Unexpected (15 page)

Her heels dug into the mattress and she threw back her head, crying out, trembling. Eli held her, keeping the rhythm of his fingers steady to give her more pleasure. When she finally quieted, he squeezed her close. Words of love crowded his throat, but he swallowed them down, forcing himself to be content with the sounds of her labored breathing, the scent of her heated body and excitement. She went limp.

He was far from finished, but he allowed her a few moments to regain her breath, to calm her racing heart. While she did so, he stroked her skin, touching her everywhere, kissing her in select places.

He bit her belly again, loving the taste of her, wanting to eat every inch of her.

“Eli?” Her limp hand lifted to his head and her fingers threaded gently through his hair in what Eli chose to see as a loving caress. “That was . . .” She sighed without finishing.

“Just a start.” He raised up, gave her a long look, then kissed her long and deep. “I could spend years loving you, Ray.”

She started a bit at that, but Eli didn't give her a chance to protest. He kissed her mouth again, then her throat, her shoulder, and her left breast. Lazily, he suckled her nipples, aware of the moment Ray responded with renewed interest. Her body was no longer so languid and her hands began their own exploration. Eli allowed her a few minutes to touch him, relishing the feel of her hot little hands skimming up and down his body. She tried to wedge a hand under him, wanting his cock, but Eli scooted down her body instead. He had a feeling this might be the only place where he could keep control.

She started to protest, until he licked over her ribs, then her hipbones and down. He dipped his tongue into her navel, pushed her legs wide apart, and kissed the delicate spot where her thigh met her groin. Ray caught her breath in anticipation of what he would do.

Not about to disappoint her, Eli nuzzled his face between her open thighs. His nostrils flared at the hot, spicy scent of her lust. Her pubic hair was already damp, making him anxious to taste her. He used both thumbs to open her more, leaving her clitoris exposed, ripe and tender. She was still slightly swollen from her earlier release, and Eli couldn't wait. He closed his mouth over her, drawing gently, flicking with his rough tongue, and Ray screamed in excitement.

Putting his fingers back inside her, Eli teased with devastating intent, stroking, sucking, treating her to a delicious tongue fuck meant to drive her mad.

This time Ray was totally uncontrolled in her climax. Her body quaked in small spasms, her cries were low and raw and filled with the same need Eli suffered. He could feel the strong contractions of her inner muscles gripping his fingers and he could taste her arousal as she came in long, delicious waves. He didn't want it to ever end, but eventually her body sank into the mattress.

She was crying.

Not sobs, but silent tears that left her cheeks wet and salty. Eli wasn't alarmed. She'd been so tense over so many things, the sexual release had probably released other emotions as well. He was glad.

Moving up to lie over her, Eli held her to his heart. That Ray would break down and cry with him told him everything he needed to know. She cared, no matter what she told herself. But if he made a big deal of this, she'd hate him for it. And he'd rather die than hurt her.

Kissing away the closest tear, he whispered, “You are so beautiful, Ray.”

She shook her head. “I'm not.”

Argumentative to the bitter end. Eli managed a weak, strained chuckle. His words were hoarse when he told her playfully, “You're also the most stubborn woman I've ever met.”

“No, I—”

“Where's the rubber?” he asked, just to keep her on track. If he didn't get inside her soon, he'd be coming without her and that wouldn't do.

She sniffed, twisted to reach under the cot. “If you ever tell anyone—”

“What? That you're a sexual dynamo? That you taste so fucking good I almost came just from eating you?” He growled, ready to taste her again. “That you—”

“That I cried.”

His heart swelled at the pitiful, embarrassed way she whispered that. “I swear to God, Ray, I will never hurt you.” He took the condom from her and levered up to take care of business.

“I don't know why I'm sniveling. I'm not sad.”

“I know, honey.”

“I'm not worried or afraid, either.”

Eli said nothing to that.

“It's just that you're so . . .”

“I understand.”

She laughed. “Maybe I should say vain?” Ray sniffed again, then touched his chest. “I love how you feel, Eli.” Her hands moved over his nipples, down his sides to again clutch his butt.

“All sweaty?” With the condom on, Eli lowered himself back into her arms.

“All heaving and horny and hard.”

Closing his eyes, Eli struggled for control. It wasn't easy, but he managed to keep his entrance slow. After two orgasms, Ray was so wet and soft that he sank into her easily.

Once he was buried deep, he paused to kiss her brow, her ear, the tip of her nose. He loved kissing Ray and could have spent hours doing just that.

“You're a part of me, Ray.” He cupped her chin and pressed deeper, touching her womb to emphasize his claim. “I won't ever let you push me away again. And I won't ever let you go.”

With a heartfelt, uncertain groan, Ray tried to turn her face away—but she couldn't do it. Eli knew it wasn't his hold on her chin, but rather his hold on her heart that she rebelled against. Physical bonds she could break, but when was the last time someone had loved her?

Ray closed her eyes and her voice sounded with humiliation and despair. “You don't know what you're saying, Eli.”

No, she just didn't want to believe what he said. “Don't be afraid of me, honey.”

She thumped him in the ribs, but it was a weak attack, awkward from her position, making him smile. He was a part of her, body and heart, and even Ray's stubbornness couldn't blind her to that fact.

Still, long ingrained pride made her grumble, “I'm not afraid of anyone,” at the same time her legs slowly twined around his hips and she locked her ankles at the small of his back.

“You feel good wrapped around me, honey.” He began moving in a metered pace. He forced himself to go slow, enjoying the sweet friction, the wet glide, the gentle conquest of Ray Vereker, his own little mercenary.

Unappreciative of his efforts, Ray cursed him.

“So impatient,” Eli murmured. His cock throbbed and pulsed, hugged by her hot velvet sheath. With each steady thrust, he felt her pubic hair, her smooth belly on his, her pointed nipples against his chest. “I've waited too long to hurry, Ray. Just relax and enjoy.”

Instead, she dug her heels into the small of his back and strained against him. Damp from the heat and humidity, they rocked together, finding a rhythm that came to them easily, as if they'd been making love for years.

Eli slid his hands beneath her, cradling her ass, kneading and holding her close. His control began slipping so he raised her high for more powerful thrusts, each growing harder and deeper. Her strong legs squeezed him tight in her pleasure. Her hands held him as if she'd never let him go.

The urgency was back, worse than ever. His body pounded with heat, his heart thundered, and his muscles went rigid with the effort of restraint. He didn't think he could wait much longer, everything about Ray driving him past his control.

Then Ray said, “I want you with me this time,” on a high wail, and it was enough. Eli exploded. His own shout was harsh and filled with satisfaction. He pressed his face into Ray's neck, filling himself with the scent of her, holding her as close as he could manage without hurting her.

It wasn't close enough.

He didn't know if he could ever be close enough. He only knew she was his now, and he would never let her forget that.

 

 

Ray hated to admit it, but she
was
afraid.

Last night had been pure, unadulterated, all-consuming bliss, far more than she'd counted on when she decided to give in to the attraction.
Attraction?
Ha! What a wimpy word for how she felt, for how Eli could make her feel.

She'd never imagined sex could be that way, both powerful and tender, mind-blowing and healing. Eli had the means to make her whole, content and fulfilled, which meant he also had the means to hurt her.

He didn't really know her, or he wouldn't keep talking about relationships and the future. She didn't fit in, not in her own world, and definitely not in his.

The bigger problem though, was that she no longer knew herself, not when she was with him, not with how he made her feel.

Last night was a memory she'd cherish. But it should never have happened. She'd given in, and in the process she'd made herself too vulnerable for comfort.

Usually she had no problem keeping her mind on what she was doing, using an internal clock to keep to her schedule. But after last night, she'd conked out for the duration. Even her concerns for the job hadn't been enough to rouse her this morning. It'd taken the noisy howler monkeys to jerk her awake. Now she was running behind, and as she shoved on her pants and tucked in her shirt, she stared at Eli, still sleeping.

He was a beautiful man. And not just in appearance, though God knew he had her panting for his body. He was intelligent and proud and almost as dangerous as she was. She'd misjudged him badly in the beginning. But now she knew Eli Conners could hold his own in any battle, be it a boardroom debate or a physical struggle in the middle of Central America.

But even putting those truths aside, he was still from the social elite. Other than a few admitted prejudices, Ray didn't know the first thing about the life of the rich and powerful. She'd hired herself out to them, doing their dirty work, but she didn't know what motivated them. What did they think when they got up in the morning? What did they discuss over lunch? She didn't know, would never know, and that was the crux of the problem.

Fully dressed, Ray walked to the bed. They had about five minutes before they needed to move out. She'd deliberately waited to wake Eli so he couldn't start hashing out the proverbial morning-after awkwardness.

Ray reached out to shake him awake, but hesitated. He was naked as a jaybird, and she liked it. Boy, did she like it. One muscled arm rested behind his head, and she stared at his biceps, pronounced even in sleep. The tuft of dark, fine hair beneath his arm was a strangely appealing sight, masculine and naturally sexy. So was the way his heavy brows relaxed in sleep, the rumpled lay of his hair, the soft soughing of his breath.

Looking at him made her suffer with regret, but also filled her with warmth. She stared at his sex, remembering how she'd touched him there, how she'd tasted him, how he'd slid deep and filled her up.

He wasn't hard now, but was nestled softly in dark, crisp hair. It amazed her that a man's body could change so rapidly and so completely. It amazed her that Eli's body changed for
her.

She wanted to touch him again, and found herself seriously considering it. Eli stirred, becoming erect right before her eyes. Her gaze shot to his face and she found him watching her, those hazel eyes hot and filled with such intensity that the impact of his stare sank deep into her heart. From the first, he'd possessed the power to see too much.

Eli slowly reached for her, but she stepped away. “We're late. We overslept. You've got”—she glanced at her watch—“four minutes.”

Eli came out of the bed as if he'd been awake for hours, as if he hadn't spent most of the night making love to her. But he had. The lack of condoms hadn't stopped him. No, he just hadn't come inside her again, but he'd given her so much pleasure . . .

He stepped into his pants as he said, “I'm sorry. You should have awakened me sooner.”

Ray cleared her throat. “No big deal, as long as you're ready to leave when I am. We want to catch them soon after they've eaten, when the effect of the drug is strongest.”

Eli tugged on his boots, rummaged through the bag, then went outside. Ray peeked out the window. He relieved himself, then went to the stream to splash his face and brush his teeth. She shook her head. It would have been better if he'd been grouchy this morning. Then she could have convinced herself that he wasn't as wonderful as he seemed.

God, she was a fraud, damn near a coward. She almost hated herself.

He was back in the shack, ready to leave, and he hadn't even used a whole three minutes.

Forcing herself to think of the job at hand, Ray readied her ammo in case things didn't go as planned. She did it by rote, the familiarity of it just what she needed to soothe her frazzled thoughts.

“You look like a female Rambo.” Eli made a sound of disgust. “Christ, I hate this, Ray.”

Pretending confusion, she cocked a brow. “This?”

“Knowing the risks you take.”

She shrugged. “It's what you hired me for.”

Her cavalier attitude set him off. “That has nothing to do with here and now.”

Ray was ready for a fight, needed one, in fact. It'd clear the air and remind her, and him, of where they stood.

Which was not together.

“Be honest with yourself about who and what I am, Eli. That hasn't changed just because sex got thrown in as a bonus.”

His jaw locked. “Don't push me, Ray. What happened last night doesn't have a fucking thing to do with our arrangement.”

His foul language didn't impress her. “No? Our reasons for being here haven't changed.
I
haven't changed.”

In a show of frustration, Eli ran a hand through his hair. He looked disreputable and dangerous with his scraggly beard and glowing eyes. Then he tilted his head back to stare at the rotting ceiling. Ray watched his chest heave.

When he again looked at her, that turbulent emotion had been banked while the intensity remained. Eli looked at her mouth. “I'm sorry about being so . . . insatiable last night.”