Mally slipped on jogging shorts and a sports bra. She drew her hair in a ponytail, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed downstairs. The downstairs area was minimally lit by various night lights so she wouldn’t trip on the way. Light streamed under the door of the exercise room. Great. Who was up this hour besides her? She looked in the small window in the middle of the door and saw Adam coming her way. He noticed her but didn’t smile. In fact, his expression was grim. Her heart automatically sped up. The damn man gave her palpitations, and she hated that. She didn’t want to feel this out of control around him, much less any other man.
Mally took a deep breath. Into the breach, girl. She opened the door and went inside. His hair was a little damp looking, and a bit of sweat dotted his forehead. A white t-shirt with the words Air Force emblazoned in bold blue letters covered his broad chest. Powerful biceps and forearms, trim waist and long, strong legs completed the package. God, the man was built. Not body builder overcooked. Just strong, ripped, and for some reason so amazingly intriguing she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. And she hadn’t started exercising yet.
He stopped a few feet away. “Hey.”
“Hey. What keeps you up?”
“Wondering if Ian is in one piece. He was supposed to radio in or call as soon as he reached Penny’s house. No word from him.”
Her gut tightened. “Fifty miles isn’t that far. It’s been a few hours already. They should be back here if everything went all right.”
“Yeah.”
She chewed on her lip. “Why did you refuse the General’s orders?”
He moved closer. “I don’t want to leave you alone here.”
“I wouldn’t be alone.”
“You’d be without me.”
The man was beyond exasperating. “Who proclaimed you my designated protector?”
Once more he moved forward, and the closer he came the more excitement danced in her body. She couldn’t seem to control it. Shouldn’t she be thoroughly disgusted with his overprotectiveness? He was the first man she’d ever known other than her father who wanted to keep her safe. With Adam it felt more like a warm blanket than the smothering her father had attempted. Still, she was wary.
He gripped the towel around his neck with both hands. His gaze took her in, wandering over the sports bra and down her waist and to her legs. His attention was a slow, hot blaze. Her nipples tightened, and she thanked the thick material of the bra for shielding her.
“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “Ian jumped in.”
“Why did he?”
“He’s got some sort of history with the General’s daughter.”
“History? As in romantic involvement?”
“He won’t talk about it.”
“Does her father know?”
“I doubt it, or he probably would have given the assignment to Mark.”
Mally said, “Well, he did allude to something, but wouldn’t say.”
“Hmm. Could be why Ian jumped at the opportunity to see her.” He lowered his voice, and the tone was a silky soft rumble. “Why did the General talk with you after I left?”
She drew in a steady breath, ready for fireworks. “He said he wanted me to see what I was getting into being here.”
“And? Does it make you want to leave?”
“Not exactly. It did give me an idea, though.”
“What?”
“I’m going out with you tomorrow. I told the General about my weapons training. My father prepared me.”
His eyes turned darker with displeasure, his mouth twisting in exasperation. “No. That’s a crazy idea.”
“Think what you want. It doesn’t matter.”
“You’re not combat trained.”
“You don’t know what kind of training I’ve had.”
“Just because you know how to fire a few weapons doesn’t mean you’re qualified even for a temporary hire.” He scrubbed at his hair, his mouth twisting in disgust.
“It’s either this or I go back to my compound. Maybe I never should’ve left in the first place.”
He snorted softly. “You don’t believe that. Besides, we’re going back tomorrow night to your house and hopefully get things squared away for you.”
True. At least here she had help, she had security the compound couldn’t offer. Sure, Mally. Keep telling yourself that. What the compound doesn’t have is Adam. Still, she wasn’t prepared to admit that thought out loud.
She didn’t have time to speak before he said, “Damn, The General has lost his mind. Private contractors like us come from police and military background. Some other specially qualified individuals like CIA and FBI. Not writers.”
Insulted, she said, “I know. An elite club. But beggars can’t be choosers, can they? Your team is down a man with Ian gone. You need help.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s crap that you’re going with us.”
Her testiness equaled his in a heartbeat. “Too bad. I hate to be immature about this, but you aren’t the boss of me.”
“Damn it, Mally—”
“The General gave me permission. He’s giving me temporary employment papers.”
She started to walk past him toward the treadmill, but before she could he stepped forward and blocked her way. Bare inches separated them. She refused to retreat, holding her space and his gaze unflinchingly. A burn built between them, and his frustration was palpable. She could feel it in her veins, in her entire body. A twisted excitement mixed inside her along with consternation.
“A man my size…” He pushed even nearer until she backed up a step and was literally against a wall. “A man less than my size, could break you in half. I’m six-three. How tall are you?”
Defiant, she stood up straighter. “Five-seven.”
He nodded. “You’re slim and strong. You stay in shape. I can see that.” Once more his gaze did a full sweep downwards from her face and breasts to her waist and below. “You’re stubborn as hell and smart as hell. I get that. But like I said, you don’t have a police or military background. I’m not sexist. If you had that training I’d say go for it…join up with us on patrol tomorrow. But you don’t.” He leaned one hand against the wall and then the other until Mally was caged. “Fuck, who am I kidding? I wouldn’t like it a damn bit even if you were completely qualified, but at least I’d know you could handle whatever came up. It will be dangerous out there for you and me.”
“Because you’ll be distracted worrying about me.”
“Yes.”
“I’m assuming Mark will be with us.”
“Probably.”
“Then you’ll have plenty of backup. You won’t be worried about just me helping.”
He closed his eyes for a second, yet when he opened them she knew his attitude hadn’t changed an iota. He didn’t like the set up.
“What is this supposed to prove?” She asked. “You’re right, you don’t know what I can do, but I know what I can do. My father may have been a bastard, but he trained me well.”
His gaze dropped, and she knew that he was taking in the swells of her breasts outlined in the close-fitting bra. Again. He jerked his gaze back to hers.
Momentarily infuriated, she thought about making a swift move and aiming upward for his nuts.
As if he’d guessed what she might try, Adam caught both of her wrists in one hand and held them behind her back. “I knew what you were going to do.”
“How?”
“Your eyes give you away. They’re intense. Hot.”
She almost told him to let her go, her heart once more banging in her chest. She couldn’t breathe, but not because Adam was hurting her. In fact, his grip kept her immobile but didn’t cause pain. He slowly released her wrists while she glared at him. Heat filled her face along with embarrassment that he’d gotten the drop on her. In reaction she flattened her palms over his chest. She accidentally brushed over one of his pecs and touched his nipple. His nostrils flared as his once restraining hand slipped over the middle of her back, w
arm and strong. He gathered her other hand against his chest.
“What are you doing, Adam? Gloating that you won the physical battle?” she asked, immediately going on the offensive. Because he made her feel so very defensive.
“Hell, no.”
His voice was gravel, a husky sound that strummed over a million spots inside Mally. Her skin tingled wherever they touched.
“I’m trying like hell not to kiss you,” he said.
“You said you wouldn’t.”
He released her, his chest rising up in down in one big heave. “Right.”
A heat wave enveloped her. She was half tempted to grab the towel anchored around his neck and yank him toward her for an explosive kiss. She hovered there, filled with an agonizing indecision. No. Nope, she wasn’t going to give in. Not even this once.
She walked passed him and jumped on the treadmill. She was ready to walk until she could barely move. She didn’t look back, and Adam left seconds later.
* * * *
Adam tossed and turned on his bed, his body one big ache. His thoughts were a mess. He didn’t do one-night stands and he hadn’t experienced a serious relationship since his ex had dropped him because of his mixed racial heritage. He’d vowed the day she dumped him that he’d keep his distance from entangling relationships for a long time.
He’d tried to rein in thoughts of Mally in sexual positions with him. Hadn’t done a damn bit of good. All he could see was Mally under him, her legs around his waist while he sank into her heat. Mally riding him into the next century. Mally’s mouth around his cock.
Christ, Becker. Get a fuckin’ grip.
All his life he’d been pretty disciplined. Since hearing Mally’s voice on the ham radio, though, he’d come unglued. The bolt of desire he’d felt down in the exercise room didn’t make a lick of sense. Sure, the more time he spent with her, the more he understood his admiration. She was intelligent, strong, capable, and yeah…she was damned pretty.
He didn’t like the feeling because well…he liked her too much. Wait. No. Like was too mild. When he’d realized who she was that hadn’t marginalized his interest in her one bit. In fact it had heightened it. He hadn’t lied to her about his concern for her safety. When he’d seen those assholes trying to storm her house, he’d felt amazingly possessive. Like he could go running in, beating his chest and chanting mine, mine, mine. Ian and Mark hadn’t told him he was crazy when he asked them to go with him to Mally’s compound, but they’d given him sidelong looks that said he was nuckin’ futz. They wouldn’t allow a woman to be harmed either if they could do anything about it, but Adam had blown off protocol and just jumped into the situation with both feet.
He contemplated everything he now knew about RomWriter148…Mally Andretti. She was driving him steadily insane. Partially because she was the sexiest woman he’d ever met. Not because she was the most beautiful woman he’d known. Her hair was a russet tangle that fell to her waist, although she’d worn it in a ponytail most of the time since he’d met her. Her eyes flashed at him, a cat green that made him think of a feral creature he had to catch and tame. An interesting combination of feminine grace and uncontrollable determination. Since he’d first heard her voice on the radio, a silky smooth and slightly husky sandpaper, he’d wanted her. Even after she’d been a pain in his ass already…he still wanted her. Kissing her had proven to be a huge mistake. Kissing her twice meant he’d lost every brain cell somewhere, and he’d never get them back.
“You’re fuckin’ crazy,” he murmured.
Yeah, her security system had to be fixed so she could return home. She needed to be at her place and outta here. Why the fuck am I worrying anyway? I don’t know her, for God’s sake.
Puzzled, he tried to squelch arousal and think of their work tomorrow. He hated that even more. He supposed on one level he should be happy he could keep her close and safe. Yet he knew the outside world, the people beyond these walls…well, they’d lost their minds. Good people remained, but the last few days of intermittent rioting had taught him a big portion had vaulted over the fence into the dark side and had no plans on returning. She was only one woman. Leaving her at her compound hadn’t been an option. Because this was the new reality. Even if he had to do it again, against the General’s orders, he would bring her to Sentry Security. Without hesitation. Over his shoulder, in a fireman’s carry, if he had to.
As he lay in the dark, his cock was way too happy. He imagined her hair, silky smooth, brushing over his erection, caressing him with teasing touches. Her hot hands, her warm tongue tickling him in ways that would release this agonizing need for a woman. Not just any woman. Only his RomWriter148, Mally Andretti.
He’d never imagined that after his breakup he’d want more than a shallow relationship. Friends with benefits. But no, a man didn’t do casual, fun sex with a woman like Mally Andretti. She was hands off.
Right, asshole. So why did you kiss her twice?
He didn’t know. He couldn’t seem to stop touching her.
Restless, aroused, and hot, he turned on the bedside lamp and wandered into the bathroom. He stepped naked into the shower and turned it on. A cold shower may wilt his cock, but he didn’t wait for that to happen. He kept the water warm. He closed his eyes and unashamedly imagined sliding his cock straight into her waiting body. She’d clench him, tight, wet and hot, her body a welcome for his aching need. He grabbed his cock and slid his hand back and forth over his flesh. This wouldn’t take long. He’d built up too much desire. Two pumps. Three. A fourth and the heat exploded out of him in a gasping, choking moan. He came like a geyser, shaking under the force of quick need.
Oh, hell yeah.
As he allowed the water to run over his face, he knew he’d have to keep his hands off her.
Chapter 8
Loaded down with an armored tactical vest too big for her and wearing a Kevlar helmet that also was large and heavy, Mally felt as close to a combat vet as she’d ever get. She rode in the front passenger seat in the SUV as Adam drove and Mark sat in the back seat. Her long-sleeved dark flannel shirt and heavy-duty jeans protected her from the cool weather. Rain threatened, which suited her fine. The weather geeks had said this morning that most of the East Coast was free from ash because of the recent rains. Long Valley had stopped spewing lava and raining ash. Scientists speculated that it seemed to have shut down completely. Didn’t matter. It had done all the damage to the country it needed to. The country’s economic and psychological depression was deepening, everything effected in an elemental ways. The country had a decade or maybe a few decades of hard recovery ahead. The United States would be reshaped, remodeled by nature and there wasn’t a damned thing anyone could do.
She glanced over at Adam a couple of times, feeling as if he might have looked at her seconds before. As if they played a silly game of tag team looks. Last night the encounter in the workout room had shaken her. Not in a fearful way—well, okay, not in fear as if she worried he’d hurt her. In a way that said if she stood close to him one more time she might do something incredibly, irreparably stupid. Like take him up on the idea of kissing him. Or worse, on dragging him to the nearest safe place and riding him until every last drop of ridiculous lust was drained.
No. She didn’t have that type of confidence in sexual relationships. Yet something inherently primal and vital in Adam Becker made her crazy. Made her want to do things she’d never considered before. That included screwing him into the next century.
The SUV rumbled over uneven road surfaces as they traveled into the city. A sophisticated radio squawked as chatter told various police and military agencies what was happening on the streets. Sentry Security started work promptly at eight and left the complex. They still hadn’t heard from Ian. The General vowed to keep trying on the radio to reach him. Mally had her doubts. In the pit of her stomach she suspected something bad had happened, and the feeling nauseated her. Or maybe it was the nervousness pinging through her body. Maybe she had bitten off more than
she could chew.
Despite the two capable, strong men in the SUV with her, a low-grade nervousness remained within Mally. The streets were empty with the exception of police, fire and military…and Sentry Security. Maybe the worst was over. More than one building was smoking from leftover fires, and ugly scars marred other buildings. She shook her head as they grew closer to downtown and some of the older buildings that had stood in this old city for a long, long time. Many of them stood unscathed, but when they drove by the old library and she saw that one wing was blackened she let out a disgusted sound.
“Oh, shit.” The words came out of her with force. “Look what they did to the library.”
“Damned shame,” Mark said.
Tears prickled at her eyes, but she held them back. Now wasn’t the time to mourn. Later. Later.
“You okay?” Adam asked as he drove.
Mally said, “Yes.”
They traveled quietly for several blocks before the first problem reared its ugly head. Around twenty civilians stood outside a smoldering building and were taunting firefighters. Adam parked the SUV nearby, but not too close to the commotion. Police and National Guard were nowhere in sight.
Mally felt a slow burn rise. “What the hell are those men doing? Can’t they see the firefighters are trying to help?”
Adam shut off the engine. “They’re dumber than a box of rocks.”
“Time to rock and roll,” Mark said.
Adam’s face expressed unwillingness to make light. He’d already grilled the shit out of her on procedures and what to do before they’d left Sentry Security. She could tell he was hating this whole idea of her working with the rest of them.
He unlocked the SUV and looked at her. “Stay close to me while we’re out there.”
She held up her gloved hands and smiled. “No one is going to mess with me. Look at this firepower.”
Mark made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a half snort or an aborted laugh.
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