Watched (7 page)

He shrugged, then realized she couldn’t see it. He was already running into the apartment, the shock of cool indoor air chilled his sweat-drenched skin as he took the stairs three at a time. “No problem. Where are you?”

It didn’t take long to reach her, especially when he raced through his shower and bent a few traffic laws. Hunter had found the two women huddled in the mechanic’s waiting room. Their explanation was short, but Alexandra’s pale cast was all he needed to tell him something was wrong. The drive back to the apartment was silent, and Hunter didn’t rush her to speak.

When they got to the apartment, Hunter threw the truck into park and hurried around to help Alexandra from the passenger’s side. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

Alexandra shrugged, taking the hand he extended. “I’m not even sure it’s a big deal. Elise was really nervous, and I was too, but now I feel a little silly for getting all worked up.”

Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the brick apartment wall, comfortingly warm against the chill which hadn’t left him since the call that afternoon. The near miss and slashed tires on the same day might be just coincidence, but he didn’t think so. Judging from how pale Alex was, she didn’t either.

“I’ve been looking for a chance to kidnap you anyway,” he joked. When she turned her wide cinnamon-brown eyes to him, he held his hands up and gave his best teasing grin. She really was on edge. “That is, if you’ve got room in your schedule. Do you have work today?”

She shook her head. “Today is Dr. Muller’s day. He’s finally back from paternity leave, and I’m taking the weekend off to recover from the extra workload.” She grimaced. “My plans were to do nothing all day, maybe take a walk tomorrow.”

“We can do that. If you don’t mind me lurking in the background.” At her dubious look, he pretended to lock his lips shut and throw away the key. “I’ll be quiet as a mouse. You won’t even know I’m there.”

Laughter echoed from the wall beside them, and Alex jumped. The redhead from Unit C stepped out the door, followed by a tall, handsome man with sharp features and his hair combed straight back. She didn’t seem to notice them, still laughing loudly at something her escort had said.

Alexandra’s frightened stare turned to frustration, and Hunter caught her hand before he could stop himself. “Come on, you shouldn’t be by yourself when you’re this jumpy. Let’s watch a movie, maybe have some pizza or something.”

Her breath hitched, then sped up. He should let go and let her make her own decisions, but he couldn’t drop her hand. The way she moistened her lips sent all his sensation south, and he unconsciously tugged her closer.

The warm weight of her hand settled on his chest as she stepped toward him. Her eyes trapped his, dark with desire. He held his breath as she leaned in with glacial slowness.

Then she was gone, walking away from him. Before he could protest, she pulled on their joined hands, dragging him behind her like the wake of a speedboat.

“Alex?” He barely managed to ask, trying to keep up with her as they flew through the door and up the stairs. He imagined the doors in the hall would fly open with the wind of their passage. She unlocked her apartment door and motioned him inside after her, letting the door slam behind them. Then she froze, still turned away from him.

Silent seconds ticked away until he cleared his throat. “So that’s a yes to hanging out, then?”

Alexandra took a deep breath and turned toward him. “We need to talk. This attraction has gotten out of hand. Neither one of us can hold a normal conversation without wanting to… kiss the other.” Flaming red had colored her cheeks, but her chin was so high she was almost looking down her nose at him.

“Oh, I want to do more than kiss you.” Hunter didn’t move closer. He didn’t want to scare her away, especially now. Not even when her body’s lush curves called to him under her casual t-shirt and jeans.

“We need to get this out of our systems,” she said, her voice crisp and businesslike as she approached him. “If you’d like, we can do that now, so we can each move on.”

A slow smirk curled his lips. “How romantic.”

She answered with a smile of her own as she reached out and traced his collarbone with one finger. The gentle pressure of her touch sent his pulse pounding. “What, you want flowers and chocolates, maybe a card?”

“Maybe.” Hunter encircled her with his arms, pulling her closer and enjoying the feel of her soft body against his. “Can’t a guy wish for a little wooing?” He let his hands rub up and down her back, enjoying the way she felt under his touch.

“Hm. You may have a point.” Alexandra appeared to consider his words, then straightened. “All right, I’ll go to the store and get those, I’ll be right back.” She pretended to pull away, reaching for the door handle.

His bark of laughter rang through the apartment. “Maybe next time.”

Alexandra’s eyebrows bunched together, and she opened her mouth to say something, but his lips met hers before a sound escaped.

CHAPTER TEN

Alexandra

Alexandra returned his kiss with all the pent-up passion and adrenaline of the last few days. Her hands slipped up under the hem of his shirt, brushing over his hard chest. She pulled it over his head, then turned her attention to the broad expanse of muscle she’d uncovered.

Hunter flipped open the button of her jeans, unzipping and stripping them down her legs to a puddle on the floor. She yelped in surprise as he swept her up and lifted her high against his chest, even as her heart raced with excitement.

The feel of his hot skin against her bare legs was strangely intoxicating. As he turned toward her bedroom, Alexandra laid her hands flat against his chest, pushing away enough to look at him. “Tell me you have a condom.”

“Yep. In my wallet.” He answered, pulling her against him and feathering kisses from the hollow of her throat to her earlobe, each touch of his lips sending jolts of electricity down her spine. A rush of moisture dampened her panties as she closed her eyes and leaned eagerly into him.

She let her hands rove over the width of his shoulders. “Always ready, are you?”

Hunter laughed shortly as he sat on the bed, arranging her so she straddled his lap. “Not usually, but I got some after our last encounter. Just in case.” Alexandra could feel the solid heat of him pressing through his jeans into her thin panties, driving her crazy. She couldn’t help pressing her hips into his. The soft moan which escaped her lips sounded inhuman, almost feral.

He ran his fingers across the sensitive skin between her panties and the hem of her shirt before pulling the shirt over her head and tossing it away. Her white lacy bra followed soon after. Alexandra shivered as her bare nipples peaked in the cold air. She covered herself instinctively, hiding her breasts and the long vertical scar from her c-section.

Hunter caught both her hands in one of his, easing them away before tilting his head to admire her. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve imagined this.” He told her, his voice almost reverent. He ran the fingers of his other hand between her breasts and down to her belly button, sweeping over her scar before retracing.

His light caress left a scorching path in its wake, and she arched into his hands unconsciously. A small smile quirked his lips. “You’re even more perfect than I pictured.” His fingers swept over one shoulder. “I never knew you had freckles here.” He kissed each one of them, nipping at the top of her breast before directing his attention to the other shoulder.

Alexandra freed her hands, then ran them down Hunter’s shoulders to the bulge of his biceps. “You don’t have to say things like that, you know. I don’t need flattery.”

She broke off into a gasp when Hunter palmed her breast, his thumb flicking over her nipple. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he chuckled. “For the record, I mean every word of it, and I intend to show you just how much.” He leaned her back over his arm, dipping his head to nip at the other breast before taking her aching nipple into his mouth. She bucked against him, heat shooting from her nipples to her clit as he laved the sensitive bud with his tongue.

He pulled away, and she whimpered at the loss before he turned his attention to the other breast, scraping his teeth over her nipple before pulling it into his mouth. Another rush of moisture dampened her panties as she laced her fingers through his hair, spiraling higher as his fingers and tongue flicked and teased. She pressed herself against the bulge in his jeans, rocking her hips against him and crying out with frustration when she couldn’t get the friction she needed on her swollen clit.

He looked up at her, never stopping his attention on her taut nipple. She had no idea how hot she looked right now, yanking on his hair in needy little tugs while she rubbed herself against him. He had never been so hard before, and when she opened her delicate lips and panted his name he almost came in his jeans.

“Poor baby, do you need to come?” He purred, his hand sliding under the waistband of her panties and slipping between her soft folds. She lifted herself to her knees to meet him.

He moaned against her breast as he slid a finger inside her, feeling how tight and wet she was for him. His thumb stroked her swollen nub, causing her inner walls to quiver and clench around him. He let her set her own pace, riding his finger and digging her nails into his shoulders as her head fell back.

“Oh, Hunter, you’re so - ah, that feels good. I can’t stop…” She gasped, her breath coming in short pants.

He smiled, sliding another finger into her to join the first and enjoying the shiver which rocked her body. “Then don’t, baby. Damn, you’re so responsive.” He pulled her lips to his, and as his tongue swept inside she shattered, the waves of pleasure overtaking her as she screamed his name against his lips.

She collapsed against him, little shudders of pleasure rolling through her as he stroked her back. Finally he rolled her onto the bed and stood. He pulled his pants off, grimacing when she covered herself almost immediately.

“Turn off the light, Hunter.” She told him, a nervous quiver in her voice. Hunter shook his head. How could such a beautiful woman be so insecure about her body? Especially when she seemed so confident in all other areas of her life.

“I want to see you,” he told her, pulling a condom from his wallet and rolling it on. “You’re every fantasy I’ve ever had come to life, why would I want to miss seeing all there is of you?”

She was distracted from his answer by the sight of his erection, flat against his stomach. She gasped at the sheer size of it, and it seemed to jump just from her attention. A rush of moisture wet her thighs and made her ready for him.

Hunter grinned as he stretched out on top of her, nudging her thighs apart to settle between them. “Already wet for me, sweetheart? That’s sexy.”

He leaned forward, taking her mouth in a lazy kiss as he settled the head of himself against her. She moaned, pushing her hips up against his in a silent plea. His kiss grew more demanding as he slanted his mouth over hers, his hand pinching, teasing and stroking until she trembled.

The heat of his shaft stroking over her swollen clit sent waves of desire through her. The empty tightness between her thighs was almost unbearable. Alexandra’s hands trembled as she ran them over his shoulders and down his hard, flat stomach. She burned for him, and tilted her hips up to give him access.

Hunter smiled, shaking his head. “What do you want, baby? I want to hear you say it.”

“Oh please.” She gasped, going mad with need as she fought to keep from climaxing. Not yet. Not without him in her. “Hunter, please take me.”

He groaned, pulling back just enough to angle her hips and slowly thrust into her, filling her. Alexandra gasped in shock as she stretched around him, his solid heat filling her and sending flares of sensation tingling through her. She wrapped her hands around his hips, eagerly pulling him even farther inside.

He watched her as he pulled out slowly before thrusting inside again, the careful rhythm of his hips matched by her own. “You’re so amazing, so hot and tight. I could spend forever watching the little flare in your eyes when I fill you.”

He pushed into her again, faster this time, and reached down to stroke the sensitive nub of her clit. The sensation sent her over the edge, and she screamed, her whole body clenching around him and soaking him as she came. He held her. His fingers stroked her lightly, just enough to keep the orgasm rolling through her, never giving her more than she could handle.

When her tremors had subsided, he pulled away. The empty feeling he left behind dragged a whimper from her, but she was soon filled as he rocked his hips forward again. She moaned his name, and he nuzzled the hollow of her throat.

“I’m right here for you, baby. Wrap your legs around me.” As she obeyed, he began to thrust faster and harder, lifting her hips slightly to push himself even deeper.

Every part of her body tingled, her nipples unbearably taut as the heavy pressure filled her with hot jolts until she thought she’d overflow. She matched his rhythm, hungrily meeting him stroke for stroke as they spiraled higher together.

The friction inside her spread outward in a wave of warmth as she came, her nails biting into his shoulders. He shuddered in release above her, groaning as he pressed his lips to hers in a slow, melting kiss.