Cat Got Your Tongue?

by Rae Rivers

  Such a damn fool.

  She was sitting on the floor under the spray of water, hugging her knees, her head resting on her arms. When he opened the shower door and shut off the water, she gasped and waved a hand at him.

  “Go away,” she mumbled, looking mortified that he’d witnessed her little meltdown.

  He grabbed a nearby towel, and stepped into the shower. “Come here,” he said softly, pulling her to her feet and wrapping the towel around her shoulders. She was trembling and felt so ridiculously small in his arms.

  “How did you get in here?” she asked in a husky tone.

  “I have a master key.”

  “So locks don’t matter to you either.” She was trying to distract him from the fact that she was a shivering mess.

  “Maybe we have more in common than we thought.” Cole leaned forward and kissed her gently. “I’m sorry I was such an ass.”

  She seemed surprised by the apology and lifted her eyes to his. “You should be more grateful when someone sticks their neck out to save yours. I’ve never met anyone more disgruntled at being kept alive.”

  “I know.” Even standing in front of him, a shivering wet mess, she still looked beautiful. In a way, it relieved him to see her like this. It proved to him that through her tough exterior, sassy attitude, and big mouth, there was a whole lot of woman waiting to be discovered.

  “Are we still fighting?” she asked, tilting her head to look at him as though she were trying to gauge his mood.

  He smiled. “I’m done fighting, Alex. I know we have a lot to discuss. A lot has happened for us to figure out, but I’m kind of done with it all for tonight, aren’t you?”

  “Hell, yes.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “God, I was so worried about you tonight.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “I know.” She was still trembling and he stepped back to look at her. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ve tried to stop the shivering, but my body’s way past listening to me.”

  He rubbed his hands across her back and kissed her forehead. “It’s been a rough day.” An understatement, but he left it at that.

  “You fired me,” she said softly.

  “I know.”

  “No one’s ever fired me before.”

  “I’m the first of many of firsts in your life.”

  Her face relaxed into a small grin. “My first shield to crack my work code and my first shield to fire me. You are an ass.”

  “I know. My testosterone takes over sometimes.”

  “Only sometimes? Baby, you are testosterone all the time.”

  He chuckled. “And so are you, my spitfire.”

  “Our relationship is doomed.”

  Cole trailed a finger across her cheek. She was scratched and bruised, and his gut clenched at the knowledge that she had received these injuries because of him.

  He pressed his lips to her forehead, closed his eyes, and breathed her in.

  That was why he had fired her.

  ****

  Alex had always underestimated the power of an embrace. Her first instinct when Cole had wrapped his arms around her had been to pull away, to put some distance between them. But the safety she found in his arms kept her there. She inhaled, relieved they had decided to fly their white flags for the night.

  Conflict had never bothered her—it came with the territory of her job, her life, and the people she worked with. But fighting with Cole was different. It unnerved her.

  She must be getting soft. Either that or she was so damn tired from the several adrenaline rushes she’d had during the day.

  Cole’s hand slid beneath her towel and settled on her naked waist, a saucy grin toying on sensuous lips. “Now that you no longer work for me, we no longer have a business relationship.”

  “Then itʼs just sex,” she said quickly, glancing at him above the hem of her towel. The trembling had lessened, but she still huddled into its warmth.

  He cupped her face in his hands, his fingers splayed across each cheek. “This is more than just sex, Alex, and you know that.”

  “No. It’s—”

  He dipped his head to capture her mouth in a firm kiss, cutting her off. She held back, hesitating. Sensing her uncertainty, he tangled his fingers into her hair and deepened the kiss.

  Heat ignited between her legs and her arms came up to encircle his neck. She couldn’t help herself. The escape he offered was so tempting, and she relaxed into him, relenting to whatever he wanted from her. There had been enough arguing and tension for one day, and she could do with an outlet right now. Sex with Cole sounded perfect.

  When Cole sensed her surrender, he tightened his hold on her and kissed her with a delicious roughness.

  The towel fell away, and she gasped his name when he cupped her breast.

  “Are you okay to do this?” he whispered, trailing a finger along the wound on her hip.

  “Hell, yes,” she breathed and nibbled his lip, relieved that the wound had started healing.

  Not needing a second invitation, he tightened his grip and ravished her.

  Their breathing grew heavier, the uncontrollable spiral of desire and urgency drawing them in, fueling their need for the release they sought from each other.

  Alex’s shivering vanished, replaced by the familiar longing that only he could give her.

  Together, they quickly stripped him, his clothes joining the wet towel on the floor. His hard length, ready and primed, brushed against her womanly curves. With a small grin, she left a trail of kisses across his chin, his neck, his chest, and the hard muscles that bulged in his waist area. When she settled herself in front of his waist, she tilted her head back to look at him. The crazed look in his eyes spurred her on and she took him into her mouth.

  “Oh, God, Alex,” he groaned, his eyes darkening in hot pleasure. His head tipped back and he shoved his fingers through her hair.

  Alex teased, licked, and tasted, enthralled with the small sounds of satisfaction coming from him. She relished in the power she had over him. This powerful man was at her mercy, hard, hot and wanting her. And it felt great. So sensual and intimate.

  “Alex, stop,” Cole rasped.

  She smiled and dipped her head to continue the torment, but he stopped her.

  “Stop,” he grated out, his voice husky and desperate. He pulled her to her feet. “I want to be inside you.”

  She moved into his arms. “Now.”

  Sexual determination and raw need sent them tumbling out of the shower and onto the bed. The darkness in the bedroom hid the war wounds on both their bodies and for a brief moment in time, they were able to forget about the day’s events and concentrate on each other.

  Cole growled as he moved over her and caught her nipple between his teeth, his mouth hungering against the soft flesh. When his hand trailed to the soft curls between her legs, she spread her legs in complete submission, without hesitation, and he groaned.

  Alex gasped as a fresh onslaught of pleasure ripped through her when he slipped a finger into her, working his magic once again. He moved his hand, his finger teasing the very center of her, and she bucked against him, crying out as he caught her mouth with his again.

  She’d had a few lovers in the past, but this man aroused her in a way that no one else had. His masculine sexiness, determination, and manly aura completely overwhelmed her senses.

  “Oh, Cole,” she breathed as she felt an intense orgasm building. She grabbed his shoulders to hold on to him, the sensation so powerful that she needed to feel him there.

  But he wasn’t done with her yet, and she cried out in frustration when he pulled away. When his mouth took over from his hands, she arched her back, writhing beneath him, lost in the sensual act of having his mouth on her in such an intimate way. He slid his hands under her waist and lifted her, kissing her with the same intensity as she’d done to him.

  She gasped when he drew back to look at her, his eyes dark with hunger. “Tell me this
is more than just business,” he said softly.

  “No.” She gave a frustrated groan when he withdrew completely. “What are you doing?” she cried, desperate for the release he promised, but seemed determined to deny her.

  “Tell me this is more than just sex.” He shifted his body to kiss her hard on the mouth. When he nudged her legs open with his knee, she spread them eagerly, desperate to have him inside of her, and groaned at the masculine feel of him between her legs.

  He hesitated as he slid the tip of his cock inside of her. She arched against him, trying to take him in further, but he swiftly withdrew. “Tell me, Alex.”

  “Cole, stop it.”

  Ignoring her cry of frustration, he caught her hands in his. He laced his fingers with hers and pressed them against the sheet above her head.

  “Cole, stop messing around. I need you.”

  His kiss was slow and torturous. “I know. And God knows, I need you, but not until you admit the truth to me. Admit this is more than just sex.”

  She closed her eyes, fighting against everything he wanted from her. “This is only sex, dammit.”

  “Liar,” he whispered and pushed his full length into her.

  Her eyes flew open in surprise, and she gasped with pleasure. They both let out a long, slow groan as he started his rhythmic humping into her.

  Alex met each thrust with wild urgency, her orgasm intensifying once again. “Please don’t stop,” she begged, gripping his shoulders.

  “Then tell me, dammit!” he insisted, pumping into her. This time, his voice held a tinge of urgency that wiped away the self-control he’d seemed determined to maintain. “Admit to me that this—this—is more than just sex.”

  He pounded into her, and Alex clung to him helplessly as the magical sensations wracked her body. She knew what he wanted. Abandoning all sense of self-preservation, she cried out against his neck as she finally—finally—felt herself going over the edge. “Yes,” she gasped.

  “Say it.”

  “This is more than just sex.” She let out a shriek as she came with an intensity that rocked her world and left her breathless and gasping for something more than air.

  “Thank God,” he murmured, closing his eyes and burying his face into her neck. He came with a shudder, rocking against her, and gave a soft growl against her skin.

  “You don’t fight fair,” she whispered in choppy breaths.

  He lifted his head to look at her, a sexy grin curving his lips. “You’d best remember that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Tuesday morning

  Alex crept down the stairs, listening for clues as to the whereabouts of the three men. The house was quiet and her escape route seemed clear, so she quickly descended the last few steps and headed for the front door.

  Her heart sank as the door opened before she reached it and Cole walked in, his two new bodyguards directly behind him.

  Oh, brother.

  The three men looked striking, handsome, all dressed in shirts and jeans, and Alex’s stomach lurched at the unexpected sight of them.

  Almost as though he sensed her need for a hasty exit, Cole moved in front of her, blocking the door. “Going somewhere?”

  “I have a meeting.”

  “A meeting?”

  Oh, no. Not now. Alex lifted her chin and looked straight at Cole, hoping to mask her uneasiness. “Yes. A meeting with a new client.”

  Cole’s eyes narrowed. “Bullshit. Tell me where you’re going.”

  Alex wasn’t surprised when he saw right through her. He had spent the most part of the last fifteen years in heavy negotiations with people from all over the world. He’d learnt how to maneuver his opponents where necessary, mastered the skill of reading others, and had developed an accurate instinct that warned him when someone wasn’t being entirely honest with him.

  She hadn’t stood a chance.

  Alex sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing when to admit defeat. Besides, it might not hurt for them to know where she was headed. If her meeting went sour, at least they’d know where to start looking for her.

  “I’m going to see your cat burglar,” she said without flinching, her eyes locked on his. She knew he wasn’t going to like her reply and issued a silent challenge that she simply didn’t care.

  All three men had different reactions but the end effect was the same. Had Alex not been so annoyed, she might have seen the humor in it.

  “You’re going to see Steven Bryson? Alone?” Dan stared at her, his expression colored with disapproval. “Are you crazy?”

  Alex straightened her shoulders. “He should be able to fill in a few blanks.”

  “And you really think he’s going to be straight with you?”

  “No, but with a little persuasion he’ll give me some answers.”

  “Then we’re coming with you.”

  “Absolutely not.” Alex glared at Dan, determined not to back down.

  Bradley maneuvered himself closer to her side. “Alex, that’s suicide.”

  “Steven will run if he sees me arrive with you two on my tail, and besides, you guys need to be with the shield.”

  “Then we’ll all go,” Cole said, his tone laced with anger.

  “Oh, great,” Alex replied with a sarcastic laugh, “a billionaire and two bodyguards in tow. Now I’ll really be inconspicuous when I bust into Steven’s house.”

  “If you’re going to be busting in, then you’re definitely not going alone.”

  Alex watched in disbelief as the three men, in all their testosterone glory, spewed out reasons that challenged her decision to see Steven Bryson. It was time to show them that although she was a woman, she had developed testosterone of her own.

  Temper flaring, she glared at Cole. “Since I don’t work for you anymore, you don’t get to question me.” She spun around and pinned her partners with a determined stare. “And as for you two, you’ve never questioned me before and I don’t appreciate you doing so now. All three of you back down.”

  “Alex,” Dan said, his tone softening, “I never stomp on your turf but there’s no way we’re letting you see Steven alone.”

  Alex frowned. Something about the way they were towering over her sparked a new suspicion. Her partners had always trusted her, cautioned her through a tricky situation, but never stepped on her toes. Now, they were all over her.

  The disk. They’d listened to the rest of the disk.

  “Oh, God,” she gasped, reeling back, “you know!”

  “Alex—”

  “How did you find out?”

  Cole took a step forward. “I suspected there was more to the disk.”

  “Dammit,” she said through gritted teeth, shoving him away.

  Bradley held out his hand. “Calm down, Alex.”

  “I am calm,” she snapped. “I just didn’t want you to know.”

  “Why the hell not?”

  “Because I knew this is how you’d react! I don’t need you three breathing down my neck. I can take care of myself.”

  “But this is different, Alex,” Bradley argued, folding his arms across his muscular chest. “You’re one of the best damn agents we have, but this changes things. You have to admit that you need help here.”

  “No!” Alex put her hands on her hips, feeling cornered with the three colossal men in front of her. “You guys are to worry about the shield and let me worry about myself.”

  Cole moved toward her, his jaw clenched. “Alex, although their intentions were not spelled out on that disk, it’s enough to prove that someone has an invested interest in us. We have to assume the worst from that conversation, and you need to pull your independent issues out of your ass right now and concentrate on staying alive!” Even though his tone was even and low, there was no mistaking the anger that raged through him. “You are not going to see Steven alone.”

  Their gazes gridlocked and thick tension prickled between them.

  “Fine!” she snapped and pushed past Cole, heading for the stairs.
He grabbed her wrist, but she whirled around with such force that he released her.

  “Alex.”

  “Back off,” she said, lowering her tone. “All of you.”

  With a final scowl, she bolted up the stairs.

  ****

  Half an hour later, Alex slipped quietly out the front door and into the waiting cab. She rattled off an address, which she hoped was the correct one for Steven. Cats generally didn’t stay in one place for too long, but according to Eddie, it was current.

  He’d also flipped when she’d called him for the address, but she had blown him a kiss and hung up the phone, not wanting another confrontation. Wow, the men in her life had serious overprotective issues.

  She looked around her, checking for any leeches, but no one seemed to be the wiser that she’d flown the coop. She grimaced, knowing she’d receive a lot of heat when she returned, but she could handle them, no matter how exhausting it felt having to juggle and divert all that testosterone. They meant well, but she’d never allowed anyone to dictate her movements before and she wouldn’t start allowing it now. She was stubborn, difficult, and hot headed, but as far as she was concerned, this wasn’t a popularity contest, and until now, her way of life—of being—had kept her alive and made her one of the best bodyguards available.

  The cab came to a stop behind a silver Volvo paused at a red light and Alex looked out of the front window, trying to gauge how much time she had before reaching Steven. She knew that seeing him could be dangerous, but she had her gun attached to her hip and hoped he wouldn’t harm her—thief’s honor and all that.

  With a sudden force that surprised her, the back door of the cab flew open and Cole casually sank into the seat beside her.

  “Cole!” she exclaimed, shock unhinging her jaw. “What are you doing here?” She searched out of the windows for her partners but couldn’t see them.

  “I told you I’m coming with you,” Cole clipped with a dry undertone.

  Alex was so stunned that she had to shake her head to get her brain moving again. “Great, first you snoop in my bag and now you’re following me?”

  “I thought we’d agreed you wouldn’t go alone.”