Protecting Medusa

by Elizabeth Andrews

  He wondered if she realized how pretty she was this way, fully relaxed at last. He stuck his hands in his coat pockets to keep from touching her. He had plenty of time for touching later. “We should call Jason.”

  She swiped at her wet cheek with one hand, straightening and nodding, while she tried to stop laughing.

  He dug his cell out of his pocket and pushed a button on it, only half-listening as it dialed the number. “Hi, Aggie, how’re you guys doing?”

  Just like that, Mena’s shoulders tensed again.

  He stepped around the end of the couch and sat beside her, setting his free hand on her knee. “Really? I bet he loved it.”

  Mena frowned at him, and he gave a tiny head shake. “Well, good. Can I talk to Jason?”

  Mena leaned closer, and he kissed the tip of her nose, startling her. “Hey, buddy. How are you?”

  “Hi, Daddy! I helped Danny with the alarms.”

  “Really?” He tilted the phone so she could hear, too. “You didn’t touch anything you shouldn’t did you?”

  “Course not. He said I was a big help.”

  “I bet you were.” He nudged her elbow with his own, just because.

  She narrowed her eyes.

  “What are you doing now?” he asked his son.

  “We’re havin’ pizza. Danny got three of ’em, Daddy. We couldn’t decide what to put on ’em, so he said we’d just get ’em all! I didn’t like the one with pineapples on, though. It tasted funny.”

  He listened to his son chatter on for a few minutes, then cleared his throat. “I have someone here who wants to talk to you, buddy.”

  “Aunt Phila!”

  She heard the shout, and a little smile curved her lips.

  “Yep. Hang on, bud.” He held the phone out, and their fingers brushed when she took it.

  “Hi, baby. How are you doing?” she asked, sitting back against the sofa.

  He pushed to his feet, giving her some privacy while he checked the cabin. All three windows locked securely from inside, and the only entry was the front door. His gaze slid to the bed, and he tried to imagine sleeping on it.

  It was heart-shaped, for fuck’s sake.

  Then again, he didn’t imagine sleep would be the first thing on his mind when he got her in it later.

  He turned around in time to see her lean forward, her elbow resting on her knee and her forehead on her hand. Her expression was somber now, so he guessed she was talking to her mother and not Jason.

  He waited until she finished her conversation before he returned to her side. “Let’s get some supper. I’m starving.” He took his phone when she held it out. “We passed some restaurants on the way in. I bet we can find something good.” He didn’t wait for a response, just pulled her to her feet and rebuttoned her coat.

  Philomena let him seat her at a corner booth in the bright, busy diner he found and didn’t protest when he told the waitress they both wanted the dinner special. She just kept thinking of her mother and Jason and the danger they were in because of her. Because if she didn’t think about that, she’d be thinking instead of the coming night and the monstrous bed in the tiny cabin she was about to share with Ryder. And that was unsafe territory after the past twenty-four hours, just as dangerous as the Harvesters, but in a much different manner.

  “You’re thinking way too hard about this, Mena,” he said softly, stroking the back of her hand where it lay on the table.

  She glanced up from her mound of mashed potatoes, aware of the warmth climbing her arm from where he touched her. “How can I not?”

  “Danny will make sure they’re safe.” His low voice was soothing, though it sent shivers up her spine for far different reasons. “They’ll be getting ready to travel tomorrow, then hit the road the following day.”

  “Jason should be in school.” She didn’t let herself think of the other thing.

  He smiled, setting his hand more securely over hers. “It’ll be fine, baby. I promise.”

  She set her fork down. “You shouldn’t make promises like that. You can’t know for sure.”

  His dark eyes went serious in a flash. “I will keep the two of you safe, Mena.”

  Her stomach twisted at his words. “You should worry about keeping Jason safe first.”

  “And how do you think he’d feel if I let something happen to you?” His grip on her hand tightened.

  She looked away, swallowing. She didn’t want to think about the possibility.

  “For all intents and purposes, you’re his mother, Mena. You’ve raised him since he was born. No--” he held up his other hand when she opened her mouth to protest-- “just because she gave birth to him and sends him a birthday card if she thinks of it, that means nothing. Desi is a lousy mother, but you aren’t, and Jason knows it. He’d be devastated if I let something happen to you.” He shot her a hard glance. “And even if I didn’t want you so bad my zipper’s about to burst, I’d need to keep you safe just because you’re family.”

  His argument didn’t make her feel better. “So you have control issues and a knight in shining armor complex,” she said, lifting one shoulder.

  He tugged on her hand, regaining her attention. “I may work well in protector mode, Mena, but I’m no knight in shining armor.” He held her gaze this time, his own heated. “And having a sheet of solid metal between us is my idea of torture.”

  “Ryder, it’s sex,” she said, keeping her voice low, pleased when it didn’t shake. “Good chemistry doesn’t mean you should put your life in danger. Not when you have a child to think about.” Still, the warmth from his fingers around hers had spread, all the way up her arm, to her face, her breasts, into her belly, lower.

  His jaw hardened. “I don’t think there’s another woman I’ve ever made love to before you, or a woman I’ve slept with that I’d ever risk my life for. Just you,” he whispered.

  His words made her breath catch. Too scary. Too soon. Too impossible. And, in her experience, a big fat lie. She tugged at her hand, but he refused to let go, his dark gaze searching her face. Her heart pounded crazily, and she wanted to go. Needed to go. Somewhere. Anywhere, as long it wasn’t this close to a man who’d just made such a claim. Her pulse tripped over itself.

  “You should eat a little more of your supper,” he said at last, his tone gruff. “I plan to exhaust you into oblivion on our heart-shaped bed when we get back to the cabin.”

  Just like that, heat exploded in her core to obliterate the fear. For years, she’d managed not to let any man too close. They couldn’t be trusted to keep their word. She’d learned it when her father abandoned them when Desi was two. She’d relearned it in high school when her true love decided he’d rather sleep with her wild younger sister than date Philomena, who wouldn’t put out.

  And now Ryder had bulldozed his way into her life and her bed. At least now she knew better than to believe pretty words.

  But her mouth went dry with the images her brain summoned up at his words, and she lifted her water glass with her free hand, ignoring the slight tremor of her fingers to take a quick drink.

  “I realized earlier you’ve seen all of me, but I haven’t seen you yet,” he continued, his eyes growing darker as he spoke. “So we need a big fire in the fireplace, and all the lights on.”

  Philomena shut her eyes against those images, but it didn’t work. She remembered all too well the ways he’d touched her last night, first outside and then later, in her bed.

  She thanked all the Gods she wasn’t getting ready to PMS, or her wild hormones would have her leaping over the table to get at him now.

  “Then I can spread you out on the bed and take my time with you. The way I should have last night. Taste every inch of that pretty body, tease you to the brink and back again.”

  Her breathing hitched, and she realized she was shaking. With desire. Lust. Need. For Ryder. Apparently men weren’t the only ones with big brain-little brain issues.

  “I could almost lay you on this table now and take yo
u,” he rasped, “I’m so hard. But I’m going to take very, very good care of you tonight.” His thumb slid along the outside of hers, slowly. “It’s going to be so good, Mena.”

  She swallowed back a tiny moan when he nudged her knee under the table with his, and she forced her eyes to open. She tried to focus her gaze on the plate of half-eaten food in front of her, but he kept stroking her hand, and her imagination kept supplying her with other places and ways he could touch her.

  “Are you wet for me, Mena?” he whispered, leaning nearer.

  She couldn’t stop herself from meeting his gaze this time, and she swallowed hard at the dangerous expression on his face. Predatory. Hungry. She wouldn’t admit it, not here, but her panties were drenched.

  “Wet enough for me to slide deep?”

  Her breath rushed past her lips. How did he know? Or did he know his words would have just that effect on her?

  “Let’s go.” He freed her hand and took out his wallet, tossing some money on the table, then pushed to his feet and grabbed their coats.

  She got to her feet, willing her wobbly knees to hold her up. He helped her into her coat and then guided her out into the cold night, one big hand low on her back to steer her to the truck.

  She wasn’t going to stop him, she realized.

  Or herself.

  Dangerous or not, while she had the chance, she was going to indulge just a little.

  Chapter Four

  Ryder steered the truck back to the little cabin in five minutes flat, going too fast for the winding, snowy roads.

  When they’d left the restaurant and he’d kissed her, she lifted into his arms with no hesitation, and his body hardened even more at the soft feel of her. During the short drive, her fingers warmed his on the seat between them.

  He parked just outside their front door, shutting the truck off, and he heard her swallow in the sudden silence. He shoved his door open and went around to hers.

  Her green eyes were enormous in the soft light from over the door, and he wished for more illumination to see the emotion in them. He lifted her out of the truck, sliding her down along his body, torturing himself. And her, judging by the strangled sound she made when her belly rubbed over his erection. He wanted to hear that sound again. He didn’t kiss her, though, much as he wanted to. No, he wanted her inside and naked.

  Now.

  He pulled her along, up the two steps to the door, and shoved the key into the lock. He’d left the light on when they went to get supper, and the room looked exactly as it had an hour ago. Not that he expected trouble here. No one knew where they were, not even Danny. He shut and locked the door behind them, releasing her hand as he dropped his coat onto the armchair on his way to the fireplace.

  There were logs, kindling, and matches all within easy reach of the big fireplace, and in just a few minutes, he had a fire crackling in the hearth. He sat back on his heels, feeling the warmth as the flames licked into the bigger pieces of wood. Now, to Mena...

  She still stood inside the door where he’d left her, though she’d removed her coat and had her arms folded over her middle, protectively. Cheeks pink, she’d fixed her gaze on the fireplace, avoiding him.

  He wasn’t allowing it. He pushed to his feet and strode to her, tugging on her sleeve until she let her arm fall away from her belly. He caught her hand and drew her along to the sofa. “Sit with me, Mena.” He’d told her over dinner exactly what he intended, but he didn’t have to rush right to the main course.

  He sank onto the couch and patted the cushion beside him. She sat, stiffly. He rubbed his hand over the back of her sweater, felt her tense even more. He ignored that and kept stroking, massaging lightly.

  “You smell good.” He gave one of her curls a light tug. “Is it shampoo or something else?”

  He studied her sober profile until she turned her head a little toward him. “Probably a combination,” she said at last.

  “Come kiss me, Mena.” He slid his hand up her spine, then down again. “Please.”

  Her head turned further, her green eyes considering. After several long heartbeats, she shifted on the sofa, drawing one knee up, then the other, so she knelt beside him. The tight peaks of her nipples showed against the soft wool of her sweater. His mouth watered in anticipation. Patience.

  She touched his lower lip with her forefinger, lightly. Skimmed from one side to the other.

  His breath came faster.

  Her lashes lowered when her gaze dropped to his open mouth, shielding her eyes.

  When she set her hand on his chest to brace herself and leaned nearer, his heart bounced off his ribs. The enticing scent of her surrounded him, something sweet and spicy, the musk of her desire. His dick ached.

  A little closer. A breath between them.

  Finally!

  When her mouth settled over his, his inner caveman rose up, demanding he take charge. He reined in the urge, letting her tease him with brief, soft kisses from one corner of his mouth to the other, her warm tongue sliding out to taste him several times. His fingers flexed on her back.

  The heat from her mouth spread all through him, making his heart pound harder, tightening his groin even more.

  Then she deepened the kiss, slanting her mouth over his.

  He slid his fingers into her hair--soft curls like silky ribbons against his palm.

  Her nails pressed harder into his chest as she moaned into the kiss.

  He lifted his other hand to her waist, slid higher to cup her breast.

  When she arched into the gentle caress, he stifled a shout of triumph. He had plenty of time to get her to the bed.

  Ryder’s breath caught when she shifted over him, straddling his thighs, and his fingers tightened on her breast, tugging at the tight tip. Her hips rocked down then, right along his aching cock.

  “Yes, just like that, baby,” he breathed roughly against her lips.

  Her fingers slipped into his hair, and her mouth slid over his, cutting off further words.

  He felt her heat through the light wool of her skirt, the heavy denim of his jeans. And he wanted to sink into it. Over and over again. Forever.

  He forced his concentration back to her mouth. Sweet and warm, she explored his lips, his mouth with her tongue. He pinched her nipple, gently, and swallowed her moan. The sound tasted delicious.

  Her hips shifted over his, in a small, circular motion this time, and he slid his other hand from her nape to her hip, pressing her closer.

  Mena lifted her head, her breaths coming roughly, her green eyes unfocused.

  “Do it again,” he whispered.

  She rocked her hips, harder this time, and he heard the gasp that escaped her.

  “How wet are you, baby?” He rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

  She tried to focus her gaze on his face, but he lifted his hips, wedging his cock hard against her. Her head dropped back, eyes sliding shut as her mouth opened on a soundless cry.

  He wrestled several yards of wool out of his way to find one of her bare thighs, sliding his fingers higher until he reached the lace of her panties. Another couple inches to the heat between her thighs, and he found his answer. The fabric was drenched. Sweat beaded on his forehead. “Jesus,” he ground out, rubbing his fingers over the wet crotch of her panties so her hips moved toward him.

  He’d promised her slow. Somehow, he had to deliver on that, no matter what his dick thought.

  Moving carefully, he eased his fingers under the elastic at her leg, then down into the scalding wetness. “So nice.” He slid his fingers over her clit, and she jerked in his arms. “Easy.” He kept going until he could ease one finger into her slippery folds, deeper, into her sheath.

  “Oh, Gods,” she moaned, her chest rising and falling quickly with her breathing.

  “You like?” He stroked deep, then withdrew to repeat the caress, over and over, gritting his teeth when she met his strokes eagerly. He slid a second finger inside her, rewarded when her body convulsed on
his digits. His brain obliged him by bringing up the memory of how she’d felt around his cock last night.

  He pushed that away and tried to concentrate on making this about her. Teasing her with shallower strokes, occasionally rasping his thumb over her clit and making her gasp.

  Mena shifted nearer, her tight nipples rubbing his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Ryder.”

  He smiled and nipped at her lower lip. “Right here, Mena.” He cupped her jaw with his free hand and kissed her once more, slowly. Deeply, mimicking the strokes of his fingers inside her with his tongue in her mouth.

  When they parted this time, both breathless, he slid his hands under her and pushed to his feet. If he didn’t get her onto the bed now, his legs would never get them there later.

  She tightened her grip on him.

  “It’s okay. Just need to get you naked.” He smiled. “Wrap your legs around me.”

  She did, her lower lip caught in her teeth.

  “Ah, Gods.” He ground his teeth together for a second, steeling himself against the heat pressed to his belly. “You feel incredible, Mena.” He inhaled deeply, then moved around the sofa toward the bed.

  When he set one knee on it, the bed shifted, rolling, startling him. A waterbed. He grinned, easing her onto her back.

  Her eyes widened when she realized the bed was moving.

  “Just imagine,” he rasped out, settling over her and shutting his eyes for a second. “The waves in the bed will make it go on forever.” He rocked his hips into hers just once to set the bed in motion.

  Her breathing hitched, drawing his attention again to the taut nipples pressing into his chest.

  “You really have on too much clothing,” he muttered, easing to his knees between hers. He stepped off the bed and tugged her boots and socks from her feet, sliding his hands up her pale legs to where her skirt was still bunched above her knees. He pushed it higher, higher, his heart pounding harder in anticipation. He paused, catching her gaze for a long moment, then slid it far enough to reveal ivory panties, wet at the core of her.