by Brianna West
Dear lord, I couldn't wait to travel his mountainside.
I snickered at the thought of backpacking on his abdominal muscles in search of the great plains of his pectorals. It was quite the image.
I was cut short in my thoughts by Lucas' lips trailing hotly over my bare naval and thighs. He had somehow ended up on his knees, causing a fluttering in my stomach at the possibilities.
I bit my lower lip in an effort to withhold my moans as his lips continued to travel lazily over my abdomen, licking every now and again and eliciting pleasurable shivers. I shifted when the heat in my lower belly became uncomfortable.
I was so damn horny.
“You are beautiful,” he whispered hotly as his mouth begun to travel south.
I ran my tongue over my lips, nibbling the lower one to keep me from groaning. I wanted it so badly. I wanted him to taste me, to give me that delicious pleasure that came with his tasting me.
“Please,” I breathed.
Lucas pressed a kiss to my inner thigh, teasing me enough to groan with frustration.
To hell with it. I wasn't going to be able to keep quiet for long.
“What do you want, Izzy?” Lucas inquired as his mouth trailed ever closer to the prize.
Damn him for teasing a lady.
I gasped when his lips skimmed a particularly sensitive patch of skin. My hands grasped tightly at the bedding, twisting it roughly as I fought my building frustration.
“Lucas,” I groaned again. “Just...you know what I want. Jesus. You're such a goddamn tease.”
His deep laughter reverberated off the skin he was pressed into. It made my hips jerk with surprise before they started to move for an entirely different reason.
A moist tongue traced the shape of my hot center, licking gently before tasting a bit more firmly. Moaning, I eagerly gyrated my hips against his delectable mouth, encouraging him to get a bit rougher. He understood the hint because it felt like every possible pleasure one could receive from such an act was rushing through me.
My body felt warm and sensitive beyond measure as I continued to move my hips against him.
His tongue was incredibly skillful—we had become fast friends—and had me moaning like a beast in heat.
The building pressure in my lower belly was unbelievable. It was slowly turning my modest moans of pleasure into uncontrollable groans of need. I was so close, and I needed so badly for him to send me right over the edge of my orgasm that I weaved my fingers through his hair and pressed him tightly against me.
“Oh god, Lucas!” I said while arching back, taking me straight off the bed as my orgasm crashed over me.
It was as if every nerve was firing, heating my body to the point that I worried I might scorch Lucas in the process. Once the overpowering feeling had started to ebb away, I pulled Lucas towards me, wrapping my legs around his waist and pressed my mouth firmly against his.
It was a little off-putting to taste myself on his lips, but I ignored it so that I might kiss this amazingly skilled man silly.
“I expect you to now bugger my senseless,” I stated confidently.
Lucas huffed huskily with amusement. “I would be greatly honored to oblige such a request.”
“Good,” I responded eagerly, “because I might have thrown one serious bitch fit if you didn't.”
I battled with the button and zip of his trousers, eager to divest him of this damn pants and get to the good part. Lucas replaced my hands and discarded the pants effortlessly.
I ignored the pang of disappointment I felt at not being able to do it myself, but instead focused on what pant-less Lucas meant.
I was getting some…oh yeah.
It was also incredibly arousing that he had chosen to go commando. I wondered absently if that caused chafing when he fought.
To my dismay, there was a sudden feeling of lightness from outside the door.
Christ. Can't a girl just ride her hunk of a boyfriend senseless and then be disturbed by the neighbors?!
I pushed Lucas from myself and dove quickly to the floor. I was midway through getting my shirt on when Gustave threw the door open with a smile that instantly turned into a frown upon the scene.
Holy hell.
Lucas was growling, immediately shoving my half-naked body behind him, and barking out angrily at Gustave. “You had better come up with an explanation for barging into my room without so much as a knock, Gustave,” Lucas warned in a deep, resonating voice.
“Uh,” came his intelligent reply. “Sorry?” I couldn't see him past Lucas's huge form, but I was sure he was undoubtedly surprised on what he had just stumbled upon. “I had not realize...well, I was told to come as soon as...could you possibly put on your pants, so I am not staring at your...um...”
Dick? I supplied with a giggle.
I could only imagine how intimidating it might be to see your boss stark-naked, growling, and probably harboring an impressive erection. Lucas hardly seemed discouraged by being in his birthday suit.
Who could blame him? His body was worth showing off. His ass was especially glorious. I admired it a little too long during the time I was hidden behind him.
“Might I suggest you leave? We will be out shortly. I expect that you take this time to consider how this could have been easily avoided.” Lucas' voice promised punishment for the crime, but I think he kept from voicing his warning since I was still in the room.
Poor Prince Charming.
“Yes, monsieur,” came Gustave’s shaky reply.
The door closed with a soft click, and I immediately sighed in relief.
Living in a house with so many people was really starting to hinder my sex life.
I grumbled angrily as I once more dressed, deciding that we were probably going to have to raincheck this liaison until another day; maybe when everyone else was out working to rid the world of evil?
“Maybe we should start locking the door,” I suggested with a grin, fighting against the sudden onset of dizziness.
Guess I was still pretty weak.
Lucas pressed a firm kiss that promised that we would pick up where we left off later. He encircled my waist, lending me his strength since I was obviously planning to follow him to find the others.
“I shall strive to ensure it is locked in the future,” he said dourly.
“Do you think he saw anything?” I questioned softly.
“After tonight, he will not remember it,” Lucas promised with a devilish grin unfitting for him.
“Go easy on him,” I pleaded. “He didn't know any better, and the guy just woke up.”
Lucas scoffed as we left the room and headed towards the kitchen where everyone was likely to be. “You must not underestimate him. Gustave is very skillfully covert when it comes to things he desires. I would not be surprised if he had planned this from the very beginning.”
“You have very little faith in your comrades,” I accused playfully.
“Only the ones that seem to have eyes for you,” Lucas admitted shamelessly.
My cheeks felt hot at the proclamation.
Lucas was so brazen sometimes that it would catch me off guard. There were very few men that would so easily speak their mind like he did. I admired this part of his personality greatly. It would silence those uneasy feelings deep in my heart; the ones that wondered if he really felt that deeply for me.
Despite the constant reassurance, there was still a part of me that had a hard time believing that I was worthy of him, or that he could possibly feel anything close to what I felt for him.
I followed him quietly to the kitchen, praying that we got through this and somehow managed to stay together.
Chapter Twelve
“Pretty boy is awake,” I heard Bernie say as we walked the length of the hall towards the kitchen.
Lucas had his arm around my waist, probably intending to make a statement, and I was still staving off the afterglow of his incredible...talents. I was also doing my best to appear nonchalant as we ente
red the kitchen and greeted the household of Guardians.
Carl was leaned up against the counter top, cup in one hand and phone in the other. He hadn't changed his clothes, so he kind of reminded me of some a mafia family head with his looks so tailored, as if he hadn't just returned from kicking some serious ass.
Bernie and Pavel were elbowing each other, obviously in their own world as they talked about hot British chicks. Nothing really fazed these two it would seem.
Cecile was patting her brother's head, who looked a little green in the face. His eyes were transfixed on his own hands, still dealing with the shock of seeing Lucas in the buff, no doubt.
“There is the girlie of the hour!” Bernie greeted loudly as he moseyed his way over to me. “You look,” his eyes twinkled with mirth before he continued, “—like you just got your needs attended to. Do I detect a hint of a blush and male musk on your person?”
This was followed shortly by a sound smack to the cowboy's head, knocking his hat off, and leaving him rubbing the offended area with a sheepish grin.
“Has the local Guardian group contacted us?” Lucas inquired.
Carl ended his call before saying: “They will meet with us at nine sharp tomorrow. Edward was elated to know it would be you, boss, helping with this.”
Lucas grunted with disinterest before pulling out a chair and offering it to me.
I was still getting used to all this chivalry, so I stood for a good minute with ill-practiced manners to blame for my sudden hesitation, receiving a few of the smirks from the others in which they did their best to hide.
Bastards.
Angling my chin upwards, I sat down and ignored the snickers from Bernie and Pavel.
“I will need one of you to remain here with Izzy,” Lucas continued as he took the seat next to me. My head jerked towards him in disbelief. “Bernie and Gustave are exempt.”
“Hey—“ I started.
“Why am I exempt?” Bernie whined.
“Idiots needn't apply,” Carl supplied with a smirk.
“Why have I been made exempt as well?” Gustave questioned, having pulled himself out of whatever funk that had been affecting him.
“I cannot trust you to keep your hands to yourself,” Lucas replied angrily, his feathers still apparently ruffled from earlier.
I was trying to find out why I couldn't go, but I was all but ignored by the others as they continued arguing; everyone but Cecile that is—girl power!—who gave me a sympathetic smile.
“I will keep a very good eye on the little saucy minx,” Pavel interjected with a sexy grin that spoke volumes of his intentions. “Actually, it would be my pleasure. Would I scratch that itch of yours, moya solnishka?”
Itch indeed.
This guy never gave his pervert a break.
“You are also exempt,” Lucas added with a pointed glare.
If looks could kill, Pavel would be six feet under. As it was, the blonde Russian hunk was clearly not shaken, and had even gone as far as to wink at me when Lucas glared.
“Who died and made you king?” I heard Bernie grumble.
Good thing he was out of range because that would have surely earned him a smack. The loud crack proved I had spoken—rather—thought too soon. I forgot that Lucas' inhumane speed made such a task easy enough.
“Shit, that smarts!” he bellowed, holding his injury.
Carl was silent, crossing his arms with a grin permanently on his lips as he watched his brother rub his injury and Pavel make suggestive gestures at me.
Finally, he spoke up, “I will remain here.”
Lucas, who had been in a heated stare battle with Pavel, glanced towards Carl with a small nod. “You have my thanks.”
“Wait half a second!” I finally yelled as I stood from my seat, shifting awkwardly at first when the leg of the chair caught me and almost caused me to stumble.
Dammit! So much for appearing superior.
“Why do I have to stay here?” I asked angrily.
“Because you are the one they are after,” Carl and Lucas responded simultaneously.
Creepy.
“I get that,” I argued. “However, won't they recognize the bunch of you anyway? What's the point of hiding if they know who we all are? The only person they don't know is Spanish. So wouldn't that mean that there is risk no matter who goes or stays?”
The stares I received suggested that I had argued a good point.
Score! Point for Izzy.
Pavel was the first to speak. “She makes a very logical point, Lucas.”
I gave him one of my more grateful smiles, and would've fist-pumped him if not for the overall worry he'd make the friendly gesture somehow obscene, causing Lucas to lose his shit and therefore all my efforts to become moot with it. He was just talented like that. Even still, I was glad to have the Russian bastard back on my side.
“Besides,” I continued, hoping that I might sway that tight jaw of his. “Even if they did catch wind of us being here, there is a very good chance that he wouldn't want to attack with all of us together. If I was alone here with one other person, that would seem to be more ideal, would it not?”
Where did these amazing arguments stem from you ask? My very core.
I was a mean, lean, arguing machine. I ate arguments for breakfast.
I almost cackled but was somehow able to keep that little bit of crazy to myself.
“Her point is valid,” Carl offered.
“It will be better to have her close,” Cecile added, winking at me with a smile.
Yeah, I loved her.
“I could show her my muscles in action if she's there,” Bernie said while flexing his bicep.
Okay, not helping, but it did get my attention.
“These babies were made to protect you, sweetheart,” he added, blowing me a kiss for added taste.
Another crack, and the room was filled with laughter.
Lucas' jaw was essentially lax by this point. Suffice to say, majority ruled, and he could only agree at this point. I'm not happy that I basically needed the agreement of the entire room to sway him, but I was taking anything I could get at this point.
–
We arrived in downtown London the next morning. I was dressed in my simple but fight-efficient garb, which consisted of a black t-shirt—the black hid the mess of demon sludge well enough—and a pair of form-fitting stretch pants. For a little bit of flair, I added some hot pink Converse with my own handcrafted bedazzlement.
Nothing made you feel more like a jerk than having a face full of glitter kicking you unconscious.
Lucas had been sour since yesterday, mostly because his pride had been damaged after yesterday's argument. I was hardly to blame for it though. I can't help that I made a brilliant argument that everyone agreed with.
Besides, if anyone was to blame, it was him for thinking that I could be effectively caged. I was only into false imprisonment when it was used as foreplay.
Okay, not really, but I was a little curious what some light bondage could do for the freak factor in the bedroom. Not that I imagine Lucas would ever be interested, but I had been wrong so far about how he was in the bedroom.
He was sort of a tease. Okay, a lot of one, and it drove me wild.
Pavel and Bernie were attached at the hip the entire way there. I sort of sensed a bromance between those two since their perverseness was of the same make, just with a different accent. The series of obscene gestures and loud chuckles of equal crassness seemed to have bonded the pair to a whole new level.
But dammit, it was adorable.
Cecile had fashioned herself in a skin-tight, barely below her panty line dress that did incredible things to the helpless male bystanders. The poor sods were caught tripping and drooling in equal measure as she sashayed by.
Her long auburn hair glistened and curled all the way down her exposed backside.
Talk about leaving nothing for the imagination.
If it was anyone else, they would look like a p
rostitute. As it was, Cecile gave the outfit a high-class feeling, and her chosen accessories spoke greatly of her wealth. She was a force to be reckoned with, no doubt about that.
I had been so many different locations over the past few months that this place hardly seemed something I should be awestricken with; but despite that, I was still looking around with continued fascination as we strolled almost leisurely through the streets.
“Your first time in London?” Carl asked as he suddenly appeared beside me.
“Was it that obvious?” I asked with a sideways grin.
“Only to everyone,” he responded with a grin of his own. “Cecile tells me that you were rather untraveled before meeting these two brutes.” The statement was assisted with a simple gesture towards Lucas and Pavel.
“Yeah,” I responded absently as we passed through the heavily crowded streets to a back alley that was as cold as it was dark.
The surrounding buildings were very old-worldly. The weathered brick stone and veins of rust running along the cracks to the floor offered all of the appeal of a haunted house.
I unconsciously shivered the farther we traveled into the dark recesses of the alley.
The others were slightly ahead as they led the way to where the Guardians’ London headquarters were. I imagined that the building would look like nothing much on the outside, as it seemed to be their style, but inside would be as fully equipped with anything that the Guardians’ might possibly need. Or so I deduced. I hadn’t really read many books about secret spies and their headquarters, but I suspect that is what they would do.
The door creaked open, metal rubbing against metal, and echoed down the long alley passage.
“Well, that’s not creepy,” I stated as the door finally rested against the stonework. “Someone really should oil that.”
“Come on,” Lucas demanded, being the first to walk inside.
Everyone followed, me being second to last as Carl trailed behind and made sure that we weren’t followed.
Very spy-like of him.
We traveled without light to guide our way. I could feel their steady pulses, which helped aide my travel, but the subtle hum of many others just beyond us alerted me to the fact that there were a great more than I first believed.