by Jen Talty
He reached down with one hand and twisted her nipple, igniting a fire deep inside her.
She moved over him with quick thrusts of her mouth, her fingers caressing what she couldn’t take. The desire to please him filled her mind and soul.
“Christ,” he muttered as he pulled at her hair, almost trying to tug her away from him.
She ignored his efforts.
“Leandra,” he said, followed by a deep growl.
Slowly, she glided her lips from him. Stroking him with her hands she looked up at him and smiled. “What?”
“I need you to slow down.” He arched a brow.
“You mean like this?” She kissed the tip, spreading her tongue over it before gliding just the head inside her mouth with very little pressure, repeating the action a couple of times, watching his eyes roll up under his eyelids. The power she felt over him was intoxicating.
“I think this might be worse.”
“Worse?” She squeezed him, letting her teeth graze his sensitive skin.
“That’s not how I meant it.” He tugged her hair a little harder, forcing her neck back. “You have maybe two minutes before I toss you on your back and I make good with what I said last night.”
“Remind me what you said?” Her smile spread wide across her face and her eyes twinkled with mischief.
He groaned. “That I’m going to fuck you like there is no tomorrow.”
***
Nick had completely lost his mind.
Not to mention his body.
Leandra had been more than he could have anticipated. He knew taking her to bed would probably rock his world. But staring down at her now, with his cock buried in her mouth, rocking his world was the understatement of the century.
She’d blown it right the fuck up.
And not just with sex.
He found himself wondering what it would be like to have dinner with her, staring at her across the table, holding her hand, talking about random things, and enjoying every second of her company.
He groaned as her teeth grazed his skin again.
Damn tease and she knew it.
And he loved it.
“That’s it,” he said with a growl, tugging on her hair, careful not to pull to hard. He didn’t want to hurt her. The vision of Ramos yanking it filtered through his mind. He’d kill the mother-fucker if he ever touched her again.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the rage from his mind and focused on the beautiful woman now standing in front of him.
He eyed her voluptuous body, mentally taking a picture of every curve. He traced his finger from her lips to her full breasts, circling each nipple, smiling as they puckered into tight, tiny nubs. He continued down her stomach and across to each hip.
Her smile lightened up the room and awoke his aching heart.
His breath hitched and he froze. The room spun with the swirling of the fan. He squeezed her hips to steady himself. The familiar sensation of affection wiggled its way into his mind. Sure, he liked the women he went to bed with. Respected them. Valued them as human beings, but he never felt any deep emotional connection to them. Purely physical.
Appreciation? Yes.
Affection? No.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice echoed with a sudden insecurity that filled him with a sense of anguish because he’d caused it.
Looping his arms around her waist, he drew her close, letting himself slide between her legs, feeling her warmth trickle over him, reminding himself that she didn’t want him for any other reason than she needed to allow herself to be a woman again.
He swallowed, focusing on the undeniable sexual heat between them.
Not the feelings she rustled deep inside his core.
“Nothing.” He kissed her temple, cupping her full ass in his hands. “You’re fucking gorgeous,” he stammered out. “You took my breath away.” It certainly wasn’t a lie, but if he wasn’t careful, she was the kind of woman that could rebuild his heart… and then crush it.
Her hands roamed down his back, over his hips, and across his stomach. He shuddered, grabbing her wrist before she could curl her glorious fingers around his shaft.
She cocked her head, and smiled. “Can’t handle it?” she asked.
He groaned, knowing he couldn’t. Any other woman he’d been with, he could have. Sex had become an exercise in mental control and physical release.
Being with her had turned into an exercise of control, only not his, because he had none.
“I can’t,” he said softly. An admittance that humbled him. He cupped her breast, leaning over to suck it into his mouth
Her soft moans filled the room, echoing through his mind, wreaking havoc on his body. If he entered her sweetness now, it would be over before it began.
Kissing her nipples, he pushed her back on the bed and reached between their bodies. He ran his finger over her hard nub, gliding inside her warmth with three fingers, curling them at the top.
He devoured each breast as he stroked her, occasionally slipping his fingers out to rub her clit in a quick, circular motion. Her hips rolled with his hand as she quietly called out his name. Hearing his name float off her tongue sent a long shiver from his toes to his head, spreading heat to all his nerve endings.
His control finally snapped. Reaching for the condom, he tore it open. His hands trembled as he tried to cover himself. Putting on protection had never been difficult before.
“Fuck,” he whispered, trying again.
Only this time her sweet fingers covered his, and she eased the condom over his length.
A deep growl built from the pit of his stomach. He eased between her legs, his hands cupping her face as he slowly glided himself into her. Tighter than expected, he had to grit his teeth to stop himself from climaxing right then and there.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands roaming his back and ass, fingers digging into his muscles.
His vision blurred. For a long moment, he stayed still, staring into her mesmerizing dark eyes. There was so much passion behind the chocolate pools, it caused his heart to swell with something akin to, deep abiding affection.
An understanding of her heart and mind filled his brain. He tried to convince himself that this connection was only because of their shared loss, but deep down he knew she’d managed to reach inside all those places he’d hidden from the world for the last ten years.
He fanned her soft, rosy cheeks with his thumbs. “You’re an incredible woman.”
Her eyes widened as a smile slowly appeared on her angelic face.
On the inside, he scrambled to protect himself form the kind of heartache that would destroy him. On the outside, he rammed his tongue inside her mouth, filling it with all the lust he had for her.
And he did lust after her in the most primal way.
Rolling his hips, he swallowed all her sweet moans. He wanted to bring her to climax before he lost himself completely, and that would be sooner than he liked.
She ground herself against him and he bit down on her lower lip as his toes curled. He could no longer contain himself. He raised up on his hands, staring down at her while her head rolled back and forth.
“Help me,” he murmured, taking her hand, placing it between their bodies, pressing her fingers against herself.
She blinked her eyes open.
“That’s it, hon,” he whispered, thrusting himself deep inside her. He leaned over, sucking her nipple all the way in his mouth.
She hissed, arching her back. “Yes,” she said with a throaty pant. “Oh, my…Nick!”
Her body rocked, shaking the bed as if it were a water bed and they’d jumped into it together. She grabbed his ass with both hands, pulling him in deeper.
He collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her neck as he thrust his hips hard and fast until he swelled inside her and exploded. His entire body shivered. Every inch of his skin burned with exquisite flames. Sucking on her neck, he tried to control the dizziness that threatened to
overtake him.
He’d gotten drunk on her.
Worse, he was addicted to her.
He shivered again. His brain worked to squelch his crazy thoughts while his heart tried to keep from accepting the rush of those emotions that would surely be the death of him.
Long moments passed as their breathing slowly returned to normal.
But there was nothing normal about this encounter and Nick found himself in a situation where he wanted to push her away. He could easily say something so insensitive that she’d never want to look at him again. He’d learned from his little brother, Ramey, how to hurt a woman with a single sentence.
Ten of those sentences filled his mind.
But he couldn’t use them. Or wouldn’t use them. It didn’t matter because he was her first fuck after the death of her dearest husband, and Nick of all people knew what that meant.
He should be grateful that she’d thank him for the good time and be on her way.
The click of a lock ripped him from his thoughts. Her jerked his head up.
“You heard that, too,” she whispered.
“I did.” Propping himself up, he reached over the bed, lifting the curtain a tad. “Fuck.”
“What?” She gripped his shoulders, staring at him with those damn, intoxicating eyes.
“My brother is here.” He kissed her lips, letting his tongue glide over them.
“Nick? Where the hell are you?” his brother, Logan, yelled.
Nick had no desire to get up. He enjoyed being on top of Leandra and in her, a fact his body was all too well aware of.
The doorknob to the bedroom rattled. “You in here? Where’s the P.I.?”
“We’ll be right out.”
Leandra tucked her head into his chest. “Did you have say we?” she whispered.
“I’ll come in,” Logan said.
“Open that fucking door and I’ll tell Mom you were the one who broke her antique vase.”
“We were barely teenagers then. I’m sure Mom is over it,” Logan said.
The door shook.
Nick grabbed some plastic decorative thing shaped like a sailor off the nightstand. Turning his body, making sure not to cause Leandra any pain, he hurled the object at the door. “I said I’d be out in a minute, asshole.”
The decorative stature hit the door with a resounding thud, then dropped to the floor.
“Well, hurry up. We’ve got a human trafficking ring to take down and a young girl to find,” Logan yelled.
Nick cupped Leandra’s shocked stricken face. “I’m sorry. All my brothers are assholes.”
“This is so embarrassing.”
It wasn’t the first time Nick had gotten caught with his pants down. Seemed it was a tradition with the Sarich boys.
“Not to mention unprofessional,” she said, hands massaging his shoulders, easing any tension that had seeped into his muscles. “We’re in the middle of a case.”
He nodded, though he didn’t agree with the unprofessional part. He’d done his job by finding her and letting her father know she was safe. Going after Ramos, he was doing on his own time, though he had the full backing of the Omega Team, using resources not currently in the field, along with calling in a few favors. “We needed our rest during what little down time we’re going to have once this plan is in motion.”
She laughed. “You call what we did rest?”
“You are very relaxed, aren’t you?”
The smile that spread across her face ticked his senses. “You better get off me.” She squeezed herself around his growing erection.
He groaned, but carefully maneuvered himself to the side, covering her sexy body in the sheet. “Take your time getting dressed.” He kissed her nose. “I’ll go deal with my dick-head brother.”
He stood, glancing around the floor for his clothes. They seemed to be all over the place. He gathered them up, tossing his shirt and belt on the end of the bed before hiking up is pants. When he looked up, he paused as he pulled up the zipper.
Leandra had propped herself against a stack of pillows, hands clasped behind her head and she bit down on her lower lip. The sheet fell over breasts, but barely covered them.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked.
She nodded.
“Keep looking at me like that and we’ll just have to fuck again in the very near future.”
“I think it’s a moral imperative at this point.” She winked.
“Christ,” he muttered. “You’re gonna be the death of me.” He snagged his shirt, turned on his heels, and marched himself right out of the bedroom.
That woman was more than dangerous.
And having her again would be a mistake.
But he knew he’d never be able to resist her.
He wasn’t sure what was more disturbing, the seductive hold she had over him, or the shitty grin on his brother’s face when Nick strolled into the family room. “That was a dick move.” He glared at his brother.
Logan stood in the middle of the room, his hands planted on his hips. “I didn’t know she was in there with you. Last we talked, she was with Ramos.”
Nick scowled. Of all his brothers, Logan had been on Nick’s ass to stop feeling sorry for himself and start living again, specifically, to be open to a relationship with a woman. “Not the point. You’re totally embarrassed Leandra. I get messing with me, but you don’t even know her.”
Logan scratched the back of his head. “I honestly didn’t know she was with you.”
“You owe her an apology.”
“Well, shit. You’re hung up on a woman,” Logan said matter-of-factly. “That’s why you’re so upset.”
“I’m upset because you acted like a dick.”
“You wouldn’t care if you didn’t have some kind of feelings for the woman, outside of wanting to get laid.”
“Shut up,” Nick said softly, looking over his shoulder. “She’s in the other room.”
“Wow.” Logan shook his head. “She must be something to have gotten your panties in a wad.”
The bedroom door squeaked open.
Nick narrowed his eyes. “Behave.”
Logan grinned from ear to ear, but nodded.
When Leandra waltzed down the small corridor and into the family room, Nick swallowed his breath.
Her long, still a little messy, hair, flowed down over her large breasts, which bounced gracefully with her long strides. Her sweet smile slightly stifled, but when she locked gazes with him, her eyes twinkled like one of those sparklers on the Fourth of July.
“Leandra, this is my brother, Logan. He’s going to act as one of our buyers.”
“I appreciate your help on this,” Leandra said with a strong and steady voice, but her cheeks flushed.
Nick rested his hand on the small of her back, guiding her to the sofa, ignoring his brother’s arched brow. Nick didn’t have girlfriends. He didn’t even have friends with benefits.
He had sex.
Occasionally.
Between missions.
It wasn’t like he went around screwing every woman in sight, nor did he ever treat them badly, only it was rare he ever went back to the same woman.
Much less showed affection of any kind in front of people.
“Have we heard from Ramos?” Logan asked, sitting in the oversized leather chair in the corner, under the front window. Before he’d gotten back with his high school sweetheart, Logan had many short-lived relationships, but they always ended because Logan didn’t think he could ever fall in love.
All the Sarich boys had issues with love, only Nick’s came from experiencing the ultimate pain of having that love destroyed by a senseless act.
“We’re meeting him at his place.” Nick sat next to Leandra, trying desperately not to touch her, but his fingers twitched. He’d spent the last ten years hiding in the military, taking every assignment and deployment he could. He volunteered for everything, which made it easy for him to avoid relationships.
“Dylan and a
few of his buddies joined our team at Ramos’s house.”
“Who’s Dylan?” she asked.
“Our little brother.” Nick tossed his arm over the back of the sofa, a movement that wasn’t lost on his brother, who cracked an all-knowing smile.
Nick hated that smile.
“When did he roll into town?” Nick asked.
“He’s been in Orlando, only I didn’t know it. Some special detail with NASA,” Logan said. “When I reached out to some buddies, one of them happened to be working the same op with Dylan. They just wrapped up and were enjoying a day or two off.”
“How many Sarich brothers are there?” Leandra crossed her sexy, muscular legs, tucking her hands between them.
Nick bit back a groan. He had no idea how he’d get through the next twenty-four-hours without having a constant semi-erection. Everything about her turned him on. “Four of us. Dylan’s with Delta Force now and Ramey is a test pilot with the Army, currently living the dream in the desert.”
“Impressive,” Leandra said as she leaned forward to pick up her buzzing cell phone. “It’s Ramos.”
“Answer it.” Nick leaned closer. “Put it on speaker.”
“Hello?”
“Hello, baby,” Ramos’s voice echoed across the room. “How’s the sexy lady? You feeling like a little phone fun?”
Nick fisted his hand as he swallowed hard. The desire to punch Ramos scorched his skin.
“What do you want?” Leandra placed her warm hand over Nick’s, rubbing her thumb across his tight fist. Her sensitive touch only reminded him that he’d developed a sense of fierce protection toward her that went beyond duty, honor, and loyalty.
“Awe, can’t talk dirty because Nicky-boy is right there with you?”
Nick could picture his fingers tightening around Ramos’s neck, feeling his pulse slowly fade to nothing. He glanced toward his brother, who arched a brow.
“Is there a reason for this call? If not, we’ll see you in a couple of hours,” Leandra said with a cool tone, one Nick had to admire. Her strong, confident personality had to be the biggest turn on.
“Your husband was right about the leak.”
Fielding hadn’t given up his source inside Ramos’s organization, so whoever it was could be in grave danger.
