by Delta James
He kept one hand on her shoulder, pressing her back, ensuring that she could not escape from his exquisite mastery of her body. She could feel another orgasm starting to peak in response to the knowledge he was about to shoot his load into her ass for the first time. She neared the crest of her own climax as he shoved three fingers into her gaping cunt and fucked her pussy with them. As he drove into her ass with more power, he gave one more surge forward and his cock begin to spill his cum inside her. She screamed, caught up in the maelstrom of her own orgasm. He caught her by both hips and held her as his cock jerked within her, ensuring his entire load was deposited.
Noah leaned over her back, murmuring kisses all up her spine and across her shoulder blades. He withdrew slowly and gently, allowing her to slide forward onto her belly. He followed her down and stretched out alongside her. He continued to run his hands up and down her body, lightly caressing her in a way that was at once tender and erotic.
He started to get up, but Zara reached for him. “Stay?”
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. I thought we could go take a shower and then we’ll figure out what we want for dinner.”
“You’re assuming I could help with that. That’s a pretty big assumption.”
He chuckled, and she wondered when she’d gone from hating that sound to it making her quiver inside.
“No, I thought I’d either let you lie here on your belly or on the couch while I made something to eat. It looks like whoever stocked the pantry and fridge made sure we had enough to cook for at least a week.”
“I’m not allowed to sit up?” she challenged softly, catching her breath at the pain that resulted from his lightly tracing a fingertip down one of her welts.
“You can if you like, but, pillow or not, I think you’ll be more comfortable on your belly.”
He stood and lifted her in his arms then carried her into the shower with him. She sighed in pure, unadulterated bliss as he gently washed them both, the hot shower soothing her tired and aching body. He held her close and let her rely on his strength. She relaxed into him and rubbed herself against him, sighing in peaceful bliss. When she was ready to leave the shower, she nuzzled him a last time then finding the strength to stand on her own without his support. Noah leaned forward and turned off the shower, helping her step out.
He used the big fluffy towels to dry them off then handed her one of his shirts as he pulled on a pair of jeans. He swung her up in his arms and carried her into the sitting room, making sure she could be comfortable lying on her belly watching him in the kitchen. She rolled to her side, wincing a bit, but she could see him better. She had to acknowledge that watching Noah was becoming a habit she rather liked. He moved with power and grace; his movements were deliberate and sensual.
He was a conundrum of sorts. A man with a murky past. If he’d been with the US Marshals and was one of the people Ethan McDaniel had brought on board with his private security firm, there had to be a story there—one she didn’t necessarily want to expose to the world, but one she wanted to know.
“Noah?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything you like. Whether or not I answer it will depend on your need to know and whether we are on or off-the-record.”
“How about if I agree we are off-the-record unless I tell you otherwise…”
Noah looked up from chopping vegetables and smiled slowly with a sensuality that, even after their last encounter, shot endorphins fueled by sexual need straight to her core.
“What?” she said a bit unsteadily.
“Nothing, I just like it when you talk about things in the future…things that seem to indicate you’re coming around to the idea of our being together.”
“I thought you said you planned to tie me up, throw me over your saddle, and ride off into the sunset with me when this is all over.”
He laughed. “Would you like that? I can arrange it.”
“No, I think I’ll pass on that bit of rampant alpha male behavior.”
“Only if you behave yourself,” he teased.
Zara made a dismissive noise. “What did you do before the Marshals?”
“I was in military intelligence; some deep-cover work, some of which should never see the light of day.”
Intrigued, she asked, “Are you ashamed of things you did?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I’ll be blunt. I have killed people—although all of them either needed killing or were trying to kill me. I don’t take a life lightly, but I don’t regret any of those I’ve taken. When I was finally ready to walk away from that level of violence, Mac came looking to recruit me to the Marshals. We’d worked together a couple of times. Then, when he left to put Wild Mustang together, he asked me to join them. I like working with Mac. He’s honorable, intelligent, and would never ask anyone to do something that he wouldn’t do himself. The team he put together is simply the best. Fariq Abdal is a nasty bastard, and he has a pretty lethal organization, but I don’t like their odds if they come up against us.”
“Do you have a family?”
“Not living. I’ve been on my own since I was fifteen. I lied about my age to join the military. I think I was looking for someplace to call home. But I was just as alone there as I was as a kid. The Marshals started to form the framework for one, but it wasn’t until I joined the firm that I knew I’d found what I was looking for with the exception of a few key pieces.”
“Those being?” she asked, utterly astonished by how easily he revealed himself to her.
“You. I didn’t know it was you, but I should have.” He laughed, shaking his head with mirth and pointing the chef’s knife at her. “I can’t tell you how many times I said I wanted a nice quiet girl…and then you came along, and that notion went right out the window.”
He crossed from the kitchen area to the couch, leaned down and kissed her with a passionate intensity that belied the fact the kiss itself was brief and the only parts of him that touched her were his lips.
“I can’t believe how I vacillate about losing my heart to you or running like hell,” she sighed.
He had returned to the kitchen and smiled benignly at her. “You wouldn’t be losing it, you’d be putting it my care. A gift I would cherish. And you’ve tried running like hell…how’d that work out for you?”
She laughed. “The welts on my ass would tend to indicate not so well.”
“Then, next time you think to take off on me or put yourself in danger, you remember what it feels like to have me take my belt to you.”
“Is it so easy for you? Just throwing down a gauntlet at me? Do as I tell you or else?”
He looked up at her and shrugged. “Pretty much.”
She rolled her eyes. “Honestly, what makes you think that’s okay?”
“You’re my woman. Part of my job is to make sure you’re safe. If you choose to behave in a way that makes you unsafe, I’m going to get after you until you decide staying safe is better.”
“If I’m your woman, does that make you my man?” she asked, afraid to hear his answer.
“I thought I’d made that perfectly clear.”
“You’ve called me yours several times but never said anything about you belonging to me.” Zara hated this was so important to her; hated that it mattered at all. She feared how she would feel if he said no…feared even more he’d say yes.
He stopped what he was doing in the kitchen and rejoined her. He took her face in his hands, rubbed her nose with his, and took possession of her mouth with skill and a raw lust that left her breathless.
“I would have thought, Zara, as bright as you are, that I didn’t need to spell it out for you…”
“It has nothing to do with my intelligence…”
“You’re right. My apology.” He stopped and seemed to gather his thoughts. “I have a sneaking suspicion I’m going to fuck this up badly so bear with me. I’ve never said this to another woma
n because I’ve never felt for another woman even a fraction of what I feel for you.”
“That’s bullshit, Noah. My ass is not the first one you’ve spanked, and I’m damn sure not the only woman you’ve ever fucked into submission.”
He shook his head and grinned. “No, you’re not. But I didn’t see those women as mine. I didn’t know for certain that I’d kill anyone who tried to harm them or threaten those I care about if they called her a bitch even when she was behaving like one. I sure as hell never envisioned being with any of them the rest of my life. Always and forever, Zara…that’s what I’m demanding…and that’s what you’ll give me.”
“You can’t demand that,” she whispered, shattered to the core.
There, he’d said it. He’d declared himself in no uncertain terms and let her know she was not something casual to him. He meant for them to build a life together. Once again, she felt like she was losing her equilibrium.
“I can, and I am. What’s more, not only do you know that, it’s what you want.”
“I don’t,” she murmured, shaking her head.
“You do. You’re just afraid because what you had with Damian wasn’t as intense, and it still almost destroyed you when he died.”
“You don’t get to talk about him.”
“Why not? He’s a part of your past. I’m your present and future.”
“I don’t want you to be.”
“Yes, you do.” Gently he cupped the back of her head and drew her forward. She could feel him breathing and could swear she heard the sound of his heart. His mouth captured hers in a kiss dizzying in its intensity and yet tender and loving.
“What if I don’t want to give you what you want? What if I can’t?”
He grinned. “I’ll take it from you anyway.” He went back into the kitchen then turned. “What makes you think you haven’t already?”
“Insufferable. Have I mentioned you are insufferable?”
“Among other things…in fact, that might be the kindest of the lot.”
He finished butchering a chicken and adding it to the Dutch oven to simmer.
“Now, a little wine,” he said, pouring almost half a bottle into the pot.
She laughed. When he wasn’t beating her ass, he really was quite amusing and easy to be with. “Whatever it is, it smells divine. I think I should disclose at this point, I’m a lousy cook.”
“It is coq au vin, which is just snooty chicken stew with vegetables and wine. And if you don’t like to cook, I’ll do it. I enjoy it.”
“Where did you learn?”
“Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. I took some time off between the military and the Marshals and used it to clear my head. It helped.”
“Ever think of making it a career?” she asked, intrigued by this newest piece of information.
“Not really. I’m good at what I do with the firm, maybe the best, and it’s important. Maybe someday that’ll change. But, for now, I just enjoy cooking for friends. I was honored when Willa asked me to come help her with the cooking for her and Mac’s wedding. That was one of the best celebrations I’ve ever been to. Just family and those friends we call family, but we partied until after midnight.”
“You must not go to many weddings. That’s not all that late.”
He laughed. “It is when it started at nine in the morning, and Mac and Willa left to spend the weekend in New Orleans at seven that night. God, the next morning my face hurt I’d laughed so much,” he said, the memory of the event warming his eyes.
“You really are the most complex human being I’ve ever met.”
“Me? Sweetheart, I’m the most transparent, straightforward guy you’ll ever meet.”
“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but you come off as this macho, tough guy who is always going to be the dominant partner, and then I find out you went to a French cooking school, which means you lived in Paris for a while…”
“I could get lost in the Louvre for days.”
“See what I mean? Part of me feels like I’ve known you forever. That my soul has been waiting to be reunited with yours. And then you throw me for a loop. Would you want to live in Paris again?”
He shook his head as he sat on the end of the couch and rested her head in his lap.
“Maybe some little town in France, but not Paris. I always felt like a fish out of water. I could do London, though, or any of the other capitals in Britain. If you want warmer weather, my choices would be Mesa or Tuscany…New Orleans, if you want a vibrant city.”
“Could you do that, choose to work wherever?”
“Mac has talked about opening an office in Europe somewhere, so that wouldn’t be an issue. And New Orleans isn’t so far that I couldn’t figure it out. Besides, Mac is big on being with the woman you love. He and Willa were separated for five years…I think it may be his only regret.”
“You envy him.”
“No. I wouldn’t want to take his woman.”
“That’s jealousy—I want what you have. You want him to have his but want one of your own.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I envy him…and John…and now Croft. We’re an odd bunch of guys.”
“I’ll say,” she teased.
“Usually, when you have a group of guys where there are married and single ones, the single guys are always talking about going out and scoring with women, and the married guys are happy but a part of them misses those days. In our group, the single guys are all whiney about not being able to find their Willa or Mandy or Finn. And the married or committed guys look at us and think chump.”
Zara was thoroughly enjoying getting to know this side of not only Noah, but the other men who were a part of the private security firm with a reputation second to none. “So, you think Croft and Finn will get married?”
“Only if Finn ever wants to sit down again.”
“Obnoxious, insufferable, arrogant and—”
“Yours,” he reminded her.
She nodded. “Yes, and mine.”
Chapter 13
Dinner was beginning to tempt them both with its aroma.
“Why don’t you sit here while I take a look around?” Noah said, hating to burst the little bubble they seemed to have created since their arrival.
“Did you hear something? Are you worried?”
“No, sweetheart. I’m just a cautious man. The security cameras and alarms are installed. Thom will be here tomorrow afternoon to fine-tune things and add some automation to some of the programs and protocols. He’ll also encrypt all the systems.”
“I would offer to come with you, but I doubt you’d let me, and I’m awfully comfy here on the couch.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Then you just hang out, and I’ll bring you your dinner when I get back.”
Noah left her where she was. He wasn’t sure if she’d thought through the fact she wasn’t going to be able to sit comfortably for several days.
Just before he closed the door behind him, he heard, “Shit! Sonofabitch!”
He was glad she couldn’t see him grin. Despite what he’d said to Zara, he meant to caution Thom about teasing her in any way. His Zara was a fiercely proud woman, and no man, save himself, would do anything to humble or disrespect her. He knew what he demanded of her was difficult and contrary to everything she believed about herself; he also knew she would be safe and loved for the rest of her life at his side. He would see to that. His cock ached for her and began to stiffen as if to remind him that her safety wasn’t the only thing he’d be seeing to on a daily basis.
The cottage was strategically placed. There was a cliff at their back and two sides. Beyond the front was a stone wall and then open beach. There were no other cottages or residences of any kind anywhere close. Thom had done well.
He checked the outer buildings; no escape vehicle yet, but he figured Thom would bring that to them. There were plenty of munitions already stowed away. He’d found one automatic rifle in the pantry and two automatic handguns�
�one tucked under the kitchen’s butcherblock island and the other under the coffee table. He’d check under the bed and in the nightstands later. He wished he could keep that information from Zara, but if it all went to hell in a handbasket, her knowing might be the difference between life and death.
Noah was certain, at this point, they were secure, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t want the alarms set, so if anyone violated their perimeter, he could ensure her safety. He looked up at the towering cliffs and the small hillock that led to them on one side. The wildflowers were in bloom; he took the time to pick and fashion a small bouquet for her. She deserved only the best, but for now, this was all he had.
He opened the door and barely missed getting hit as some kind of flying crockery smashed against the door frame. Apparently, it was taking Zara a bit longer to accept that when she’d earned herself a welting, she would feel the aftermath for several days. He opened the door again only to have another piece of pottery smash against the door itself.
“You bastard!”
He opened the door and ducked in, tucking and rolling behind the couch as he pushed the door closed. He should scold her and tell her to behave, but she was in a fine temper, and her wild spirit was one of the things that drew him to her.
“Zara, sweetheart…”
“Don’t you Zara, sweetheart me! I tried to sit up, thinking I’d at least set the table or get plates out… Do you have any idea how much that hurt?”
“I do,” he said, still hunkered down behind the sofa. “I’m the guy who put those welts there.”
“Don’t you sound so fucking proud of yourself,” she threatened.
“I’m not. I’m simply telling you I was well aware when I took my belt to your ass, there would be raised weals for a day or two.”
“So, you wanted to see me in pain?”
“No,” he continued reasonably, trying to keep his sense of amusement out of his voice. “What I wanted was for you to think twice about doing something that foolish again. And to know that if you did it anyway, I would discipline you hard enough that you wouldn’t do it a third time.”