Archer

by Debra Kayn

  His body hardened and his hand shook against her head. “You’re going to have to trust me, baby.”

  She slipped from his embrace. She had to make sure he understood. “I do. I’ve always trusted you, Kage.”

  He reached for her, and she spotted his hand. “Oh my God.”

  Cut and bleeding, his hand already showed signs of swelling over the angry rawness marking his knuckles. She grabbed his wrist, pulled him toward the bed, and pushed him down, amazed when he allowed her to command him.

  “Stay right there.” She wagged her finger at him. “I’m going to the control room to get some things to clean you up.”

  She jogged into the headquarters. “I need a first aid kit.”

  Tony’s brows rose. “He’s going to let you help him?”

  “I gave him no choice,” she said.

  “Kage always has a choice, darling.” Tony keyed into the computer.

  Ignoring Tony’s remark, she looked to Lance. “Do you know where I can find one?”

  “Yeah. I’ll get it for you.” Lance left the room.

  She followed him down the hall. He handed her a small box but held on to it.

  “What?” she said.

  His eyes softened. “Don’t hurt him.”

  “I’m trying to make his hand feel better, not worse.” She tugged at the box, but he still refused to hand it over.

  “I’m not talking about his hand, Janie,” he whispered.

  She sucked in her breath. Did everyone know what went through Kage’s head but her? “I won’t.”

  He grinned, letting her take the first aid kit. She whirled around and hurried back to the room.

  Without saying a word, she kneeled in front of Kage and cleaned his wounds. She was occupied with the task, but her mind was on the man. After the last butterfly strip was in place, she held his palm and kissed each knuckle. Kage used his other hand to stroke the back of her head, and she leaned into his touch.

  She raised her gaze. “I’m going with you.”

  He gave his head a shake. “No.”

  Now that she’d spoken, she gained confidence. A piece of her that’d gone missing four years ago returned with a familiar strength. She spread her hands out on his stomach, anchoring herself to him. Solid, strong, and brave, he needed to believe how much she needed him in her life. This had nothing to do with Scott but with them. “I’m the only one who can get Scott out of hiding, but I won’t feel protected without you there with me. You and only you can do this. You’ll keep me safe, and together we’ll make everything right.”

  She only hoped he would still want her when all of this was over.

  Chapter Eleven

  A half hour later, Kage grinned at the way Jane fussed over him. He’d waited for her to gain back the confidence Scott stole from her, and once she made her mind up to do whatever needed to be done to put Scott behind her, she went pedal to the metal. Not only did she stand up for him, showing her belief that he could keep her safe, but all the guys from the agency gave her moral support and seemed to enjoy watching him squirm under her attention.

  “So, you’ll let me help if anything happens, right?” she asked everyone in the room but looked only at Kage.

  “Janie…” He gazed up at the ceiling before directing his attention back to her. He knew he’d give in. She was the one person he had a hard time saying no to. “Fine. But you have to listen to me at all times.”

  “Absolutely.” She lunged at him, throwing her arms around his waist.

  “I think we can go home now.” Kage ducked his head and spoke into her ear, so the other guys wouldn’t overhear. “Alone.”

  “Good. I’m ready.” Jane leaned against him and whispered, “I can’t wait.”

  He cut off the growl that crept inside his throat and backed her toward the wall. “You have no idea how much you’re turning me on right now or how long I’ve waited to hear you say those words.”

  “Yeah?” Her lips softened, her gaze meeting his as she laid her hands on his stomach. “I could keep talking if you want me to.”

  “What?” His hands went to the wall, and he pressed into her, blocking her escape.

  “I have a lot to say. Like how I love how you refuse to let me pull back from you, because it gives me an excuse to follow my heart, and have I mentioned how when you walk across the room, everyone stops what they’re doing and stares…including me?” She ran her hands over his chest and looped her arms around his neck. “How hot I get when you—”

  “Janie…” His body flashed hot and he leaned down, hovering his mouth over her lips. “Damn, baby.”

  She inched forward. “Kage?”

  He kissed her softly. “You get it.”

  “I get it,” she said, against his lips.

  Shoving off the wall, he grabbed her hand and led her across the room. She uttered no protest, and he liked that she wasn’t fighting what was happening between them any longer.

  “Hey, where are you two going?” Garrett asked.

  He opened the door, and without breaking stride, said, “Home.”

  At the car, he set her inside, buckled her seat belt, and hesitated to leave her. Adrenaline made him shaky, and he wished they were already home. Even though he lived on the outskirts of town and the drive only took ten minutes, the distance it took to drive home would keep him from touching her, and he wanted all her attention right now.

  She shivered and blinked. He glanced down at her breasts. Her nipples were hard and showing through her shirt. Oh yeah, she was ready. There was no doubt in his mind that today’s events had her highly attuned to him and they were thinking the same thing. He crouched outside the passenger door, needing her close. For the first time since he was a kid, he was unsure if he was doing everything right. He wasn’t the type of guy to romance a chick or spend time bullshitting his way into her bed. He wanted to assure her that he’d never hurt her and his feelings for her couldn’t be stronger. Most of all, he wanted to do everything perfectly for her.

  Janie’s show of support meant the world to him. He’d had no one, cared about no one, and yet when it came to her, he wanted and needed her. If he had the words, he’d tell her exactly how she was his reason for breathing. But he feared even that wouldn’t match the emotions overflowing inside of him.

  Instead, he said, “Thank you.”

  She gazed at his lips, her own breaking into a tender smile that wrapped around his heart and warmed him. “Take me home, honey.”

  He’d told her she’d have to come to him, hoping she’d understand what he’d been telling her. After calling his uncle, he’d thought walking away from his need to have her would be in Jane’s best interest. But in the end, she made the first move.

  He could see it in her eyes. The way she’d touched him, the things she’d said. The little hitch in her voice when she spoke was his undoing. She teetered on the edge of something big, and he was selfish enough, he wouldn’t let her slip away.

  He grinned, feeling damn good. He gave her one more solid kiss, closed the door, and quickly surveyed the area before loping around the front of the car.

  As he turned around in the parking lot, he caught sight of Garrett standing by the back door. He lifted his chin. Garrett’s penetrating gaze followed the car, but before losing sight of him, Kage received a chin lift in return.

  He held her hand all the way home, disengaging only to shift gears. He pulled into his driveway and set the emergency brake.

  He killed the engine.

  Hyperaware that he had to stay focused on her safety, he walked her to the front door of the house, shutting off the alarm and resetting it once they were inside. Then he turned to her. His breath came fast and hard.

  “Come here.” He stood with his arms loose at his side.

  She took one, two, three steps, until she stood in front of him, neither of them touching. Then she leaped and he caught her. His hands went to her ass. Her arms went around his neck, and he carried her to the bedroom without taking
his mouth off her.

  In the bedroom, he slid her down his body, enjoying the mixed pleasure and pain of her soft flesh rubbing against his hard one. He took the end of her shirt and pulled it over her head, sucking in his breath.

  The denim bra barely covered the bottom half of her breasts. He trailed his finger over the top of each mound, watching her chest rise as she inhaled swiftly.

  “Kage?”

  Buff meowed her hello from her spot on the bed.

  “I’ve waited so long for this,” he murmured. “So sweet.”

  He stripped off his own shirt and then moved to her jeans. The belt came undone, and he yanked it out of the loops and tossed it across the room. Bluff meowed in a huff at the interruption and ran out the door.

  Jane put her hand on her zipper, blocking Kage from taking off her jeans “Wait.”

  “Baby…”

  “I need to—” She leaned forward and rested her forehead on his chest. “Oh, God.”

  He tangled his fingers in the hair at the back of her head and brought her face toward him. “What do you need?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, opened them, and said, “Only you.”

  “You got me.” He captured her lips.

  Nothing else mattered.

  He made quick work of removing her clothes. The rest of his—jeans, boxers, and boots—came off next. The whole time, he kept her at his side, until he was sure there would be nothing separating them. Then he backed her onto the bed, landed on top of her, and braced his weight on his arms.

  “I need to taste you, baby.” He kissed his way down her body, taking his time.

  He licked the warm pulse at her neck then left light kisses along her collarbone. He wanted to dive straight to her breasts, but he forced himself to wait. He’d gone this long imagining how she’d taste, he wanted to savor the moment and enjoy every inch.

  Jane arched against him, and he pulled back and gazed down on her. “So fucking beautiful.”

  He lowered his head, took her nipple into his mouth, and sucked. His eyes closed voluntarily. She was perfect in every way. He teased her with his tongue, eliciting a moan from Jane. With his hand, he cupped the slope of her breasts.

  “Kage…” Jane sank her hands into his hair.

  He raised his gaze and moved down her body over her breasts, her nipples, her stomach, and gazed up at her as he settled between her legs. He’d fantasized about this moment for years. Every detail he imagined paled with reality.

  “Kage, I’ve never had someone do this…You can’t.” She wrinkled her nose, squirming against the hold he had on her hips.

  He lowered his head to her sex.

  “Oh. My. God.” She moaned.

  He smiled against her, showing her exactly what she could expect each and every time with him. He’d do this all day long and never get tired of tasting, feeling, experiencing her pleasure against his mouth.

  Jane writhed underneath him. Her hands came to his hair, and her upper body leaped off the bed. He continued, a lick here. A nip there. Until he gave her what she cried for and zeroed in, taking her all the way.

  She moaned his name as her thighs clenched around his head, trembling with the power of her orgasm. He slowed, bringing her down softly. Her body jolted with each swipe of his tongue.

  She inhaled a shuddering breath and collapsed, arms thrown out to the side. He crawled up on the bed, stretched over her to open the nightstand drawer. She watched him remove a condom and put it on before settling back between her legs.

  “Open your eyes.” He kissed the curve of her jaw. “I want to watch you as I make you come again.”

  “Twice?” Her eyes flashed open. “I can’t…I’ve never…”

  “I like hearing you say that.” He hardened even more, and his balls grew tight. “And you will. Give it to me and only me. You’re mine, baby, only mine.”

  She ran her hands up his arms, over his shoulders, and something happened in her face he’d never seen before. She softened. Her lips parted, her eyes grew glossy, and her eyelids struggled to stay open. He moved his hips, barely touching his cock to the entrance to her pussy when her eyelids fluttered again.

  He groaned and plunged into her wetness. She gasped as he moved ever so slowly. In and out. His body tightened and he fought to keep control. His cock hardened to a level he’d never experienced when her leg curled around his hip. So fucking tight, she sucked him in and he never wanted to leave.

  “Yes, yes.” She arched her neck.

  He stilled. “Look at me.”

  She clawed his shoulders and eased her head back. Eyelashes fluttered. He grinned, waiting. When she connected and melted underneath him, he drove into her.

  In.

  Out.

  In.

  Out.

  He didn’t miss a stroke. “Eyes on me.”

  She fought to keep her eyes open. His toes curled. God, that was sexy. Having her zoned in on what they were doing, him being the center of her universe, there was nothing better.

  He slipped his hand between her body and his, found her heat, and slowly rubbed her. Her neck arched, giving him a full view of her that he’d dreamed about every time he closed his eyes.

  “That’s it, baby. Give it to me.”

  She panted. Jaw tight, struggling to stay focused on her, he lost control. His body seized in extreme pleasure, rolling through him from head to toe. Her eyelids fluttered. He thrust deep and let her orgasm bring him to release.

  Spent, he lowered himself to his elbows, cradling her head in his hands. A full-body sigh swept through him as he caught his breath. She added her own moan of contentment underneath him, and he chuckled in her ear. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah,” she whispered.

  He closed his eyes and enjoyed the way she kept rubbing her hands along his sides. Eventually his arms gave out, and he flipped to his side, taking her with him.

  She snuggled against him. “Kage?”

  “Hm?”

  “I’m going with you. You’re not going to change your mind again, right?” she asked, propping herself on her elbow.

  He leaned in, until his forehead touched hers. “Right now, you’re exactly where I’ve always wanted you. In my bed, letting me hold you, wrapping your arms around me. I don’t want to talk about anything else but you and me. This is our time, baby.”

  “But I need to—”

  The doorbell rang.

  He bolted to a sitting position. Shit.

  “Who’s that?” she asked.

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” He pulled on his jeans from the floor, picked up his pistol off the dresser, and stalked to the door. He hesitated and gazed over his shoulder. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Rushing to find her clothes, Jane strained to hear what was happening at the front door. Fear mingled with the contentment she’d found in Kage’s arms. She blamed Scott for invading every aspect of her life.

  She’d finally had Kage to herself after wanting him since forever, and she wasn’t ready to let go of the security he brought her. She shoved her foot into her jeans and hopped into them. Damn Scott.

  How could she enjoy all the new and old feelings Kage brought out when something always happened to bring her back to reality? She hooked her bra and slipped into her shirt. Maybe it was one of the boys or even a friend of Kage’s who’d stopped by to say hey. She knew it couldn’t have been Scott because he wasn’t the walk-up-and-ring-the-doorbell type.

  But maybe that was Scott’s plan. To take them by surprise. She rubbed her forehead, looking around for a weapon, and panicked when she could not find one freaking thing to use. She’d wait another minute before going to see what was happening.

  The sounds of a scuffle came from the other side of the door, and a loud familiar “Let us in.” Charlene burst in with Sabrina. Jane’s jaw dropped open.

  Sabrina, looking beautiful in a pair of skinny jeans tucked into a pair of sexy black boots with four-
inch heels, a gypsy blouse that flowed around her lean frame, topped with a rich-looking scarf that hung to her knees, stared back at her. Both screamed at the same time. Sabrina launched herself at Jane as Jane dove for Sabrina.

  They collided, laughing on the bed in a tangle of sheets. She hugged Sabrina tight, not wanting to let her go again. Time simply didn’t exist now that she’d seen her best friend.

  “Charlene told me you were home. Then she told me you were with Kage.” Sabrina pulled back. “Holy shit, girl. You’re with Kage.” Her eyes grew round. “I can’t believe—I am sitting in Kage Archer’s bed.”

  Jane cringed but Sabrina laughed.

  It was one thing to share her secret of sleeping with Kage in private and have a girlish giggle while spilling every delicious detail with her best friend, but Kage was watching her. She exhaled on a quiver. The turn of events gave her bragging rights, because he was way better in bed than she and Sabrina had ever imagined.

  Honest and genuine, Sabrina always told her exactly what she was thinking. It was the reason Jane loved her best friend and why she’d made the decision to distance herself while she was with Scott. If no one knew what she was living through, then she could pretend her life didn’t suck.

  She glanced at the door. Kage leaned against the door frame. a half grin on his face, looking mighty pleased with himself. His gaze was on her. though, and she realized he always seemed centered on her no matter where they were. She warmed. Moments ago they’d had sex in this very same bed.

  She freaked, pulling Sabrina off the sheets. “Get up. Get up.”

  “What?” Sabrina looked between her and Kage, and Jane knew the moment Sabrina figured out what was going on before she walked in. “Oh, no. There is no way you’re keeping this to yourself. I want to hear exactly how you managed to have the elusive Kage Archer nail you in his own freaking bed, in his own freaking house. I think this is a first. Maybe I should look for a knife, and you can put the notch in his headboard because Kage has declared you his woman. I love it.”

  “Sh!” Jane tugged Sabrina to her, embarrassed yet thrilled to have her friend there to share this with. She’d missed her dearly. “We’re—”