Viking Warrior Rebel

by Asa Maria Bradley

  As usual, he only had to look at her to grow hard. Although, his dick had been erect since the kiss on top of the ridge. For the first time, he’d been distracted on a mission. His Marine team had called him Hyper because of his ability to become hyper-focused. That intensity had carried over into his work in the DTU. Sometimes he didn’t sleep because his brain just wouldn’t stop processing case details. But a few hours with Astrid on a mountain ridge had made him completely forget why he was on top of that hill in the first place. The kiss had seared his brain, and all he could think about was getting her naked and then getting inside her. He forgot all about the wolverines, their hostage, or his own mission.

  He’d forgotten about Donovan. Unforgivable.

  He bent down to unlace his own boots and to hide how angry he was with himself.

  At least Astrid had managed to keep her head in the game and stop him from making a complete fool of himself. What had he been thinking?

  He hadn’t. He’d been listening to his dick, and that damn fool had almost talked him into getting naked with Astrid. Outside. With enemies just below them.

  She’d been unusually quiet on the ride over to the hotel. Did she regret the kiss? Even while he was back focusing on the mission, he still wanted her. Even though the bed was draped in that monstrosity of a blanket, his mind kept picturing her naked between the sheets. “The pizza should be here soon,” he heard himself say. Lame, but at least he’d broken the silence. There was no food service in the area other than a pizza carryout place. There was also no cell phone service, so the nice lady at reception had called in the order for them.

  Astrid nodded. “Yep.”

  Well, so much for trying to break the awkward silence and distract himself from the sexual tension practically crackling between them. He tried again. “Are you hungry?”

  This time she looked up at him, her eyes dark and stormy. “Starving.” She might not have meant the double entendre, but her words went straight to his dick. He inhaled sharply as his crotch tightened.

  Astrid must have picked up on his attraction. Her pupils dilated, and she leaned forward as if pulled by an invisible force. He felt his own body move toward her chair and reminded himself of why he was on this case. It was about Donovan, about his brother.

  But they were stuck in this candy room for a few hours until they could get the hostage out under cover of darkness. And he needed Astrid. Needed her like he needed his next breath.

  Luke kneeled by the chair and buried a hand in her luscious blond waves. She looked at him, her eyes deep pools of green. She stilled for a heartbeat but then moved in for a kiss, a sigh escaping as her body turned soft in his arms. He angled his head for better access and deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him. It wasn’t enough. He needed to feel her whole body.

  He stood and pulled her up with him out of the chair. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and he could feel her nipples grow hard through the cotton fabric of her shirt. A growl escaped from his throat. Trailing kisses down her jawline, he caressed her hip through her jeans and steered her backward toward the bed. All he wanted was to throw her down and pound into her, but he reeled himself in just enough to be able to carefully lower her onto the hideous bedcover.

  Taking a deep breath, he sat back and looked down on Astrid lying below him. Her lips were red and swollen from his kiss, which stirred up deep alpha male pleasure inside him. Her glorious green eyes were slightly glazed over, and her blond hair fanned out around her head. She looked like a Norse goddess of seduction, if there was one. His dick ached with the need to be inside her, but he had to slow this down or he’d blow his load before he got out of his jeans.

  A knock on the door and a muffled “pizza delivery” had Luke cursing out loud. He’d forgotten all about their food and was tempted to tell the guy to just fuck off.

  Astrid giggled. He shot her a stern look meant to intimidate her, but she only smiled back. “Don’t you dare move,” he growled and went to get the door.

  The pizza delivery guy’s welcoming smile at the two twenties Luke shoved his way turned into shock when Luke grabbed the box out of his hands just before slamming the door in his face. Luke tossed the pizza on the dresser and returned to the bed.

  Pulling his T-shirt over his head, he lowered himself over Astrid, seeking her lips with his own. She moaned softly as he caressed the side of her face and increased the pressure of the kiss, exploring her mouth thoroughly. Her tongue darted out, dancing with his, and this time she deepened the kiss, turning it into a frantic mating thrust.

  He couldn’t get enough of her. Needed to feel her hot skin against his own. Using both hands, he grabbed her hips and then slid his palms up under her shirt, caressing her breasts. She inhaled sharply, and he growled his approval when she arched against his palms. In one quick swoop, he pulled her shirt off over her head. He leaned back briefly to take in the lovely view of her bare skin before planting his hands on both sides of her. He braced himself against the bed as he traced the edge of her lacy bra with his mouth. She was perfection.

  He nuzzled the thin fabric away from her breast and lightly bit her nipple before taking the whole juicy confection into his mouth. Astrid arched beneath him, a growl escaping from her throat. She reached for the button on his jeans, and as her fingertips brushed the swollen head of his dick, his abs clenched and his balls ached from the effort of not coming right then and there. She quickly unbuttoned him and pulled down the zipper.

  When she reached in and grabbed him, he covered her hand with his own. “Sweetheart, if you don’t slow down, I’m not going to last long,” he mumbled against her chest.

  She grabbed his hair and kissed him, nipping his lips and then tracing his jaw with her tongue. “Then you better find some protection. I need you hard and throbbing inside me right now,” she whispered, her voice dark and raw. It was the hottest thing he’d ever heard.

  Luke pulled his hair out of her grip, and she growled deep in her throat as he left the bed to find the condom he’d put in his wallet as soon as he knew he’d be chasing Astrid to Denver. His brain had insisted he shouldn’t bring it, since sleeping with her would make it difficult to stay objective. His dick had celebrated and told him to put the rest of the pack in his carry-on.

  Pulling the foil package out of the wallet, he headed back to the bed, chucking his jeans and socks on the way. Astrid half sat up and reached for him, but he gently pushed her back down. Leaning over her, he kissed her again as he reached behind her to unsnap her bra. He congratulated himself on getting it done in one try. Not a small feat considering how badly his hands trembled with the effort of not grabbing her and pushing himself inside her in one deep stroke.

  He slid the shoulder straps down her arms and let his gaze caress her skin. She moved restlessly and reached for him again, but he evaded her hands. “I want to look at you. You are so beautiful.”

  She snorted. “You don’t have to use pretty words on me. Besides, you’ve already seen what’s on offer.” The time before, in his apartment, had been a frantic tangle of arms and legs, her lips hot on his. They hadn’t taken the time to remove their clothes completely, never mind turning on the lights before he’d pushed inside her. Just like now, she’d driven him mad with need, but this time he wanted to see her. To taste her.

  “We were in the dark.” He lifted his head to lock gazes with her. “And I only use pretty words when I mean them.” The reluctant smile on her lips touched something deep inside him. He pushed the feeling aside and concentrated on the feast in front of him.

  Cupping her breasts, he licked and nipped, biting a little harder when his teeth grazing her nipple had her arching high off the bed. Her hands caressed the back of his head and then buried themselves in his hair as he trailed his mouth lower.

  He found a spot just above her hip that had her moaning out loud, so he spent extra time tasting her golden skin before moving over t
o see if the other side was as sensitive. Judging from how her fingers grasped his scalp, it was. Her sounds of pleasure drove him further toward the brink. He needed to taste her.

  He pulled her jeans and panties down, and then starting from her knee, he kissed his way up toward the sweet spot at the junction of her thighs. As his fingers mimicked his lips’ movements on the opposite leg, he took extra care with the area around her stitches. The wound was almost healed. She’d removed the sutures already. Something in the back of his mind nagged him about that, but he was distracted by Astrid’s sweet moans as his breath fanned her core. All he could think of was tasting her. To suck and nip her in the most intimate spot, to really make her his this time.

  Easing a finger inside her, Luke slipped his tongue between her folds. Astrid’s response was a guttural groan that made him want to beat his chest and congratulate himself on his prowess. He slid another finger inside her and curled both fingers forward as his tongue searched out her clit. Thrusting the tip of his tongue on the sensitive nub repeatedly, he matched the rhythm with his fingers, curling and uncurling.

  Astrid’s hands pounded against the ridiculous cake bedcover, her thighs clenching. She pulled her legs up, bracing her heels on the bed as she arched against him, pushing her core closer to his mouth. “More,” she demanded in that deep, sexy voice.

  He obliged by sucking hard on her clit, and she clenched around his fingers before shattering beneath his mouth, crying out as the orgasm claimed her.

  When her body stopped convulsing, he had to cover his mouth to hide the triumphant grin on his face. He wasn’t successful. “You’re pretty pleased with yourself, aren’t you?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.

  “Shouldn’t I be?” He lay down beside her. “I didn’t hear any complaints.” He angled his hips away from her so he wouldn’t bump his throbbing dick. It ached with the need to be inside her, but he could wait a millisecond longer.

  Astrid had other ideas. She grabbed his shoulder and pushed him on his back. “No complaints here, but let’s see what you can do with other parts of your anatomy.” She reached for the foil package he’d dumped on the bed. In no time, she’d ripped it open and covered him with one long sweep of her hand. The cold latex and the pressure of her hand made him gasp with pleasure. “Hold on,” Astrid whispered, straddling him.

  She slowly lowered herself onto his cock. Her hair created a curtain around their faces, the tips of her strands brushing against his collarbone. The hotness of her clenching around him—in contrast with the whisper caress of her hair on his skin—was the most erotic thing he’d experienced. He grabbed her hips and arched against her as he pulled her down.

  Astrid moaned when he was fully sheathed and then sat back, taking him even deeper. She cupped her breasts, tweaking her nipples as she looked down at him. Her eyes glittered, unfocused. He had to grit his teeth to not immediately come inside her. He wanted her to come again.

  Luke lifted her hips and bent his knees so he could ram deep inside her. He repeated the motion, each time going faster. He angled his thumbs inward and massaged her pubic bone. Astrid sucked in a deep breath and then moaned loudly. He felt her sheath tremble around him, and he pushed into her and then held still, his thumbs pressing down hard just above her core. She screamed, her orgasm milking him.

  His balls clenched and he shouted her name as he came with her, blowing his load so hard he forgot to breathe. Stars flittered in front of his eyes, and he thought he might pass out.

  Luke crashed back into his body and tried to remember how to force his lungs to take in air. He was dimly aware of Astrid slipping off him. She lay down beside him, curling into his chest. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Any complaints?” she asked.

  He turned toward her and found an impish grin stretched across her lips. Her eyes glittered with mirth. “None,” he said. “Except for maybe having to eat the pizza cold.”

  She laughed, a light sound that slipped inside his chest and warmed places that had no business being warmed. No matter how irresistible she was, Astrid was still a job. This would make the case difficult to handle objectively, but he would somehow manage. He owed it to Donovan to take down the genetic lab and the men behind it who had fucked up both his own and his brother’s childhoods.

  She didn’t seem to notice the dark turn his thoughts had taken, because she laughed again. “Let’s hope it’s at least lukewarm.” She got off the bed. “I hate it when the cheese loses it gooeyness.” She went into the bathroom.

  He’d just disposed of the condom when she came back out, a towel wrapped around her body. “Don’t cover up on my account,” he said, already missing the view of her curves and warm skin.

  Astrid blushed a pretty pink. “I’m not shy, but even I draw the line at eating naked.” She grabbed the pizza box and returned to bed.

  “We’ll have to explore food and nakedness some other time then,” Luke joked as he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The silence behind him made him turn around. Astrid looked at him, a slice of pizza halfway to her mouth. Her eyes looked troubled. “What?” he asked.

  “I like going to bed with you, but I’m not in a place where I can promise any kind of relationship.” She took a bite of the pizza and chewed while watching him carefully, as if gauging his reaction.

  Her words pissed him off more than they should. Of course they couldn’t have any kind of relationship, but did she have to state it so bluntly? What was wrong with just enjoying the sex but still planning for the next occasion they’d get together? He turned around and kept walking toward the bathroom, pretending to be indifferent when inside he seethed with anger. An anger he had no right to feel.

  “We’ll keep it casual,” he threw over his shoulder. He closed the bathroom door behind him and leaned against the sink. Shit, there was nothing casual about what happened between him and Astrid in bed. Explosive was a better word for it.

  He turned on the faucets, washed his hands, and rinsed his face. As he reached for the hand towel, a thought struck him and he stared his reflection in the mirror, water dripping down his face. How the fuck had her gash healed already? It had only been two days since the injury.

  The only way she could undergo such rapid healing was if she’d been given some kind of accelerant, or if she’d been genetically altered. And the only place either of those things happened was in labs like the one where he and his brother had been raised.

  Chapter 9

  The almost-full moon illuminated the farm buildings but still allowed plenty of shadows in which to hide. Astrid glanced at Holden, who was crouched five meters to the side of her. Just like her face, his had been darkened with camouflage paint, another surprise Holden had dug out of his trunk. That’s also where he’d found the communication sets currently hooked over their ears. Technically, his eyes glittering in the darkness could betray their position, but she noticed them only because she knew where to look. His body radiated tension, a supercharged mass of muscles ready to spring into action. How had she never noticed his warrior nature before? Out here it was so obvious.

  Of course, she’d never seen him naked before. If she had, she’d have noticed that his muscular body had been shaped by fighting and weapons training, not by running on a treadmill or using resistance machines. The letters USMC tattooed above his heart were also a big clue. She hadn’t noticed his United States Marine Corps brand during their hookup in his apartment months ago. That had been a desperate, hurried affair. Not like this afternoon, when they’d explored each other’s bodies completely. The memory of how thoroughly he had explored every inch of her skin with his hands and mouth caused heat to flood through her entire body.

  Holden had been quiet as they ate their pizza and insisted on rest after. Satiated by sex, she didn’t complain, but she was surprised when he’d lain down on the edge of the bed, as far away from her as possible. Maybe she’d somehow offended him with her comm
ent about a relationship between them not being possible, but when the alarm on her phone woke them up, Holden’s body had been curled around hers. He’d been terse as they prepared for their operation, but she didn’t think anything of it. She didn’t like chitchatting while preparing for a mission either.

  Astrid focused her attention back on the buildings. They’d crossed the ridge before the moon rose and found a surveillance spot high enough up that it offered a clear view of the courtyard between the buildings while keeping them hidden in the shadows. They still didn’t know how many wolverines were in the main house or the buildings surrounding it, but their plan was to get Scott out before any of the creatures were alerted to their presence. And if they did notice, Holden had a surprise for them in the form of the long-range Remington sniper rifle slung over his shoulder.

  She’d worried about how to keep him out of the immediate action, but Holden’s plan had taken care of that for her. He’d dug the rifle out of the treasure trove that was his trunk and said he’d find a spot close enough to cover her but far enough to keep an eye on every building. The rifle had a range of 1,500 meters. She was secretly pleased that he trusted her to take care of the close-range fighting, but also pissed that he thought he was in charge. It made sense that she would be the one to go in though. She knew what Scott looked like.

  Holden set up the rifle and checked the scope. It pointed straight at the door of the main house from which the wolverine with the food tray had appeared. He signaled for her to move out, and she took off in a wide-arced path that would eventually end at the back of the barn. She hugged the shadows created by the trees, her eyes focused on the large building while she kept her footsteps quiet.

  When she reached the barn, Astrid clicked her mic twice to signal Holden that she’d arrived. Double doors high up on the wall probably led to a hayloft. The only other opening was a small door at ground level. There were no windows. She smeared Vaseline on the hinges of the door, just in case they hadn’t been opened for a while. The door handle twisted easily in her hand, and she swung the door open with minimal squeaking. Slipping inside, she paused while she listened for movement and allowed her eyes to adjust to the darker interior.