“Come on. I’ll show you the spare room.” Nikolai flipped on a light and ushered her into a double room. The bed dominated the space, diverting his worries from crime bosses to a more direct problem—keeping his hands to himself.
He halted, unwilling to step farther inside.
“Bathroom and toilet are right next door.” Nikolai scanned her pale face and knew she needed sleep. “If you don’t need anything else, I’ll leave you to get some sleep.”
“Nikolai.” Her soft voice froze him to the spot. “I don’t want to sleep alone. Please stay with me.”
If she had flirted or tried to seduce him, he wouldn’t have had any trouble saying no. He was used to knocking aside military groupies. But the unwilling plea in her voice drew him closer. “I’ll stay with you until you go to sleep.”
She bit her bottom lip and rushed into speech. “The bed’s big enough for both of us. Stay.”
Hell, it was what he wanted, wasn’t it? To watch over her. He could do it easily here in the same room.
“Just sleep. Nothing else,” he said, spelling it out while inside he railed at the impossibility of a relationship between them.
Summer nodded and pulled out an oversized T-shirt from her overnight bag. She turned her back, stripped and tugged the pale blue T-shirt over her head. When she pulled back the bed covers, he was still staring.
He jerked from his reverie, and immediately another problem presented itself. He hadn’t packed clothes. His eyes zapped to Summer.
“I know I’m safe with you. You’ve made it very clear you don’t want a relationship with me, but I thought we were friends. I’ve seen your body before. I don’t want anything other than friendly comfort.” Her gorgeous mouth twisted. “I won’t push in where I’m not wanted.”
She climbed beneath the covers and turned her back to him as though she didn’t care.
God, he wanted to stay even though he knew it wasn’t wise. He consciously relaxed his tense shoulders and took the weight off his aching knee. His inability to protect the ones he loved lay at the root of his confusion. He acknowledged that. His hands went to the button fly on his jeans. Then he yanked his shirt over his head and discarded it. Seconds later, his shoes and the rest of his clothes joined his T-shirt on the floor, and he flicked off the light then slid into bed.
“Thanks.”
The soft whisper warmed him and steeled his willpower. She required comfort and protection. He could try to give that to the best of his ability. He moved closer until he was almost touching her. Gradually the tautness dissolved from his muscles. Summer’s slow, deep breaths told him she’d dropped off to sleep. The best thing for her. He’d noticed her weight loss. Knowing they were safe tonight, at least, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
Nikolai jerked awake. His heart slammed in an adrenaline rush before he calmed enough to realize he’d drifted into a nightmare. The vision of Laura floated through his mind again without warning, followed by one of the young soldier who’d lost his life on the same mission in which he’d injured his knee.
Both glared at him through reproachful eyes. A bad omen? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he wouldn’t rest easy until Dare Martin was behind bars, and Summer was home in Eketahuna, safe in the care of her family. Yeah. He’d rest much easier once he’d handed over his responsibility.
* * * * *
The next day
Warm water bubbled around Summer’s bare shoulders. In a flax bush over to her right, a pair of tuis squabbled over the nectar from a spear-like flower head. A third tui flew in to join the pair and a noisy fight ensued. Gradually, one bird emerged the victor and peace reigned again as it fed. Jake’s garden, at the rear of his house, was a private haven and perfect for her current mood.
She stretched, languid and indolent, her muscles relaxing as the warm water in the spa pummeled them. She closed her eyes and lay there in lazy enjoyment.
What was she going to do about Nikolai?
They’d woken this morning with limbs entwined, his morning erection nestling against her belly. It would have been so easy to lift her hips and join their bodies. She’d wanted to carry out the thought. Desperately.
But something had kept her from the overt action. Nikolai had to make the first move. While he mightn’t have objected, later he’d have second thoughts. She needed the skill and patience of a fly-fisher to hook the big, bad SAS man, because if there was one thing she’d learned in the last twelve hours, it was that she wanted Nikolai.
These last few days without him had made her plain miserable.
A splash jerked her eyes open in sudden fear. She jerked upright. Her pulse leveled out again when she recognized Nikolai sitting on the opposite side of the spa pool.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to frighten you. I should have called out.” His eyes narrowed and a frown appeared. “You’re naked.”
Give the man a prize. Her pulse accelerated again, and it had nothing to do with fear. “Jake said he wouldn’t be home until late. I assumed you’d be back the same time.” She relaxed against the edge of the spa and casually allowed a nipple to peek from beneath the layer of bubbles. The combination of cooler air and the plain naughtiness of her actions drew her nipple tight. A corresponding jump low in her belly made anticipation leap to life.
Nikolai didn’t take his eyes off her. The spa and the peaceful garden didn’t relax his tense shoulders. She bit back the need to laugh. Interesting. What could she do next? The pleasant buzz spread downward into her pussy.
“Thank you for last night,” she said.
“I can’t hear.”
Good. Impish laughter tickled her insides. She’d have to move closer.
“Ah, Summer. Stay there.” He sounded distinctly rattled.
Excellent. She pretended she didn’t hear and shot across the spa pool to the molded seat right next to him. She allowed her arm and thigh to trespass into his space. Seduction sounded like a damn fine idea. Her body craved him. She plain wanted him. They were consenting adults.
No problem.
“How is your knee?”
“The medical people have told me to take off another two weeks,” Nikolai said in clear disgust.
“You shouldn’t have overdone it.”
“Don’t nag.”
“Fine.” She sidled closer and allowed both breasts to peek from the water. Encouraged by his obvious interest, she stretched, arms rising into the air.
“Thank you for helping me last night.”
“No problem.”
“Kiss me, Nikolai.”
“Not a good idea.” He ripped his gaze from her breasts.
“Why not?”
“You know why not.”
Frustration made her testy. Irritation zapped through her, wanting an outlet, needing a vent.
“I need sexual release,” she said. “If you’re not interested, I’ll use a toy.” She stood, hoping for a reaction because if he called her bluff, she had no idea what to try next. “Or maybe one of the spa jets would do the job.”
She studied him through lowered lashes. He wasn’t moving. Bother. Epic fail. She turned to climb from the pool, lifting her legs and brazenly flashing her feminine folds as she stepped from the spa.
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm and jerked her to a halt. She toppled off balance but he caught her and dragged her into the safety of his arms. “I can make you climax.”
“You sure can,” she purred. “And are you going to or are you all talk?”
Nikolai snorted right next to her ear. “Stop trying to push. If I decide to fuck you, I’ll do it in my own good time. Not when you think I should.”
His breath brushed across her ear and the tender skin of her neck. She had the big, bad SAS man on a hook—he just didn’t like to admit defeat.
“So are we going to make love or do I need to get that toy?” She didn’t bother telling him the toy was still in its original packaging.
Nikolai drew away far enough to see her eyes. “Baggage.” Humor
lit his chocolate-brown gaze, and she knew everything would turn out all right.
Her body reacted swiftly, the slow burn of pleasure igniting with his attention.
“This thing between us—it won’t last. It can’t.”
Still fighting. Still thinking he knew what would be best for her. Oh, well. They had plenty of time until she returned to Eketahuna. She’d wear down his objections one by one. She wriggled around until she straddled his legs. He still wore underwear, but it wasn’t difficult to gauge his interest. All she needed was time.
His eyes dropped to her breasts, the sensation of his gaze wandering her curves sending tendrils of pleasure fizzing through her. Teasing, she cupped one breast in her hands and offered it to him.
“Taste me,” she whispered. “Make me feel good.”
“You’d tempt a saint.”
“You’re not a saint. And why would you want to be? I’d think someone who acts pure all the time misses out on a lot of fun. Go on, Nikolai. Taste me.”
He lowered his head and licked her distended nipple. “Any other instructions?” He nipped the fleshy underside before he licked a wet path down her cleavage. His mouth alternated between breasts, sucking and laving until she whimpered with enjoyment.
“No more instructions,” she gasped out. “You have more experience. I’m willing to go with the flow.”
He snorted a laugh but at least he started to cooperate. With his mouth surrounding her nipple, warmth bloomed between her legs. Each draw of his mouth, each kiss sent a bolt of sensation to her core. She squirmed closer until her pussy brushed the hard bulge at his groin. The spasm of flickering response from her clit had her gasping, grabbing his shoulders for purchase. She threw back her head and rotated her hips so his boxer-covered erection brushed her clit again.
Without warning, he surged to his feet. She squeaked, thinking he’d drop her, but he held her easily without even breathing hard. While she clutched at his neck and had her legs hooked around his waist, Nikolai yanked his boxers down and stepped out of them. Then he sat again, strumming his thumbs over both nipples and staring straight into her eyes.
She leaned closer and brushed her lips across his. A teasing kiss flared hot and serious. Tongues stroked and dueled as she squirmed closer. Even though it had only been a few days, hunger gnawed at her mind, her body. She strained upward, seeking a way to ease the sexual tension gripping her body.
The warm pulse of the spa jets intensified the craving, the hunger, the desperate need to join with him. His cock brushed against her but not where she needed him most. Just a fraction to the left. She slipped her hand between them and brushed her thumb over his tip. His eyes dropped to half-mast and a distinct shudder ripped through him.
“I’ve missed you,” he murmured. “I tried not to.”
She took pleasure from his raw honesty and stretched upward to reward him with a lingering kiss, the slow slide of his tongue against hers building the excitement. She leaned closer, brushing her breasts against his smooth chest, reveling in the drag of friction.
“Ohhh,” she groaned. The frisson of pleasure felt good but not as satisfying as Nikolai’s cock. Without thinking, she guided his cock to her pussy mouth and sank down. He was wide. Thick. So good as she stretched around him, taking him inside her channel. She lifted her hips and sank back down, setting an instinctive rhythm.
The powerful thrust of his body when he surged upward sent desire flowing like honey. And it was just as sweet.
“Fuck.” Nikolai grasped her hips and wrenched his cock from her.
“What are you—?”
“No condom.” His chest rose and fell rapidly as though he’d run a race. “Shit, I can’t believe that just happened. What was I thinking?” He swept his wet hair away from his face and met her frown unflinching. “That’s it. We’ll get married.”
Summer gaped at him, certain she hadn’t misheard.
“No. I don’t think so.” She scrambled off his lap and stood, darting out of reach when he tried to snare her hand. With more haste than dignity, she climbed from the spa. “I‘ll go and get a condom. I brought some with me. Won’t be long.”
“Summer.” The low masculine growl spurred her to speed.
What was wrong with him? Most men thought with their dicks or at least ceased rational thought when their cocks were involved. But not the big, bad SAS man. Oh, no!
He had to be the voice of reason.
She ignored the chatter at the back of her head that said she was acting like a child, the one that said Nikolai was acting responsibly. As he should.
“Dammit, Summer. Come back here.”
Summer heard the splash of water and rapid footsteps across the wooden deck. She increased her speed while her anger grew. Pompous man! How dare he try to order her around?
She refused to marry him.
“Summer.” A hand closed over her bare shoulder before she made it halfway down the passage, whirling her around to face him. “What’s your problem? I thought females wanted marriage.”
“They like to be asked,” she snapped.
His dark brows furrowed. “So, I’ll ask. Will you marry me?”
Fury, hot and savage, curled her hands to fists. If he uttered one more word, she’d deck him—right in the middle of his perfectly straight nose. “No. No, I will not marry you. All I want from you is a good, fun fuck. Is that plain enough? You told me before you didn’t want responsibility. Fine. I’m taking you at your word. I don’t want responsibility either.”
“What if you’re pregnant?”
“We’re talking if.” Summer felt as if he’d stabbed her through the heart. Thoughts whirred and tangled in one confused mass. Not that she intended to scrutinize them too closely.
Nikolai didn’t want marriage, and he’d proposed because the thought of failing another child ate at him. If she got married, when she married, she wanted to know she was loved.
Cherished.
The idea of Nikolai considering her a duty left her cold. Her nose rose in the air. “I’m twenty-two. That’s too young to get married. You said yourself I’m too young for you. And here I thought women were the indecisive ones.” She jerked open the door of their allocated bedroom and stomped inside with Nikolai a step behind.
Cold fear kicked him in the gut, but despite the terror, he could still appreciate a great arse when he saw one. Tight and round, it begged for fondling. He watched her bend over and flash the pink folds of her labia at him. Then she whirled about and slapped a small foil package in his hand.
“Now, can we have sex?” she demanded.
Her beautiful breasts rose and fell, distracting him for an instant. His eyes narrowed as he studied her flushed cheeks and swollen lips. The woman was marrying him if he had to drag her to a justice of the peace.
While Nikolai debated his course of action, he peered at the condom wrapper. “Chocolate flavored. What happened to the glow-in-the-dark green?”
“I thought a change would be nice.” Summer sat on the edge of the bed and primly crossed her legs.
Nikolai handed the foil package back to her. He wasn’t adverse to sex, as his rampant penis indicated, but come hell, high water or local crooks, she would become Mrs. Tarei.
“You put it on.” He dropped onto the mattress, calmly folded his arms across his chest to wait. A smirk built, just bursting to break out as he watched her hesitate.
“I’ve never done it before. Apart from the banana, and I suppose that doesn’t count. Fruit isn’t quite as distracting.”
“It’s not difficult. If you want a bout of sweaty sex, you’re gonna have to learn in a hurry.”
“All right.” She bounced to her feet, the abrupt move sending her ripe, luscious breasts swaying gently. Acute anticipation quickened his pulse rate as she turned away and bent to rifle through her bag. She pulled out the box of condoms. For a puzzled second Nikolai stared, then he got the picture. Summer was a librarian, trained to look up books, so if she wanted to learn a ne
w skill, she read about it. Her pink lips moved as she mouthed the instructions and studied the diagrams on the enclosed leaflet. “Okay. Refresher done. I’ve got this sussed. I know what I’m doing.”
A chuckle burst from him. “Do your worst.”
She tore open the wrapping, used her thumb to hold the end, and rolled it on as though she’d been applying condoms to men’s cocks for years. “Ta da!”
Her flush of achievement made him want to chuckle. He wondered if she would attack parenthood with the same single-minded determination. “Come here,” he said.
“At last.” Summer wrinkled her nose. “Some action.”
Nikolai lurched for her, grabbing and twisting her body so she fell flat on the mattress beneath him. He stared down into her flushed face. Hell, she aroused him without even trying. He bent his head, licking a few remaining droplets of water from the spa off her collarbone. Then he moved down her body to pay homage to her full breasts, drawing circles across the pale globes with his tongue.
She tried to direct his mouth to her nipple by entwining her fingers in his hair and tugging. Instead, he licked and stroked his way across her smooth skin from the sweet dip of her waist to her belly button. She quivered under his ministrations, pleasing him with her responsiveness. Nikolai parted her legs and knelt between them. Placing his hands beneath her hips, he lifted her to his mouth.
“Don’t make me wait too long. I’ve been thinking about sex with you for days. I’m so primed, I’ll come if you breathe on my clit.”
Nikolai parted her folds and took the time to study her pink labia and swollen bud. For some reason, the way she called what was between them sex rubbed him the wrong way. While he worried about the why, he trailed his fingers across her skin, damp with her arousal. Her hips jerked in his hold, and when he looked up, he saw she glared at him. He teased her feminine flesh with his fingers and savored her reaction. Open and honest with not a single pretense.
Unlike Laura.
He pushed the thought away to concentrate on Summer. He bent to rake his tongue along her cleft and clit. God, he couldn’t get enough of the taste of her. She tensed at the touch, her eyes fluttered closed and a throaty groan escaped her. Nikolai watched the changes in her body with fascination. He’d never paid much attention or cared after Laura, but watching her come, feeling the pulsating walls of her sex really did it for him.
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