She waited for the ground to shake then split right open and swallow her up. That would have been less surprising than the concern radiating off of him. “I have no idea what’s happening here.”
“I sense a lack of trust.”
“That goes both ways, right?”
Before Callen could answer, the front door banged shut. Declan made it across the porch and halfway down the stairs, before he looked up. He almost tripped as he turned up the collar of his coat against the wind. “Leah?”
Intensity burned in his eyes as he stood there not moving. Not saying a thing. The rain pelted his face. He blinked a few times before finally rubbing his face. “What are you doing here?”
Her breathing turned shallow and the muscles in her legs took on the weight of a train. It was as if she were rooted to the ground. “Looking for you.”
Callen leaned in between them. “You two do understand it’s raining and there’s a dry house right there.”
“I was going to your place.” Declan gave her a sheepish smile as he ran a hand over his damp hair. “Had some big plan about getting all manly and forceful and demanding you let me in.”
“Well.” Callen clapped his hands together. “On that note, I’ll take Beck and get out of here for a few hours.”
The deep voice and the late hour dawned on her. She shook her head to wipe away the haze blanketing her, that same cloud that descended and smashed her control whenever she got this close to Declan. “You don’t have to—”
“Let him go.” Declan slid in beside her and slipped his fingers through hers. Next came the head nod to Callen. “Goodnight.”
“I hear you.”
“Let’s go inside.” While Callen stood there, Declan guided her toward the house. His hand warmed hers and the friction of his arm against hers sent heat storming through her.
She glanced over her shoulder and her mind went blank when Callen waved. The world had tilted and no one warned her.
She held onto Declan’s forearm as they walked up the steps to the porch and out of the rain. “I need—”
“Not yet.” He reached out and pushed the door open. Bright light flooded the downstairs and the grand staircase sat in front of her.
The shiny wood called out. She slid her hand over the banister, taking in the smell of fresh polish. Glancing up, she saw the steps turn and wind up two stories.
“Lovely.” She didn’t realized she’d said the word out loud until she felt Declan behind her with his hands on her shoulders and face pressed close to her hair.
“Yes, you are.”
Her hand went to cover his. “We have so much to talk about.”
“Later.” His lips lingered over her neck, tickling and enchanting. “Much later.”
He pulled her body back against his. An alarm went off in her head, a final warning that taking this step would change everything. Then his mouth brushed her ear and her stomach did a sexy little tumble.
“Tomorrow I’ll show you the house and we’ll talk through all that’s happened.” He placed a line of nibbling kisses along her jawline. “But not now.”
He leaned against her until she took his weight. She could feel all of him. The hard outline of his thighs and broad expanse of his chest. And the erection pressing against her. Her coat slid down her arms as he lifted her hair free.
A shift and the heat cushion was gone. He stood on the step above her and raised their joint hands to his mouth. The kiss pressed against her palm and shot right through her. Walking backwards he kept his gaze on hers as he pulled her up the stairs.
“Where are we going?” But she knew. Just like she knew they’d end up in bed as soon as she turned into the driveway. All the stalling in the car couldn’t support the depth of this moment.
They’d been circling for what felt like forever but only amounted to a bit more than a week. So much had changed. She had changed.
“To my room.” His eyes gleamed as he said the words.
She wanted to dive in but a touch of panic spiraled through her. “Your brothers?”
“Gone and not a problem.” His kisses trailed to her wrist and down the soft inside of her arm.
Nothing stood in the way.
She skipped a step and ended up next to him. When his arm slid around her shoulder and his fingers went to her hair, the drumming of her heart hammered in her ears. She had to exhale nice and slow to keep from losing her breath.
They turned on the landing and his mouth found hers. Hot and sure, deep and commanding. The kiss swept through her, stopping the climb and whirling in her head until she had to lean on him for support. He took over until she craved the sensation of his mouth against hers above everything else.
When his head finally lifted her eyes stayed closed. She reveled in the moment, in the daze. She fell into his kiss and coming out again took all her energy.
His cheek rubbed against hers. “I can’t wait to see you on my bed.”
The minutes passed as she floated, her heart soaring. Opening her eyes again, she realized they were on the second floor and slipping down a small hallway to the right of the grand staircase. The door was open and he flipped the light switch with his elbow.
Her back hit the wall next to large framed photograph of some couple she didn’t recognize. She only had a second to take in the huge bed and dark furniture. From the pictures, she knew this was a guestroom with its own bathroom. Very masculine, a little dark with a central focus on the bed.
It was a perfect fit for him.
“I want you so much I’m stupid with it.” His coat dropped to the floor before his hand joined hers in stripping off his sweater and the T-shirt underneath.
She wanted him naked and kissing her, but that chest proved irresistible. Her palms caressed his bare skin. With his arms and stomach honed by years in the military and what she guessed was a fair bit of time in the gym, his body intrigued her. Not an ounce of fat on him.
She traced her fingertips over the tattoo vining around his arm. “Did you get this in the military?”
“I’d blame a drunken night in Thailand, but it was actually a sober afternoon in Hawaii. A mortar strike took two of our men in Afghanistan and a few of us paid tribute when we were on leave.”
This close she could see the scroll inside the spikes. Honor. Not a surprise he’d have that word written on his skin since it seemed to be ingrained in his being. Her hand traveled over to his stomach. A long gash ran along his side. Probably four inches and definitely not a minor injury.
As her palms toured and her mouth dipped to press kisses over his wounds, she counted seven in all. Her warrior didn’t sit on the sidelines. He waded into the battle and took the hits.
“So many injuries.”
“A few are from training and this one is thanks to a skateboarding accident of my youth.” He turned his arm and showed her a scar that ran the entire length of the inside of his upper arm.
She touched the raised line of white then dotted it with a trail of kisses. “That was a pretty big fall.”
“I actually got it climbing the fence to get into the secure construction site I knew would have the perfect jumping ramp.”
She imagined his small body sprawled on concrete in a pool of blood. “Your poor mother.”
“She grounded me for a month.”
Leah went back to the puckered scar on his side. That one was fresher, probably the injury she’d read about from the end of his deployment. “You’re lucky to be alive.”
“Many had worse. I didn’t come back in pieces or a casket. I was lucky.” He placed his hands against her cheeks and lifted her face for another blinding kiss.
Her mind buzzed by the time they broke apart again. “I feel lucky.”
“Do you now?” His hands went to the buttons on her shirt. Wit
h an expertise she admired, he slid them open, exposing her boring white bra.
“But I have to warn you.”
His fingers grazed the soft plump of her breasts spilling out of the top of her bra. The light touch and satisfied smile were echoed in his soft hum. “That sounds dangerous.”
“My underwear.”
His head came up, just as his hand settled over her breast and his thumb caressed her nipple. “Excuse me?”
She fought to remember what she intended to say. Naked . . . something . . . right, underwear. “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you tonight, so I dressed for the meeting not for sexy times.”
The sly smile on his lips caught her off guard. So did his hands when they swept her shirt off her shoulders and dropped down to the belt of her black dress pants.
“Are you saying you’re wearing fighting panties, because that’s hotter than I can tell you.”
“You get turned on by the oddest thing.” Even now, she could see the bulge outlined by his faded jeans. His erection pressed against his zipper, calling to her. She wanted to peel those pants down and see all of him.
“With you? By everything.”
There was a gentle tug at her back and then the tension eased over her shoulders as her bra straps fell down. The cups dipped forward and his hands were there to caress her. “You don’t need this.”
Her bra disappeared but she barely noticed. She was too busy watching his gaze roam over her bare breasts. Whatever she was about to say died on her lips when his palms cupped her and that sexy mouth smiled in appreciation.
“I can’t believe I waited this long to have you,” he whispered.
She couldn’t believe they were still standing. But not for much longer if she had a say. She slipped down his body, careful to touch every delicious inch from his flat stomach to the fly of his jeans, and sat on the bed. His hand slipped through her hair and she worked on his belt. A pull and careful lowering later and the buzz of the zipper filled the room. Sliding her hand inside, she wrapped her palm around his erection, letting her closed fist ride him up and down.
Fingers tightened in her hair then eased again. When she licked a line up his length, his hips jerked and a deep groan rumbled in his chest. Tasting, touching, she wanted it all even as she heard a mumble of protest to stop before he lost it. But she had to do it one more time. Her mouth closed over him, lowering and stretching to take in his size. There wasn’t a small part of him.
“Honey, we have to . . .” His voice trailed off on a moan. “Damn.”
She felt his knees bend and knew his control skidded on a razor’s edge. She turned to look up at him and found him staring at her. “I’ve been wanting to do that forever.”
“Almost every dream I have starts like that but I need to see those practical panties then I’ll see them again on the floor.” It wasn’t a question or suggestion. The husky words came out as a command.
She wanted nothing more than to obey. Her back dropped against the mattress as her hands fell next to her head. The position gave him full view of her naked breasts, but she wanted him to have it all.
With rough movements, his hands shaking and his coordination jerky, he tugged her jeans down and off. The sudden hurry and slight tremble made her want to purr in satisfaction. That was for her, all for her. His reactions, usually so tight and sure, fumbled as he touched her skin, as he looked at her body. The rush of feminine power had her ready to kick the rest of her clothes off and guide him inside.
He brushed his hand over her striped boy shorts. The underwear was athletic and perfect for the gym. Something about the styling made her feel naughty even though they covered every interesting part of her.
He smiled like she was wearing the most expensive silk. “You’re wrong. Those are sexy as hell.”
“They’re cotton.”
His thumb brushed against her and she nearly jumped off the bed. Her body was primed. The softest touch sent her need spiraling.
“And they’re wet.” That thumb kept caressing.
Her hips lifted off the bed. “Declan, now. Foreplay later.”
“I was wrong. You could get sexier.” He slid his hands under her butt and dragged the underwear off.
Before she could think or plan, her thighs fell open and she lifted her hands to him. The move had him racing. He kicked off his pants and shoes thudded against the carpet. After kissing the soft insides of both thighs, he knelt on the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight and shaking her a bit as he stretched to reach the nightstand.
When he loomed over her again, his body balanced over her and his legs wedged between her open legs, he had a condom in his hand. “You’re sure?”
How could he not know? “Now, Declan.”
His mouth covered hers as his fingers dipped inside of her. One then two, pressed deep, opening and preparing her. The tightening coiled in her a second later. It didn’t take much. She was wet and her lower half bucked, ready to press and pull against him.
A rip shattered the rounds of heavy breathing. She helped him roll the condom over his erection. He filled her hand and jerked when she slid her thumb over his tip.
“Please be ready.” He whispered the plea against her breath. He licked and sucked until she strained against him.
With heels digging into the mattress and nails scratching over his shoulders, she guided him to her entrance. He slipped just inside, giving her a taste of the incredible sensations to come. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his mouth back down to hers. She wanted the sensation of his tongue in her mouth while he pressed inside her.
Without words, he began to move. Her silent begging, the call of her body, had him plunging deep. She broke off the kiss to drag in a breath.
The combination of his hands gliding over her and hot mouth exploring her neck tightened the coil inside her to the point of springing. Every muscle pulled tight as he pushed and retreated, getting faster with the steady drive inside her. The room went dark and sweat broke out over his shoulders.
The sex was wild and all-consuming as energy sparked and danced around the room. The rhythm of their bodies, the friction of skin against skin, all drove her to a promised release. She lost control over her limbs and nerves. He took over, bending her body to his will, riding her with a strength she craved.
When her muscles started to shake, his hands slid under her knees and pressed her legs toward her chest. The shift pressed him in even deeper and his moan broke the last strings on her control. She bucked, lifting her hips to meet each plunge. The final plunge set off an explosion inside her. The ball of tension broke free as her legs wrapped around his hips as an anchor.
Her head pressed into the bed, exposing her neck and opening her body one last time. The orgasm hit her with a blinding force. Breathing stopped and she lost strength in her arms. Her hands fell back to the bed as he buried his head in her neck and his biceps shook. She came on a gasp and watched through half-closed eyes as excitement rippled through her.
Energy continued to arc between them as his body moved. His mouth dropped open and his shoulders tensed in the seconds before he found his release. With a final exhale, he dropped against her, his weight pressing her deep into the bed.
She should have felt squashed or wanted space. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on as he pulsed inside her. Tiny tremors of pleasure continued to wrack her body even as her breathing settled back into a normal beat.
The scent of their lovemaking filled the air as the lone light across the room added to the ambiance and intensity. She was here, in his bed, his body open to her for exploration. She’d dreamed about this since she met him in the diner. Real life proved to be so much better than the fantasy.
He lifted his head. “Well.”
She had to laugh. The word was so simple and totally ina
dequate for the rush of emotion and pleasure she’d just experienced. But that smile, all knowing and sexy, carried a bit of I-told-you-we’d-be-good-together smartness. Words weren’t really necessary. They’d fail to capture the moment anyway.
“I was going to say impressive.” She traced the outline of his face with her fingertips. Over that firm jaw and across that full mouth.
He pressed a soft kiss on the tip of her breast before looking up again. “I’ve wanted you so fucking much that I’m surprised I lasted ten minutes.”
Because she’d been dying to do it and could now concentrate, she let her hand trail down the deep groove between the muscles on his back. Slipped and kept going until she reached that amazing ass. “That’s strangely sexy when you say it.”
He smiled when she cupped his cheeks in her palms. “And if that’s what your business panties did to me, I can hardly wait to see how I react to the girly ones.”
Leaning up, she licked his chest, loving the salty taste of his skin. “I could describe them to you. There’s this black pair with a tiny zipper.”
He groaned as his forehead fell against hers. “Are you trying to kill me? I’m not sixteen anymore. I need a few minutes.”
Her hand wandered around to his front. “Well, you did promise me some amazing foreplay.”
Heat flared to life in his eyes. “And I never break my promise.”
“Good answer,” she said as his mouth covered hers.
Chapter Eighteen
Declan was surprised he could walk the next morning. The nonstop sex and lack of sleep should have had him yawning. Instead, he stood holding the coffee pot and smiled at the idea of Leah naked and soapy in his shower. He’d only left the steam-filled room because she shoved him out after he’d bent her over the sink counter to take care of a good-morning erection. How the damn thing still had an ounce of life left was beyond him.
“You’re actually whistling.” Beck said the words with more than a touch of disgust as he walked in the back door and let the screen bang behind him.
Declan took in the jacket with the rain drops hanging off of it and Beck’s hair. “Cold out there?’
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