by Leah Brooke
His short hair had become plastered to his head, the water cascading over him and making his skin gleam. His hardened features only intensified the raw hunger in his eyes, the combination reaching inside her and pulling forth every feminine instinct.
For now, for this moment in time, she was his woman, soft and vulnerable, but strong, and he needed her.
Julianna’s nails dug into his arms, her eyes held by his. “Steve. Steve, it’s so good.” Everything seemed intensified, every look, every breath, every thrust designed to give the most pleasure. She melted under the look of possession in his eyes and gave herself over to him without a qualm.
For now at least, she belonged to him and needed to give him everything she was.
His gaze on her breasts made them burn, making her arch in his arms, lifting them in offering. The low, primitive growl echoed all around her, and under the heat of the water and with the clouds of steam billowing all around them, she burst into flames, losing herself to him completely. Sizzles of pleasure and erotic heat centered at her slit and shot outward, the strength of them curling her toes and making her fingertips that dug into his shoulders numb.
Steve pumped harder, his answering cry deep and ragged, his hands as unbending as iron as he held her in place. He threw his head back and yanked her against him, holding her so tightly she knew it would leave bruises, but she didn’t care. His cock pulsed deep inside her as his hands began to slip on her wet skin. He hitched her upward, making her yelp, as he adjusted his hold. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her again, swallowing her moans. His rock-hard muscles quivered under her hands, his arms wrapped so tightly around her she struggled to breathe.
Julianna whimpered in her throat at the strength of his hold, which immediately loosened. He raised his head, his eyes searched hers as he caressed her.
“I’m sorry, babe. Are you all right?”
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she laid her head on his shoulder. “I’m better than all right. What about you?”
Chuckling softly, he withdrew and lowered her to her feet before reaching for the soap, holding onto her until she steadied herself on legs that shook. “If we don’t get out of here soon, we’re both going to melt and get washed down the drain. Let me wash you and make sure you don’t have any little bits of glass on you.”
She didn’t understand the distance in his tone now, or the way he avoided her gaze.
“I can do it.” She reached for the soap, but he pulled his hand back out of her reach.
Gripping her chin, he dropped a quick kiss on her swollen lips. “I know you can, but I need to, okay?” His mischievous grin didn’t fool her for a moment, especially since his eyes still had a hard glint to them and still avoided hers. “Just enjoy it. One of these days, I’ll let you wash me.”
Licking her lips, Julianna ran a hand down his slick chest and to his cock. “How about now?”
Groaning, Steve took her hand away and kissed her fingers. “No. Food’s waiting, and I’m sure Nick’s already called several times. He’s going to be nuts until he can talk to you.” Turning her, he nuzzled her neck as he soaped her breasts. “I know I would be the same way. Nick and I have never shared a woman before, Julianna, so this is all new. I know how I’d feel in his place, and I have to respect that. Do you understand?”
Turning in his arms, she shivered as his hands went down her back to her bottom. Closing her eyes, she leaned heavily against him. “Why did you decide to share me? Why me, if you’ve never done this before?” A knot began to form in her stomach. “It’s because of David, isn’t it? The first night you met me, you learned I’d sought out a Dom, so you—”
Steve yanked her back when she tried to pull away and shook her once when she tried to avoid his gaze, not allowing her to look away. “No! That has nothing to do with it.”
Lacing her fingers with his, he raised them over her head and bent to nibble at her lips. “It’s all your fault. That night we met you, you were all prickly and trying so hard to be tough, while at the same time trying hard not to cry. When you came out wearing those shorts and that T-shirt, I wanted to pull you onto my lap and just hold you. You looked so damned cute. Nick apparently felt the same way. Neither one of us could walk away from you.”
Julianna sputtered with laughter, not believing him for a minute. “Cute? Christ, Steve, I’m almost six feet tall. I could never be cute. And I wore those shorts and T-shirt because they’re comfortable and not the least bit seductive.”
Steve switched places with her and began soaping himself. “Rinse off. You and I have very different ideas of what’s seductive. Hurry up. Nick’s gotta be frantic by now.”
Julianna finished rinsing off, eyeing the rivulets of lather running down his muscular body. Fascinated by the way the bubbles ran down his chest and slid over his cock, she had to force herself to meet his eyes again. “Where is Nick anyway?”
When Steve told her, she could literally feel the color drain out of her face. “Oh, God. Why is everybody here? Everybody should be there with him, damn it. Is he okay? Oh, God. A bomb!” She jumped out of the shower and raced out of the bathroom, her wet feet sliding on the tile floor, and she had to grab the counter and then the door frame to keep from falling. Ignoring Steve’s shout for her to slow down, she ran to where her cell phone lay on the bed. With shaking fingers, she dialed Nick’s cell phone, and began pacing the bedroom, shivering as she waited for him to answer.
She wanted to cry in relief when he answered on the first ring. “Julianna?”
Hearing the tension in his voice, Julianna hurried to respond. “It’s me. Are you okay?”
“Am I okay? You’re the one who got shot at. Jay said he hasn’t had a chance to look at you yet, but that you seem to be all right. Is that true? He said there was a lot of flying glass.”
Steve came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his expression as hard as a warrior’s. He carried another towel in his hand and headed straight toward her with it and began to dry her. “Let me talk to Nick when you’re done.”
Nodding, Julianna attempted to take the towel from Steve, but he just shook his head and kept drying her. “I’m not hurt. Steve threw me in the shower as soon as we got back to get the glass off.” Swallowing heavily, she dropped onto the bed. “Nick, Steve told me about the bomb threat. Are you at the hotel now?”
“Almost. Are you sure you’re okay, love?”
Julianna’s heart leapt at the endearment, but didn’t acknowledge it, knowing it had probably just slipped out. “I’m fine. You’re not actually going to the hotel, are you? I mean, the police won’t let you in, will they?”
“It’s my hotel, not theirs. Don’t worry about it, little one. I’ll be just fine. I can’t let anything happen to me. I’ve got big plans for the weekend.”
Still uneasy, despite, or perhaps because of his cavalier attitude to the danger he may be walking into, Julianna jumped up again and started to pace until Steve cursed and snapped the towel around her, holding on to both ends to pull her back against him.
“Stay put.”
Julianna looked anxiously over her shoulder at him. “Nick’s going to go into the hotel. I know it. Can’t you stop him?”
Nick’s chuckle sounded in her ear as Steve released her to walk away, coming back with one of the hotel robes.
Yanking the towel loose, he let it drop to the floor and wrapped her in it. “No, I can’t stop him. I’d do the same if I was there. He won’t take any unnecessary chances, babe.”
“No, I won’t.” Nick’s voice held relief and amusement. “I told you I have plans for this weekend. You and I are going to the island together.”
“How can you think about going to the island after everything that’s happened?”
“We’re going, love.” Nick’s tone brooked no argument. “Your clothes for the island are being made as we speak. Now, tell me you’ll miss me and let me talk to Steve. I’ll see you Friday.”
Resigned, Julian
na sighed. She’d already allowed them to get too close, even though she’d sworn not to. Blinking back tears she didn’t want either of them to suspect, she cleared her throat. “Of course I’ll miss you. Will you promise me that you won’t get blown up while you’re there?”
“I promise, love. Be careful. Put Steve on the phone.”
Julianna reluctantly handed the phone to Steve and started to pace again, tightening the belt of the plush robe. She eavesdropped unabashedly, trying to understand what the hell was going on. In her world, shootings and bomb threats only existed on the news, and although both Nick and Steve appeared anxious about her, they didn’t seem as panicked about this as she was, which made her even more nervous. She couldn’t believe they weren’t taking this more seriously.
“She’s got a few small nicks on her hands, but that’s it. Her clothing protected her, and she rolled to her belly on the floor of the limo, which helped protect her face.”
Julianna looked down at her hands, for the first time noticing three small scratches. Looking up at Steve again, she caught his smile.
“Yeah, all of her stuff is in boxes here. No, I haven’t given her a chance to yell at me about it yet. After we eat, I’m sure she will.”
In retaliation for the devious grin that lit his face, Julianna parted the robe, some part of her wanting that closeness she’d had with him in the shower. A surge of lust slammed into her when his eyes immediately shifted downward and darkened.
“Uh, yeah. We’re not leaving the hotel tonight. Uh-huh. Right.”
It was hard to keep a straight face when his towel started to tent in the front, but she managed it, the promise of more pleasure tempting her far more than it should have, especially when he’d just satisfied her only minutes earlier.
Turning her back to him, she went over to look at the boxes, delighted that one of the ones on top held her toiletries. Sorting through it, she found the scented lotion she wanted, and turned back with it, letting the sides of her robe part completely.
“Yeah, I’m taking care of her.”
Hiding a smile, and carefully keeping her eyes averted, Julianna poured a generous amount of the lotion into her hand and rubbed her hands together to warm it before smoothing it over her breasts.
“What? Oh, uh, yeah. We think it was Munson. Yeah, he…uh, looks like he was trying to uh…find out how important she is to us.”
She rubbed the lotion in thoroughly before reaching for the bottle again, this time rubbing the lotion over her stomach and down to her bare folds.
“What?” It became clear from Steve’s tone that he’d become distracted, which both amused and aroused her. His preoccupation with her body as she rubbed the lotion into her skin made her feel womanly and desirable and sent her imagination into overdrive.
She’d never before had the courage to tease another man this way before, but the lure to tease him now became irresistible. Squeezing a little more of the lotion onto her fingers, she turned away slightly and rubbed more of the lotion onto her bare folds, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back as her fingers came into contact with her clit.
“No, we don’t think he was trying to kill her. Huh? No, we think he was just, uh, testing—Fuck. Come here, babe, and let me rub that in for you.”
Julianna turned her head to the side and opened her eyes, unable to hide a smile when she saw Steve’s towel had become tented even more.
Coming around the bed, Steve pushed her hands aside and reached down to replace her fingers with his as he spoke into the phone. His fingers felt much better than hers, their firmness and rough texture thrilling her. Staring down at her face, his eyes darkened again as he spoke into the phone.
“Of course I sound distracted. Julianna’s wearing nothing but a robe and is rubbing lotion all over herself. She finished her breasts and was rubbing it into her folds and she started playing with her clit. No, she’s not doing it now. I am.” Steve laughed. “Damn, I can’t wait to see her wearing them. Okay, I’ll tell her. Bye.”
He disconnected and tossed the phone onto the bed. “Give me some more of that lotion.”
A knock sounded on the bedroom door. “Food’s here.”
Julianna jumped and pulled out of his arms, not believing that she’d forgotten the other men. “Your cock’s going to have to wait. I’m starving, and I have a lot of questions you promised to answer. You already sidetracked me once. I’m not going to let you do it to me again. Besides, your friends are here.”
Steve tossed off his towel and grimaced as he pulled on a pair of loose cotton pants, his eyes following her every movement as she shrugged completely out of the robe and rummaged for her clothes. “You’re the one who started rubbing lotion all over. You did that to tease me and you know it. Remember that because I’m getting even later.”
Finding a pair of the shorts she usually wore to bed, she glanced at him over her shoulder and started to pull them on. “Yeah, yeah, oh!” She found herself spun around to face him so unexpectedly, she had to grab his shoulders for support.
Smiling, Steve worked a huge T-shirt over her head. “Ever since the night I met you, I’ve wanted to see you in my shirt. Tonight, you’ll wear it. It gave me a kick to see you wear the dress Nick and I picked out for you.” He frowned thoughtfully. “I never did that for a woman before, but I have to admit, I like seeing you in something of mine. You can wear the robe over it. No one will be able to see a thing, and Doc can still check you over.”
Touched that such a thing mattered to him, Julianna couldn’t hold back a smile. Still wary of him after the wall he’d put up after he’d taken her in the shower, she smiled playfully and poked him in the stomach, hoping to lighten the mood. “You’re a very sexual man, Steve, but don’t tell me you’re the possessive type. I’d never believe you.” She started to turn away, only to be yanked back hard against his chest.
His eyes narrowed dangerously, the anger in them surprising her. “Believe it.” He dropped a hard kiss on her lips before releasing her, looking just as surprised by his actions as she was. Looking away, he clenched his jaw. “Come on. You’re right. Now’s not the time to get into this. The food’s waiting, and so is Doc.”
* * * *
Julianna polished off another slice of pepperoni pizza, laughing so hard she nearly choked.
Steve tossed a pillow across the room and would have hit a laughing Adam in the face with it if not for the other man’s quick reflexes. “Shut up, Snake.”
She reached for the bottle of beer the men had also supplied and took a healthy sip. “So Steve got caught with the General’s daughter right before he was supposed to get promoted?”
Jay reached for another slice. “Yep. Lucky for him we got deployed a couple hours later. When we got back, the General’s daughter, what was her name again, Ellen?”
“Eileen,” Mike provided helpfully.
“Eileen, that’s right.” Jay took a sip of his cola, since none of the men would touch anything alcoholic tonight. “Anyway, she was waiting for him wearing the shortest shorts and a top that just barely hid—”
“Enough!” Steve offered Julianna another slice and took her empty beer bottle from her, opening another and handing it to her. “Julianna doesn’t need to hear this.”
Accepting the beer, she smiled at the way Steve’s eyes kept straying to her legs. “Are you kidding? This is what I needed after today, which I’d bet is why your friends decided to embarrass you so badly tonight. Now that we’ve finished, perhaps one of you can tell me more about the man that’s after you.”
The other men stopped laughing and looked at each other and then at Steve as though waiting to follow his lead.
Steve put the empty beer bottle on the table, shooting a glance in his friends’ direction. “Don’t worry about it tonight. Just relax and let us deal with it.”
Julianna came to her feet and went to retrieve the small garbage can. “How am I supposed to relax when one of you is always jumping up to talk to whoever you have out
in the hallway? Doc keeps eyeing me like a hawk as if I’ll collapse at any second, and all of you are so tense, it’s making me nervous. I’d feel better if I knew what the hell was going on.”
Adam took the garbage can from her and began to clean up the mess, shooting a glance at Steve. “I guess you’d better tell her.”
Steve pulled her down to sit on the sofa and pulled her legs onto his lap, his eyes intense on hers as though watching for something. “His name is Paul Munson, and he used to be a friend, and our boss. He’d just gotten married and his pregnant wife was killed when she got caught in the middle of a shootout as she drove home from work. We found out the man responsible was a drug dealer named Ike Vernon.”
“Oh, my God! How terrible for him. But, I don’t understand. What does that have to do with you?”
He stroked her legs idly, as though lost in thought, apparently not noticing what the soft caresses did to her. “Not long after that, we got deployed along with another team to stop a drug deal that Ike Vernon was involved in. Paul Munson wasn’t supposed to be involved. Somehow, he found out about the mission and showed up anyway.”
He sighed, leaning back, his hands tightening on her legs. “He went crazy when she died. He just lost it. He wanted Vernon for himself and wasn’t about to let anything stand in his way.”
The other men nodded in agreement, all looking grim. Doc frowned and knelt next to her, his dark hand on her arm gentle as they moved over the small nicks on her hand, nodding knowingly when she winced. “Just as I thought. You’ve got a couple slivers of glass still in there.” His chocolate eyes, filled with both intelligence and tenderness, met hers.
Julianna couldn’t help but laugh at his smile. “You must be a good doctor. You somehow manage to look tender despite being as big as a mountain, and that smile says you’re going to dig for glass whether I want you to or not, but let me warn you, you’re not going to distract me from hearing the rest of this story.”