Unconditional Surrender

by Desiree Holt

  A prosecutor! Who’d have thought it? But he could tell at once she had brains, a self-assurance that was nothing like the hard edge he’d found in so many women. They either had a streak of dependency or a type of grittiness that irritated him.

  But Kari was…Kari. A unique treasure. He’d never believed in fate before, but he was sure that was what had brought them together in the first place. Neither of them had been looking for more than a night of off-the-charts sex. But now? A different story.

  He’d felt a little guilty, leaving the way he had, but Beau had already had some woman cornered. When he’d left the car keys with Trey, the man had just stared at him then glanced at his watch as if to say, Fifteen minutes and you’ve already scored? He wanted to tell Trey it wasn’t what he thought, but he was in no mood to share his thoughts.

  “I have to say,” he’d drawled, “you’ve got damn good taste.”

  Slade had wanted to tell him it was a lot more than that, but he’d had no intention of discussing this—whatever this was—with any of his men. At least not right at that moment.

  “Just keep an eye on Marc, will you?”

  “Oh, hey, on that front, Trey said Marc is sitting outside talking to some woman.”

  Slade had felt his eyebrows rise almost to his hairline. “Are you shitting me?”

  “Not a bit.” Beau had grinned. “Maybe he’s coming out of his shell.”

  “That would be a godsend. And even more reason to keep an eye on things with him.”

  “Count on it, Shadow,” Beau had assured him.

  But Slade had already been heading out of there. He knew they would have given him a raft of shit if he hadn’t given them the look, the one they all referred to as Fuck up and you die.

  So here he was, still shocked that he’d found his mystery woman in a very unexpected place. And that just catching sight of her had the same electrifying effect as it had five years ago. At first he’d thought he was imagining it. That he’d been thinking about her so much lately he’d projected her onto some other woman. When he’d realized it was in fact her, it had taken him two full minutes to get his shit together enough to approach her. What if she’d forgotten all about him? What if she was there with someone else? The relief he’d felt when the answer to both those questions was no was so overwhelming it’d almost brought him to his knees.

  On the drive here the images of what the evening could hold had run through his mind and straight to his cock. Last time he’d gone at her like the horniest man in the world, one who hadn’t had a woman in years. This time he needed to find some control. Needed to dig for his famous finesse.

  Shit, Donovan. Get it together. You aren’t twenty-five years old anymore.

  He’d been with a lot of women, probably more than he wanted to admit. He might have unleashed his sexual needs with them, but never his emotions. But this woman? Even after that one night together he knew she could undo him.

  Slade realized he knew nothing about her beyond the fact that he was obsessed with getting her into bed. He’d never before been interested in anything else with the women he bedded—didn’t care what movies they liked or what books they read or if they liked chocolate or vanilla ice cream. So why was he so fixated on learning everything he could about Kari? That smacked of something long-term. Something Slade He didn’t even know if he could sustain that.

  Sure, he’d had that tiny little twinge that he might have been missing out on something. But that’s all it was—a twinge. So where did he go from here with Kari? To settle down he had to be able to handle a committed relationship. For too many years that relationship for him had been with the Army and Delta Force. Was he too old to change?

  One thing was very clear to him. When he looked at Kari, the memory of the dirt and grime and cold of Afghanistan, the hot, dry desert of Iraq, the tension of the missions, the long years of battles faded away completely as if a healing shower had washed over him. Could he take a chance on something here, something longer than these ten days?

  He’d been so busy standing there having a conversation with himself he hadn’t paid all that much attention to what Kari was doing, but now it registered. The three locks on the front door—a key lock, a deadbolt and a chain. And next to it on the wall a small white object that looked like an entry-point alarm with a small button she pinched. She moved around the apartment, doing something with the sliding glass door that led out to a small balcony. Then she disappeared into what he assumed was the bedroom area and was back in seconds.

  What the hell?

  “Kari?” He pulled her into his arms, her body so soft and pliant against his hard one. “Is something wrong here?”

  If he hadn’t been paying close attention, he might have missed the edge of strain in the smile she gave him. It was gone so fast he wondered if he’d imagined it. But there was her security routine, which had to mean something. He hoped being trained to be suspicious of everything didn’t have him seeing skeletons where there were none.

  “No, something’s right.” She cupped his cheeks with her soft hands, the light floral scent of her perfume invading him and kicking his hormones and pheromones into overdrive.

  “Wait.” He wrapped his fingers lightly around her wrists. As much as he wanted to strip her naked and plunge himself into her mouthwatering body, he wanted answers first. “I asked you a question. Is there something going on you want to tell me about? Are you having trouble with someone?”

  “What?” She frowned. “Oh, you mean because of the alarms? I live alone, Slade. A girl can’t be too careful.” Her full lips curved in a smile that went straight to his groin. “Okay?”

  He sensed there was more to it than she was telling him, but tonight he wasn’t about to push it. Tonight was all about them. About reconnecting. If she had a problem with someone, well, he’d be here all night and would take care of anything that came up.

  “Okay.” He parked it in the back of his mind and focused on her mouth that was scant inches from his. So kissable. So tempting.

  She ran her tongue over her lower lip and all stops were gone. Cupping her head to anchor her in place, he brushed his mouth over hers, feeling the softness. He sketched the outline with the tip of his tongue over and over in soft and teasing strokes. When he traced the closed seam with light pressure, she opened for him at once and he swept inside.

  God, she tasted like seven kinds of sin, just as he’d remembered. Every molecule in his body went on high alert, his blood rushing right to his cock, which swelled at once. Sliding one hand down the line of her back, he then cupped one nicely rounded cheek of her ass, pulling her tight against him until her breasts were pressed hard into his chest and his thick shaft imprinted itself on the swell of her mound.

  Slow, he told himself. Take it slow. Make it good for her this time.

  The last time they’d been together, he’d gone at her like a hungry animal. He wasn’t feeling much different now, with all the pent-up desire and need stored in him, but he wanted her to enjoy every second. He also remembered that she liked rough sex. Was it the anonymity that had knocked down all restraint and barriers? Would it be the same way tonight? God, he hoped so.

  He licked at the inside of her mouth, tasting her, coaxing her tongue to dance with his. Electricity sizzled through him, straight to his dick and his balls. Somehow he dragged himself back from the edge, reminding himself again this was for her.

  He trailed his lips along her jawline and peppered her neck with tiny nips and kisses. When he lightly closed his teeth over the tender spot where neck and shoulder joined, she shuddered in his arms and a soft moan drifted from her mouth.

  “We need a bed,” he murmured in her ear, doing his best not to strip her naked where they stood.

  “Lucky we have one.” Her voice sounded as shaky as he felt.

  He scooped her up in his arms and let her direct him to her bedroom. On the way she kicked off her shoes. If only he could divest her of her clothes that easily, but then he might miss
something. Just inside her bedroom she reached out to flip a wall switch and a bedside lamp came on, bathing the room in a warm glow. Slade set Kari on her bare feet next to the bed and let his eyes drink their fill of her.

  Silky masses of auburn hair cascaded down to her shoulders, calling attention to the way her thin silk blouse draped over her softly swelling breasts. The rich cotton of her slacks molded over her hips and down the long legs that he wanted to feel wrapped around him. His need to see her naked was so fierce his hands shook as he unfastened one tiny button after another. Why did women wear clothes that took forever to remove? Were they determined to drive men insane?

  No, just me. I hope I didn’t leave all my self-control out on the battlefield.

  She was scarcely breathing while he undressed her, but the rapid beat of her pulse at the hollow of her throat told him she was as aroused as he was. He slid the garment down her arms, yanked the tails from her slacks and tossed the garment to the side. His eyes widened at the flimsy lace bra that held her plump breasts. Without the additional layer of her blouse, the darkness of her nipples was blatantly evident. He gave in to temptation, lowered his head and closed his lips around one taut bud, fabric and all. When he sucked it hard, a gasp escaped her mouth and she clutched at his biceps, head tilted back.

  His cock throbbed with renewed force, demanding attention.

  Jesus!

  He’d forgotten how just touching her made him hungry and needy, and he sucked harder, finally releasing the nipple and moving to the other one. By the time he’d had his fill, both pebbled tips were hard and swollen, just like his cock. Needing to see them without any covering, he released the clasp of her bra and tossed it aside with the blouse. Holding the luscious creamy mounds of her breasts in his palms, he trailed his tongue across the upper swell. Out of nowhere he wondered what they’d look like with tiny rings dangling from them. He’d been with women who pierced their nipples. They told him it made them ultra-sensitive and more responsive. Maybe he could—

  Slow down, asshole. One thing at a time.

  Her skin was satiny smooth and the scent she used, something with vanilla and flowers, invaded his senses. He laid a string of kisses in the valley between her breasts and on down until he reached the waistband of her slacks. He had to see the rest of her. Now. Right now. And taste every inch of her. Jesus! Was he some horny teenager about to have sex for the first time? No woman had ever done this to him, ever made him feel this way. Trembling with impatience, he opened the button on her slacks and tugged on the tab of the zipper. He wanted to rip off the rest of her clothes and plunge himself into her, but he forced himself to go slow, easing her slacks down her toned legs and urging her to kick them to the side. That left her quivering in his arms in just the tiniest lace bikini he had ever seen.

  Holy fucking shit!

  Every bit of moisture in his mouth dried up at the sight.

  Some might think her body less than perfect but for Slade—now, as it had been five years ago—it was exactly what he wanted…full and soft and way too tempting. He restrained himself from unzipping his fly and reaching in to grab his shaft.

  Control, control, control.

  He kneeled almost in reverence, skimming her curves with his hands. Leaning slightly forward he pressed a kiss to her navel, running the edge of his tongue around the ridged flesh. She shivered in his grasp so he did it again. But then, drawn by the scent of her musk, he trailed his tongue down across her belly to the narrow band of lace at the top of her panties, where he dragged it back and forth. Then he pressed his face to her mound and inhaled deeply.

  Taking the top band of her panties in his teeth, he tugged the scrap of fabric slowly down her legs and coaxed her to step out of them. At the sight of her naked cunt covered with soft auburn curls, his cock flexed behind the fabric of his pants.

  God!

  He wanted to do everything with her. To her. He wanted to control her, to bend her to his will. He remembered in sharp detail the few light bondage games they’d played that night. Would she be up for them again? He’d tried BDSM, but he’d discovered that while he wasn’t a full-out Dom, there were some aspects he really enjoyed and he wanted to draw her into them. He had discovered they meant a lot more when he had a real connection to the other person. Did he have one with her? And how far could he push her?

  One step at a time. This time there’ll be a tomorrow.

  He looked up at her as he kneeled between her legs. “Do something for me.”

  He heard the breath escaping her lips. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes gleamed. She ran the tip of her tongue over her lower lip, making it gleam in the lamplight.

  Fuck! He wanted to bite it and suck it into his mouth.

  “D-Do what?”

  He had to struggle to remember what he wanted her to do. “Hold your breasts and rub your thumbs over your nipples.”

  For a long moment she hesitated. Then, her eyes on him, she lifted her hands, cupped her gorgeous breasts in her palms and stroked her thumbs lightly over the distended tips.

  “Like this?” Her voice was breathless.

  “Yes, like that.” He almost growled the words.

  God, the sight of her touching herself had his cock hardening even more, if that were possible. The ache in his balls was growing and he’d hardly begun to do all the things with her he wanted to.

  Eyes still on her, he nudged her thighs apart and slipped his hand between. Wet! She was soaking wet. He lifted his hand to his mouth and licked the drops of her juice from his fingers. She tasted like seven kinds of sin and he wanted every one of them. In truth, what he really wanted was to lay her down and fuck her until neither of them could breathe.

  Slow, he told himself once more. This time take it nice and slow. He didn’t plan to disappear out of her life again. He wasn’t sure how good she’d be with someone who was gone for months at a time, but maybe they could figure out a way…

  One thing at a time.

  And the one thing right now was to take an even greater taste of her. He spread the lips of her pussy with his thumbs, inhaled the incredible scent and lapped the length of her slit with his tongue. She tasted so damn good he did it again, and again. When she shook in his grip, he rose to his feet, sliding his hands up the length of her body and molding them around her own hands that were still holding her breasts.

  The deep rose nipples were so tempting he had to pause to bite each one. Then he yanked back the covers and placed Kari gently on the bed, legs wide apart, knees bent, the lips of her cunt gleaming.

  Let’s see just how far we can take you.

  He loved the way she trembled with expectation, despite her obvious effort to maintain control. Praying for strength, he kneeled between her thighs and went back to work on her She was gorgeous spread out like that, her labia a pretty shade of pink and swollen with need and her clit begging for his attention.

  He traced the length of her slit over and over, opening her wide to give him full access. She thrust her hips at him, silently begging for more, begging for him to fill her. In answer he thrust his tongue inside her hot, wet, slick channel, fucking her with only that again and again.

  “Oh! Oh! Oh!” Her soft little cries were like erotic whispers to him.

  He increased his pressure on her lips, careful not to take her past the point where it became only pain with no pleasure. Their one night together might have happened five years ago, but there were many things about it he still remembered, things that had replayed in his mind nonstop.

  She’d been a wild woman that night, open to anything he’d wanted. There had been no boundaries. He wanted that again with her, and more.

  She made a small sound of protest when he slid his tongue from her heated, slippery clasp. But then he placed his lips over her clit and took it in his teeth, biting down gently. She detonated, her orgasm so explosive she writhed beneath him, crying out for more, begging for him to fill her with his tongue, his fingers, his cock. He finally slid two fingers in
side her, feeling her inner walls grasp them as spasms shook her.

  When the tension in her body eased, he began anew, licking every inch of her skin. Trailing his tongue up the inside of her thighs and tracing the line where hip and thigh were joined. He slipped his hands along her ribcage until he reached her nipples, tweaking them hard enough with his fingertips to elicit a groan from her. But he caught the nuance of the sound. It wasn’t a groan of agony but of pleasurable pain. He slid one hand down her hip and thigh and over to her core, easing two fingers into her slick channel. And slick it was, wetter than before.

  Oh, yeah. She got off on this.

  He moved his free hand to her cunt, seeking and finding her clit and pinching that swollen nub, hard. She gasped, her hips rising from the bed yet at the same time her inner walls clutched hard at his fingers. He did it again. And again.

  “Slade!” His name was a cry bursting from her throat as she tried to press down on his hand.

  “Come for me,” he urged, his voice thick with lust. “Come on, Kari. You can do it some more. Pinch those nipples like you did before.”

  Damn if it wasn’t the hottest thing he’d seen in a long time. He kept his eyes on her, watching her torment her nipples while he did the same to her clit, moving his fingers steadily in and out of her. This time she came even harder, bearing down on his hand, throwing her head back and crying out her release. He drove her to completion, the look of utter pleasure on her face making his balls ache with need.

  She came down from the erotic high very slowly. Her fingers rested on her nipples, just touching them, while Slade stroked the inside of her sex and licked her moisture from the lips. He wanted to lick his own lips to capture every drop of the flavor. It was only with great reluctance that he slid his fingers from inside her and pushed himself to his knees. As Kari watched him from beneath half-lowered lids, her cheeks flushed with pleasure, he lapped every bit of her cream from his fingers, sucking the tips into his mouth.