Long, Lean and Lethal

by O'Clare, Lorie

  When Rain surrendered to him, a feeling washed over her that she’d never experienced before. It was like bathing in a waterfall, except the water was warm. It was like knowing life without any worries, any problems or fears. She drowned in the sensation and was too far gone before she realized what it was.

  She loved him.

  God! She loved him more than she ever loved anyone before.

  Rain had loved her father; even now that he was dead, she loved him with all of her heart. But this—what she felt for Noah—wasn’t the same as the love for her father. Without a doubt, she knew she’d never felt like this for any other man, and doubted any other man could make her feel the way Noah did.

  “I’ve needed this all day,” Noah whispered into her neck, tickling the sensitive flesh just above her collarbone with his breath.

  She needed this for the rest of her life. “Uh-huh,” she whispered, feeling the swelling inside her move to dangerous levels.

  “Watching you work that arrest, maintain Joanna when she lost it, and even down at the station,” he continued, his hands moving down her body, gripping her hip, and turning her to her side. “You’re one fucking hot cop, Rain.”

  “Just doing my job.” She let her head fall backward when he lifted her up his body so that her breasts were in his face. “God, crap!” she howled, digging her fingernails into his shoulders when he bit down on one of her nipples.

  The sweet pain shot through her body like an electrical current, sizzling straight to her clit, which pulsed violently in reaction. She hissed in a breath, wrapping her leg over his thigh and feeling moisture pool between her legs.

  Noah chuckled, lapping at the nipple he had just tortured and then sucking it into his mouth. The moist humidity soothed her but at the same time made her crave more from him. No one in a million years would have made her believe she liked being treated so roughly.

  She dug her nails into roped muscle and dragged them down his arms, feeling him twitch under her touch. What she wouldn’t do to return the aggressive play.

  When he moved to the other breast, Rain pushed against his arm, rolling him onto his back, and then mounted him. The thick length of his shaft throbbed between her legs. She rubbed her moisture against him, easing her hips back and forth as she lubricated him. The growl that emerged from deep in his lungs vibrated through his body as his grip on her tightened.

  “Woman,” he rumbled, his voice thick with need.

  She smiled, not answering, and arched her back, leaning into him, smothering him with her swollen, aching breasts. She locked her arms on either side of him and pressed her hands flat into her blankets, keeping her body against him but riding him slowly, torturing him and herself, and fighting not to let him slide inside her.

  “Don’t even think you’re going to get away with that,” Noah roared, coming up off the bed and flipping her off of him and onto her back.

  Just as quickly he spread her legs; positioning himself between them, he grabbed her ankles and locked them in a tight grip as he thrust deep inside her.

  “Oh my God!” She covered her face with her hands as the pressure built quickly when he impaled her with his engorged cock.

  “Rain.” His baritone rumbled before her closed eyes.

  She moved her hands, reaching for him. His shoulders were slick, a sheen of perspiration making it easy to glide her fingers over corded muscle.

  “More.” She didn’t sound too authoritative, but she ached to control his actions. “Give me more, Noah.”

  “You’ve got all of me, darling.” He kissed her nose and then rose over her, straightening and giving her a view to die for.

  He ran his hands down the backs of her legs and she rested the weight of them against his grip, allowing him to keep her spread open. She wanted to feel him, enjoy him inside while running her hands over his chest, his arms, and losing herself in his sensual gaze.

  Then gripping his waist, the heat of his body flowing through her fingers and deep inside her to her womb, she pulled him closer. “Deeper. Faster. Noah, God, please.”

  Noah chuckled, but his expression remained serious. He gazed down at her with so much warmth that she recognized it instantly. If he’d looked at her like that before, she hadn’t noticed. But acknowledging the emotions inside her, knowing she was experiencing love, Rain understood the heat that warmed his dark eyes. He loved her, too.

  They hadn’t known each other long. And Rain wasn’t foolish enough to demand a commitment when there was still so much to learn about him. Not to mention, even if he claimed this wasn’t good-bye, he was leaving. Such thoughts made the pressure inside her turn to pain. To a sensation that filled her and demanded relief.

  Rain dug into his waist, lifting her ass off the bed and adjusting the angle he entered. And with every stroke she wanted more, ached for everything he could give her, again and again.

  “You’re perfect, sweetheart,” he whispered, forcing her gaze back up to his eyes. “Feel that? Feel how perfect we are?”

  “Yes. Oh yes,” she wailed, again shifting her rear end and feeling herself grow more wet with each thrust.

  His body was tight, every inch of him hard as steel. But his gaze was so warm and sensual she drowned in it. If she could make it so this never ended, she would.

  “A perfect fit. You were meant to be mine.”

  She stared up at him, positive her heart quit beating while she let his words sink in. “You keep saying things like that …” She couldn’t finish, couldn’t offer an ultimatum. There wasn’t anything either of them could do about their careers taking them in different directions.

  Noah lowered himself, slowing the pace and thrusting deeper than before. “You better get used to hearing them,” he whispered, his nose practically touching hers.

  “Oh?” She rested her hands on his shoulders, unable to move.

  “I’m not letting go of you, Rain. Whatever it takes, we’re staying together.” He thrust one last time as he spoke.

  Whether it was his actions or the words, Rain couldn’t say. But the dam broke. The pressure filling her and pulsing out of control as wave after wave released inside her like molten lava. Her orgasm damn near ripped her in two. Noah growled, suddenly picking up pace, like it was a race and he was the grand-prize winner, ready and willing to show off his skills and claim his victory.

  She continued coming when he pressed his mouth to hers and impaled her with his tongue. When the low growl started deep inside him and he filled her, throbbing and pulsing, Rain knew she’d taken him over the edge with her.

  “Come for me, Noah,” she whispered, her lips moving against his. “Show me we can make this work together.”

  “Oh, baby, we can!”

  He exploded inside her, his eyes so close to hers when he came that her vision was blurred as she stared at him.

  “I love you, Rain.”

  “Oh, Noah.” She wouldn’t cry. No way in hell would she cry. “I love you, too.”

  Maybe she drifted off to sleep. Rain opened her eyes and stared into her dark bedroom. She listened as her shower quit running and cuddled farther under her covers, knowing she should get up and wash as well. She would in a minute. Noah’s cell phone went off in the other room and his slow, confident footsteps sounded in the hallway. He must have left his phone in the living room. How long had he been in her home before she got here? Coming home to him after a long day’s work would be paradise. But again, she wouldn’t let her heart attach to ideas that just weren’t going to happen.

  “Special Agent Kayne,” he said seriously. “Ethan! How the hell are you doing, my man?”

  Noah’s excitement piqued Rain’s attention and she sat up in bed, turning her head to hear more.

  “No shit. Man, that sucks,” Noah continued, his voice soft and suddenly sounding full of concern. “Damn it,” he hissed. “God, there is nothing worse than a child being murdered. You’re right; it’s the worst of all crimes. I know you’ll nail the bastard.”

 
; Rain didn’t have a clue who Ethan was, but obviously he was one of Noah’s buddies and it sounded like he was dealing with a bad situation. She would agree with Noah; learning a child had been killed tore her up worse than anything she’d ever seen. She stood, not bothering with clothes but instead leaving her room and walking down the hallway.

  “Man, I’d make arrangements to drive down there in a second if I could get it approved. But you’re a few hours too late. I put in a request this afternoon to work at the field office here in Lincoln, Nebraska.”

  Rain froze. Noah wasn’t leaving? She didn’t mean to squeal when she heard him speak, but when she did, Noah turned around. His dark, brooding gaze warmed as he stared at her in the darkness. As soon as her heart quit pounding so hard that the sound stormed in her ears, she would rush to him. Excitement hit her so hard, though, that her legs started trembling and she fell into Noah instead of jumping into his arms like she wanted.

  His powerful arm wrapped around her while he continued with his conversation. “Maybe I can swing it to come down there for an afternoon sometime soon. It’s been a while.” Noah listened to the man on the other end of the line, but all Rain focused on was the steady beat of his heart.

  Maybe she was frozen in place, too stunned at his news to be able to function, but Noah wasn’t going anywhere. His strong hold on her felt better than anything she’d ever known.

  “I don’t know, my man. You were always the wild one. I don’t want you getting me in trouble.” Noah chuckled, kissing Rain’s forehead. “I’ve found me a lady and I’m not going to do anything to lose her.”

  Rain couldn’t hear the man through the phone other than his tone turned very excited. If it weren’t for the ringing in her head she might have been able to follow the conversation better, but between her heart about to explode in her chest and the happiness filling her so quickly she got dizzy, it was all she could do to hear Noah speak.

  “No way, man. It’s not lust. It’s love! And I’m never going to let her go.” Noah continued holding her.

  Rain relaxed against his chest, feeling more at home and loved than she had in years. Somewhere in her fogged brain she swore she heard her father’s voice. Good job, princess. This one is a keeper.

  Read on for an excerpt from

  Lorie O’Clare’s next book

  STRONG, SLEEK

  AND SINFUL

  Coming soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks

  Her heart thumped in her chest as she turned off the light, locked the door to the middle room, and headed down the hall to the front door.

  “Yes?” she said, placing her hand on the door handle and leaning against the front door.

  “Open the door, Kylie.” Perry’s deep voice sounded all business—or pissed.

  She slid the chain into place on the door and unlocked the deadbolt. Opening it as far as the chain would allow, she flipped on her porch light and watched him squint as she blinded him.

  “What did you want?”

  “Open the damn door and let me in,” he growled.

  It was tempting to spar with him, but she closed the door, slipped the chain free, and then stepped out of the way when he pushed the door hard enough that it swung open. She grabbed it before it hit the wall, staying clear while he stalked into her home.

  “What were you doing?”

  “When?” She watched him as he stopped in the middle of her living room and turned to face her.

  “Just now. When I knocked on the door.”

  She was toying with him just a bit. It was so easy to do, and she kind of liked how she could make his eyes darken with her comments.

  “What do you think I was doing?” she asked, turning from him and closing the door. “I was studying.”

  “Where are your books?” he asked, his demanding tone pushing as he continued watching her, slowly crossing his arms. Apparently he had the night off as he was still dressed in his T-shirt and jeans. God, he made simple clothing look deadly.

  Kylie took her time answering, unwilling to spar with him full force. Already she felt the charge in the air, the sexual energy radiating off him. It was best to keep her head clear, stay focused on the fact that she had quite possibly just communicated with their killer. Although that would mean Perry was innocent, it also meant that if her man was online right now, she needed to take this opportunity to get to know him.

  “Why are you so interested in my studies?” she challenged, crossing her arms over her chest and watching his expression harden.

  Perry walked toward her. If she didn’t move, he would have her cornered.

  “I think you’re avoiding the answer to a simple question.” He grabbed her arm when she tried walking past him. “Where are your books?”

  “I do most of my work on my computer,” she said honestly and looked down at her arm. “Is there a reason you’re restraining me?”

  His hand was large and his fingers long. His skin was tanner than hers. She watched his fingers wrap around her forearm and then his grip loosened and slid down to her wrist.

  “This isn’t restraint, darling,” he drawled. “When I restrain you, you won’t be able to move.”

  “That is what restraining means,” Kylie laughed, walking away from him and pulling her arm free as she headed toward her kitchen. Perry let go of her but followed when she walked around the open living room that turned into her small kitchen. “You never told me why you’re here,” she said, keeping her back to him.

  She grabbed a plastic cup from her cabinet and then filled it with ice from the icemaker in her refrigerator. She hadn’t tried to grocery-shop yet so other than the leftover pizza, which fit in one box and took up a shelf in her refrigerator, there wasn’t any food in her kitchen.

  “Because I know what you’re doing.”

  Kylie put her cup under the faucet and let it fill with tap water.

  Then taking her time turning around, she brought the cup to her lips and watched him while sipping.

  “Then why did you ask?” An ice cube brushed against her lip and she savored how cold it was. Anything to help keep her grounded.

  “Ask what?”

  “You asked me what I was doing when you walked in the door, yet now you say you know what I’m doing.” She smiled, sipped again, focused on the cold water soothing the fire burning inside her. “Did you learn this by my actions after entering my home?”

  “No.” The hungry look in his eyes made them brighter. But it was the way he pressed his lips together, not frowning or smiling, that made him look dangerous, like a deadly predator who ruled all around him, and contemplated making her his next conquest. “Who is your professor?”

  Kylie rolled her eyes, although she needed to play out her next card very carefully. If and when she nailed her guy, it would come out that she was FBI. She wouldn’t insult Perry too much for questioning her.

  “You don’t believe I’m a student.” She put her cup down on the counter and sighed, sounding frustrated as she started around him.

  Once again he grabbed her arm, this time turning her to face him with enough force that she slapped her palm against his chest to balance herself. Tingles shot through her hand when she touched muscle that was solid like steel.

  “Where are you going?” he growled, searching her face.

  “I don’t have my professor’s information memorized.” She gestured with her free hand. “I was going to get you his phone number so you can call him and prove to yourself who I am.”

  “And will this professor also confirm what it is you’re writing your thesis about?” he asked.

  “You can ask him, or believe me,” she said, softening her tone and looking up at him through her lashes.

  “Here’s what I think. You might be the student you claim you are, and you might be working on a paper or thesis.” He let go of her arm but then gripped her neck, his long finger pressing under her jaw until she tilted her head back further. “I also think you’ve stumbled onto something, crimes that intrigue
you, and now you think you’re Agatha Christie.”

  “You see me as an old woman with a British accent?” she retorted, pulling free from him and hurrying out of her kitchen. She needed him to leave and the longer he kept his hands on her, the harder it would be to get him out of her house.

  He was behind her faster than she imagined he would be. “Hardly,” he growled, flipping her around to face him once again and this time pulling her into his arms. When he kissed her, the savage hunger he displayed had her insides boiling feverishly within seconds.

  Kylie tried moving her hands to his chest. Maybe he thought she meant to push away from him, and in some part of her brain, she knew that she should. Get him to leave. Return to work. Her thoughts grew more muddled the longer he devoured her mouth. Not to mention the way he tightened his hold on her, pinning her with his arms against his rock-hard body, turned her on a hell of a lot more than she should let it.

  There was something about a man who got a bit rough, though. Something about how a demanding nature, taking and controlling and leaving no room for any reaction other than submission, got her so hot she swore she’d be a puddle at his feet in moments.

  “Perry,” she gasped, managing to turn her head and break the kiss. Her lips tingled and a pang of regret hit her when she sucked in a deep breath. If she moved her face, looked into his intense eyes, she would initiate the next kiss. And she couldn’t do that. “Why are you doing this?” Her voice was no more than a raspy whisper.

  “To get it out of the way.” His voice was rough.

  “And that was necessary?”

  He moved his fingers through her hair and then brushed them across her face. She needed distance, for him to quit touching her, and then her thoughts would return to normal.