Die for You

by Michele Mills

  Or at least they’d never told her.

  She put her hand on her forehead and blew out a breath. This craziness had to be a symptom of their forced intimacy. Right? They were all squeezed together like sardines, constantly in each other’s company, spending every moment of every day together. Even though she’d only known Adam for a little over a week and Christian and Trevor for three days—with everything they’d been through, it felt like years.

  She rinsed out the conditioner and lathered up her body, heat pulsing between her thighs, breasts heavy, nipples begging for relief.

  She imagined Adam. His hands on her. His hard cock pounding into her pussy. She exhaled. She needed him, needed his hands and his mouth to give her a screaming orgasm. Water fell along her neck and trailed over her hot skin. It rinsed off the soap but did nothing to decrease the warmth in the folds of her sex.

  Adam wouldn’t be back until dark. He was out with Trevor, checking on neighboring farms for supplies and signs of life.

  Shoot.

  She whimpered and decided to do what she’d done so many times before.

  Take care of it herself.

  Rachel lathered her stomach and slid her hand down to the soft curls between her legs, dipping her finger inside to caress her swollen clit. She moaned. Not as good as Adam’s hand, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do.

  She closed her eyes. What if she weren’t alone in the shower?

  Rachel smiled, this time imagining Adam in front, Trevor in back, trying out in her mind again the idea that Adam had planted there, deciding it wasn’t as bad as it first sounded. She shivered at the thought of two sets of rough palms on her soft skin. Lips nipping her neck, large hands cupping her breasts. In this scenario, she wanted Adam as dominant as ever, calling the shots, telling Trevor what to do, where to touch her.

  Water sluiced along the slope of her chest and between her nipples. They begged to be touched. She used her fingernails to lightly rub the soapy tips of her breasts. Warmth rushed through her body as pleasure spiked in her clit. Her breath quickened as she imagined Adam’s mouth latched on to one breast. She could almost feel the tug of his lips. In her dream, he pinched the other nipple simultaneously with large fingers. She gasped at the intense pleasure and leaned her back against the shower wall, delirious with bliss.

  She moved one hand to the apex of her legs and delved back between her folds. She sighed as she stroked her swollen clit. She found the right spot and applied the exact amount of rhythmic pressure. One hand lifted to brace against the tile wall. Shaking, shuddering at the razor edge of release. She was almost there, the explosive orgasm hovering just around the corner.

  The shower door clicked open and cold air swept in. Rachel gasped and jerked her hand from between her legs.

  Adam stood there gloriously naked, penis flushed and erect, backlit with glowing light.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Adam watched her with hungry lust, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Would you like some help with that?”

  Heat rushed to her face. Her chest pounded so hard she thought she might be having an actual heart attack. She froze, unable to speak. Why hadn’t she heard him come inside the bathroom? A pathetic, squeaky noise finally emanated from her throat. He’d found her naked, touching herself. She wished a sink hole would split the ground open and swallow her up whole.

  “You know we shouldn’t be wasting water. Too bad, because I’d love to join you.” A lazy smile tugged his mouth as he reached behind her and twisted the shower knob. Drops of water trickled overhead.

  She stared at him, water dripping down her face, so completely mortified she was unable to speak. She turned her back to him, trying to hide.

  “Baby.”

  “Get out,” she whispered.

  “Come here,” he said with a hard voice. He grabbed her by the arms and guided her out of the shower. “I’m taking you into the bedroom and I’m going to finish what you started.”

  Before she could answer, Adam’s hands went behind her knees. She squealed as he swept her into his strong arms and burst through the bathroom door. He dropped her wet body on their bed. He grabbed an ankle with a rough hand, pulled her down and immediately positioned her hips on the edge. He pushed her thighs open and put his mouth between her legs.

  Wow, he worked fast.

  Minutes ago, she was masturbating in the shower, alone and slightly pathetic, and now here she was with Adam’s face between her legs. Amazing how a person’s world could turn on a dime.

  He used his fingers to spread her wide and then dragged his tongue across her sex and drew circles around her clit. Rachel’s thighs clenched. “Oh, dear God,” she moaned. “Don’t stop.”

  “You’re so wet,” Adam rasped. “Finding you like that was fucking hot, like nothing I’ve seen before. What were you thinking of when you were getting off in the shower?”

  Did they have to talk about this? “You.” She gasped. “I was thinking of you.”

  “Just me? Or was anyone else in the shower too?” He plunged two fingers into her pussy.

  Her back bowed off the bed. Was he psychic? How could he know? “Only you.” She thrashed her head from side to side. She was there again, right on the edge, if he put a little more pressure right there…

  He lifted his head and kissed the inside of her thigh. “Tell me the truth, Rachel.”

  She fisted handfuls of downy green comforter and squeezed tight. “Can we talk less and fuck more?”

  He laughed at her blunt language. “Your wish is my command.”

  She was so close it wasn’t going to take much. He returned his tongue to her clit and found that sweet spot, the same one from the shower. And she exploded. Pleasure so intense it almost hurt swept through her. Her hips jerked up as her pussy clenched around his fingers.

  She heard a crinkling noise and then he was rolling on a condom in record time. The crest of his rock-hard penis nudged against her entrance.

  “Hurry,” she begged, digging her nails into his shoulders. The idea of his cock pounding into that empty space, filling her up where she needed him most, had her desperate and needy.

  He lifted one of her legs, hand behind her knee, and entered her in one swift motion. He filled her wetness completely, his hip bones moving with hers.

  “Adam,” she cried out and reached out to dig her fingers into his ass, pulling him close. It was so good, so good. This time, he was letting her touch him, letting her do what she wanted. It was a nice change of pace. He groaned and she wrapped her legs around his narrow hips. He reared up, pulling out until the head of his penis touched her opening and slammed back into her. She sobbed as he shoved his length into her again and again, tormented by the exquisite sensation.

  Sweat shone on Adam’s face and his breath came in short, harsh gasps. She touched his warm skin, skated her hands down his smooth back and felt the ripple of his muscles. He braced himself on strong, quavering arms and ground out, “Isn’t this what you wanted Rachel? Hard cock?” he said with that dark, commanding voice she loved.

  His long, deep thrusts grew jerky and hard, each stroke sending impulses of sensation lighting inside of her womb. God, she needed this, needed to imprint Adam all over her body, his scent, his touch to the point that it was deep down in her bones and would never go away.

  “Come with me,” Adam ordered hoarsely.

  She gripped his shoulders as she felt herself on the edge of her own release again. Her violent orgasm caught her by surprise. She opened her mouth and he covered her scream of ecstasy with his lips. The sensation exploded inside of her, detonated and dragged her down. She felt him drive deep into her one last time. He lifted his head and shouted out her name as hard pulsing dampness filled her. She tightened her arms around his shoulders, enjoying the warmth of his hot seed inside her pussy.

  A sudden realization swept chilling
coldness through her. Wait, how could she feel that? That shouldn’t be possible. He was wearing a condom, wasn’t he? He was, so that meant—

  “Adam,” she whispered, her hands on his chest. “I think the condom broke.”

  Adam’s whole body stiffened. “What?” he clipped.

  “The condom,” she repeated, her voice a soft, defeated whisper. “I think it broke. When you came, I…I felt it. It feels warm.”

  Adam dropped his face into her neck. “Fuck.” He lifted his head, gave her a quick kiss and muttered, “I’ll be right back.” He slid out of her, got up and stalked to the bathroom.

  Motherfucking hell, this did not just happen.

  Coldness settled into the pit of his stomach. He pulled the condom off and studied it. The damn thing was torn so wide a fucking B-52 could have flown right through it. “Goddammit,” he roared, ready to tear the room apart with his bare hands and beat someone senseless.

  “Adam?” He whipped around, and reined in his anger at his own stupidity. How could he not have noticed the damn thing was torn? Was he a fucking idiot?

  Rachel stepped into the bathroom—sexy in his T-shirt. The one she always wore, with the word Marine in block letters across her chest—her eyes wide and face pale, twisting the hem in her fingers. “Was I right? Did it…?”

  “Yes, the condom broke. Shouldn’t even have bothered to wear one.”

  Her mouth opened. She was staring at him but not focusing.

  Adam closed the distance. “Rachel, it’s going to be okay.” His arms went around her and he pulled her in close.

  “No.” Her lips trembled and tears formed in her eyes. “It’s not going to be okay. What if I get pregnant? There aren’t any doctors anymore. None of us know how to deliver a baby, or take care of it if something goes wrong.”

  “Shit, I’m sorry, sweetheart, you know I didn’t want this to happen.”

  She planted her face in his chest and sobbed, shoulders shaking.

  Shit. He knew it would upset her, but not this much. “Rachel, if you get pregnant with my child, I’ll take care of you, and we’ll get through this…together.”

  She cried harder against his chest. What the hell was this? Why was she so scared? He held her like that, his chest heavy with anxiety, both of them standing together in the bathroom, the air still warm and moist from her recent shower. Finally, her shoulders stopped shaking and she grew still in his arms. She pulled back and gazed up at him, her blue eyes wet with tears.

  “My periods have always been erratic. I’m not even sure when my last one was. So I doubt I’m going to get pregnant.” Her voice was monotone, as if she were trying to convince herself this was true.

  He held her tight. “I want you to let me know if you even suspect you’re pregnant. I need to be able to take care of you.”

  She reached up, her gaze locked with his, and cupped his jaw with her hand. “You’re a good guy, Adam Sanchez. I’m lucky to be stuck with you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Let’s get this staff meeting started.”

  “We’re here,” Adam cut in, his hand on the small of Rachel’s back. Chairs scraped across the floor as they both sat down at the kitchen table.

  “Sorry we’re late, guys,” Rachel said with a cheery voice. Adam crooked an eyebrow at her. She might be sorry, but he wasn’t. Rachel’s hair was a twisted bed-head mess, lips swollen, eyes bright and sparkling. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to understand what they’d been up to. And it was certainly more important than some made-up meeting. Adam met Christian’s annoyed gaze and threw him a lazy, self-satisfied smile.

  “Staff meeting?” Trevor snorted into his coffee. “That’s what this is?”

  Christian cut Trevor a glance. “Something wrong?”

  “Oh, nothing. Just waiting for you to whip out a projector and a PowerPoint slide show.”

  “Asshole,” Christian coughed into his hand.

  Trevor laughed. Christian grinned. Adam shook his head. Well, at least Trevor’s outrageous personality was good for something. He had the ability to snap Christian out of a foul mood in seconds. The two of them seemed to be forming a tight friendship despite being the polar opposite of each other.

  “Let’s get this party started,” Christian announced. “I need to get back out to the barn to check on the animals before I head out to the tour bus for the night. Okay, first order of business.” He cleared his throat and checked his agenda. “Hot water.”

  “What about the hot water?” Rachel asked.

  Christian met Rachel’s startled gaze. Adam sighed. His woman was a first-rate energy waster. It was true. She was a girl who’d obviously been raised with every creature comfort, never having to worry about the electricity bill or where her power came from. It didn’t bother Adam so much, he figured she’d learn in time, but it drove Christian crazy. “Well, thirty-minute showers are not necessary when we have limited resources and rely on a solar-powered water heater.”

  Adam draped an arm across Rachel’s shoulders. “Thirty-minute showers?” he asked. “Who takes thirty-minute showers?”

  Christian looked pointedly at Rachel.

  She gasped. “I do not take thirty-minute showers.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  “How do you know?”

  Christian remained quiet, obviously letting her figure it out for herself.

  “Are you kidding? You timed me?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did. Three days ago I waited outside your bedroom and clocked you at thirty minutes.”

  “Who are you? Big Brother?”

  Christian frowned. “Rachel, the rest of us don’t take that long.”

  “That’s because you’re men. I’m a woman, and it takes us longer. There’s more to do. I’ve got long hair, so I need to wash and condition it. And I need to shave my legs while I’m in there too, and…”

  Trevor raised his hand.

  Christian reached up and rubbed his fingers against his forehead. “Yes?” he sighed.

  “I have an easy fix. I vote that Rachel be allowed more hot water than the rest of us.” He turned toward her. “Honey, you take as long as you want. You can have my ration. Keeping you looking and smelling fantastic should be a top priority around here.”

  She flashed Christian a gotcha look and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Thank you, Trevor. I will.”

  Christian groaned. “Adam? What do you think?”

  Adam put both hands up, palms out. “I’m neutral.”

  “Ah, playing the Switzerland card. Smart move, my man,” Trevor remarked.

  Christian cursed under his breath. He looked up at the ceiling, a pained expression on his face. Adam imagined Christian was envisioning other meetings, with long-time work colleagues now gone. Biologists who’d treated him with respect, language specific to his field flying around the table. The good old days. He felt bad for the guy and decided to cut him some slack and redirect the meeting.

  “Christian? What’s next on the agenda?” Adam asked.

  “I’ve got new business,” Trevor broke in before Christian could answer. He sat up straight, his smile gone. “I saw new tire tracks again this morning. Footprints.”

  Adam cursed. “Where were they this time?”

  “Closer to the main house. At the edge of the orange orchard. The fuckers could’ve watched us from that vantage point.”

  “What do you think that means, that they watch us but don’t come in and say hello?” Rachel asked.

  “Nothing good,” Adam replied.

  “Maybe they’re scared. Maybe they just want to make sure we’re not a bunch of freaks before they make first contact.”

  “And maybe they want to figure out how many of us there are, how much firepower we have and how many females we have before they bring in back up?”

  Her ey
es widened. He knew she was remembering the fuckers who’d killed that woman back in Oxnard. Good. Because she should never forget. Never, ever forget. He never would. It was always in the back of his mind. And he would do whatever it took to ensure that Rachel was never in that same position, having to make the same decision as that woman.

  Never fucking going to happen.

  “I think you and I should start laying those sensors for the alarms out in the new location first thing tomorrow,” Trevor said. “I’d feel safer knowing if someone was that close to us.”

  Adam lifted his chin. “Yeah, me too. Good idea.” The farm was a great place for supplies, creature comforts and growing food, but it was a bitch to defend. The area was so large and wide open and there wasn’t any consistent fence of any consequence. If there was a barbed-wire fence wired with electricity and watch towers…then they’d be talking, but there wasn’t, just sheep, chickens, coyotes and squirrels and whatever else was out there. They were all living here on exhibition, like exotic fish in a fancy aquarium. A spectacle for anyone to inspect or take.

  “And I got another one of those garbled messages on the radio this morning,” Adam told them. Twice now he’d received messages that started out with a female voice, but faded out to silence before he could get past hello. It was damn annoying.

  “Do we think those messages and whoever is watching us are coming from the same source?” Christian asked.

  Adam met Christian’s gaze, his mind working it over. “Could be…could be. That’s the second time I’ve gotten that half-assed message. Can’t make anything out of it. Short but sweet.”

  “I think they’re one and the same,” Trevor said. “It’s what I would do if I heard about you over the radio. I’d make a bit of contact to make sure you were real. It’s not a recording, but I wouldn’t reveal a damn thing about myself, then I’d come and scout the place out first before making contact. Doesn’t mean they’re out to get us, could just mean they’re cautious and don’t trust anyone.”

  “True. Well, since we don’t know their intentions, we assume the worst and keep on watch,” Adam said. “We lock up at night. No one is ever alone. Are we agreed?”