“Then show me, Nick. Please.”
If he had a genie standing before him and offering him three wishes, none of them would come close to being as magnificent as what laid before him. She was perfection.
He climbed on the bed and pushed her legs apart as he crawled between them. Her gaze was locked on him. Her nipples were pointy and seemed to beckon him to hurry and take her. He positioned himself at her entrance and looked down at her.
“You’re sure? There’s no turning back after this.” He asked her, needing her to be sure, needing to hear that she wanted this as much as he did.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
Slowly, he slid his head past her lips, delving into her wet slit and stretching her opening. Her pussy felt so tight he couldn’t believe it. He nearly stopped for fear he was hurting her, but her eyes closed, her head dropped back, and she arched her entire body into him.
He had to be careful not to put too much weight on his side, so he wrapped his fingers around her waist and pulled her closer to him. The movement drove him deeper inside her. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold on. He was only halfway inside her and he could already feel himself losing control. She was so tight, like a velvet grip surrounding him with the finest silk.
She whimpered, and he watched in bliss as her hands met with her breasts, cupping and squeezing her nipples. He needed to feel all of her and thrust himself inside her.
“Oh, Nick!”
She screamed his name, and it snapped the small amount of restraint he had left. He drove into her deeper, using his grip on her waist to rock in and out of her hot core. He was lost in the images before him. If he looked up he saw her fondling and pinching her nipples as her head was flailing from side to side. If he looked down he could see his dick, thick and hard and coated with her wetness as he slid in and out of her.
The tight vice she provided him was pure heaven. It was just the right amount of stroking to increase his throbbing. Continuing to glance between her hands teasing her nipples and the sight of him thrusting in and out of her, he quickened his pace.
He was so close but wanted to feel her fall just once more. He wanted to know the feel of her walls spasm around him as she screamed once again. Urgent and hungry for that pleasure, he trailed his right hand down her hip and brought it to her drenched opening. His impatience didn’t allow him to coax her to release. The need was primal to feel her come while he was inside her.
Sliding his thumb against her clit, he rubbed it vigorously. Her body jolted, still sensitive from the last two times he had taken her there. He watched in amazement as her body shook from every flick of his finger.
“Jesus, AJ, come for me, sweetheart.”
As if she was waiting for his instruction, she did just that. She screamed his name and brought up her back into an arc. She looked like an angel.
The walls of her pussy contracted around him, pumping him while her core flooded him with the hot proof of her orgasm. A pain shot through his side from the pressure he was putting on it. He ignored it, burying himself deeper inside her, allowing her to surround him and take him with her.
His orgasm clawed at him, creeping up at him from the inside out until it finally exploded. His hips bucked wildly of their own accord as he felt the first of his cum spill into her. He shouted something, whatever it was he didn’t know. He was too lost, too entranced by the feeling she gave him to concentrate on anything else.
Seconds, moments, minutes went by. How long he wasn’t sure. His eyes were closed, and his breathing hitched, still trying to come down from arguably the best sexual experience of his life.
A sudden and stabbing pain struck his side. With his hands still wrapped firmly around her, he fell to his side, taking her with him. He turned on his back. Her body curled up and into his while he still lay inside her, lax and hot from their bodies’ fluids.
“Nick, are you okay?”
“Shh…just lie here with me.” He barely was able to speak between his heavy breathing and pain.
“Are you hurt?”
“AJ, please. Just stay here like this with me.” He opened his eyes and placed a gentle kiss to her lips.
She nodded her agreement and curled her body against his. This was it. This was what he had waited his whole life for. Even the pain was subsiding just knowing she was with him. She was his comfort, his peace. She was the one who made him complete.
Chapter 25
AJ woke up to the sound of a phone ringing. She glanced at Nick, who was out and sleeping soundly. His eyes held no movement beneath the lids, and his breathing was steady. She quietly and carefully raised herself off of him. A moment of emptiness filled her when she felt his body leave hers. She had forgotten that they’d fallen asleep with their bodies entwined, connected as one. She found the phone, ringing on the kitchen table.
“Hello.”
In any other situation she may not have answered, but she knew only Nick’s friends had this number and he needed his rest. She had fallen asleep earlier worrying that he had hurt himself. His wound was still healing.
“Who is this?”
The voice on the other end sounded agitated. It made her nervous. “I’m a friend of…” She hesitated. She thought Nick’s friends were the only ones who had this number, but what if she was wrong?
“Of? Of who? Where’s Nick?”
“I umm…Who is this?”
“Is this AJ? Look, Nick told us about you. We need to make sure you guys are ready to go. We only get one shot at this, so we can’t screw it up.”
She was kicking herself for even answering. The man on the phone could’ve very well been Nick’s friend, but she couldn’t ignore the possibility that he wasn’t.
“I think you may have the wrong number, sir.”
“Oh for Christ’s sake. Would you get Nick please?”
“AJ?” Nick’s voice came from the back room.
She unplugged the phone from its wall charger and walked down the hall. When she walked in she saw Nick sitting on the side of the bed, his feet planted firmly on the floor as he held his side.
“Oh, Nick. Are you okay?” She hurried to sit in front of him, moving his hands to look at his stitches.
A shiver shot up her spine when the back of his hand brushed against her breast. Somehow, she wasn’t sure how, she’d managed to forget she was completely naked. When her nipple hardened from his touch she became aware of how vulnerable she was to him.
“I’m fine, sweetheart. Just a little sore.”
He lifted her chin up with his thumb and forefinger before placing a kiss on her lips. She could taste herself still on his mouth from hours before. It caused an odd reaction to her. She’d never experienced a feeling of longing as she did with him.
“You have to be more careful. You can’t overexert yourself. I don’t want…”
“Umm…hello? Remember me?” A voice came from the phone, which was lying on the floor next to where she sat.
Nick crinkled his brow and looked at her while reaching for the phone. “AJ, who’s on the phone?” He turned his attention to the person on the line. “Who is this?” he asked.
“How are you doing, Nicky? You didn’t overexert yourself did you?”
Nick listened to the person on the other end and gave her an exasperated look before looking at the time on the bedside clock.
“Hold on, wiseass.”
Nick covered the mouthpiece of the cellular. “Sweetheart, it’s my friend Adam. Get in the shower and start getting things ready to go. We only have about an hour before we have to get out of here.” He leaned in and kissed her.
She had so many questions still, yet she knew none of the answers would matter. Nothing he said would change the fact she would go wherever he asked her. She would do whatever he told her. When she gave herself to him, she gave all of herself. She belonged to him.
* * * *
“How are you doing, Nicky? You didn’t overexert yourself did you?”
“Shut the hel
l up. What’s up? Change of plans?”
Nick wasn’t amused by his friend’s laughter on the other end. “Did I say something funny?”
“No, sweetheart. I’m just worried about your wound.”
“All right already. So you heard us talking. What’s going on?”
“You have three hours until rendezvous time. Wanted to make sure you’re set. We need you stateside so we can figure out what the hell is going on.”
“I think I already know.” He took a steadying breath. He felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to his side.
He explained to Adam the story as he heard it from Liam. Going into detail, he went over the night with Tom on the boat. The details were minimal as everything had happened so fast, but he wanted Adam, Rex, and Jack to have as much a head start on gaining intel before they arrived stateside. Finishing his call, he went over last-minute instructions and told Adam to get as much information they could on Commander Broderick before they arrived.
Apparently his old friend Rex was more well off than he knew. Not only had he arranged for the plane but someone would be at the bungalow shortly with some clothes for him and keys to something Adam referred to as an inconspicuous vehicle, something that wouldn’t raise the local’s eyebrows.
He heard the shower shut off, and thoughts of being inside of AJ and falling asleep with her against him filled his head. He knew they didn’t have time for anything other than being focused on getting to the airstrip in time to catch their ride.
He rose from the bed and went to the bathroom. Opening the door, he was met with a vision of pure delight. AJ was standing in the shower, dripping wet with her hair tangled and framing her face.
The sight woke up more than his eyes. His cock hardened, and memories of her screams and trembles filled his mind. Shaking his head, he grinned at her and came toward her. He grabbed a towel off of the bar and held it out for her. She stepped out of the tub and walked into his open arms. He wrapped the terry cloth around her, embracing her.
Her eyes looked at him as though she was searching for a sign of some kind. A clue of what he was thinking, he figured. He hated that she seemed so unsure at times.
He dipped his head down and kissed her. It wasn’t a soft and gentle peck. It was a kiss of possession. One that said he was staking his claim. No matter how much he loved it, he forced himself to pull away.
“Sweetheart, I need to shower. Can you get your things packed? Maybe make us a couple of sandwiches for the road?”
“Yes. Of course. Are you okay? You didn’t hurt yourself when we…” Her eyes looked away, and her cheeks flushed.
Damn she was pretty and so very sweet. “When we made love? No, sweetheart. I’m just fine. Now get going. We’re running low on time.”
She nodded and headed from the room. He started the water and tried to ignore his need to go back to the bedroom, lie her down and do something to relieve the ache he was feeling. It perplexed him how easily the mere sight of AJ could send his body into a state of instant arousal. She was the exact opposite of every woman he’d ever been with, and clearly the exact thing he’d always wanted.
He got in the shower and allowed the hot water to bounce off his skin. The heat helped cure his achy side and diminish some of the pain. Applying a liberal amount of shampoo, he thoroughly washed his hair and allowed the bubbles to trail down his body. The shampoo was clearly hers. It had a strong floral scent, and he could remember smelling it as he drifted off to sleep earlier.
Making quick work of the rest of his body, he finished and turned off the shower. Toweling off, he quickly wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for the front door. The bell had just rung, and he’d forgotten to tell AJ someone was coming. He opened the door and found her standing on the other side. Fear was in her eyes.
“A man is at the door. I didn’t answer it.”
“I know. It’s okay. He’s here bringing me supplies and a vehicle. Finish up what you’re doing. We have to leave in about fifteen minutes if we’re going to have enough time.” He kissed her and headed for the door, not wanting the man to leave.
Fifteen minutes later, Nick was dressed and AJ stood before him with a suitcase in hand. Again she managed to surprise him. Being a woman, he mistakenly assumed she would have several suitcases and bags to take on their journey. It was just one more contradiction to add to the growing list of all the ways that AJ was different from the average woman.
“You all set?”
She nodded her head but looked nervous again. A sight he was growing tired of seeing. He hated that she felt anything other than safe or happy with him. He hoped once all this was over and he was able to reclaim his life, he would be able to make sure that look never returned. That she never felt unsure or uneasy about their relationship again.
“Come on then. Let’s get out of here.”
They walked down the hall, and he waited with his hand on the small of her back while she stopped at the room where her father had passed. He said nothing while she stared into the room. She needed this moment of silence to say good-bye to the place where he took his last breath. Only when she started to move did he fall in place behind her.
Once outside he loaded her bag into the trunk of the beaten-up old Chevrolet. The paint had rusted in most places, and only small traces of the once green and white two-tone paint job remained. Not that it mattered. All he wanted was to get off this damn island and back stateside with his former teammates so they could finally figure out what the hell they were going to do.
He started the engine and reached a hand over to AJ. She placed her hand in his, and he pulled out on the dirt road. They were on their way and hopefully one step closer to the end of this nightmare. He only hoped they could get things settled before it was time to bury Liam. He wanted to be able to stand beside AJ and salute the man who saved his life and brought the woman he loved into his life.
Chapter 26
Adam paced the area around the Escalade. He and Rex had arrived at the airstrip a half an hour early just in case the plane carrying Nick and AJ arrived sooner than expected. What he hadn’t anticipated was the plane being over twenty minutes late.
“I don’t like this.”
“Relax, man. They’ll be here.”
Rex was trying to assure him, but he knew him well enough to see he was worried, too. They left Jack back at the hotel with the women on the off chance they had been tracked down. As much as he loved his wife and adored Tamara and Shelby, they were far from being prepared to defend themselves against a professional hit.
“We should call and check on things back at—” Adam stopped in mid-sentence when he heard the sound of an engine in the distance.
Both he and Rex looked around for the source. Finally over the small mountain they saw a Cessna coast into sight.
“That them?”
“Not sure. He said he’d give us a signal.”
Rex went around to the driver’s side of the vehicle and turned on the headlights, flashing them three times. They waited a second and saw the plane dip its left wing two times.
“It’s them.” Rex closed the door and stood at the front of the vehicle.
A minute later and the small plane made a rough landing on the rocky ground. It slowed down to a stop a dozen yards away from the vehicle. When the engine stopped Rex and Adam made their way toward them.
The door opened to the small cockpit, and Rex handed the stocky man a rolled up wad of cash while exchanging a few words.
The door to the cabin opened, and for the first time in months Adam caught a glimpse of his friend, the one he thought he’d laid to rest just two days before. He waited while Nick helped the woman he now knew to be AJ out of the plane. Just by the way he held his hands at her waist Adam knew there was something different about this one. She may have helped save his life and care for him, but something told Adam that the connection between the two went much deeper than that.
“You’re the best-looking dead man I’ve ever see
n.” Rex met Nick and gave him a hug. “How the hell are you, brother?”
Nick shrugged. “Had better stretches of R and R, that’s for sure.” He placed an arm around AJ. “This is AJ. My nurse and savior.”
Adam couldn’t help but grin when the shy girl looked down after blushing.
“Please to meet you, ma’am. I guess we owe you a debt of gratitude.” Rex extended a hand to her, which she accepted.
Nick cocked his head at Adam. “Sorry about the e-mail, brother. I had to get your attention.”
He shook his head. “Shut the hell up. Damn am I glad you’re all right.” He gave him a brotherly hug, patting his shoulder. “I’m sorry about Tom. He was a damn-fine man.”
“Yeah. That he was.”
“Look, let’s get back to the hotel and meet up with Jack and the girls. We’ve got strategy to discuss.” Rex motioned for the Escalade.
Nick laughed. “What the hell is that?”
“That, my friend, is our inconspicuous undercover mobile.” Adam winked at AJ, who looked as nervous as a mouse trying to get cheese off of a snap trap.
“That is inconspicuous? What…they didn’t have one with sirens and flashing lights?”
“Laugh all you want. No way in hell will anyone be looking for three retired Navy SEALs in this thing.”
“Adam my brother, you always were crazy like a fox.”
Rex laughed. “He’s just plain crazy. The women picked it out.”
They all piled in the SUV. Adam watched in the rearview mirror as Nick tended to AJ like she was a crystal figurine. He helped her with her seatbelt and brushed some hair out of her face.
Adam couldn’t help but smile. Nick always did have a way with the ladies, but it seemed this one had him wrapped around her little finger. How she managed to do it in the midst of all that was happening he had no idea, but one thing was for sure. If Nick Slater was hooked on a woman, she must be one hell of one.
* * * *
An hour later the four of them sat around the small table in the even tinier hotel room. Nick was thankful to be in the company of his brothers and even more thankful that they were all okay. When they got back to the room and he heard of their near-fatal attack after scattering his ashes, it sent a chill up his spine. The fear he saw in AJ’s eyes made his anxiety worse. He hated that look she would get and vowed to end this quickly so he could work on making sure he didn’t see it anymore.
Sweet Affliction [Sweet Awakenings 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 16