by Katie Reus
As they continued making idle conversation, Holly stood by the window, crouched down, and motioned for Hannah to get on her shoulders. Hannah shimmied up her back until she was sitting on her shoulders. Holly tottered for a second, but quickly gained her balance. Hannah barely weighed a hundred pounds, but Holly was probably only twenty more than her. Still, she was taller than Hannah, so that gave them a little more height.
Placing her hands against the glass, she tried to push. There was no give, but it wasn’t double paned. Hannah was certain she could break it. Unfortunately it would make noise. Somehow they’d have to cover it—
The door flew open with a bang. Holly swiveled and when she did, Hannah toppled onto the bed. A dark-haired man—not the one who’d taken her to see Vargas—stood in the doorway. Oh, shit. There was no denying what they’d been trying to do. Unable to move, she felt like that proverbial deer in headlights.
The man glanced back and forth between them, then spoke quietly to Holly.
Thanks to Sophie, Hannah knew a few Spanish phrases. She picked out a couple of words, and the guy’s tone wasn’t threatening, so maybe he wasn’t going to hurt them after all. After he shut and locked the door, she was almost afraid to ask.
“What did he say?” she whispered.
“He’s the one listening to us. He said his shift ends in twenty minutes and the next guy won’t be so forgiving. If we want to stay in the same room, and if we want to remain unharmed, we need to be quiet. He also said if we had managed to get through the window, there are a dozen men with guns canvassing the area. They’ll shoot us on sight.” She bit her bottom lip and a few tears spilled over her cheeks. “I just want to go home. I miss my mom and dad,” she whispered.
Sighing, Hannah lay on the lumpy mattress and turned on her side. “Me too. I’ll sleep with my head at this end. If you want to sleep in the other direction, I think we’ll both fit.”
“Okay.” Holly dimmed the overhead light and lay down next to her.
Moonlight streamed in from the small window, giving them a little light. A lead ball congealed in Hannah’s stomach. They were stuck and there was nothing she could do about it. And according to that asshole Vargas, he was going to kill her best friend. She’d never felt so helpless in her life.
• • •
After checking the lock on the small window—which was pathetic—Jack stripped down to his boxers, laid his weapon on the dresser, then slid under the covers. He hadn’t realized how tired he was until his back hit the cool, cotton sheet. If he was exhausted, he could only imagine how beat Sophie must be.
He closed his eyes, though he wasn’t anywhere near ready to sleep. He couldn’t until Sophie was in the room with him. Safe and close enough for him to touch. The shower had shut off a few minutes ago, so he knew she’d be coming out soon. He’d decided to put off his shower until the morning because the thought of stripping down completely naked with Sophie only feet away from him . . . yeah, he wasn’t even going there right now.
The sound of the door opening forced his eyes open. He ordered himself to keep them shut, but his gaze was drawn to her like a magnet. Sophie walked out wearing skimpy shorts and a tight tank top that molded to every curve. It was one of the outfits he’d grabbed for her. Imagining her wearing it and actually seeing her in it were two different beasts. He’d turned off the light, but his eyes had adjusted to the darkness. With the light from the bathroom streaming in, he got a perfect view of her toned, sleek body and he wanted to slowly peel her clothes off. Or frantically tear them off. It didn’t matter. As long as he got to see her naked. To taste every inch of her.
“You awake?” Sophie whispered as she took a few tentative steps toward the bed.
“Yeah,” he managed to rasp out. He shifted uncomfortably, cursing his erection.
She set the bag on the floor next to the bed, then slipped under the covers next to him. She smelled fresh. Like vanilla and something exotic. Something that was all her. The familiarity of that scent wrapped around him, threatening to choke him. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just tired, I guess.”
He rolled over to face her, hating that he had no fucking control over his cock. At least the darkness was covering his condition. “You don’t have to apologize.”
“Yeah, I do. I’m so angry right now and you’re the only one I can take it out on.”
“Your boss is an asshole.” Jack guessed that was probably bothering her more than being almost killed. With both of them lying sideways on the pillows, they were only a foot apart from each other. He could see the bright sheen of unshed tears in her eyes and it killed him.
“That’s just it. He’s not. He was doing what he thought was best . . . I guess.”
Yeah, well, her boss could have found another way to deal with his problem. He could have gone to the feds. Instead his stupidity had upended Sophie’s life and gotten her almost killed. That put Ronald Weller at the top of Jack’s shit list. “Anyone willing to sacrifice someone like you is an asshole.”
A few tears spilled over her cheeks, and something inside him cracked wide open. Crying women had never bothered him before, but tears from Sophie were too much. “Damn it, Soph, don’t cry.” He reached out and cupped her cheek, only intending to wipe away her tears, comfort her as he’d done so many times when they were younger. He swiped his thumb across her delicate cheekbone, but couldn’t tear his hand away from her soft skin. Touching her was addictive and something he could get used to very easily if he allowed it. Hell, she’d been his addiction years ago. One he’d never wanted to walk away from.
Sophie didn’t seem to want him to stop either. The tears abruptly dried and her breathing grew ragged, unsteady. Her pink lips parted as she stared at him with those intoxicating dark eyes. When her gaze dropped to his mouth in a hooded sensual way, he knew he’d lost whatever control he had on himself. Which by this point wasn’t much. She moistened her lips and he wondered if she’d done it intentionally to drive him crazy. Either way, he didn’t care.
Not kissing her was not an option. Not when he already knew how she tasted. She met him halfway and before he could think about stopping—like that was ever a choice—their lips were dancing with a raw, pent-up need. She tasted sweet, minty, and perfect.
Over the years he’d thought about Sophie a lot, but he’d always tried to tamp down the sexual memories. Buried them deep in his mind because he knew nothing would ever happen between them again. Would be kinda hard considering he’d never planned to see her again. Some days he’d even convinced himself that it was just teenage love that he’d built up in his mind, but he knew better. What he’d felt for her back then just wouldn’t die, and the longer he was around her now, the stronger it grew.
She moaned into his mouth and though they were both still lying on their sides, his hips bucked toward her until their entire bodies meshed together. When she hooked one leg around his waist and ground against him, a shudder rolled through him. He slid his hands under her shirt, savoring the feel of her soft skin. Making quick work of it, he peeled her top off.
Blindly, he tossed it onto the floor as he stared. For a moment he couldn’t do anything else other than just look at her. He’d tried to tell himself that his memories were faulty, that she wasn’t as beautiful as he remembered, but damn. She was better than he remembered. Her nipples were small and brown and perfect for his mouth. Faint triangle-shaped tan lines covered her bare breasts, which brought up a dozen different memories of them together at the beach. They’d made love in the ocean on more than one occasion.
Before she gained her sanity back, he bent down and sucked one of her nipples between his teeth. He lightly bit down and tugged, loving the erotic moaning sounds she made. She’d always been so damn reactive to his touch.
When her back arched, giving him better access, he allowed himself to relax. She wasn’t going to change her mind. She wanted this as much as he di
d. When she let out another whimpering sound of pleasure, he circled the hardened nub with his tongue, flicking and teasing it. He pulled his head back a fraction and blew across the moistened skin.
She jerked underneath him, her hips rolling upward in such a purely sexual way it made him feel a little crazy. “Tell me now if you want to stop,” he managed to rasp out.
“Stop and I’ll kill you.” Her voice came out as ragged as his own.
Exactly what he needed to hear. Though he hated to stop touching her, he paused to grab a few condoms from his bag. This was definitely going to be more than a one-condom night. He threw a couple on the nightstand and ripped one open with shaking hands. Jack had no problem taking down a moving target in rough wind from a thousand yards or stalking someone with patience for weeks, yet this—this—had him acting like a randy teenager about to have sex for the first time. Which was kind of what he felt like. Hell, he’d never forget their first time. He’d been nervous as hell, determined that she’d come before him and that he wouldn’t hurt her. That hadn’t worked out the way he’d thought, but the second time . . . yeah, he’d had her crying out his name as she climaxed.
Sophie sat up and wrapped her arms around her exposed chest. Her damp hair tumbled around her shoulders, and in addition to looking sexy and incredibly seductive, she suddenly looked vulnerable. And maybe a little nervous. Despite the need thrumming through him, he pushed down his disappointment when he realized she’d changed her mind.
After laying the foil packet down, he sat on the edge of the bed. “We can stop right now. You’ve been through a lot and—”
She blinked once, then dropped her arms, giving him another shot of her very kissable breasts. “No, it’s not that. I want . . . this. A lot. It’s just been a long time for me.”
“Me too.” Using control he didn’t know he possessed, he managed to keep his eyes on her face instead of straying to her exposed breasts when all he wanted to do was kiss them again.
Her dark eyes narrowed slightly, as if she didn’t believe him, so he leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. Gently at first, then more insistently. He teased the seam of her lips open until he’d completely invaded her mouth. Maybe he should do the gentlemanly thing and completely stop, but he wanted to be inside her too much. He hadn’t been lying when he said it had been a while for him. His job wasn’t conducive to any type of serious relationship, and one-night stands had become depressing a long time ago. And he never slept with anyone connected to his job—until Sophie.
Threading one of his hands through the curtain of her hair, he cupped her scalp as his other hand found its way to her breast. He couldn’t get enough of touching her. Wished he had more than two hands so he could stroke her everywhere at once. Slowly he swept the pad of his thumb over her nipple. It hardened even more, the little nub rigid under his touch. When she sighed with complete trust, something inside him shifted.
In his profession, getting too attached to anyone could get him killed. He’d learned long ago not to let any attachments get in the way of the job. Tonight, however, he was breaking all his rules. He was already attached to this woman. His woman. Even though he wasn’t quite ready to admit it yet, it didn’t matter. Tonight was going to change everything for him. Sophie had already changed him in the few days they’d been together.
“Clothes off now,” Sophie murmured against his mouth as her fingers dipped under the elastic of his boxers.
When she wrapped her fingers around his cock, he jerked against her. Then she stroked him. Once, twice, three times—he abruptly pulled back. Breathing hard, he shook his head. He couldn’t find his voice, but she seemed to understand. If she continued touching him he’d lose it in her hand and there was no way in hell that was happening. Not when he had a chance to be inside her, when his single fantasy for over a decade was about to come true.
He’d wanted to take his time, but everything moved in a flurry. His boxers and her skimpy shorts were off in seconds and then like a fucking miracle he was nestled between her thighs. His heart beat wildly as he stared down at her, his cock resting against her lower abdomen. Stretched out on the sheets with her dark hair pillowed around her and her lips swollen, she looked like a sexy pagan offering. But she didn’t belong to anyone but him.
As he shifted down so that his cock was closer to her wet entrance, her legs automatically wrapped around his waist. She dug her heels into his ass, urging him on. Her chest moved rapidly in tune with her shallow breathing. Those dark eyes of hers were staring at him with too many emotions for him to define, but he saw raw lust there and it floored him. Thankfully the erratic beat of her heart matched his own. He wasn’t alone in this internal torrent, which made him feel a little saner.
“You’re beautiful,” he said as he cupped her cheek. Not poetry and the words felt so damn inadequate for how he felt about her, but a soft, almost shy smile touched her lips before he pressed his to hers again.
This kiss was different. Softer, slower, more sensual. His tongue danced against hers while he skimmed her rib cage and hips with his fingers. Her skin was like silk underneath him.
When he moved again and rubbed his hard length against the folds of her sex, her fingers dug into his back. Before things went too far, he grabbed the condom from the nightstand and sheathed himself. Next time he wanted her to do it, but he didn’t trust himself to let her touch him at the moment. And as he rolled it on, his hands shook. Actually shook.
When he finished, all he could do was stare at her. Her caramel skin was flushed and practically glowing. This was what he’d been remembering and fantasizing about for years and he didn’t want to forget any of it.
She sat up on her elbows, the action pushing her breasts up. “Do you need a written invitation?” she asked teasingly.
Hell no. Once again it was skin on skin as she locked her ankles behind his waist in an unrelenting grip. She dug her heels into his ass as he feathered kisses along her jaw and neck. When he sucked on her earlobe, it was as if she reacted with her entire body. They were so connected he could feel when a slight tremor rolled through her. While he kissed her, he continued lavishing attention on her breasts, flicking and rubbing over her already hard nubs with his fingers. With each flick, she writhed underneath him.
He rubbed his erection against her sex but didn’t penetrate yet. He wanted to draw this out just a little longer. It was the best kind of torture. But when she dug her fingers into his backside and let out a frustrated growl, he knew she was ready. He slipped one finger inside her to test her slickness. She was drenched. Her inner walls clenched around him and her hips rocked against his hand, urging him on.
A low buzz hummed in his ears as a new reality wrapped around him in a hard embrace. She wanted him as bad as he wanted her and was holding nothing back. The realization was frightening to his sense of survival. He was getting too attached. She was making him want things he’d never imagined for himself. Never imagined he deserved.
Stability. A little happiness and just maybe . . . a shot at a normal life.
Banishing those thoughts, he focused all his attention on the here and now. On the beautiful woman underneath him. After withdrawing his finger, he hovered at her entrance for a fraction of a moment. He wanted to remember everything about this moment.
As he rocked into her, Sophie arched her back. Her inner walls were so tight he couldn’t hold back the growl of possession he felt for her. Each time he stroked into her, her fingers tightened against him. In seconds they found their rhythm.
Part of him wondered if the reason she’d wanted to sleep with him was that she needed to remind herself she was alive after the past few days, but he truly didn’t care. He hadn’t felt connected to anyone like this in—ever. And this wasn’t just anyone. Sophie was his. Being with her now brought back so many damn memories. A flood of them hit him all at once.
When she raked her fingers down his back a
nd ordered him to go faster, he nipped at her bottom lip. As he increased his movements, he palmed her breasts, and before he realized she was even close she surged into orgasm. Her inner walls clenched around him with a fierce intensity as the rush of her climax hit.
Just as suddenly, he found his release too. The thought that he’d given her this pleasure was a bigger turn-on than anything she could have physically done to him. He’d always been able to last as long as he needed. He controlled his body. His body didn’t control him. Not tonight. Not with Sophie. She totally owned him.
They both rode out the waves of their release together until he was spent and her legs loosely relaxed their hold on him. Catching himself on his forearms, he slowly withdrew from her and rolled onto his side. Still facing her, he kept a protective hand across her stomach. She looked at him almost in a daze as a satisfied smile played across her lips.
His heartbeat jumped at her sultry expression. Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her, still wanting to taste every inch of her. He gently feathered kisses over her face before pulling away and discarding the condom.
Words eluded him, but she didn’t seem to want to talk either. Stretching out on his back, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tugged her until she was nestled into the crook of his arm, her head on his chest. Sleeping this close to someone was a foreign experience, but tonight he needed to feel her. Wanted to wake up to Sophie’s face. Hell, he’d sleep inside her if he could.
Chapter 16
Eyes only: data that shouldn’t be discussed without explicit permission.
Ronald sat across the dining room table from his wife as they ate in silence. Again. He didn’t know why they even bothered having their meals together anymore. They didn’t talk and when they did, they fought. Rather, she yelled at him.
