Sniper Fire (Love in the Crosshairs) (21 page)

Hell, yes! He might carry a load of guilt around with him for the rest of his life, but it would be worth it. Oh, so worth it. Much better than the load of regret he’d carry if he didn’t take advantage of what she was offering, whatever that might be.

At his hesitation, Farrah slipped lower into the rippling water without breaking eye contact with him. A few strokes brought her within arm’s reach.

“Let me help.”

She crawled out, placing her knees on the moss-covered ground in front of him. The t-shirt clung to every curve of her body, making him want to drool. Cool wet hands urged him to his feet. Kyle rose, keeping most of his weight on his good leg. The feel of her fingers on his zipper sent a jolt through him. Blood flooded his already aching penis, making it strain against the fabric of his black briefs as she pushed his jeans down. With her beautiful mouth only inches away, it was all he could do to stand still.

“Here,” she said, taking one of his hands and leading it to the top of her head. “Use me to balance.”

Kyle tried to suck in air as he let her lift his damaged right leg and remove his jeans. When she tapped his left leg, however, he knew that wouldn’t work. He removed his hand from her head and half-sat, half-fell back on the rock.

“I’ve got this.”

She didn’t say a word, just watched as he finished removing his jeans. Her gaze dropped to his crotch. Damn if she look didn’t turn hungrier by the second.

“Get in the water.” He had to get some space between them.

She leaned back a little, her gaze speculative, then gave a small shrug. Without a word, she scooted back until she reached the water, arched her back, and slipped completely under the gentle ripples.

Kyle let out the breath he’d been holding and ran a hand over his face. Damn woman could start a forest fire all on her own. Before his more honorable side could come up with any more excuses, he stripped his briefs off, releasing his shaft and every lock he’d ever placed on himself when it came to her. Then he levered himself to the water’s edge and dove in.

Blessedly cool water surrounded him, sucking the heat of the night straight off his skin. He appreciated the fact his body also settled down a bit. He didn’t think just grabbing Farrah and having his way with her would work, though the possibility made him feel like a horny teenager.

The pond was shallow enough that he could walk across it if he wanted to, and still keep his head above water. Instead, he let the buoyant water support him and swam to where Farrah waited. The unaccustomed exercise made his leg protest, but he didn’t mind. He moved close to Farrah, accepting the hand she held out to him, letting her pull him in. Slim arms came up to encircle his neck while below, her legs opened to cradle him. Kyle shivered.

“Cold?”

He snorted softly. “Not even close.”

She smiled knowingly. “The water feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Among other things.”

It was easier to move around on his bum leg in the water. Even holding Farrah close, he managed to maneuver until they were almost under the little waterfall. Leaning his head back, he let the flow drench him. Farrah’s laughter followed him, the delightful sound pulling his lips into a grin when he ducked out of the spray and shook the water from his eyes.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” she said, still chuckling. She pushed his wet hair back from his face. “I was just remembering a bunch of other times we’ve gone swimming together. Used to, Joshua and I would have to sneak up on you and throw you under a waterfall.”

Her mention of Joshua sobered him. The question popped out before he could think better of it. “Do you wish he was here?”

Her eyes grew wide in surprise. “Joshua? Goodness, no.” Her lids dropped, and the smile she gave him made his blood run hot. “Don’t you want to be alone with me?”

He held her gaze while he turned his head to plant a kiss against her wrist. “More than anything.”

“Good,” she said. “Because I’ve wanted to be alone with you for a while now.”

That statement took him by surprise. He didn’t have time to wonder at it, however. Not with her rising up to brush her lips against his. Kyle closed his eyes and took her kiss, letting the heat of her mouth awaken things in him he’d kept long buried. God, how he wanted this woman.

Her mouth opened beneath his. He accepted the invitation, unable to keep from rushing in and taking what was offered. He kissed her deep, sliding his tongue against hers, pulling out slowly, temptingly, urging her to follow his lead. It seemed like the kiss went on forever, until she finally pulled back, panting. Her breath warmed his face as she ran her soft lips along his cheek and neck. He gave back to her, licking a path along her jaw to her ear where he suckled a drop of water from its lobe.

She moaned and arched her back. Kyle tightened his grip on her. He eased them both down into the water, still licking and kissing her sensitive neck as he moved them back to the edge of the pond. When they were close enough, he lifted her slightly and leaned forward to press her back against a water-smoothed boulder. He kissed her mouth again, demanding, claiming. Then, he trailed his lips down her throat to her breasts, her nipples tight and hard behind the thin barrier of her wet t-shirt. He sucked one nub into his mouth, his slight erection jerking when she moaned and arched into his touch.

Talk about dreams come true.

Kyle released his hold on her to allow his hands to roam. He caressed her hips, moving up to push her shirt up and up, all the way, until he could strip it off her. Then he slowly trailed his hands down her bare body, down her arms and shoulders, over her breasts, her waist, down her thighs into the water to smooth his hands over her strong calves. The path he took back up was far more intimate. He paused when he reached the apex of her thighs, drawing out the moment. She wiggled beneath him.

“Touch me,” she whispered.

His erection jerked again, growing despite the cool water lapping at his legs He wanted to do more than just touch her. He wanted to lick her, taste her, devour her like a starving man. He wanted, more than anything, to be inside her making them one, but now wasn’t the time. Now was for her, for Farrah.

His heart pounding away, he did as she asked, bringing his hand up to cup her through her wet panties. The thin silk proved to be no barrier at all. A flick of his finger, and the fabric was pushed aside. At last, he was skin to hot skin, stroking her, making love to her. He raised his head to capture her mouth again. He wanted to tell her how much he wanted her, how long he’d waited for this moment. He wanted to claim her in a way she would know she belonged to him, and no other, especially not Joshua Colby.

Slowly, he increased the pressure, moving past the outer lips to the slick wetness deeper inside. He let the evidence of her desire coat his fingers, first one, then another, all the while mimicking each slow movement with his tongue. He pushed deeper.

She was so tight. And hot. Like a wild fire burning out of control.

“More.”

The sultry, drawn-out command slid through him like warm honey. Oh, yes, he’d give her more. First, he pulled his fingers out slowly, then pushed back inside, just as slowly. He did it again, and again, building the pace, stoking the flames. He started rubbing his thumb around her hard little nub. She liked that. She moaned and lifted to him, her breathing as rapid as a bird’s.

“Kyle, my Kyle.”

Oh, hell yes!
That’s what he wanted to hear!

Her hand came down, reaching for something, for him. He threaded his fingers with hers and held on as her muscles tightened. Then she exploded beneath him, his name on her lips as she came. The contractions around his fingers buried deep inside her felt glorious. He kept moving, kept the pressure on her clit as her body shook with tiny aftershocks. Once they slowed and she started to relax, he freed both hands to reach for his jeans. He had to be inside her. He was about to bust, and when the dam broke, he
had
to be inside her.

He fumbled in the pockets, finally finding the condom he kept on him out of habit. Thank God for habits, he thought as he rolled the latex over his engorged shaft. He placed his hands on her hips, positioning her just right for his thrust…and paused.

She’d let him touch her. She’d let him bring her to climax. But would she take more from him? Did she want more? Did she want
him
?

Kyle looked up to find her watching him from beneath languid lashes.

“Don’t stop,” she said softly, her voice blending with the splashing water behind them. “I want you too much.”

Thank you, God!

He pushed inside her. Slowly, inch by inch, he fed himself into her until he was fully seated. She felt like heaven, like home. The urge to come right then hit him like a concussion blast. Instead of letting go, he locked his jaw, closed his eyes, and simply savored the moment. Her husky laugh zinged through every cell of his body.

“Are you just going to stand there?”

He managed a smile with his eyes closed. “Give me a few more seconds. I’ve waited a long damn time for this moment. I’d like to prolong it if I can.”

She pushed herself up on one elbow and reached for him, her hand caressing his face. He opened his eyes and met her gaze.

“There’ll be other moments,” she promised.

Like that, all restraint vanished. He drew back and surged forward. When she moaned, throwing her head back and closing her eyes, he knew he was lost to her. He kept moving as he shackled her wrists and led her hands to his neck. Then he cupped her ass and held her, pounding into her. The words “I love you” hovered on his lips, but he bit them back. She might not be ready for that level of commitment, and he definitely wanted more of those moments she’d just promised him. Hell if he’d scare her off now.

With her holding him and writhing in his arms, it wasn’t long before he reached his limit. He shifted and began rubbing her clit with every stroke, determined to bring her with him. Tears of pure joy wet his eyes by the time she came, shuddering around him. He threw himself into his own climax, keenly aware it was Farrah who had taken him to this moment of euphoria.

When he could breathe again, see again, he slowly, ever so gently, leaned her back against the smooth rock. It shook him when he brushed back her hair to find her eyes closed and her cheeks wet.

“Farrah, honey, are you all right? Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, you didn’t hurt me. Quite the opposite in fact.”

Her eyes opened. The deep hazel orbs gazed at him in what he could only describe as complete satisfaction. He felt his chest swell with pride.
He
had put that look there. Him, Kyle Fagan. The knowledge made him feel like he could walk on water. She stroked his face from temple to chin, touching him in places her fingers could never reach without a scalpel.

“I’d tell you how amazing you are, but I can see your ego inflate by the second.”

He sent a command to his shaft, forcing it to move inside her. “That’s not my ego.”

She chuckled softly. “Oh, isn’t it?”

“No. That’s me showing you how much I want you.”
How much I’ll always want you.

Chapter Twelve

“Dr. Hastings? Kyle?”

“Where are they?”

“How am I supposed to know? Keep going. We’re not at the waterfall, yet.”

Noisy footsteps drew nearer.

Beneath him, Farrah tensed. Kyle lifted his head to look down at her. Beautiful wide eyes stared at him in panic.

“Get off,” she mouthed, wiggling her delicious body and pushing at his chest.

Kyle knew there was no time for them to dress. He grabbed up her shirt and thrust it at her, tightening his arms around her and rolling them both into the pool at the same time. When he came up, he made sure to put a couple of feet between them. Rose and Crissy skid to a halt at the water’s edge.

“There you are!” Crissy said.

“Whoa.” Rose grinned. “Are you guys skinny dipping?”

Crissy huffed. “Rose! Honestly, can’t you stay focused for two seconds? Dr. Hastings, we’ve been ordered to pack up.”

Farrah swam closer, her t-shirt back in place. “We’re leaving?”

Kyle felt her warm hand wrap around his arm as she came up beside him. The touch surprised him. He’d thought she would want to maintain a discreet distance between them for appearance sake.

“Yeah,” Rose said. “You were right, Kyle. The wind shifted. The fire is coming this way now. We have to be out of here in thirty minutes.”

“Okay,” Farrah said, still not moving away from him. “You two start packing. You know the protocol. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Crissy grabbed Rose’s hand. “Right. Come on, Rose.”

“But Kyle might need me. I’m a trained nurse, you know. I should help him get his brace back on. After I help him with his underwear and jeans, of course.” Kyle bit back a laugh. From her broad wink, he knew the teasing was for Crissy’s benefit more than his.

“Rose, I swear, if you don’t come on right now, I’m telling Rob.”

“All right, all right, you don’t have to get mean.” Letting Crissy pull her along, Rose threw a grin over her shoulder. “Bye Kyle.”

Kyle shook his head. He pitied the playful woman’s husband. A woman like that would drive him crazy, shoving his possessive streak into overdrive.

Farrah was already out of the pool and drying off with the towel by the time he pulled himself onto the bank. He couldn’t even blame his leg for moving slow this time. She whipped the wet t-shirt off without turning her back to him and all he could do was stare like a starving man at her bare breasts. He shifted from the wet ground to the rock again, stifling a groan as he watched her wiggle into dry underwear.

“Damn, woman, you’re cruel.”

She flashed him a smile that warmed his blood to near boiling. “Here,” she said, tossing him the towel. “Hurry up. We’ve got moving orders.”

Kyle ran the damp cloth over his arms and legs, watching as Farrah finished dressing. Every once in a while her face would catch the glow of the lantern, highlighting drawn brows and worried eyes. Was it the fire? Or was she afraid he’d read more into what just happened between them then she did? He wanted it to be more. More than a one-time deal. More than a pity-fuck between friends. He wanted the right to take her in his arms anytime, anywhere. The right to hold her close and just breathe in her scent. The right to kiss her senseless anytime he felt the urge. The right to love her.