“But you still teach dance.”
“I enjoy it. It was such a huge part of my life growing up. I’d never be able to just stop doing it. But I can’t do as much as I once did because of my bum knee, so I use my degree, too.” She smiled over at him. “I’m Tally from Talk to Tally. The call-in radio show?” she added when he showed no hint of recognition.
He tilted his head back against the couch and shut his eyes. “A radio shrink. Even better than a regular shrink.”
“Hey!” She swatted his arm. “I like helping people. Even if it means I only act as their sounding board. And, technically, I’m not a shrink. I stopped school after getting my masters. Might go back for a doctorate someday, but for now, I like what I’m doing. Teach dance in the evenings, do the radio thing at night, sleep during the day, weekends off unless I volunteer for a suicide hotline…which is usually every weekend.”
“When do you date?” He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. What did it matter to him? It shouldn’t matter. He had other things to worry about than his neighbor’s sex life, dammit.
But it did matter. Like it or not, he was interested in this woman as more than just a neighbor.
She frowned slightly. “I don’t. Not really, at least. I’m focusing on me. But I’m not lonely or anything,” she added quickly. “I have lots of friends and family. It’s a good life.”
It did sound nice. Quiet. Stable. Worlds away from the violence that was his own. Would he have lived that kind of life under different circumstances? He liked to think so.
When he was fifteen, his career goals hadn’t included a life of military servitude. He certainly hadn’t thought he’d end up being what boiled down to a hired gun for the government. He’d wanted to go to college but couldn’t recall if there was anything he’d had his heart set on studying. He’d enjoyed football, figured he’d end up coaching when he had kids of his own someday. But at fifteen, his world had been so narrow. He hadn’t thought much beyond the next homework assignment, the next football game, the next school dance, getting his driver’s permit on his next birthday. Adult life had been so far away, no more than a hazy eventuality—until his parents died and adulthood had smacked him in the face. He’d had to grow up fast out of necessity, and he never had the chance to be anything more than what he now was. So why was he dwelling on the might-have-beens?
“You’re thinking awfully loudly,” Natalie said. She shifted on the couch, drawing his gaze to her long legs as she curled them up underneath her.
Lust hit hard and fast. His heart suddenly pounded against his ribs, and his mouth went dry. He didn’t want to think anymore. There was only one thing he wanted at the moment—those legs wrapped around him while he pounded into her until he couldn’t think at all.
Too complicated, he reminded himself. Too close.
His angel.
But maybe that was exactly why he should give in to the urge. If he got her out of his system, he’d be able to put more distance between them. As long as she was an unknown, she’d be an enticement, a distraction, but once he had her, she’d fall from the damn pedestal he’d placed her on and he could get on with his mission.
Mind made up, he faced her. “Do you want to fuck?”
Laughter burst from her in a disbelieving huff of air. “Wow. That was romantic.”
“I’m not talking about romance. I don’t do romance. I’m talking about hot, hard, down and dirty fucking. No strings, no emotions. Just you, me, and an itch that needs scratched.”
“Oh.” Her breath hitched. “Oh, you’re serious.”
“I’m rarely not.”
“That’s a shame. You’d look good with a smile.” She studied him from across the length of the couch, and the heat in her eyes sent blood rushing to his cock. He didn’t bother hiding the bulge growing at the front of his pants. No point since she already knew what he wanted. The ball was in her court now. What happened next was all up to her.
“I thought I was too complicated,” she said finally.
“You are.”
She stayed silent for another long beat, and he saw the exact moment she made her decision. Her breathing quickened, and color bloomed across her cheeks. “If I say yes?”
“If you say yes…” He leaned over and tugged on her feet peeking out from under her nightshirt. He pulled her legs straight, traced his hands up her firm calves to her knees. She had a scar on her left kneecap about three inches long. He leaned over and dragged his tongue along it as he pushed her legs open. “I want these legs around me.”
His hands continued northward, tracing the soft flesh of her inner thighs. She wasn’t wearing underwear, but he stopped just short of touching her. “If you say yes, I’ll fuck you until you can’t walk. And then when you come screaming, I’ll flip you over the back of this couch and do it all again from behind.”
She groaned and lifted her hips to meet his hand. “Oh, God, yes.”
Chapter Nine
She shouldn’t be doing this.
Shouldn’t be, but her body so didn’t care about all stop signs and warning bells her brain was throwing out.
Except for one.
She covered his hands with her own. “Are you okay for this?” He’d slept so long last night, not even waking when the pizza arrived. She’d worried he was slipping into a fever again, but his skin was cool to the touch.
He grabbed her wrist, guided her palm to his erection, and pressed. “What do you think? Do I feel okay?”
He felt hard and huge. Definitely okay. More than okay. Dampness pooled between her thighs. She wanted to peel away the layers of clothes between them and touch his bare skin, see him in all his naked male glory.
Oh, what the hell. If he hurt himself, that was his problem.
With a flick of her wrist, she unsnapped the button on his jeans.
“No.” He caught her hand. “You strip.”
Her breath snagged in her lungs. “I don’t follow orders.”
He tightened his grip on her wrist, just enough to be a little painful. A warning before he released her. “You’ll follow mine. Strip.”
Oh, that commanding tone shouldn’t affect her like it did. Shouldn’t make her ache with want. But it did. It so worked for her.
She whipped her nightshirt off over her head. She never wore underwear to bed and she’d never been gladder for it than when she saw his sharp intake of breath. He cupped her waist, skimmed his hands reverently up to her breasts, then back to her hips. His touch left a trail of tingling heat in its wake.
Oh. God.
He’d barely touched her, and she might combust before he really got down to business. “Greer…”
“Yeah, I like the sound of my name on your lips.” His breath fanned her inner thigh as he settled between her legs. “Say it again.”
That tone. The smug command of it. Part of her wanted to fight it, but the rest of her was powerless to resist. “Greer.”
“That’s it, angel. Keeping saying my name, and I’ll give you what you want.”
“Greer…” When his mouth touched her, she shivered at the pleasure of it. Her nipples tightened, becoming so sensitive even the caress of air over the buds was too much. He cupped one breast in his hand, circled the nipple with his thumb, and she arched off the couch, his name ripping from her throat on a moan.
He lifted his head, his lips wet from her, his eyes almost black with lust. “Open wider.”
She did, dropping her knees to the sides. Later, she’d worry about her status as a strong, independent woman who didn’t want a man telling her what to do. But right now, she was helpless to do anything but follow his commands.
He growled, delved his hands under her butt, and lifted her hips to meet his mouth. His tongue explored, dipping into her sex before tracing her cleft northward to the bundle of nerves throbbing for his attention. He flicked his tongue over it, circled it, sucked it into his mouth. He knew exactly what he was doing, and backed off just as she started to peak, draw
ing out the pleasurable torture.
She was definitely going to combust if he didn’t…let her…
The orgasm tore through her. She dug her hands into his hair and held on as he continued to lick her through it. Even as she came down, she felt the tension start to curl inside her again.
He was aiming for a two-for. And judging by the way her legs began to shake, he was going to get it. She was already there again, and if he just kept up that delicious back and forth flick of his tongue—
Bang bang bang bang.
Someone knocked loudly on her apartment door and Greer bolted upright. The lust in his eyes disappeared in an instant, replaced with weariness. “Who the hell visits at seven in the morning?”
“I don’t know.” She scooted away from him and scooped up her clothes on the way to the door. Her heart began to pound, and not because of the exquisite orgasm she’d been about to have.
What would she do if it was Andy on the other side of the door? She’d have to play it cool, tell him to hide until she could get Greer gone, and hope her nephew did nothing stupid. Except if he was in trouble, she couldn’t turn him away. The walk to the door only took a few seconds normally, but it felt endless this time, a bit like she was slogging through mud in slow-mo.
Mouth dry, she checked the peephole…and breathed an internal sigh of relief. Not Andy, but a man. Tall, lean, with dark hair and hazel eyes. Now that she’d spent time with Greer, she recognized the family resemblance. “It’s Reece.”
“Fuck,” Greer said under his breath. “Get him out of here. And don’t tell him I’m here.”
She yanked on her nightshirt and pulled her shawl over her shoulders before opening the door a crack. “Hi, Reece. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Shit.” He winced and gazed down at his watch. “I’m sorry it’s early. Did I wake you?”
“Uh, no. It’s fine. I was up.” More than up. She’d been flying high in orgasm. She glanced over her shoulder. Greer made a shooing motion with his hands. She drew a breath and stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her. “I’d invite you in, but I’ve been busy and the place is disaster.”
“No problem. I just stopped by to…” Reece trailed off and looked across the hall at the door of Greer’s apartment. “Have you seen anything out of the ordinary since I was last here?”
Besides Greer’s extraordinary body? All those muscles, and abs, and… God, the sinful things that man could do with his mouth and tongue…
She hugged her shawl tightly around her, very aware that she was naked underneath her nightshirt and that Greer was mostly naked on the other side of her door. “Uh, no. I’m sorry. I haven’t.”
Reece swore softly. He looked tired, less polished than the first time she’d met him back in January. He’d lost the tie and endless stream of business suits—which, if you asked her, was for the better—but his hair was starting to get a little too shaggy and worried shadows darkened his eyes.
“Thanks anyway,” he added.
“Why do you ask?” she blurted, then mentally kicked herself. She wanted him to go away so she and Greer could pick up right where they left off. Which, yes, was selfish of her. Especially when Reece was so obviously worried for his brother.
Reece rubbed a hand across his stubbled jaw. “There’s stuff missing from his place. I know I folded the few of his clothes that weren’t destroyed and put them away, but now they’re gone. Several of the boxes have been opened, too. I thought maybe…” He trailed off and his shoulders slumped. “Maybe he’d come home.”
“If he had, I would’ve—” The lie stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t finish it.
Reece nodded. “I know. You would have called. Just wishful thinking on my part. We keep hitting dead ends searching for him. It’s like he dropped off the face of the earth—a decade ago.” He exhaled a soft, cynical laugh. “Apparently, he ceased to exist the day he joined the military.”
She wasn’t surprised. That place he’d gone to yesterday wasn’t your run-of-the-mill military base. Not with the way they’d locked down when she showed up.
“How could a guy just up and disappear for nearly four months?” Reece rubbed at one eye under his glasses like he had a headache. “He’s been keeping secrets from us.”
And now she was, too. She opened her mouth but couldn’t figure out what to say and closed it again.
“Anyway,” Reece said on a sigh. “Thanks, Natalie. For everything.” He started toward the stairs and her stomach knotted. He looked so anxious for his big brother, and she couldn’t let him walk away without saying…something.
“Reece.”
He stopped, glanced back.
“Greer’s okay. He’ll turn up soon. I’m sure of it.”
A line formed between his brows. “Yeah,” he said, dragging the word out. Then he shook his head slightly. “Yeah, I hope you’re right.”
She waited until he disappeared down the stairs before opening the door to her apartment. Greer stood there, hands on his hips, gaze to the floor, emotions warring over his face. He looked sexy and mussed, his pants undone, the bulge of his erection still prominent…but she’d lost her appetite for sex.
She hugged her shawl around her and leaned back against the door. “Lying to him didn’t feel good, Greer. It’s not fair to keep him in the dark like this.”
His shoulders moved as he sighed, and for one shining moment, she thought he would do the right thing and have her call Reece back. Then he looked up and his eyes were hard, his features set in determination. “You will not tell him.”
She straightened, not liking the snap of command in his tone one bit. “I’m not one of your soldiers. You don’t get to order me around.”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sneer. “You were taking orders just fine a few minutes ago, angel.”
“You bastard.” Heat flooded her face and an acrid mix of embarrassment and anger seared her throat. She didn’t need this. Hell, she didn’t want it. Even as much as she craved Greer’s body, she wasn’t about to put up with him being a jackass solely for the sake of a good roll in the sheets. She pointed at the door. “Get out, and don’t come back until you learn to treat me with some respect.”
He opened his mouth, but she held up a hand, stemming any protest. “No. I don’t want to hear it. I’m not the kind of woman you can push around just because we’ve had sex, and I will not accept you speaking to me the way you just did. Especially when I’ve done nothing but go out of my way to help you.”
His scowl darkened as he snapped up his shirt, grabbed his duffle bag, and stuffed his feet into his unlaced boots. He said nothing until he was standing beside her again, hand on the doorknob. “I never asked for your help.”
“Actually…” Her voice wobbled. Dammit, she was not going to cry. She straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, and met his angry gaze without flinching. “You did. That’s the first word you said to me. Help. So I did, and I don’t deserve to be treated like a throw-away lay.”
His jaw tightened and a muscle ticked under his eye. He yanked open the door, stepped through, but caught it before it slammed behind him. “Natalie.” A beat passed. “I don’t think of you as a throw-away anything.”
With that, he softly shut the door.
Natalie stared at the door a long time, a few tears escaping despite her determination not to cry. She’d been doing okay until his parting words. If he didn’t think of her as a slam, bam, thank you ma’am, then why had he been so cruel?
The man had a lot of mean in him. She’d only caught glimpses, but it was all she needed to know she didn’t want that in her life.
Good riddance.
Disgusted with herself, she swiped at her face and gazed down at Jet, who sat by her side. He looked up at her, then at the door. For reasons unknown to her, the dog liked Greer. Had from the moment Greer collapsed in front of her apartment. She could see Jet’s confusion at Greer’s sudden departure and reached down to rub his head reassuringly. “Your t
aste in men isn’t any better than mine, buddy.”
Jet’s tail thumped on the floor twice, and she leaned over to kiss his big, soft head. “Good boy. Let’s get you breakfast, huh?”
As she walked into the kitchen, she couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder at the door again. Part of her—the silly, hopeless romantic who loved sappy movies—wanted him to come back with an apology and grand gesture to show he meant it. The realist in her knew there was no chance in hell of that happening.
Like he said, he didn’t do romance.
She shook her head at herself and resolved to put him out of her mind for the rest of the day. After all, she had more important things to worry about—like her nephew and whatever he’d become tangled up in. She had to find Andy as soon as possible…
And Reece Wilde was going to help her.
…
It wasn’t the first time Greer had been ordered out of a woman’s apartment, and probably wouldn’t be the last. So why did those two words hit like a one-two punch to the gut? Even now, he couldn’t get the picture of her—hair spiked, cheeks pinked with anger, nipples peaked against the soft fabric of her nightshirt—out of his head. And, fuck, he still wanted her.
He’d lost his goddamn mind in there. Sex hadn’t even blipped on his radar for months—maybe it was even closer to a year at this point—but now that he was so close to his goal, his cock suddenly decided to come out of hibernation.
Was that why he’d been so snarly with her?
This powerful attraction to her had completely KO’d him. He was still reeling from the blow and imagined he had little cartoon birds circling his skull. It was so unfamiliar, this off-kilter sensation he’d had since feeling her come so magnificently on his tongue. In that moment, his chest had fully expanded for the first time in years, and his head had cleared of all the noise. Watching her tremble with her eyes all soft and her lips parted in an enticing little O, he’d wanted nothing more than to spend his every waking moment for the rest of his life pleasing her.
Too Wilde to Tame (Wilde Security) Page 8
