“I feel it too.” He drew back enough to stare into her eyes, while he continued to move inside her. “I love to hear my name on your lips.” Then he changed the angle of her hips and drove deeper, faster, harder. “So damn good.”
Layla whispered his name again and again, because he felt incredible and deserved to know what he did to her. The gorgeous, generous, wonderful man took her to that edge, that sweet edge and she was lost. So incredibly lost in him. The feel of his body brushing against hers, muscles straining, the intense look in his eyes as he moved inside her…it was all too much, and much more than she could ever comprehend.
Gripping his hips, she bucked wildly, uncaring that her panting and moaning echoed around them in an erotic crescendo, building higher and higher, matching her desire.
Damn, she couldn’t stay quiet if her life depended on it. She just couldn’t. That’s what he did to her. “I…Noah.”
“I’m with you,” he murmured, then pressed her backward, just enough to change the angle, and she lost her mind.
Crying out, she arched against him, her whole body taut with need. He took her out of herself and brought her to a new and wondrous realm, and just like that, she burst in a rush of heat and pleasure so intense the world disappeared until only the two of them existed. A second later, he gripped her hips and shoved deep, eyes twin pools of liquid heat as he called her name and shuddered with his own strong release.
When the ringing in her ears subsided and vision returned, she watched him grip the edge of the desk and lift up enough to stare down at her body he’d rendered boneless.
“You okay?” He brushed his lips across her temple.
“Much better than okay.” She reached up to scrape her thumb over his jaw. “So glad I don’t have to go be a firefighter. I’ll probably still be laying here, decorating your desk when you go out on your first call.”
He groaned and set his forehead to hers. “Damn, now I’ll never get this image out of my head.”
“Good.” She grinned, patting the meaty muscle in his upper arm. “Then my job is done. You do yours and make sure you come back to me so we can pick up where we just left off.”
He lifted up again, excitement and mischief mixing to light his eyes a delicious shade of whiskey. “Yeah? You’re going to be naked and sprawled out like this when I walk in a day from now?”
“Only if you’re good.” Her pulse leapt at the thought of deliberately coming to his apartment, stripping naked, and arranging herself on the desk for him to see when he walked through the door. The thought alone sent heat spiraling through her body.
Yeah, she could definitely do that.
“I’m always good, Layla…even when I’m bad.” And to prove it, his talented hand glided down her body to brush her beaded nipple. He groaned. “Damn, I wish I didn’t have to go. I hate leaving. Are you going to be all right? I’m—”
She pressed a finger against his lips as warmth spread through her chest at the concern and regret darkening his gaze. “It’s okay. I understand. You go do your job. Save people. I love that about you.”
She almost omitted the ‘about’ but didn’t want to freak him out, so she decided to test the waters to see how he’d react.
He pinned her with a primal, fierce, almost feral look before cupping her face and kissing her with a mind-blowing intensity that left her with a clear impression he, indeed, appreciated her remark.
“Good to know,” he said when he drew back, this time pulling all the way out.
The immediate loss brought a strangled sound to her throat as he helped her into a sitting position. “Trust me, Layla, I don’t want to leave you either.” His gaze was open and unguarded, understanding.
Real.
No deceit or lies, just honest emotions. That was all she wanted. No fabrications. Nothing fake or dishonest. She did trust him.
“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” He kissed her quickly on the lips, then disappeared down the hall.
She smiled and laid back down on the desk. Her legs were not ready to support her anyway.
Noah was refreshing, always was, and although, once again, she wanted to open up and confess her feelings, tell him how she felt—that she loved him, trusted him—Layla held back. Saying those things when you’re naked might not hold as much merit as if they were said outside the bedroom. Or living room…on a desk.
Besides, he was in the other room dressing to work a job where his life was on the line. Now was definitely not the time to open up and confess something that may distract him.
“Damn, Layla…mmm…mmm.” Noah returned, and devoured her with heat gleaming in his eyes as he began to pull on his clothes he’d discarded almost a half hour ago. “You look great draped on my stuff. And good enough to eat.”
The desire in his gaze made her brazen. She smiled over at him. “Go ahead.”
He sucked in a breath and a second later marched to her. “Don’t mind if I do.”
Then he did.
Now she sucked in a breath as he placed his mouth on her sensitive flesh and licked. “Noah…don’t you have to go?” Damn, he was good. Her eyes threatened to roll back in her head. How could he turn her on so fast? Heat shifted through her veins, tingling everything awake for another round.
He lifted his head, sinful grin on his lips. “Yes. I have five minutes, but I’m not going until you come.” A wicked finger slid up her leg, hesitating where she already ached, making her nuts. She must’ve made a noise because his grin grew as he slid his finger inside her.
Ah, damn, that felt good.
She gripped the desk and bucked. “You’re a bold man, Noah.”
“Nah, that’s not bold.” As he drove his finger in and out at a delicious angle his other hand slide up her body to cup a breast, brushing her nipple back and forth with his thumb. “That’s bold.”
“Nah…” She panted. “That’s good.”
And he was, so damn good that with a just a few more brushes and strokes and a talented mouth on her center she came as ordered in a release so intense she was sure even her eyelashes singed.
After he brought her down slowly, Noah released her and stood. “Mmm…you taste amazing. And now I’m not the only one who’s going to have this desk in their head.”
She chuckled and would’ve sat up but that more than likely would’ve ended up with her slithering to the floor. “Indeed. Think I need to send a thank you card to Nico’s nona for giving it to you.”
He smiled as he came around the side. “She’d actually love that.” He bent down to brush his lips to hers. “You were amazing. I’ll see you tomorrow. Right here.”
She traced his jaw with her finger. “You were magic. Pure magic. And I’ll be here. Count on it.”
And as she watched him bust ass out the door, Layla grinned and tried to stretch. She’d be there all right, probably in the same spot still trying to find her bones.
***
The following evening, Layla was enjoying some homemade sangria with Tanya and Christie while watching Noah play horseshoes in his pirate costume, almost wishing she’d rented him a highlander one like her godfather’s instead. She snickered as she watched the poor man continue to tug on his kilt whenever he bent to toss a horseshoe.
“I wish I would’ve gotten Robert a kilt,” Christie said next to her.
“I was just thinking that about Noah, too.” She chuckled. “It would’ve been pretty hilarious.”
Her sister nodded. “I know, right?”
Tanya snickered. “I wish all the firefighters wore them.”
Kelly and Jade were closing up shop tonight, so Tanya came dressed as a warrior princess but the prince Layla had planned to introduce to her friend wasn’t there. Last minute Tuck switched shifts with a firefighter who injured an arm at his station.
“Takes a special guy to carry off the right…kilt look,” Christie said.
“Well, I’ve always had a thing for pirates.” Her mouth watered at the play of muscles in Noah�
��s chest and abs every time he tossed and straightened. She could hardly believe he was hers after all these years. Being in a relationship with him was better than she’d ever imagined. Her insides quivered, already anticipating the best part of the costume—removing it from Noah while he stripped a female version from her body.
Christie straightened her red cape. “We decided to do superheroes this year, but I’m not going to lie, it’s probably going to require a superhero to peel me out of this dang thing.”
Layla chuckled, kind of feeling sorry for her sister, but not really, since the woman rocked the heck out of the costume. “I have a feeling your superhero is up for the challenge.”
“True.”
“Wish I had one.” Tanya sighed into her iced tea. “I’d even settle for wilted kilt.”
They laughed and spent the next half hour admiring costumes and sampling Skye’s dessert table. But when she glanced back at the horseshoe pit and noted Noah was gone, she excused herself and set off to find her handsome pirate for some dancing and a little bit of ravishing to hold her over until later when she had him in her bed.
With a smile twitching her lips, she set off for the stable after someone said they’d seen him head that way. As she approached the double doors at the side of the barn she heard him talking to her godfather.
“Well, I’m glad Rescue’s escapes were his own doing,” her godfather said. “Now if we can just catch a break with the damn notes.”
“I know. I’m still pissed I wasn’t able to catch up with him the other week,” Noah growled.
Layla hated that the men were being pulled into her craziness. She was about to make her presence known when Noah’s next sentence stopped her cold.
“At least then I could’ve come clean with Layla.”
Her heart tripped.
Come clean? What did he mean?
“I know, but it’s for her own good. She would’ve moved out if she knew you returned to watch her.”
Breath caught in her throat she clutched with her hand as she fought to hold the gasp inside. That was why Noah returned to Dallas? To keep an eye on her?
She stepped into the stable, her whole body shaking from head to toe. “Is that true? You moved back to watch me?”
“Layla...” The blood drained from Noah’s face as he straightened.
Her godfather turned to fully face her. “Now, honey, its not quite like that. We did it because we care about you. And don’t be too hard on Noah. He wanted to tell you but I asked him not to.”
“Oh my God. You really did come down here to…” This can’t be happening. Her mind reeled and chest ached so bad she could barely breathe. “So it’s all been a lie.”
“No.” Noah stepped forward and winced when she backed away. “I swear, Layla, none of it was a lie.”
“Bullshit.” She shook her head. “You just admitted you came down as my personal bodyguard. Was sleeping with me part of the detail?”
“No, of course not.”
“So it was just a perk?” She sucked in a breath and swallowed past the bitterness on her tongue. “You were certainly tipped well.”
“Dammit, Layla. It wasn’t like that,” Noah snapped, frown creasing his red face.
“So you didn’t move down here to watch me?”
“Yes, I moved down here when Captain Stewart told me about the notes, but I didn’t do it as a favor to him, I did it because I care about you—I’ve always cared about you—and I couldn’t stand the thought of something happening to you.”
The conviction in his tone, coupled with his open gaze revealed he was telling the truth, but it didn’t change the fact he kept it from her. And she just couldn’t help but wonder if he used her attraction to him as a way to get as close as possible to keep an eye on her. If he wormed his way into her apartment…her bed, all to do his job.
But…he’d gone much farther. He wormed and warmed his way all the way into her heart. Her eyes stung, but she fought the threat of tears and lifted her chin. “Well, you’re relieved of duty, soldier. I can take care of myself.” She pivoted around and strode angrily from the stable.
A second later a large hand grasped her arm from behind and pulled her to a stop. “Layla, please wait. Please listen to me. I love you, dammit.”
She stilled as all the air seemed to evaporate from the earth. The burning in her throat and eyes became too much, and in an instant, her vision blurred as tears spilled down her face. “God, Noah, you have no idea what those words would’ve meant to me an hour ago. A day. Last week. Ten years ago. But now…?” She shook her head, unable to talk past the pain tightening her chest.
As if in a daze, she ripped from his grasp and turned around to continue out of the stable, ignoring his pleas to listen. Why bother? She couldn’t trust him. And she wanted to so badly.
She needed to think. Needed to get out of there—needed a ride home.
Swiping away the tears, she headed for an empty table to grab a napkin to hopefully remove all traces of raccoon eye from her heavy pirate mascara.
“Layla? You okay?” Out of nowhere Tanya appeared at her side, concern darkening her eyes.
She swallowed and shook her head. “Not really. Could you possibly give me a ride home?”
Asking anyone else would raise questions she was too confused, too hurt to answer.
“Of course.” Her friend nodded, setting her half-eaten dessert plate down. “Let’s go.” And without uttering one question—bless her—Tanya draped an arm around her shoulders and walked Layla right out of the barbeque straight to her car, as if knowing her legs were shaking like a rattler’s tail.
It wasn’t until they were halfway home that her friend glanced at her. “You want to tell me why you look like Ricky Raccoon?”
She chuckled and swiped at her face again, even though there was nothing funny about the fierce pain in her chest. “Turns out Noah moved in the building to watch me for my godfather.” She sucked in a deep breath. “God, I can’t believe I was that blind. I feel so damn stupid.”
“Hey.” Tanya reached out to set a hand on her forearm. “You didn’t do anything wrong. And for what it’s worth, I don’t think Noah did either.”
She opened her mouth to protest but her friend squeezed her arm.
“Hang on, hear me out. Yes, he was wrong to deceive you, but Layla, that man genuinely cares about you. It’s all over his face that literally comes to life when you walk into a room. And girl, you can’t fake that.”
Although that should’ve made her feel better, it didn’t. She just couldn’t help but wonder why he felt the need to dupe her. “If you don’t have honesty in a relationship it’s doomed to fail.” Their relationship started out on a lie. Its whole foundation was wrong.
She contemplated all of it during the rest of the drive, still confused and in pain when Tanya pulled up behind the building.
“How about I run down to the convenience store to grab us a pint or two of rocky road?”
Layla set a hand on her friend’s arm. “Thanks, but no. I just want to try to sort it all out in my head.” And cuddle with her cat. Somehow petting Rescue was all she could think about. “Thanks so much for driving me back. I’m sorry you had to leave the party.”
“That’s okay. All the good kilts were taken anyway.” Tanya waved a hand. “You sure you’re going to be all right?”
“Yes. Thanks.” She opened the door and climbed out. “See you tomorrow.”
Too bad her tomorrows weren’t full of sunshine and promises like they had been an hour ago. Now that the wool was pulled from her eyes, she saw the world as it really was, and it hurt like a bitch.
Clenching her jaw, she swiped her key fob, opened the door and stepped into the building, feeling her phone vibrating in her purse. Again. She should’ve shut the darn thing off. It had been vibrating the whole drive back. Probably Noah. She just couldn’t talk to him right now. Or anyone else, for that matter.
She pulled out her cell, and saw it was, indeed,
him. Ten missed calls, three voicemails, and eleven texts. She headed upstairs. Never could she have imagined her night would turn out this way, but she should’ve known. Things were good. Too good. It was almost laughable. Now it made a little more sense how she landed Noah. She was part of a stupid scheme, a job.
Duty.
Hugging herself, she set her forehead on her door, a door that on the other side had led to pleasure overload. Too bad from now on she’d always be on the outside of that pleasure, looking in…back…at what once was and should never have been.
Another tear trickled down her cheek.
Darn it.
She swiped it away as her phone started to ring in her hand again. Sighing she answered. “Look, Noah. I’m home. I’m okay, and I don’t want to talk now.” She went to unlock her door only to discover it wasn’t locked. Thanks to a quickie in her shower earlier with Noah, they’d been running late. She probably just forgot to lock it. Shaking it off, she twisted the knob and entered her apartment to find it occupied.
“It’s you.” Her heart rocked as she lowered the phone. “You’ve been leaving me the notes.”
Chapter Nine
Noah’s foot remained firmly pressed on the gas and if he’d had emergency lights installed in his truck he wouldn’t have hesitated to use them. All he could do was keep his flashers on and put pedal to the metal as he raced to Layla.
After he heard her say “you’ve been leaving me the notes” the line went dead and all his calls went straight to voicemail. He called his guard buddy in the Dallas PD, who told him he’d head right over. But dammit, he was still thirty-five minutes away. He wanted…needed to be there for Layla.
God, if anything happened to her because of his stupidity he’d never forgive himself.
It was his fault. All his fault. She should’ve been with him, not angry and upset. He was an ass. Why the hell hadn’t he listened to his gut and told her the day he moved in that he was there as a friend to keep an eye on things? He should’ve put her first, not the captain, not himself and his need to be near. She mattered. Her feelings. Her wants. He should’ve told her and let her make up her own mind if she still wanted to be more than friends.
Dallas Fire & Rescue_Whine and Rescue Page 9
