by Jami Gray
She swayed against his side. ‘You joining me?’
‘Hell, yeah.’
Her hand caressed his ribs and went lower, then curled over the edge of his waistband, opening his jeans. ‘You forget something?’
He stifled a groan as his stomach muscles contracted with the teasing touch against his bare skin. ‘Nope, just making sure you get that damn shower you want.’
She gave a sexy smile. ‘Now who’s teasing?’
Her devious fingers dipped further until the feel of her burned like a brand, as if it would forever be seared into his skin. Strangely, the concept didn’t bother him. Instead, it felt right.
Her fingers began to explore, and he lost his train of thought. Every synapsis fired, frying his focus until all that was important was more of her touch. His hips surged forward in demand. The feather-light brush of her touch seared straight to his dick. It took an insane amount of effort to fight free of the lust-filled fog taking over his brain. He gave her ass a sharp slap and grinned at her undignified squeak. ‘Get in.’
With a huff, she gave him her back and stepped in. He made quick work of his jeans, grimacing a bit when they snagged on his cock, but finally, he was naked. Charity still had her back to him and was undoing her braid as he stepped in, crowding against her in the tight confines. Water fell over them both, doing nothing to ease the fire between them. He grasped her hips, pulling her back against him. The feel of her ass against his dick made his eyes cross in sheer delight. ‘God, Charity, you make me ache.’ He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her so close not even air could get between them.
Her hands went to his wrists, her head lolling back against his shoulder. It gave him the perfect view of her chest, as water slid down her beautiful curves and beaded over her tightly furled nipples. He shifted his grip, dragging his hands up until he could capture her breasts. He played with her until she was undulating against him, her hands locked behind his neck leaving her vulnerable to whatever he wanted to do. It ratcheted his hunger to a new level, erasing thought and leaving behind only sensation.
She let him stroke her for a few heart-pounding minutes before she turned in his arms, blinking water-tipped lashes. ‘My turn.’
As if he’d argue. She began her exploration with butterfly tracings that soon escalated to a more tactile mapping. Every nerve ending ignited as she learned what made him tick, and she was a damn quick study. It wasn’t long before she wrapped her hand around his dick. He groaned, his hand going to hers, showing her what he liked. She followed his lead, but leant in and began to lick and nibble at his chest adding to his torment.
As enjoyable as that was, he wanted more. He buried his hands in her hair, exerting slow pressure to get her luscious lips where he wanted them. When her wicked mouth covered the head of his straining dick, his knees almost buckled. She played her tongue along his aching length, teasing and tormenting with relentless pleasure. It was all he could do not to drag her to the floor and gorge on what she offered. Not wanting it to end in the next few seconds, he breathed through the ravaging hunger and carefully pulled her off him. He ignored her disappointed whimper and drew her back to her feet. ‘Bed.’ The one word was all he could manage when all he could focus on was his need to sate his hunger.
Her head tilted back, and he captured her mouth in a kiss that rivalled the heat of the falling water. Her hot little hands left his straining dick and began running over his bare chest. It took a tremendous amount of restraint to free her lips and lift his head. He breathed through the storm of brutal lust and reached out to turn off the water. She took advantage of his inattention to press a series of open mouth kisses at the base of his neck. Her unerring accuracy left chills dancing over his skin.
She caught his reaction and tipped her head back with a wicked smile. ‘You like that.’
Instead of answering he shoved open the door, grabbed the towel hanging to the side and wrapped it around her. If he didn’t get them out of here, he was going to fuck her against the tiled wall. ‘Out.’
She followed his command and stepped out. He snagged the other towel, did a quick pass and then stepped out. He dropped it and in front of him, she did the same. Sweet words fell by the wayside as he barrelled down the road in the wake of sensual temptation. He closed in. ‘Up.’
She followed his command, bracing her hands on his shoulders as he cupped her ass and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his hips and used her new position to tease her wet warmth against his dick. The feel of her just about blew the top of his head off and he groaned. He felt her smile even as she continued to kiss him.
She gave him no mercy. Her mouth and hands were busy driving him nuts as he moved. Despite his determination to make it to the bedroom, it hurt to walk, but with the end goal in sight, it was worth it. As soon as he reached the bed, he bent forward, one hand holding her against him, the other braced on the mattress. She didn’t let go as her spine hit the bed and he followed her down. With her sprawled out like some decadent feast, he paused, taking in the image of her lying there, watching him as avidly as he watched her. She didn’t hide her anticipation and need. Her hair, turned dark from the water, spread around her. Her lips were swollen, her skin rosy with heat.
Giving in to instinct, he leant in, his hair falling forward, shutting them into an intimate cocoon. He watched her face as he brushed his thumb over her lips and when a sweet vulnerability drifted over her features, his heart clenched. For a moment the raging lust was lulled by an unknown peace. In the strange quiet, they traced each other’s face, their gazes locked, and unspoken words flowed between them. Her hands came up and cupped his face, bringing him closer. Just before the familiar hunger began to reclaim its position, he sealed their unexpected moment with a gentle kiss. As their lips touched and clung, the stunning realisation hit that despite the ache and burn of his body, this, with her, would not be satisfied with a one-time thing.
Lifting his head, he stretched out beside her, glorying in her heated gaze as it devoured him. Lying on his side, he propped his head on one hand and began smoothing his other hand over the feast before him. She turned to mirror him. His imagination hadn’t even come close to reality. His palm drifted over one leanly muscled leg as it flared into a mouth-watering curve that led to a tucked in waist. Tempted by the enticement, he continued his exploration, brushing teasing fingers through the neatly trimmed patch at her core. As he played, her legs shifted restlessly, granting fleeting access.
She wasn’t a passive partner, something he was extremely grateful for because the feel of her hands roaming over his body stoked the fire to a combustible level he never imagined. Determined not to miss his chance, he left her wet heat and continued upward, over her trembling stomach to the straining tips of her tits.
Cupping her, he dipped his head down as he brought her flushed flesh to his mouth. As he licked and sucked at her sweetness, her fingers pulled his hair free and dug in, holding him close even as she arched back. Low cries encouraged him, and he kept up the assault, unsurprised when she pushed him to his back.
She straddled him, her heated core pressing against him. Unable to resist, his hips surged up until he could slide his dick through her damp, welcoming centre. His hands tightened on her hips. Their groans sounded in unison. Her nails bit into his chest.
‘Fuck, Charity.’
His plea was met with a mischievous grin. She leant down and nipped his lips. ‘Please do.’
Needing no further encouragement, he grabbed her waist and reversed their positions. One more hard kiss to keep her distracted, then he reached over her to the table by the bed and fumbled the drawer open. ‘Yes!’ He snatched one of the condoms conveniently supplied by the Lodge and held it up.
Charity grinned, took it, and wasted no time covering him. ‘We owe the maids a huge ass tip.’
Recapturing her wicked hands and locking them in place by her shoulders, he took her mouth again. She shifted restlessly against him, and he lifted enough so she cou
ld widen her legs, letting him in. He released her hands and drew her thigh over his hip so he could tease them both. She bent her other leg, bracing her foot against the bed as her hips rose and fell. Releasing her leg, he used his hand to position his cock at her centre. Slowly, with deliberate intent, he dragged his aching length along her wetness.
Her spine bowed, trying to bring him in.
‘Patience, baby.’ It was sweet torture to deny them both, but if he let the leash slip, he wouldn’t last long.
‘Maybe next time.’ Her frustration was evident in the bite of her response. She gripped his arms and flexed her hips in feminine demand.
It was too much. He caught her mouth with his, tongues tangling in a heated frenzy, and plunged forward.
Their mouths broke apart as she cried out and he groaned as they came together in a flash of fire. The feel of her so tight and hot, wrapped liked living flames around him burned all thought away. Caught in the wildfire and unable to slow down to enjoy the journey, he could only tumble head first into the storm she encouraged. They moved together, racing towards the looming peek at breath-taking speed. Her soft cries mixed with his groans as their bodies strained for more. As the fire raged razing the world into a white-hot inferno, they crested and broke, free falling into a beautiful oblivion.
Hunger briefly sated, Ruin was already looking forward to the next go around. With the clawing need held at bay, this time he would go slower, spend his time delving into the fascinating spell of the woman still trembling beneath him. Being with her, like this, felt familiar and right. He couldn’t find the strength to worry about why that should alarm him. Instead, he just wanted to spend the night indulging in his brand-new addiction, Charity.
Ruin woke with an arm full of feminine curves and a smile on his face. Charity was sprawled across his chest, blonde tresses clinging to his beard. He curled one silky tendril over his finger, unwilling to break the quiet.
Lying there, he admitted the truth he hadn’t wanted to face. He was in trouble here. Somehow, someway, Charity managed to sneak in and carve out a soft spot in his heart. At the thought, he stifled a groan. Vex would laugh her ass off about this—him being done in by a blonde bundle of trouble in such a short time, yet he couldn’t rouse much concern.
Charity was unique. Behind her guileless blue eyes and blonde hair existed layer after layer of fire, spice and a bit of deviousness. The woman was a never-ending puzzle. Each time he figured out a piece, she revealed another clue that drew him deeper, until she sank into places he hadn’t known existed. Ripping her from those spots would leave scars. Not to say keeping her wouldn’t cause more, but even knowing her loyalty lay with a woman Ruin wouldn’t dare trust, couldn’t stop what was happening.
What would it be like to be that important to someone? That depth of commitment was admirable and enviable. Granted, the Vultures would always have his back, but having a woman like Charity at his back wasn’t a bad thing. In fact, it was one of the many reasons he was so attracted to her.
Yeah, she could lie with the best of them, but for the most part, she played it straight—no bullshit. Nor did she take his, which was refreshing.
A demanding pounding at the door interrupted his self-analysis.
He frowned. Who the hell was at their door? Next to him Charity shifted and woke. ‘Who is it?’
‘Don’t know, babe,’ he murmured, untangling from her. Grabbing a knife from the nightstand, he strode naked and barefoot out the door, stopping by the bathroom to snag a damp towel to wrap around his waist. Another pounding demand from the door meant someone was impatient. Since they were in the confines of the Lodge, there were only a few people who could make it passed the gate, but he wasn’t stupid. He stopped well away from the door and snapped, ‘What?’
A soft rustle from behind had him looking back to find Charity, a blade in one hand, the other tugging his t-shirt down over her hips.
‘Ruin, man.’ Kayvao’s voice was muffled by the door. ‘Got a message for you.’
‘Hang on.’ He crossed the remaining distance, grateful that Charity stayed close, but not too close.
He opened the door. The bigger man tagged Ruin’s present state of undress and caught sight of Charity behind him, and smirked. ‘Sorry to interrupt.’
‘Bullshit.’ Ruin’s retort held no heat. ‘What’s up?’
Kayvao handed over an envelope. ‘Delivered by some kid named Sam, said you’d want it.’
Ruin frowned and took the note, feeling Charity come up behind him. He handed her his blade so he could open the letter. He scanned the three lines, while Charity did the same. He looked up and met her gaze. ‘Well, damn, that changes my plans.’
Chapter 17
‘You know this is stupid, right?’ Charity muttered, tightening the thigh strap on her knife sheath, her bare foot braced against the bed’s edge. Despite the intervening couple of hours after getting the message, her irritation crowded out the occasional twinges from blissfully sated muscles from their earlier activities. The man knew how to leave a lasting impression.
‘Got a better idea?’ Ruin mumbled before taking the hair tie from his mouth and securing his hair back.
She stifled a sigh and dropped her foot. No, dammit, she didn’t, but she couldn’t ignore her clenched gut either.
‘Besides, you’re the one who asked Sam to keep an ear open.’ He dropped his arms, gathered the weapons spread over the rumpled bed, and began slipping the collection of blades into various spots on his body.
‘Yeah, but having him and Echo both come up with the same name? It’s too easy.’ And in her book, easy generally equalled set up. ‘Besides, the way Echo talked about River Man …’ she trailed off, not sure how to put her worry to words.
Ruin slipped a blade into his boot, tugged the leg of his pants back into place and straightened. ‘She was scared.’
Nodding, Charity sank to the bed and began tugging on her boots. ‘Beyond the normal level of ‘he’s a scary ass dude’ scared.’
Ruin walked over and sat next to her. ‘And?’ he prompted.
Thumping her heel twice, she sat back up, braced her arms on her knees and met his amber gaze. For a moment her mind blanked, and all she could think was god he’s stunning. More than the package, it was everything—his humour, his temper, his mind, his touch. Hell, his touch was seared into her very bones. Instead of taking the edge off her desire, last night honed it to a delicate finish. She wanted to ignore this crap and play some more.
A soft tap on her nose made her blink. ‘And?’ He didn’t bother hiding the amusement lighting his eyes.
Her face heated. ‘And,’ it came out husky, so she swallowed. ‘And, I don’t like going into a situation blind.’
He studied her, his amusement fading, replaced by a calculating seriousness. ‘It’s going down today. We’ve narrowed down the location. Now, thanks to Sam and what he picked up on the street, we can confirm whatever’s happening definitely involves this Broker, River Man, and whichever dungshit Raiders made it back. One way or the other, we’ll be getting answers.’
Maybe. ‘And if it’s a trap?’
Instead of laughing off her paranoia, his affable mask slipped to reveal the battle-scarred warrior beneath. ‘The Vultures and Lilith were the only ones who knew we were heading this way. I know who has my back, do you?’
She grimaced. ‘It’s not Lilith or your friends I’m worried about.’
‘Then who? Reznik?’
She shook her head. ‘Told you before, he’s a bully, not a strategist. He wouldn’t risk whatever the hell this is by showing up.’
‘You sure about that?’
Was she? With the way her gut twisted and roiled she wasn’t sure of much right now. ‘No,’ her uncertainty dragging the word out. ‘Right now, I’m not sure what the hell is going on.’ Maybe that was what kept her on edge.
He flashed her a devilish grin. ‘Well, then, let’s go find out, shall we?’
The ride out to what was left
of the Carousel took Ruin and Charity a solid twenty minutes in the pre-dawn hour. They stashed their bikes in a dilapidated shack half collapsed under a slowly dying tree in the remains of what used to be a neighbourhood. They took the last mile by foot, making their way through the overgrown remains of houses and old paved streets. Charity’s spine itched the whole damn time. Crawling through virtual ghost towns never failed to creep her out. She swore the ghosts of those who once called places like this home, lingered like poisonous mists, just waiting for their chance to add another soul to their collection. Since Ruin displayed no such misgivings, she figured the hang-up was purely hers.
Luck was with them when they discovered a partially erect structure positioned just across from their target location. At some point it stood higher than its current couple of stories, but it provided enough height to get a prime vantage point. Light was sneaking across the sky as they settled in among the rusted rebar, crumbling cement and torn metal.
They cleared out a spot in the corner on what was left of the top floor, taking turns at the empty window frame. Using Ruin’s binoculars, they studied the remains of the structure across the way. There were two buildings, one long and rectangular, half of its roof gone, and behind it, a round building, its roof pitted with holes. Even with the brightening light, it was hard to make out much more than shadows. Minutes ticked by, stretching into an hour before Charity broke the quiet as she handed the field glasses back to Ruin. ‘If any street rats are holed up, they aren’t moving.’
‘Maybe they aren’t morning people,’ he murmured as he scanned the area.
Maybe, or maybe they’d been run off. She slumped down underneath the window frame. ‘We need to get inside.’
‘Know that, darlin’, but not keen on getting my throat slit before noon.’
‘Then you might want to be careful where you point those things.’ She motioned to the binoculars in his hand as she tilted her head to look at him. ‘The sun’s up. You misjudge the angle and you’ll lead them right to us.’
