Kiss Of Twilight (17 page)

She came again, this time with a gasping cry and he kissed his way up her belly, lingered just a moment at her breasts, before rising to kiss the tears from her face.

"What is it, darlin'? What's wrong?"

She saw the fear on his face that he'd somehow hurt her. That she might ask him to stop. She reached a hand between their bodies and molded it around the bulge in his jeans.

"Nothing," she whispered, leaning up to kiss him, and moved her free hand to the snap on his jeans. "But I'll be even better when you get rid of these."

She caught his bottom lip between her teeth and bit. "I want to feel you inside me, Dupree."

He didn't make her wait. Rolling over, he unsnapped, unzipped and worked his jeans off. Too damned slow as far as she was concerned. He got them as far as his calves before she straddled him and took him in her hand. He froze as she ran her thumb over the head, closed her palm around him and stroked up and down.

"Kara," he growled.

It was all the invitation she needed. She positioned him at her entrance, holding her breath and his gaze, as she sunk down slowly on his shaft. He was so thick, so long. He filled her like he'd been made for her. She'd craved him for so long she couldn't remember when it started. This was so much better than any fantasy.

"Did I lose you again?" he teased softly.

"Never."

It came out more seriously than she intended and his eyes went red. He wrapped a hand around the back of her head and slowly pulled her closer.

"Good," he whispered when his lips were a breath away from hers. "I don't think I can let you go."

He kicked his jeans off. Then he nudged to her to lay back, came down on top of her and thrust hard. The delicious sensation took her breath away and she wrapped her legs around his hips, meeting him stroke for stroke. Feeling that crazy
want
only he could make her feel.

His strokes were deep and fast. His arms around her commanding, but tender. And when his mouth fused over hers, she felt completely claimed. She wouldn't accept it from any other man. But this one, he held her heart. She'd bend enough to satisfy his possessive instincts. Especially if he kissed her like this for the rest of their lives. She cut that thought off, didn't let herself hope. He'd decided to go this far, decided to indulge the attraction between them, but that didn't mean he would bond with her. Didn't mean he could accept her after she merged with a demon.

His strokes slowed and he broke the kiss. "I can hear you thinking."

"You're not a telepath."

"No," he said softly. "Not much of one. But I've always been able to feel you close to my mind. You're worried now."

He thrust deep. Slow. She uttered a long, drawn out, very pleased gasp.

"It's nothing important. Don't ruin this, Dupree."

He picked up the pace and stared into her eyes. "This is only the beginning, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere."

She didn't want to talk about it. This was sex. Really great, incredible,
awesome
sex. But it wasn't life. It didn't change either of them. She smiled. "Harder. Make me not think," she dared.

Her mind splintered as he thrust deep and hard. Fast. He kissed her and his fingers danced over her clitoris. She couldn't believe it was possible to come again but he wrung one more orgasm from her. This time when the ecstasy overtook her she wasn't alone, and he muffled his shout of release in the pillow.

She wasn't sure what to expect next, and was surprised when he rolled over and gathered her into his arms. The long night and day caught up with her and she felt herself slipping into sleep idly wondering if he'd be back to cold and distant when she woke.

She shouldn't have worried. Evening greeted her with a hot, wet tongue stroking her nipple and two long fingers deep inside her. Gasping, she opened her eyes.

"Thank God," he muttered, rolling over and plunging into her.

He was fast and hurried. Feeling her own desire spike to meet his, she kissed him, meeting his tongue thrust for thrust until he broke away. His hands and mouth were everywhere, driving her higher and higher. He stopped to loop his arms under her knees and raise her legs up high in the air. She couldn't move. He stared down at her with burning red eyes and slowly withdrew all the way to the head of his cock, then thrust back in. Over and over. Slow. Maddening.

They were both panting, bodies slick with perspiration when his control broke. With a growl he threw his head back and changed his rhythm. Hard, deep, so fast she couldn't have kept up even if he wasn't holding her still. His neck was corded, his arms tense and straining. As wild as it was, she knew he was still in control. She would have been more frustrated by that knowledge if he wasn't making her feel so damned good. And then she just didn't care. She didn't even care that her scream when she came likely alerted the entire house to exactly what was going on in this bedroom.

A couple minutes later, Dupree collapsed on top of her, his groan of satisfaction filling her ear. He lowered her legs slowly, like he was reluctant to free her and she lazily stroked her hand back and forth across his shoulder blades. She closed her eyes and basked in the blissed out feeling. She felt
so
good. She didn't think she'd be able to move for hours. But that was too much to hope for.

He left her to search for his cell phone when it beeped with an incoming message. She rolled to her side to watch him climb from the bed and find his jeans. His muscles bunched and flexed as he moved, all that smooth dark skin covering a body so well taken care of it was a shame he ever had to wear clothes. She grinned. He'd like to lock her away somewhere, she knew. Why couldn't she wish for the same? He looked over at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"What's so amusing?" Dupree asked.

"Just happy, babe."

His expression shut down, closed off, and she sighed. The words had just slipped out and it was too late to take them back now. Sighing, she stood and dug through her bag for clean clothes. She could feel him watching her. Dark and brooding. She glanced over her shoulder as she entered the small bathroom.

"Don't worry about it, Dupree. I don't have any expectations. I'm not making any demands of you."

She closed the door behind her but refrained from locking it. Tempting as that was, he'd feel like he had to come in and make sure she was okay. She was so not up for that. Dumping her clothes on the counter, she moved to the shower stall and got the water running. It took a minute to warm up and she stepped in with a long exhalation of relief. She tipped her head back, closed her eyes and let the heat soothe her. She was sore in places she didn't know she had and it felt good. Too bad it wasn't an experience she was likely to repeat soon.

She knew Dupree better than he knew himself. Right now he was out there beating himself up, feeling guilty for taking advantage of her. For giving in to his desire for her. Damn, but the man was such an idiot. She took her time in the shower. A tiny part of her hoped she was wrong about what he was feeling and that he would come and join her. No such luck. She turned off the water and dressed quickly.

He was waiting when she came out and his gaze drifted over her. His desire was unguarded for just a moment before his brown eyes shuttered. His bag was open on the bed with clean clothes folded next to it, and he stepped around her toward the bathroom.

"Dinner should be ready soon," he said before he entered.

She could smell something cooking, spaghetti sauce she guessed, and her stomach rumbled. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten.

"Okay." She sat to pull on her boots and he hesitated in the doorway. "What?"

"I...nothing."

She narrowed her eyes. He better not have been about to apologize for the best day of her life. "Don't you dare say you're sorry."

He gave her half a smile and shook his head. "It would be a lie if I did."

She concealed her relief. She was already fighting a battle for him. No remorse was a positive step forward. Not much of one, but she'd take what she could get. She bent back to her laces aware of him still hovering nearby.

"I'm starving," she said, standing and heading for the door. He made a sound almost like a growl and she spun around to look at him. "Now what?"

"I'll just be a minute. Wait for me," he ordered, the demon making his voice harsh and guttural.

Okay. What the hell was this about? "Why?"

He didn't answer, just clenched his jaw, and she heard male voices walking by in the hall. Only male. She cocked her head to one side. No, there was a woman or two.

"Didn't we just go through this?" Damn it, just when she thought they were making real progress.

He didn't answer. He stood there waiting for her to agree and move away from the door. She just couldn't do it. If she gave into his protectiveness now he'd try to control her every move. In the end, that wouldn't make either one of them happy. She twisted the handle.

"This is ridiculous. I'm going to eat."

She was in the hall, yanking the door shut behind her before he could respond but she heard his growl through the door. Unfortunately, the two men walking by did too. One of them was the man she'd met when they arrived, John. He waved his companion on and stopped to talk to her.

"Everything okay?" he asked, looking her over a little too carefully. She crossed her arms over her chest. He didn't seriously think Dupree would hurt her?

"Everything is fine."

She heard the water come on in the room at her back.

"Dupree has always been intense," John said.

Curiosity held her still when she was ready to stomp her way to the kitchen. She didn't know much about this squad. They were solitary and secretive, and anyone who knew about them kept their secrets. Their membership was vague. Dupree had told her once they were the Order's equivalent to Special Forces crossed with bounty hunters. And their prey of choice? Rogues.

"How long have you known him?"

"Thirty years. He recruited me out of another region to come here."

She blinked. "He was part of this squad?"

John smiled, and there was nothing friendly about it. "Still is. You may move on, but you don't ever really leave the squad. We're more like a small platoon split into two squads, actually. Us here, and the others who technically are supposed to make up Winter's honor guard."

Well, that explained why John hadn't sent anyone after Ben. Why do that when Dupree was already there? The rest of them weren't lightweights either. Jordan, Ingrid and Lance were all quad leaders now, but Kara knew Winter still considered them part of her squad along with Gia. Then there was Quinn, one of Lance's squad leaders, and the half dozen younger single soldiers who lived in the lupine's compound. She wondered why John was telling her all this, then heard the water turn off.

"You're stalling me?" She couldn't believe the nerve of the man and turned on her heel to stalk off, but he grabbed her elbow before she could take a step.

"I said he's always been intense. He's worse now."

She narrowed her eyes. "He's got better control than anyone I know."

John nodded. "Everyone has a limit. You're his."

He let go of her and stepped back about two seconds before the door opened. Dupree stepped into the hall, shut the door behind him and took her hand. He pulled her back against him and wrapped one arm across her chest, right under her collarbone. She should have felt caged, but instead just felt protected.

"Everything okay?" he asked them in that deep even tone that made a shiver run up her spine.

"Just waiting on you," John answered with a cocky grin.

"'Preciate that."

Kara didn't. She rolled her eyes. "Could we eat now?"

"This way."

John led. Dupree released her but kept his hand on the small of her back as they followed. It was a light touch, but proprietary. Possessive. She didn't even notice the voices coming from the kitchen until they stepped inside and the room fell silent. Dupree crowded close to her back and radiated a back off vibe that really pissed her off.

Instead of the one long communal table she was used to in their compounds, this room had several three-and four-person tables scattered around. The kitchen section was on the opposite wall, a long, tall counter with stools separating it from the rest of the room. Dupree led her behind the counter, where they found pots of sauce and spaghetti, salad and dressings and bread close at hand, and a stack of plates. She looked out into the room. No one held her gaze long with Dupree glowering at her side. A minute ago that had made her angry, but there was something about this group that made her want to look over her shoulder and back away slowly. Predators, every single one of them, and they didn't bother to hide it. Didn't bother to temper it an inch. There were eleven men and two women. They were hard and, even when they went back to talking and joking with each other, seemed menacing.

Dupree handed her a plate and led her to a stool at the end of the counter. She was stunned when he sat next to her with his back to the room. Dupree
never
left his back exposed.

"You know everyone here?" she asked softly, twirling her fork in the noodles.

He nodded. So talkative, her Dupree.

"How long were you with them?"

He scowled. "John always had a big mouth."

But there was a certain amount of affection in his tone that floored her. These people were important to him. Why had he come back to their region?

"How long?"

He sighed, that resigned,
you're gonna push this
look on his face when he turned to her. "Off and on for about fifteen years. Special assignments only. I was never a permanent addition."

"And when did you quit? Why?"

He set his fork down and the look he gave her was so contemplative and bleak, she knew she was in for another shock. "Twenty years ago. Because one night I was distracted, bored, and I was too late to save a little girl's parents."

She knew he was talking about her.

"I don't remember that night. Do you think Ben had something to do with that?" she whispered, too surprised at his confession to pursue it. It was easier to focus on what her uncle might have done.