Wired For Love

by Michelle Howard

  “You really don’t get it.” Hunter sounded as if surprised by her lack of awareness. He cupped her jaw with his rough hand. “If Lukain touched you again...I’m not sure if I could hold back from killing him.”

  Narelle shivered. The threat was uttered in the calmest of tones, the truth of his words there for her to see. Wetting her lips to ease the dryness, she said, “He’s a former friend, a teammate. Maybe you need to try and reason with him. I mean, obviously he has some bad feelings about the past for you to work around.”

  Hunter snorted, cutting her off and slid his hand from her jaw into the fullness of her hair. His other hand gripped her waist tight and tugged her close. Hot and thick, his erection pulsed against her. Heat flared and sizzled, igniting a slow burn deep in her core. “You’re mine. No one gets to harm what belongs to me.”

  Mesmerized by the bright fire burning in his eyes she could only stare. Words failed for all of a minute. Did she like his self-proclaimed possession? His need, no his compulsion to protect her?

  Her heart answered with a resounding yes. Too bad her mind fought with her heart. “Is that right?”

  “That’s right, Narelle.” Came his prompt retort. His gaze strolled leisurely over her body from head to toe.

  Narelle’s throat tightened and the juncture between her thighs grew wet. Sex. They were definitely talking about sex now. Damn him for all his hotness. How was she supposed to resist when he made such bald statements? “Could you be any more arrogant?”

  What should have been a lofty question was said in a breathy tone that left her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and a good dose of desire. Hunter’s lips curled in amusement as he leaned forward, breath stirring the sensitive nerve bundles in her horns. “Give me time. I can do better.”

  “Argh!” Born of frustration, Narelle couldn’t contain her growl and pushed at his chest.

  Bogan’s sharp bark drew both of their attention. Hunter held her steady and lowered his head to brush his cheek against hers. “Careful, you’re confusing Bogan. He’ll think I’m hurting you. For some reason he’s overwhelmingly protective of you as well.”

  Narelle risked a glance at the war mongrel, but her attention quickly switched back to Hunter. He was the true predator in the room. Her heart banged in her chest, her need to curl into him stronger than anything she’d faced in the past. In one last effort to resist, she cleared her throat and tipped her chin up.

  “You’re only doing this because you want to have sex again.” This being the way he invaded her space and didn’t attempt to hide the rock hard cock nudging her upper thigh.

  He snort laughed right in her face. “I want to have sex with you regardless. There’s never a time I don’t and having had you, I can promise it’s not something I plan to forego. Because it’s more, Narelle. So much more.”

  A crack formed in her resistance. Her biggest weakness was allowing her feelings to grow for the men she slept with. Didn’t matter if she told herself over and over it was just sex.

  Now she was at risk of falling deeper for Hunter. If she trusted what he was saying, he still wanted her. After their night together, he wasn’t moving on to another as she would have expected.

  What would it be like to truly belong to him? Could she trust him with her heart? The admiration was already there and the camaraderie they’d developed from her trips in the past placed them firmly in friendly territory.

  It wouldn’t take much to shift the feelings into love. Loving Hunter had the potential to be amazing. Or it could go incredibly wrong.

  “I want to believe you,” she whispered and met his gaze.

  Chapter 13

  Narelle’s worry and trepidation all but smacked Hunter in the face. He had to play this carefully. He wanted Narelle. It was more than sex. It was hard to explain and the emotions he was experiencing were completely different from what he’d felt with his wife.

  Dawn left because he was gone on missions for long periods of time and because when he managed to come home he spent more time alone trying to shift modes and be the man she married.

  The transition was rough and not always successful. The war changed him, made him harder, more prone to long periods of silence. In order to hold on to the basics of who he was, Hunter had desperately needed the down time.

  Dawn hadn’t understood that. At all. Her constant complaint that he was slipping away from her was true, but at the time he hadn’t seen a way to stop it. In addition, she’d expected a more glamorized version of life with a powerful military husband at her side.

  Injury after injury left Hunter far from the young unscarred soldier she’d wanted. After a while they weren’t the same people. In hindsight, Hunter realized he never should have married her. She wasn’t his one. But he had a strong feeling Narelle was.

  “You can believe me. You’re safe with me.” He squeezed her waist for emphasis.

  Hope glinted and he was sure something in his tone resonated with her before she shut it down and blocked him from reading anything further. Irritation flickered, but he forced his own feelings down. This wasn’t about him. He just needed to get her to trust and believe in him.

  “It’s not that easy.”

  “Nar-elle,” he drawled, dragging her name out in resignation because she was going to be difficult.

  “Hunter,” she mocked.

  Since he’d glimpsed her very real fear earlier, Hunter decided to lighten the mood. They had time. He’d make sure of it.

  Lips twitching, he thrust against her, enjoying the way she shivered in response. “You’re going to pay for all of this sassiness.”

  Her hand delved into the short strands of his hair and yanked. “Maybe. Or maybe not.”

  With a playful snarl, Hunter lifted her in his arms and raced up the loft stairs to his bed. Narelle let out a startled squeal then wrapped her arms tight about his neck. He lowered her to the floor, his hands glided over her smooth skin in the process eliciting gasps and whimpers.

  Hunter made short work of getting her undressed, pausing only long enough to catch the determined glint in her eyes and laughed as she knocked his hands aside. Fingers flying, she unbuttoned and tugged until he was just as bare.

  Their naked skin brushed and pressed together, Hunter taking the time to place teasing kisses on the short horns at her temple. Her tremble encouraged him to continue.

  “Sensitive?”

  She arched her neck up in reply and Hunter took it as incentive and kissed both horns, alternating with strokes from his tongue until she was a writhing mess in his arms. Small bursts of flavor hit his tongue.

  Hunter leaned back. Curiosity compelled him to ask, “Does arousal affect them?”

  Flags of color turned her cheeks a rich tint of green discernible from her regular skin tone even as she nodded. Chuckling, he backed her toward his bed and placed her carefully in the center. True to her contrary nature, Narelle immediately got up onto her knees facing him.

  Their mouths attacked one another as soon as he joined her, but Hunter didn’t complain. He was starved for her taste after the enforced distance she’d created.

  “Just so you know,” she mumbled in between nipping and kissing his lips, “I still find you arrogant.”

  Hunter only grinned and used a fraction of his strength to push her backward. This time, Narelle went willingly, legs spread wide as she propped on her elbows watching him. Green skin flushed a dark shade of jade, breasts full and as lush as the rest of her.

  He stroked his aching length and wondered how he was supposed to last once he entered her. “Turn over.”

  Her brows creased, but to his surprise she acquiesced without giving him a mouthy comeback. He had a moment to ponder her agreeable nature then Narelle tossed the gorgeous red hair over her shoulder and eyed him from head to cock. Her gaze stuttered.

  Maybe he’d misjudged her. The thought doused a bit of his ardor.

  He wouldn’t ever force her. Their games were meant to be just that—games. He traile
d his fingers gently over her back, the skin pebbling in delicate bumps down her spine then forced himself to go still, withdrawing his touch from her addictive flesh. “Now’s the time to say no.”

  Everything in him hoped she didn’t, but despite their games, no way Hunter wanted her here if she wasn’t into this all the way.

  “Do you want me to say no?”

  He leaned forward and brushed the hair from her face. Tipping her chin up brought them face to face. He brushed his lip against the side of her cheek. “It’s not about me. Tell me.”

  The corners of her mouth tipped up. “I’m saying yes.”

  “Yes to what?” he teased as he once more allowed himself to stroke from her shoulders to her lower back.

  “Everything,” she breathed, her back arching and hips rolling.

  “Good. Now ask me about all the things I want to do to you.”

  Her breath hitched as she jerked beneath him. There was no where to go though because Hunter had his arms braced around her firmly on the bed. She whispered something in response and he almost missed it.

  “What do you want to do to me?”

  Desire shot straight through him at the husky request. Hunter began slowly, whispering every dirty thought he’d had since he first caught sight of her. He didn’t stop as she shuddered, didn’t stop when her lips parted and her breathing became hushed whimpers. When he was done, Narelle was rocking against him and begging.

  “Please, Hunter. Do it. Do everything you said.”

  He leaned back in order to take in how exquisite she looked on all four.

  “I love your ass,” Hunter murmured as his hands caressed the round cheeks. He smacked one just to watch it wobble. It was enough to cause his cock to jerk so Hunter did it again and groaned as her flesh darkened then that heat inducing wobble followed.

  “I love yours too. Do I get to smack it when it’s my turn?”

  Hunter squeezed and molded her plump curves, fingers pressing deep. “No.”

  She cursed him, but didn’t move. Using one hand, he stroked the crease between her thighs and Narelle hissed. “Hurry, Hunter. Don’t tease.”

  Tease? He was suffering. Hanging on to his control with a slipping grasp after revealing his deepest desires. This was more like torture. “I’m not going to last long when I get in you.”

  He knew it with a surety.

  Narelle rocked, her thighs and hips rubbing his cock with a sensuous glide. Hunter parted her plump globes and eyed her dripping center. The paler green skin was shiny and glistening. His eyes glazed over at the visible evidence of her arousal.

  Gripping his shaft with one hand, he positioned at her entrance. Slow and steady, the head of his cock pierced her wet folds.

  “Hun-ter!” Narelle cried out.

  He pressed harder, deeper and hissed from the heat bathing him from the tip alone. With gritted teeth, he thrust and the rounded plump tip disappeared with a plop followed by another inch. Slow ever so slow he sunk into the heated depths, sweat dampening his forehead at the effort to hold back and not ram all the way in.

  Rocking back and forth, Hunter watched in a daze as she took his entire length. At her corresponding moan, Hunter’s thoughts gave way to words. “You have no idea what it does to me to see you like this.”

  ***

  If Narelle could have predicted what being with Hunter would be like she might have thought long and hard before succumbing. Or maybe not. She closed her eyes and released a drawn out moan as he stretched her with each stroke, hitting a spot that had her clenching the sheets in her sweaty fingers.

  It took all of her resolve not to come instantly when he whispered in vivid details all the ways he wanted to take her, the things he wanted to do with his tongue and mouth. Even now it sent a little thrill racing through her. The area between her legs was soaked. Not just from his words, but from the way he powered into her, murmured his pleasure and the broken groans he made no effort to hold back.

  Narelle reveled in the power she had to bring forth such a response from this man with his scarred visage and yet protective manner.

  “You feel so good. Tight. Wet.” The rough growl rasped from somewhere above her.

  Narelle moaned as Hunter hit a particular spot which left her a quivering mess as her head thumped to the bed. Muscles tensed and locked, her body racing to a climax which bubbled and boiled inside.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” she chanted as he ramped up his pace. Hard fingers bit into her hips to hold her in place for Hunter’s powerful thrusts. “Close. I’m close.”

  Narelle balanced her weight, the sound of their bodies slapping together combined with the aroma of sex. Sweat trickled down her torso, pooling in her belly button, hair stuck to her temples. Hunter’s arm slid around her front and his fingers parted her folds. She stiffened then whimpered as he pleasured her with one hand and continued to lunge inside setting her skin ablaze.

  Seconds later her scream echoed around them followed by his hoarse shout. In an uncoordinated move they both fell forward and collapsed in a gasping mess on the bed. Narelle tried to get her heart to stop its furious slam against her chest.

  Hunter shifted his weight to the side while holding her and maneuvered until he was snug behind her, one arm possessively draped across her waist. This wasn’t sex. It was raw and gritty but nothing as casual as sex.

  In that moment, Narelle knew she was doomed. Doomed to fall in love with him.

  Chapter 14

  It took a while, but Hunter finally regained control of himself, drifting along in a haze. Never before had sex been this intense and he’d remember. Sex was something he’d done enough to know when he’d experienced a vast difference.

  His body hummed with residual pleasure and his arms were full with a content and silent Narelle. Light puffs of air against his chest slowed as sleep took hold of her. Hunter carefully smoothed the hair back from her face and shifted about so she rested half on his chest and half on the bed.

  One of her legs slid betweens his thighs and she breathed a soft sigh as she nuzzled her face into his throat. The gesture struck him in the heart and his arms convulsively tightened. He liked her like this. Not brash, not giving him the feisty glares he’d never admit to enjoying. Just a warm bundle exhausted from the orgasm he’d wrought.

  Hunter was thinking of all the ways he could convince Narelle to stay when his senses screamed to life. Bogan who had padded into the room earlier leaped to his feet with a flurry of barks.

  Glass shattered as his bedroom window blew inward. Hunter rolled with Narelle to the farthest side of the sheet covered mattress. Thunderous booms crashed around them in a jagged symphony.

  He hit the floor hard, shoulder taking the brunt while managing to cover Narelle at the same time. Terror flashed over her upturned face as she startled awake and struggled to get her bearings. A moment later, she wrestled free of his hold. “Hunt—”

  “Stay down!” No time to be the gentle considerate lover. He knew well the sound of shock bombs. Hunter pushed her beneath the bed frame and sidled over to another corner.

  Loud bangs and the whine of a motorized vehicle set the hair at his nape to tingling. Hunter jerked open the hidden compartment in the flooring and whipped out two lasers. Narelle’s frantic gaze seared him as he tossed one in her direction across the floor. He hated seeing the fear there.

  “What happened?” A tiny betraying quiver lined the question.

  Staring into her eyes, it pleased Hunter to see her hanging on to control despite her heaving breaths. “If I’m not mistaken a shocked bomb was thrown through the window. No doubt another tactic by Lukain.”

  Hunter knew it to his soul and the other man would pay for this. Bogan’s snarls and growls rose in volume. A quick glance around showed a large chunk of debris in the middle of the floor. Grooves marred the wood, showing the path of the projectile explosive and there was a smoking black hole he’d have to get repaired later.

  Hunter slid closer to Narelle who’d half cr
awled out. She might be afraid, maybe even terrified, but the fiery look on her face said she was fully prepared to help.

  “What do you need?”

  Courageous, and amazing. She’d just sealed her fate and was his for keeps. As soon as he had time, they’d be clearing that up right away. Hunter kissed her, tongue and lips tangling briefly then lunged up, weapon in hand.

  “Just don’t get hurt,” he murmured as he strode away.

  Beside the window, Bogan stood, fur bristling. The war mongrel caught sight of Hunter and cocked his head to the side in silent question. This was what he was trained to do. “Gehe! Suche, Bogan.”

  Like a shot, Bogan took off through the broken window. Hunter grabbed his pants, vaguely aware of Narelle handing him a shirt which he jammed his arms in and pulled over his head.

  “Go after him. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Damn, she was hot standing their completely nude and gripping his spare laser rifle. Hunter toed on his boots and spared a second to point at the green skinned beauty who’d carved a space in his heart without trying. “If you follow, don’t let Lukain see you.”

  Because follow she would. Narelle didn’t seem the type who’d stay behind. She might strictly bounty hunt for stolen or lost objects but the Retrieval Association only worked with the best which meant she was damned good at what she did. He smacked one more kiss on her upturned face, hitting her mouth dead center. Then he raced out the window, catching a glimpse of the tan and black coat as it became a distant blur. Damn animal was barely giving him a chance to catch up.

  Hunter worried he’d be forced to watch another partner die. He shouldn’t have synced with another war mongrel. If given the chance, Lukain would take out Bogan to lash out at him. Hunter tried to swallow past the knot in his throat.

  Using every bit of his strength, he pushed to keep sight of Bogan knowing the war mongrel was his only chance to track Lukain.