She folded her arms. “There’s nothing I want to tell you, Luca.”
Damn straight, there was nothing. If she didn’t want to tell her family about her suspicions, she certainly didn’t want to tell her FBI agent lover-slash-friend-slash-she-had-no-idea. Things between them were already complex and convoluted enough.
An impatient growl escaped him. “You knifed me tonight, Erin. That’s assault with a deadly weapon, in case you didn’t know.”
“You’re fine. Vampiric healing abilities for the win.” Yeah, it was bitchy. If it got him to focus on that instead of her reasons for throwing a knife at him, it was worth it. He shouldn’t be involved in this, and she wasn’t sure if she told him that he wouldn’t have some kind of legal agently requirement to get involved.
“Erin.”
“Luca,” she shot back in the same aggrieved tone of voice. “I carry a knife because I’m a single woman living alone in the city. I don’t have any magic powers, so I go with what I’m good at. I’m sorry you got hurt, but you scared me and I have a right to protect myself. If you want me to pay damages for your mental anguish, I will. I’m also happy to buy you a new suit.”
She braced herself for an explosion, waiting for him to read her the riot act, which she’d more than earned. It never came. He stared at her for so long she shifted uncomfortably, unable to hold his gaze. When he spoke, his voice was far gentler than she deserved. “I’d rather you just tell me why you were jumpy enough to be throwing knives at people standing on your welcome mat.”
The concern in his tone almost broke her resolve, made her sob out her cares and worries all over him. No. No, no, no. He was not some kind of knight in shining armor who was going to save her from her problems. She was a big girl and she was going to have to deal with this herself. Resisting the need to depend on a man who was only a temporary fixture in her life, she shrugged and turned away. “Maybe it’s better if you don’t hang out on my welcome mat anymore.”
“You don’t mean that.” His words were rough. With pain? Anger? She wasn’t sure, but it made her heart contract. His hands closed over her shoulders to pull her back against his chest. The warmth of his skin surrounded her. He rested his forehead on the back of her skull. “Why won’t you talk to me? I can help.”
“I don’t want or need your help.” Her lips shook when she spoke, and she was glad he couldn’t see it, or he’d pounce on her vulnerability. “That’s not the kind of relationship we have, Luca. Even if we are friends, this is supposed to be light and fun and distracting from our real lives, right?”
His grip tightened on her shoulders. Not enough to hurt, but enough so she knew what she said hadn’t been well received.
“Right?” she insisted.
“Yes,” he ground out. “But that doesn’t—”
“No buts!”
A hiss answered that, and he whipped her around to face him. “Damn it, Erin, you knifed me! That’s not exactly normal behavior for you. Something is going on.”
“Stay out of this. It’s not your business. Friend or not, I get to decide how far into my life I let you.” She glared at him, no easy feat with his nose a hairsbreadth from hers and frustrated rage radiating off him.
He scoffed in disbelief. “Are you kicking me out after you put a blade into my chest?”
That comment hit its mark, and pained regret pierced her. God, this hurt, but the reality was if she told him about Asher and he tried to intervene, he could be in danger. This accident was already more than she could handle. It was bad enough that she worried for her own safety. She wouldn’t put him in Asher’s line of fire too, FBI agent or not.
She lifted her chin, pushing aside any qualms she had about doing exactly what he’d accused her of. “If you’re staying here, it’s for sex, and that’s all. No touchy-feely pouring your heart out friendship bonding. I can’t imagine that knives are particularly arousing for you, so I assume you’ll want to leave.”
His pupils expanded until they nearly eclipsed his dark irises. “You assume wrong.”
“Oh, really?” She arched an incredulous eyebrow.
“Really.”
His lips slammed down over hers, his tongue driving into her mouth. Her protest was muffled, and his arms were like bands of steel holding her in place. She tried to shove against his shoulders, but it was about as effective as pushing a brick wall. Nipping at her lower lip, he rubbed his front against her without loosening his grip. The friction stimulated her nipples, and the press of his erection was unmistakable. Heat wound insidiously through her body, robbing her of the will to fight. No matter what logic told her, instinct told her something else. She wanted him inside her, thrusting deep until they both screamed out their release.
A tiny, final spark of sanity made her bite down on his tongue. He grunted in pain, jerking back. Their gazes met, locked. He looked as stubbornly determined as she felt.
That was probably a bad sign, she just didn’t know how bad. He had a ruthless streak, she knew, but he’d never used it against her before. She had a feeling her reprieve on that score was over.
A quiver of anticipation and trepidation shook her, but she made one last ditch effort to put the brakes on this madness. “Maybe you should go.”
“Not a chance, sweetheart.” Fury spiked through him. She really thought he’d be dismissed so easily when it was obvious she was in trouble? He clenched his jaw and felt the prick of his fangs as they scraped his lip.
His hands were shaking. Gods, how often was he livid enough to be shaking with it? Almost never. He was known for his control. He was analytical, even in high-pressure situations. Hell, he’d been told he had ice water for blood.
And Erin could shred his self-discipline with a few words. He wanted to take her over his knee and spank her. Before he’d even finished that thought, his hand shot out and caught her arm. He steered her into the bedroom, with her digging in her heels the whole way.
He sat on the bed, his fingers still locked around her arm. He had her flipped neatly over his lap in half a second. She squeaked and struggled, but she couldn’t escape him unless he allowed it.
“You said I could stay for sex, and I intend to do exactly that.” His palm cupped her ass through the ridiculously short and skimpy dress she wore. Gods, she looked like sex walking in this thing. That thought shot straight to his cock, and he grew iron hard.
“Luca, let go of me right now!”
“No.” He swatted her backside.
She jolted, and the movement against his dick made him groan. He stroked lightly over the place he’d hit. “You did stab me, after all. Shouldn’t there be a little retribution for my pain and suffering?”
A quiver ran through her, and he heard her swallow, but she’d stopped struggling. A whiff of her excitement hit him, and it was pure aphrodisiac. Still, it was nothing to the wave of sexual energy that pulsed out from her. Gods, she was perfection in his arms.
“Luca…”
“Do you want to talk to me about who you thought you were throwing that knife at?”
“An intruder,” she snapped back. “Now let go of me.”
“Don’t lie to me.” His hand came down on her ass again, harder this time.
She clutched at his leg, her nails digging into his flesh. An insignificant sting after the blade. He smacked her again, then again. A low moan spilled out of her, and his cock throbbed in response. He grabbed the hem of her skirt and jerked it up to expose the barely-there black panties she wore. He groaned while brushing over the red marks his spanking had left. She whimpered, subtly arching into his hand. After tracing the edge of her panties downward, he dipped between her thighs. She was wet, soaking after just a few slaps.
“Ooh.” She squirmed, tried to work herself on his fingers.
He let her for a moment. Feeling the energy building within her, letting it break over his senses and heightened his arousal. She made a choked little sound when he withdrew his hand from her damp pussy. He set about spanking her in
earnest. Peppering the slaps over her round buttocks, down the tops of her thighs and back up again. Every so often, he would pause to fuck her with his fingers, driving deep until she quivered, her body going taut as orgasm almost took her. Then he’d go back to spanking her. Each of her whimpers and groans fueled the need pumping through him.
He thought about tossing her on the mattress and taking her, but this was a long game. Breaking her control while holding on to his own. Usually, he didn’t doubt his ability to do just that, but this was Erin. She pushed his boundaries, his temper, his self-discipline. Time to get away from the bed before he gave in entirely to the temptation she presented.
“You know, I still have some blood on me, thanks to you. I think it’s time for a shower.” He stood and set her on her feet. Her knees buckled, so he swept her into his arms and walked into the bathroom. “You can share with me.”
She shook her head, the lust slowly clearing from her blue gaze. “Maybe I don’t want to share with you. I said you could stay for sex. Spanking, teasing and not letting me come was not sex. In fact, it was pretty mean.”
“You have no idea how mean I can be, but you can make this stop any time you want.” He set her down on the vanity counter, grinning as she winced when the cold stone hit her no doubt scorching-hot ass. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
Jaw clenching, her gaze sharpened. “No.”
“Then take your clothes off or I toss you into the shower that way.” Reaching into the stall to twist the knob, he got the water running. He eyed her dress. “Silk doesn’t hold up well when wet.”
“I better get to come this time or I will kick your ass out,” she muttered.
He didn’t bother to reply. It was an empty threat and they both knew it. She couldn’t force him to leave unless he was willing to go.
She lifted her legs to unfasten the strap on her heels while he toed out of his shoes. He went to work on his fly, and he watched her gaze follow the movements of his hands. Her breathing was rapid, and he could sense the pounding of her heart. It did nothing to calm his libido when her blue eyes locked on his rigid dick. Gods, he wanted to fuck her hard and fast, but that wouldn’t get him what he wanted from her: information. The truth.
Something was very wrong, and he needed to know what. More, he knew she’d been hiding this for some time, and he hadn’t paid enough attention to it. She was scared of something, and his head had been so wrapped up in the Hammond case he hadn’t noticed the full import of the changes in her behavior.
Slithering off the vanity, she reached behind her to unzip her dress. It fell in a silken pool around her feet, leaving her in nothing but her black panties. They were so sheer he could see the dark thatch of hair between her thighs. She wore no bra and her nipples were tight buds he wanted to suck until they turned cherry red. He fought a groan at the sight of her. “Everything off.”
“I don’t think—”
“Good. Don’t think.” He crossed his arms. “Just do what I said or your underwear is getting drenched by more than just your own arousal.”
That made her cheeks flame with embarrassment and her eyes flash with anger. “You want them off? Do it yourself. They’re already wet, as you pointed out.”
Ah, he loved a challenge. He was on her in a second, his arm around her waist to swing her into the shower. She sputtered as the water hit her face, but he stepped in to block the spray with his back. It flowed over his shoulders, rinsing away what was left of the dried blood.
Her fingertips touched the spot where her knife had struck, but no mark remained. He watched her throat work as she swallowed, something dark and pained moving behind her gaze. She glanced away and her hand dropped. “Luca, I—”
“Shh.” He brushed his lips over hers, pulling her against him. They both moaned at the contact, the press and glide of slick flesh. He coasted his palms down her supple back, then cupped her buttocks. Jerking against him, she whimpered, her fingers digging into his shoulders.
When he squeezed her spanked backside, the kiss went wild, all lips and teeth and tongues. His heart galloped, the feel of water sliding down his skin just adding to the eroticism of the moment. She twisted her torso, rubbing the tips of her breasts over his chest. After backing her up against the wall, he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. With her panties still on, he’d have a barrier between him and the temptation to fuck her.
Her arms twined around his neck, her tongue delving into his mouth. The taste of her was sweet, mixed with the lingering flavor of some kind of fruity alcoholic cocktail. Her legs tightened, her hips undulating as she tried to grind her pussy down on his dick. He rolled himself against her, knowing the motion would stimulate her clit, but not enough to let her come. But teasing her meant teasing himself, and his cock was full to bursting. Gods, he wasn’t sure how long he could last.
She broke the kiss with a moan of frustration, throwing her head back. He knew exactly how she felt.
“I want you inside me,” she whispered, the words almost lost as she panted for breath.
“Then tell me who you thought was at your front door tonight.” He bit the side of her neck lightly, keeping his fangs retracted. No orgasm-inducing bites for her…yet.
She shuddered. “Luca, I don’t want to talk about it. Stop asking.”
“Nope.” He nipped her earlobe, continuing to rock his hips against her sex. “When I get stabbed, I get to ask questions. I deserve answers.” His voice dropped to a low, seductive promise. “Give me what I want and I’ll give you want you want.”
He slid his tongue up the side of her neck, his fangs grazing her flesh this time, exciting her, driving her wild. Her hips bucked frantically as she struggled to go over that edge. “Luca.”
“Yes, tesorina mia?” He all but purred the words against her flesh, holding onto his control by the thinnest thread.
“I want…”
“I know, sweetheart. We both want things, don’t we?”
Her fingers fisted in his hair, rapid sounds of pleasure pouring from her lips. “I’m so close.”
And she wouldn’t get any closer. He leaned his weight into her, stilling her movements. A sob of protest erupted from her. She jerked his hair in retribution, and he smacked the flesh of her upper thigh. The water sealed their bodies together, and his cock throbbed so painfully he had to clench his jaw.
“I think we’re clean enough, don’t you?” He grinned at the various curse words that question elicited from her. He reached over to turn off the faucet, then stepped back enough to allow her to stand. She tried to push past him, but he caught her arm and flipped her neatly over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.
“Put me down, damn it.” She slapped his ass. “I’m not into making sex about mind games and punishment. I don’t want this!”
“No?” He dumped her over onto the mattress. “You were begging me for it a few minutes ago.”
Propping herself up on her elbows, she glared at him. “You’re not going to let me have an orgasm, so I’m not interested.”
“Is that so?” He popped the elastic that held her panties together, ripping them away to toss over his shoulder. He pushed two fingers inside her tight, slick channel. “This tells me otherwise.”
A choked sound of need issued from her, but she squirmed away from him, flipping over to crawl across the bed on her hands and knees. Kneeling on the bed, he grabbed her hips and hauled her backward. Her arms went out from under her, putting her in the exact position he wanted. He wrapped his fingers around her upper biceps and held her down, her cheek pressed to the mattress.
Then he slid inside her, going hilt-deep in one thrust.
“Luca!”
He rotated his hips in a way that he knew would grind against her sensitive little clit. After a year of sex, he knew exactly what would make her squirm, make her beg, make her do anything to come. He wanted her that desperate. He wanted her to give him everything.
“Have anything you want to tell me, bell
isima?”
“No,” she whimpered, jerking against his hold on her as if she could loosen a vampire’s grip.
“That’s a shame.”
He fucked her fast and hard, plunging until her cries became frantic, her muscles quivered around his cock. Sensing exactly how close she was to orgasm, he stopped, withdrew his dick before he gave into his own needs and left her crying out in frustration.
“You trust me with your body and nothing else?” It stung more than he liked to even have to ask the question, to give voice to what rubbed like salt on a wound.
She tried to kick him, but the awkward angle meant she didn’t connect with anything but air. “That’s how it was supposed to be between us. That’s what we agreed to.”
“Ah, but that was many months ago. Things have changed since then.” In so many ways neither of them wanted to acknowledge. Maybe even in ways neither of them understood yet, but that was a problem for another time. He had his hands full now.
“I know they have, and that’s why I don’t want to tell you anything.” The confession was ripped from between her clenched teeth. “Is it so hard to believe I want to protect you from the bad things in my life?”
He blinked down at her. When was the last time a woman had tried to protect him from anything? He wasn’t sure if he should be touched that she wanted to, or insulted that she didn’t think he could handle something. Tenderness squeezed his chest, tangling with other emotions he wasn’t ready to name. “I’d rather you didn’t have anything in your life bad enough that someone might need protection from it.”
Her scoff sounded almost like a sob. “Me, too.”
Being apart from her now was unbearable, so he slipped his cock inside of her. He held her close, pulling her up so they were both on their knees, her back to his front. He rocked into her, slowly, gently, the clasp of her slick sheath on his dick almost more than he could handle. Her energy flowed over him, an added layer to the need they shared. He slid his hand down to the damp curls between her legs; his fingers parted the lips of her pussy, letting cool air brush their overheated skin. She gasped, shuddering.
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