Deep (The Deep Duet Book 1)

by M. Malone

  “Rafe!”

  Her scream was the last thing he heard before he was sucked under in a whirling storm that fractured everything into brilliant white lights.

  Holy hell, what had she just done?

  Her inner sex kitten stretched languorously. You had yourself a whole bunch of orgasms.

  She’d meant to fuck with his life, but she hadn’t meant to actually fuck him. Jesus H. Christ. She was so screwed.

  Ain’t that the truth.

  The man had stamina, that much was not in question. Diana huffed out a breath and pushed her hair out of her face. Next to her, Rafe lay sprawled over the other side of the bed, looking just as destroyed as she felt. They’d been at it for hours, and it was only now that he was allowing her to rest.

  He wasn’t really allowing her to rest; it was more like he’d had to take a break too. She didn’t have much experience, but he’d demanded that she give as good as she got. And if the dopey, satisfied look on his face was any indication, she’d done that. Yeah, but at what cost? Unwanted guilt wormed its way into her heart and planted a seed.

  So. Screwed.

  This whole plan hinged on her being as cold and calculating as he was. But that’s not the truth, is it? She’d made a mistake at the party. Hell, before the party. She’d started to see him as a person. Not just a man, but someone like her who’d made bad decisions along the way. She’d humanized him, and there was no coming back from that. She’d have to live with the guilt.

  When he turned his head and saw her watching him, his lips stretched into a lazy smile. Then, in a sudden motion that made Diana squeak, his arm wrapped around her middle and dragged her right up next to him. His face nuzzled into the curve of her neck, and she had to fight back a sigh of contentedness. Who would have thought Rafe would be a snuggler?

  “Do you need anything? Thirsty?”

  Diana shook her head. “I don’t think I could move if the building was on fire. My legs are jelly.”

  His low, sexy laugh sent chills up and down her spine, and her traitorous nipples immediately stood at attention. She scowled. After a marathon session like they’d just had, every part of her should be satisfied. But no, apparently certain parts of her would always react to Rafe even when she felt like she’d been wrung completely dry.

  “Good. That means my work here is done.” Rafe kissed her behind the ear and then stretched. “I’m going to shave and then take a shower. You should rest.”

  Diana watched as he got out of the bed and walked over to the dresser. She didn’t bother to hide the fact that she was staring. A naked Rafe was truly a sight to behold. With his dark, ebony hair and that honey skin tone, he looked like the perfect fantasy of tall, dark, and handsome. That description would forever be modified to tall, dark, insanely muscular, and handsome for Diana. She couldn’t keep the smile off her face when he bent over to get something out of the dresser.

  Stupid vagina.

  Everything on him, including the incredible ass currently in front of her, was tight, firm, and looked like you could bounce quarters off it.

  He turned around and noticed her staring. “Keep looking at me like that and you’re going to get fucked… again. Is that what you want?”

  The low timbre of his voice made her wet. Just like that. So simple. So easy. “Jesus. You’re a machine, and I’m sore all over. I think I need a rest.”

  He prowled back to the bed, leaning over to trail kisses up her leg. “Wish I could say I’m sorry. But I’m not. And if you’re sore, there are a few other places I didn’t touch, kiss, or fuck last night.” His gaze flickered to hers and he winked.

  Oh fuck.

  Her inner sex kitten: Yes. Hell yes. Get the lube. ALL the lube.

  Her: Gulp.

  Her mouth hung open and he chuckled to himself. “Keep that up and you’ll catch my dick in your mouth.”

  Diana just laughed and pulled the covers over her head. She heard the bathroom door shut a few seconds later.

  She blushed and pulled the sheet around her body. The sounds of the shower filtered in from behind the door across from the bed. How he had the energy to even stand upright, she would never know. It felt like every bone in her body had been turned into jelly. Good sex will do that to you. At least that was what she’d heard.

  Damn, I can’t believe that’s what I’ve been missing all this time.

  Nope. Uh-uh. She wasn’t going to reflect on his talented mouth, fingers, or dick right now. She was at DEFCON 1. She’d slept with him. She needed to regroup. Get her priorities in order. She could still do this.

  Are you sure you want to?

  Tears pricked her lids. This was so fucked. What did she have if she didn’t have this? She’d made a mistake, and now she needed to live with it. She couldn’t dwell on how disappointed she was with herself. Or how much she was betraying her family.

  The sound of her phone ringing pulled her out of her thoughts. With the sheet wrapped around her, she ran out to the living room to get her phone from her jacket. By the time she got there, it had stopped ringing.

  Charisse. She immediately called her back.

  “Hey honey, you okay? You didn’t check in last night like usual.”

  That’s because she’d been busy hanging on to Rafe’s shoulders and trying not to die from too many orgasms. Diana winced. Constant phone calls would have been suspicious, but she’d been keeping Charisse updated each day with a quick text message. Her friend was already worried enough about her going through with this crazy plan.

  “I— Uh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

  “Well, I did worry. Where the hell were you? Please don’t tell me if it was anything dangerous.”

  “No. Not dangerous. I just… fell asleep.”

  Charisse was silent for a beat. Then two. “Oh. My. God. You slept with him!”

  “It’s not my fault. But he kissed me… and…” Her voice trailed. “Well, I don’t really know what happened after that. I know I shouldn’t have, okay? I feel shitty about it.”

  Charisse stayed silent.

  “Fuck. Say something.”

  “Was it good?”

  Was it ever. “Seriously, I tell you I fucked the enemy and you ask if it was good?”

  “I mean, was it?”

  “Yes, damn it.”

  “But you still want to go through with the plan.”

  “I don’t really have a choice. That’s why I’m here.”

  “Or maybe you do have a choice, and you’ve lived with this for so long and ignored who you are as a person and as a woman and you needed this. Maybe it’s time to bury this vendetta.”

  “What, and live a blissfully shagged life with my father’s killer?”

  “When you put it that way, it does sound a little warped.” Charisse took a breath. “So what’s the plan, Stan? You going to sleep with him again?”

  Vagina: Fuck yes.

  Brain: Hell no.

  Her brain won out despite the deep pull in her belly. “No. I’m going to do my best to wrap this up and stay alive.”

  She glanced around the kitchen where the remains of their dinner were still on the table, spilled wine and all. The place was a damn disaster. The situation just kept spinning more and more out of control, and she was afraid that eventually she’d be thrown off the ride. She blew out a breath as she grabbed a dishrag and started cleaning. It was something to take her mind off how crazy the situation was at least. She’d made such a mess of things. So it was time to get to plan B, or she was going to make a deadly mistake.

  “I just—”

  “What, Char?”

  “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “Me too. I always have the Corbin James contingency.” Corbin James was the fictitious ex she’d created for herself. If things got too hot, she’d leave some clues that her ex had found her, and she’d vanish. Rafe would be so busy looking for a ghost that it would be too late by the time he found her real trail.

  At
least she hoped that’s how things would go.

  “I hope it doesn’t come down to that.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Diana put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and then went back to wipe down the table. She could hear Charisse breathing softly and figured her friend was trying to come up with something to say. But in the end she just sighed.

  “Be safe, Diana. Love you.”

  “Love you too. I’ll call you later today when it’s safer.”

  “Uh-huh. Be careful.”

  “Always.”

  Diana hung up with a sinking feeling in her stomach. Then she turned, and her stomach dropped completely when she saw Rafe standing in the doorway to the kitchen, watching her with shrewd eyes.

  Oh shit! “Hey, there you are. I didn’t hear the shower stop.” Diana cursed herself silently as soon as she said it. She didn’t need to point out to him that she’d been listening for when he was done.

  “I finished and came looking for you. I thought you’d be back asleep.” He looked over at the clean table. “Apparently I didn’t tire you out as well as I thought I did.”

  Diana blushed. “You did. I only got up because I heard my phone ringing. I figured the least I could do was start cleaning up.”

  He moved closer. “You don’t need to do that. I can think of much better uses for all this extra energy.”

  Relieved that he was in a playful mood, Diana put her arms around his waist. He hadn’t bothered to put a shirt on after his shower, so he was only wearing a pair of loose gym shorts. The scruff that looked so sexy on him was gone now, and he was clean-shaven. It was ridiculous that a man could look so good both ways.

  “I’ve never seen you without the beard. You look good. But I definitely like the stubble too.”

  “Yeah. I do too. But I noticed the beard marks on your neck. And having the scruff makes it harder for me to do this.” He easily picked her up, then covered her lips with his. By the time he pulled back, Diana was dazed and panting.

  “So, who was on the phone?” he asked, all while kissing lightly all over her face.

  Diana could barely think, and he wanted to ask her questions. She struggled to remember who had called. Then she remembered that she couldn’t tell him who had called. No way she was putting Charisse in harm’s way.

  “I was just checking my messages. I took your advice and texted my friend. She called earlier. I missed it because we were a little occupied.”

  “Did she leave one?”

  “Leave what?” He was using his tongue on the shell of her ear, and it made it hard to think.

  He nipped her softly before saying, “A message.”

  Diana looked up into his eyes and stilled. He knew something. Rafe was watching her a little too closely, and there was something in his eyes that warned her to be careful what she said. Because he would be looking for holes in her story.

  “No. She’ll probably call back.”

  She tried to get down, but he held her in position. The sheet had precariously slipped since he’d picked her up, and she could feel the tip of his dick poking up over the top of his shorts.

  His gaze was serious even as his voice was feather soft. “Diana?”

  Shit, he was going to call her on her lies. She was toast. “Yeah?”

  “I think I’m going to need another shower.”

  Her eyes went wide when he rocked his hips and she could feel the outline of his cock. Yes, she’d just said this was not happening again. Yes, she’d never intended to sleep with him in the first place. Yes, this was a dangerous game she was playing.

  She could lie to Charisse all she wanted, but lying to herself was a habit she couldn’t abide. She wanted him. Even if that made her hate herself. It was getting nearly impossible to keep track of the lies and who she was supposed to be and when.

  Especially when all she really wanted to be with Rafe was herself.

  “We could shower together. You know… conserve water.”

  He nodded slowly. “Environmentally minded. I like that. And I’m down. But first I’m going to make you scream like this. Then I’m going to show you just a few of the things we missed out on last night in my haste to come inside you.”

  He deliberately rocked against her clit again and he’d called it, all right. She did scream.

  chapter nine

  Diana was lying to him.

  Rafe knew it in his bones. And he was the idiot who’d slept with her.

  He was supposed to be the guy who could walk away. He was supposed to be the guy who wasn’t affected by any of this shit. But just the knowledge that he’d gotten it wrong twisted him up inside.

  Give her a chance. There might be a reason for the lie. Because no doubt about it. She had been lying about checking her messages the morning he’d caught her in the kitchen. He hadn’t called her on it then. Because hell, he was a spy. He knew enough to keep his cards close to his vest until he was ready.

  And with her naked in your bed, will you ever be ready?

  Several days had passed since he’d crossed that line with her. And he kept trying to pin down the clues. Figure out what she was hiding. He wanted to be wrong. Prayed he was wrong.

  The previous day when he’d left for the office, she had kissed him sweetly and told him she’d see him later. Her credit cards had arrived that morning, but neither one of them had uttered a single word about what that meant or about where this was going. When he’d gotten home, they’d continued in that vein, eating dinner together, neither addressing the elephant in the room. Diana didn’t seem inclined to confide in him either, Rafe thought grumpily.

  When he’d asked her what was on her mind last night, he’d hoped it would at least start the conversation about what her plans were going forward. But she’d distracted him with kisses. You let yourself be distracted.

  It burned a hole in Rafe’s chest that he really didn’t know much about her at all. Except her name. That was it. If you were smart, you would have done a background check. He shoved that thought aside. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.

  Before he’d slept with her, she was just a woman he was helping. There was nothing she could gain access to in his apartment. His safe was national-security tight. Sure, she had access to his security panel, but that was just for the house. She was welcome to anything in there that she could carry. And if she tried to make off with the Decker, she’d get a nasty surprise. The thing was booby-trapped.

  He didn’t use the same password for anything. Both his computer and his safe would require hacker-level decryption equipment.

  So he’d had no need to worry about exactly who she was or finding out all the dirty details about her life. Until now.

  Next to him, Diana slumbered, completely unaware of the direction of his thoughts. It made him feel like a pussy, but he couldn’t deny himself the privilege of watching her when she was so vulnerable.

  It felt ridiculous that he wasn’t sure how to talk to a woman, but he honestly hadn’t had much practice in these types of situations. From his covert work, he was used to using… other methods when he needed information from someone.

  It turned out that proving you were trustworthy so people voluntarily told you things was an entirely different game.

  Finally she moaned and rolled toward him, pillowing her hands under her cheek. Her lashes fluttered against her cheeks gently before her eyes opened. When she saw him watching her, her eyes lit up with pleasure. It did something to him to see her unfiltered reaction. She wasn’t even fully awake yet, so there was no artifice or calculation behind her reaction. Just happiness. She was genuinely happy to see him.

  “Good morning,” he said softly.

  “Morning.”

  She moved closer and burrowed into the crook of his arm. He pulled her near, savoring the warmth and comfort of having someone with him. Due to the dangers of his job, he’d never allowed anyone to get close, so he’d missed this kind of easy intimacy. It wasn’t as difficult as he’d thought it would be. Somehow being wi
th Diana felt like the most natural thing in the world.

  The sound of her stomach rumbling broke the quiet in the room. Diana’s giggles made him smile.

  “Hungry, sweetheart?”

  She finally pulled her face out of his arm. “Sorry. I’m not sure why, but I’m starving.”

  Rafe pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “That’s my cue. I’ll see what I can rustle up. Especially since you’ve been doing such a good job of taking care of me when it should be the other way around. Don’t want you to think I don’t take care of my guests.”

  Her eyes lost some of their sparkle and her lips pulled down at the corners slightly. “Right. I’m just going to jump in the shower.”

  Rafe made a decision. He needed to call Noah for advice. That wasn’t a decision he made lightly. This was the man he’d once mentored and thought of as a little brother. A man he’d trained to be a killer and who was now married to his little sister. Who’d knocked up his little sister. Rafe shuddered. That shit was still taking some getting used to.

  Once Diana was in the shower and he didn’t have to worry about her overhearing, Rafe took his phone out to the living room.

  When Noah answered, he sounded distracted. Which quickly changed when he realized who it was. Good to know he still commanded some respect.

  Then he said, “You sound like shit. Who kicked your dog?”

  So much for respect.

  “I had a sleepless night. Fuck off.”

  Noah laughed. “Hmm. Is that code for sex all night? If so, good for you. Diana seemed cool.”

  “We are not talking about this,” Rafe gritted out.

  “Okay, okay. I won’t ask you any more questions about the pretty blonde you brought to a family gathering who seems to have you on edge right now. I won’t say a damn word. But, on the off chance you did want to talk about it, I’ve been there. There was a time your sister had me all twisted and turned around. It was fucking hell.”

  The last thing Rafe wanted to hear about was Noah and his sister. “This is an entirely different situation. Diana and I are… we’re not permanent.”