Department 57: Bloody Crystal (21 page)

With each stroke her arousal rose like a living thing inside her. She’d thought herself exhausted, wrung out, but now she discovered she was wrong. She hungered for him, more than she could remember doing for anyone else. He’d barely cleared the hair at the top of her mons, nowhere near touching her, but she leaned back, pushed up her hips.

“No, darling. If you want me to touch, you have to show. Let the world see how beautiful you are. Take off your jeans.”

She couldn’t do anything else. This was more than loving; this was a demonstration of trust. She guessed he needed it. He’d been alone most of his life, moved on and made a life for himself. On his own. Something deep inside of him demanded this, that she trust him of her own volition, when there was nothing at stake
but
trust. In danger, she had to trust him because he knew best. It would have been foolish to do anything else. But here she could say no. She could walk away, and there’d be no repercussions. Or none that were life threatening. But she’d hurt him, and that would always remain between them.

Besides, he was heating her blood to fever pitch. Right now she’d do anything for him if he’d touch her just once.

He continued to stroke her lower stomach and her hips until she made up her mind. Moaning her surrender, she leaned forward to drag her jeans down her legs. She kicked off her shoes. The ones they’d found for her were a size too large, so she didn’t even have to undo the laces. That saved time.

As she straightened, he slid his hands up her body, over her waist, taking her T-shirt with him. He pulled it off and cast it aside, heedless of where it fell. She wouldn’t be wearing it again in any case. He cupped her breasts. “Mmm, sexy. I liked that bra you wore before.”

“I have a drawer full.”

“None that I’ve chosen. I want to choose some for you, have the pleasure of seeing you model them for me.”

“What will you do in return?” She was almost gasping now, his warm hands blazing a trail to her heart.

“Anything you want me to. And maybe give you a few surprises in the bargain.” He paused, but only to strip off his own T-shirt. He returned immediately, drawing her against his hot, hard body. “That’s better. Open your legs, Cerys. Show the world how beautiful you are.”

She moaned and leaned against him, the end of her messy ponytail brushing his skin. She did it again, and it was his turn to moan. “Do it, cariad.
Agor eich coesau.”

“
Ie.”

She had no choice. None at all. She wanted him to touch her, needed it like she needed her next breath. Shakily she spread her legs. “Wider.” She did as he told her, his voice soft but masterful. Below, people walked. They’d be able to see her from across the street if this were an ordinary hotel room. They were high enough but not too high for anyone with a camera with a zoom lens or a pair of binoculars to see her easily. See them.

She lifted one arm to curl around his neck, to hold him tight as he kissed her neck, her throat, lingering at the pulse point. He held her close to his body, so close his cock burned through his jeans, and moved his hand lower and lower still, slowly drifting through the curls until he reached her cleft. “Oh God, sweetheart, you are so wet,” he murmured, his mouth against her throat. And finally he dipped lower, into her wet heat. “Open to me. Your mind, your heart. Everything. This room is protected from psi invasion, better jamming than anyone else has, so nobody can penetrate it.”

At the word “penetrate,” she had a sudden vision of his cock plowing into her, forging its way into her body. And she melted. She couldn’t deny him anything.

Not while he was doing that. His devilish fingers strummed and pinched. He slipped a finger just inside her, bathing it in her essence, then drew it up in an agonizingly slow sweep until he reached her clit. At the same time, he pinched one of her nipples with his other hand. He knew she liked that. She cried out, almost past words now.

“Can you see us reflected in the window? Open your eyes, cariad; look at them. One glance up here and they’d see it all. See inside you, that beautiful pussy, dripping for me. Do you think they’d like to do this?” He pinched her nipple and her clit at the same time, catapulting her into temporary oblivion. He held her steady while she pulsed around him, and shoved two fingers deep, hooking them, searching for her sweet spot. She had no idea if he found it. She was high enough already.

He stilled. “Open your eyes.”

She did as he ordered. Right on to the throng of people outside. As far as she could see, nobody was looking at their window, but if this huge window was open, everyone could see her and everything she had.

That shouldn’t turn her on, shouldn’t send her into this frenzy of need, but it did. It did, and she wanted more, even more. “Make love to me, Rhodri.”

“No.”

She cried out in frustration, but before she could plead with him, he explained. “I might fuck you. If you want that.”

Then she understood the difference. She ached for his cock inside her, right now. His fingers were a poor substitute. She wanted that thick, hard rod of flesh deep inside her, pummeling her to a vicious orgasm. And she wanted it now.

Cool air swept between them when he withdrew a little, but the sound of the zipper came as a relief. He would do it. He kept his fingers inside her, keeping her on the keening edge.

“Fuck me, Rhodri.”

“With pleasure,” he growled, stepping closer again. Flesh against flesh, hard against her back. Not enough. It wasn’t in the right place. Whimpering, she stepped back, rubbed him, but he pushed her to stand right in front of the window again. A pause, then he grabbed something, nudged it against her feet. A low, long footstool. “Get up.”

Eagerly she hopped up, and although he withdrew his fingers, he didn’t pull away from her. He moved close, pushed his cock between her legs. If anyone was looking, he could probably see more now. Or she. It didn’t matter.

“Touch it.”

She stroked the head, collected the bead of moisture. She lifted it to her mouth, licked her finger with lascivious pleasure. Salty, delicious. Caviar couldn’t possibly taste better. Then she touched him with her wet finger, traced a figure eight around the head, brushing over the opening, caressing, teasing him to give her more. He obliged and brushed his lips against hers neck, nibbling a path up to her ear. “Put it where you want it. Make me fuck you.”

“Yes, anything. I’ll do anything for you.”

“I know you will. And I’m going to ask more and more from you.” His low growl showed her how much he felt, as did the shot of pure lust that arced through her mind. No more. She took his cock in her hand, curling her fingers around his length, and eased it back along her crease, pausing to tease herself but unable to wait any longer.

When she pushed him inside, she had to lean forward and nearly lost her balance. Flinging her hands out, she caught the window frame.

“Stay there,” he said. “That feels better. I can go deeper if you lean forward.”

She was so close to the glass that his first thrust pushed her breasts to bounce against it, the cool surface chilling her nipples to aching hardness. She leaned back against him. She had what she’d dreamed of, his fine, hard cock thrusting deep into her willing body. She moaned his name. “Rhodri, please, take everything.”

He pressed a finger against her anus. “Everything?”

She sucked in a breath of shock. “If you want it.”

“Never before,” he rumbled. “I’ve never wanted this before, but I want to own you, to know every part of you. But not like this. I can’t wait. I need you now, Cerys.” He withdrew and plunged in, deep and hard. If he didn’t have his arm around her waist, the force could have catapulted her through the window. But he kept her safe. He always would.

Her ponytail had lost its elastic fastening, and her hair flowed loose around her shoulders, catching the rays of the sun, strands flying across her face as he fucked her, increasing his pace, plunging deep and deeper still. She kept her legs wide open, as wide as she could manage without losing him.

“Play with yourself, Cerys. Tweak that clit. Let’s see if we can get you a double orgasm.” She put a shaking hand on herself, found her clit, hard and engorged now, and she pinched it, howled with the response that shot shards of pleasure through her whole body. He dragged her closer, his other hand squashed between them, his finger still rubbing her anus, frantically now. He let his movements push his finger against her with every stroke.

“Can you imagine what they’re seeing?” His voice, breathier now, came in gasps, but he still spoke. He could have used a mental voice with less effort, but he chose to fill her mind with images of them, writhing together, her pussy wide open for anyone who wanted to see, his cock powering in and out of her, forcing her up to a place she didn’t know, somewhere she couldn’t recognize.

But he gave it to her. With a cry, she opened—heart, soul, and body. Everything he wanted he could have, and he took it as if he had a right to it.

But he gave himself. With one final deep thrust, he cried out—a full-bodied, lusty roar—and emptied his body inside her. At the same time, the first pulse of her orgasm began. He slid his hand down from her waist, took over from her, nudged her fingers aside, and tweaked her clit. That was all it took. She shook, cried out, and could do nothing but lean against him and trust that he would support her as she came and came and came.

He waited, growled her name, and she clenched his cock, milking him of every drop, leaving nothing behind. She wanted everything he had to give, and he gave it to her.

The glass felt cool against her forehead as he pulled out, releasing a flood of moisture. She glanced down, giving a shaky laugh as she saw the mess they’d made of the velvet footstool. “Guess we’d better add that to the bill.”

He put his hand around her waist and lifted her down, as gentle now as he’d been vicious before. He turned her in his arms and smiled shakily. His hair hung over his eyes, dripping with sweat, as was the rest of his body. She hadn’t realized how much effort he’d put into it. His lungs were going like bellows, but he was smiling, and his eyes melted her with gratitude and love.

She leaned into him, felt their bodies slick together, and planted a kiss on his lips. “That was amazing.”

“More than amazing.”

He took her hand and led her away, toward the door that presumably led to the bathroom. “Bath or shower?”

“Both.” Her senses slowly returning, she smiled up at him.

He caught her forearm and drew her close for another kiss. When his lips finally left hers, he’d persuaded her. “Was that good? Maybe want to try it again, this time in an ordinary hotel room with me fuzzing us? That way you’d have to trust me completely to keep us both safe.”

“You know I will. That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced.” She grimaced. “And it took my mind off what just happened completely. You brought us into the now. I didn’t know anything else. I’d have forgotten my name next.”

“And I’d have reminded you because I’ll never forget it, Cerys.” He murmured her name against her cheek. “Cerys, Cerys. I’ll remember it for both of us.”

“Shower first.”

This time she led the way.

Chapter Sixteen

They showered, bathed, made love, ate, bathed again, and finally slept. Sometime later, they woke up, and he fed her, lovingly offering his neck for her to take. She did it neatly, wished he could do the same, but she knew he wouldn’t. Not at this stage in the operation. “We have to take care of you now,” he said, laying her gently against the sheets.

“Why now? Oh yes, the baby.” She’d been so tired she’d almost forgotten. But not completely. Never completely.

“Do you know how happy you’ve made me?”

She shook her head. He leaned over her and gave her a sweet, lingering kiss. He was good at those. Really good. “Very happy. More than I can say. Tomorrow, or whenever we get up, I’m going in to the Department to make a will in your favor. You and the little one. You’ll never want for anything again.”

She reached up and gripped his arms, her fingers curled over his bulging biceps. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“Still, I want to do it.” In the dim light of the bedside lamp they’d left on, she saw the doubt in his eyes, felt it in his mind.

“You’re an agent.” She had to accept what he was, what he did. “Can they train me?”

“Do you want that?”

She considered. Would she want it if he was out of the picture? Not that he would be. But yes, yes, she would. “If anyone had offered me the gig last year, before I knew you, I’d have said yes, I think. It might be scary, but there’s this feeling, you know, power or something.”

“Justice.” He smiled, so soft and loving she knew she’d carry the mental picture with her to her dying day. “But you can’t until the baby’s born.”

“There are other things I can learn. It’s not all physical, is it?” He shook his head in response. “And if I have to sit out the next nine months, so do you.”

“That seems fair.” He frowned. “But only if—”

“You’re going after Wilkinson.”

He sighed. “I have to. I know him. I’ve learned him. I’m part of the core group. We’ve been chasing him for years, ever since he attacked Bryn’s wife and tried to kill her. Not that she was Bryn’s wife then. That came later. I’ve followed him across the globe, and now it’s time for the endgame. I can’t stop now.”

She gave a wry grin. “I know. I wish I didn’t. He’s hurt a lot of people, hasn’t he?”

He gave a jerky nod. “Killed them too.”

“Don’t leave me out of this.”

“I can’t work effectively, knowing you’re in danger.”

“Where am I safest? In the Department—learning more techniques to take care of myself and our baby—or outside, depending on you to protect me?”

He gave a harsh laugh and lifted his head, staring at the wall behind her before lowering his chin and gazing at her again. “Okay, you win. You’re right. Come in with me. Cristos can enroll you, and he will if I ask him. We cross boundaries, work all over the world.”

“Like the CIA or MI6?”

He cupped her cheek, stroked his thumb over her skin. “Except we don’t owe loyalty to any one country. Agents are usually citizens of one country or another, but that’s different. It’s more like Interpol, in that it’s a cross-frontiers organization. You work for the Department. You go where you’re needed, do what’s wanted. Our primary loyalty is to other Talents, wherever they are.”