by Cara North
“Joshua, who’s Candace?” Evelyn remembered talking to Grace, and the woman’s name burned into her mind. What fool would leave Joshua?
“How did you ... nevermind. She was my partner’s wife. When he died, I felt responsible. Candace was pregnant and freaked out. We grieved together, and I told her I would take care of her. She agreed.” Joshua groaned. It was years ago, but time hadn’t made the way she dumped him any easier to take. “She didn’t want me to be a cop anymore, so I started taking classes again. I always liked the idea of teaching, but I saw it in retirement not now.”
“What happened?” Evelyn stopped and leaned into the rail on the boardwalk. Her hair blew in the wind. She shivered. She wished she brought a jacket, but she could suck it up. She wanted to keep talking to him.
Joshua stepped behind her and wrapped her in his arms shielding most of the wind and giving her his heat. The smell of her jasmine ponytail consumed his senses.
“She dumped me. For my graduation present she gave me a wedding invitation. I looked down at her little boy who was a year old by then and realized I just lost him. I had loved him like a son, but he wasn’t my son. And he wasn’t her fiancé’s son either, but now he would grow to know him as his father. It killed me.”
“What about Candace?” Evelyn relished his heat, leaned into his chest and closed her eyes.
“I don’t understand. I told you she dumped me.” Joshua shrugged.
“Did you love her?” Evelyn’s heart began to race with fear.
“You mean like love her love her?”
“Yes.” Evelyn smiled. The way he said it assured her he didn’t love her, not romantically.
“No.” With that he sat his chin on her head. “We should get home before you catch a cold. You shouldn’t be walking on that ankle like this anyway. You’re very resilient. Sometimes I forget you’re hurt.”
“So carry me.” Evelyn jumped on his back as he turned, pulled herself up, and wrapped her legs around him. “Be my guardian angel. Carry me home.”
“You sure you’re a big bad bounty hunter?” Joshua adjusted his hands around her thighs and carried her the block and a half home. It felt nice, fun. She was playful. He liked her like this; he liked her a lot.
“Yes, want me to bring you to your knees to prove it?”
Her breath was close to his ear and her thighs around him. He didn’t need her to prove it. He could barely stand as it was. “I believe you.”
“Good. Cause since you’re carrying me, I would hate to fall.” She pecked his cheek with a kiss. A bold move, it got her a smile.
When he didn’t set her down at the door or inside, she hoped he would just carry her right up to bed and make love to her. But he didn’t. Instead he backed up to the island in the center of the kitchen and sat her on it. He didn’t walk away; instead he turned around. His hands were on the counter thumbs next to her thighs, his hips, between her knees. Their eyes locked on each other. And for one brief moment she thought he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back farther in anticipation.
“I’ve worked out a cover for you.” Joshua wanted to lean in and kiss her lips. She was tempting him, but this was business. He couldn’t keep her safe if he couldn’t think clearly. And from the moment he laid eyes on her, he’d been in a daze. Sex would muddle that, make it worse. Or maybe not having sex would kill him. He wasn’t sure which.
“What?” Evelyn’s lip pouted against her will, and her head dropped. “A cover, why do I need a cover?”
“Eve Alexander, you can say you’re Ethan’s cousin from his mother’s side. More like a distant cousin, but it will work. No one keeps track of those things.” Joshua studied her face, that pouting lip. She had wanted him to kiss her, and he wanted to. “I’ll type up the details tomorrow, and you can study them.”
“What about you?” Evelyn couldn’t help it; she had to touch him.
“I am Ethan’s cousin. I don’t need a cover,” Joshua teased.
“Joshua!” Evelyn slid from the counter too quickly.
“Whoa.” Joshua held her against his chest tightly. “Easy on that ankle, Wonder Woman.”
“I wish I had a lasso right now.” Of course she was referring to Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth, but since she had confessed to a little deviant behavior in her adult life, he of course took it the wrong way.
“No one is tying me up. You got that?” Joshua gave her a look that would have made most men cower in fear, but Evelyn wasn’t most men, and Joshua scared her both least and the most out of all the men she had ever known.
“I meant to get the truth out of you, jerk. Didn’t you watch Saturday morning cartoons?” Evelyn squirmed to try and get her feet to the ground.
“Oh.” Joshua let her go gently easing her to the ground. “I just thought.”
“I know what you thought.” Evelyn walked toward the stairs. She paused and turned back to face him. “I do want you, Joshua, and I’m not going to lie and say I understand what that entails because I don’t know. I’ve never considered it before.”
“I have to protect you. I can’t do that if I get involved with you like that.” Joshua was trying to convince himself as much as her right now.
“I’m a big girl, Joshua. I have brought men your size to their knees more times than I can count. You have to trust me, not protect me. And if Blade is the one after me, I may not live to want another man. You can believe that.”
Evelyn started up the stairs and knew what she said was true. This was Blade’s doing, somehow someway, she just knew. The legitimate calls on her voicemail that morning were enlightening. The last message rocked her to the core. “Dead or alive, preferably alive, but would still pay half, dead.”
Joshua stood there befuddled a few moments and then set about the house locking things, checking the windows and the doors. Satisfied that everything was in place and locked, he started up the stairs. Evelyn was in the shower. He wouldn’t get a chance to say goodnight. The thought of her not living made him worry, but he knew she was right. It was a possibility. No. He would see to it that wouldn’t happen.
Joshua stripped down to his boxers and pushed under the cool sheets. The weather was fabulous, warm in the daytime, cool at night. Summer was just around the corner, and the sweltering heat would be rolling in. But for now, it was nice. His bedroom window was cracked, and the breeze chilled the air. He lay on his side, back to the door and listened.
The shower down the hall turned off. Footsteps pattered and the guest bedroom door closed. His eyes closed with a sigh. She was sleeping in her room. Funny, how quickly he missed having the warm body next to his.
* * * *
Evelyn sat meditation style and breathed, calming her senses, trying to center herself. Sanahasan had always lectured her on maintaining focus, control in the eye of the storm. Tactically that worked.
She was being hunted, and she was calmt. She trusted her training, and the three years in Japan had given her more than enough time to hone martial art skills known only to the great. She learned quickly and studied hard. Sanahasan adored her. The small man taught her why size didn’t matter. He wasn’t her height and weighed even less. He was old then, but he had fought great warriors and toppled them. It was right when she got her focus, when she was calm, that it happened again. Joshua, scattering her senses to the four winds.
* * * *
He barely heard the door open this time, and she didn’t speak his name, but the smell of jasmine drifted on the air, and he knew Evelyn was there. The bed dipped and he smiled. The sheets tugged, and her nose pressed into his back. It was cold, and his shoulders tightened.
“Your nose is cold,” he grumbled in a low sleepy voice.
Evelyn gasped. She thought he was asleep. Shit.
“It’s okay.” He pushed his arm back and patted her thigh. “Go to sleep.”
Evelyn wanted to bolt right out of there, but her body betrayed her alarm and pushed closer to him instead. This was the most re
ckless she had been in her life. Her eyes closed, and with several slow deep breaths she settled against him.
His hand was holding her thigh, and the heat was warming her through and through. Her lips pressed into his back, and she felt the muscles flinch and his large shoulders expand with a great inhale and slowly settle with a slow painful exhale. He wanted her. She just knew it. Now what?
With each press of her lips into his back, Joshua lost more and more resolve. Her breaths pushed her bare breasts against his skin and that of course tightened her nipples which raised and lowered with each inhale and exhale. It was turning him into a wild lustful madman. He wanted to forget she was in his care, forget she had been abused, and forget he was not settling for a woman that didn’t love him.
Evelyn could feel his temperature rising and his thumb stirred on her thigh. His breaths became heavy and labored, like her own. Inside she felt like fire; a surge of energy and lust had consumed her. Her hand pressed into his back. Her lips pushed against his flesh. Once, twice.
She felt reckless and out of control. She was consumed by the thought of his touches. Where no man had ever been allowed to touch her, she couldn’t wait another minute to have Joshua’s hands all over her.
He was gaining control of himself again, resolved to just sleep, nothing more, when he felt it. The soft wet lick of her tongue on his back. It was over. In an instant his cock had taken over control, and it was hard enough to hammer nails. The groan escaped him and just enticed her more, and the small hand slid up his shoulder and down his arm covering the hand that lay on her thigh.
“Joshua, I need you.” Evelyn’s voice was barely above a whisper and rich with desire. “Touch me.”
Good God, the woman wanted him to touch her. It was the kiss of death to anyone who dared, and now she asked for it. From him. A tug pulled at his heart, and he realized she trusted him, implicitly. If he didn’t do this, if he rejected her, she would leave. So he would touch her. A little bit, for her safety, and his sanity.
His arm pulled back to his side, and he tried to turn, but Evelyn was so close to him now he would have steamrolled her.
“E, you have to give me a chance to turn over here, honey.” He laughed a breathless laugh.
“Oh.” Evelyn scooted back an inch, and his massive body turned over and faced her.
The moon lit the room with a soft glow, and she could see him, his green eyes dancing with fire. The slight breeze carried his scent to her. His black hair disheveled his full lips begging to be kissed. She pulled her bottom lip in and bit. Unable to stop her own hands, she touched his lips with her fingers. They were warm and smooth.
Joshua had to maintain some control here. He was supposed to be touching her, not the other way around. His lips parted and he drew in a finger. Nipping the tip of it gently she gasped and pulled her hand back.
“I’m supposed to be touching you, remember?” He smiled playfully and decided that given the circumstances he had a lot to live up to. This was almost like her first time since he wasn’t tied up and, well, he was worried he might not be up to the task.
“So then touch me, Joshua.”
Her voice was trembling with desire, and he realized he was definitely up to the task. He would make sure she was satisfied. He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. He slid his nose along hers feeling the cool sensation of it, nuzzled his nose in a circle around the tip of hers and then slid back up to her forehead.
Evelyn fought the lustful hound inside her. She wanted to grab him and do things she only saw on television, and here he was like a gentle angel tormenting her with baby kisses and sensual nuzzles. Her legs began to flex, and her body began to move.
“Kiss me, Joshua.” The words escaped in a desperate plea.
His lips answered but not where she expected. The skin on her throat was pulled between those soft lips as his thick tongue swept down to tease. Evelyn moaned, and her hands reached out to grab him. She pulled at his back, wanting him closer.
He let her feel him as she pleased. For now. Her body was wrought with desire, and every touch caused it to rise and fall at his command. He understood why she liked being in control now. The power was intoxicating. His large hand slid from her throat to her breast and pulled the already taut nipple between his thumb and index finger.
Evelyn felt her back press up and thought she might just levitate into him. His fingers gently rolled, and her sex became alive with fire. She hadn’t realized till now that all his touches ended inside her. Deep inside her.
“Mmmmm, relax babe, trust me.” Joshua could barely trust himself right now. If this had been any other woman, he would have been pounding into her at full force, but it wasn’t. It was Evelyn, and she needed to be treated gently. She needed to understand that she could be cherished. That despite his size and previous work experience he could be gentle.
“That’s easy for you to...” Evelyn was cut off by one imposing finger that slid across her lips and dipped into her mouth. Craving any chance to kiss him she sucked and licked and pulled at it. She felt the rumble in the air and a vibration on her breast and then realized he was growling. She felt something strong inside and thought she may have climaxed, but she had never really climaxed, so she wasn’t sure. She was sure that it reverberated throughout her abdomen and deep within her womb.
Joshua had meant to shut her up, but the little minx turned that around quickly. It was getting tough to see straight, so he pulled his fingers reluctantly away from her lips. His lips caught and suckled her other breast while his free hand now slid slowly down her hips. Her thighs parted though he hadn’t reach between them. She was anxious.
“Patience,” Joshua whispered and suckled the opposite breast.
“Now.” Evelyn was demanding even to her own ears, but she wanted to do this. She wanted him, and she wanted him now.
Her hips lifted and writhed. Joshua smiled. Even in her submission, she wanted control. He wouldn’t give it to her. He knew she expected him to have no control, to just plow between her and find his release. He wasn’t selfish in the bedroom before her, so he wasn’t about to start now.
His lips tracked down her stomach to her navel. His tongue dipped in and out. Her legs slammed shut like a jail cell.
“What are you doing?” Breathless she asked. He should be between her legs now, not trailing down her with kisses. The thought of him putting his face that close, was alarming. Why would he want to do that? They don’t do that in the movies.
“Open,” Joshua demanded. Surely if she had a man tied up in a bed, she had sat on a face. She acted as if this were new.
“Nuh-uh.” Evelyn closed her eyes and gripped the sheets. It took all she had to keep her legs closed. It was embarrassing to think he was going to look at her there.
“Then I’m done.” Joshua sat up with a deep breath. It must be her game. She wants control, he thought.
“Sleep tight.” He patted her on the knee and lay back facing the ceiling his head on the pillow; he waited.
“Done, done? Like hell you are. You, you ... you can’t do this. You have to...” Evelyn sat up in desperation. She reached for him. He blocked her attempts to grab at him while she spoke. “Stop it.”
“Stop trying to grab me.” Joshua feigned offense. “I’m not a piece of meat, woman.”
Evelyn gasped. The nerve. “You can’t do that.” Evelyn ached inside. Her body was hurting with need, and he lay here like it was no big thing though his cock was pitching a tent so big she could sleep under it.
“I can. See you asked me to touch you. That means I touch you, my way or not at all.” Joshua blinked a few times and sighed. “Too bad, you would have enjoyed it.”
She growled.
“Okay, okay.” Evelyn sat on her heels and still looked down at him. “Tell me what to do. I’ll do it.”
“I don’t know that I feel up to it now. I mean it’s late and all.” Joshua crossed his toes because God knew he wanted to. No cold shower would release t
his ache, not now.
“Pu...” Evelyn swallowed hard. She was about to say please, to a man, beg a man for sex. The world had come to an end, and if she wasn’t looking at the devil himself right now, she would have thought hell had indeed frozen over. No man had this kind of self-control. “Please, Joshua, Please ... I’m begging you.”
It wasn’t the words or the way she said them. It was the single tear that fell down her cheek that humbled him and made him realize this wasn’t a game for her. She wasn’t toying with him. He was unintentionally toying with her. That made him feel like a real ass.
He sat up quickly taking her lips with his own. A gentle kiss that softened his heart and made him think of her as nothing else but a woman, a soft, beautiful woman. A woman who was begging him to have sex with her, how could he refuse?
His kiss deepened, and Evelyn realized what she had been missing all the years of her life. Him. She wanted to climb right on top of him or under his skin, but he had already pushed her toward her back as he covered her. Her legs opened and settled to either side of his hips, and she gasped when she felt the press of his erection against her cotton panties. She thought then maybe she should let him do what he wanted to do. He was the one with more experience here.
“Joshua.” She gasped for air.
“Mmmm,” he growled.
“Do what you want with me, I trust you.” It was a monumental statement.
Joshua kissed her lips a moment longer and set about kissing down her abs stopping at her navel once more his shoulders between her legs this time. He had a moment of hesitation. She seemed nervous. “You’re sure?”
“You’re the teacher.” Evelyn pushed a hand through his hair and looked at him through long brown lashes and half open eyes. “I’m trying to learn.”
“Then consider this your first lesson.” Indeed, she was a fireball, talking dirty. Joshua slipped his fingers between the cotton panties that were damp already and pulled them down. They wouldn’t give too far, so he just ripped them and tossed them to the side of the bed. Evelyn jerked at the sound. He certainly didn’t mean to startle her. Maybe this was new to her after all.
