Silver Shield Security Box Set

by Dee Bridgnorth

  That didn’t sit well with her, because while this might have just been a way for him to pass time, it had been a huge deal for her. She hadn’t felt even the slightest flicker of attraction for anyone, male or female, in five years. She had no idea why he was the first person to get such a reaction from her. If he’d been anyone else, she would have pursued this. If only to find out if she was still functioning the way a woman was supposed to function.

  “You’re not going to tell me, are you?” Nico’s voice brought her out of her reverie.

  “Huh?”

  “Why you were so mad at Rusty.”

  “Oh.” She’d forgotten that he’d asked a question. “He thought he could tell me how to run my life and I took exception to that. That’s all,” she said with a careless shrug.

  She had no idea what had gotten into Rusty. Sure, they were close, closer than most people knew because when she’d been falling apart, it had been Rusty who found her and rescued her. He was her best friend and like a brother to her. So she understood to some extent why he was getting all protective and everything, but that didn’t give him the right to get all up in her face that way.

  “He warned you to stay away from me, right?”

  Something in his voice made her alert. She would not have seen anything from the rueful smile on his face, but there was a certain look in his eyes. It was something she was familiar with and if she didn’t know that look, she would not have noticed it.

  “Did people warn their kids to stay away from you?”

  His gaze sharpened on her in surprise. Then he narrowed his eyes a fraction, like he was seeing her in a different way.

  “You’ve been there, haven’t you?”

  Tamika shrugged. “Well, my mother had a certain reputation and after my grandmother passed, I did some things to survive. So yeah, been there done that.”

  He nodded. “My mother was different from Alex’s mom.”

  Yeah, she’d already guessed that much. Their complexions were a dead giveaway.

  “I lived with my mom in the hood. She turned tricks and did drugs. It was ugly. Many times I went to live with my grandfather. He kept me sane, but he couldn’t keep me off the streets. When my mother died from an overdose, he contacted my father.”

  “Did you know who your father was?” she asked.

  Nico shook his head. “Nah. I had no idea who he was and each time I asked my mom, she would start swearing about the son of a bitch. So I left it. Grandfather contacted him several times, but he never came. Then one day, a few months later, Alex’s mom showed up. Her husband had recently passed and she’d just found out about me. She was closeted with my grandfather for hours, and when she came out, she took me to live with her.”

  “Did you hate her?”

  “I tried,” he said with a laugh. “But it’s a waste of time hating that woman. She just bulldozed me over with love. Before long, I was following her around like an adoring puppy.”

  “She sounds like a wonderful person.”

  “She’s the best. A little on the dramatic side and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly, but she has a heart of gold.”

  Tamika was really glad for Nico. His story was like so many that she’d grown up with. People usually didn’t leave the hood. If she hadn’t had the kind of grandmother she had, one who had instilled good values and drilled the fear of God into her, she would never have made it out.

  “You turned out okay,” she said with a nod.

  True, he’d had a lucky break, but he could have spent his life resenting his stepmom and half-siblings and never made something of himself. Instead, he’d worked hard to become who he was regardless of how he started. She knew how that sort of upbringing could drag a person down for the rest of their lives. She felt a thread of admiration as she looked at him.

  “You did pretty well yourself,” he said.

  They smiled at each other.

  Her stomach flipped at the look in his eye. She was suddenly reminded that she’d been kissing him as though her life depended on it just a few short hours ago. Not like she needed reminding, she’d been so aware of him the entire time.

  She looked away, suddenly nervous. Sitting here with him like this, sharing a meal and conversation, felt so natural. Too damn natural. It made her uncomfortable.

  She was beginning to like the man, and that was even more dangerous than simply being attracted to him. She didn’t want to like him. She wanted to keep seeing him as an asshole. But no man who loved his stepmom the way Nico obviously loved his could be an asshole in the true sense of it. Which was a pity really.

  How could a man be so gorgeous and be a decent person to boot? It was so unfair.

  “It’s really nice out here,” she said in a bid to distract herself from her thoughts.

  “Ah, walk?”

  She needed to walk off all the food she’d eaten anyway, so she nodded. Before she could get to her feet, Nico was there, pulling out her chair for her. He was a gentleman too? Life really was not fair.

  They walked down the steps of the pathway that led to the small strip of beach.

  “It’s not much of a beach,” he said with a shrug.

  “It’s nice enough.” And it was. She could see the waves lapping on the sand and the moonlight reflecting on the water. It wasn’t just beautiful, it was peaceful. She said as much.

  “You feel it, right? The first time I came here, I felt such peace and serenity that I knew I had to purchase it.”

  “Do you get away often?”

  “Not as often as I’d like.”

  They walked close together, their arms brushing against each other, but he made no move to touch her. Each brush of his arm against her bare arm was like a lick of flame on her body. She was so turned on, she was trembling.

  Tamika eyed him through the side of her eyes. She bit her lips and looked away. She wanted him. She wanted to stop and kiss him right there on the beach and if it led to something more, she didn’t care.

  The tension between them had been building until it was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. She was just thinking that she needed to head back before she did something stupid, like jump his bones when he stopped suddenly.

  “Hey, why did you stop?” she asked, curious.

  “I can’t do this, Tamika,” Nico said, looking out towards the ocean. She couldn’t see his eyes or the expression in them.

  “Do what?” she asked with a frown.

  “I really like you,” he said with a frown.

  “And that’s bad how?” She didn’t see what the problem was. She liked him as well. While it was not imperative that they liked each other in order to work together, it sure made the job easier.

  “I can’t be this close to you and not touch you, kiss you. It’s driving me crazy.”

  Tamika’s breath caught in her throat. Starting anything was a bad idea. It couldn’t go anywhere, but hell, she was so on edge, she didn’t know what to do with herself. Calling all her self-control to bear, she knew she needed to go back into the house. She turned to face him and tell him just that, but then the reflection from the lamps around the beach caught his eye.

  All thoughts of escape vanished as she gazed into blue eyes that were heavy with passion. It wasn’t just the heat in his eyes that drew her though, it was that thin vein of vulnerability that called to her and finally breached her defenses.

  So what if being with him was a bad idea? It was just sex, right? They were two strangers whose paths never had to cross again after they concluded the mission. She was so attracted to him and the desire between them burned fierce. She didn’t want to have to wait another five years before she felt this way again. Besides, one night of sex would clear the tension between them, then they could go back to focusing on business.

  With that, she made her decision.

  “Okay.”

  At first he didn’t seem to get what she was saying. “W-what did you say?” he stuttered.

  Tamika felt her heart melt, which wa
s bad. Heart melting was not part of the deal. No. This had to remain purely about sex, nothing more.

  She stepped up to him and brushed her body against his. Her nipples were taut with the force of her need and she knew that her panties were damp. She picked his hand and placed it on a breast. Then slowly moved his palm over the mound. Sparks of desire flashed through her body and she gasped at the effect.

  “Make love to me, Nico,” she said.

  He shut his eyes and let out a groan, which she felt all the way down to her core. Her center clenched in response.

  He opened his eyes and pinned her with his gaze. “It will be my pleasure,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.

  He took hold of the hand that was holding his and clasped it in his larger palms. Then he turned and began to walk briskly to the house.

  “W-where are you going?”

  “Inside. If I start touching you now, we’ll end up doing it right here on the beach.”

  His face was taut and she could feel the tension in his body.

  “I don’t see a problem with that,” she said.

  “Condoms,” he bit out tightly.

  Tamika felt heat start from her neck and spread to her face. She was so turned on, so in lust that she hadn’t even thought about condoms. She was not on the pill or on any form of contraceptive. She would have to take care of that as soon as she got off this island.

  Her thoughts made her pause. So was she accepting that she was now going to have a sex life going forward? It was hard to take in. After so long. After Kyle…

  They were on the terrace and she saw the remains of their dinner. They should have cleared the dishes. She didn’t want to leave extra work for Mrs. Flores. Should she suggest it, or would he think, rightly, that she was suddenly stalling?

  She should not have thought of Kyle. She’d buried him so deeply inside and she hadn’t noticed the thoughts sneaking in on her. Suddenly, her ardor cooled.

  Nico came to a halt right there on the terrace, making her stop as well. He glanced at her, a thoughtful look on his face.

  “Let’s clear the dishes,” he said suddenly.

  She looked at him in shock. “Why? I just offered you my body, man.”

  He dropped her hand and ran his hand over his head and sighed. “Look, I know you did and there’s nothing I want more than to be buried inside you.”

  And just like that, the desire was back again. She felt her center clench.

  “But?” She prompted him, her voice scratchy.

  “But, I can sense that you’re over thinking things and well, I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret in the morning. So I figured we clear the dishes and once we’re done, if you still feel like gifting me your body, I will accept it. Because I’m generous like that,” he added with a wink.

  Tamika felt her shoulders sag in relief. She really did want to do this with him. She’d thought she was ready. But then thoughts of Kyle flooded her mind making her to remember, and then she’d gone tense. She was surprised that Nico had noticed her tension and was even more surprised that he was giving her an out. She cast a glance at him, her gaze slipping southward. Even through the fabric of his jeans, she could see that he was very hard. Doing this must have cost him.

  “What if I change my mind about having sex?” she wanted to know.

  He let out his breath in a whoosh. “If you do, then that will be okay. But I really hope you don’t.”

  She nodded. “Okay, let’s clear this place.”

  Chapter Ten

  They worked quickly together in silence. But it was not a tense silence. It was almost companionable. They cleared everything into the kitchen. The kitchen was large and airy; the kind of place she would love to have her morning coffee. There was a cute kitchen nook that faced the ocean. Actually, every window in this place had an ocean view.

  Tamika emptied the plates into the bin, while Nico saved what he could save in the refrigerator. Next, he moved to the sink and began to wash the dishes. She snagged a dish cloth and stood beside him.

  “No dishwasher?” she asked as she dried the dishes and put them away.

  “Mrs. Flores didn’t want one.”

  She glanced at him in surprise. “But you’re the boss.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, that’s what she would like me to think. I’m sure you’ve noticed that she runs this place with an iron fist.”

  Tamika smiled, but remained silent. She had noticed the way he related with his housekeeper, like she was a favorite aunt. She was really beginning to like this man and she didn’t know what to make of it.

  He had rolled his sleeves up and as they worked, his arms brushed her bare arms, sending sparks of desire shooting through her body. His arms were nicely browned with just the right amount of muscle. Everything about this man got her juices flowing.

  “Just so you know, I’m not a tease,” she said quietly.

  She felt his gaze on her as he passed the last dish to her. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why do you say that?”

  She wiped the dish and put it away, then took a few steps back till she was leaning against the island.

  “I don’t say yes to sex then back out.”

  He turned to face her then, turning his midnight blue eyes on her. She felt herself go weak at the knees. He was looking at her like he was the one who had just gone through a drought.

  “I didn’t think you were, Tamika. But I sensed something going on back there.” He waved a hand towards the general direction of the terrace.

  Tamika grimaced but figured he deserved an explanation. “The thing is, I have been celibate for five years, so you were right, I was overthinking things.”

  Nico went still. “Since your husband died,” he guessed.

  “Yeah.”

  His eyes darkened further and heated up, sending heat coursing through her in the process. He took a step closer and she bit her lip in an effort to keep in the whimper that so badly wanted to escape.

  “You haven’t had sex in five years?”

  She heard the disbelief in his voice and wanted to roll her eyes. She didn’t think a man like him, who was so blatantly sexual, could understand going without sex for so long. Heck, they were there because he’d allowed his third leg to get him distracted enough so that his plans were stolen from right under his nose. She didn’t say all that of course, but she hoped her glare passed the message across.

  “No, I haven’t.”

  He opened his mouth and shut it. She could see the speculation in his eyes and this time, she gave in to the urge and rolled her eyes.

  “Just ask the damn question!”

  “Did you bring yourself to orgasm?”

  Dear lord! How had she gotten herself into this? She’d forgotten who she was dealing with, that was how. Somehow, when she was with him, her tongue seemed to have a mind all of its own.

  She placed a hand on her waist. “I can’t believe you just asked that.”

  His eyes glazed over as he stared at her. “Do you…” He stopped to clear his throat. “Do you touch yourself?”

  His questions were doing funny things to her. He looked so hot standing there, almost getting himself to orgasm at the thought that she pleasured herself.

  “Would you like to watch?” she asked in a seductive voice she almost didn’t recognize as hers.

  He closed his eyes and groaned. “You are a wicked, wicked witch,” he said, a smile teasing his lips.

  She took a step, closing the gap between them. “Then let me cast my spell on you.” She stood on tiptoes till her lips were against his.

  Nico laughed softly. “Corny, Ms. White. Very corny.”

  She shrugged with a smile. She had never felt this way before. She was practically trembling with desire, yet she was having fun. Sex had always been serious for her, nothing like this light-hearted teasing. She liked it.

  “I do my best, Señor Ortega,” she murmured then kissed him.

  **

  At the touch of her lips, Nico closed hi
s eyes and offered a silent prayer of thanks to whatever deity was in charge of alleviating sexual frustration. It had taken everything in him to pull back the way he had, but he’d wanted all of this delectable woman, not just her very delectable ass. He had sensed her tension and though he’d had no idea where it was coming from, he would have felt like an ass if he’d let her follow through with the initial offer of sex.

  This way, with her plastered against him and kissing him like he was the last ice-cream cone in a hot desert, was much better. Just then, she ran her tongue over his lips, sending a lick of fire through his veins. She flicked his upper lip then retreated, going back to kissing him.

  He brought his hand to her waist, keeping his hold light, but firm. He’d let her dictate the speed, sensing her need to go at her pace. But his need was growing and his balls had become tighter. He needed more. He parted his lips and almost wept with relief when her tongue snuck inside. He grabbed it and sucked on it gently. She gasped and bucked against him.

  Her arms went around him and he pulled her closer. He wanted to feel every inch of her. He took his hands lower, to cup her generous ass and when she moaned into his mouth, he felt his control begin to slip.

  He rubbed his palms over her ass as they continued to kiss like they could not get enough of each other. He could not get enough of her. He needed to feel her without all the distracting fabric between them. He slipped his hands beneath the skirt of her dress and went weak when he touched her bare ass. She was wearing a tong. He broke the kiss and groaned against her neck as his palms roamed the firm, but velvety flesh of her backside.

  “Fuck, you are so beautiful,” he murmured.

  Her resourceful tongue found the groove of his ear and got to work. Nico could hear himself groaning as she traced the outline of his ear then used the tip of her tongue to lick every area of the ear. He was getting desperate. He needed to be inside her in a very bad way. When she caught his earlobe between her teeth and gently bit, he knew he was gone.

  “Shit!”

  He moved one hand up, keeping the other hand on her butt. He really loved her butt. The free hand went straight to untie the knot at the back of her neck. He had been dreaming of doing that all evening.