by Kat Mizera
Though her heart was pounding, Lana was a born and bred New Yorker and she’d been taught from an early age to defend herself against attacks. Although there were different rules if there was a gun involved, she didn’t get that sense and she turned abruptly, elbowing her assailant in the ribs. The woman grunted, holding on to Lana’s purse as she stumbled. That was something else Lana had learned to protect, from the time she was old enough to carry one, and she held on for dear life, finding her voice as she cried out, “Mark!”
The woman had a scarf over her head and her eyes widened as Lana shoved her away. Then she was gone, scuttling behind some sales racks and breaking into a full run as she rounded the corner.
“Lana!” Mark and Aaron came running toward her and she gestured weakly.
“Your wife,” she whispered. “It was your wife… She told me to stay away from you.”
“We should go after her!” Aaron said, looking around wildly.
“No.” Mark put a hand on his arm. “This could be a ruse to separate us. She knows she can’t fight us herself, but if we’re separated and she has an accomplice, they could possibly take on one or both of us.”
Aaron scowled but his face softened as he looked at Lana. “Are you okay? I’m so fucking sorry. I should never have flirted with you in public like that.”
“Damn straight you shouldn’t have.” Mark glared.
Now that she was no longer in imminent danger, Lana shook her head. “She messed with the wrong New Yorker. She actually tried to take my purse… Does she have any idea how we feel about purse snatchers?”
“I can only imagine.” Mark ran his hands up her arms. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s get out of here,” Aaron muttered.
“You, uh, want to buy this?” Mark picked up the lacy black fabric and handed it to her.
Lana shook her head sadly, the mood spoiled. “Nah.” She tossed it on the counter and walked towards the exit.
9
Joyce’s threats to Aaron and now Lana were ruining everything. Although he and Lana were together day and night, Aaron was with them too, leaving them no time alone. Late at night, they would sit up and talk, and he looked forward to those moments all day. She was as smart and thoughtful as she was beautiful, and he was captivated by the woman she was. Unfortunately, it always ended with them falling asleep on the couch and not only was he tired of sleeping on a piece of furniture that was too small for them, he also wanted them to have some privacy. They could have gone up to her room, but she was uncomfortable because of the situation with Joyce and there was no way for them to be intimate with Aaron in the house. Mark couldn’t have cared less, but he knew her well enough by now to sense she wouldn’t be okay with it. In retrospect, although he’d been trying to do the right thing, he wished he hadn’t stopped that night in Bozeman.
There had been no further contact from Joyce and even with both local police and the Brotherhood Protectors looking for her, there’d been no sign of her. After a week of being holed up in the house, they were all going a little stir-crazy and Aaron announced he was going out. Lana tried to protest but he shook his head.
“Lana, you’re a great lady, and I love hanging out with you, but I need a little guy time, okay? I’ll have bodyguards as dates, so you have nothing to worry about. You can have some time to yourself.”
“Is Mark going with you?” she asked, looking from one to the other.
Aaron rumbled out a laugh. “I’m leaving him here to guard your body.” On that note, he strolled out of the kitchen and into the other room.
“Is it that obvious we want to sleep together?” she demanded, scowling at Mark.
“Well, yeah.” He leaned over and kissed her lightly. “The only person who thinks it’s a bad idea is you.”
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” she whispered. “I just think it’ll be different with you.”
“Different how?”
“More meaningful, more intense. My experiences have all been about casual sex, the physical act, but with you…” Her voice trailed off.
Mark looked at her for a long time, one hand tracing a light line along the side of her face, her jaw, her berry-colored lips. “I can’t help but wonder what’s underneath the clothes and the figurative suit of armor you wear, and how long until you’ll let me see.”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I’m scared.”
“Of me?”
“Of us. It’s already so good between us, and our friendship is special… Once I let you that close, you’ll own me.”
“You already own me. I can’t think about anything else. I want to be with you every minute of the day. I want to touch you. I hate when you spend time with Aaron. I love your voice, the stories you tell, the way your eyes light up when you talk about work… You’ve got me so distracted I barely remember why I came to Montana, so what’s the difference?”
“See? This is what happens to me too. What happens if I let us be more than friends?”
“We’re already more than friends. Sleeping together isn’t going to change that part of it. It’ll make it more intense, but it’s not like we can just stop liking each other.”
To his surprise, she leaned over and pressed her lips to his. “You’re right.”
“I’m right?” He hadn’t been expecting her to give up so easily.
“But not here.”
“What?”
“We have to go somewhere else. Someone’s throwing bombs at this house… It’s hard to think about sex under these circumstances.”
He nodded solemnly. “You’re absolutely right.”
An hour later they were letting themselves into a hotel room in Bozeman, chosen randomly once they got there and put in Kate’s name, just to make sure Joyce couldn’t easily find them. Mark barely gave her time to put her purse down before pulling her close and slanting his mouth over hers. They kissed like sex-starved lovers who’d been apart for years, instead of two people exploring something new. It was odd how familiar this was already, as if they’d known each other much longer and had been far more intimate than they had in reality.
Their tongues tangled deliciously, all restraint and inhibitions gone. She didn’t care what the future held; she wanted to experience this. With him. She’d had sex but not with someone as exciting as Mark. He was simply gorgeous, so much hotter than the men who normally asked her out, and she refused to allow herself to second-guess his interest anymore. If it was meant to be, she’d find out one way or another. Everything else would have to wait.
Large, strong hands moved down her back to cup her bottom and the sound of pleasure coming from deep in his chest made her core clench with longing. Every inch of his torso was hard, filled with the same quiet strength in his personality that drew her to him. She slid her leg up, hooking it around his hip and tugging him closer until his erection was shoved against her crotch.
“Baby, the bed…”
“Mmm, okay.” She was startled when he scooped her up in his arms and she yelped. “Mark, I’m too heavy!”
“You’re kidding, right?” he chuckled, nuzzling her neck. “Baby, your size doesn’t intimidate me—you’re gorgeous. Every inch of you. And I can’t wait to feel you, taste you, have those legs wrapped around me while I fuck you senseless.”
Her breath left her in a little huff of excitement. No one had ever talked to her like that, or made her feel so desirable.
He dropped her on the bed and crawled over her slowly, his eyes burning into hers. He paused, lifting up and pulling his shirt over his head, revealing his long, lean torso. Hard, ripped with muscle, and topped by broad shoulders, she was breathless just thinking about being with him this way. Guys like Mark weren’t part of her life; they were fantasies. How on earth had she found a real-life dreamboat with deep-set blue eyes that were focused on her now like a hungry lion? She’d never felt so wanted, so sexy, so alive. It was life-changing because she’d had no idea this type of sensuality existed b
etween two people. She’d been in love, had good sex, and enjoyed men, but everything in the past paled in comparison to the connection she had with Mark.
As their lips came together again, something changed, and time seemed to slow to a crawl. His kisses were gentler, but somehow more insistent, as if urgency had been replaced with sensuality. The way he caressed her mouth made her feel as though she was the only woman in the world, as if she was his. Her body reacted in kind, barely aware that he’d tugged off her top and brought his hands around to draw her breasts together. They were large, often heavy, but Mark held them like fine pieces of china, delicately swirling his tongue over one nipple until it peaked against his mouth. She whimpered when he sucked it in deep, his tongue stroking the hardened nub until she arched her back, pushing her chest against him.
He took his time, lavishing each breast with attention, leaving her yearning for more, her fingers splayed across his back, unable to do anything but feel. She was in pleasure overload, relishing each swipe of his tongue, the way his lips felt against her skin and the incredible weight of his body on hers. It was a banquet of sexy sensations to feast on and she shifted restlessly.
“Mark…please…”
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get enough of these,” he sighed, running his lips across her nipples once more. “Do you like when I touch them?”
“Yes, oh yes.”
He slid her jeans and panties down, pulling them free of her legs and immediately settling on top of her again. “You’re the most delectable thing I’ve ever tasted, Lana. I can’t wait to watch your face when I make you come.”
Instead of embarrassment, all Lana felt was need. Desire. An ache in her core so strong she was afraid she would lose control the moment he gave her what she wanted. She waited impatiently as he pulled a foil packet from his pocket and kicked his jeans free at the same time. He was beautiful, all sinewy muscles and dizzyingly masculine lines.
She loved the way he moved too, like a panther on the prowl, but sexier. Oh, so much sexier. As their bodies collided, everything exploded around her. There was no other word for how it felt when he slid into her. Magical. Passionate. Possessive. His lips claimed hers once again, and the way his tongue caressed hers was more sensual than anything she’d ever experienced. How did a man learn to kiss like this? She was drowning in him, every inch of skin heated and prickling with reckless desire. He glided in and out slowly, one hand behind her head gripping her hair, the other beneath her, holding her even closer.
Pleasure rocked through her. She ran her foot along the length of his leg, coming to a stop at the top of his thigh before wrapping it around his waist. He groaned, the only thing that signified he was struggling to remain in control. They were completely immersed in each other, as close as two bodies could possibly be, and each grind of his hips brought her closer to nirvana.
“Mark…” Her breathy sigh against his mouth made his eyes gleam.
“Yeah, baby?”
“Harder.”
“Oh, fuck, you’re gonna kill me.” He lifted to his knees and pushed her legs back, changing the angle and thrusting in deep. “Hold on, baby, ’cause this is gonna be just what you asked for.”
He snapped his hips forward without warning, sheathing himself all the way and making her gasp. The second time he did it her eyes rolled back and she dug her nails into his biceps. The third time made her scream, her legs beginning to shake as something low in her belly began to tighten deliciously.
“M-Mark!” She was panting, arching up, wanting more even though he made her grunt each time he bottomed out.
“That’s it, baby, come all over my cock.”
She wasn’t sure how it happened, but his deep, sexy growl combined with another earth-shattering thrust was all it took to send her over the edge. Everything went black and she howled his name so loud it echoed off the walls.
Lana’s cries filled the room and Mark dropped her legs, jerking against her as his own release followed hers. His growl of pleasure mingled with hers, and he dropped his head as she clenched around him over and over, until she’d milked him dry. The word intense briefly flitted through his subconscious, but then he was kissing her again, oblivious to anything and everything except the gorgeous woman beneath him. She was spectacular, in every way imaginable, and he planned to make her scream his name repeatedly tonight. It was that good.
“You okay, babe?” He looked down because he felt her shiver.
“A little cold,” she admitted, smiling shyly as she nestled her face in his shoulder.
They’d collapsed on the bed without turning down the sheets, so he tugged the top edge free and moved them both to the side. He pulled the sheet and blanket back and then slid under them, keeping Lana against his chest and rubbing his hands down her back.
“Better?”
“Mmm.” She smiled sleepily.
“I’ll do my best to keep you warm tonight.”
“I bet you will.” She let out a little giggle and it made him smile; she’d never giggled in front of him before and it was adorable.
“Next time, I want you on top,” he murmured, pressing a kiss against her temple. “I need to watch those magnificent breasts bounce while the rest of you bounces on my cock.”
She snorted. “That’s your kink, huh?”
“My kink?” He laughed. “I don’t know if I have a kink, per se, but I’ll fuck you, make love to you, tap you, lay you…however, whenever, wherever. If you want to try it, I’m down.”
“Easy, tiger, it was just an observation. I don’t know about all that laying and tapping…”
“But fucking and making love is okay?”
“Isn’t that what we just did?” She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes bright with mischief and…something else. He wasn’t sure what it was, though.
“Oh yeah. And we’re going to do it a lot more too.”
10
Lana woke up first, awareness gradually pushing through her sleep-fogged brain. The warm arm resting across her waist, the steady breathing beside her and the hard—her eyes popped open and she jerked around. She came face-to-face with Mark and was acutely aware of their naked bodies, a tiny prick of embarrassment washing over her. Then his eyes opened and a sweet, familiar smile covered his lips as he looked at her.
“Good morning, beautiful.” He leaned forward and lightly kissed her, one hand palming her ass possessively.
“G-good morning,” she whispered. “I, um, I…”
“You should stop thinking about whatever’s making you stammer and cuddle with me.”
“I should?” She blinked.
“Yes.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her across his chest and running his hands along the swell of her ass. “It’s still early, so there’s no reason to rush around.”
“Oh, um, okay.”
“After last night, you’re still feeling uncomfortable?” He pressed a light kiss on the side of her face.
“After last night, you should know me well enough to know my gut reaction is always discomfort.”
“Then I guess I have to make it my goal to get you past that. With me, at least.”
She smiled against his chest, inhaling his deliciously masculine scent and allowing herself to soak up his warmth. She didn’t want to feel awkward with him. This was Mark, and she’d waited her whole life for a guy like him. Maybe she’d been waiting just for him, specifically, because last night had shown her they fit together like pieces of a puzzle. She’d liked him before; she was head-over-heels crazy about him now.
“We have to get back to Eagle Rock soon,” she said reluctantly. “I’ve got a ton of work to do.”
“It’s not even seven yet, babe. Relax.”
“Okay.” She closed her eyes and for the first time in a long time, she didn’t think about anything. Not work, not the decision on whether or not to move, nothing. The only thing she was capable of was feeling. Feeling Mark. His strength, his tenderness, his incredible patience with her.
How on earth had she gone nearly 30 years without knowing what it felt like to be with Mark? More than that, how was someone so beautiful, both inside and out, still available?
“Why are you single?” she blurted out, raising her head to look into his eyes.
The beginnings of a smile made his lips twitch. “Because I hadn’t met you yet,” he answered lightly.
“But you’re so nice,” she protested. “And hot. I mean, seriously hot.”
He chuckled. “I could say the same about you.”
“I embarrass myself in front of men regularly.” She shrugged. “And while it doesn’t seem to bother you, there are a lot of guys who don’t like that I’m taller than them, so it’s different for me.”
“Then those weren’t the right guys for you.”
“And you are.” She wasn’t sure whether she was asking a question or making a statement, but it probably fell somewhere in between.
“Seems that way,” he agreed.
“Mark, I haven’t had a boyfriend since…forever.”
“It’s been a while for me, too, but I think we got this, babe. Don’t think so much. Just enjoy.” He shifted out from their embrace and abruptly flipped her over. He looked down at her with that same look he’d had last night and she melted a little, unable to break his gaze or resist the heat building inside of her.
“There’s that passionate woman from last night,” he whispered, dropping light kisses along her jaw. “Keep looking at me just like that, baby, and then I want to hear you screaming my name again.”
By the time they’d made love twice, showered and had breakfast, it was after nine and they drove back to Eagle Rock with their hands linked between them. Lana wasn’t used to having a man drive her anywhere unless she was in a taxi, but she didn’t mind with Mark. She could already picture herself falling in love with him. He was so easy-going and tender, even when he was intense, and she was beginning to crave it. Everything was so damn easy with him. Easier than she’d imagined when he’d just been Erin’s hot friend. Much easier than she’d thought after running into him at the airport in Las Vegas. Too damn easy. And life had taught her that nothing good was ever this easy.
