymore. I can’t do this again. Where you go, I go, and I will not watch while you’re in danger. Do we have a problem with that?”
“Our problem at the moment is getting out of the state. Right now I have no intention of going anywhere without you.”
Blaster nodded. “That’ll do for now. We’re not done with the subject though. I’m not asking you to stop being a damn dangerous woman. I’m warning you that you’ll have company.”
Blaster tapped the headset again and the blue light blinked on. “Back,” he said, ending the private conversation. Jas tapped hers on as well.
Wanna Play (Ghost Unit, Book Three) Page 12
