by Lexi Ryan
She rocked against him, circling her hips, grinding herself into his erection.
He brought his mouth to her ear and whispered. “You want more?” In his mind, he flicked her clit with his tongue.
She clawed at his back and circled her hips again. “Yes.”
“Tell me,” he whispered.
“I want you inside me again, Darian.” She nipped at his ear. Her breath was hot against his neck as she moaned her plea.
“If you were wearing a dress—” He cupped her breast. “—it would be so easy to slide inside you right now.” He licked her clit again with his mind, giving her the sensation of his tongue rubbing over the sensitive flesh again and again. “I’d fuck you right against this wall.”
Her breathing picked up pace and he pinched her nipple lightly through her bra, rolling it between his fingers.
“I’d fuck you until you came, until you pulsed around my cock,” he whispered. “I’d make you scream my name.”
She arched suddenly, grinding against him. He changed his mental licking to sucking, imagining pulling her clit lightly with his lips until she shattered right there against the wall, surrounded by writhing bodies and pumping music.
She gasped for breath and lowered her forehead to rest on his shoulder.
“I’d fuck you,” he whispered, “just so you could come in front of him.”
Paige lifted her head, still breathing heavily, and looked over his shoulder to Collin’s table. “Jesus.”
Chapter Six
After the jolt of horror passed through her, Paige shifted her gaze back to Darian and slowly unwrapped her leg from his waist. “I—”
“You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
She pushed him back and glared but kept her voice low. “So this was—what? A spite orgasm?”
“Not at all.” He nodded toward the table where Collin and his crew were pulling on coats and preparing to leave. “Just helping a friend.”
Collin was trying to castrate Darian with his gaze, but when he moved his eyes to Paige, they changed. He looked hurt. Wounded.
She’d wanted that earlier. Wanted to make him sick at the sight of her with someone else. But now she’d done it, and she hadn’t even known she’d been doing it.
Collin and his posse exited the bar, and Paige willed herself to stay put. She couldn’t run after him. He had left her. That hadn’t changed. He couldn’t ever take that back.
Paige stared at Darian. “I don’t get you.”
He cocked his head. “Isn’t everyone an open book to you?”
Paige’s job surrounded her with people with special abilities, and it would figure that of all those people, the few who could block her from reading their emotions were men. Men were always a little tougher anyway. They kept their emotions tamped down and often didn’t even understand their own feelings. Darian wasn’t technically a Blocker, but he threw so much at her that she couldn’t begin to sort out the bullshit emotions from the real ones.
But he couldn’t hide the emotion that was buzzing so close to the surface now. Collin’s wasn’t the only male ego that was bruised tonight.
“What do you want from me?”
He took a long time to answer, and when he did, he was all Special Agent Darian Lorring, and not at all the man who had just mind fucked her against the wall. “I want you to tell me what you know about Collin Raines’ connection to the attempt on the president’s life.”
* * * *
“Don’t go.” Chrissie grabbed Paige’s arm. She winced with the memories that came in a torrent. There were two of them—memories pressed close but at odds with each other, like a flower and an insect pressed to dry between the same pages of a book. They slammed into Chrissie simultaneously and with equal force.
One memory was of Paige a month ago, going to Darian. The other was two months ago, when Collin left her.
“You need a break to unwind,” Chrissie said. “We’ll go somewhere else and dance.”
Paige clenched her jaw. “They think we’re withholding information.”
Chrissie looked over her shoulder. Darian was actively ignoring Fernandez, walking away as the man tried to talk to him. “The SIA has had intel that there would be threats. They think Collin’s involved.”
“He didn’t have anything to do with what happened at the Smithsonian.”
Chrissie squeezed Paige’s hand. “Don’t go. Not back to your apartment, at least. I’ll get Josie and—”
Paige shook her head and shrugged on her coat. “I need to go see Tara.”
Chrissie didn’t argue, and again the two memories swamped her. She was used to acting like people’s memories didn’t upset her. No reason to treat this time any differently.
Except that Paige had been careful not to let her guard down, and until this moment, Chrissie hadn’t known just how much Collin had rocked the foundation of Paige’s world when he left. And she hadn’t known how sudden it had been.
Collin was over her, studying her as he moved inside her. She reached up and traced her fingers over his jawline. It felt good to have him inside her. Not great. Not earth shattering. Good. Like the comfort of a softly worn blanket.
“I love you, Collin.”
A look of pain flashed across his face, and he came in a rush.
He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, catching his breath. Less than a minute later, he rolled off her.
“I love you,” she repeated.
“I’m not worthy of you, Paige,” he whispered.
The memory was in two parts. The second part was Paige waking the next morning to a note.
I’m leaving. I can’t be with you right now. That’s how it has to be.
Chrissie frowned. What had changed? Was it all about his distrust of the new president? She sighed, and then smiled at the second memory. So much better.
* * * *
As soon as Paige was out the door, Fernandez was on Darian’s ass again. “Told you,” he said.
“Fuck off,” Darian muttered. He needed to get out of here. Tomorrow was shaping up to be a long day, and he needed some serious sleep before then.
“Is she worth risking your career, Darian?” Fernandez asked.
He had his coat half on and stopped. “Listen, I do my job. I have the record to prove it. Give me the benefit of the doubt and a little...privacy.”
Fernandez chuckled and smacked Darian between the shoulder blades. “Very funny,” he said, pulling his wallet from his pocket. “Whatever. Do what you want. Just don’t screw this up by sleeping with her again.”
“I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
“Really? You don’t see the harm in losing control of your powers for a minute? You don’t see the harm in her knowing exactly what you’re up to? Can you even accept the possibility that letting her in your head might be the biggest ass mistake of your career?”
“She’s not a mind reader,” Darian growled.
“She doesn’t have to be a mind reader if you project it for her,” Fernandez said before walking away.
Shit. Darian slammed his palm on the table. Nothing pissed him off more than Fernandez being right. But as long as there was a chance Paige was working with Collin—at any level—Darian couldn’t entertain any of the myriad fantasies she inspired.
“That was quite a show you just put on,” a small, feminine voice said next to him.
Darian turned. Josie, the blonde, stood next to him, her gaze compassionate. How much had she heard?
“Though I suppose it doesn’t matter if you’d done it here or somewhere else.”
“Why’s that?” he asked.
“The lack of privacy that comes with being around other Specials. If they can’t read your mind, they can put the thoughts in it.” She shrugged. “I like to know my thoughts are my own. I’ve never gotten used to not being able to have a secret.”
He studied her. Why was she being nice to him?
She lifted her hand and let it hove
r over his for a moment. “Do you mind?”
He swallowed. Yes, he minded. Just like she didn’t like the idea of other people seeing her thoughts, he didn’t like the idea of someone looking into his future. He didn’t like the idea of knowing his future. Having a virtual stranger know it was worse—especially a stranger he was planning to follow for the foreseeable future.
Josie brushed the top of his hand, closing her eyes.
What did she see? Was she careful to keep her face neutral or was his future as boring as his past? Dear Christ, he hoped it wasn’t the latter. Before he’d come to the SIA, he’d had enough boredom to last him three lifetimes.
When she broke the contact between them, she opened her eyes and gave him a wide smile. He wondered if anyone bought it. “Is this the part where you tell me everything is going to be okay?”
“No,” she said, still smiling sweetly. “This is the part where I threaten to kick your ass if you hurt her.”
He frowned. “If I hurt her? Aren’t you the Reader? Wouldn’t you know if I’m going to hurt her or not?” And, hell, he thought, what about if she hurts me?
“It doesn’t work like that. What I see when I touch you is nothing but the path down which your current line of thought will lead you. We often do or learn things that change the course of our actions, and as long as that’s true, my gift is about as accurate as flipping a coin.” She shrugged.
“That doesn’t bother you?”
“What would bother me is if people actually followed through with all their ridiculous plans.” She was quiet for a long moment. “We all make bad decisions, but for every bad decision, we have about ten bad ideas. I don’t believe in condemning someone for an idea they haven’t yet acted on.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What are you trying to warn me about?”
Suddenly, Chrissie appeared and grabbed Josie’s hand, pulling her away. “This is a little deep for a club talk, isn’t it?”
Chrissie shifted her gaze to Darian. She ran her eyes over him, from hairline to shoes and up again. “Hello, lova.” She smacked her lips and wriggled her eyebrows dramatically before she dropped Josie’s hand and headed out to the dance floor.
“Don’t mind Chrissie,” Josie said. “She was neglected as a child, so she acts out for attention.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Darian reached out to touch her arm.
Josie cocked her head, and a lock of blond hair fell over one eye. “If I can choose not to answer.”
Darian looked over his shoulder. Fernandez and Wiley were back at the bar, safely out of earshot. “Collin...when he left...did he hurt her? Did it come as a surprise?”
Josie wrinkled her nose. “You’re quickly treading into ‘I choose not to answer’ territory.”
Darian shook his head. “I just want to know if he’s still in the picture.” He looked over his shoulder again. Fernandez and Wiley were headed their way again. “Does she want him back?” Dear God, he sounded like a lovesick teenager.
Josie’s eyes followed the same path his had a moment ago. “That’s something you can only ask Paige.”
“And I suppose if I asked you whether or not she’ll go back to him...”
“I’d tell you to screw off and find another Reader to spy for you.” The too-sweet smile returned to her face. “She’s my friend, Darian. You’re just the guy who fucks well and made her ex jealous tonight. It raised my opinion of you, but not that much.”
Chapter Seven
Eden Resort, 10 p.m., One Month Ago
Paige hesitated at the door, her fisted hand hovering for a long minute before she knocked.
“Who’s there?” Darian called from the other side.
She froze. Paige Sykes, twenty-nine. Longtime secret agent, first-time booty caller.
She swallowed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Then, remembering that she’d carefully pinned and arranged her hair to fall in “carefree” pieces around her face, she untucked it.
She pounded again. She didn’t want to talk to him through the door. Hell, she didn’t care to talk to him at all. Last thing she needed was more talk of salary and pension. As if they could put a price on taking her off the front lines.
Darian peeked out, saw her, and opened the door wider, a dimple creasing the corner of his mouth as he smiled at the sight of her.
Just what Doctor Break Up Recovery ordered. Milk chocolate eyes that warmed her skin? Check. A smile that made her forget? Check. Tall, dark, handsome, and a body that would make angels weep? Check, check, check, and check.
Darian ran his eyes appreciatively over her little black dress—a silky strapless number that hugged her like a second skin—and her fuck-me-pretty-please strappy heels, and Paige made a mental note to thank Josie for the loaners.
“Ms. Sykes.” He said her name properly but his voice indicated a familiarity that made her skin tingle. “Come in. Please.” He opened the door fully.
Paige did her best impression of Josie’s sexy saunter as moved into his room. She could feel his eyes on her as she walked, and she liked it. She liked the attention he paid her. She and Collin had long been past that point in their relationship, and—
She cut off her own thoughts. She didn’t want to think about Collin tonight. She’d come to Eden so she’d stop thinking about Collin. She’d come to Darian so she’d stop thinking altogether.
“I should stay away from you.” She turned toward him. “You piss me off. You want me to leave the work that means more than anything in the world to me. You walk around like you’re king of the castle. You...” Make me crazy.
He stood five feet away, leaning against a wall, his eyes steadily on her. “What do you want?”
“I—” This is your line, Paige. This is where you say, “I want you to fuck me.” And once upon a time, she wouldn’t have hesitated. Another time in her life, the words would have been out of her mouth before she could register the thought. But tonight, a traitorous part of her held her back, thinking about Collin, believing there must have been some mistake. He’d said they’d be together always.
No mistake. He’d left, and he hadn’t even broken her heart in the process. He’d shattered it.
“What are you really here for, Paige?”
She studied him, watched his forearms flex as he clenched and unclenched his fists, as if he were trying to control hands that had a mind of their own.
It was the sight of those thick muscles that made the word fall from her tongue. “You.”
* * * *
Darian stopped breathing for a solid ten seconds, his brain too preoccupied with what she had said to worry about something as inconsequential as oxygen.
He didn’t know what to make of Paige Sykes. She’d run hot and cold with him since the day they’d met, and now she was in his room, dressed to kill in a skimpy black number far left field from anything he would imagine she’d choose to wear. When she’d come to the door, her eyes had raked over him possessively, hungrily. And…desperately?
When he’d asked her what she wanted from him, she’d hesitated, and desperation had clouded her eyes. Now she was looking at him, but he knew she didn’t see him. This wasn’t about him at all. This was about her government-hating boyfriend.
Collin Raines was the reason the SIA hadn’t bothered to recruit Paige Sykes before. His anti-government sentiments were not exactly a secret. But now that he was out of the picture, SIA wanted her.
And so did Darian.
“Why are you really here?” he asked.
She turned her back to him, flashed him a smile over her shoulder and made slow work out of unzipping her dress. With a wriggle of her hips, she let it slide to the floor.
Darian groaned as black silk spilled at her feet and revealed every delicious inch of Paige’s body. Narrow hips, tight ass, perky, perfect breasts.
She’d been entirely nude beneath the dress. More so than the sexy dress and heels, lacy lingerie would have surprised him. It didn’t suit her. Naked did.
/> “God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured, but he stayed rooted to his spot. She’d come to him. He’d let her control the pace of this. Whatever this was.
“No, no.” She moved toward the French doors, away from him. “Darian, you have a tendency toward sweet. You get close to me and you start being sweet.” She studied him over her shoulder, smile curling her red lips. “I don’t want sweet tonight.”
His cock—rock hard from the moment she’d appeared at the door—jumped in anticipation. “What do you want?”
She opened the doors, bringing the sound of crashing waves pouring into the room. She closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath of the hot, salty air. “Isn’t that better?” she murmured.
Then she walked out onto the balcony, her heels clicking on the tiled floor. She leaned over the metal railing, unconcerned with her own nudity.
That was the way it was on Eden. Specials came here to recuperate in the best way they knew how. Since he’d arrived, he’d seen everything from nude beach volleyball to a couple fucking in the hot tub.
He followed her onto the balcony. For the first time since he’d arrived, he agreed with what everyone had been saying about the view.
“Nothing better,” he whispered, watching the way she arched her back and stuck her ass out as she breathed in the salty air.
The dark night surrounded them, but there was enough light from the base-lit balcony floor that he could still enjoy the sight of her.
He ran his fingers from neck to shoulder, and she purred her response. He continued down her back, and she arched like a cat, grinding her bare ass into the crotch of his jeans. Running his hands back up and over her smooth, soft skin, he leaned over to press his lips against her neck.
Her hands fisted in his hair and tugged. He opened his mouth against her neck and bit lightly as his arms wrapped around her and he cupped her breasts.
“Is this what you want?” he asked, rolling a nipple between two fingers. He trailed the other hand down her stomach and cupped the curls between her legs. “Or this?” he asked, parting her to find her sweet spot.
