Summer Heat

by Carly Phillips

  The words sparked a line of fire that ripped through his veins. Cash looked down and admired her gyrating, vibrating body. Breasts overflowed their lacy cups. The supple mountains were taut and demanding his attention. He’d die to bury his face in their valley, to hold and pinch until she cried for more, ravishing them until she came from that alone.

  The vee of space between their chests was his private viewing gallery. The single button still fastened on his shirt didn’t hide her flat stomach or red lace thong. She turned him on in ways he couldn’t have dreamt of, and his imagination wasn’t boring. He lusted for her. Ached for this. His teeth grabbed skin, and his tongue soothed away the sting. She jerked toward him, pushing him for more. More might never be enough.

  “The hat stays on,” she moaned, head dropping back and eyelids fluttering to stay open. A flush painted her cheeks as her hips flexed and rolled. He wanted part of that rhythm in the most ungentlemanly of ways. Craved didn’t describe it. Addiction might. “Do what you want to me, Cash, and it better be hard and fast. But the hat is mine.”

  Heaven help me. He was far from easy right now, but she didn’t want easy. Not at all. One hand grabbed her two wrists, kept them overhead. Her legs flexed apart, wicked heat radiating from between them. Cash worked his belt buckle and zipper one-handed. His cock sprang free and rubbed against her lace-covered mound.

  She bit her lip, groaning at his touch. “Don’t be easy with me.”

  That wouldn’t be a problem. He feathered his fingers over the lace thong. One heavy gasp, then another poured over her full lips. His fingers slid over her sweet pussy, then retreated, reminding him that she may very well be his only damn weakness.

  “You sure?” he asked, scared he’d read this big fucking blast of obvious all wrong. Nah, she wanted him like he needed her. Her body made it more than evident in what her end goal was. Him. In her.

  “Fast and furious. Now.” Her chest heaved. Her voice fed his need, stroking and fueling him. As if he could get any harder. Her stomach, her sex rubbed against him. He bit her neck, right above her collarbone, and she tasted like sweet perfection. “Cash,” she urged him again.

  He tugged his jeans and boxers down, the belt buckle clinked against itself, and he let them fall. Cash reached between them, slipped her thong to the side of her slick folds, removing the barrier between her hot flesh and his. His palm met smooth, hot, wet arousal. Thumbing over her wasn’t enough. Not now. Not like this. And it didn’t matter. Her pussy reached for him. His cock ached to bury itself in her silky tightness.

  “Now. Cash.” She struggled against his palm, flexing into his hold. The heat pouring from her body made him sweat. “Fuck me.”

  If this was what Nic wanted, it was dream-come-true material. Nothing right now should be all sweet and soft. They’d had that before in a bed. They’d have it again later. Right now, this was energy and anxiety. This was fuck-against-the-wall sex. All anger and forgiveness. Loss and lust.

  The head of his cock surged and pressed against her tight entrance. Her breaths were rabid, her head nodding into his shoulder. She begged against his skin, her tongue skimming, teeth biting. He pushed into a lava wave of heaven and thrust. From the base of his cock, to the depths of his soul, he felt Nicola Garrison.

  It was one strong glide with little tease, no prep. She screamed his name and clung tightly. Nothing had ever been so sexy. His eyes slammed shut. His jaw dropped to his chest. Their cheeks touched.

  His entire length was gripped by her core. Nic was on fire. Inside and out. He couldn’t move. Her tense muscles grew accustomed to his intrusion. Cash placed his free hand under her ass, then tortured her with a slow withdrawal.

  They gasped together. He plunged into her again, fucking her deep with hard strokes. She moaned long and sweetly for him. When he could take no more, he dropped her wrists, and she encircled his neck. Fingernails clawed his back. Her hands pulled in his hair, and the sting was paradise. He couldn’t possibly get enough of her. He might never let her go.

  Everything felt violently sensitive. Shudders ripped through his muscles. His mind raced to stay in the moment and not come as she called for more and more. He fucked harder, deeper, and she pushed for her release with each roll of his hips.

  Against the wall, in his hat, hadn’t been the plan.

  “More, Cash.”

  But he hadn’t known this Nicola before tonight. And in between her heavy breaths, Cash knew sex with this woman was it for him. Absolutely it. He was ruined for all others. There was no slinking away, no hiding from her or the fireworks that exploded when they tumbled together.

  Her ass lifted off the wall. Their flesh slapped together. Her juices coated him, running between them. Her pleas drove him into her, flagging him toward the climactic goal line.

  The thick air dripped with desire. He tried for deep breaths that didn’t exist. He couldn’t catch his breath and didn’t want to slow enough to try. The heavy beat of her breathing powered him on. She fought against the wall, slammed herself against him, and thrashed her head from side to side. Her long hair whipped his face, lavender scented, sticking to the sweat on his temples.

  Nic’s latched legs ratcheted up another level of corkscrew tight, and she wailed for more and more, biting down on his shoulder. The hat stayed on, God only knew how. The thunder of her muscles began to pulse around his cock. He was starving to feel her come and drove with all his strength, meeting her at every angle.

  Nicola cried out. Her body went taut, then exploded around him, the climax more than strong enough to trigger his release. But, hell no. Once wasn’t enough. He wanted to give her more. Anything to provide for her. To know he could drive her past the burning edge of satisfaction.

  As she came off her high, Cash pulled her to him, spun for the couch, and after a long jeans-tangled step, fell back onto the leather cushions. Beneath her touch, her aftershocks still throbbing, he could stay like this forever. Silky hair hung over her shoulders as she straddled him with a smile. That buttoned-down shirt, hanging on for dear life, had to go. He tore it from her shoulders, and the lone button popped off. Another quick rip, and her thong and bra were lacy goners.

  Cash palmed her stomach, and his hands locked to her hips. Nic rocked, the rhythm swaying her breasts. He loved fucking her, filling her, and he loved those beautiful tits. Cash honed in on the peaked nipples reaching for him. He took the swollen weight of her breasts and clutched his fingers into natural plumpness. She groaned, leaning into his palms. His fingers tightened and massaged. Every time his thumbs swiped her pink pebbled tips, her bottom lip shook, and her jaw hung until he stopped.

  Sweet girl, hot damn. He wanted this woman for himself. Heart pangs rippled through his chest. No one else should’ve ever had the chance to see this view. When her head tilted back, the cowboy hat finally fell off. She didn’t even notice, completely in the midst of losing control. The best thing he’d ever seen.

  She rose up on her knees, dropping onto him. The tickle of her fingertips dusted over his sweat dampened chest. Burning breaths pushed in and out of his lungs. His body more than reacted for her. It dive-bombed into Lake Ecstasy.

  There were no words right now. If he had to say something, he’d ruin it all. Rough and coarse as the wall-to-couch screw-fest was, something surreal was happening, something more than he understood. His insides glittered like sparks against a black night sky, his mind shattering in rapture. The only thing he knew was their release was mission critical. It had to happen. She deserved it. He’d die without it.

  Nicola sucked her bottom lip. Cash’s body jackknifed in a blissed-out frenzy. Liquid fire coated his cock. Perfect pouty lips swelled from his kisses. And she rode him. Hard.

  He gripped her hips tighter, sliding her faster. She came again, forceful and blazing, and locked chocolate eyes on him. They stole his breath. Hell, it didn’t matter. She’d stolen his heart. Whatever the fuck had happened years ago, it wasn’t important. Whatever fucking excuse she had for disappea
ring, he couldn’t remember.

  She was his.

  And she fucked like she knew it.

  Again, Nicola’s climax started. He could feel it grow around him, surrounding his shaft, and her face was painted in what almost looked like pain. Her reddened lips opened, short gasps escaping as they clawed toward their zenith.

  “Cash!” Nicola’s head rolled back. His name bounced off the walls, echoing around them. Her pussy ground into him as a convulsion blew through her and began the unstoppable quake in him. He grabbed her waist, all his muscles corded. Everything sizzled. Hot streams of his release flowed into her. Silky muscles gripped and relaxed again and again.

  His mind stilled, and all he could do was feel the sparks moving from pecs to glutes. From his boots on his feet to his fingers digging into her sides.

  This was a Nicola supernova. Her brilliant burst of energy, the beautiful illumination of her face, would stay branded in his memory. A deep mouthful of air later, Nic collapsed onto his chest. Her pink-flushed cheek pressed against him. The air smelled like lavender and sex. Of satisfied woman.

  Cash wrapped his arm her, holding her in place, never letting her go. His chest still heaved, but fuck it, he didn’t care. The roar of her gasps slowed. Nicola caught her breath quietly against his lips.

  Seconds. Minutes. Who the hell knew how much time passed? Their bodies needed to be held. Their minds needed rest.

  Late afternoon light had shifted deeper though the windows since they’d walked inside. She shifted under his arms. Her finger traced a path on his bicep.

  He whispered, “Sweet girl?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You’re in charge of all normal activities from here on out.” Cash stroked her hair, trailing his hand through it, then caressing her shoulder.

  She laughed softly against his chest, and it felt damn good. “No kidding. You were going to make me watch Pawn Stars or something. Don’t lie.”

  Maybe. “Stay here tonight.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Wrong answer.”

  “I have to prep before I meet the butler tomorrow afternoon. We fly out to Turkey for a simple drop and dash.”

  Cash propped up on an elbow. “What? When’d that come through?”

  “Check your messages. I found out on my way out of Sugar’s.”

  “You’re not going anywhere with that asshole until Roman and I suit up and—”

  “Shut your face, Cash. You’re ruining my post-orgasmic glow.”

  Shut my face? Most women clamored for the right thing to say to make him stick around after a quickie. Not Nic. And this wasn’t a quickie. He tucked her back against him.

  He could handle this. He could. And he could do it without killing people for no reason other than to protect her.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  There were a lot of ways to wake up in the morning. Nicola turned in the rumpled sheets to snuggle against Cash’s naked chest. Her legs entwined with powerful thighs and calves. One of his arms was pinned beneath her. The other arm drew her closer even though he never seemed to wake. A sleepy sigh blew into her hair, stubble brushed her skin, and her lips tugged into a grin. Yeah, lots of ways to wake up, but this was the best ever.

  “Going somewhere?” his sleep soaked voice asked as he pulled her tighter then kissed the side of her head.

  “Good morning,” she whispered, not wanting to disturb the morning quiet. A warm rush of tingles ran through her.

  “Yup, it is, but go back to sleep. You kept me up entirely too late last night.”

  She laughed, recalling the night. They’d lain on the couch forever before he’d baked a frozen pizza. Cash really needed something besides frozen food in his kitchen, but those were the breaks of the job: never knowing when he’d be home. Pizza was the most benign problem he could have in the housing department.

  Nic shook her head, not wanting to think about the sacrifices and decisions their jobs drove them to. Instead, she remembered Cash rocking her world in bed. And in the whirlpool bath. No wonder he was still out. Blissfully numb, Nicola smiled at the ceiling, ready to sink back to dreamland.

  “I don’t want to deal with today yet, Nic. Go back to sleep,” he murmured.

  Today, she’d have to deal with David the Butler and milk enough intel to warrant an on-the-books espionage investigation. At least Istanbul was one of her favorite cities, and she had the opportunity to wear another designer dress, paid for with the CIA’s credit card. Beth would pick out another beauty, arrange for all necessary documents and back story, and have it delivered to her apartment by the time she arrived home. Too bad Cash wouldn’t be able to see her dress. Maybe this one would survive the job, and she could wear it out sometime. Or at least try it on so he could take it off.

  Nic closed her eyes, drifting to sleep, and hoping to dream of him.

  ***

  Cash eased up on the gas. They were closing in on Nic’s apartment, and he wasn’t ready to let her go. Nor was he ready for her to fly halfway around the world with the freakin’ butler.

  “This sucks.” Cash blew out another annoyed breath.

  “Get over it, Cash. You can’t throw tantrums every time I have to work. You knew partnering with me meant that I had to go on assignment with David first.” Nic pointed to the front of her apartment, a first floor balcony setup.

  She really shouldn’t live on the first floor. Too easy for an asshole to slip in, even if the apartment was wired, and she slept with a gun under the pillow.

  “Yeah, yeah. I know.” He could bitch all he wanted. Nic heading into the field with that dickhead David wasn’t doing much for his mental state. Anxiety burned off his good mood and made his hands itch to palm a .45 and follow her around. Just in case.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be back in a couple of days. I’ll send you intel as I can. You’ll hear from me a thousand times before my feet hit U.S. soil again, then we’ll hook up and take the fucker down.”

  He grumbled, staring at the too-high bushes near her windows. Those should really be trimmed back. He could do that for her while she was gone, make the place a little more safe.

  How had he given in on this partner shit anyway? Oh yeah. She gave him no choice. Plus, she could handle herself. All things he knew well, but they didn’t do shit for his nerves. A man-gene somewhere in his brain lit up like a neon sign, screaming for him to put an end to this operation, or at least put an end to her hopping on a Learjet with a double agent and doing a Farm job.

  She didn’t direct him to a parking space, which was just as well. Nic leaned over and gave him a kiss.

  “It’s going to be fine, Cash.”

  “I’m not worried.”

  She laughed. “You look ready to rip the steering wheel off its column.”

  Cash shrugged. “Not going to rehash it again. If you change your mind, call me. There’s always a plan B.”

  Nicola kissed him again. “The reason you love—like me is I don’t need a plan B.”

  “True.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. She was going to say love. People say love all the time. He loved pizza. He loved working for Titan. They didn’t cut back and say like. Casually, the words were interchangeable. Unless they weren’t. Holy fuck. Or was he over-thinking this? Cash cleared his throat. “Bye, sweet girl.”

  Waving over her shoulder, Nicola bee-lined without looking back and opened a door. One set of keys for one lock. Easy deadbolt action. She needed more security than that. He revved the engine, toying with the idea of telling her that now. It’d only take a second. But, shit. She wouldn’t see it like that, would she? Nope. It’d be all, “I can take care of myself.”

  He put the truck in drive. Maybe he’d go track down Sugar and see what she had to say about her one-on-one with Nic. Maybe not. He wasn’t trying to piss Nicola off, just get some details.

  Pulling out of the apartment complex, he reached for his phone to call Rocco. Calling Roman would be a mistake. Rocco knew enough about him and about the situ
ation to provide some kind of sounding board, even if he only did it to have a live role in their drama.

  Two rings and Rocco was ready for his role as Dr. Drew. Good, because Cash was throwing him a big one.

  Cash merged into traffic and let the convo rip. “Roc, man. You think love can be all just add water and resuscitate?”

  Rocco choked on something and coughed for the next thirty seconds. Someone in the background asked him if he was dying. After a pop and fizz, Roc gulped into the phone, then hacked out, “Come again?”

  Yeah, that was about what he should’ve expected. Cash bobbed and weaved through traffic, wanting like hell to get back home. “Like if you felt all happy ever after about someone once, but it didn’t end up like that. Do you think if the chance came up again, it’d happen fast?”

  “Fuck me. Are you serious?”

  Maybe calling Rocco was as good an idea as leaving Nic and Sugar alone. “I’m having freakin’ issues, man. I need some kind of advice to move me from the Hugh Hefner side of the game to… like… see, I don’t even know an example. Someone who doesn’t have a cell phone full of names like Blondie-Bartender and Purple-Car-Pink-Thong.”

  With a full mouth, Rocco garbled, “There should be more stable men with families on television than Bruce Jenner. He shouldn’t be the poster child. Nothing about that Kardashian clan should be the gold standard.”

  “Spare me the social commentary, Roc.”

  “So what do you want from me? Could you love her? Well, shit. From what I’ve seen—”

  “I didn’t say a thing about being in love.” Cash blew out a breath. “Christ, man.”

  “Listen, asshole. You said happy ever after. Like Disney fairy tale bullshit. That means the L-bomb. All those Tinkerbells and mermaids end up in a castle with a prince. It’s the same fucking thing. Right?”

  Nic’s still in love with me. Cash’s stomach was on the spin cycle. He checked his rear view mirror and saw that he was smiling. He didn’t want to, but a huge grin was plastered across his goddamn face. Oh, hell. He hit the gas and passed a couple of cars over a double yellow line.