by Amy Deason
Her wide blue eyes were extremely alert as they skated over his naked chest. He saw the splinter of fear and interest streaking through them. It was an intoxicating mixture. But those base emotions were there and gone, doused by the surprise lighting those baby blues.
“Oh my God, you’re bleeding!” she gasped, her hand flying up to her mouth.
“Tends to happen when you’ve been shot,” he remarked pointedly.
Her eyes were as wide as marbles. “You got shot? Is the bullet still in there?”
Amused at her reaction, Nikolas glanced at his shoulder. Blood had run down the length of his arm, making it look much worse than it actually was. Plucking a hand towel from a drawer, he swiped at it, removing most of the blood easily. “No, it’s only a scratch.”
Cadence rushed over to him. “It doesn’t look like a scratch. You need to go to a hospital.”
He wasn’t expecting to see the worry on her face. Shock, sure. It wasn’t like she was used to being around flying bullets. But worry? It was surprising. And even a little endearing.
Endearing? What the fuck? Where had that come from?
Shaking his head, he replied, “No hospital. I can take care of it here. Besides, by now Dmitry’s men will be looking everywhere for us and hospitals are one of the first places they’ll look.” Nikolas stepped past her but was stopped as she placed her hand on his bare chest. He felt an electric current race through him, freezing him into place.
“Don’t be stupid. You need to see a doctor.”
“No hospital.”
Cadence sighed. “If you won’t go to a hospital, at least let me help. I mean, it’s the least I can do,” she murmured, dipping her head down.
Staring at the top of her head, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had been wrong about her. Maybe she wasn’t just some spoiled little princess. A nice idea but he wasn’t about to give into that kind of thinking. It would only get him into trouble and make things harder.
He shifted his feet, moving into her hand until it was pressed flat on his skin. “All right, princess. If you insist. But I’m going to warn you, it’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows.”
Cadence raised her head, her eyes flashing with determination. “I’m pretty sure I can handle it.”
He could see the trepidation reflecting in those sapphire depths. She was trying hard not to reveal how uneasy she was but that lip biting thing was a dead giveaway. And a definite turn on.
Damn . . .
“The first thing we need to do is to wash the wound out and bandage it,” she said, trying to sound matter-of-fact.
“No, the first thing we need to do is for you to remove your hand from my chest.”
Her mouth dropped open and she snatched her hand away as if she’d been burnt. Red flamed in her cheeks and she looked absolutely mortified.
Struggling against the grin he felt coming, Nikolas bit the inside of his cheek. He’d never seen anyone so inexperienced in his life. Everyone he’d ever been around, young or old, had been well versed in physical interactions and yet, here was this nineteen-year-old girl who seemed to have no clue about any of it. He found it unreal. And challenging.
Well, he thought, she needed to learn sometime. Lucky for her, he was an excellent teacher.
Moving abruptly, he placed one hand on either side of her, leaning in and effectively trapping her against the counter. Slipping on his most devilish smile, he stared into her eyes before lowering his head and nuzzling her neck.
Shit, she smelled good.
Fresh and clean with a hint of coconut shampoo. Sparing a moment, he breathed her in, feeling her pulse drumming against his mouth. Ever so slowly, he moved his mouth to her ear, nipping it lightly, tasting her skin.
Delicious.
She moved then, flinching against him as her breath caught in her throat.
Now this, this was what he was used to. Grinning, he bit her again, a little harder this time. “What’s wrong, princess,” he whispered, his lips caressing her ear, “you don’t like me touching you?”
“No.” The word was nearly inaudible.
He lifted his head to look at her. She was lying. He could hear it in the tone of her voice, he could see it in every tense line of her body. Even her eyes told a different story than the one she was wanting him to believe. Slightly out of focus, they were the blue of midnight. And those full, succulent lips were trembling ever so slightly before being quieted by her even white teeth. He wanted to taste them.
“This is such a mistake,” he groaned.
Before he could change his mind, he leaned in and kissed her. Feather soft at first, it was just the barest of touches. He sent his tongue whispering across her lips, slow and deliberate. Sensing her hesitation, he continued to taste her mouth, daring her to pull away. She didn’t. But she wasn’t kissing him back. Yet.
Coaxing her mouth open, he gently touched her tongue with his. The contact sent a shock wave through his system and for the briefest of moments, he froze as his brain went into free fall.
What the hell?
Cadence’s excited gasp brought him back to the here and now and he swirled his tongue over hers again, thrilling in the wet heat of her mouth. She didn’t push him away. Indulging himself, he brought his hand up, burying it deep in her hair as he deepened the kiss, relishing in the sweet taste of her. She tasted so fucking good . . .
She whimpered against his lips and he pulled back, allowing her to catch her breath. His own breath was ragged although he hid it much better than she did. He should stop and back away but he couldn’t. She tasted too damn good. And he wanted her to kiss him back. He needed her to kiss him back.
“Come on, Cadence,” he whispered gruffly, “kiss me.” Leaning in again, he seized her mouth with his and felt the spark again, stronger this time. It traveled from his mouth down to his groin and his cock twitched in anticipation. Stifling a groan, he pressed his tongue against hers again, demanding her to let go and enjoy what he had to offer. To kiss him. And at last she did.
Her lips pressed hotly against his and he could feel the hunger racing though them. She wanted this, she wanted him. No big surprise there. He’d known it from the first moment she’d looked at him.
Removing his hand from her hair, he slid it down her arm, feeling her skin beneath his fingers. Dropping further, he ran his hand over her hip and underneath her ass. Pulling her closer, he rubbed himself against her, making her fully aware of his intentions. She moaned against his mouth but didn’t pull away. The zipper on his jeans was becoming uncomfortable and he longed to be rid of them.
He would have her. He was going to strip the jeans from her still damp body and run his tongue over every inch of her skin until she begged him for release. Which he would happily provide as soon as she told him what he needed to know. But the need for information was slipping dimly to the back of his mind as she continued to trace her tongue over his.
He wrapped his arms around her tighter, intending to scoop her up. He could take her to the bedroom and finish her off there. Hell, even the couch would do. At this rate, it wouldn’t take much. The girl was melting against him like putty in his hands.
Easy pickings.
A touch of guilt tried to nibble at him but he shoved it away. This was his job, what he’d been ordered to do. Guilt be damned.
His cell phone rang, breaking the heated spell he was winding around them. He continued to kiss her, tempted to let it ring but there was only one person that had this number and she was not the type to be put off by anything. Or anyone.
He stepped back, retrieving the phone from his pocket.
“Kozlov,” he answered gruffly, not taking his eyes from Cadence.
Her eyes opened slowly, as if the lids were attached to twin weights, and her lips, puffy and swollen from the
force of his mouth, were parted ever so slightly, inviting him in for another taste. She eyed him warily, her breath coming in short, uneven pants.
“They’re acting quicker than I had anticipated,” Charlie said in his ear.
The ice in her voice hit him with the force of a freight train, temporarily derailing the undeniable yet surprising need for Cadence. Turning his back on her, he got control of himself quickly. “What do you mean?”
“Our guy on the inside? He’s dead. His car was found only a few miles from St. Petersburg. Apparently it blew up.”
“Shit.”
“With him inside.”
“Double shit.”
“That’s not all. They have your picture. You and the girl were caught on the surveillance camera at the compound. It’s blurry at best but no doubt Dmitry already has his men circulating it around town.”
Twisting his head, he looked at Cadence. She watched him cautiously with hooded eyes.
“I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” he muttered, ending the call.
“Why did you do that?” Her voice was nothing but a whisper.
“What?”
“Kiss me.”
“Because you wanted me to.”
The clouds began to clear from her eyes as she shook her head. “No I didn’t. I told you I didn’t.”
Dropping his hands, he stepped back. “Sorry. I must have misunderstood.”
Disappointment hit him. Hard. Right in the stomach. Shaking it off, he shot her a crooked grin. If she could kill him with a look, he would be a dead man right now.
“So I guess this means you won’t be patching me up anytime soon?”
“Go to hell,” she replied acidly.
He hadn’t expected anything less. He desperately wanted to continue what he’d started but the mood was lost. And she was pissed.
Brushing past her, he walked down the hallway, leaving her staring after him. Or rather burning a hole in his back with her eyes. It had been a mistake to kiss her. He’d known it before he’d done it. But it hadn’t stopped him. He’d kissed her and now she wanted to kill him. But she wanted him to continue what he’d started more. He would bet his life on it. Hell, he did too. But way more than he should.
Tucking the phone into his front jeans pocket, Nikolas could still taste Cadence on his tongue. Hot and sweet, it was everything he needed to distance himself from. At least on an emotional level. She was a part of the job and nothing more. Getting the information he needed was first, getting her away from him was second. There was no room for anything else. In this mission. Or in his life.
~ ~ ~
Cadence watched as Nikolas stalked away, leaving her alone in the kitchen. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the counter, too afraid to trust her legs to hold her upright. They were as rubbery as Jell-O right now and she really didn’t want to end up on the floor.
What just happened?
He kissed you, dummy, her subconscious retorted.
Ignoring the sharp tone in her head, Cadence ran back over the last few minutes, trying to figure out how she ended up weak kneed.
When she’d come out of the bathroom, she had every intention of staying away from Nikolas as much as possible. It would be difficult. She was being held hostage after all so she couldn’t go far. And he was a very handsome man so she was bound to look. But it didn’t mean she had to enjoy it.
Who was she kidding? One look at him was enough to put any living breathing female into a perpetual state of lust. Probably every gay man too, for that matter. So it was in her best interest to keep her distance and control her hyperactive hormones.
But when she had seen him standing there shirtless, all of her good intentions went right out the window. For a moment, she’d even forgotten how to breathe. The loss of air to her brain should have been enough of a red light for her to stop but she hadn’t. She made the crucial mistake of touching him.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
But oh, he’d been so firm, so warm. A jolt to her system. She could still feel the strong muscles beneath his golden skin as if they were embossed on her palm. And when he’d pinned her against the counter and nuzzled her neck, he’d sent her reeling.
Shame flooded through her, followed quickly by guilt. She shouldn’t have let Nikolas affect her like that. And kissing him had been so wrong. She had a boyfriend at home. Or maybe she didn’t. She didn’t know what she and Jefferson were at this point. It was too confusing. She knew Jefferson was a great guy. He was handsome and rich.
And safe.
She needed to stop this. She was in extreme danger and the last thing she needed to do was lust after some stranger. But another part of her, a part she hadn’t even know existed, spoke up in a seductive voice, reminding her how it felt to have Nikolas’ lips on hers. How his hand felt on her butt as he pulled her to him. And how the feel of his excitement lit her on fire, making her muscles clench deliciously.
Raising a shaky hand to her lips, she could still feel his mouth. She could still taste him in her mouth. It had just been a kiss, an ordinary kiss, nothing more, nothing less.
Bullshit.
Despite the kissing she’d experienced in the past, none of it had ever made her feel like this. It had never made her knees shake or sent flames racing along every nerve ending in her entire body like Nikolas had. The kiss . . . My God, it had been unbelievable.
It had been hot and incredible and everything a kiss should be. She’d felt herself slipping and losing all rational thought, rapidly spiraling down to a place where all thinking ceased to exist and where desires long simmering would give way to actions she would definitely regret later. And she’d been okay with it. In fact, she wanted it. She wanted him.
She had been well on her way to being lost before the phone rang and he moved away, breaking the contact and the spell. Thank God because as she watched him talking on the phone, she saw he wasn’t even affected by what had just happened between them. The bastard hadn’t even breathing hard.
She gasped as realization hit her.
It was a game to him. She was a game to him. And he was playing her like a pro. Well no more. She was going to sit this one out.
So now what? She’d promised to help him but that had been before he kissed her. And before she’d kissed him back. How could she possibly help him now?
And why was she agreeing to help him anyway? She didn’t even know if he was a good guy or not. Just because he’d rescued her from Dmitry’s clutches didn’t mean he was looking out for her best interests. He obviously had his own agenda. She wasn’t sure what it was exactly, only that it had to do with her dad and his research.
Turning her head, she glanced down the hallway where the bathroom light was spilling out of the door.
Oh suck it up, her mind ordered. Go in there and act normal. Act like nothing happened. It’ll be fine.
Not believing herself, she took a deep breath and pushed away from the counter and walked down the hallway on legs that were less than steady.
Well, here goes nothing.
Stopping just outside of the bathroom door, she mustered up all of her strength, determined not to let her guard down with him again. She was coming to patch him up and get some answers. That was all.
She stepped inside, trying not to notice how he seemed to fill up the entire room with his half-dressed body. He stood in front of the mirror, wiping his arm with a damp rag. Her eyes ran over him, taking in everything from the hard, lean muscles of his back to the way his jeans hung low on his hips. She felt herself tingling down below.
Damn . . .
“Coming back for more?”
Jerking her eyes from his jean clad thighs, she saw him watching her in the mirror. He wore a lazy, sexy smile that sent her heart racing.
Doub
le damn . . .
“No, I, uh,” she stumbled. Swallowing against a sudden body tightening need, she tried again. “I promised I would help you.”
“Well if you insist, princess,” he replied, handing her the rag. “Where do you want me?”
“What?” she breathed, the word catching in her throat.
He gave her a wolfish grin. She wanted to smack him. And kiss him.
“Where would you like me to sit?”
Her face had to be the color of a fire truck right now. “Oh. Um, on the edge of the bath tub is fine.”
Without another word, Nikolas settled himself on the tub’s edge, waiting patiently like a child for his Band-Aid to be put on. Adverting her eyes, Cadence opened the medicine cabinet and rummaged around for the supplies she would need and giving herself time to put a lid on the crazy emotions running through her. Rubbing alcohol, antiseptic cream, gauze, tape. One by one, she set them on the counter, pleased to see her hands only trembled slightly.
“You don’t have to do this.”
His voice was so calm, so normal.
Damn him.
“I know but I told you I would so I’m going to. Besides,” she paused, drawing a calming breath before looking at him, “I was kind of hoping you could answer a few questions for me.”
“Depends. What do you want to know?”
Cursing herself for telling him to sit on the edge of the tub, she realized her mistake too late. To reach the wound, she would have to kneel in front of him.
DANGER, DANGER, her mind screamed.
But what else could she do? If she asked him to stand, then he would know how uncomfortable she was and it would only make the asshole feel that much more cocky. No, it was best just to pretend that everything was fine and get this done and over with.
Dropping to her knees, Cadence was extremely aware of her position. She had no doubt Nikolas was too. She just prayed he wouldn’t say anything to disrupt the fragile grip she had on herself. She couldn’t handle his hands on her again.