Edge of Betrayal

by Shannon K. Butcher

  “A lot,” he added.

  She sighed. “Yeah. I did. It was a silly thing to do, rushing out to buy condoms as if a guy like you would ever want to sleep with a nerdy girl like me. I’m sorry if my enthusiasm offended you.”

  “It’s just the opposite. I’ve heard the men at work talk about you. Not one of them has been able to gain your attention.”

  She snorted. “Not one of them is interested.”

  “That’s not true at all. You have no idea how sexy you are.”

  She snorted again. Louder this time.

  “I’m serious. You’re an amazing woman. You deserve an amazing man in your bed.”

  “You were holding your own pretty well a minute ago.”

  “I had my chance. I made my decision. I hurt you.”

  “It’s in the past. I’m done dwelling on it.” Especially if she could dwell on something better, like how much she wanted him to get back in bed with her.

  “How do I know? How do I know that you won’t regret sleeping with me?”

  “You don’t. But I know one thing for sure.”

  “What’s that?”

  She gave him the sexiest smile her nerdy self had to offer. “You’ll regret not sleeping with me more.”

  * * *

  Adam was one hundred percent certain that Mira was right. He was already regretting every second he spent out of her bed.

  With deliberate care, he shed his clothes. Each piece of fabric that was stripped away made her lips part a bit more, made her green eyes go dark and her lids lower. The stain in her cheeks flared to life, and he could see her body quiver in anticipation.

  He’d never felt so powerful—so wanted—in his entire life.

  He rolled a condom in place and settled in the center of the bed with his hands stacked behind his head. His erection thrust out eagerly, but she didn’t seem to mind. Once he was settled, he didn’t move.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Letting you make the next move. That way there will be no question as to what happened between us—not even the slightest chance that I forced myself on you. I won’t push you. I won’t even try to seduce you. You’re wet enough to take me. I made sure of that. Whether or not you do is your choice.”

  He could see her mind working. It wasn’t at all what he wanted, but he held his ground and laced his fingers together a little tighter so he wouldn’t reach for her. It would have been too easy for him to toss her down, spread her legs, and drive himself to heaven within her sweet body.

  If he did that, he’d never forgive himself. He had to know that this was what she wanted. He couldn’t be the guy who seduced her just to get what he wanted before walking away. Not anymore. She deserved better.

  “So—what? You think I’m just going to climb on board and take a ride?” she asked.

  His cock bobbed in hope. “If that’s what you want.”

  “What if I want you to kiss me?”

  “My mouth is yours.”

  She leaned over him and gave him an experimental kiss. He let her take the lead but gave back everything she offered. By the time she lifted her mouth, he was shaking with the need for more. His hands ached to feel her skin gliding under his palms.

  Mira purred and smiled. “That was nice. But what if I want you to kiss me somewhere else?”

  His mouth watered. “Whatever you want. I’m game.”

  She pressed the inside of her wrist against his lips. Adam inhaled her intoxicating scent and went to work kissing every inch of flesh he could reach. All too soon, he was deprived of her skin and arching up as she pulled away.

  He clenched his muscles to keep his hands to himself. As the contours of his chest and abdomen tightened, Mira let out a feminine sound of approval and splayed her hands right over his heart.

  The organ lurched toward her, pounding double time in an effort to keep enough blood flowing to his brain. His cock was a throbbing reminder of just how little blood he had to work with.

  Her fingers trailed along his abs, touching with open curiosity, like she was learning a new path to her favorite vacation spot. Each inch lower she went, he got more excited. His breathing kicked up, and his thighs tightened as if the effort could pull her questing hands down to where he wanted them most at the moment.

  She took her time learning his body but never once got as close to his groin as he needed.

  Maybe she was teasing him. Getting a little payback for what he’d done to her. Surely, this kind of exquisite torture was evening the score between them in some minute way. He was certainly suffering enough for it to feel like it.

  Mira slid those sexy panties from her legs and straddled his stomach. Trimmed dark hair covered her mound, but he could see the telltale proof of her arousal gleaming on her flushed, swollen skin. He could still remember exactly how she felt gliding along his finger—hot, slick, tight. He needed to feel that same tight heat covering his cock, welcoming him in, all soft and accepting.

  “Take me,” he whispered, stunned at the need grating through in his voice.

  She wiggled against him as if settling more comfortably in place. The move made her hot core graze his abdomen. A dark smile made her mouth all the more beautiful. “I thought it was my decision.”

  “It is.”

  “Then you can’t go ordering me around. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do yet.”

  Heaven help him, this was a mistake. He’d given the woman a deadly weapon, and now she was using it against him. With glee.

  She leaned down, propping herself up on her elbows. Her breasts flattened against his chest, and he swore he could feel her nipples harden as they made contact.

  Adam gritted his teeth and held his ground.

  Mira traced his bottom lip with the tip of one finger. He flicked his tongue over it and pulled it into his mouth. He used his teeth to hold her captive while he sucked the salt from her skin.

  Her eyes fluttered closed and she seemed to soften against him. “Nice, but I have a better use for your mouth.”

  She shifted her body, and like a glorious, unexpected offering, her nipple was right there, all puckered and ready for his tongue. He arched up just enough to capture the peak in his mouth. His tongue glided over the hardened tip, and she gave up a sexy sound of pleasure.

  He was going to make her give him more.

  The scraping sound of her fingernails against the pillowcase told him he was on the right track. Just like before, she heated up fast.

  He knew if he slid inside her right now, she’d come around him again. Only this time it wouldn’t be just his finger. He’d get to feel every one of those divine feminine contractions around his cock.

  Just the thought was nearly enough to make him come. He clenched his muscles to stave off the orgasm for a little while longer. But he wasn’t going to last long.

  Mira’s breathing became panting. She pulled her breast from his mouth. He looked up at her to protest, but words died on his tongue.

  She was beautiful. Glorious. Like some kind of ancient goddess, all golden and glowing. Her eyes were as dark as the forest at dusk, and her bottom lip was imprinted with indents from her teeth.

  She’d been holding back on him, but one look at her now told him the time for restraint was over.

  She reached behind her and gripped his penis in her hand, positioning herself to take him into her body.

  Adam once again barely staved off the need to come. Once he slid home, he wasn’t sure how long he’d make it.

  She aligned their bodies and began taking him.

  The heat of her scalded the tip of his cock in the sweetest way. She was tight, but so wet he slid in without hurting her. He knew, because the look on her face was one of intense, exquisite pleasure without the slightest hint of pain.

  She rocked against him, completely lost
in the act of joining their bodies. He was so enraptured by the sight that he managed to stave off his own need for just a bit longer.

  Finally, she stopped and opened her eyes. The woman looking back at him was more sensation than intellect now. He was so used to seeing Mira’s mind that he was shocked at the sheer level of sensuality she possessed.

  “There,” she said. “My choice. All mine.”

  She hadn’t taken all of him yet, but she would. He couldn’t imagine any possibility other than having every inch of him buried within her when he finally set himself free.

  His voice was strained from his efforts at self-control. “Your decision is made, then. That’s good.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because I’m going to take you now.”

  “I thought I was taking you.”

  “You did. Now it’s my turn.” He freed his hands from their prison and sat up. The move forced another inch of his erection inside of her.

  She moaned and gripped his shoulders. He wrapped his armed around her, cradling her close and pinning her in place. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue thrust inside as his hips surged upward.

  One stroke, two. She cried out and tensed around him as her orgasm consumed her. He rode her through it, and by the time she reached the height of her pleasure, he’d worked every inch of his cock inside her soft body.

  It was too much for him. The clenching heat of her release, the sweet smell of her body joined with his, the sexy sounds of completion she made into his mouth. He gave in to the needs of his flesh and let his orgasm have him.

  The throbbing pressure exploded until he was blinded by it. Little sparkling dots danced in his vision, and his skin seemed electrified. There wasn’t enough oxygen in the room to keep his body fed, but he didn’t care.

  Adam collapsed backward, carrying Mira with him. She covered him—a hot, soft, fragrant blanket. Her body rose with each of his labored breaths, and he felt the need to cling to her just so she didn’t go away.

  The world finally started spinning again and he found enough air to erase the stars from his eyes. He had no clue how much time had passed, but he was still deep within Mira’s body, his cock twitching happily, all snug and cozy in its new home.

  Sanity returned, and he realized the potential danger their comfortable position posed. He shifted her just enough to take care of the condom before he pulled her back where she belonged, right against him, and covered her up with the blankets.

  His cock wanted to snuggle up again, too, but he ignored it. If he was good, careful, he would have her again. And if that wasn’t motivation enough, he had no idea what would be.

  After a few minutes, he realized that she was asleep. In his arms. Completely vulnerable and trusting.

  That show of trust made something fierce and hot rip through his chest. He’d never felt anything like it before. Had no idea what it was. It hurt and felt good all at the same time.

  Adam studied the feeling, wondering if it was something that belonged in its own special box. As he considered it, the idea of shutting it away became irritating. Then impossible. This feeling was his, and he was keeping it.

  Just like he was keeping Mira.

  The idea hit him out of the blue, but he didn’t question it. Didn’t need to. He had good instincts and knew when something was utterly and completely right.

  Mira was his now. All that was left was convincing her that she wanted to be.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  It was the middle of the night, but Riley was wide-awake. Sophie had fallen asleep on his couch, her head in his lap. The TV was still on whatever channel it had been on, but the movie they’d been watching was long since over.

  Not that he’d spent much time paying attention to whatever was on the screen. His entire focus was on Sophie—the pretty curve of her cheek, the way her strawberry blond hair clung to his shirt, the scattering of freckles he could just barely see beneath the loose collar of her shirt. He remembered just how enticing he’d found those freckles on her shoulders the first night he’d seen her. She’d been wearing a plain white cotton nightgown, and there had been few nights that had passed in which he didn’t dream about her wearing it just for him. There should have been nothing sexy about it, but on Sophie, a brown paper bag probably could have turned him on.

  An infomercial started up, spewing fake exuberance and excitement over some new gadget that was going to change the world. He didn’t care about that, but the increase in volume worried him. Sophie hadn’t been sleeping well after her attack, and the last thing he wanted was to wake her.

  He muted the TV. She shifted in her sleep, giving off the cutest little sigh. The sound brushed across his nerves, setting every one of them ablaze. His imagination flared to life, tossing him in the midst of a full-on, Technicolor daydream that included a whole lot of sweat, moaning, and naked Sophie skin.

  With a force of will, Riley pushed the unhelpful thoughts away. All they were going to do was make his jeans uncomfortable.

  Abstinence sucked, but that was nothing new. It still beat the hell out of the guilt he’d suffered every day since his one-night stand with Lucille.

  Riley’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. Payton’s name popped up, and at this hour, the man wouldn’t be calling if it weren’t important.

  “Sage escaped,” he said without preamble or social niceties.

  Riley stifled his shock and did his best to keep his voice quiet. “Dr. Sage? As in Mira’s dad? The guy who died last year?”

  “He didn’t die. It’s a long story and none of your damn business. But this part is: Whoever helped get Sophie’s attacker in the building knows who she is and that she was one of Sage’s subjects.”

  “That news is already out. Why do you think she was attacked in the first place?”

  “Yes, but with Sage free, there might be more people searching for her.”

  “How long until her new ID is ready?”

  “A day or two. Good covers—the kind that stand up to close scrutiny—are hard to create. It takes time.”

  “She doesn’t have a lot of that, Payton.”

  “I know. I’m pulling all the strings I can. But there’s something else.”

  “What?”

  “I need to know what Sophie remembers about her time with Sage. Anything she can remember might be important.”

  “You want me to let you interrogate her? Hell no.”

  “No. Not me. You. She trusts you. Get her to talk, Riley.”

  “No way. She’s been through enough. Just let it go. We’ll find another way.”

  “We’re running out of options. We have a tracker on Sage, but we need to give him bait—a reason to make his move and go to his labs. Once we have that, we’re going to need every advantage we can get. What Sophie knows can give us an edge. Make it happen.”

  “Or what? You’ll fire me? Bella would have your ass if you try.”

  “Bella doesn’t scare me nearly as much as Sage does. With him free, there are a lot more people like Sophie in danger. We’re giving her a new life. The least she owes us is whatever information is in her head.”

  “The least she owes you?” he nearly growled. Fury made his grip on the phone tighten. “You’re the reason she’s in danger at all. You did this. To Sophie, to Mira. Where the hell do you get off making demands?”

  Payton’s response was even toned, but it held no less power. “I’m doing everything humanly possible and then some to make up for what I did. But I can’t undo the damage alone. I need help. It’s bad luck and timing that Sophie’s the one who can do the helping, but that’s the way things work sometimes. It’s your job to do what I say. So do it. Understood?”

  “I understand that you’re an asshole. I like to be a team player and all, but I’m not going to push her. I’ll ask her. That’s it. You don’t get the a
nswers you want? Tough shit.”

  “Okay, but if you don’t get her to talk, I’m afraid I’ll have to play hardball.”

  “Like you weren’t doing that already.”

  “I’ve been a fluffy puppy up to now. There are more lives at stake than you know. If I have to turn into the Big Bad Wolf to save them, then so be it. I suggest you get Sophie’s cooperation so that I don’t have to start getting ugly.”

  “Fine. Whatever,” snapped Riley.

  “Excellent. I’ll wait for your call.”

  “And, Payton?”

  “Yes?”

  “Fuck you.”

  * * *

  Sophie heard the whole conversation. She’d been drifting in and out of sleep, enjoying the feel of Riley’s fingers gliding through her hair and stroking her face. He thought she was asleep, so she stayed that way, soaking up his touch and feeling safe for the first time in weeks.

  He set the phone down. She could feel tension quivering through his powerful body.

  “I don’t remember much,” she told him. “But I’ll tell you what I can.”

  He stiffened. “You heard?”

  “Yeah. Payton’s voice carries.”

  He pulled in a deep breath. Let it out slowly. After he was done, his anger seemed back in control, none of it spilling over into his tone. “You don’t have to talk about it. I’ll tell Payton to fuck off and leave you the hell alone.”

  “You kinda already did that. My guess is it’s not going to change anything.” She rolled onto her back so she could look at him. The feel of his hard thighs under her head and shoulders comforted her, reminding her that he could handle any thugs that came her way. For tonight, she was safe.

  “I’ll tell you what I can. If it can help someone else . . .”

  He touched her face. His big, rough hands landed so gently, it reminded her of butterfly kisses. “I don’t want you to suffer.”

  “I’m tough.”

  He nodded slowly. “Okay. But if you change your mind at any point, that’s fine. No pressure.”

  “It’s a deal.”

  He picked up his phone. “I’m going to record what you say. That way, I won’t forget anything, and any little details that I don’t think are important won’t get missed, even if they are.”