Hard As Ice (Fortis Series 1) (18 page)

Dazed by his heightened arousal and insane thoughts, Evan ran his fingers through Nia’s hair, urging her to lift her head. Their eyes met, and she released a deep breath, her lips stretching into a sensual smile. His heart bloomed, spreading radiating heat through his chest.

“Wow,” she mumbled. “That was spectacular.”

Her enthusiasm was infectious. He chuckled, his ego swelling to epic proportions.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here before you start to get chilled.”

He climbed out of the bath and grabbed a large, fluffy towel from the shelf nearby. Nia stepped out after him, and he dried her off thoroughly before wrapping the plush cotton around her body like a sarong. Taking down another, he wrapped it around his waist. They walked together into the bedroom. He laid her on her back in the bed, making sure she didn’t show any signs of discomfort.

“Still good?” he asked, unwrapping her body.

She nodded. He tossed away his towel and reached for a condom in the side table.

“Let me,” offered Nia, taking the packet from his hand.

She sat up, tore the foil with her teeth, and rolled it on him with slow, torturous strokes. Evan leaned down and kissed her with urgent depth. She was so responsive, taking the lead to stroke his tongue, then retreating as he sucked hers. Her fingers roamed his back, scoring his flesh with her nails. His need for her was overwhelming.

“Nia,” he prayed, lowering her back to the bed and wrapping her legs around his back.

With one sure thrust, he was buried in her silky, tight depth. They both gasped. Evan felt so wildly primed, he struggled to catch his breath, hold back, take his time.
Slow and gentle,
he tried to remember. He pulled back to plunge deep again. He was panting now, it was so unbearably good. Everything about her was surrounding him. Her scent, her taste was imprinted on his soul.

“Sweetheart,” he moaned.

“Yes,” she answered.

He stroked. She matched his gait. Again and again, until the burn of orgasm shot down his spine, holding him in the vise of its tight grip with wave after wave of pure ecstasy. The blooming heat in his chest now radiated through his whole body. It spread hot and burning, permeating every cell, leaving him vulnerable to the force, yet powered by the intensity.

Afterward, Evan tucked a dozing Nia under the covers and went into the bathroom to clean up. His body was buzzing with nervous energy, his mind racing. He took a quick hot shower, then went back in the room to pull on ball shorts. Standing over the bed, he watched Nia sleep for a while. She looked peaceful and satisfied.

Frustrated with the tangle of thoughts in his head, Evan turned to go into his living room. He would have gone for a run, but he would not leave Nia alone. And it was too late to arrange a security watch, like he had for the brief time he’d been gone that afternoon. Instead, he took out his cell phone and went out on the back deck, just in case Nia woke up.

He called Lucas.

“Hey, do you have a minute?” he asked his friend.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Nia finally talked. A little anyway.”

“What did she say?” Lucas demanded.

“What we already suspected. That she might know who’s behind the theft, but wants to be sure before she tells anyone.”

“She told you about the heist?”

“No, only that there was something being investigated at work. She’s worried about my opinion of Worthington as a new client.”

“Hmm.”

“What?” Evan demanded.

Both men were silent for a few moments. Evan knew he wasn’t going to like what Lucas had to say. But that’s why he had called.

“Look, I wasn’t a big fan of this approach to begin with,” his friend started. “I get the need for it in the world of spy games, but it feels wrong within the private sector.”

Evan scratched at the scruff on his cheeks.

“Yeah, I have to agree. It hasn’t really worked out the way I had planned, Luc,” he was man enough to admit. “I was so used to seeing my real life as a cover overseas that I hadn’t considered how complicated it could get here, at home. That my family and friends would need to be part of the façade. Shit! I’m even starting to forget what’s real and what’s not.”

“When are you going to tell her who you really are?”

There it was. The million-dollar question.

“I don’t know,” he answered honestly.

“Ice, we’re close to wrapping this thing up. The noose is tightening on the insider. You don’t have much time, man,” urged Lucas. “Walk away. End the relationship so she’ll never know. You can finish the mission in the background.”

“No!”

There was another awkward pause.

“Evan, I saw the way you looked at her, man. You either tell her yourself and explain so she understands. Or, forget it.”

Damn it, he wished Lucas would keep his opinions to himself. Especially when they were right.

“I’ll do it when we get back to Boston,” Evan finally committed. “In the meantime, I need some research.”

“On what? I’m still working the IP address trace from the wireless bug on Nia’s laptop power cable.”

Evan nodded, glad Tony had passed on the ask.

“Any luck yet?”

“I’m getting there. It’s supposed to be untraceable, but there’s always a crack somewhere,” Lucas replied smugly. “What do you need?”

“Any information on a woman named Hailey Stamford. She went to high school with Nia up to grade ten. I have a gut feeling that she has something to do with whatever happened that year, and the sealed juvenile record.”

“Sure, I’ll send you what I find.”

Evan and Nia stayed in Alexandria until Wednesday afternoon.

He took her to his parents’ home in McLean on Sunday afternoon for the first time to see his dad’s collection. As they drove up to the estate, Evan saw it though her eyes. It was a sprawling Georgian-style brick home on over three acres of land. They had moved there when he was a young child and he’d lived there until after college. Yet, with seven bedrooms and several entertainment spaces, it still seemed like more space than a family of three could ever need.

Inside, they were greeted by their longtime housekeeper, Agnes. She hugged Evan and shook Nia’s hands warmly. With Evan’s mom away in Brazil visiting his grandparents, the house was otherwise empty. They took a few minutes to eat the lunch that Agnes had thoughtfully prepared, then Evan gave Nia a tour of the house.

Most of the paintings on the walls were his mom’s, though Evan pointed out the small number that he’d inherited as part of the collection, including the Etienne Blanc watercolor. In his dad’s office at the back of the house, there were also a number of items left to him, including the antique humidor, various art pieces, and vintage military items.

The rest of the things were in storage on the lower level, over one hundred and twenty in total.

“What do you think?” Evan asked as they walked through the large space, peeling back the protective drop sheets along the way.

“It’s fantastic,” she gasped. “Your dad had incredible taste, Evan. There are some major pieces of contemporary art here. The sculptures are wonderful.”

Evan looked around. It’d been years since he’d seen the collection and there were significantly more items amassed than he remembered. When he was home, his dad often talked about the newest thing he’d discovered, or an artist that had captured his attention. Santos DaCosta showed a passion for art and beautiful things that he rarely showed for anything else. While Evan didn’t understand the fascination, he was intrigued by it. His mom, on the other hand, had always rolled her eyes at Dad’s constant buying, calling him an eccentric hoarder. Evan now wondered if she was a little resentful of the attention he gave all these inanimate objects.

Now, watching Nia’s professional reaction to his father’s hobby, it felt good to know the old man had been onto something.

“How long do you think you’ll need to document everything?” he asked, peeling back the blanket over another stack of framed paintings.

“Two more days, maybe? But I’ll need to work all day on it.”

“Do you need any help? I have someone who does handyman work around the house for my mom. He can help you with whatever you need.”

She looked about to turn down the offer, so Evan continued the persuasion. It wasn’t an option.

“I know you’re feeling better, Nia. But there are a lot of big, heavy things here. Lance can help when you need him. Otherwise he’ll be working on a couple of other projects in the house. Deal?”

“All right, you make a good point,” she finally agreed.

“Good. I’ll drop you here on Monday and Tuesday for the day. I’ll have Agnes take care of your meals so you’ll have nothing to distract you.”

With the plan confirmed, Evan left Nia at the estate over the next two days. Though there was no sign that the threat to Nia had followed them out of Boston, he still felt better knowing that Lance Campbell, one of the Fortis agents, was there to protect her. He was a former U.S. Army Ranger, and one of the best men on the team at protective detail and close contact combat. No one would get close to this house on his watch.

Evan used the time to work on the mission at the Fortis headquarters just south of Alexandria. The fact that Nia had been bugged in her office without them being aware of it had set them back significantly. Knowledge of the safe’s security code was now open to anyone who had enough access to Nia’s office to plant the bugged power cord. The team shifted their focus from Nia’s contact with Nigel St. Clair to re-examining everyone with access to the Worthington premises. It eliminated the security company that had installed their security system over a year ago, before Nia started with the company, but it still left a long list of potentials, including Matt Flannigan when he worked the day shift.

While Evan worked with a small team of analysts at the office to comb through the Worthington personnel data, Raymond, Michael, and Tony continued the search in Boston for any hint of the elusive broker known only as Walsh.

For those two evenings, he and Nia sat in the large gourmet kitchen at the house in McLean to eat the elaborate meals Agnes left for them. Then he took Nia back to his apartment where they walked along the water before heading inside to watch television or a movie. These were the few hours in the day when Evan was able to dial down his analytical vigilance enough to relax, just a little.

“That’s ridiculous.
You’re
ridiculous!” Nia insisted.

It was Tuesday evening, the last night in Virginia before they returned to Boston. They were relaxed on the couch in Evan’s apartment debating what movie to watch. Nia wanted to see the latest superhero release while Evan suggested a comedy. Somehow they ended up in the heated debate about which alien hero would win a fight against the other.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Fine, then enlighten me. How could Thor possibly beat Superman in a fight?” Nia demanded. “With his little hammer, a little rain?”

“Easy. First, he’s not an alien, he’s a god. And, he’s just as strong as Superman, stronger even.”

“So you say.”

“I do say and I’m right.”

She rolled her eyes.

“And,” continued Evan, “he can control the elements. God of thunder and all that.”

“Well, none of that compares to the ability to fly, or X-ray vision.”

“Like I said, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” he insisted.

She was reclined against his chest with her legs stretched out on the length of the sofa.

“Since you’re too stubborn to see reason, I’m not going to argue with you anymore. I, on the other hand, can be very accommodating. I agree to a comedy if I get to choose which one,” suggested Nia.

She could feel his chest rumble with amusement, and smiled to herself.

“That’s not very accommodating at all, Nia. Just manipulative.”

“Oh, I’m manipulative, am I?” she shot back with mock indignation.

“Yes, and a little bossy I might add. After all, I’ve invited you into my home, fed you and entertained you. The least you could do is let me pick the movie.”

“What?” she demanded, sitting up to face him. “Fed me? Entertained me?”

“Did I stutter?” he drawled in a lazy tone.

“Agnes did all the cooking!”

“Hey, I provided the food, didn’t I? That’s what a man does, baby.”

He pulled her into his lap and took hold of her booty in his hands. She knew he was just randomly pushing her buttons, trying to get her riled up. It was working.

“Sure, and if it were up to you, we’d eat it raw.”

“Hmm,” mumbled Evan, clearly distracted by the sensuality of their new position. “Potato,
potahto.
”

He pulled her forward and bit the side of her neck, stroking it with his tongue. It was her turn to be distracted. She could barely remember the point of their silly banter.

“And I think I did all the entertaining,” she added, her eyes closed so she could focus on the sensations he was creating.

Evan pulled her hips closer to his until his burgeoning erection was nestled between her thighs.

“You got that right, sweetheart,” he growled. “Forget the comedy. Let’s make our own movie instead.”

Suddenly, he changed their position so that she was sitting alone on the couch and he was standing in front of her.

“Don’t move,” he commanded, before striding out of the room.

Nia slipped her feet under her so she was kneeling. She was tingling with a mix of curiosity and anticipation, wondering what he was up to. He really was an unusual mix of intense seriousness and playful humor. Nia had sensed the intensity from their first meeting, and it was one of the things she had found attractive about him. He seemed solid, focused, dependable.

The playfulness was a surprise, and a side of him that was apparent more and more over the last few days. And now, sitting still on his plush leather sofa, in his high-rise condo, Nia acknowledged that she liked Evan DaCosta. A lot. And his big, hard body wasn’t so bad either.

As though reading her mind, he returned to the room, now only wearing his jeans, naked from the waist up, with a thick, cozy blanket in his arms. He walked leisurely across the room, stopping only to turn on the gas fireplace. Every move caused his golden skin to ripple over thick, hard muscle. The well-fitted jeans were worn in and molded to the power of his thighs, leaving little to the imagination. When he reached her, he dropped the blanket on the ground and placed a couple of condoms on the coffee table. Nia swallowed.

“Now, where were we?” he asked with a cocky grin that created deep dimples.

She shrugged, feeling saucy and provocative.

“Hmm, something about creating our own movie? But you were gone so long that I can’t remember.”

His smile broadened.

“I guess I’ll have to jog your memory.”

Nia rose on her knees as she reached up and pulled the elastic out of her hair, allowing the thick length to fall to her shoulders with wavy abandon. His eyes brightened and she giggled on the inside.

“Yes, please. Remind me,” she urged.

He unbuttoned the waist of his jeans and slowly lowered the zipper. The outline of his hard erection was clearly evident. Nia bit her bottom lip, anxious to see if he would continue stripping for her. Damn, it was an erotic thought.

“Don’t stop now,” she protested when he seemed to pause. “It was just coming back to me.”

He flashed a big grin, looking boyish and proud. She cocked her eyebrow, as though to say she was waiting. He quickly finished the job, pushing down his pants then stepping out of them. Standing in just his black cotton athletic briefs, he looked like something out of her imagination. The perfect mix of bulk strength and masculine grace. It definitely was not the body of a wealthy, indulgent playboy. Then again, very little about Evan fit that mold.

Nia reached forward to trail her fingers over the square slabs of his chest down the deep valley between his abdominals.

“You forgot something,” she murmured, toying with the edge of his underwear.

“We both have lead roles in this scene,” Evan explained. “It’s your turn.”

She met his eyes, noting that intensity had replaced his playfulness.

“Like I said, I can be very accommodating, Evan.”

Nia reached down and pulled off her T-shirt, leaving her only in a pink push-up bra.

“That’s a good start, but you haven’t quite caught up yet,” he stated, his voice now a few tones deeper.

Held by the anticipation in his eyes, she stepped off the couch to stand in front of him. Then, mimicking his pace, stepped out of her jeans.

“My memory just came back. What kind of movie did you have I mind?” Nia repeated her playful path down his body until she reached the edge of his underwear again. “A sweet romance? Or . . . ?”

She circled her thumb over the wide head of his penis.

“Or?” he prompted in a tight voice.

“Of something a little more . . . blue?”

His hard flesh pulsed under her touch.
Yummy!

“I’m as romantic as the next guy, but blue is my favorite color,” whispered Evan.

Nia smiled slow and sexy. At that moment, this man, sexy and strong, wealthy and powerful, was completely under her control. Sure, his body would likely respond to any half-naked woman with her hand in his pants. But after the last two days, she knew it was more than that. Evan wanted
her.
In every situation, his body responded to her with very little provocation. And hers did the same. It was the first honest and real connection she’d ever felt with a man, simple and uncluttered by expectations. It was worth enjoying, regardless of what the future brought.

Still teasing his stiff, sensitive flesh, she leaned forward to kiss his chest. He stroked a hand over the top of her head, and delved his fingers into her hair. Nia brushed her mouth over his nipple. It was hard and sensitive. Evan groaned, gripping her thick locks tighter. She spent some time savoring the feel of his pebbled skin on her tongue, tasting and teasing him as he gasped with each brush.

“Nia.”

She smiled again to herself, looking forward to the experience she had in store for him.

Slowly, Nia lowered to sit at the edge of the couch then onto her knees. She looked up at Evan through hooded eyes while brushing her hand along the length of his erection.

“Jesus, Nia,” he groaned.

Biting at her bottom lip, she pulled down his briefs until they fell to the ground. And there he was, with his granite hard body completely naked to her. She ran her fingers over his legs, loving the power and strength they revealed. Nia stopped at a knot of puckered scar tissue on the left leg, just above the knee. It was obviously the result of a major injury fairly recently, and she was eager to ask about the details. Evan groaned as she gently kissed the damaged spot.

Looking up at him again, she worked her hands up his thighs to take hold of his solid erection. Evan sucked in a deep breath, and his whole body stiffened. He felt like polished stone wrapped in warm satin. God, he was perfection. She wrapped both palms around the thick thrust and stroked up and down.

“Sweetheart,” he gasped, massaging her scalp.

Nia played with him for long moments, enjoying the way his flesh pulsed under her hands and the string of throaty gasps he uttered. Then she leaned forward and wrapped her mouth wide over the broad tip.