by Anya Nowlan
“Do you think that house he went to in the morning could be our shot?” Sienna asked as they left the city in their rearview mirror, with Arlen driving this time.
She knew that had to be what they were both thinking about, but they’d been cautiously avoiding the subject. It just seemed too good to be true to stumble onto something like that right off the bat.
“We’ll have to see if he goes back there,” he shrugged noncommittally, keeping his eyes on the road.
They arrived at the suburbs and pulled into the garage under the cover of darkness. No need for any wire tricks this time, as Arlen had found a spare remote for the door lying around on one of the shelves. Feeling totally spent, Sienna sank into the living room couch the moment they got inside.
“I’ll fix us something,” Arlen said before disappearing into the kitchen.
A man who shoots and cooks. I’m a lucky girl.
But it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns. He had been tightlipped the whole way back and Sienna couldn’t figure out why. They had been getting along great all day.
Maybe he just has a lot on his mind, she rationalized.
Her thoughts drifted to what would happen when they actually did manage to take Holland out. Would Arlen go back to The Firm, begging for forgiveness? It seemed likely. She got the impression his work was all he had. His missions would take him all over the country, which practically ruled out any sort of relationship.
The thought of never seeing him again frightened Sienna more than she would have liked.
Trying to ignore those thoughts, she must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, Arlen was standing over her, gently shaking her shoulder.
“Dinner is ready. Or would you rather go to sleep?”
His handsome face being the first thing she saw and his touch the first thing she felt after waking up sent a jolt through her. Sleep was suddenly the last thing on her mind.
“I’m starving, let’s go,” she replied with a smile, getting to her feet.
Arlen matched her expression with a secretive smile and led the way. Sienna followed him gladly, staring at his perfect ass the whole way to the kitchen. When he opened the door, she couldn’t help but gasp.
The curtains were drawn and the lights were off, but a soft glow filled the room. From who knows where, Arlen had pulled out dozens of candles and lit them around the kitchen, creating a gorgeous play of light and shadow. The kitchen table was set up, and whatever the meal was, it smelled heavenly.
“What’s all this?” she asked, taking everything in.
“I thought maybe we could have an actual date. I know the circumstances aren’t ideal, but the perfect time could never come, so I thought we’d make the best of it.”
His voice was very quiet as he studied her reaction. Sienna felt overwhelmed. So that’s why he had been so lost in thought - he was planning this dinner. With everything else going on, he had found the time to do something special for her. It lit up something inside, fueling the attraction she had felt towards him from the moment they met.
That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s done for me, she thought, biting her lip.
Without even pausing to think about it, she started unbuttoning her blouse. Well, not her blouse, per se, the one she had borrowed from the house they were staying in.
“How about we start with dessert?” she offered, putting on her silkiest voice.
Arlen’s eyes lit up as his gaze followed her fingers. She made it to the last button and let the shirt hang open. He started to step forward, but she held out a finger. She wanted to build up the anticipation, to tease him a little, see what he was like when she really revved him up.
Something about the thought of seeing Arlen going on all cylinders was just wildly inviting. He stopped in his tracks, waiting for her to explain. She could hear a low rumble build inside of him.
“Your turn,” she said, eyeing his t-shirt.
“I like this game.”
Arlen threw her a look so sensual she almost lost her resolve.
He grabbed the hem of his shirt and slowly tugged it upwards, revealing his perfectly carved abs. Sienna’s fingers twitched as she imagined running her hands over the hard ridges of his stomach. His biceps bulged as the fabric was pulled over his head.
She stood there, mesmerized, staring at the smooth, taut planes of his magnificent body, all but glowing in the candlelight. He looked so strong and powerful, all she wanted to do was give herself over to him.
But she continued with the game, even if it was with gritted teeth and mustering all the willpower in the world.
She removed her shirt entirely, letting the sight of her voluptuous cleavage come into view. The way Arlen’s eyes caressed her bare skin sent a small tremble through her.
“Do you remember how it felt when I ran my fingers over your hard, sensitive nipples? I do,” he said, the heat in his voice melting through her.
He could read her like an open book. If his intention was to get her to drop her panties right that instant, he had come very close to his goal.
“I get the feeling someone is not playing by the rules,” Sienna admonished playfully, even though her mouth was turning dry.
She remembered, all right.
“I like it when there aren’t any rules at all,” he replied, unbuckling his belt.
The words alone made her panties wet. This seemed to be a lot more of the Arlen from the stories he told. Mischievous, bold, not held back by what others might think of him. Not the play by the rules, do as you’re told kind of guy he showed himself as most of the time.
She watched, entranced, as he yanked the belt off and let it fall to the ground.
“Maybe we can use that, later,” he commented, his voice full of promises that made Sienna’s insides quiver.
She unbuttoned her jeans and peeled them off, leaving them in a pile next to her.
“Maybe we can,” she replied, turning around to give him a look at her ass.
Something resembling a roar ripped through the kitchen, and when she turned back, Arlen’s jeans were already off.
“Your turn,” he remarked impatiently, his body practically vibrating with the desire to come grab her.
She could see it so clearly. This game was going exactly as she’d envisioned.
“This getting to be a little much for you?” Sienna teased with a small laugh, even as her eyes became glued to his muscular thighs and the remarkable bulge between them.
“You tell me,” he countered, catching her look.
Sienna clenched her thighs, reveling in the pulsating sensation between them, as her fingers moved to unclasp her bra. She undid the hook, but held the lacy fabric up, revealing only slightly more flesh than was on display before.
Arlen inhaled deeply as his steely gaze locked with hers.
“You overestimate my self-control,” he growled, as his large frame suddenly moved to close the distance between them.
Head-spinning excitement shook Sienna’s body as he closed in, his expression a mixture of pure desire and awed appreciation. She had unleashed something inside of him and she couldn’t wait to find out what that meant.
Game on.
Twenty-One
Arlen
Arlen grabbed Sienna into his arms, his mouth claiming hers hungrily. She let go of the bra she was holding and returned the kiss, matching every inch of his fervor. Her soft, supple form pressed against him, feeling like a cool breeze in the scorching heat.
Deep down, he knew falling into bed together again probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but the way she had teased him… how could he have possibly resisted?
Everything about her, from her sultry voice and ample curves to her drive and independence was irresistible to him. Having her so close and willing and not touching her would be pure craziness, consequences be damned.
He’d worry about those tomorrow.
Sienna moaned into his mouth as their tongues tangled, her hands locking behind his neck. He ran his
hands up her sides, grazing her breasts with his thumbs. Her back arched at that and she pressed against him, filling him with white-hot lust. His cock was already standing at attention, pushing against her stomach.
Arlen’s hands slid back down, reaching the lace of her panties. He slipped a hand between their bodies, cupping the apex of her thighs, applying pressure with his palm. She ground against him, her panties already soaking wet.
That elicited a satisfied growl from his tiger. He loved the way his touch affected her, how responsive she was to it.
He backed her up against the wall, his fingertips moving to slowly circle around her clit. Her breath hitched as she squirmed against him, her fingers tangling in his hair, yanking his head closer so she could devour him.
“That’s my girl,” he growled, meeting the kiss.
His erection throbbed against the fabric of his boxers as the scent of her arousal swirled all around him. Sienna’s body buckled, her knees growing weak as he slipped a finger inside. Arlen wrapped a supporting arm around her waist, holding her up while continuing to finger her tight, hot pussy.
A strangled sound escaped her throat as her lips on his stilled. Their bodies were so close, he could feel the ripple of the orgasm surging through her.
He held her close, not letting the pace fall as she squirmed and spasmed in his arms. The sounds she made were music to his ears and he loved the way she clenched down on his fingers, demanding more.
Arlen smiled against her mouth, more than happy he could offer her pleasure. He pulled back, enjoying the flushed look of her cheeks and the way her ragged breath sounded.
He had always liked pleasing the women he was with, but this was different, more intense. Sienna’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled back, spent, gently running her fingernails down his chest.
It sent a shiver down his spine.
This woman… the things she does to me…
“Time for the main course?” she asked, her hand moving downwards to stroke the head of his penis through the cotton fabric.
Arlen let out a choked sigh as her fingers coiled around his cock.
“Do you want me to be gentle?” he asked in return as the heat flowed through his veins like lava.
He was in the throes of it now, the biological need almost strong enough to cloud everything else. But he would regain control, if that’s what Sienna wanted. He’d do anything she wanted, and he knew that didn’t start or stop with tonight.
“No. I want you to let go,” she answered before nibbling on his lower lip.
The tiger inside snarled, urging him to comply. He bent down and yanked her panties off before doing the same to his boxers. Sienna let out a small gasp, followed by a playful giggle. Arlen’s hands moved to cup that amazing ass of hers, lifting her off her feet as he did.
His face buried in her breasts as she wrapped her legs around his waist, his cock sliding up her wet slit, creating a feeling of delicious torment. He wanted to be inside her, claim her body as his own. And he was going to.
Sienna’s head fell back as he sucked her nipples into her mouth, one by one. His shaft covered in her juices as her hips began to grind against his.
Arlen couldn’t wait any longer. He lifted her, positioning himself to press against her wet slit. Sienna sighed, her spine curving in expectation and her shoulders pressed against the wall behind her. He slowly lowered her onto his cock, becoming overwhelmed as he was taken in by her warm silk. She let out a throaty moan as her fingers dug into the skin of his shoulders.
“Yes,” she gasped, tensing.
It was all Arlen needed to hear. His slow strokes sank deeper and deeper into her building in speed. It felt like she was all around him, enveloping him in warmth and ecstasy. How could he ever possibly let her go?
She felt like a part of him now, and more than just physically. His thrusts grew more savage, mirroring the wild need to keep her close buried in his soul, until he was pounding into her.
Sienna writhed against him as her muscles around him began to tighten, pulling him closer and closer to the edge. Arlen bent his head to reach her breast, giving one of her nipples a slow lick as his hips bucked into hers.
She let out a scream that he hoped wasn’t loud enough to wake the neighbors as she convulsed on top of him, her eyes shut and her features contorting in a mask of crushing bliss. He let go, sinking into her with abandon as her pussy gripped him tightly.
Nothing mattered except the way she made him feel, and the world fell away as he came, only managing to pull out at the last second.
How can I ever survive without her, without feeling this way again? he wondered numbly, his chest heaving with heavy breaths as Sienna unwrapped her legs from around his waist.
He pulled her to his chest, their sweaty bodies sticking together with candlelight flickering all around them. Sienna’s breath was still irregular as she pressed her lips to his collarbone, leaving a small kiss there before resting her cheek against him. The moment was perfect, and he wanted to savor it for as long as he could.
“So are we going to eat or what?” she asked with a grin.
“Ladies first.”
He watched her slip her panties back on and grab his shirt from the floor and put it on. Letting out an involuntary groan as she bounced over to the table, he ran a hand over his face, stopping at his chin. He had to fight hard not to bite down on his hand, looking for ways to get back some semblance of control.
She looked so good in his shirt. That smile of hers, that body of hers, that spirit of hers… it was too much. The thought of losing it was more painful than anything he’d ever experienced.
Pulling on his boxers, he wondered if falling for her was selfish, and if he could bring himself to care if that was the case. This crazy chemistry between them was something that only came along once in a lifetime, that much he was sure of. Now all he had to do was get up the courage to find out if Sienna felt about him the same way he felt about her.
Arlen had faced off against incredible odds, tracked down the most elusive targets, faced more life and death situations than he could count… Yet this task frightened him more than any other he had undertaken.
“You coming?” she asked, batting her lashes as she sunk into the chair.
“Hell yes.”
If he had known what came next he would have told her how he felt right then and there, but of course, he didn’t.
He thought he had time.
Twenty-Two
Sienna
Sienna woke in the master bedroom, enveloped by Arlen’s body. Sometime during the night, he had pulled her to his chest and wrapped his limbs around her. She smiled to herself, enjoying the feeling of being surrounded by his strong frame, safe and snug.
If it was anyone but Arlen, she would probably be feeling smothered. With him, she just felt protected and at ease. He stirred behind her, nuzzling his face into the back of her neck.
I could get used to this, Sienna thought.
The thought didn’t come with only happy aspects, though.
Arlen was still an agent of The Firm, even though he was currently being hunted by them. The fact that he still wanted to make things right by killing Holland told her his loyalties ran deep. Once this was all over, he would go back to his work, no attachments and no stability.
And could she really be with a man who killed for a living, even if his targets may have deserved it?
That was a life meant for one, a path that couldn’t be shared. Arlen wouldn’t give up everything he’d worked hard to achieve just to start something with a woman he barely knew, and she wouldn’t expect him to. It just wouldn’t work.
Just my luck, I find the one good guy left and he turns out to be a contract killer.
The irony was smothering, unlike Arlen’s embrace.
Sienna resolved to enjoy the here and now as much as she could without getting her heart involved. No more than it already was, at least. It would hurt too much to try and carry on something that was boun
d to fail, to see each other a couple of times a year when he was in between missions or happened to get one in Chicago.
Arlen truly was one of a kind and if she couldn’t have all of him, she would rather have none at all.
I don’t even know if I can stay in Chicago…
His arms flexed around him as he adjusted himself, breathing in deeply.
“I can hear the gears in your head turning,” he commented, voice husky with sleep.
“No, you can’t!” she exclaimed, suddenly afraid he could somehow read her mind.
Arlen chuckled, his warm breath tickling her neck.
“No, I can’t. But I can feel you tensing up and I hear your breathing change.”
Sienna wiggled around in his arms so she could face him. He stared back at her with an unreadable expression. There were so many things she wanted to say, to ask, but she knew it would only make things more difficult. Neither one of them needed that.
She ran a hand down the side of his beautiful face, feeling lucky she got to know him at all, if even for a brief while.
“Last night was amazing,” she ended up saying, picking the safest truth she could find.
“It was,” Arlen agreed with a soft smile.
“And the food was great, even though it was cold by the time we got to it,” she continued, grinning.
“I am a man of many talents,” he replied drolly. “Speaking of food, I think we’re all out.”
Sienna’s stomach growled, as if on cue.
“We can pick something up on our way into town.”
“Can’t we just pretend a little while longer?” he asked, voice growing a bit more somber.
Sienna got up on her elbows, confused.
“What do you mean? Pretend what? And aren’t you supposed to be the super-secret, always in control agent here, ready to leap into action?”
“That we’re just two people, enjoying getting to know each other. Not fugitives plotting someone’s murder. I want to cook you eggs, I want to see you come down the stairs to the kitchen wearing only my shirt, like you did last night. And then we can eat together and you can tell me what your favorite movie is and I can tell you about that brief period where I thought for sure I was going to be an actor.”