Phantom in the Night

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

  Her clothes were too warm and confining all of a sudden, especially in this tiny space. Terri dropped his linens on the sink counter and swung around to leave that erotic image in her dust. She plowed into Nathan, whose body was as solid as the walls of the house.

  He gripped her shoulders, steadying her. "Whoa. What's wrong?"

  Every imposing inch of him filled the doorway. The spark of heat that lit his gaze quickened her pulse and deepened her embarrassment, which brought out her worst attribute. A flash-point temper.

  "Don't sneak up on me, dammit." She sounded like a shrew, but every time she got close to attractive men she turned into a bumbling idiot.

  "You told me to come in here."

  "Don't be obtuse. Move out of my way."

  His eyes twinkled in amusement. "No." He slowly shook his head. "I don't want you too far away while I shower. Don't make me tie you to the toilet."

  She couldn't get far enough away at the moment. "Look, bud. I'm trained. Ticked off. And I have a loaded weapon. You should take particular note of the loaded weapon part when annoying me."

  "Why are you annoyed?"

  She'd talked herself into yet another corner, but refused to lose this battle. "Oh, I don't know; Maybe because I've got a man in my house everyone in the NOPD and DEA thinks is dead—whose body they're all looking for. And if they find him in my house, what little career I have managed to hang on to will be over. Got any idea if McDonald's is hiring? I might need a contact there." She crossed her arms, ignoring the voice in her head snickering at her for conveniently sidestepping the part about how she hated to not feel in control.

  Just standing this close to this man swung her world sideways.

  Nathan stared into lush forest-green eyes. Intelligent eyes that judged him with every blink. And she should. Irritation mixed with curiosity rolled off her in waves. He'd like to think the curious part was feminine interest, but wouldn't set himself up for that letdown. This woman was law enforcement.

  Keep that foremost in mind for any hope of remaining free to hunt down Jamie's killer.

  If he had any sense of self-preservation he wouldn't be spending the night in the same house as the voluptuous Terri Mitchell, but leaving her alone after tonight was out of the question.

  Not to mention, Marseaux would come gunning for both of them and Terri would be the easiest to locate.

  "Move." She cocked her head and gave him an exaggerated sigh of impatience.

  He wasn't used to being countermanded by anyone and had no way to keep her locked in here. "Make a deal with me."

  "I'm listening."

  "Turn on your hallway light. Get your gun and sit in a dark corner in the bedroom until I come out. It's the best defensive spot right now. I know you're a well-trained agent, but I also know that you've seen what kind of monsters these people are and what they do to people every bit as capable as you. So, please, for my sanity, humor me in this."

  He could see the debate in her face. This woman took her word seriously or she'd have agreed just to get him to move. His respect for her climbed several notches for that alone.

  "Okay. Only so I can get a shower at some point before daylight, but don't get it in your head that you're calling the shots in my house or with my investigation."

  "Never crossed my mind." He should give her the truth—that he fully intended to call the shots to keep her alive—but given her current frame of mind, her pride might overrule her good sense.

  Nathan backed out. When she stepped past and strode down the hall, he waited until she entered the bedroom with her weapon before he showered and shaved in record time. Outside the bathroom, he stepped into the bright hallway and listened for any disturbance. In two strides, he stuck his head around the doorway slowly and whispered, Terri?

  "What?"

  He smothered a grin at her put-upon tone. "Your turn." His eyes adjusted to the dark as she emerged from the far corner next to the window. Smart choice.

  She opened a drawer, dug around, closed the drawer, then pulled a fluffy pink robe from her closet. Nathan moved to the side of the doorway when she headed toward him. The minute she stepped into the light he saw what she'd taken from the drawer—cherry-red lacy underwear meant to make a man beg.

  His mouth dried out so quickly, he couldn't have spoken if his next words would save his life.

  She caught the direction of his gaze and stopped moving.

  Tension compressed the air between them, breaking Nathan's attention from the wisp of material to fix on Terri's face. Her eyes took in everything he'd exposed in that brief moment.

  He knew without a doubt she'd read the bold desire in his face. In his face? Hell, she'd seen more than that. He was hard as the barrel of the SIG she clutched in her other hand and it was tough to hide in this pair of jeans.

  Nathan cleared his throat, as uncomfortable as he'd been on his first date.

  She smiled, damn her. "So glad to see a hot shower didn't zap all your strength." Her eyes dropped to his crotch, then she breezed past him.

  The little demon.

  "Terri."

  She paused and swung around. "What?"

  "One warning, that's all."

  Her confident mask flickered, but she reined in her momentary insecurity. "Meaning?"

  "Don't tease a lion that's roamed the jungle alone for two years."

  * * *

  Terri rolled onto her back, for the fourth time in the past twenty minutes. How could Nathan be comfortable in the living room? On a couch that was a foot shorter than him?

  He wouldn't even discuss comfort, stating the best place for him to be was where he would hear someone trying to enter one of the two doors.

  She kicked the covers off and climbed out of bed. The hardwood floor was chilly, a welcome change from baking in the sheets. She hadn't planned on wearing more than her underwear to bed, but she couldn't run around the house undressed, so she'd pulled on a white undershirt that stopped short of her red panties.

  Terri walked to the window and parted the sheers with her fingers, gazing out at the empty street through the slat of her shutters. She turned away and navigated the room with her night-light. Maybe she'd use her booklight to read for a while. Just as she reached her to-be-read stack of novels, a loud boom sounded outside.

  Nathan appeared out of nowhere, lunged into the room, grabbing her on his way down as they hit the bed as one. He rolled her beneath him.

  "What's wrong?" She struggled to move, but he had her pinned tight.

  "Shh."

  The boom she'd, heard? "That was a backfire, not a gun."

  He didn't answer her. That alone silenced her.

  She squirmed until she could see his face, then wished she hadn't.

  Above her was the rigid jaw, sharp cheeks, and dark eyes of a dangerous predator, anticipating a threat and ready to attack. He stared at the window, but she could tell he listened for any change or sound.

  Her heart raced.

  This was a man who had been in Special Forces.

  And had survived two years in prison.

  But he would never harm her. She knew this with a certainty Terri hadn't been willing to entertain, much less believe in for a while. Her mind conjured up warnings she beat back into submission, ready to trust her instincts again.

  She'd been intimate with a couple men she'd thought were special, but realized now neither of those would have put themselves on the line for her.

  Nathan had, more than once.

  Even now, he shielded her with a body built for power. Defined muscles covered his upper torso. He flexed an arm, the cut of his bicep deep, no doubt sculpted from relentless exercise. His wide chest hovered over her, protectively, but he used his solid forearms to hold his weight off her.

  Except from the waist down, where they touched intimately.

  She felt his gaze before she lifted hers. The thin material left no question over his state of arousal. All she had to do was lift her hips to feel every inch of that.


  Don't tease a lion that's roamed the jungle alone for two years.

  He'd given her fair warning. She'd have to take responsibility for anything that happened after this point.

  Her mind turned into a chaotic debate. Don't let this chance pass. He's interested. Don't be stupid. He's on the run. She closed her eyes. If only she could quiet her thoughts so easily.

  Use the excuse of the boom outside to dissipate the heat simmering between. Or to suggest he let her up to make coffee since they were both awake.

  She opened her eyes. He studied her with a gaze that swirled darker by the second, until those eyes reminded her of an ominous gray storm cloud waiting to explode with lightning. His chest rose and fell with one deep breath after another.

  The longer she stared up into his smoldering gaze, the less she cared about backfires, coffee, or moving one inch from this spot.

  Terri licked her lips, lost in the tempest building between them. She lifted a hand up between them and smoothed the pads of her fingers lightly over his face.

  He closed his eyes. A shudder ran through him.

  To know she could stir him so was exhilarating. She'd never thought of herself as a babe or sex kitten, but watching this incredible man react to her touch was intoxicating.

  And seductive. She wanted more.

  Terri rubbed her palm across his cheek, then glided a fingertip over his lips. He kissed the finger, then drew it into his mouth, nipping lightly, teasing with his tongue. He kissed her palm. His fingers toyed with her hair.

  She lifted another hand to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart quicken.

  His lips met hers, kissing, gently urging her with his touch for more. His hand moved from her hair to her neck, smoothing his fingers across her skin, tantalizing her with his light touch.

  Her eyelids fluttered closed, intensifying her other senses. She breathed in his male scent, engaging parts of her mind and body that had been dormant too long.

  The gentle fingers brushed along her shoulder to her chest. She held her breath, anticipating his touch, waiting, waiting until… his finger glanced over one hard nipple straining against her thin undershirt. He held the tight bud between his fingers, then moved his thumb slowly back and forth, gently torturing her.

  Sensations shot down to where her thighs clenched.

  Between her thighs felt damp and hot, needy as hell. She moved her hips against him and he groaned, then stilled, breathing as if he'd just outrun a bullet. "Terri… I'm a losing bet."

  "I don't think so."

  He stared past her head, swallowed, then lowered a gaze so full of longing that her heart bled for him. "I can't st—"

  She covered his lips, not wanting to hear, because she knew with a certainty he'd tell her the brutal truth. Of course, he figured on running, but she wanted a chance at preventing that. If she told him so, he'd be out of her arms in a flash, always ready to protect everyone else first.

  Well, not this time. She'd never known another man the way she knew Nathan. She could live with however this turned out.

  Terri moved her fingers to cup his smooth cheek, freshly shaved. "Stop treating me like I can't make my own decisions. I'm clear on what we're up against, who you are, and my role in all of this. That doesn't change the fact that I want you to make love to me, touch me, kiss me."

  His breathing quivered, debate wheeling through his gaze, but he held himself in check. Out of emotional reach.

  She'd fought for everything she'd ever wanted in life and wouldn't quit now. "I want to feel you deep inside—"

  He covered her mouth, the kiss savage with need. She ran her fingers around the thick sides of his chest to his back. His long hair fanned across her cheek, the fine ends touching her fingers, which raced along the muscles rippling his back.

  His lips demanded more, but tenderly now as his tongue played slowly with hers. He softened the kiss as if he finally realized not only had she not run, but she was dragging him closer. Holding him was like embracing a magnificent jaguar. Powerful, dangerous, and unpredictable.

  She'd risk tempting the wild side of this man tonight, trust her instincts that she was right about him.

  His mouth tore away from hers to her neck, his lips languid and urgent at the same time. She lifted her hips and rubbed that impressive erection.

  His entire body clenched. He sucked in a breath and lifted dark eyes so filled with lust to meet hers she should be backing away and probably would have from any other man.

  "I'm not a china doll you have to be careful with, Nathan, and I'm not afraid of you."

  He let out a pent-up breath. "Damn, you're something." The kiss he gave her this time was one of surrender.

  Warmth blossomed in her heart.

  He latched two long fingers under the lacy edge of her undershirt, then slowly lifted the covering, forcing her hands above her head and unwrapping her from the waist up. When she started to pull her hands back down, he whispered, "Grab the bars in the headboard."

  She wasn't sure if the shiver ran through her body from anticipation or the promise his voice held that she'd need the anchor.

  When he lowered his mouth and hands to her breasts, she realized it had to be the latter. His tongue brushed one hard nipple and she clenched against the bolt of exquisite ache. His thumb brushed the other nipple, once, twice, again. She cried out, begging, her toes curling.

  He kissed the hard bead, drawing it into his mouth to spin his tongue across the tip as he suckled, the dual motion driving her insane. His thumb continued to brush over and around her other nipple so slowly the contrasting frictions brought tears to her eyes.

  Her body trembled, shuddering under the onslaught of sensations she could barely stand. The turbulence built, higher, closer to that peak, drawing her tight from end to end.

  "Not yet." His mouth abandoned her breasts and she caught her breath before he kissed her with thundering passion. His hand massaged her breasts, fingers barely grazing her swollen nipples, but the brief touch shook her. Then his fingers smoothed along her abdomen, farther down, until he slipped a finger inside her panties, between her legs.

  She knew he kissed her but her mind and body had focused on that one nerve center. His finger moved within her damp folds and she whimpered, releasing his lips to torture her nipples again. He grazed his teeth across the bud and pulsed a finger inside her at the same moment.

  Her body bowed. Her skin burned with need.

  His finger pumped once, again, then pulled out, drawing a wet stroke across the spot begging to be touched.

  As if hearing the silent plea, he zeroed in and stroked her softly, then more earnestly. She didn't know when her hands had gone to his back, but she clutched his hard shoulders and arched, moving toward that blinding light he led her to and pulled her back from over and over.

  "Please… now…" She panted each word desperately.

  One lick of his tongue across her nipple and she let go, her insides splintering in a thousand directions. She cried her release and tumbled through a liquid blast of pleasure.

  Time zoned out, expanded, and collapsed into a limp fog before the world slowly refocused.

  She opened her eyes to his feral smile. Perspiration dotted his forehead. "That was unbelievable." She lifted her hands to unbutton his shirt.

  "I don't have—"

  "Nightstand on my left. You didn't think I'd let this go anywhere without condoms, did you?" She couldn't believe the extent of his control. Two years. The man had a steel will.

  "You're a goddess for sure."

  She liked the sound of that.

  He lifted off the bed and first shed his shirt, exposing a honed chest ripped with muscle, then stepped out of his jeans.

  Reminding her of an earlier wish to see him fully commando.

  Done. The hard planes of his cut body were almost as impressive as his surging erection, but that was going to be hard to top.

  Nathan sheathed himself so fast it practically hurt to touch his swollen cock.
He dropped a knee down along-side her then removed the whisper of red material she still wore, sliding the panties along her legs. He moved to where he could follow the path with his lips, kissing and teasing sensitive spots.

  Nathan tossed the red panties aside and stared at her soft body, lush with curves and ripe with passion. "You're so beautiful, soft curves and so hot. Holding back is close to killing me."

  "Then don't wait any longer."

  He didn't deserve this gift, but he'd be damned if he was going to walk away. Couldn't walk right now if the house was on fire.

  His groin was so full he felt true pain, but as fiercely as he wanted to drive into her at this moment he wanted to make love to her more. He ran his hands up her legs, noting the scar on her right leg. Running fingers inside her thighs, he gently parted her legs and knelt between them.

  She reached out to him. He took her hands and pulled her up on his thighs, then cupped her bottom and lifted, his eyes lost to everything but her searing green ones. She hooked her hands around his neck and kissed him. Lovingly. Her fingers stroked the side of his face.

  Nathan lifted her higher, then lowered her until the tip of his cock inched inside her. Sweat trickled down his chest at how tightly she gloved him.

  She pulled her lips from his. "I won't break. I want you, want this. Now."

  He drove up into her and gasped for air, losing all thought when she lifted almost off and slid right back down his length. Nathan bit hard to keep from coming that instant. The shaky control he'd been clinging to stripped free of his hold. He drove up hard, another stroke to the hilt, then again. She wrapped her arms around him, hanging on, urging him on.

  His release clawed through his center, breaking free and screaming with independence, sparing no part of his body as he plunged over and over until milked dry. While the last tremors sizzled along his skin, he held her close, hugging her to him, possessive.

  He'd never wanted to possess anyone, but he wanted this woman in a way he knew would hurt like a bastard when he walked away. He laid her boneless body down on the sheet. She murmured some order about lying down now and they'd shower in a few minutes.