by Karen Anders
“I’m trying to stay sane here. Bandage time.”
“Oh, all right,” she said, sighing.
She hung the towel over the rack and grabbed the med kit. Pulling out surgical scissors, she cut away the sodden bandage wrapped around his chest. Then pulled away the gauze pads. The bullet wound was red and ragged, but her stitches were pretty good, considering she wasn’t a doctor.
Then it struck her hard. They were still in danger. It hadn’t felt so, being in his arms while she slept and then laughing with him, then pissing him off. But he could still get seriously hurt or even killed. Her stomach lurched so hard she covered it with her hand.
“Are you going to get sick?”
“No,” she said. “I’m fine.”
But he looked skeptical.
She was scared. She’d be a fool to get attached to him, open her heart to him, because he could break it into a thousand pieces, and she wasn’t sure if she had the strength to survive that. He was the closest she’d come to having a friend—a romantic partner—ever. She kept people at a distance, but the circumstances of their situation made it impossible not to feel, care. She had never sought love. It hurt. A lot. She still missed her father and mother. They’d left a gaping hole in her heart.
Of course, in her cynical, scientific, totally logical mind, love was easily avoided. She might have to refine or rethink that hypothesis.
She was a creator; she built and constructed. Her whole life had been about using her talents to the fullest. She’d promised. Guilt assaulted her again. She’d promised her mother and father. Could she be falling for a man who was a force of destruction, had already destroyed to keep her safe?
Even as she stood there, grabbing gauze pads so that he wouldn’t see her turmoil, she wanted to just throw all her worries, cautions, hang-ups to the wind and take her chances at just a taste of life before those kidnappers came back and tried to take away her choices and her freedom, maybe even her life.
And could she say that she had even lived?
After gently cleaning the wound, she repeated the bandaging process that she’d used last night, securing the edges with tape.
He watched her with heavy-lidded eyes, and she noticed how the towel tented over his genitals. Genitals. Really, she thought. She hoped to God she never said that out loud.
Without really thinking about what she was doing, she leaned down, placing her hands on either side of him and bracing them against the tank. She had no earthly idea how to seduce a man. But from her experience, they responded so well to stimulus and she so wanted to put her mouth on him. She was about to put it into practice and experiment. She’d never been so eager for research.
He did nothing, just continued to look at her with those burning hot eyes. Maybe he was convinced that she didn’t have it in her. That spurred her on. She moved closer.
“Sky,” he said softly, and she got what she wanted, that strangled sound, his voice a hard rasp. Her hair flowed forward, over her shoulders, hitting his chest like the spill of black ink. He reached out with his good arm and bunched the silky strands in his hand.
But he didn’t drag her forward. The steam from his shower and the heady smell of his clean skin made her feel dizzy. Tension, thick in the air, ratcheted up as he parted his sensual lips. She groaned softly, brushing hers along his. Her tongue came out, and she licked them, took his bottom lip into her mouth and sucked. Then she bit him, ever so lightly, then harder.
He groaned, “Sky.” Only this time, his chest heaved, and his breathing increased. All good biological signs that she was making headway. Experimentation had never been this fun, this good. His hand tightened in her hair, tugging ever so slightly against her scalp. She leaned into his lips harder, pressed her mouth more fully against him.
His hand still in her hair, he cupped the back of her neck, his mouth going ravenous, devouring her.
His hand abruptly slid down as he released her hair and snaked around her waist. He dragged her against him until she was straddling his lap. Against the heated strength of his chest, she braced herself on his powerful thighs. The hard, hot length of him burned through the terry cloth and her flimsy shorts, his erection fitting between her legs and pressing hard against her wet center. She pulled her mouth away, both of them breathing hard.
She traced his lips with her fingers, and he rested his head back against the wall. She rubbed her face against his stubble, her fingers still on his mouth.
She leaned forward and kissed his neck, ran her mouth down, then up his throat, tasting the male tang of him against her tingling tongue. She scored him with her teeth, down and back up, sucking on the pulse point at his throat.
His sexy lifeblood thrumming in her mouth, the life of him beat in rhythm with her own heart.
He twisted his head, thrusting his hips up against her core, and it was her turn to groan. Her hips moved, sensually, wildly, and so naturally, she was floored by how good it felt.
She trailed her hand down his chest, over those muscles her eyes had caressed. This was so much better. He was like tempered steel beneath her hand. She ran her palm over his skin, just taking in the sensation of not only touching him, but turning him on. She rubbed over his hard nipple and got fascinated with his reaction when she went over it again, making it bead up even more. Dipping her head, she flicked her tongue over him. He sucked in a breath and jerked his hips.
“Your mouth,” he whispered. “Use your mouth on me.”
Her stomach a mass of trembling, electric butterflies, she closed her mouth over him, sucking and licking. He arched his back, the long line of his rib cage the perfect place for her to explore next. He twisted his head again when she dragged her nails across the ridges of his abdomen, loving the feel of his muscle.
“Damn!” he said under his breath, a heated whisper into the thick passion-soaked air. With the flat of her tongue, she laved him, her hand coming up and tracing the line of his pectoral muscles, teasing his other nipple with her fingers, then pinching him hard.
He groaned low and deep in his throat, arching his back again. She raised her head and watched him unravel for her, and it was the most powerful feeling she’d ever had. Vin coming undone. Controlled, calm and collected Special Agent Vincent Fitzgerald. His face was stark with his desire, his mouth slightly open, his eyes glazed and unfocused.
She cupped his jaw, loving the roughness of his dark stubble against her hand. She slid her hand up and into his damp, silky hair, clenching her fingers in it and gently tugging his mouth to hers.
Capturing his lips, she kissed him over and over again.
He made a low growl in his throat and rose, groaning softly in pain.
“No, Vin, your shoulder.” But he either didn’t hear her, was too far gone or didn’t give a damn.
He carried her out of the bathroom to the bed, where he gently let her slide down the length of his body.
Chapter 8
He was in so much trouble right now. He should get control of himself, take this slow—slow it down.
He should be stopping.
But Sky had a different agenda. She hooked her fingers into his towel and looked up at him. “I want to see you. I’ve never really... Do you mind?”
What the hell? Was she seriously asking if he cared if she looked at him? Was she out of her mind? He wanted her to look, touch, participate.
“Sky...” he said, truly not sure what was going to come out of his mouth, but saying no to her was simply beyond his capability. “Take it off.” She tugged at the towel, and it dropped off him, slid and fell around his feet.
She caught her breath and stared. Her eyes not just roving over him, but caressing him with so much fire, he could feel the heat down the length of his body. Her appreciative gaze slid over his abdomen and down to his dick. It was hard, jutting out from his body. She lin
gered there as if she was studying him for a test.
Slowly she raised her head and met his eyes.
Yeah, he was fucked.
“Can I touch you there?”
He took a heated breath and gave her an incredulous look.
She dropped her head. “Please, Vin. I can feel that you’re worried about us being together intimately, but I want to know what it’s like to be with a man I truly care about.” She took a deep breath. “And I do care about you. This has only been bearable because of you. What you did to save me from those Russians... I’m so thankful.
“I’ve never been very good with the opposite sex. I’m very aware that I’m sexually appealing to men. I see the way they look at me. I’m so nerdy. I figure you can help. That is, let me explore and experience you.”
He leaned forward. “You are hot. You don’t have to ask permission to touch me.”
“It’s your body. I just thought... Was that stupid?”
“No, you can touch me only for about a million years. Then you’ll have to stop.”
“What?” Her head popped up, and when she saw his face, she smiled. “Oh, you’re being funny.”
Her hand moved over his lower stomach around to the small of his back. Then she cupped him and pressed on his butt, driving his balls into her hand. He could barely breathe. He watched her, and the look on her face only revved him up more.
He closed his eyes when her hand slid over him, her touch tentative at first. There was nothing funny about this.
She leaned against him, her hand sliding up around his erection, then sliding back down.
“Looser,” he rasped, and her grip relaxed slightly, perfectly, so freaking good at the same time she palmed the head. He moaned, arching his back. His knees almost buckled as he reached out, bending forward at the exquisite feel of her, and set his hands against her shoulders. She trailed soft, slow kisses against his chest, passing over one of his nipples and sucking on him again.
He had no idea how much he enjoyed that until her mouth and tongue were driving him wild.
He snagged her wrist and pulled her away from him. She made a soft noise of protest, but he couldn’t take any more. “I don’t want to come in your hand, sweetheart.”
She pressed her face against his chest, her breathing erratic. It turned him on that she was so aroused from touching him.
“Condoms,” he said as he moved back and headed to the medicine cabinet, praying there were some in there. Opening the door, he jerked when her arms slipped around him. She was completely naked. He could feel it against his hot skin.
She rubbed her face against his back, curling her hands around him and caressing his chest, then flowing down over his ribs, stomach and hips.
“Did you find them?”
Lost in the sensation, he said stupidly, “What?”
“The condoms?”
“Oh, damn, that’s right.” He used everything he had to focus his attention on locating them, breathing a sigh of relief when he found a full box.
She chuckled against his back, and he smiled like a fool. “It’s your fault. You distracted me.”
“Did I?”
“Yes, a naked woman kinda does that to a man.” He turned around, clasping the condoms in his hand. “You do that to me,” he whispered. She gazed up at him, looking so striking in the warm light from the late-afternoon sun. He had no sense of time, was lost in her eyes, drowning in the bottomless blue depths.
For a split second he had doubts about this, but she wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body against his. “You are making this something I won’t easily forget. You’re so wonderful, Vin. Do you know that?”
“I’m a friggin’ saint,” he said wryly, taking her hand and drawing her over toward the fireplace. “You’re going to get the chance to take control, sweetheart. I can’t put pressure on my injured shoulder. You’ll have to get on top.”
She pulled back against his hand, looking spooked. “But I’ve never.”
He couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming over her, taking in her creamy shoulders, her delicate collarbones, flowing over her high, pink-tipped breasts, down the smooth expanse of her flat stomach, touching on her slender hips to the thatch of hair between her sleek thighs. He tugged her forward right up against him. “It’s okay,” he said gruffly. “I’ll be here every step of the way. How’s your head feeling?” he asked.
Her eyes went over his body. “Just a headache. I’m not thinking about it right now.”
Everything in him tightened. He lay down in front of the fire; the thick, warm, soft rug beneath him was so comfortable, but the pressure against his shoulder was painful.
She folded down next to him on the rug, looking awkward and unsure. Without saying anything, he grabbed her by the waist with his good arm and dragged her across his lap and promptly forgot about his shoulder.
“Do what feels natural, Sky. Chances are I’m going to like it a whole lot.”
She smiled and dipped down, pressing her mouth to his, whispering, “How will I know?”
“Oh, believe me, you’ll know.”
She pressed her mouth to his at the same time that she slid along his rock-hard erection. He groaned at the pleasure she gave him.
She raised her head. “Oh, like that?”
His breathing ragged, he said, “Exactly like that.”
“More?”
“Yes, ma’am, please.”
Her slick heat closed over him, and he wanted to get inside her, but he was going to have to settle for letting her control the situation this time. If he was in control—ah, when was he ever with this woman—he would probably have gone too fast for her, and that was what he wanted to avoid. He didn’t know who the guy was who had been so insensitive to her needs, but he was missing out big-time.
He grasped her hips and dragged her across his chest, to his mouth. She made a soft sound in her throat, and he breathed deep of her heady, feminine scent. “Lower yourself to my mouth.”
Her hips jerked against his hands, and she complied as he clamped his lips over her lush core and sucked.
She cried out and arched her back, so hot and wet against his tongue. He used the tip to stroke, quick flicks with soft suction, then a slow languorous slide of his tongue against her. She rode his mouth, her hips undulating; her pleasure-filled voice only made him want more.
“Vin,” she breathed right before she pulsated against his mouth as she released a long, drawn-out sobbing cry.
“Condom,” he ground out when she moved off him.
“But...I want...”
“Next time,” he rasped out. He couldn’t wait any longer. “Put the condom on me.”
She reached over and snagged one out of the box and opened the foil packet. “Damn,” he said between gritted teeth as she slowly rolled it over him. As soon as it was on him, he pulled her forward and groaned. “Lean toward me,” he instructed, and she braced her hands against the floor. Slipping inside her, he thrust at the same time that he pressed on her hips. But he didn’t have to help her along any more. She made a heated sound in the back of her throat and met his thrust. Then, before he could catch the breath that was eluding him, she rode him hard and fast.
He captured the back of her head and drew her mouth down to his, and she kissed him, her mouth ravenous, her breathing erratic. “Sky...” He pumped against her with every deep thrust wanting, wanting, getting so strung out, his mouth all over her—endless minute after endless minute, until she gave him everything he wanted, her body going stiff above him. He groaned softly as the pleasure built and built inside him. Her head went back on a cry, and her back arched. He’d never seen anything so beautiful, never felt anything more exquisite than the cascade of her contractions tightening around him, and it undid him. His breath caught. His release so fierce
and hot, his hips came up off the rug, his back arching, crying out against her mouth.
She collapsed against him, and he wrapped his good arm around her, breathing hard.
She stayed on him, and he was okay with that as he absorbed the feel of her against him. Finally she moved and slid off him. He rose, went to the bathroom and took care of the condom.
Back on the rug, he reached out for her, but she didn’t go far, snagging the throw blanket off the couch. Covering them both up, she slid down and settled her head against his good shoulder and buried her face into his throat, where she pressed soft, heated kisses.
He rubbed his hand against her scalp. Her hair was thick and soft beneath his hand. He drew her face up and pressed his mouth over hers, needing the feel of her lips.
“Thank you,” she murmured against his mouth. “That was—”
“Fantastic?”
She slid her arms around his neck and tugged him closer. “Oh, yes, but that’s not what I was thanking you for, although I appreciate it.”
He kissed his way along the soft line of her jaw. “What were you going to say?”
She sighed and relaxed more fully into him, tipping her chin to allow him access to that tender spot beneath her ear. “That was much different than what I have ever experienced. I appreciate your patience.”
He kissed the spot where her pulse throbbed, eliciting the tiniest of moans. It was enough to make him hard all over again, aching to the point of pain. And he wanted desperately to hear her do that again. “This is the bottom line, sweetheart. That guy was a complete selfish jerk.”
She flinched at that, and her expression went uncomfortable. “I’m beginning to understand that.”
“It’ll be better when I can fully participate.”
“Better—” She broke off on a short moan when he cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb over her hard nipple. “Are you kidding?” she managed.
She pushed him back and dropped a set of fast, hot kisses against his neck, her hand slipping down his body to score his rib cage with her nails that had his body twitching hard with a grunt deep in his chest. “No. I’m not.”