High Passion

by Vivian Arend

  Devon sat silently, rubbing her calves as she slammed a fist against the floor. It took her a surprisingly short time before she let out a long, slow breath and pulled her arms into a yoga position of peace.

  He smiled in spite of the frustration. “I take it that went well.”

  “Vincent is in Vancouver, you know.”

  “That wouldn’t be hard to disprove,” Devon pointed out.

  Alisha waved a hand. “You know what? I tried. My father doesn’t want to believe me, and I’m not going to force the facts down his throat. We’ll deal with Vincent together for the few days before he has to return to Toronto. Not even he can pull off a magic trick that puts him in the Bailey Enterprises head office and Banff at the same time.”

  She shook her head, sadness clear in her eyes.

  Devon leaned over and caught her before she could escape. He kissed her softly, brushing his lips over hers in a tender caress. When he pulled away, she was smiling a lot more than the moment before.

  “What was that for?” she asked.

  He shrugged. “Because you’re the bravest woman I know. Because I’m honoured you trusted me enough to share your concerns. Because your heart is in the right place.”

  Alisha beamed at him. “Oh, you are so getting lucky tonight.”

  “Well, if you insist.”

  She laughed and scrambled forward, and suddenly words were put aside, and the sexual tension that was always present between them raced back up to full. Devon enjoyed the way she crawled into the middle of the room, then knelt with her chin slightly lowered so she gazed through her lashes.

  * * *

  His lips curled upward as he looked her over, the kind of smile that promised all sorts of naughty things.

  She shivered, trying to decide what she wanted tonight, but the first and only thing that came to mind was that she didn’t want to decide. After everything that had happened, after her father had basically accused her of outright lying, she wanted to shove all of that bullshit aside and concentrate on what she knew was good and right in her world.

  Concentrate on the way that Devon could make her feel desirable and wanted and passionately alive. “So you had a list of things to try with me. What’s next?”

  Devon raised a brow. “You’re serious?”

  Alisha waited. Took a deep breath. “Looks like you’re in charge, Mr. Leblanc. What’s the protocol for this rescue?”

  His eyes lit up as he figured out her somewhat awkwardly worded suggestion. “What’re your limits?”

  “No means no. Beyond that?” She shrugged. “Unless you’ve got extreme kinks you’ve managed to keep secret from me during school and the time on the team, which isn’t likely, I can handle and enjoy anything you want to hand out.”

  Devon got to his feet and stepped closer to where she knelt. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside. “The only one on the team who’s keeping secrets is Erin. The rest of us are pretty up front about what turns us on.”

  He stroked her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear before striding away to the bathroom. Alisha checked out his ass as he went and, when he returned, the bulge rising at his crotch. His comments and the visual indulgence before her were enough to distract her from wondering what his plans were. “Erin has secrets?” Alisha asked.

  “Let’s focus on right here and what we like instead of wondering what kinks rev our pilot’s engine.” The condom he’d gone to grab waited on the coffee table. He stepped in front of her again and palmed his erection, fisting himself through the loose fabric.

  Alisha swallowed hard.

  Devon hummed in approval even as he continued to stroke, his wrist twisting as he worked. “I love your expression. It’s somewhere between panic and full-out lust. Take off your shirt, Alisha,” he ordered.

  She grasped the bottom and stripped the soft cotton over her head, working to slow her breathing now that there was barely anything to hide how excited she was.

  Devon strolled around her slowly, giving her ample time to admire the flex of his muscles, the firm cuts of his abdominal muscles and strong curves of his biceps. “You’re so delicious to look at,” she breathed softly.

  He trailed his fingers over her shoulders. “Delicious? I like that.” His voice lowered a tone. “Lose your pants and get back on your knees.”

  A shiver took her as she hurried to follow his directions. She had an aching need in her core, wetness growing between her legs as she scrambled into position. Her outer clothing was abandoned on the floor by the couch. “I should have taken off my panties.”

  Devon lowered himself slowly as he deliberately stroked his fingertips down her torso. Over her collarbone, along the edge of her bra. Her skin tingled as he carried on all the way past her belly button. “Your panties are fantastic. They’re going to come in handy.”

  She held her breath as he circled the tiny bow at the front of the silk covering her mound. Tiny motions that inched down so slowly, she was shaking with anticipation before he pressed over her clit.

  “Oh, very nice, Alisha. So. Damn. Wet. I could slide right in, couldn’t I?”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but he pushed harder, and the moisture-softened fabric gave way slightly. His fingers entered her core. Just enough that he could tease, circling her pussy entrance, his thumb extended upward to graze her clit again and again.

  The urge to thrust her hips forward was impossible to resist. She opened her legs wider and rocked against his hand.

  He held her by the back of the neck, locking her in place as he stared into her eyes. “You’re wet, but you’re not wet enough. You’re going to come before we do anything else. Soak your panties. I’m going to get you so wet your thighs are coated.”

  She gasped for air as he increased pressure, and that was when he kissed her. Rough, nearly wild. His tongue thrusting in deep and matching the rhythm of his fingers. She caught him around the shoulders and held on tight, her nails digging into his skin, his muscles flexing under greedy hands she couldn’t keep still.

  When he shoved aside the fabric and impaled her on his fingers, she cried out. Her head fell back as he played her, her body shaking as if she were possessed. Sensitive pressure points deep inside were stroked unmercifully, and when she couldn’t take it any longer, he put his teeth to her neck and bit down.

  Her climax burst like a firework, bright lights before her eyes and roaring noises in her ears. Alisha shook as Devon held her vertical and let her sheath squeeze around his thick fingers.

  When she could draw a deep breath, he was smiling.

  “Good?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Very good.”

  Then she was on her back on the thick carpet, her bra being pulled forward along with her arms. Devon wrapped the loose banding around her wrists, tying her arms together in front of her.

  Alisha tugged, but she was firmly trapped. “I’m impressed. That was what, five seconds? Ten?”

  Devon loomed over her, his sexy smile making her heart rate keep pounding. “My turn,” he whispered.

  He straddled her, pressed down the top of his sweats. His cock leapt free, the thick length rising up to tap his abdomen. Alisha licked her lips.

  Devon grinned wider, the blue of his eyes sparkling as he angled closer. “That’s right, get your lips nice and wet. Suck my cock. Get me hard.”

  “I think you’re hard already,” Alisha teased. She let him press the heavy crown to her pouting lips, opening slowly as he added pressure.

  It was worth it to hear his deep sigh of satisfaction. “Fuck, that’s good.”

  Devon drew back and forth for a dozen slow, deliberate strokes before shuddering and pulling out. He panted a few times, his eyes closed tight before he caught her again and kissed her.

  She laughed softly when he rearranged her on a cushion he stole from the seat of the couch. “Nearly lost it, did you?”

  “Jesus, your mouth is a danger zone. I wasn’t ready to blow.”

  She was going to make so
me comment about “blowing his mind,” but he was over her again, his mouth on her breast as he sucked her nipple hard, and she decided talking was highly overrated.

  It went on and on. With her hands tied together, her breasts were thrust upward, making it easier for him to palm her. To lift her nipple and play over the hardened tip until she squirmed. He’d lave it gently with his tongue. Use the edge of his teeth to the edge of pain.

  Then start all over again.

  She wanted to wait. Wanted him to set the pace, but it was too exquisite a torture. “Fuck me, please.” The words escaped breathlessly. Aching.

  Begging.

  If she’d been needy before, she was throbbing now.

  Devon put on the condom before he caught her by the knees and lifted her legs into the air. His gaze fixed on her sex and ass as he used one hand to hold her feet toward the ceiling, the other to slip a hand over her panties.

  “Oh yes.” He smiled, then pulled the fabric to her knees.

  The move surprised her. It didn’t allow her to open her legs, pull him to her and take his cock. She was still trapped, her legs thrust into the air.

  He rose up on his knees as he pressed her limbs closer to her torso. “Oh yes, very nice.”

  He smiled as he rubbed the head of his cock between her labia, and Alisha shook. He adjusted his angle to fuck between her tightly closed legs, not entering her, but nicking her clit again and again.

  “You’re killing me.” Alisha whimpered, squeezing her ass muscles. Trying to find a way to take control, but there was none. He had it all.

  “Ready?” he whispered.

  She didn’t get time to respond before he slipped inside. Thrust all the way to the root, his cock so hard and heavy she cried out. The angle was incredible, the tilt increasing as he pushed her legs over her head and rocked his hips forward making that happy spot inside fire up again.

  When he let her legs free she kept them balanced skyward. He grasped her hips, dragging her higher, holding her in place as he pounded into her. Heavy thrusts, demanding. Each one a possession, and oh so good. Another climax raced over her, and she called his name as the room went blurry.

  Devon shouted, rocking in shorter and tighter strokes. Furious speed, heavy pressure exploding as Alisha’s climax carried on, dragged out through the aftershocks as Devon came. His body over hers, chest pressed to the back of her thighs.

  When he rolled off he was still panting. He caught her into his lap and jerked the bra from her wrists, sinking them into another kiss as they gasped for air. Striving to recover, but needing the intimacy of the contact.

  Her body hummed with satisfaction and she laid her head on his chest, fingers stroking him softly as the fire bathed them in rosy light.

  Satisfaction on so many levels.

  CHAPTER 17

  “We’re doing more training on the winch,” Anders announced. He pointed at Erin. “She got a new toy, which means we all have to get in the swing of things.”

  Anders grinned harder as Devon groaned with the rest of them at the bad pun.

  Nearly a week had passed since Alisha had basically moved in with him, and so far, things seemed to have settled into some positive patterns. Vincent hadn’t shown up in person, and other than one or two politely worded e-mails that were threatening only if you put them into context, he hadn’t interfered.

  Alisha was slowly relaxing. They’d done a rescue. When they weren’t recovering from work, the two of them were busy with wild sex. It wasn’t a bad situation.

  Marcus leaned on the side table as he went over the order of training for the day. “And when you’re not in the chopper with Erin and Anders, you’ll be on the tower with Becki. She’s agreed to work you over today so I can stay with Erin while she tries her new wings.”

  Beside Devon, Alisha had curled her legs under her as she perched on one of the tall stools by the small kitchen counter. She gave her coffee another stir before leaving the spoon and turning with a happy sigh to face the room. “It’s like early Christmas around here with all the new gadgets. Can I try some of the new gear today?”

  Marcus nodded. “Sure, just let Lana know what you’re using so we double-check all the gear gets a once-over before we need it in the field. I know a few of you are heading away for Thanksgiving events tomorrow—we’ll do a full run-through on new equipment next week once you’re all back.”

  Tripp stepped past Alisha and stole her personalized cup right out of her fingers before she could take a sip, ignoring her complaints as he stepped out of reach and took a long appreciative swallow of the dark liquid. “Hey, how come you get to use the new gear even though you didn’t show up to help unpack?”

  His accusing tease took in Devon as well, but Marcus was the one who laughed.

  “You didn’t have to show up, you know. Lana was willing to do the work without you. She put in extra hours the last couple of days to get the gear unloaded.”

  Behind the desk Lana turned from the filing cabinet to preen. Her ass-kissing had become obvious the last week, maybe because Devon was more conscious of it after having Tripp point it out. All her attention now seemed directed at Marcus. Maybe Lana had given up on the sly approach, but whatever her plans, it seemed Marcus hadn’t noticed.

  Only the glance Becki gave the woman proved that Lana’s ploys were known to at least one of the couple. Devon ignored the urge to comment. There were times that keeping his mouth shut would be just as effective, especially if Becki knew what was going on. He didn’t envy the hurt that Lana would have coming her way if she crossed a line in Becki’s opinion.

  Becki was more than able to defend her own.

  They split into two groups, and Devon was surprised when Lana joined them, climbing gear in hand.

  Xavier glanced at Devon behind the woman’s back but hid his displeasure when he spoke. “You doing wall work today?”

  Her grin was huge. “Marcus said I should, because then you’ll have two pairs climbing at once.”

  “And I agreed. It’s a good idea to mix it up.” Becki stepped into the conversation. “Having consistent partners for climbing is positive for some reasons, but it can make you sloppy. It’s good to have to concentrate and stay aware instead of falling back on familiarity.”

  Devon stepped into his harness. It made sense. Still, for some reason the idea of Lana belaying Alisha filled him with dread. He flashed a smile and decided to face Alisha’s potential wrath later. Making sure he was the one stuck with Lana was his first priority. “Well then, can I offer you a lift?”

  Lana blinked. “You want to belay me?”

  “Love to.” He stepped in closer and checked her harnesses, careful to keep his touch professional, but chatting on the flirty side to ensure she didn’t get any ideas about suggesting to switch partners.

  Alisha returned from the storage area with new body harnesses in hand. She eyed Lana and him, one brow sneaking upward. She didn’t say anything, though, just turned to Xavier and flashed him a big smile. “So, big guy, you want to play with me today?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.” He took one of the harnesses. “This is different.”

  “More loops around the back. It’s rated for higher weights. Thought it might be good for winter work when we’ve got sleds to deal with.” She laid the harness on the ground and began a systematic check through all the webbing. Xavier squatted beside her and did the same for the one she’d brought for him.

  The exercise was going well, he supposed, as he and Lana followed Becki’s directions and worked the side of the tall tower outside HQ. There were stairs on the interior he’d run a million times during training, but here and now it was the climbing holds on the exterior they focused on.

  Around the opposite side of the Lifeline yard, Erin was working her new helicopter, turning it and hovering, moving into position and waiting while Anders lowered Tripp over targets. The sound of the props was constant in Devon’s ears even though they were far enough around the corner to be out of
sight most of the time.

  He concentrated on the wall. On Lana. On following directions instead of staring at Alisha as she and Xavier laughed and worked the kinks out of the new gear.

  Lana climbed well for the most part, but she seemed to have the same trouble as him, her gaze drifting to Alisha and Xavier far more often than it should. When her feet hit the ground after one climb, Devon waved a hand in front of her face. “Hey, they aren’t the ones on the end of your rope.”

  She blinked and turned to smile at him, all contrite. “I’m sorry. I’m just . . . curious about the new gear.”

  “Stay on task.”

  She nodded and focused a bit better for a few minutes before the side-eyed looks started again. Lana was halfway up a climb when Becki stopped beside Devon. “How’re her skills, in your opinion?” she asked quietly.

  Devon was honest. “I want Alisha on the end of my line when we’re out in the real world.”

  Becki nodded before glancing up. “Lana. You’re following a nice straight path, but you’re using too much arms. Major muscles, remember? You’d blow up too fast on an extended climb at this rate.”

  “Okay. I’ll remember,” Lana sang back sweetly, and Devon wanted to gag.

  Becki was better than him and kept a straight face. She waited until Lana faced the wall again, then patted him on the back and spoke softly. “Trust me, I want Alisha belaying you.”

  She stepped away to work with Alisha and Xavier as Devon hid his grin.

  Lana had just landed on the ground when the unusual silence in the air caught his attention. A moment later the speaker on Becki’s hip buzzed with Marcus’s signal. “Sorry to interrupt, but can I steal someone from you?”

  Becki frowned even as she signaled for Devon to unclip. “I can give you Devon, but what’s up?”

  “Tripp’s not feeling a hundred percent. I’m sending him home, but Erin and Anders need more practice. That requires a body.”

  That was where the silence came from—the chopper was grounded. Devon dropped the rope and followed orders, waving at Alisha and Xavier as he jogged toward the main building.