Delta Force: Six: Wayward Souls

by Norris, Kris

  Chapter Fifteen

  Hell, yeah. Six was going to stay. And not just tonight. Tomorrow. The night after that. And the one after that. Every damn night for the foreseeable future because this was exactly where he wanted to be. With Kam.

  There was so much he needed to say. To explain. But that would have to wait. Until after he’d taken the edge off the fire raging beneath his skin. The resulting adrenaline dump from the chase. The bug out. The hard line he’d been walking since their kiss. The one he’d been reliving for the past twelve hours. That he was dying to repeat.

  Kam brushed her thumb along his jaw, her skin catching slightly on the thick stubble. She seemed content to stare up at him. Pulse beating wildly at the base of her neck. Eyes darkening. Burning all that green and gold into darker shades that gleamed in the light.

  Six smiled, leaned in then waited. Not that she hadn’t given him the green light, but he wanted her to make some kind of move. It didn’t have to be much. A flutter of her eyelids. A slight tilt forward. Something that suggested she needed this as much as he did. That she was just as lost.

  Kam’s lips turned up—went all supernova, again—before she sighed and let her eyelids slowly close.

  Bingo.

  He closed the last inch of distance, brushing his mouth over hers. Tasting the sweet anticipation of that first firm contact. Of her smooth flesh pressed against his. Their breath mixing.

  Kam made a strangled sound deep in her throat, her hand sliding behind his neck—fingers fisting in his hair as she tried to tug him closer. Arch her body against his.

  He followed suit. Sinking one hand into her hair, finally gathering all of that silky mass in his fingers as he smoothed his other hand behind her back—rested it on the upper curve of her ass. Pulled her even tighter against him, just like she’d wanted.

  Another moan, the needy sound shattering the tenuous hold he’d had on his control. The one that had kept him from ripping off her jeans and plunging inside. He’d promised himself he’d be romantic. Treat their first time like an op.

  Start with fleeting kisses and lingering touches. A slow steady build up that had him removing pieces of clothing at leisure. Worshipping every inch of skin he revealed before moving on to the next. Spending an hour tracing the contours of her body—mapping out every freckle. Every dip and curve until he had it all memorized. Could picture her perfectly with his eyes closed.

  Then, he’d move on to licking and kissing. Driving her into a frenzied quivering mess begging him to take her over. Because that’s how she made him feel just standing there. Kissing. Her body pressed against his. By the time he actually got around to sliding inside her, she’d be lost.

  Which is how he felt, right now. Both of them fully clothed. Nothing remotely romantic in sight. No candles or mood lighting. No soft music playing in the background—some sappy John Legend song if he really wanted to make her swoon. No rose petals or warm bath waiting to ease her into the evening he’d planned in his head.

  Just him. About to snap.

  Kam let her head fall against the door when he finally pulled back, kissing his way along her neck. Smooth soft skin had him sucking at her pulse point then laving the small blemish he’d left behind.

  Christ, a hickey. Not large, but there was a definite red blotch on her flesh. He hadn’t planned on leaving a mark, but damn, he couldn’t lie and say it didn’t look fucking sexy on her. Proof they were so much more than teammates.

  Kam arched a brow, brushing her fingers across the spot. “Did you seriously just give me a hickey?”

  He chuckled. “I prefer to think of it as a love bite.” He leaned in, hedging his bet that she might be mentioning it more for show than actual outrage. That he could spin it to his advantage, because damn, seeing that small red patch made his dick even harder. Knowing he was the only guy who’d get to touch her. Feel that creamy skin move beneath his mouth.

  Fuck, he hoped he was the only guy because he’d meant what he’d said. She was his mission. The most important one he’d faced, yet. And he didn’t see that changing…ever.

  He nuzzled her neck, grinning at her sharp inhalation. The way she tilted to grant him better access. Consciously or not, she arched against his mouth, moaning when he nipped at her muscle. “You can do the same to my neck, if you’d like. After all, you did mention something about us being equals.”

  “Like you’ll stand still long enough for me to do that.”

  “Just say the word, sweetheart.” He raised his gaze to hers. “Though, it might have to wait until after I’ve made you scream.”

  “God, Casey...”

  “Fuck, yeah. Just like that. All raspy and low. Actually, you don’t have to even raise your voice. Just hearing you say my name…”

  “I thought you preferred Six?”

  He stopped, mouth against her neck, just a second away from sucking on her skin, again, and lifted his head. He nodded toward the hallway. “Out there, sure. It’s who I am. What defines me. But in here…with you? I want to be Casey for you. The man, not the soldier.”

  She smiled, eyes glassy. Looking happy and, damn it, just like she had when she’d gazed up at him on the deck of the Eiffel Tower. Love-struck. “Then, I’ll be sure to scream Casey. Because I will…scream it for you. Well, a muffled scream so Gibson and Crow don’t come storming in, thinking we’re being attacked.”

  “Oh, sweetheart. The only one who’s going to be ravaging you tonight, is me.”

  Every night, if he had a say in it, and he really wanted to have a say. To make this the start of the next sixty years because standing there, holding her—the promise of more hanging between them—was better than his previous sexual experiences. Than actually having sex with other women because for the first time in his life, he couldn’t see beyond right now. No flashes of the future. Of how it would end. The inevitable crash and burn. It was just the two of them. Time a distant concept. And he’d make any sacrifice to keep this. Keep her.

  Kam’s smile widened. “Then, what are you waiting for?”

  A breath. Long. Slow. Not that it helped. All it did was allow her scent to infuse his senses. Wrap him in whatever floral essence it was. Roses, he thought. Or maybe lilacs. Whatever the fragrance, it was burned into his memory. A permanent stamp he could follow anywhere. Would recognize from only a hint of it.

  He dipped forward. “I’m trying not to strip you down and take you against the damn door. Without even removing all of our clothes because I’m that wired. Strung that tight. Christ, when those men showed up…”

  He rested his forehead on hers, doing his best to shut out all the ways things could have gone wrong. How a split-second decision could have cost him so much more than his life.

  He could have lost hers.

  He’d meant that, too. He didn’t want to protect her because she wasn’t capable of protecting herself. He wanted to protect her because she was the most important part of his life. Being with her now… It was more than he’d dreamed would happen. And he needed to make it right.

  Love her right.

  Ensure she kept coming back for more. That whatever fantasy or expectations she’d worked up in her head were more than exceeded.

  He wanted to blow the fuckers clear out of the water. Shatter them to the point she couldn’t piece them together, again. Prove to her that he was the only choice for a future.

  The only man she could ever love.

  A palm on his cheek, the soft touch urging him slightly back. Just enough he could look into her eyes. So dark—forest green and burnished gold. All staring up at him.

  She brushed her thumb along his cheek. “I was wrong. You do believe in me. Always have. And I believe in you. Like you said. I don’t care where or how we make love, Casey. Just as long as we do. And seeing as there’s never been a more perfect time…”

  He kissed her. Long. Deep. As if his damn life depended on it. Any thoughts of control, of trying to orchestrate the perfect encounter fading with the throaty sound o
f her approval. The way she tried to climb him, wrapping one leg around his thigh—pressing into his erection.

  He was beyond excited. Was harder than he’d ever been, his dick straining the zipper. Threatening to punch right through the denim. Which worked for him. All he needed was the just enough bare skin to move—finally sink inside her.

  Six lifted her enough to wedge one hand between them—flick open the button on her jeans then force the zipper down. He wasn’t sure if it opened or he ripped the seams. Didn’t care because they were sliding over her hips—pooling on the floor beneath her. Nothing but a scrap of lace between him and all that hot, wet flesh.

  Kam tugged at his shoulders, and he froze, wondering if she’d changed her mind when he realized she was trying to remove his shirt. But that meant putting her down. Getting his damn hands to lift off her body. Couldn’t do it. Not when every inch felt like heaven in his arms. The play of muscles with a mix of softness that molded to his angles.

  Harsh breaths next to his ear. Heated. Desperate. “God, Casey, let me take your damn shirt off. Your jeans. I need to touch you.”

  Six had trained to complete his task, no matter the personal cost. Placing Kameron on her feet and actually letting go of her after she’d yanked his tee over his head—fucking hardest damn task he’d ever accomplished. Because his brain was fried. None of the signals getting through other than the ones to his dick. That wanted to be inside her, now. Five minutes ago if he could manage it.

  Kameron hummed her appreciation, smoothing her palms across his ribs then up and over his pecs. “Christ, you’re amazing. I could touch you for hours. Days and never get enough of your skin against mine.”

  She ran them down to his waist—opened the button and undid the zipper. “Can’t wait to get you all the way naked.”

  “Then, you’d best hurry because I won’t last another minute without my hands all over you. Us grinding together.”

  She paused, breath held, as her gaze lifted to his. His pants halfway down his hips with her hands fisted around the waistband. She wet her lips, glancing at his groin for a moment then back to his eyes. “Hell, yeah.”

  For a guy who’d lived his life around snapshots of the future—of knowing how the important moments would play out—it seemed ironic that he found himself balls deep inside Kam, her ankles locked around his tailbone. Her fingers fisted around his hair as he held her pinned against the door. Eating at her mouth. Stealing her damn breath. Both of them naked. Because he couldn’t recall any of it. How he’d gotten from halfway dressed to skin on skin, bodies joined, nothing but sweat between them.

  He vaguely recalled suggesting a condom. Or maybe he’d grunted the first syllable. He’d said something, and she’d replied with something about birth control. About them already being married. Could have been a joke. All he knew was that they’d ended up together. Him riding her bareback. All that hot, wet arousal coating his flesh. Destroying any thoughts of making it last. Of loving her slowly.

  Fast and hard. That seemed the only option. The only way this first time could go because he was blinded by lust. By something deeper he knew he’d shout out if he took his mouth off of hers. Off the long sleek line of her neck. Or the soft hollow by her collar bone. She didn’t seem disappointed in his approach. Was urging him on. Pressing her heels against his back. Chanting in his ear. Digging her nails into his scalp as she took a few hurried breaths. Held the last one.

  Then shattered. Came completely undone in his arms. Eyes squeezed shut. Nipples like hot, hard brands against his chest. A deep flush colored her skin, as she convulsed in his arms. His name rising above the sound of the door creaking behind them. Him moaning through her release—the rhythmic pulses along his cock that threatened to take him over, too.

  He stopped. Held tight as she shook through several more spikes, her hands finally slipping out of his hair—elbows resting on his shoulders. She didn’t release her death grip on his hips. Or try to lower her legs. Instead, she let her head tilt down until she was staring into his eyes.

  A smile as she urged his mouth toward hers. “I need all of you. Casey…”

  He moved. Faster than before. Pounding into her full force. Knocking her against the door. He had just enough sense to put one hand behind her back—cushion each blow because there was no stopping. No slowing down. Not with his release burning a line down his spine. His balls pulling tight. The room dissolving at the edges as he swelled, then came.

  Long, forceful spurts that had him clamping his mouth around her shoulder, his fingers digging into her ass. Her back. Hips jerking as he emptied inside her, each thrust nearly painful until the sensation passed—left him sagging slightly against her. If he hadn’t locked his damn knees, they would have slid to the floor because he was wiped. Completely spent.

  More contractions. Sharp little ripples along his shaft had him dragging his head up—staring at Kam’s face. Her eyes were squeezed shut, again. Her mouth opened on a soundless scream.

  “Kam? Sweetheart are you coming, again?”

  She didn’t answer, just arched into him, her fingers clamped around his shoulders, her head pressed against the door, until the quivering stopped. There were a few moments of harsh breathing, then those beautiful eyes fluttering open. Half-lidded but she was definitely looking up at him. And what he saw…

  Six gathered her in his arms, still holding them together as he lifted her away from the door. She inhaled, wrapping her arms more fully around his neck as he turned then started walking. She raised a brow, looking as if she was the one who could see into the future. That she knew exactly how far gone he was. That he was crazy in love with her and would be until the day he died.

  He carried her into the bathroom, sliding her ass on the counter before reluctantly pulling out—instantly missing her wet heat. Kam pouted, staring down at his groin as he took a step away. But it was the mix of need and love looking back at him that sealed his fate. And he knew it was only a matter of time before, “I love you,” because his mantra. The one he only ever said to her.

  He turned on the taps and grabbed a few towels, helping her off the counter then into his arms. “Shower with me.”

  That blinding smile—all kiss-swollen lips and killer eyes that crinkled at the sides. “Thought you’d never ask. Oh, and Casey…”

  He paused mid-step back, waiting for her to continue.

  “I suggest you take a few deep breaths, because I intend on giving you the best damn blowjob of your life.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  That look in his eyes. A mix of hunger and lust, and—god help her what she swore was love. Burning those gorgeous brown eyes nearly black. And all of it focused on her.

  Kam had never had a lover look at her like that. As if he couldn’t get enough. Wanted to devour every detail. Devour her. She’d always thought sex was just two people scratching an itch. A mutual release. At least, that’s how it had always been. She hadn’t dated much in high school, and the military hadn’t really been the place to find a soul mate. Most of the men she’d been around hadn’t been seeking anything beyond the next few hours. Maybe a weekend fling. And she’d made peace with that. Had accepted it as part of the job description.

  But now, here with Six—Casey had changed all that. Blown any previous notions away. Altered her perceptions. Made it painfully clear that tonight was the first time she’d truly made love.

  That’s what was different. It hadn’t been just sex. Sure, it had been hot and fast. An explosion of need, but the way he’d held her—as if he couldn’t let go. Was afraid she might disappear. It had broken through the barriers she’d built around her heart. What had kept her moving those four days in the desert. Casey wasn’t in this for the release. What they’d shared wasn’t going to end in the next hour or twelve. It was the start of something bigger. Deeper.

  It should scare her. Make her heart jackhammer. Panic bead her skin. Because it meant more than just their status or her mind had changed. Her point of view had been
forever altered. She’d told him the truth. When he’d stood there, conflicted over how to love her so she’d know how special she was to him… That’s when she’d realized he’d always had her back. That he’d been serious in the truck. That being together meant she’d have to grant him the privilege of protecting her. That it was love that had him stepping in front. Something she could understand because just the thought of losing him—of having him die because of her…

  It more than messed with her brain. It affected her heart. Made her want to do whatever was necessary to end this thing with McCormick. With Slader. So she could move on to the rest of her life.

  To Casey O’Reilly.

  Six wet his lips as he stared at her mouth. Oh yeah, she had him. The way his cock started thickening—filling with more blood. He was definitely on board with her sucking him off. And she couldn’t wait to bring him to his knees. Have all that power flowing through her—watch him give himself completely over to her.

  The glass door squeaked as he opened it, waving her inside. She stepped under the spray, humming at the warm cascade of water along her skin—the even hotter press of Six against her back as he closed the door behind him. Took her in his arms.

  He didn’t move. Didn’t speak, just stood there. Holding her tight. Surrounding her in a wall of male muscles and flesh. She leaned into him—let him shoulder a bit of her weight. He seemed to like that. Enjoyed being her rock. The man who grounded her. Who she relied on. And she did. For more than he realized.

  Because for the first time since the IED, she felt truly safe. Knew nothing could get to her as long as he was holding her. That whatever Slader tried would fail because they’d never get through Six’s defenses. Never best him.

  Of course, the stubborn fool might get himself killed in the process. Might decide to step in front of a bullet aimed at her because he’d see it happening. Would have just enough of a warning to save her. Sacrifice himself. Anything and everything for his mission.