She arched her back, letting the water saturate her hair. He supported her effortlessly, one arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand moved up and down her back. A low growl echoed off the walls and raised her head.
His features were contorted with savage need, eyes glowing like molten gold. “If I don’t… I’m going to morph.”
It wasn’t hard to understand his desperation. A similar need was driving her. Levering herself against his shoulders, she raised her hips. He quickly positioned himself at her entrance and steadied her as she lowered herself.
Emily let her head fall back as she impaled herself on his thickness. She was taking him, claiming him as he’d claimed her.
He allowed her to savor the sensation for a moment; then he pressed her against the wall, startling her with the cold tiles and the strength of his body. Clasping her hips with both hands, he bent his knees and began to move. Not as deep as other positions had allowed, his thrusts still drove her steadily onward.
“Can you come like this?” His gaze bore into hers, demanding the truth.
“I… don’t know.” It felt amazing. She didn’t want him to stop.
With staggering agility, he lifted her off him and turned her to face the wall. Her feet touched the cold floor and she shivered. Then he pulled her hips up and thrust into her from behind. The angle was new, and she wasn’t quite tall enough for the position, but he pulled her back onto his feet and she relaxed.
“Better?”
All she could do was nod. He rocked in and out, while his middle finger lazily strummed her clit. His feet wedged her forward onto the balls of her feet, which bent her knees just a little, giving him the perfect angle for each deep thrust.
Tingling heat gathered with shocking speed, as if commanded by his magical finger. “Oh please, Sir, may I come?”
“Not yet.” He nipped her shoulder, driving the sensations higher, yet disrupting the cycle enough to ward off her orgasm. “Let it build. Enjoy the ride.”
“But that feels so good.” She tightened her inner muscles, pushing back to deepen his strokes.
“Tell me. Or better yet, show me. Open your mind and let me feel.”
She found her end of the link and eased it open, allowing him greater and greater access to her mind. Feel me. She concentrated on the rhythmic slide of his body deep inside her. Feel how you fill me, how empty I am without you there.
He groaned and thrust deeper. His fingers carefully rolled her clit.
I want you to come deep inside me. I want to squeeze you so hard you can’t hold back. Please, Sir, let me come.
“You learn fast. Go!” He thrust his full length inside her and pressed on her clit until the pressure burst. She threw back her head and yelled, her core rippling in breath-stealing spasms. He wrapped his arm around her waist, his shaft jerking inside her as he released his seed in hot, rhythmic spurts.
He clung to her back, shivering with spontaneous aftershocks. She folded her arms against the wall and pressed her forehead against her arms. His fingers caressed her mound, the touch familiar, yet not intentionally stimulating.
“If we keep this up, we’ll never get clean.” He chuckled and eased from her body.
“I didn’t start it this time, you did.”
His brows shot up at that. “Then you’re taking responsibility for what happened in the fallout shelter?”
“I locked us in there together. My motivation was somewhat convoluted, but seducing you was part of the agenda.”
He reached for the soap while she increased the water pressure. “Or presenting me with an opportunity to seduce you?”
“If you prefer.”
“I always prefer to be the seducer rather than the one seduced.” He worked up lather between his hands and scrubbed his chest.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She had to turn around as she washed her hair. Watching him rub soapy hands all over his amazing body was too damn tempting.
Cruz watched Emily turn and smiled. She probably had the right idea. One glance at her smooth, round ass and his cock sprang back to life. He couldn’t get enough of her. As soon as he floated down from one mind-numbing orgasm, he was ready to start all over again. He wanted to lick her from head to toe then devour her sex while she sucked him. Then he’d lie on his back and let her ride him until he couldn’t stand her leisurely pace. They’d finish face-to-face with her legs over his shoulders so she couldn’t move at all. He’d pin her to the floor and pound into her core while she came over and over in helpless pleasure.
His soapy hand was firmly stroking his shaft when Emily turned around. She gasped, her eyes going wide then narrowing as she watched his hand.
“Cruz, we have to stop.” She licked her lips then glanced away, her voice soft and awkward. “You’re really big and… it’s starting to hurt.”
Shame punched him in the gut, immediately halting his stroking. He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry. Thank you for being honest with me.”
After a quick rinse, they exited the shower, and Cruz wrapped a towel around his hips and dried Emily with another. When his hands patted with respect and caring rather than stimulation, she allowed him to make amends.
He took her by the hand, and she told him where to find her bedroom. “Are you hungry?” He hesitated in the hall as he waited for her answer.
“The wine made me sleepy. I think I’d rather wait until morning.”
Accepting her answer with a smile, he swept her up in his arms and strode toward her bedroom. He didn’t bother with a light. Her hybrid physiology should allow her to see in the dark. If not, she would just have to trust him. He set her down beside the bed as he pulled down the covers, then rid her of her towel before he placed her in the center of the bed.
He tossed his towel aside as well and crawled onto the mattress. “If you’re sore, I’ll make do with memories until your body recovers. But you will let me tend you.” Before she could argue or analyze what he was proposing, he spread her legs and knelt between them.
“Cruz, if you put your mouth on me, I’m not sure I’ll be able to say no.”
“You won’t have to.” Cupping her warm, round butt in both hands, he lifted her to his mouth. Gods, her scent alone was addictive. He carefully parted her folds with his tongue, listening to her breathing and her groans for any sign of discomfort. Her thighs relaxed and he delved deeper, mashing his lips against her sex as his tongue pushed into her core. So hot, so wonderfully soft. He swirled his tongue and bobbed his head, gently stroking her with his mouth.
Her body responded with a fresh rush of silky cream and he growled low in his throat. That taste! He wanted more, needed her dripping right into his mouth. Wrapping his arms around her hips, he rolled over, bringing her with him. She cried out, then pushed up and straddled his face.
“Ride my tongue.” She cupped her breasts and rocked her hips, her motion tentative at first, embarrassed. He grasped her hips and guided her as his mouth moved against and into her. Soon she lowered her hands and ground against his lips, taking his tongue deep with each thrust of her hips. Her core tightened with the beginning of an orgasm and he quickly withdrew his tongue.
With a cry of exasperation, she rocked forward away from his face. “Why do you do that?”
He chuckled, happily licking her cream from his lips. “Because you come twice as hard when I finally let you.”
“Well, I still hate it, when it happens.” She glared at him over her shoulder. “I’ll forgive you later.”
“Why don’t you turn around and start forgiving me now. I thought I could wait until morning, but this is killing me.”
She turned around and crawled back on top of him, taking her own sweet time to arrange herself. Her sex was just out of reach when her warm lips closed around his tip. He parted her with his thumbs, concerned by what he saw. She was deeply flushed and creamy, but he wasn’t sure if the color was due to his size or the persistent attention of his mouth.
He’d promised not to hurt her, and he meant to keep that vow.
Circling her clit with his tongue, he slowly built a new cycle of arousal while she slid her mouth up and down. Her thighs flexed and shifted, her tension obvious. Was she close again already or did she enjoy pleasuring him?
Accessing their link, he let her emotions wash over his mind. Her body had no problem with their joining. Even her heart had accepted that he was her mate. But her stubborn, analytical mind was still struggling with the logic of submitting to a fated mate.
He understood her reservation. Without her stubborn determination she wouldn’t be Emily.
Well, he could break through her logic and shatter her misgivings at least for this one moment in time. He moved smoothly in her mouth, savoring the snug circle of her lips and the warm pass of her tongue.
He slowly pushed two fingers into her creamy core. Her muffled murmur could have been encouragement or protest. He didn’t pull out of her mouth to find out. He kept his tongue circling her clit, while his fingers slid in and out.
“I thought we were going to wait.” His cock fell out of her mouth and landed against his belly with a thud. She sounded slightly annoyed.
“I said I wouldn’t hurt you and I meant it.” He withdrew his fingers with a sigh. “I should punish you for not trusting me. That’s all I ask of you. Trust. Without it, we have nothing.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have doubted you. When you’re ready to punish me, I’ll willingly submit to whatever you deem appropriate.”
He accepted her pledge with a stiff nod and returned his mouth to her clit. She sucked his shaft back into her mouth, but they were both distracted. The promise of punishment teased the edge of his consciousness, and Emily’s failure to trust him in the first place stung his pride. His mate should have no doubts, no hesitations.
Her lips were warm and eager and short minutes later he arched off the bed, coming in the back of her mouth. He flicked his tongue over her clit, but the climax lacked the power of its predecessors. There had been no mystic connection, no emotional intensity. This just felt like sex.
Cruz set her away from him and draped his arm over his eyes, feeling restless and unsettled.
“Can I ask a question without pissing you off?”
“Probably not,” he warned. “Go to sleep.”
“You said there were harsh penalties for trying to ending your own life. That indicates to me that at some point one of DOMA’s assassins chose suicide rather than completing a mission.”
He moved his arm and glared at her. “Why would that surprise you?”
“It doesn’t surprise me. Were you coerced into killing?”
“I would never willingly take a life.” He just stared at her, sickened by the implication of her question. Did she really think so little of him? His heart plummeted and his chest burned. How could she think anything else? He was an assassin. One of DOMA’s henchmen.
“Then how did they… make you do it?”
Chapter Seven
The anguish in Cruz’s gaze made Emily want to weep. “I’m sorry,” she said before he could start his explanation. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Like hell it doesn’t.” He rolled off the bed and glared down at her, hands fisted at his sides. “You took me into your body, believing I was a cold-blooded murderer? What does that say about you?”
“That’s not what I said.” She tucked her legs beneath her and reached for the sheet. He snatched it out of her hand and snarled. “That’s never what I believed.”
“So start at the beginning.” His voice was cold and demanding. “Milo gave you my file. Were you assigned to the case at that point, or were you one of many?”
“I was one of three. The decision was made the following morning.” She couldn’t meet his gaze, couldn’t bear the pain, knowing she had caused it. “I knew DOMA trained covert operatives. Those types of programs were going on even when Father was still alive, but no one I knew was subjected to the sorts of things listed in your file.”
“If my file detailed my training, then I don’t understand your question.” A bit of the anger eased from his posture. Now he just looked tired.
“You misunderstood my question.” She crossed her arms over her breasts, unable to stop the nervous gesture. They were so close to something rare and wonderful, yet their relationship was still so fragile, so new. “I wasn’t implying that you killed willingly. At least not intentionally. Even the limited information in your file made it clear you were being manipulated. I was asking you to confirm what I’d always believed. I was asking for the specific means they used in your particular case.”
He tensed again, his jaw working. “Why do you want the gory details?”
“Two reasons. One, I’m a female cat and we tend to be curious by nature. Two, I want to make sure we cover every base and leave no stone unturned. Your chip is fried, and I’ll remove it as soon as you trust me enough to let me put you under, but what other motivations can we anticipate?”
His dark gaze moved over her face for a long, silent moment. “You’re trying to protect me?”
She dared a hesitant smile. “Is that allowed?”
“It’s not necessary.” His tone remained gruff, but familiar tenderness returned to his dark eyes. “There were several years when my siblings were used to ensure my cooperation, but they’ve all found better situations.”
“Do I even want to ask?”
“Both of my sisters have found strong, true mates, able to protect them. One lives in a mountain village, the other was smuggled beyond the walls. Last I heard she and her mate had passed their second winter in Sanctuary. My brother is no longer with us.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“I’ve had six years to adjust to his passing. There’s still a chance my sisters can birth black cubs, but as of right now, I’m the last black jaguar-morph.” He rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes. “Do you have any other questions that can’t wait until morning?”
“No.” She placed her hands on her legs and lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry I upset you. We can’t change the past. I need to learn to leave it alone.”
He cupped her chin and raised her face. “I need your submission when we’re in bed, but I don’t want to be mated with a mindless servant.”
She grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward. “Good. Because I’m not sure how long I can be polite. I’m far too mouthy and --”
“I rather like how you use your mouth.”
“We’ll explore that thought more fully in the morning. We have got to get some sleep.” They lay on their sides in a tangle of arms and legs. With an agile thrust of his hips, he pushed his shaft between her thighs, sliding against but not into her passage. “That is such a tease.”
He held her firmly against him, not allowing her to move. “When you wake up, I’ll be inside you. Think how good that will feel.” He whispered the words against her lips, his breath wafting over her lips.
She laughed, which rubbed her nipples against his chest and pressed her clit against his groin. “How am I supposed to sleep with that in between my legs?”
“Just close your eyes and relax.”
Snuggling against him, she drew his scent around her like a blanket and willed her body to obey.
* * * * *
Emily rolled to her back the following morning, careful not to awaken her lover. Conflict raged inside her mind, and all her body wanted was sex! Her lover. The term seemed so casual, so insignificant, compared to the feelings they’d awakened in each other.
They had two days to determine if there was a real threat to the inhabitants of Alpha Colony, who was behind the threat, and what form the threat would take. How could they justify indulging their passions when so many lives hung in the balance?
Using the rationale to push back her desire, she slipped out of bed and hurried across the room. If she could be showered and dressed before Cruz woke up, she could avoid… Why was she trying to avoid
something so wonderful?
It was the right thing to do, the responsible thing to do. They needed to focus on the mission.
Milo greeted them as she set the skimmer down in the side yard an hour later. He told them Tayla would join them as soon as she returned from her latest snooping expedition. “Did you bring a bag?”
Cruz tossed him their overnight bag as he came around the back of the skimmer. “You’re right. It makes more sense to stay here until this thing is over.”
“Good. I’ve got plenty of room.”
After a quick breakfast, they settled into the conference room. Cruz seemed restless almost immediately. He participated in the conversations when he had something to say, but he spent a lot of time pacing the room.
“As usual the lack of technology behind the wall slows everything down to a crawl,” Milo muttered. “Even when I can get messages to my people, it can take them days to respond.”
“We don’t have days,” Cruz told him. “Like it or not, this goes down some time tomorrow.”
Galvanized by the reminder, the rest of the day took on a sharper focus and a clearer sense of urgency. Tayla’s snooping session introduced a bounty of new possibilities, but even with Milo’s best hacker piloting the computers, they were able to solidify few facts.
Late in the evening Cruz told Emily he wasn’t feeling well, and he’d wait for her in their bedroom. She offered him a smile as he’d left the room. That had been two and a half hours ago.
“This can wait until morning.” Milo pushed back from the table and stood. “We’re just spinning our wheels.”
“Fresh eyes might help,” Tayla agreed. “See you in the morning.”
Tension gathered low in Emily’s belly, intensifying with each step she took. Had Cruz really felt ill? Was he angry about this morning? She had taken the coward’s way out.
Her hand hesitated on the handle, making it jiggle. She rotated the latch and swung the door inward, stepping into the room before she could overanalyze herself into hysterics.
Cruz stood by the window, staring out into the night. Bare to the waist and barefoot, he’d unfastened the top of his jeans, and they rode low on his lean hips. “How are you…”
Uninhibited Fire Page 8