by Lea Hart
“Oh…hell,” he groaned. “You may kill me.”
She slid him in and out of her mouth, stroking him with her tongue and adding just enough suction to keep him on edge. His hand cupped the back of her head, but he didn’t push or thrust like she expected him to. Carrick was an alpha through and through and she guessed that right about now his loss of control was driving him insane.
Deciding that he would survive his loss of dominance, she continued blowing him, increasing the friction of her fingers along the hard column of flesh and deepening the wet suction of her mouth as she doubled her efforts to make him come. His entire body tensed, and he gasped a warning, tightening his fingers in her hair, as he attempted to pull her head away.
When she refused to release him, his hips jerked wildly, and she felt the tell-tale pulsing of his cock in her mouth give way to his release. Swallowing, she enjoyed a hum of power and delight as she finished him off.
“Audrey…” He stumbled forward and collapsed next to her on the bed. “That was fucking amazing.”
Falling back onto the bed, she glanced over and saw he was dazed and temporarily wasted. Why that made her so happy was interesting. Maybe knowing she could command the beast, if only for a few minutes, made her feel like a bit of control was possible when it came to this indomitable man. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
The bed dipped as he rolled to his side and propped his head on his hand. “I more than enjoyed it and anytime you feel like seducing me, you go on ahead.”
“This might be our only night in a hotel before we part ways and I figured it was important to take advantage of the big bed.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” he asked with a low frustrated voice. “We’re going to be in Ankara for a couple of days before we head into Syria, and then who knows what’s going to happen after that.”
Patting his chest, she gave him a patient smile. “Once we hit Turkey, the trip is on and we’re not going to have time to think about much more than staying alive and getting the interviews. After that, you fly back to California and me to New York.” Waving her hand around, she huffed out a breath. “This is pretty much it.”
Growling, he came over her and braced his body over hers. “Quit saying shit like that because it pisses me off.”
Seeing his dark look made her wonder why stating the facts made him angry. “Carrick…”
“No, Audrey.” He kissed her savagely, plunging his tongue into her mouth. Not knowing what to do, she decided to enjoy his passion as much as she could and leave the arguments over semantics for another day.
He released her mouth and then began moving down her body. “Now, lie still, babe, and let me see what’s mine.”
Wrapping his long, strong fingers around her ankles, he spread her indecently wide. “Carrick, I don’t think you have to…”
“The only things you’re allowed to say are more and thank you,” he replied as his nostrils flared.
Leaning up on her elbows, she looked down and saw his eyes filled with lust as he looked his fill. “You sure are slinging the orders.”
“Yeah, well, get used to it.” He slowly traced a finger across along the lips of her sex and grinned. “You have such a pretty pussy.”
Inhaling, she felt his raunchy words spoken so reverently spike the desire that was flashing along her nerves. His fingers dipped into her core and spread the slick moisture along the folds of flesh all the way up to her clit, stroking her slowly. She bit her lip as her thighs quivered.
“You’re soaked, babe, and that lets me know how good I make you feel.” He pushed two fingers back inside her body and slid his thumb along the sensitive nub once again.
“Having you in my mouth and sucking you off did that to me, Carrick.”
“Well, now it’s my turn.” He draped her legs over his shoulders and then trailed sweet kisses up the inside of her thigh.
Watching his eyes close as he nuzzled his way toward her center made her pray that this one last night was going to be enough. A lover like Carrick didn’t come along in a woman’s life very often, and the last thing she wanted to do was miss a minute of the pleasure he was about to give her. Arching her back, she felt the first lash of his tongue and her body jolted.
He settled his mouth completely over her and sucked her clit, sending a shockwave of pleasure. The surprising scrape of his teeth added another dimension of delight as she moaned out a loud cry of pleasure. His tongue flicked and swirled and his long fingers pumped deep inside her, heightening the searing sensory assault.
Her body tingled with need and she felt herself on the precipice of an explosion.
One final stroke and her hips bucked against his tenacious mouth as her orgasm crashed through her, taking her breath.
Tremors quaked through one after another and she rode the wave for as long as it lasted. Just as she was about to drift off, she felt Carrick crawl up her body, trailing soft kisses. When he kissed her mouth possessively, she opened her eyes. “Why are you smiling like that?”
“Because eating you out makes me happy.” He lifted her leg over his arm and grinned. “And so does this.”
She sucked in a startled gasp as he began to thrust, impaling her hard and incredibly deep. Each rapid plunge of his hips connected them. Knowing he needed to possess her, she held onto his arms and opened herself up.
He must’ve felt her surrender because he slowed the rhythm of his thrusts as if she’d given him the thing he needed most. His copper eyes glimmered with happiness as he slowly thrust in and out. Reaching up to him, she slid her fingers into his silky hair and drew his mouth down to her breasts, the length of his strong body now pressing her firmly into the bed.
He dipped his head and slid his velvety tongue over her nipple and then nipped her with his teeth and sucked her into his mouth. The hot wet sensation shot an arrow of desire straight down to where they were joined, and his thrusts picked up pace. “More,” she muttered as she wrapped her leg around his hip and held him tightly.
With a low feral growl, he pistoned his hips and kissed her, sealing their mouths together.
Roughly, he shoved his hands through her hair, wrapping the long strands around his fingers, holding her captive as he ravaged her mouth the same way his body was doing.
Her fingernails dug into his muscled back as he plunged again and again. Everything about his movements was strong, primitive, and animalistic. The incredible power of his passion sent her body into oblivion as another orgasm rippled across her body.
Joining her almost instantly, Carrick let out a guttural groan as his release took over his body. His body jerked hard against her. Wave after wave moved over him until he collapsed on top of her.
The sound of their heavy breaths filled the room and Audrey knew that what just happened between them was no ordinary sex. At least it wasn’t for her.
His need to possess her, pleasure her, and own her filled a need that she wasn’t aware she had. The feelings coursing through her body were not only physical pleasure but an emotional connection. Knowing how dangerous that was, she ruthlessly tried to control them. When she wasn’t immediately successful, she worried that that next seven days she spent with Carrick were going to prove to be the most dangerous of all.
Bullet wounds could be repaired, a cracked heart…not so much.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Wednesday, October 18th
Ankara, Turkey
Audrey was ensconced in a lovely white lounge chair under a canopy near the pool with her tablet on her lap and a cold glass of iced tea at her elbow. Carrick had been swimming back and forth for the last forty minutes in the large pool and she wondered how many laps he did on a weekly basis.
Probably hundreds.
She, on the other hand, did less than fifty and that was only if she’d put herself on some short fitness program. Sighing, she picked up her phone to see if her contact at the Hurriyet newspaper had responded to her text. Burak Aksoy was a top journalist in the country
and she had been fortunate enough to count him not only as a colleague, but also a friend. They’d been in almost constant contact for the last six months and his generosity with both his time and resources had been one of the many reasons she decided to write the book.
He had cheered her on and insisted that she take on the challenge of writing the women’s stories, so the world would know that they were making a difference in Syria. After one particularly impassioned speech, she knew there was only one answer. Which was why she was sitting in the Marriott in Ankara waiting for her bodyguard/lover to finish his workout.
And what a lover he was. Feral, generous, demanding, and unrelenting were just a few of the adjectives that came to mind when she thought about how they’d spent their time last night. Now that they were close to being in-country, she knew those wildly-passionate nights were finished, and they needed to get down to business.
Hearing her phone buzz, she picked it up and saw that Burak had texted her back, confirming their dinner. Looking up, she saw that Carrick had finished and was pulling himself out of the pool. Seeing his glorious, muscled body dripping with water was making her wish that more time together was possible.
And since that was the sort of thinking that would only lead to trouble, she let it go and focused on what they needed to accomplish. Their visas were going to be ready tomorrow and Carrick’s colleague was joining them, so they were just about ready to make their way across the border.
Once Carrick and his colleague who’d been in-country caught up, they’d decide where they were going to enter Syria. Allepo was barely a functioning city anymore, so going through there wasn’t necessarily the best option.
Between Carrick’s contact and Burak, they should be able to determine where they were going to start their journey and how best to proceed. Feeling droplets of cold water, she looked up and watched Carrick dry his hair. “Did you work off the last day and a half of travel?”
“Almost.”
She gave him a smile and then gathered her things. “I’m going to head upstairs and grab a shower. Burak just confirmed our dinner and I want to get myself together and make sure my notes are in order.”
“Who the hell is Burak and why are we having dinner with him?”
Seeing his surly expression made her wonder if he was tired from the travel or irritated because she had made a plan without consulting him. Either way, she didn’t much care for it. “We are not having dinner, I am, so don’t get growly and start irritating me.”
“I’m not growling and don’t forget we’re glued together until we get back on the plane and head back to the States.”
“We’re at the Marriott Hotel in the middle of a relatively safe city and I have no interest in being glued to your cranky butt.”
“Are we having our first ‘travel tiff’ or is there something else going on?”
Sliding her hand on her hip, she lifted an eyebrow. “I am meeting a friend and colleague for dinner and, if you can behave, you’re welcome to join us. If, however, you plan on being unpleasant, then you’re not.”
He took her hand and put it against his chest and smiled. “One happy bodyguard coming right up.”
Feeling his cool muscled chest sent a little shiver of desire down to her lady parts and, since she didn’t much care for his sarcasm, she ignored it. “Carrick, you have the night off, so if I were you, I’d take advantage of it.”
“I don’t want the night off, Audrey, and I go where you go.”
“Not necessary,” she replied as he stepped closer and invaded her space. “I’m meeting my journalist friend who has been invaluable as I’ve researched the book. Burak works for Hurriyet, which is the biggest newspaper in Turkey, and he’s been a cheerleader for my project and spent a lot of time pointing me in the right direction as I’ve researched the YPJ.”
“I’m choosing to be in your company because there’s no place I’d rather be, and it has nothing to do with your safety and everything to do with how you make me feel.”
Looking into his warm gaze, she realized he was completely sincere. It wasn’t some bullshit throwaway line, it was his truth. “That’s a lovely thing to say, Carrick.”
“I didn’t say it to charm you. I said it because it’s the truth. A damn inconvenient one, considering our prospects, but I’ve never shied away from reality and I don’t plan on starting now.”
There was no way to respond to a statement like that and not open a can of worms. And since she hated worms, she kept her mouth sealed firmly shut. As far as she was concerned, the end of their affair wasn’t something she was going to consider until she was back in New York. Only then would she have the luxury of mourning its death. “I’m going upstairs, and I’ll see you later.” Pulling her hand away from his, she picked up her bag and walked toward the hotel.
When she choked down the need to cry two or three times, she realized how lucky she’d be to keep them at bay until she made it home. Carrick had made a little place for himself inside her heart and the idea of not being able to do anything about it made her incredibly sad.
Clearing her throat, she threw back her hair and squared her shoulders as she entered the long corridor that led to the bank of elevators. Giving herself a stern lecture, she promised to let go of her romantic fantasies by the time she made it up to the room.
There was no future for her and Carrick and to pretend otherwise was foolish.
***
Carrick checked his watch as he stepped off the elevator and realized he’d been on the phone with Andrew longer than he realized. His brother from another mother and former teammate had gotten his hands on a bulletproof SUV and was going to deliver it tomorrow along with their visas. He’d been at the al-Tanf military base on the Jordanian border for the last ninety days and had contacts all through the region. The Jordanian government had hired Titan to come in and work alongside their generals as they trained the latest evolution of the SDF. Not that anyone was talking about it.
Entering the lounge, he heard the melodic sound of Audrey’s laugh and wondered who in the hell was responsible. When he spotted her on the red couch sitting next to a man who was too damn good looking, he felt an unmistakable rush of jealousy. Since when did Turkish journalists look like fucking movie stars?
Striding across the marble floors, he willed himself to relax and remain calm. No good was going to come if he didn’t behave, and the last thing he wanted to do was piss Audrey off. Especially since there was a damn Casanova ready to comfort her, should he misstep.
Pasting a diplomatic smile on his face, he stepped close to Audrey and made sure none of his feelings were evident. “Sorry I was delayed, babe.”
When she looked up with an open smile, he felt himself relax. Nothing like seeing her approval to let him know he was on the right track. He put out his hand to the man, “Carrick Young.”
The man stood and gave him a friendly smile in return. “Burak Aksoy, nice to finally meet the man who’s helping Audrey make her dream come true.”
Nodding, he decided that was a damn fine way to be thought of. He’d be more than satisfied if he could actually make that a reality. Sitting in the chair next to the couch, he gave Audrey a nod. “Do you need another drink?”
“No, I’ll wait until dinner.”
Burak leaned forward and held out his hands. “We’ve been dawdling because my wife is going to try and join us. She’s an OB/GYN and was called in to deliver a baby several hours ago and Audrey wanted to wait to see if she could make it.”
Deciding the guy was all right since he was married, he sat back in his chair. “We can order some snacks and give her the time she needs.”
Audrey lifted her watch and then looked at Carrick. “She doesn’t want us to wait past seven, so we’ll give her another twenty minutes.”
Burak let out a chuckle and checked his phone. “I’ve discovered over the last two years of marriage that babies like to come right before dinner, when you’ve got a house full of guests, and when you
’ve just fallen asleep.”
“I think they like to maintain that schedule well into the teenage years, at least that’s what my mom has always said,” Audrey replied.
“So, how did you two connect?” Carrick asked.
Audrey gave Burak an affectionate smile and then replied, “When I first became aware of the YPJ, I read several articles online that Burak had written. I reached out to him and he was kind enough to respond and has been an invaluable partner in getting this project off the ground. Every time I had a question, he answered it as best he could and often gave me just the right advice, so I could contact the people I needed to move the project forward.”