by Lora Leigh
But more than one of Emily's bodyguards had fallen half in love with her, while the others had been panting like wolves after a prime slice of meat.
"Yeah, right." Emily nodded, wishing her friend would drop the subject, and much too aware of Kell sitting in the living room just inside the door, pretending to watch CNN.
"So, he relieved you of that nasty virginity problem you had without so much as a love bite? He should be congratulated."
Emily choked on her coffee, nearly spewing it in Kira's amused face as she stared back at her friend in horror. Oh God, she was going to kill Kira. She was going to string her up. She was going to lock her front door and never, ever allow the other woman in her home again. At least, not until Kell Kreiger was gone.
She felt mortification sweep through her, burning beneath her cheeks before spreading over the rest of her face.
There wasn't a chance in hell that Kell hadn't heard that one.
"Maybe I prefer my love bites to be hidden, Ms. Porter." His voice sounded behind them, calm, controlled, displeased. "And I never considered Emily's virginity to be a nasty little problem."
Emily propped her hands on the table, covered her face, and felt like sinking into the cement beneath her.
"I do not need you out here." She gritted her teeth as she forced her hands down and turned her head to glare at him.
The corner of his lips kicked up in a grin, his green eyes sweeping over her as though he owned her body and knew every inch of it better than she did herself.
He leaned casually against the doorframe, staring down at her with mocking arrogance and amusement. "We need to go to the grocery store, sugar," he told her as though she didn't already know that. "Those cinnamon rolls only last so long and then I'm going to need food. Takes energy to keep up with you."
Kira snorted. Emily felt like snarling.
"I'll excuse myself then." Kira straightened from the chair, sleek tanned skin revealed by the low-cut camisole top she wore and snug low-rise white shorts.
She looked like a sex goddess rising from a pedestal and deigning to give mere mortals the briefest glimpse of her perfectly flat stomach.
Emily reminded herself that she hated skinny women. Sitting there, still dressed in the loose sleep shirt and cotton leggings she wore in bed, she felt like a frump.
Her hair was barely brushed, she was makeup free, and she felt like she had wrestled her bed all night long. She'd just wrestled the blankets and her own arousal instead.
"Show up a little later tomorrow morning, Kira," Emily asked as she rose from her own chair, determined to ignore her lack of polish and less than glamorous effect in doing so.
"She might be busy," Kell murmured.
"Uh-huh." Kira's snicker wasn't in the least cruel. It was good-natured, but that didn't detract from the disbelief in it. "It always amazes me how Emily manages to draw her bodyguards into whatever scheme she decides to set up." Her gaze went over Kell. "But I have to admit, she did very well this time."
"Go to hell, Kira." It wasn't the first time she had consigned her friend to those fiery depths.
"They're tired of me there." Kira laughed. "I think I'll head out shopping instead. Uncle Big Bucks sent me a gift card for my birthday and I intend to put it to very good use." Kira's uncle kept her in gift cards, vehicles, and a round of invitations to the best parties. The other woman was the slightest bit spoiled, but good-natured. The problem with Kira was that she never let Emily get away with even the smallest lie. She seemed to see right through her.
Emily followed her friend through the house and watched as she left, giving her a jaunty wave before she turned slowly to Kell as he closed the patio doors.
"This is so not going to work," she snapped. "People •now me, Kell. I don't lie worth shit and Daddy knows it.
"Now you know it. Revise your little game plan and figure out how to fix it."
"I'm getting a little tired of people telling me to fix their problems," he grunted, his gaze brooding as he stared back at her. "Why didn't you tell me before this that you were a virgin?" She was going to burn to ash she was blushing so much. Emily glared back at him as she ground her molars in frustration.
"Because it's none of your business?" she questioned him sweetly.
"Everything you do is now my business," he informed her. "Get used to it. Now, let's see what we have to do to convince your very suspicious friend that I'm already making a meal of your delightful little body."
Instant melting.
Oh God, she hated instant melting. But she could feel it. Feel the heat that slammed instantly into her womb, burning into her pussy then her clit, swelling them, sending moisture to saturate another pair of panties.
His expression instantly became darker, dangerous, sensual.
"You should have given her details," he said then.
"Details?" Emily backed away from him despite the fact that he hadn't moved. "What kind of details did you want me to give her?"
"Do you know where I would lay the perfect love bite?'' he asked softly, moving then, pacing closer to her as she felt her breath slam out of her lungs.
"Where?" The question was breathless, filled with an awareness of the sexual animal suddenly pacing ever closer.
She felt stalked. Her virginity was on the endangered species list and the ultimate hunter was now stalking it relentlessly.
It was too sexy.
It was too dangerous.
He stopped in front of her, staring down at her breasts as they rose and fell harshly, her nipples spike hard and pressing against the thin material of the sleep shirt that asked "Am I awake yet?"
"Should I tell you, or show you?"
Show me. Show me.
"Telling me would work fine." She stepped back again. only to come up against the low arm of the couch and the realization that he had very neatly maneuvered her into it.
"I'd rather show you." His head lowered.
Emily whimpered.
She stared into the dark emerald of his eyes, mesmerized, watching as lust, hot and wicked, filled them and she felt herself sinking beneath a wave of sensual, sexual excitement.
The wave became a fury of pleasure a second later. His lips touched hers, a sipping kiss that had her hands reaching for him, suddenly desperate for more. She couldn't imagine feeling no more than this whisper of ecstasy.
His lips were perfect for kissing. Like rough velvet stroking over hers a second before his tongue licked over her curves and his teeth nipped at the bottom curve.
"Are you going to open for me?" he asked as his hands settled firmly on her hips. "Or do I have to take it?"
Excitement tore a path of destruction along her senses as she flinched beneath the whiplash of sensual heat.
Emily inhaled roughly. "If you have to ask for it, then you don't need it. Do you?"
Mistake!
No sooner had the words left her lips than her senses were screaming. With a hungry growl he took her kiss. His lips slanted over hers, his tongue whispering past them, licking at them, driving her crazy with the need to touch it as she felt him jerk her against him.
The next instant the world was tilted. She found herself stretched above him, one hand dragging one of her thighs over his as the other tangled in her hair and held her to him.
Oh God. She was straddling him. She could feel his cock between her thighs, rubbing against her as his lips and tongue destroyed her mind.
Her hands were buried in his hair, holding him to her, trying to devour him as pleasure became a force she couldn't fight.
She had always fought before. She knew how to fight sexual desire. She knew how to fight attraction to her bodyguards and her father's potential grandchild donors. But she couldn't fight this.
She felt his hand move from her hip, dragging her nightshirt up her body, but she couldn't stop him. She was too busy trying to hold on to that kiss.
Lips that eased back and forced her to follow. That slanted over hers and dragged a hungry cry from
her throat. Lips she couldn't stand the thought of never kissing again.
His kiss was a firestorm, burning away objections and suspicions and leaving her adrift within the most pleasure she could have ever imagined.
She had never known pleasure this good. This hot. This dominating despite the fact that she was on top. Wasn't she supposed to be in control?
"There, sugar," he whispered against her lips as he drew back again, forcing her to open her eyes as she nipped back at his lips in retaliation.
"Don't stop. Please, Kell..." Oh hell, she was going to beg.
His lips dipped from hers, his tongue trailing over her jaw, before his cheek scraped against her neck. Emily couldn't stop the shudder of reaction. The rasp of a newly growing beard sent a hard tremor racing through her as pleasure swamped her.
It was so good. So good, she moved her head, turning her neck into his cheek to feel it closer, rougher.
"Like that?" he whispered as his hands moved beneath her shirt, his fingers callused and hot on her back as his teeth suddenly scraped over her neck.
Like it? No, she didn't like it. It was destroying her, stealing her strength and her common sense and leaving her weak beneath his touch.
"Yes," she panted.
"Like this?" He stretched beneath her then, his hips rolling and lifting, grinding the hard ridge of his cock deeper between her thighs as fireworks ricocheted in her mind and exquisite sensation sent her reeling.
Her hands gripped his hair tighter as she fought to hold on to control. Hell, right now, she just wanted to stay conscious as his lips turned into hers again, and his hands moved, lowered and pushed beneath the snug leggings and the lacy band of her panties to cup the cheeks of her rear and squeeze.
She was a goner.
"Oh shit! Boy, was I wrong!"
Kell jackknifed beneath Emily, gripping her and jerking her to his side away from the door as his gaze sliced to the woman standing in the open doorway.
He had expected this. Before joining Emily and Kira on the patio he had contacted Ian and had him watching the front door, just on the off chance that it wasn't Kira who decided to breach the unlocked portal later.
The other woman was staring at them in shock, her gray eyes wide and filled with startled amusement and a hint of mocking acknowledgment.
"God, I didn't lock the door," Emily muttered beside him, fighting to straighten her clothes as Kell rose to his feet.
"Did you forget how to knock, Ms. Porter?" he asked her lazily, noticing the understanding that filled her eyes when she recognized the tone in his voice.
"I never knock unless the door is locked." Kira waved the question away. "Emily always leaves the door unlocked for me."
Kell turned to stare down at Emily.
"I was a bit distracted if you'll recall," she muttered, the blush on her cheeks frighteningly endearing as he gazed at her.
He turned back to Kira. "The doors will be locked for now on," he informed her. "Did you forget something?"
She cocked a hip, propped her hand on it, and watched him coolly. "Nothing in particular. I just wanted to see if Emily wanted to do a little shopping later."
"She'll be with me," he answered for Emily as she rose from the couch behind him.
"He needs to go grocery shopping," Emily snapped as she obviously regained control of herself. "Maybe some other time, Kira."
"Grocery shopping." Kira's gaze raked over him. "Well, honey, one thing about it, I don't think you have to worry about buying beef while you're out. It looks like you have plenty in residence as it is." She fought down her laughter as she waggled her fingers at them then turned and left, closing the door behind her.
Kell moved to the door, locked it carefully, then turned back to Emily.
"Lock the doors from now on," he ordered.
"Of course." She breathed in roughly then, staring around the room for long seconds before coming back to him. 'That can't happen again."
"What can't happen again?" he asked her suspiciously.
"On that couch." Her hand fluttered to the furniture. "It can't happen again."
"Fine. We'll go straight to the bed the next time." There wasn't a doubt in his mind now exactly where this was leading.
A frown snapped between her brows.
"I mean it can't happen again at all," she snapped. "Ever."
Not even in his worst nightmare would it never happen again. Kell stared back at her, remembering the heat of her pussy through two layers of clothes, the hunger in her searching lips and how her hips had moved, grinding onto his cock with an inborn sensuality that still had him gritting his teeth in hunger.
"You're fooling yourself, Emily," he said softly. "I didn't take you for a woman who denied the obvious. It's going to happen again. And often. Don't doubt that."
She licked her lips; the pouty curves were swollen from his kiss, but restrained. Tight with the effort it cost her to control the need rising inside her.
"I won't let myself have you, Kell. Don't fool yourself. That." She waved to the couch again. "That was a temporary lapse in judgment. Nothing more."
"Why won't you let yourself, sugar?" he asked her gently, seeing the shadows in her eyes, the sharp pain that seeped into the blue depths.
Her lips twisted cynically. "I already have a father who feels the need to control me, Kell. I don't need a lover doing the same thing. And I sure as hell don't intend to hand my father the son-in-law he's dreamed of by giving him the opportunity to force you into a marriage neither of us wants. So give it up. Find someone to babysit and go out and get your piece before coming back to work. Just like the others did. Don't worry, I won't tell on you. Unlike my bodyguards, I know how to keep my damned mouth shut."
Hell, it was no wonder she hadn't let any of those morons her father hired touch her. Not that he completely blamed the bodyguards, living in the same house with her, knowing she wanted nothing to do with them, that would suck. They would have to find relief somewhere.
"And what did you do, Emily?" he asked her then. "When you needed to be touched? Held?"
"Why, Kell, I just reminded myself of the price." She sneered. "My freedom. Once I put it all in perspective, it was really quite easy. I've lost enough independence since I reached the age where my father could safely marry me off. I’d really rather not lose any more if it's all the same to you."
"And how would you lose that independence with me, Emily?"
Bleak acceptance filled her gaze at that point.
"I'm not on birth control, Kell. I can't take it. The pill, the shot, the IUD, the inserts. I've tried them all. My body rejects them all. That leaves a condom. Condoms break. Babies are made, and once they are, if you don't marry me my father will destroy you. Careerwise, lifewise, personally, and professionally. And I won't marry you. Because I know the type of man you are."
"Do you?"
Her laughter was mocking. "Your wife will stay at home, have your babies, and toe the line while you're gone. You'll play your war games with your buddies, watch ballgames with them when they're home, and screw your wife when you have nothing better to do. Thank you, but no thank you. Being a virgin for life sounds a hell of a lot sweeter than marrying a big, tough, Alpha asshole with more damned testosterone than common sense when it comes to his wife."
Kell listened to her voice rise with each sentence. When she finished, her teeth snapped together, her lips compressed, and she turned her back as her fingers raked furiously through her hair.
"Is that what your father did?"
Her laughter was bitter now. "Mom was leaving him when she was killed. Because he loved her too much, she said. I didn't understand that. Daddy loved us. What was there to hate about that?" She shook her head as Kell felt the helplessness that flowed from her. "After she died, he was devoted to me. He taught me how to fight, how to hunt and track, and he was teaching me to mountain climb. Then I turned eighteen."
"And he decided to marry you off," Kell finished.
She turned
back to him. "As you well know. Hell, you've been around long enough to know about the fights we've had over it."
"So why didn't you sleep with one of the boys from college? Hell, I think I would have halfway understood if you picked a married man. Why stay a virgin, Emily?"
Her expression sobered. There was no mockery, no cynicism. "Because it wouldn't be enough," she whispered sadly. "You miss what you've had worse than you miss what you haven't. I don't want to miss more than I already do."
"Why, Emily?" he ground out again. "If you've gone to these extremes to keep your father from winning, despite your love for him, then why give up? Why not live as you want to and tell him to go to hell?"