Men of Mercy: The Complete Story

by Cross, Lindsay

  He didn't look up for her nod. Instead he concentrated on the task, knowing the minute he met her eyes he'd be lost. He finished cleaning the wound and applied the antibiotic ointment, then quickly dressed her ankle with a fresh bandage. “There, we'll change it again tomorrow.”

  Her other foot landed on his thigh and he froze, his gaze following her slim calf muscle to her pale thighs. Celine shifted, her leg falling to the side. Aaron swallowed, his free hand going to her good ankle of its own volition. Unable to take it, he glanced up to see her staring down at him with molten emerald eyes, her lips parted.

  “Celine?”

  “Do you want me, Aaron?”

  He didn't process her words at first, but when he finally got enough control to speak, he growled. “Of course I do. But you need to rest, you've been through a lot.”

  She lifted her left leg and his hand moved up, unconsciously testing the satiny smooth skin of the hollow behind her knee. Celine shivered and his grip reflexively tightened.

  “I've had enough rest.” She licked her lips and let her legs fall apart another inch.

  His already hard cock turned to steel. “You don't know what you're saying. You've been through an ordeal, kidnapping, nearly killed.” His hand slid up to her mid-thigh as he relished every smooth inch, realizing she felt even better than he remembered.

  “Almost. But they didn't kill me and I need you.” Her throaty whisper broke through his barriers.

  Aaron brought both hands to her thighs and pushed her legs wide, his mouth watering when she offered no resistance. “You better be sure, sweetheart, because if I get started, I don't think I can stop.”

  In answer, Celine pulled her shirt over her head, leaving her naked beautiful breasts on display just for him.

  He was a man undone. Reverently, giving her all the chances he could, he eased his hands up her legs, over the silky shorts to tug at the waistline. The tight shorts offered little resistance as he slid them down her legs. She was completely bare beneath. As if in a trance, he palmed her pussy, sucking in a breath when he found her hot and wet. Slowly he rotated his hand in a circle, massaging her there and savoring the soft pants coming from her lips.

  “I've been thinking about how you taste, wondering if you are sweet down here. Knowing you are probably even sweeter.”

  Celine moaned and fell back to her elbows as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh, inching his way up.

  “This is what I've needed Celine, what I needed all along.” Aaron slipped his hands beneath her butt and lifted her to his lips, savoring his first taste with a long slow lick.

  “Oh my God.” Celine lifted her hips and he yanked her back down anchoring her in place.

  “I told you to be ready.” He took her between his lips, suckling her sensitive clit until she bucked out of his hands. She didn't taste better, she tasted like heaven, like everything good he'd ever imagined rolled into one.

  He wanted to stay here forever, savoring her sweet cries and whimpers, her fingers in his hair holding him to her. He licked her, alternating between fast and hard, slow and easy, restraining himself from testing her depths with his fingers. He knew he'd make her come, could sense she was on the edge. But he wanted to save that spot until he could fully make her his.

  He stopped trying to question his need to have her, he embraced it fully and accepted his feelings for her would never change.

  “I'm so close, Aaron. Please,” she moaned and his cock jumped in response. Knowing it would push her over the edge, he sucked her clit between his lips, lapping up every drop of her juice as she fell apart and came in his arms.

  She was his.

  Chapter 22

  Celine floated down from her orgasm in bliss. Her body drenched with a fine sheen of sweat and her fingers still curled in Aaron's silky thick hair as he continued to lap at her already sensitive flesh. She tried to pull him back, to make him stop, but he just growled and pushed her hands out of the way as he deliberately worked her back into a frenzy.

  She'd never been so in tune with another man. Aaron made his way up her belly, kissing a path as he went. “You're so fucking beautiful. You don't know how hard it's been for me to keep my hands off you this whole time.”

  His words filled her with sensual power and she arched in his embrace. “Too long.”

  She stretched her arms over her head, offering all of herself. Aaron kneaded her breasts, the rough calluses on his palms abrading her sensitive flesh until she had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. And then he took her into his mouth, suckling her nipple between his firm lips in a long hard pull that wrung all the oxygen from her body and left her breathless and gasping.

  When he lavished the same attention on her other breast, she gave in to his passionate command of her body and moaned, “Harder.”

  “Damn, I love your nipples. When you wore that shirt today, I could practically see them. Been thinking about putting them in my mouth all day.” He took her again, his tongue lashing at her painfully hard peak.

  Aaron rose over her, put his hands beneath her arms and lifted her up the bed until they were both lying flat with him nestled between her legs, his hard length pressed against her core through the thin material of his shorts. He cupped her face between his hands, holding her prisoner with his liquid brown gaze. “This is your last chance, honey. I don't think I can wait much longer.”

  “I don't want you to,” she breathed out. Impatient, Celine wrapped her hand behind his neck and took his mouth. He let her go at her own pace, gently licking his lower lip. He pulsed between her thighs, his thick tip teasing her.

  She brushed a trembling kiss across his lips, sweeping back and forth until he buried his hand in her hair and took control, completely destroying her will to tease him. He didn't just kiss her, he owned her, made her want more and then gave it to her. His tongue took dominion over her body and soul.

  Her longing morphed into frantic desperation and she clawed his shoulders and ground herself against his erection. “Please!”

  * * *

  “You're perfect.” Aaron yanked his shorts off, his long hard length springing free. His hand slipped between them, his fingers finding her only to tease and circle her entrance, barely tipping inside.

  “You're ready for me, aren't you? You're ready for me to take you.”

  Celine whimpered and arched her hips, trying to impale herself on his finger.

  “No, sweetheart, it's not going to be with my fingers.” He reached down and lined himself up against her entrance, the broad flat head pushing against her walls. “I'm going to take you with this.” He growled and buried one hand in her hair, holding her head in place, the other anchored her hip as he inched inside her. Gritting his teeth against the exquisite pleasure, he forced himself to go slow, remembering how tight she’d been before. He wanted to give her time to adjust to his size.

  “Aaron, please.” She arched, taking more than he’d given.

  “Be still.”

  “I can’t,” she moaned.

  “Celine…”

  “Please, I need you.”

  Her words broke his resistance and he drove forward, stretching her wide and filling her completely.

  Aaron paused, dropped his head to hers and took a trembling breath. He kissed her softly and then pulled out, only to plow inside again and again. He drove into her sweet body, filling her to her core.

  “So close, don't stop.”

  He increased his pace, slamming into her with hard thrusts until her head touched the headboard. She bucked with him, wild and sensual.

  “Come for me, sweetheart. Now.”

  His words sent her over the edge with a scream and Aaron shouted his own release right along with her.

  Chapter 23

  Aaron rolled to his side, pulling Celine with him so that her head laid against his chest, as they both tried to catch their breath. “That was amazing. Are you okay? Was I too rough?”

  She hadn’t acted like
he’d hurt her, but he’d gotten so lost in her sweet body that a bomb could've gone off and he would've missed it.

  “Not even close.” She threaded her fingers through his, her breath fanning against the hollow of his neck. “I was thinking maybe I hurt you.”

  Aaron chuckled and squeezed her tighter. “Honey, I’ll take that kind of hurt any day.”

  Aaron rolled out of bed, went to the sink and quickly washed himself off. Then he returned, slipping back into the same position as before with her head lying on his chest.

  Celine shifted against him, her leg sliding slowly up his thigh to nudge his already growing erection.

  “Be careful, you need to rest,” Aaron said.

  Celine leaned up on an elbow, her chin-length blonde hair fanning around her face, and he couldn't resist sifting his fingers through the silky links. “I'm not going to break, Aaron.”

  The moonlight highlighted her delicate bone structure. She had high cheekbones and the cutest curvy little nose. Everything about her screamed dainty. He would crush her with one hand if he wasn't careful. “You don't understand what your body's been through. You were starved and abused, your body hasn't gotten its strength back yet.”

  “Seriously?” Celine went to her knees next to him, her eyes wide. “You really think I can't handle a little screwing?”

  Aaron growled and shot up straight so that he was eye level with Celine. “You really think what we just did was just sex? It was more than that and you know it.”

  “No, it meant more than that to me. I was teasing you. Trying to get you to see I'm not weak.”

  Aaron pushed her down and pulled her onto his chest so that she draped across his body once more. “No, you're one of the strongest women I know. You know what I do, I've seen women break under less strain. You’re amazing. I just want you to be safe and healthy.”

  Celine stared up at him with her big emerald eyes. “I am safe. I'm with you.”

  Overwhelming protectiveness surged. “Damn right, you are. I'll protect you with my life.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. She took his wave of power and crushed it, leaving him with an aching coldness in his chest. He released her hands and cradled her face between his palms. “What's wrong, sweetheart?”

  Her hands went to his, holding him to her. “It just feels good to hear you say it.”

  Aaron held her gaze, leaving his eyes open so she could see his sincerity. “It's my job to protect you.”

  The hope shining in her eyes faded and he did a mad scramble to try to figure out how he could heal the hurt.

  She sucked in a breath, her lips trembling, and said, “I know you'd rather be with your team. I understand. Who could blame you for wanting revenge against that horrible monster.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Your job.”

  Aaron waited for her to continue, but after a few seconds it became obvious she was done. “What about my job?”

  She looked away and he gently tipped her chin back to face him. A fresh tear tracked out of the corner of her eye and something inside him broke. He gently wiped the drop from her temple, and waited.

  “I know that I’m just a job for you. That when it's safe, this will all be over and I'll probably never see you again. And I know you'd rather be back in Afghanistan right now, tracking down the man that killed your teammate.”

  Her words doused his desire. “You really think I could just leave you?”

  She nodded, another tear falling. “They always do.”

  Aaron slammed his eyes shut and tilted his head back to hide the expression on his face. How could she think that he could just walk away after what they'd shared?

  Because he had left her.

  Aaron cupped her cheeks and gently tilted her tearful gaze to his, feeling his own eyes stinging in response. “I will never leave you again. Do you hear me? Never. Not in one week, not in two weeks. Yes, I want to see Jack Mankel die, but the man who tried to destroy my life isn’t nearly as important as the woman who restored it.”

  Her gaze searched his and it was all he could do not to grab her and kiss the truth into her. If anyone should be worried it was him. He’d completely underestimated her. Celine Latimer was the strongest woman he’d ever seen. “It’s time I told you the truth.”

  “The truth?”

  “The reason I turned from you at the wedding had nothing to do with my commander walking in on us.” His gut tightened. Shit, he’d only told a few guys on the team about his past. “My dad was in the Special Forces. He left all the time, didn’t call for days. The worry drove my mom crazy. She started drinking and popping pills to deal with the loneliness.”

  “Oh Aaron…”

  “After twenty years of begging my father not to go, he left again and she couldn’t take it.” A giant boulder seemed to form in his throat and he had to force the words out. “I found her in the bathroom. She’d killed herself.”

  Celine lifted a trembling hand to his cheek. Drops spilled on the pillow beside her head and Aaron realized with shock it was his own tears falling.

  “You thought that would happen to us?” she asked quietly.

  “This job isn’t easy. I’ll be gone a lot. I won’t be able to tell you where I am or what I’m doing. That life destroyed my mother and I vowed I would never do that to anyone.” He dropped his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, the understanding in hers pushing his emotions to new heights. “The thought of doing that to you makes me insane.”

  * * *

  “Look at me,” she demanded in a soft tone. When he complied, she said, “I realize it will be hard, but I accept that. I’ve been alone my whole life. My dad kicked me out when I was fifteen and I had to fend for myself.”

  She’d learned to take care of herself. Losing her father had devastated her, but she’d survived. The few boyfriends she’d had lasted a few months here and there, but they always left – and she’d survived. If Aaron had to leave on a mission, as long as she knew he wanted to come home to her, she’d survive.

  The realization slammed into her with the force of a freight train.

  “Aaron, I know I can handle your job because I’ve been training for it my whole life. You don’t have to worry. I’ll be here, waiting.” With each word, her voice grew stronger as the truth sunk in. “And I’ll be here waiting for you to come home from your revenge on Mr. J.”

  “You amaze me, Celine. I can’t believe how much I underestimated you.” Aaron took her lips in a fierce kiss. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “I won’t take that from you,” she responded instantly.

  “Before I had you, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. But you’re my world now and I’m not going to let that bastard steal another second from us.”

  Her heart swelled so much she couldn’t breathe. I love you. The words stalled in her throat. She wanted him so badly, and she believed him, but…

  “I know I hurt you, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you let me. I don’t expect you to forgive me yet, but can you love me?”

  Had he read her mind? She stared up at him in mute shock. “What?”

  “I love you and I swear I will never hurt you again.”

  His honesty filled her lungs with air and gave her the courage she needed. “I love you, too.”

  Aaron brushed his thumb over her cheek. “Why are you crying?”

  She sniffled, completely ignoring her tears. “Because I’m happy.” And she was. Really, and truly happy.

  He groaned and closed her in a tight hug. “Me, too sweetheart.”

  Celine snuggled closer to him, reveling in the way his chest rumbled against her cheek. “What do you think will happen with Mr. J?”

  “I think my team will catch him and I think we’ll find Caroline,” Aaron answered without hesitation.

  “You seem so sure.”

  “The information you were able to give us on Mr. J, who you knew as Jack Mankel, is going to help a lot. Up until n
ow we didn’t know his current alias.” Aaron stroked her hair, sending delicious shivers down her spine.

  Jack Mankel had seemed so smooth and charming, but when Celine really thought about it, she’d had a feeling about him in the beginning. Her instinct had been not to trust him. And then his daughter…She kept having dreams about her and Caroline being interchangeable.

  “Aaron, has anyone been able to dig up any information on his daughter?”

  “Not yet, honey, but Agent K and my whole team are looking into it.”

  “It’s just that I keep seeing her in my mind and for some reason I think she looks like Caroline. Maybe I’m losing it.” There really wasn’t any other explanation. The worst nightmare that held her was of his daughter actually turning into Caroline, which was just insane.

  “You went through a lot of trauma, both physically and mentally. Give yourself some more time to recover,” Aaron said.

  But what if she could remember more – it would help their mission. Maybe even be what helped them find Caroline and safely return her home. “I want to help more.”

  “You are, baby. More than you know.” Aaron’s stomach grumbled against her ear.

  The loud sound turned her thoughts to a more immediate need. “You know what would make this night even more perfect?”

  “Hmmm…”

  “Food.”

  “Hungry?”

  “I think I’ll be hungry for the rest of my life,” she answered honestly.

  He laughed, a deep and rich sound that made her own lips curl in response.

  “I aim to please. Stay put, I’ll be right back.” Aaron eased her onto his pillow and went downstairs. She lay there, half on the verge of sleep and consciousness, listening to him move about in the kitchen.

  She’d completely fallen for Aaron Speirs. A warm feeling that had nothing to do with the hot bath stole across her chest and left her fuzzy.