Targeted (Hostage Rescue Team Series Book 2) (15 page)

Celida’s eyes closed, her head rolling back on the table. Then he slipped a hand between her legs to stroke her clit and the pleasure suddenly increased tenfold. Her pleading cry echoed around them, her eyes too heavy to open as he continued those slow, full strokes in and out of her as his fingers caressed her most sensitive spot.

Tension gathered inside her, the hot ache melding into something deeper, stronger. She tried rolling her hips again, frustrated by the slow pace that wouldn’t give her the friction she needed to come. “I want to touch you,” she blurted.

His low, rough chuckle vibrated against her skin as he bent to nibble on the side of her neck, right where it joined her shoulder. Right where it felt the best. Oh yeah, he’d definitely been paying attention, and now the man was using it against her. “No.”

“Why?” she demanded.

“I like knowing you’re helpless right now.”

Oh, shit, that deep drawl made it sound even dirtier. Needing more, everything he could give her, Celida uncurled her fingers from around the edge of the table and reached for his shoulders.

“
No
.” Tuck caught her hands and muscled them back into place above her head, this time locking her wrists in one strong hand while the other went back to her hip to hold her steady.

Pinned, helpless, Celida had no choice but to lie there and take what he gave her. She panted and flexed in his grip but he held her there easily as he fucked her slow and deep, his mouth finding one straining nipple as his hand released her hip and slipped between her legs to find her swollen nub.

The building orgasm swelled inside her, teasing her with the promise of ecstasy. But he wouldn’t speed up.

She growled in protest and dug her fingers into the back of his hand, her entire body drawn taut. “
Brad
.
”

At his name he growled against her breast and raised his head. She could see the strain of ecstasy on his face, the glint of triumph and arousal in his eyes, nearly black with desire. He loved having her at his mercy, and dammit, she did too.

“You love taking it like this,” he said, his voice laced with heavy male satisfaction.

Heart pounding, helpless to deny it, she could only nod and hope he would let her come soon.

Still stroking her clit gently as he took her slow and deep, he moved up the length of her body and brought his mouth down on hers. The slick, erotic glide of his tongue against hers, the feel of that powerful body moving over, in her, was too much. She gripped his hand hard and cried out into his mouth as pleasure took her, the orgasm pulsing through her in endless shockwaves.

When it began to fade he eased into a standing position, cock still buried deep inside her. She gasped as the motion stroked sensitive nerve endings, but before she could move he slid both arms beneath her and lifted her into a sitting position.

Celida automatically wound her arms and legs around him, her cheek resting over his pounding heart. He was still so hard inside her, so hot.

Tuck straightened for a second, lifting her, then lowered himself into the wooden kitchen chair closest to him. She set her feet on the bottom rungs and sighed, the pleasure still ebbing gently.

His hands swept into her hair as he gently raised her head and swept his thumbs across her hot cheeks. He gazed deep into her eyes, his expression a mixture of pure male satisfaction and unsatisfied arousal as he set both hands on her waist and began to move her on him.

Somewhat surprised that he’d let her be on top, especially when he’d just illustrated how much he loved being in control, Celida seized the opportunity to take charge. Her weakened thigh muscles protested with a quiver as she fell into the slow, languid rhythm he set. She felt strong and sexy, having this powerful man at her mercy.

Her hands contracted on his broad shoulders, reveling in the heat and strength beneath her fingertips. His eyes were heavy-lidded with desire as he stared at where they were joined for a few seconds, then up to watch the way her breasts moved with each movement. Finally he looked into her face and laid his head back against the top rung, his features pinched with need.

A low groan rumbled up from his chest as he raised one hand to tangle in her hair and bring her mouth to his. He kissed her deep and hard, his thrusts growing stronger, faster. Celida hummed in enjoyment and met each caress of his tongue, clamping her inner muscles around him.

He tugged her head back, let her see the molten lust in his eyes. “Finish me,” he grated out.

A little thrill shot through her. Steadying her hands on his shoulders, she settled more of her weight onto the balls of her feet and began to ride him. Slow and easy at first, as he’d tortured her, but soon faster, harder, loving the way his face tightened and the way his hands gripped harder.

His breathing grew harsh, the flush of arousal on his cheeks darkening as he neared the edge. The powerful muscles in his arms and shoulders trembled as she worked him. He was the most insanely gorgeous man she’d ever seen and she wanted to see his face when he exploded inside her.

She kissed his jaw, his whiskered face, the tip of his nose, then pulled back to watch him, a strange and slightly scary possessive tenderness flooding her. She’d never felt this way before.

Ignoring it, focusing on him and what she was making him feel, she clamped down on the hard length inside her and rocked, adding a little twist at the end that made his breath catch and his grip tighten on her hair and waist.

“Lida, fuck… Ride me.” The plea buried in the demand made her shiver with longing and feminine power.

Three more strokes, four and he lost it, teeth bared in a primal expression of ecstasy, an agonized moan ripping free. She slowed her movements, taking his face between her hands to drop gentle kisses there. He groaned and turned her mouth to his, treating her to the most intimate kiss she’d ever experienced, deep and languid with pleasure, his tongue stroking and caressing with a tenderness that turned her inside out.

Pulling free to gather herself, she tucked her face into the hollow of his shoulder and breathed him in. Shit, she’d always known her heart would be in danger with him. She’d just never expected to lose it to him completely.

Her thoughts scattered once more when Tuck’s arms came around her, enveloping her in a heart-melting hug as he buried his face in the curve of her neck. “Time for bed, sunshine.”

She didn’t protest as he gathered her close and stood, merely tightened her arms and legs around him as he carried her into her bedroom and pulled the covers down her bed where she curled onto her side.

After dealing with the condom in the bathroom he came back and slid in beside her, reaching for her even as she turned and rolled into the solid warmth of his body. He wrapped one muscled arm around her waist and buried a hand in her hair, stroking gently.

Lulled by his heat and the unbelievable tenderness he evoked in her, she drifted for a while.

“Ready to get some shuteye now?” he whispered against her temple, his breath soft and warm against her skin.

“Soon,” she whispered back. This feeling inside her was so new and powerful, she wanted to savor it a while longer. She could wrestle with her emotions all she wanted, it wasn’t going to change anything. She was in love with him, and it was both scary and exhilarating. But something held her back from saying it. She didn’t want him to ever think she was saying it just because of the amazing sex they’d just had.

But she could give him something else right now instead. Something that she would never consider giving to anyone else, not even Zoe.

She ran a hand over his bare chest, mapping the contours and hollows, the slightly rough texture of hair beneath her palm, little nicks and dents he’d taken over the years in the line of duty. One day she’d kiss each and every one of them, showing him how much she adored him and his readiness to serve his country.

“I keep dreaming about them getting the edge on me,” she said, her voice quiet. “That’s what bothers me most, that I didn’t put it together fast enough, and that they got the first shots off.”

He kissed her temple, hand stilling in her hair. “What else?”

She swallowed, grateful that he wasn’t judging her. “I always dream about the door. Every time I’m waiting for the bullets to come through and even though I’ve got my weapon drawn I never react quick enough. I see the shots come through the door, feel them hitting me.”

Tuck made a low, rough sound somewhere between a groan and a growl, as though her words bothered him. “I saw the room when the EMTs were getting ready to transport you. And I’ve seen how good you are in action, so if they could get a jump on you then it could have happened to any other agent.”

She hoped that was true. That was the only thought that made any of it bearable for her. Tuck had taken her to the range many times when they’d first been partnered together, and she’d been thrilled to get one-on-one coaching from a former Delta operator. Her shooting had been pretty good to begin with when she’d become an agent, but with his tutorage it had improved tenfold. Yet even that hadn’t been enough to stop her attackers.

She struggled with her next words, shame threatening to drown her. “I wasn’t strong enough.”

At that Tuck eased her away from him, put two fingers beneath her chin to tip her face up. “Hey.”

Celida reluctantly looked up and met his gaze.

“It had nothing to do with you not being strong enough. It was one of those freak things that no one saw coming, and they should have had someone else with you up in the room.”

Maybe. “I just don’t want anyone in the agency to think I don’t have what it takes.”

His eyes softened. “Darlin’, any of them who think that need a punch in the throat. You’re good. Damn good, and you don’t have anything to prove to anyone.”

“Not even you?”

Her question seemed to take him aback. His brows drew together. “Why would you say that?”

“Because you were in SF then Delta for years and years and never screwed up like I did.” How could he
not
think less of her after all he’d seen and done throughout his career? It was one of the reasons she’d held back from him until tonight.

He shook his head. “We screwed up plenty, believe me. We lost guys on missions, a few on training ops, and we lost allies and civilians because things went sideways out in the field.”

She blinked. He’d never mentioned any of that before. “But you never buckled under any of that stress.”

“You haven’t buckled either,” he reminded her. “It took me leaving to make you admit to any of it, and I’m not sorry I did it. And I never faced an attack alone, fighting off two armed tangos while wounded and being held at gunpoint. Shit, just thinking about you facing all that scares the hell out of me, but here you are. Back to work, getting the job done and doing the best you can to move past it. That’s all anyone can ask, as long as you don’t bottle it all up until that shit eats you from the inside out.”

He pulled her close again, resumed stroking her hair and back. “I want you to talk to me. I understand you wanting to keep it quiet with people at work, but dammit, at least come to me. Let me be there for you.”

His words, his touch, completely melted her. She settled against him with a sigh, snuggling in close. It was a huge relief to have him to talk to. Fighting this battle on her own was exhausting and she was done with it. “I will.”

“Promise?”

She heard the skepticism in his tone and smiled. “Yeah, I promise.”

He grunted. “Good. Now let’s get some sleep.”

Celida couldn’t ever remember having someone to rely on before Tuck came into her life. Even as work partners she’d recognized that he had her back no matter what, as she did his. Now he was her lover and it was even better.

And yet, exhausted as she was, she was still nervous to fall asleep in case she had another nightmare. She knew he wouldn’t judge her if she did, it was just that she didn’t want him to see her that way. He definitely cared, but she didn’t know how far it went for him. There was a part of her that desperately wanted him to love her back.

One day at a time, stupid. Enjoy the moment.

Forcing the thoughts away, she allowed his warmth and presence to lull her to sleep.

Clay lifted his head from the rim of the hot tub when he heard the hum of the lifting garage door through the open sliders up on the deck that led into the kitchen. A few seconds later he heard the door to the mudroom close and quiet footsteps on the tile floor.

“Hey, can you grab me another beer?” he called out, not too loud since it was the middle of the night and he was outside.

No answer, but he heard Tuck head toward the fridge so he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of the jets and the hot water all over his body. His pre-existing lower back injury—slightly bulging discs in his lumbar spine that he’d been going to physio for relief for months now—had started bugging him again a few days ago and he had a bunch of new bumps and bruises after all the rappelling and entry work they’d done today. This form of hydrotherapy felt awesome and it helped loosen up all his muscles after a long day.

Footsteps crossed the wooden deck above and started down the steps to the patio where the hot tub was. Clay lifted his head and reached out an arm for the beer. “Thanks—”

He jumped and jerked his arm back when he saw Zoe standing there instead of his roommate.
Shit!
He blinked at her, then looked down at his lap to make sure the swirling water covered all of him before looking back at her.

“How’d you get here?” he blurted, totally caught off guard.

Her soft, husky laugh drifted over him, sounding like pure sex to his sex-deprived system, with predicable results. The woman definitely wasn’t shy. He shifted on the built-in seat, thankful his lower half was hidden by the water. “I took a cab. And Tuck gave me the code to the garage last time I was in town.”

His brows came together, his brain having trouble catching up. “Yes, but
why
are you here?” Tuck wasn’t here. Why else would she be here?