Hidden Heat: Hauberk Protection, Book 4

by Leah Braemel

  From the corner of her eye, she saw Troy narrow his eyes at Mitch and give him one of the looks like Chad used when he was exceedingly pissed off at an agent, the type that cowed even the most macho operative. Mitch blanched and took Jazz’s hand and the two of them disappeared into Jazz’s bedroom.

  “Sorry about that.” Sandy watched as the tension bled from Troy.

  “Don’t apologize for things that are out of your control.” He shot a dark look down the hall. “I don’t like him. There’s something off about him.”

  “He’s not always like that. Usually he’s friendly and nice.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “It sort of felt like watching two alpha dogs fighting over the territory.”

  Her head bounced lightly as he relaxed enough to laugh. “Are you calling me a dog?”

  Recognizing that he’d thrown her own line back at her, Sandy chuckled too. “No, I’m saying you’re protective of your territory.”

  “Guilty as charged.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her tight against him, resting his cheek against the top of her head. “Can’t you afford to have your own place? I don’t like the idea that he’s around you the nights I’m not here.”

  “This is Jazz’s place. She took me in when I first moved to D.C. and was looking for a job. And yeah, I guess I could afford my own place, but I like having her around. We keep each other grounded, you know? But if he bothers you, we could always go to your place.”

  It wasn’t a completely altruistic offer. All their dates had ended up in her bed. One day she wanted to wake up in his. Then again, maybe he was a slob and was embarrassed that he only had one pair of sheets that seldom got changed.

  “I’ve got a roommate too, remember?”

  “Oh yeah, Scott’s staying with you, isn’t he?” Two guys in one apartment. Yeah, she bet it was messy. She jumped to her feet and held out her hand. “You’re right. We should take this to my bedroom then.”

  Chapter Eight

  As she entered the bedroom, she pulled off her top and dropped it on the floor. Two steps later, her bra—a sexy little scrap of black lace—hit the carpet. After he thumbed the button to lock the door, he undid his shirt and let it drop on top of her bra. By the time she stood by the side of the bed she was naked as the day she was born. And so was he.

  Before she could turn to face him, he banded his arms around her waist. The skin-to-skin contact had his cock as hard as a frickin’ fence pole. She clenched her cheeks when the shaft parted them, providing a friction that caused his balls to draw tight to his body.

  Yup, an angel in face, a devil in body and spirit.

  “Lie down on the bed. Face up.” Damn, his voice sounded like he’d swallowed a goddamned bullfrog.

  After planting a light kiss on his nose, she pulled the quilt off the bed then crawled across the sheet, leaving her ass high in the air, taunting him.

  When she settled at the top end of the bed, her beatific smile was back in place. His breath stuttered in his throat when she spread her legs and displayed her glistening cleft. All she’d done was undress and she was ready for him. It shouldn’t have surprised him when her hand skimmed over that belly button ring that had been such a surprise. It shouldn’t have surprised him when her fingers parted the glistening folds and toyed with her clit.

  With her free hand, she patted the pillow beside her. “Come on up here, McPherson. Or are you planning on watching me get myself off tonight?”

  “Since you mention it, I think I’d enjoy the show.” He feathered his fingers down her cleavage and over her belly button but stopped short of her pussy. “Go ahead. Use a toy if you need to.”

  “I don’t need toys.” She may not need them but she enjoyed them. Otherwise how did she explain the half-dozen vibrators and other various toys in her nightstand?

  He swallowed when she rolled the pink nipple between her thumb and forefinger of her left hand. “Harder, sunshine.”

  She obliged.

  His own hands curled into fists and his body tightened. Only his rigid control stopped him from joining her on the bed, from pushing her hand aside and using his teeth to capture the taut nipple.

  What he’d give for a pair of nipple clamps right now. He had a pair that would look perfect pinching that tender skin. He’d order her to kneel so the ball would hang from the chain joining the two clamps and add to the weight. He’d press her down on her hands too, and fuck her from behind.

  She worked her nipples and her core until her hips lifted off the bed and her breath changed to gasps. “Come over here.”

  He blinked at her command.

  “God, get over here. Now.” With her chin, she nodded to his erection. “Let me suck that bad boy down again.”

  Oh, he was so down with that. In a flash, he straddled her, his knees on either side of her shoulders, his cock nudging her lips. Her lids heavy, she met his gaze as she licked up the side of his shaft and around the bulbous head. He had to grip the base of his shaft and squeeze to stop himself from coming too soon. His whole body shook when the heat of her mouth surrounded the head, then the entire shaft as she swallowed him down to the root. God, how could she do that and not gag?

  Not that he was complaining but her tongue twirling and playing with that sensitive spot beneath the head had his eyes squeezing shut. He withdrew slightly but she lifted from the mattress and followed him up. Oh Christ, the woman knew how to give head.

  He grabbed the top of the headboard and let her do whatever the hell she wanted to him. Her teeth scraped down the length of the shaft as she sucked him down again. Suck then withdraw, a swirl of tongue, a scrape of teeth. Lather, rinse, repeat, until his whole body was shaking.

  She rolled his balls with one hand—the hand she’d used to play with herself from the slickness of her fingers. Between the attention to his sac and the skill of her mouth, he gave up the fight and let his orgasm rip through him.

  Damned if she didn’t swallowed every last drop.

  “Wasn’t supposed to go this way,” he managed to choke out between gasps. His heart was certain he’d finished a marathon instead of a simple blowjob. Simple? There was nothing simple about Sandy. “I wanted to come inside you.”

  Her breath was hot on his ear when she whispered, “The night’s still young. Just relax and work on getting your breath back. We’ve got lots of time.”

  She was right, of course. He let his head sink into the pillows and closed his eyes, enjoying the way she touched him, trying to figure out the pattern she traced up his side, along his biceps, his wrists.

  He must have dropped off because when he opened his eyes, the overhead light was no longer on. She’d lit candles around the room, the soft glow reflecting in her eyes as she lay beside him, watching him.

  “How long I been out?” He tried to lower his hand to pull her closer to him but couldn’t for some reason. Damn it, his arm must have gone to sleep. He tried again. Shit. He twisted his neck to see what was holding him in place. Handcuffs? What the fuck?

  “This was not part of our agreement, Sandy. Get these off me. Now.”

  “Oh, I will.” With a smile, she walked her fingers up his chest. “When I’m done playing with you.”

  She straddled him and lay over him until she was spread like a blanket. A warm, soft, erotic blanket that covered his cock in a moist cradle. Oh. Fuck. His heart kicked into high gear again and sweat beaded on his forehead as he fought the urge to tilt his hips and press his burgeoning cock into her pussy. “You are going to be in so much trouble when I get free.”

  “Promises, promises.” She scraped the tip of one fingernail down the center of his chest.

  When she lowered her head to lay a line of kisses along the line she’d just stroked, he pulled his hands together to explore the handcuffs. Maybe he could find a way to pick them. Though without anything to use as a pick he doubted that would be possible. Unless… He twisted his hands and felt the metal. Not his, these were cheaper metal. Aha, just as he’d thought
, they were ones she’d probably bought at a sex shop. Which meant they probably had a quick release button. He felt around until… Yup. He hid his grin. She was in so much trouble.

  “You’d better put a condom on me or we could both be in trouble.”

  “Hmm, good idea.”

  When she rolled off him and opened the bedside table drawer, he flicked the release button on the cuffs. By the time she’d retrieved a foil package he was free. Except he kept his arms above his head. He waited, watched until she was busy opening the package to surge off the mattress and capture her hands.

  “Hey!” Her realization he was free came too late. It took him two seconds, if that, to reverse their positions. “How’d you do that?”

  Oh, this was too fucking perfect. No one had ever shown her the quick-release mechanism. His body lying flat on hers, he used his weight to trap her while he snapped the cuffs around her wrists. “Stay. There.”

  Not trusting her to pull the same trick on him, he retrieved his own set from the leather holster on his belt. He flipped her facedown and straddled her and switched out her handcuffs for his. “You won’t get out of this pair.”

  When she opened her mouth, he shook his head and covered her mouth with his fingers to silence her. “Nope. You don’t get to speak anymore. I’m in charge now.”

  Her lips moved beneath his fingers so he pressed harder. “I will gag you if necessary. But I would like that mouth of yours available for kisses. And whatever other act I’d like you to do for me tonight.”

  He knew he’d won once she nodded and let her body relax. Still straddling her, he sat back, careful to keep his weight off her. Presented with the view of her behind, all round curves, pale and unmarked, had his balls aching to be nestled against them. He smoothed his hand over one globe, then ran a finger along the line of her cleft. “You ever been fucked in the ass?”

  “Yes.”

  What was with this possessiveness, this weird clawing jealousy that someone else’s cock had been in her back channel before him? He’d never worried about that before.

  He’d wanted a night of sweet words and soft kisses. He craved the intimacy this type of sex wouldn’t give him. He didn’t want hardcore dominance games. He’d discovered he genuinely liked going to sleep with a woman nestled in his arms knowing she’d be there in the morning. And the next morning too. And the one after that.

  “Troy?” Her soft call interrupted his pity fest. “I wasn’t trying to disobey you.”

  “Too late, sunshine.” Did she even realize it wasn’t about obedience for him? “Where’d that condom go?”

  After a protracted search, he found it beneath her belly. “Grab the end of the bed and scoot up on your knees.”

  She hesitated. “Will I need a safe word?”

  He shook his head. “No. You say stop. I stop. Plain and simple.”

  Without another second’s hesitation, she followed his instructions and curled up with her ass in the air.

  Excitement, he reminded himself. She wants excitement. Here you go, sunshine.

  He lifted her hairbrush from her dresser and hefted it. The dark side of him smiled in approval. He swatted it over first one cheek, then the other. It would do little more than sting, but it left a nice red mark on her ass. “Don’t ever tie someone up in their sleep, especially if you haven’t discussed it beforehand.”

  God, Scott would have freaked out, flashed back to his ordeal in Colombia.

  “Because you like to be in control?”

  “No.” He flicked his wrist to give the hairbrush enough that it would sting. Her folds glistened and a soft expulsion of air told him she was enjoying the hairbrush more than he wanted her to at this point. He continued until her ass glowed a pretty red. She’d not made a sound, though he’d had to caution her about moving twice. Oh, she wasn’t trying to get away from her punishment. The minx kept attempting to press her thighs together to ease the ache he knew was forming deep in her pussy.

  He knelt behind her, ripped open the foil package and rolled on the latex. Once he was suitably protected, he sat back on his heels and considered the blooming globes presented for his benefit. He couldn’t resist swiping his tongue through them, searching for her clit.

  She squirmed, lifting her ass even higher to give him better access. “I like that.”

  “You like the idea of me punishing you? Or you like what I’m doing with my tongue?”

  “Both.”

  Fair enough. Then his ego kicked in, reminding him about how she’d tied him up earlier. “I will punish you if you try it again. And I won’t be using a hairbrush, Sandy. I use a flogger. Not some pansy-assed rabbit fur one, but a good leather one that’ll leave you sore for a day or two after, I promise.”

  “Bring it on.”

  Who was she?

  His fingers digging into her hips, he positioned himself at her entrance and buried himself balls-deep in a single thrust. Liquid heat surrounded his cock, forcing his breath from him as he attempted to maintain control. He rocked his hips in a slow rhythm, gradually gaining speed. She met him stroke for stroke, pressing back against him, her pussy sucking him in with an indescribable kiss on each pass. He reached around and found her clit, toying with it to increase her pleasure. Her body tightened about him with the lightest touch.

  When the familiar electric sensation started tingling at the base of his spine, he lifted her higher and hammered into her. Once, twice…on the third stroke she screamed into the pillows, her orgasm igniting his.

  He sagged over her back, his body pumping all his pleasure, his desire, into her. Eventually he rolled off her and freed her from her bonds. With a soft sound, she snuggled up against him. Her fingers stroked his chest and over his thigh as she nuzzled his neck. After a moment, she squirmed, changing her placement and threw one leg over his hip. One hand slipped between them and guided his half-hard cock back into her pussy.

  “Baby, I can’t, not so soon. You have to give me a minute.” An hour. A day, from the way she’d milked him dry.

  “I know you can’t, but I like feeling you inside me like this.” Her breath was a warm caress on his neck.

  He slowly pressed the head of his cock against her front wall, finding the spot that had her eyes fluttering closed. He slipped his hand between them and found her clit, brushing it lightly. Her lips parted and her head rolled back on his arm moments before every cell tightened around him, held him in place as she shuddered through another orgasm. He held still, enjoying the moment. This. This was what he’d wanted when he’d come over this evening. The face-to-face contact, soft murmurs, gentle lovemaking. Sharing their mutual passion.

  From out of nowhere, a second orgasm rocketed through him. Goddamn, he’d not moved a muscle and she’d made him lose control like a fourteen-year-old boy. He clung to her as his body shuddered through his release.

  She fell asleep in his arms. In awe of the emotions she’d awoken in him, Troy lay on his side, watching her sleep. When she rolled over to face away from him, he followed, tucking his legs behind hers. He buried his nose in her hair, inhaling the fragrance of her shampoo. Of her.

  In trying to give her the excitement she craved, he’d discovered his own needs, his own desires.

  It would damned near kill him if she decided she was bored, if she walked away now. Somehow he had to convince her that excitement came in many forms.

  Chapter Nine

  Without a word, Troy handed his cell phone over to the guard at the gate and followed it up by removing his weapons. The Sig Sauer, the backup Glock strapped to his left ankle, the knife strapped on his right.

  Once the guard pressed the button and lifted the gate, he shoved the SUV into gear and drove toward the Colonial mansion with its trademark red front door.

  The usual twinge of anxiety at being unarmed warred with his restlessness as he parked in the spot reserved specifically for him. Maybe the Rouge wasn’t the best place to head. Hitting the punching bag at Hauberk’s gym until his knuckles
were bloody sounded like a damned good idea about now.

  A knock on his window had him reaching for his gun before he remembered the holster was empty. Standing outside his door, Cooper Davis grinned. Even the damned dog sitting beside him looked like it was laughing from the way its tongue hung out to one side.

  “Douchebag,” he muttered as he pocketed his keys and opened the door.

  Cooper stepped back, one hand wrapped around the shepherd’s leash, the other toying with a fat unlit cigar. His grin widened at Troy’s snarled greeting. “Didn’t expect to see you out here tonight, Colin. You here on business or for pleasure?”

  Troy grabbed Cooper’s jacket with both hands and shoved him against the Humvee beside his Porsche. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing using my real name?”

  The dog leapt to its feet, snarling, its fangs clamped around Troy’s wrist, but Cooper’s grin didn’t drop even a millimeter. “Relax, Troy, no one’s around to hear.”

  “That you know of,” Troy corrected, not relaxing his grip on the other man. The dog’s teeth broke the skin; a bead of blood dripped down his wrist and onto the shepherd’s muzzle. “Call him off.”

  With an infinitesimal nod, Cooper gave a command in German. The dog released him and sat back on his haunches, though his hackles stayed lifted and a soft growl continued to rumble from his throat.

  Troy released Cooper and stepped back. “What the fuck’s your game, Davis? For all you know someone could be listening to us. Who knows who’s listening from how far away.”

  “Relax, we’ve installed equipment that should interfere with any listening devices. You helped install it if I remember rightly.” Once he’d righted the satin lapels that Troy had pulled askew, Cooper pulled a matchbook from his pocket, curled his hand to shield the flame and lit his cigar. The match burned nearly to his fingertips before the cigar glowed to his satisfaction. He blew out a long stream of smoke that dissipated in the crisp breeze. “So what bug’s crawled up your ass tonight, McPherson?”

  Fuck. “I knew it was a mistake to come here.”