by Kris Norris
She stirred.
He smiled, anticipating the way she’d look at him as she opened her eyes. But she just moved her head, drawing her fingers across his chest. He wondered what she might be dreaming of.
“Dawson,” she mumbled, kissing his chest in her sleep.
His heart skipped a beat. This was more than he could stand. He shifted his head, brushing his lips against her forehead as he caressed her body with his hands. Her skin was warm and soft, and he could still sense the light scent of her perfume.
Kendall moaned and burrowed her body against his. Her eyes fluttered open as she looked up, smiling in a way that stole his breath. “Morning,” she sighed, stroking his chest with her fingers.
“Good morning,” he replied, stifling the moan building in his chest. “Sleep well?” he asked, moving his hands back to her arms.
“Better. Thanks to you.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Kendall. Holding you isn’t a sacrifice.”
“Don’t be too sure. Not many people have risen to the challenge.”
“That’s because you don’t give them a chance,” he noted.
She paused, moving her body closer as she replied, “I’m giving you a chance.”
Dawson held his breath. Her tone had changed, and she’d raised her face even with his. His heart raced. If she asked him to make love to her, he wouldn’t be able to refuse. “Kendall…”
She pressed her finger to his lips, silencing him. “Don’t,” she said, bending down to brush her lips against his. “Don’t talk…don’t think…just act.” She moved her finger and slanted her mouth over his.
Dawson felt her tongue sweep into his mouth, tasting, exploring, melding with his before retreating and then probing again. Her pursuit was forceful, but hinted with just a touch of hesitation. The mixture extinguished any reservations holding him back. He tightened his embrace, palming her back as he rolled her over, pressing his weight onto her. Her breasts were firm against his chest, her nipples hard pinpoints that raked across his body. He could feel them through her thin tank, begging him to touch them, devour them with his mouth.
He listened.
In one fluid motion he fisted the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the floor. Her skin was pale, like rich cream, and he couldn’t halt his tongue from darting out, teasing her peaked bud. She shuddered beneath him, tightening her grip on his shoulders. He smiled, lowering his mouth to her breast, curling his tongue around her nipple, sipping it into his mouth.
“Oh, Kendall. Your skin is so soft, darling. So damn soft.”
She whispered his name as he caressed her with his hands, suckling her other nipple, laving it with his tongue. Her chest was rising and falling against his lips, her head thrown back against the pillow. She was panting, digging her nails into his back, moaning at every flick of his tongue as he teased each nipple until she cried out in protest, straining her hips against his thigh. He could feel the soft brush of silk against his leg, the only scrap of clothing she still had on. It was smooth, like her skin, but damp with the essence of her arousal. He groaned, remembering how sweet she tasted in his dream. Dammit, if he wasn’t going to drink every drop of honey from between her legs.
“Dawson,” she moaned, swaying beneath him as if the world was spinning from the way he was caressing her breasts. They were swollen, and so sensitized she cried out when his hand grazed over them, cupping them. She was going to kill him. He knew it. Kill him with longing so strong he felt as if his body would explode. She reached for his shirt, ripping it in her haste to free it from his body. God, how he wanted her to touch him. To draw her tongue along his skin, to hear her moan with desire as she tasted the scent of his body. He stilled as she ran her fingers across his back, tracing every curve of his muscles. Her touch was soft, and the skimming sensation only made him want her more. He moved back to her mouth, nipping at her lips until she opened them for him, taking his tongue deep into her mouth. He was fighting for breath, his chest heaving with hers when he felt her fingers touch his chest, caressing his male nipples until they were hard, and he groaned out in need.
“Good God, Kendall, you’re going to kill me,” he moaned, his body convulsing under her gentle assault.
“I doubt I’m capable of having that effect on you.”
Dawson shook his head, drawing his finger along her shoulder as he met her heated gaze. “Darling, if you touched me any better, I’d embarrass myself and we’d have to wait twenty minutes before we could continue.”
Kendall smiled at his confession, running her fingers down his side, caressing the swollen bulge in his briefs. He stilled, watching her catch his finger inside her mouth as he traced the line of her jaw, suckling on it as she mimicked the motion against his cock, stroking in time with each gentle caress of her tongue.
“Leave me some sanity, darling,” he moaned, imaging her lips stretched around his throbbing head, licking and sucking until he pulsed into her mouth. His cock twitched against her hand, begging him to do as he’d just imagined. He shook his head. He’d be damned if he’d give into those impulses before he’d tasted the sweet dew dampening his skin, filling his nostrils with such a fragrant aroma he felt drunk on her scent.
He kissed her again, harder this time, needing to show her just how much he wanted her. She opened to him, accepting his tongue as he thrust it back and forth, wanting her to imagine the same movement with his cock. There’d be no stopping this time, no chance for escape. She’d given him the sign, and he wasn’t going to let her back down.
He pulled back, moving his lips to her neck. He wanted to leave proof of his claim on her, and couldn’t stop from biting the soft hollow of her neck. He heard her cry out his name, arching into the rough caress as she speared her fingers through his hair. She held him tight to her, as if she were afraid he’d leave.
But he wasn’t going anywhere. Not until she’d taken all of him.
“I hope you’re well rested, Kendall, ‘cause this is going to take a while.”
Kendall whimpered her reply, arching her body against his again. Her scent was stronger now, and he could feel the silky slide of juice along his thigh. She was more than ready for him. He inched his body lower, determined to make their first time last. He wanted her to trust him, to realize he was here for more than just a convenient fuck. She still hadn’t lowered the walls, and he wouldn’t consider it a victory until she had.
“You have such pretty breasts, darling. God, I love touching them.” He cupped one side in his hand, licking the nipple again. It was a light shade of pink, and he knew each caress was echoed in her vagina. He could almost see the physical connection. The way her body twisted, her moist inner lips trembling against his body. He smiled, knowing she’d clench his tongue the same way when he dipped it through her narrow slit.
“Dawson, please. I need you.”
“And I, you, darling. But I’m not in the mood to rush it.”
She dug her nails into his scalp, tugging on his hair. He chuckled at her tactics, but she wasn’t going to sway him from his agenda. He’d fought for the right to taste her, and now he got to enjoy his success.
His cell phone rang.
The sound was distant, lost in the haze of their heated moans. He’d just licked his way to the satiny edge of her panties, with every intention of tearing them off with his teeth.
Two more rings.
Dawson moved forward and pushed up onto his elbows, glancing at his pants folded on the chair—another ring.
“Ignore it,” moaned Kendall, turning his face back to hers. “They can call back later.”
He smiled, feeling her fingers sink deeper into his hair as she pulled him to her, taking his mouth in a kiss that destroyed him.
Five more rings.
“Dammit!” He reached for the phone, catching himself on the edge. “What!”
Kendall heard another voice speaking in his ear, but couldn’t make out any of the words. He was still breathing hard, hi
s body covering hers.
“Hold on.” He took the phone away. “I’m sorry, but I have to take this.” He rolled off the bed, walking to the far side of the room.
Kendall watched him leave, his body hard with desire. She could see his cock pushed out against his underwear, the tip pulsing just below the band. It’d been hard and thick, and she’d come so close to touching the silky skin, her body screamed out in protest. She was trembling, her arousal throbbing through her system. She looked away, her breath stalled in her chest, her body shivering from the sudden loss of his heat. It took most of her strength to pull the covers up around her chin, as confusion weighed heavy in her heart. There was no doubt she wanted to make love to Dawson, so why did she suddenly feel panicked?
Something much better…Dawson.
Garrick was right. She’d walk through fire for Dawson. She set her jaw. She had to keep distant. If she allowed her love for him to take control, Garrick would kill him, just to hurt her. She had to somehow get Garrick to believe she didn’t love Dawson. She looked back over at him. He was nodding his head, his eyes closed. She could see he was trying to regain control and steady his breathing. She looked away, sadness in her heart. How could she fight what she couldn’t control? She’d never felt like this, and didn’t have the slightest idea how to hide it.
She didn’t want to hide it.
“Kendall.”
She jumped, not realizing he’d returned to the bed. She looked up at him. “What?”
“I need to deal with something. It’s important.” He sat down on the bed. “I have to go out for a while, but I’ll leave Mitchell here. Promise me you’ll stay in the house, at Mitchell’s side, until I return. No running off. I don’t even want you wandering around the house alone, understand?”
“I won’t let Garrick control my life.”
Dawson huffed and pulled her against his chest. “Just for once, could you do as I ask without making it difficult?” He leaned forward, crushing his lips to hers.
Kendall tried to pull away, but couldn’t fight the sensation inside her. She surrendered, taking his face in her hand.
Dawson moaned as she lowered the walls, opening her heart to him. His kiss intensified, his hands tightening around her. He pulled her closer, flattening his chest against hers, fingering the side of her panties with one hand. “You really are going to kill me,” he breathed.
Kill him? She was so close to climaxing she could barely remember her name. “Is that a challenge, Dawson?” She eased her hand inside his briefs and squeezed his cock, feeling the head thicken against her palm. It was smooth and warm, just like she’d imagined it’d be. She felt a gush of cream pulse from her vagina, and had to bite her lip to keep from screaming. She needed him.
“Good God, Kendall. Have pity on me.” He pulled back, stroking his finger along her cheek. “I want to stay, but I need to see Charlie…”
She squeezed again, circling her palm around the tip.
“Damn.” He kissed her again, growling against her lips before breaking off. He looked ready to kill. “I’ll go wake Mitchell if he isn’t up already. Please get dressed, and I’ll stay with you in the kitchen until Trace and Mitchell are ready.” He stood up, pulled his pants over his still hard body and walked to the door.
“He’ll kill you, just to hurt me…punishment for not keeping my promise. We’ll never be free.” She looked away. “You should go. I’ll get the Director to assign someone else. Someone I don’t care about.”
He stepped back to the bed. “I promised to protect you and I don’t intend on backing out. Now get dressed.” He turned, grabbed a shirt, and walked out the door, his footsteps echoing down the hall.
* * * *
“You made record time.” Charlie sat at the counter, eating runny eggs and toast. He was dressed in over-sized jeans and a plaid sweater, and looked more like a golfer than an Intelligence Specialist.
“You got my attention.” Dawson sat down beside him. He looked at the food, feeling the bile rise in his throat. “How can you eat that stuff?”
“It’s better than it looks. You should give it a try.”
Dawson made a face, nodding to the girl as she held the coffee pot in front of him. “Now what was it you needed me to see for myself?”
“First, I got the information on Kendall’s mother you asked for.” He handed over the paper. “Is it what you thought it’d be?”
Dawson’s heart sank as he stared at the words he’d hoped he wouldn’t have to read. “Are you sure this is correct?”
Charlie arched his brow. “First you insult my food, then you question my resourcefulness. You’re killing me here.” Charlie speared another forkful of food. “Yes, it’s correct. And it was harder than hell to dig up. I had to cross check it under her maiden name on some archaic data system that should’ve been outmoded years ago. Consider yourself lucky Garrick didn’t get to it first.”
Dawson sighed, and shoved the paper inside his jacket. There was no way he’d be able to tell Kendall, not yet. She was too upset for any more surprises. “What else?”
“I ran the background checks you asked for…on everyone. I think you might be surprised what came up.” He handed over a stack of papers. “The top two are the most interesting.”
Dawson scanned through the sheets, his eyes wide. “Where did you find this?”
“Do you really want to know?”
He looked at Charlie and shook his head. “Are you sure this is accurate?”
“Do you think I’d get you out of bed with a beautiful woman for just anything?” Charlie smiled. “I’ve been interrupted enough to know when I’m the asshole on the other end. And I gave you the benefit of the doubt that she’s beautiful.”
“She is.” He read the sheets again. “You realize this changes everything. I had no idea Garrick’s connections ran so deep. No wonder he’s always a step ahead.”
“What are you going to do?” asked Charlie, speaking around another mouthful of food.
“I’m not sure yet. But there must be a way to use this to my advantage.”
“You already know what your advantage is. The only question is, are you willing to use her to get to him?”
“I may not have a choice.” He stood up, downing the last of his coffee. “Thanks Charlie. I owe you big for this.”
“I don’t suppose your beautiful woman has a beautiful friend?”
“Nice try.” He threw some money down on the table. “Thanks again. I won’t forget this.”
Charlie snickered as he headed for the door. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“You’ve been gone for hours, buddy,” said Mitchell, meeting Dawson at the door. “I was starting to get worried.”
“I had to make a few extra stops. I needed some supplies. Everything okay?”
“They’re out on the back porch.”
Dawson’s eyes went wide. “What?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got an agent on each corner of the deck, and I only just came in to see how things went. You’re not the only one who understands Kendall. By the way, what’s up with her today?”
“What do you mean?” Dawson walked down the hall, watching Kendall and Trace through the window in the back room.
“She hasn’t said a word since you left. She didn’t even tease Trace back when he made some smart ass comment about her cooking abilities this morning.”
“She’s got a lot on her mind.”
“Yeah, you.” Mitchell smiled at him. “Just making an observation.”
“She’s just worried Garrick will try to hurt me to get to her.”
“She’s right. He seems to enjoy watching her suffer.”
Dawson took off his jacket and slung it across his arm. “Thanks for watching them, Mitchell. Why don’t you take a break? I’ll hang around.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me what Charlie found?”
Dawson hesitated for a moment before pulling a sheet from his pocke
t. “Read this.”
Mitchell scanned the report, his face reddening. “What? This isn’t true! I wasn’t involved in any of the other investigations.” He glared at Dawson. “Where the hell did you get this?”
“Relax. If I’d believed it, I wouldn’t have shown you. But there is something interesting near the bottom. Look who signed the report.”
Mitchell jumped down a few lines. “You’ve got to be kidding me?”
“Now look at this.” He handed him another sheet of paper. “This one’s even more fascinating.”
“Son of a bitch. Are you going to call it in?”
“Not yet. I have a feeling Garrick wanted me to find this, well the part about you anyway. He’s trying to set us up.”
“For what?”
“Not sure yet. But I don’t intend on playing my hand until I have a better idea.”
“This is getting way too dangerous. How are we supposed to know who’s on Garrick’s pay roll?”
“As long as I know you’re not, that’s enough.” Dawson looked back out the window. Kendall was curled up on a chair. She looked sad, distant.
Mitchell followed his gaze. “Did Charlie confirm what you thought about Kendall’s mother?”
“Yes.”
“Dammit.” Mitchell ran his fingers through his hair, his expression grim. “Are you going to tell her?”
“No…not yet anyway. She’s way too close to the edge for this. I think she suspects Garrick’s hiding something from her. She’s been wondering why he lied about how long the affair was.”
“He’s saving it.” Mitchell patted him on the shoulder. “You were right. He’s clever. But so are we. We’ll get him, one-way or the other. I’ll go have a shower, and then we can take turns watching her sulk.” Mitchell headed for the stairs.
Dawson watched him go, turning when footsteps sounded behind him.
“You’re back,” said Trace. “Thank God. Maybe now Kendall will smile.”