Rescued Heart (Titan World)

by Tarina Deaton

  The British reporter’s voice filled the suite. “Doctor Bennedict Wormwell, a physician with Medical Relief United, was arrested by Interpol today at his London offices on charges of human trafficking and aiding terror groups. It is believed Doctor Wormwell fed information to militia groups in African and Middle East countries where they would kidnap international aid works for ransom. He was most recently connected to the kidnapping of American Emmeline France from a non-profit clinic in Mali. A spokesman for the France family has confirmed Ms. France was rescued several days ago. He further stated she is safe in an undisclosed location while she recuperates from her ordeal. In local news—”

  She muted the TV and looked at him. “Is that what Jared was talking about?”

  “Unless he knew you’d be worried about the status of the pound,” he said, trying to gauge her reaction.

  “Smart ass.” Glaring, she picked up her food. “Remind me never to piss off Titan.”

  “That’s probably a good life goal to have.” He wiped his fingers and dropped the napkin on his plate. “You good other wise? About…” he pointed to the television.

  She tilted her head and chewed. “I don’t know. Part of me is glad he was arrested, but a part of me is upset he didn’t get the ever-loving crap beat out of him in the process.”

  He threw his head back against the couch and laughed. “Are you always this blood thirsty?”

  She shrugged. “Not always. Just when people get me kidnapped and almost killed.”

  Sobering, he lost his smile. “You’re right. He needed the crap beat out of him.” He tilted his head at the remnants of the picnic spread out on the floor in the front of them. “You done?”

  Contemplating their dinner, she snagged the last grape leaf and popped it in her mouth. “Yeah.”

  “Good.” He gathered the plates from the towel spread on the floor and put them on the table under the television console. Grabbing the remote from the floor, he turned off the TV and threw the remote on the couch. “Time for dessert.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Emme worked her jaw, trying to relieve the pressure build up in her ears as she gazed across the small pond at the cream marble Temple of Asclepius, named for the Greek god of medicine — she’d Googled it the day they found it while walking through the Borghese gardens. They’d toured all over the city and this park, at the top of the Spanish Steps, was her favorite spot. Even with the tourists and locals walking around the crushed stone paths, and school children shrieking in the background, she could pretend it was only the two of them ensconced in their own private paradise.

  Not for the first time, she wondered how she got there. A month ago, she’d been sweating her ass off in Africa. Now she was dozing in the late summer sun in Rome.

  With Jordan Grant. Her school girl crush and the man she’d tried hard not to fall in love with. Tried and failed. No matter how much her mind said it was the intense circumstances of their situation, her heart wouldn’t listen.

  In two short days this fantasy would be over. She’d be back home and he’d be deployed back to Africa.

  She had so much to say. So many questions bombarding her mind, but the possible answers scared the crap out of her. What if he didn’t want the same things she did?

  W2D2? Grab the proverbial bull by the horns. The answer’s always ‘no’ if you don’t ask.

  “You awake?” She tilted her head back where it rested in the pocket of his shoulder.

  The hand on her hip squeezed and he grunted. She smiled, having learned over the last week that he was slow to wake. “Jordan?”

  “I’m awake.” His voice was low and rumbled deep in his chest under her ear.

  Her heart stuttered and she took a bracing breath. “What happens next?” she asked softly.

  “You mentioned the Trevi Fountain at night. We can wander over that way.” He kept his eyes closed, his head resting on the arm bent under his head.

  “No. I mean what happens when we leave Rome? When you— When I—” Crap. How did she ask this without actually asking?

  He rolled suddenly and loomed over her, his hips pressing into hers. Caging her in with his arms braced on either side of her.

  His green eyes were intense and his pupils jumped back and forth as he searched her face. “What happens between us when we get back to the real world?”

  Her breathing was shallow and her fight-or-flight instinct kicked in — torn between wanting to forget she even asked and hoping he wanted the same thing. “Yeah. Do we shake hands and chalk it up to an intense experience, or—?”

  “We definitely do not shake hands.” His voice was adamant and as intense as his gaze.

  “Oh.” She traced the edge of his jaw. “Then what—?”

  “What do you want, Emme?”

  She licked her lips. “I don’t want this to be over when we get back to the States and you deploy.”

  “Then we’ll figure it out. People do it all the time. I’m only going to be deployed for four or five months by the time I get on the ground. We’ll Skype and when I get back we’ll figure things out.” He brushed a strand of hair away from her temple. “Are you going to go back and work for the NGO?”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m not going to put my family through that again. Mom said she and Dad would support whatever I decided, but she had that tone in her voice that said she really meant ‘absolutely not’.”

  His body visibly relaxed. “Good.”

  “Besides, I’m not brave enough to slap Titan in the face by going back after they rescued me. I’m pretty sure I’d get a phone call over that one.”

  He smirked and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “Good call.”

  “So…” She swallowed hard, trying to force her pounding heart back down into her chest. “I should focus my job search in the south east?”

  “Yes, Emme. You should definitely focus your job search in the south east. Specifically in North Carolina. I hear there’s some really good hospitals in Raleigh.”

  Relief exploded in her chest and she grinned. “Okay.”

  His perfect smile answered hers, right before he dropped his head. Firm lips took hers, the short blonde scruff he’d let grow scratching the skin around her lips. She didn’t care. He’d left beard burn over her entire body. She loved his mouth on her.

  His tongue pressed against her lips and she opened, gasping as he took control.

  One hand dove under his shirt and up the wide expanse of his back as the other wound around his neck, locking him in place.

  High-pitched giggling broke the spell. They pulled apart and tilted their heads back. Three young girls stood at the edge of the path watching them.

  Jordan looked at her, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “Come on, before they whip out their phones and start taking pictures.”

  They wandered away from the Trevi Fountain, meandering through cobblestoned side streets. It was their last night in Rome and Jordan was determined to hit all the highlights and places Emme had said were her favorite. He pulled her hand around his back and dropped his arm over her shoulders, tucking her into his side.

  She tilted her head back to look at him and he kissed her as they walked. His reward was a smile and a sparkle in her eyes. He committed that look to memory so he could pull it up when he rejoined his unit next week.

  “Dinner in Piazza Navona?” he asked.

  “Are you sure? We’ve eaten there three times already.”

  “The food’s good and their house wine is the best we’ve found.”

  “Good point.”

  He kissed her temple and pulled her around a family taking pictures.

  “Do you think they’ll give it to us to go?”

  “We can ask. Why?”

  Her hand dropped down and squeezed his ass. “It’s our last night here. I’d rather spend it in the apartment.”

  Stopping, he pulled her into his arms. “We can always get some penne all’arrabbiata and a bottle of wine on the way.”

&nb
sp; She smiled and licked her lips. “I like that idea a lot better.”

  He cradled the back of her head and drew her in for a kiss. Her mouth was soft and welcoming. He cursed the distance back to their apartment. Releasing her, he grabbed her hand and picked up his pace to the main road a few yards ahead of them. No more meandering.

  They reached the road and he scanned for the closest taxi stand, leading Emme to the car at the head of the line.

  The white cab pulled to the curb in front of them and he opened the back door, ushering Emme into the car. “Via Ceriani Antonio, per favore.” He slammed the door and the taxi jerked into traffic. Emme slid into him as the taxi driver took an especially sharp turn, weaving around a parked car.

  What might have taken thirty minutes in normal circumstances, took half that time. When in Rome. He passed the driver the fare and exited, reaching in to help Emme climb out. She pressed a hand over her stomach and took a deep breath.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I’m glad we walked most of the time. I don’t think my stomach would have taken that every day.”

  The corners of his mouth quirked up. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wait to get you back here.”

  “Oh, I’m okay with that.”

  Her voice was breathless again. Christ, that sound could bring him to his knees. He took her hand. “Come on. Let’s get pasta and wine.”

  Twenty minutes later, they climbed the stairs to the third floor apartment. They’d lucked out finding an apartment so close to Saint Peter’s — they could actually see the dome from the roof. “Roof or apartment?” he asked. He could at least try to throw some ambiance at pizza and house wine.

  She looked over her shoulder at him. “Apartment?” She stopped on the landing of their floor.

  He stood on the step below, putting them eye-to-eye. “Why are you saying that like a question?”

  “Because if we go to the roof we have to clean up and take everything back downstairs, but if we stay here, we can just leave everything on the counter and clean it up later.”

  His booming laugh filled the close stairwell. “So you’re saying you want to eat and have your way with me.”

  Her smile was sultry. “Well, if having my way with you involves getting your tongue on my clit, then yes.”

  His cock couldn’t be any harder than if she’d dropped to her knees and unzipped his pants. He stepped up on the landing, crowding her back. “Get in the apartment Emme and take your clothes off.”

  Her pupils dilated. Chest rising and falling, she spun and dug in her pocket for the apartment key. He followed as she rushed through the door, setting the pizza and bag with the wine on the table in front of the couch.

  She’d kicked her shoes off in the living room and dropped her shirt a few steps from it in the short hall leading to the bedroom. Following the trail of clothes, he tore his shirt off and tossed it on the floor. For every article of Emme’s clothing he found, he took off his own and left it next to hers.

  She stood in the center of the small bedroom, clad only in her polka dot underwear. “Panties, Emme.”

  Her nipples hardened as he watched. “I thought I’d leave those for you.”

  His dick pulsed and he felt a drop of moisture escape. “On the bed.”

  She walked backward until she hit the bed, then sat and scooted back, watching him the whole time. Bracing a hand on the end of the bed, he crawled to her. He stopped halfway up her body and hooked his fingers into the edge of her underwear, drawing it down over her hips. She bent her knees and pulled her feet free.

  Running his hands from her ankles up to her knees, he pressed her legs apart. “Open for me, Emme.”

  Her back arched slightly, pushing her hips up, and her legs fell open. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her fists clench in the bed covers. Her breasts rose and fell with each shallow breath.

  He’d barely touched her. Not the way he wanted to. Not the way he was going to.

  He planned on worshiping her body all night. Showing her exactly how much she meant to him.

  Showing her he loved her.

  It was too soon to say the words, but he knew she was it for him.

  Trailing his tongue along the inside of her thigh, he moved higher, wedging his shoulders between her legs. He nipped the soft fleshy skin at the top of her thigh. She hissed in a breath and one of her hands grasped at his hair, still too short for her to do anything other than thread her fingers through.

  Using his thumbs, he spread her apart. She was wet and ready for him. Her hips rolled in small circles, seeking relief. He touched her clit with the tip of his tongue.

  “Uhn.” Her body bowed off the bed like he had shocked her.

  Fuck she was responsive.

  He pressed her clit more firmly and pushed his thumb into her, twisting it.

  “God, yes.”

  He grinned and circled his tongue around her sensitive nub. He wasn’t god, but he definitely planned on showing her heaven.

  Her hips moved faster, setting a regular rhythm. “More,” she breathed. “Please.”

  Ask and you shall receive. He didn’t stop moving his tongue. Pulling out his thumb, he replaced it with his first two digits, rotating and curling them to rub the front wall of her sweet pussy.

  She gasped. He hooked his other hand around her hip to hold her still and close to his mouth, not letting her move away to find relief. The muscles of her channel rippled around his fingers, indicating she was close.

  He didn’t know if he wanted her to come on his face or around his cock. Maybe he could do both. Rising to his knees with his fingers still buried deep, he grabbed a condom from a pile on the table beside the bed.

  Her eyes flew open. “Oh! No!”

  “Hang on, babe.” He tore the condom open with his teeth and pulled the rubber circle out, spitting the packet to the floor. He leaned down and circled her clit again with his tongue.

  She held him in place with her hands on the back of his head. He took his fingers out and replaced them with his tongue, while he rolled the condom on. He thrust into her tight opening, then circled her clit. He went back and forth, never staying in one spot long enough for her orgasm to build.

  Her growl of frustration, accompanied by her knees clenching the sides of his head, told him she was close but couldn’t reach the finish line. Not without him.

  Shoving his hands under her ass, he lifted her hips and shoved his thumb into her again.

  Her nails bit into his scalp and she moaned. “Yes. There. Oh, fuck. Yes.”

  Her inner muscles began to ripple. He released her hips, pressed his thumb against the hood of her clit, and thrust his engorged cock into her slick, hot sheath.

  “Jordan!” Her legs locked around his hips and she threw her head back as she came.

  He withdrew and pushed forward again. His balls drew up and he tried to hold off. He wanted her orgasm to last, to draw out until she begged for mercy, but he didn’t think he was going to last that long.

  She clenched and unclenched around him, trying to milk his cock as he thrust into her. In his mind, he started to break down his M-4 rifle, listing the parts and their functions. Anything to stave off blowing his load too soon.

  A shudder wracked her body and he gritted his teeth. He watched her come down from her high, her breasts rosy and flushed, a matching hue high on her cheeks. He continued to thrust into her as her muscles relaxed one by one. Her eyes fluttered and he buried himself all the way in, balls flush with her ass.

  “You didn’t come.”

  “Not yet. I want you to come again.”

  “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

  He sat back on his knees, pulled her legs from around his waist, and propped her calves on his shoulders. “I think we can make it happen.”

  She shook her head. “I’ve never had more than one orgasm while having sex, Jordan.”

  He withdrew slowly, until only the tip of his cock was in her. “Challenge accepted.” He th
rust forward and she sucked in a breath. He rubbed small, hard circles around the hood of her clit while he stayed buried inside her.

  “You’ve had more than one orgasm while someone’s played with your clit, right?”

  Her breath escaped in a gasp. “Yes.”

  “So if I play with your clit while my cock’s buried in your tight, wet pussy you’ll probably come again, right?”

  “Maybe.” Her hips jerked.

  Yeah, she was going to come again. He continued to rub his thumb in circles, first one direction, then the other. A flush started to spread across her chest again. He let go of her calf where he held it and pinched her nipple.

  “Oh, fuck.” Her teeth bit her bottom lip and her head fell to the side.

  He pulled out and slammed forward. “That’s right, Emme. Feel it. Can you feel my cock pulsing in you?”

  “Yes,” she gasped. Her breathing was nothing but gasps. He switched hands, pinching her other nipple and rubbing her clit in the other direction.

  “Shit. Jordan, please.”

  He withdrew and thrust again. “Please what?” He wanted to possess her. Destroy her for all other men, because there was never going to be anyone else for her.

  “Fuck, make me come. Move. Do something!”

  He twisted her nipple, slammed forward, and pulled on her clit at the same time.

  She screamed and her walls clamped down on his cock. That was what he needed. He fell forward and braced his weight on his hands, driving his dick into her pussy as she came again. It took only seconds for his orgasm to explode out of him.

  He threw his head back and roared. Her legs fell to his waist and he buried himself to the hilt. Collapsing forward, he kept enough sense to brace his weight. Her hand found the side of his face and he pressed a kiss to her palm before kissing her mouth.

  “Told you you could do it.”

  A satisfied smile played at her mouth. “I don’t think I survived it though.”