Experimenting With Ed (11 page)

Crawling back into bed, he hauled her against his side again. Curling into him and resting her cheek on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. To her surprise, despite the hectic pace of the past couple days and the previous sleep-deprived night, Claire felt wide-awake.

She slid a hand across his slick chest, outlining his pecs until he flattened her hand beneath his. Tossing a leg over Ed’s, she shifted until her thigh touched his cock.

This time, his grunt definitely sounded like a laugh as he hauled her on top of him. “Looking to start round two?”

Propping her chin on her fist so she could look at his face, Claire didn’t answer. Instead, she asked, “Are you ever going to tell me what happened?”

The humor cleared from Ed’s expression. He stared silently at the ceiling, a muscle working in his jaw.

Disappointed, Claire moved her hands so she could lay her cheek against his chest.

“Don’t remember much.”

Her head popped up again. “Why not?”

His shrug almost toppled her sideways. “Side effect of the surgery, maybe. More likely, they wiped our memories to keep us…compliant.”

So many questions raced toward Claire’s mouth she had to pause for a moment to sort them out before she spoke. “Okay, first off—who are ‘they’?”

“A private research group contracted by the military.”

“You were in the military? Which part?” When he looked at her with the questioning eyebrow up, she clarified. “Army? Or were you Navy?” She couldn’t repress a grin. “A seaman, maybe?” When he didn’t smile, hers faltered a little. “Get it? Seaman? Semen? No?”

“Army, they told me.” He turned his head and looked at the wall. “Don’t remember.”

“Sorry,” she said, feeling intensely guilty for trying to joke around about what had obviously been a traumatic event for him. This was apparently not the time for a semen joke.

He looked at her and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. “It’s okay, mouse,” he said, his expression lightening a little. “I like it when you’re funny.”

She made a face. “Since you’re actually telling me what’s going on, I’ll let that ‘mouse’ thing pass,” she told him. “But picking out a new nickname is going on a list of things to do when we’re not running from the cops and…military researchers.”

The corner of his mouth quirked as he nodded. “On the list. Got it.”

Claire snorted. “Whatever. I’ll believe that when I see it—or
hear
it, I guess.” Settling her chin back on her fist, she prompted him, “So you were what? A subject of a research project?”

“Yeah.”

“What was the project?”

He was quiet for several moments. “Enhancements.”

“Enhancements,” she repeated. “Sorry to break it to you but you’re not getting
any
grant money with that kind of presentation. What kinds of enhancements?”

“Enhancements to create a better soldier.”

She sighed. “Seriously, it’s like pulling teeth here. What
kinds
of enhancements? Body armor? Weapons? Better boots? What?”

“Reinforcing biological tissue and cranial microprocessor implantation,” he told her flatly.

She blinked, opened her mouth and then closed it again. “They stuck a computer in your brain?” she finally asked, staring at him.

His wince was just a slight twitch of his facial muscles. “Yes.”

“What does it do?”

He flicked a quick look at her face and then resumed staring at the ceiling. “Stores data. Processes…um, data.”

“Don’t you have, you know, a
brain
to do that for you?” she asked, still trying to get her mind around what he was telling her.

“This does it better. Faster.”

She nodded. “Your Spidey senses?”

He gave a short nod.

“Why are you so strong? Is that the…what did you call it? Reinforced tissues?”

“Yes.”

“Whoa.”

“Yes,” he said again and she laughed, a breathless, sort-of-stunned laugh.

Her thoughts were out of control again. Despite the crazy sci-fi sound to his explanation, it was actually a huge relief to hear. His abnormally strong body and keen senses had freaked her out because they hadn’t made any sense. A research experiment, though—now that was something she could understand. Sort of. “How many…um, research subjects were there?”

“Five.”

She nodded, even though she wasn’t sure if she really did understand, and he wasn’t even looking at her to see her nodding. “But you escaped.”

“We all did.” He met her eyes. “Together. Darwin’s one too.”

“Five super-soldiers with computer brains.”

“Yes.”

“Kind of a robot mini-army.”

His eyes flashed. “I’m not a robot!” he snapped so fiercely she jerked her head back a little.

“Sorry,” she told him quickly and then grimaced. “Sorry. I know you’re not.” She wiggled against him and gave a small, suggestive grin, trying to tease him out of his anger. “Nothing robotlike about you.”
Except for the computer brain.

As if he could read her mind, he told her, “Everything in my head is still there—well, everything except my memory. They just…added a few things. It’s like having a leg brace or an artificial hip or false teeth. I’m still human.”

The way Ed looked at her after he said it, as if checking to see if he should believe his own words, made her want to kiss him, so she did. As she pulled back, he cocked a curious eyebrow at her and she shrugged.

“I just felt like it,” she answered his unspoken question. “And I
don’t
think you’re a robot. You’re just…Ed.” That reminded her of another question. “Is that your name from before the,” she paused, searching for the right term, “um, experiment, or did the scientists name you?”

“My official lab name was 5674E,” he said.

“That’s warm and fuzzy.”

Ed’s mouth quirked. “Yeah. The guys and I named ourselves one night—real names, I mean. Since I was E, they decided I should be Edward.”

For some reason, this struck her as really sad. “You don’t remember
anything
from before? Not even your name?”

“Not really.” His eyebrows drew together in thought. “Sometimes I’ll almost remember something but not quite, like it’s right at the edge of my peripheral vision, but when I turn my head, it’s gone.”

“Wow,” she said. “Have you tried hypnosis or something?”

He shook his head. “Don’t think it’d work. They made us resistant to hypnosis, suggestion, things like that.”

“Huh.”

“You’re taking all this calmly,” he said. “That mean you don’t believe me?”

“Nope.” She traced the line of his mouth with her fingertip. “Just means I’ve had the craziest couple days you could imagine with almost no sleep, so my mind has given up being shocked. Plus I think the vibrations from the bike numbed my brain. It’s still buzzing.” Claire tucked her head under his chin. “Give me a few hours to sleep and process and I’ll get back to you.” She yawned. “Maybe I’ll go ape-shit tomorrow over everything.”

His chuckle rumbled beneath her and she smiled. Wrapping his arms around her, Ed gave her a hard squeeze. “Go to sleep, then.”

“I’m going,” she told him, nestling closer. Despite everything that’d happened—that was
still
happening—she fell asleep smiling.

Chapter Eight

When she woke, it was dark and she was warm. Sleep tugged at Claire but the hands massaging her naked ass were an incentive to stay awake. She tried to do both, floating in a sleepy haze with her eyes closed, but a sharp pinch popped her eyes open.

“Hey!” she protested, staring accusingly at Ed’s amused face.

“Thought you were going to sleep forever,” he told her.

Struggling to keep her scowl, she peered at red numbers on the bedside clock. “Forever? It’s freaking five in the morning!”

He shrugged. “Really? Thought it was later.”

Claire didn’t believe that for a second. Mr. Computer in His Brain knew perfectly well what time it was. “Sadist,” she grumbled, and then squeaked when he pinched her again.

“You going to go ape-shit today?” he asked in the tone of voice he’d use to ask if she were going to the store.

“Haven’t decided,” she told him. “Wasn’t going to but then some guy woke me up in the middle of the night and abused my bum.”

His fingers dived between her ass cheeks, zeroing in on her rear entrance with unerring accuracy. “Abuse your bum?” he repeated. “Okay.”

“I meant the pinching…” Her words ended on an indrawn breath as Ed wiggled the tip of one finger into her tight hole. Pleasure radiated out from her ass and she finished with a breathless, “Okay.”

He rasped a laugh. His good humor was catching and she found herself chuckling until another push buried his finger deeper. That cut off her laughter and she was forced to concentrate on breathing.

As quickly as his finger had plunged into her ass, it disappeared, pulling out and away as Ed rolled her over, leaving her on her back as he climbed out of bed. She sat up to turn on the light. By the time her eyes had adjusted to the brightness, Ed was back, standing next to the bed.

Claire rolled to her knees. “Let me,” she said, holding out her hand for the condom. He dropped the packet in her hand, along with a small bottle. Holding it up, she gave him an amused look. “Lube? That’s a necessity? You couldn’t have filled that space in your pack with…I don’t know, another flavor of protein bar or something?”

He actually grinned—an out-and-out, full-teeth-showing, big-ass grin. “If you don’t want to use it…” Ed reached for the bottle but she clutched it against her chest with a laugh.

“Might as well use it,” she said with a deep sigh. “Since you already brought it and everything.”

His laugh rumbled from his chest. Forgetting her reluctant act, she stared at him, amazed at the way laughter transformed his face.

“Well?” he prompted her. When she looked at him in dopey confusion, he gestured at the condom she was holding.

“Right.” Claire shook her head. Dropping the bottle on the bed, she tore open the wrapper and pulled out the condom. She moved to put the protection on but hesitated, eyeing the erect cock so temptingly close. Unable to resist, she lowered her head and licked the tip.

His hips jerked in reaction and she stole a glance at his face. All laughter was gone, his expression now intent. Hiding a small smile, she rolled the condom over his cock. When she reached the base, Claire allowed her hand to slip down and cradle his balls. Ed grunted in reaction and, happy she’d gotten an audible reaction from him, she gave him a squeeze.

“Christ,” he hissed out and she looked up with eyes wide as her hands fell away from him.

“Is there a problem, sir?” she asked sweetly, batting her lashes. Casually, she picked up the bottle of lube and played with it.

“No problem,” he said hoarsely, his eyes on her fingers, which were rolling the cap back and forth, loose and then tight again. Taking off the cap completely, she squeezed some lube into her hand and rubbed both together until her palms were slick. She reached toward his erection and then paused.

“Sure?” she asked and couldn’t hold back a laugh at his narrow-eyed growl. Grasping his cock with both hands, she ran them over his length, base to tip, over and over until he grabbed her wrists and gave her a short shake of his head. Leaning in, Ed kissed her, the force of it toppling her backward. He followed her down, straddling her body on his hands and knees.

His lips left hers and he nibbled his way down her neck, the sting of his teeth melting her insides until wet heat trickled from her pussy to drench her thighs. Kissing his way down her breastbone, he brushed his lips across her nipple, teasing the stiff nub with the lightest of touches until she grabbed his head with both hands.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t force his mouth to her desperate nipple. Ignoring her tight grip on his head, he leisurely explored her breasts, licking the underside, kissing the top slope, burying his face between the two mounds and turning his head so his stubbly cheeks and chin prickled her sensitized skin.

“Please,” she moaned, tugging handfuls of his hair. He looked up, mimicking her innocent look from moments earlier. “Please suck it.”

His mouth closed around her nipple and she groaned, this time not from frustration but from the utter delight of it, so hot and slick on her flesh. Claire quickly realized he wasn’t done teasing her yet when his mouth and tongue remained gentle, barely pulling at the straining tip.

“Harder,” she demanded. “Suck it harder.”

He didn’t. Instead, pulling his head back, he barely touched her nipple with the tip of his tongue.

“Please?” she begged, twisting beneath him, and his mouth latched on, pulling strongly. Her back arching, Claire cried out.
Please really is the magic word
flashed through her mind and then all thoughts were gone, swallowed by pain-edged ecstasy as he lightly closed his teeth on her nipple and tugged.

Switching back and forth between her breasts, Ed sucked and nipped, all his teasing softness gone, replaced by the edge of roughness that drove her wild. Her hands kneaded his scalp and neck, her nails barely scoring his skin, just enough to make him shudder and suck harder on the tip of her breast.

With a final tug of his teeth, he released her nipple and sat back, flipping her over onto her front before she realized what had happened. Seizing her hips, he lifted her to her hands and knees. Claire felt the blunt head of his cock nudge her puckered rear opening.

A touch of apprehension shivered through her at the unfamiliar sensation and he paused, still except for the soothing brush of his thumbs against her skin.

“Don’t be scared,” he told her.

She gave a breathless huff of laughter. “Still doesn’t work.”

“What?”

“Ordering me not to be frightened.” Claire paused. “Not that I am—scared, I mean.”

“No?” His hands slid up her sides.

This time, her shiver wasn’t from fear. “No.” The word came out in a croak. Clearing her throat, she tried again. “Of course not.”

His grunt sounded skeptical but Claire couldn’t really concentrate on that, since his hands were now cupping her breasts. As he pinched and tugged at her nipples, the slippery head of his cock touched her rear entrance, not pushing in but just touching lightly. His fingers played with the tips of her breasts, teasing gently one moment and then closing in a sharp squeeze the next.

Pleasure shot through her, from nipple to pussy to ass, until her skin was vibrating with it. Arching her back, she pressed against the cock behind her, her previous nervousness swept away by desire. Although she heard Ed’s indrawn breath, he didn’t plunge into her ass. Instead, he plucked at her nipples and rolled them between his fingers.

With a small, impatient sound, Claire shoved her hips back. The more he played with her breasts, the emptier her ass felt. All her earlier reservations had disappeared and she wanted his cock filling her—now.

“Please,” she pleaded. “Fuck my ass!”

He froze at her words and then his fingers closed in a hard pinch as he drove his hips forward, burying the tip of his cock in her hole. The dual sensations, painful enough to set sparks off in her brain, made her moan and arch into his touch.

At her eager reaction, Ed thrust again, wedging his cock another inch into her ass, stretching her around him. The pressure, the heat, the shock of sensation that merged pain and pleasure into something more intense than either one—all were incredible, stealing her breath. Claire couldn’t stay still, pushing her hips back and clenching around the head of his cock.

Releasing her nipples, he grabbed her hips, holding her still as he drove into her. She fought his hold, not because she wanted to escape but just to feel the security of his grip. The dig of his fingers into her flesh was even more arousing than his hands on her breasts and she struggled against him just to feel his grasp tighten.

He swore, a guttural, unintelligible sound, and plunged into her, burying his cock in her ass, filling her. Panting for breath, she gripped him with her body, loving the stretch of his penetration, the dark pleasure radiating through her. Leaning over her back, he kissed her shoulder and she turned her head to catch his mouth with hers.

Ed kissed her as his fingers rediscovered her breasts. One of his hands slipped across her stomach to her pussy, tracing her opening before his finger landed on her swollen, aching clit, pressing it down and moving in a tiny circle. When sparks flared in her vision, Claire was forced to turn her head away from his drugging kiss in order to suck in a gasping breath.

His hands returned to her hips as he withdrew, pulling out slowly before sliding back in. Each time he filled her, Claire tried to hold him with her body, fighting his abandonment. His thrusts sped up until he was hammering into her, his hips slamming against her ass with each stroke, his balls slapping her soaked pussy, driving her closer and closer to orgasm.

Leaning forward, he gripped her muscle sloping from neck to shoulder with his teeth. The bite, combined with his cock pounding relentlessly into her ass, set her off. Pulling away from the grip of his teeth to bury her face in the mattress, Claire screamed as she came, her body bucking beneath his continuing assault. Pleasure coursed through her, vibrating beneath her skin until every muscle contracted.

With a snarl, he buried his erection inside her and came, his hips jerking in short thrusts, driving his cock so deeply it felt as if it filled her entire body, huge and hard and vital. Ed shuddered, collapsing over her back. His chest was heaving and soaked with sweat.

Her knees unfolded, straightening until she lay flat on her stomach. Ed came with her, his body blanketing hers. He supported most of his weight, allowing just enough to press down on her so she felt warm and secure without being crushed into the mattress.

Giving her shoulder a gentle kiss where he’d bitten her, he slid free of her body. Claire caught her breath, a leftover tremor of pleasure rocking her. The bed lurched as he got up, leaving her for only a few seconds before the mattress sank under his weight again. Ed kissed her back between her shoulder blades and she smiled without opening her eyes.

“We need to go,” he told her and the contented curve of her lips fell away.

“Now?” she asked, rolling onto her side to face him. “Can’t I have five minutes to sleep? Please?”

When he hesitated, Claire pressed back a triumphant grin. She had him now.

“Just five minutes?” she pleaded, peeking at him. He seemed to be undecided, so she decided to push a little. Tipping forward, she brushed her lips against his biceps.

“I want to get out of here before people see the morning news,” he protested, but his voice was strained and his hand reached out to slide over the rounded hill of her hip.

Claire pushed up so she could see the bedside clock. Making a face as guilt scratched at her, she flopped back down. It was too easy to forget they were on the run, not having their first vacation together. “Is there time for a shower first?”

“If you don’t wash your hair,” Ed told her with a short nod. “You go first. Five minutes.”

She pouted a little. “Don’t you want to join me? It’ll take half the time as two showers.”

Ed snorted. “No, it’ll take five times as long.”

Dropping her pout, she grinned. “Probably.” Sighing, she crawled over Ed toward the edge of the bed, taking the opportunity to drag her nipples across his chest. His arms locked around her as he yanked her down for a kiss.

When he finally let her go, she could only blink at him, any thoughts of teasing kissed right out of her.

“Go,” he growled.

“Going.” Claire knew kissing his mouth would start them right off again, so she pecked his chin instead before rolling off the bed and onto her feet. As she headed toward the bathroom, she couldn’t resist glancing over her shoulder at Ed.