By Honor Bound (17 page)

She turned to the stereo equipment. Maybe if she played soft music she could get her mind off the way it had felt snuggled in his arms, and the way he’d made love to her mouth and breasts.

Like many men, he owned an elaborate setup including a large television, radio, DVD player and CD player. The huge array of buttons on the equipment scared her. It would be her luck to push the wrong button and startle him straight out of his nap with a huge blast of sound.

Nah. I can figure this out.

After a couple of false starts she popped a CD into the player. Seconds later the mellow, soothing tones of jazz eased into the room. Relieved the music played softly, she sank into the easy chair and closed her eyes, a little weary. She sank into a hard sleep almost immediately.

When Jemma awoke she realized the room had grown darker. Blurry-eyed, she glanced at her watch. Three o’clock. She sat bolt upright, her eyes wide as she realized she’d slept over an hour.

She left the chair and tried the phone again. Still dead. Then she headed to the window. What she saw made her groan. Sure enough, the snow blew almost horizontal and the wind howled with furious persistence. Snow piled up against the wheels of cars in the parking lot.

Great
. At this rate she would be trapped for the night. While she shouldn’t be affected one way or the other, the thought of staying in his apartment overnight made her nervous and filled with anticipation at the same time. Right now she didn’t have an alternative.

She heard a soft moan.

Concerned, she headed down the hall. He’d partly closed the bedroom door, and when she eased it open, it didn’t make a sound. The shade over the single large window was closed, leaving the room in semi-darkness. She crept forward and looked down upon him. A sweet tenderness in her heart made her move nearer, a craving to help him weather storms, the ups and downs in life.

What images did he see when he closed his eyes? Was his soul marred by the battles he’d fought, every combat zone permanently printed on his heart?

She swallowed hard as she allowed her gaze to caress him. Did any man deserve to be so disgustingly hot?

She’d imagined this moment, this delicious revelation in her dreams, in her night fantasies.

Lying shirtless and spread-eagled on the bed, Blayne represented delicious in a strong, alpha man. Muscular and drawn in authoritative, intimidating lines, his body gave new meaning to the words heart-attack-hunk. In repose, his features softened slightly. But somehow he retained awareness, a spring-load quality that spelled danger. Each taut line and defined curve promised sheer supremacy. In dim light she could still see his rippling, defined muscles. Wide shoulders looked capable of taking on huge responsibility. He possessed powerfully built arms, and she loved how protected she’d felt with those bands of strength around her. Defined pectoral muscles were sprinkled with dark hair that trailed down to his washboard stomach and into his waistband. Her mouth almost watered.

She sucked in a breath. Of course he owned a chest to-die-for. The man worked out and kept in shape. Mesmerized by the site of his chest moving up and down in sleep, she gave into voyeuristic enjoyment.

He groaned and muttered, “Look out, Glabowsky! Don’t—”

His hand reached out, then his brow wrinkled as if he felt pain. He clutched at his chest with one hand.

Alarmed, she sat on the bed. She reached for his shoulder, pausing as she hesitated to touch his hard, masculine body. When she did touch his shoulder, his skin felt smooth over a rock-solid frame.

“Blayne? It’s all right. Wake up.”

He jerked, his eyes popping open, staring like a wild man. He grabbed her arm and yanked. She tumbled forward with a startled squeak. She tried to keep her balance, but fell onto the bed next to him in a heap. Sturdy arms wrapped around her waist.

Plastered almost nose to nose with her, his fierce expression frightened her until his gaze cleared in recognition and his grip loosened. But he didn’t let her go. Instead he turned her onto her back and his legs twined with hers. Her head was cradled on his arm while the other hand slipped down her arm and cupped her waist. One of his solid thighs wedged between her legs and pressed upward. She gasped as her clit responded to the wicked pleasure, and she arched against him instinctively.

Oh, man, he felt fantastic. Every inch of his big body pressed into hers. Lying half under him should have panicked her, but instead she reveled in the thrill. Heat radiated from his skin and his intoxicating male musk delighted. His breath touched her lips.

He scowled. “Damn it, Jemma, don’t sneak up on me like that. Did I hurt you?”

Shaky, she said, “No, but all I was trying to do was wake you up. You were having a nightmare.”

Easing his frown, he asked, “A nightmare?”

“You don’t remember?”

He sighed and nodded. A shiver racked his body. “Only too well.”

“Want to tell me what it’s about?”

Although darkness encroached on the room, she could see the intent in his eyes, the recognition of her body cradled alongside his. “God, Sweets, you feel so good under me.” The hand cupping her waist slipped down, down over her hip, then wandered down to caress her thigh. “This is all I want to talk about.” He reached up to stroke her face with his palm, the touch so exquisite and gentle she shivered with sweet, hot needs. “Not war and nightmares. And me doing something I should have done out in the living room an hour ago. Hell, I should have done it two years ago.”

Anticipation spread like lightning in her veins. “What should you have done two years ago?”

“I should have kissed you. I should have told you how attracted I was to you. We could have been in bed a lot sooner.”

Amazed and so turned on she couldn’t speak, she knew what happened between them now would be up to her. If she said no, he would stop, but if she allowed him to kiss her once, Jemma knew she couldn’t resist.

His thumb ran over her lips, and the brush against her sensitive skin made her writhe with the barest of movements. “Speak to me, Jemma. Tell me what you want. When I kissed you earlier I was worried I frightened you.”

Total honesty meant telling him she wanted down and dirty sex. So, for once in her life, she would be candid to the quick, even if he rejected her. Even if he left on his next assignment and didn’t return. She would have this moment, this night.

Desperate, she palmed his face and enjoyed the prickly rasp of his stubble against her fingers. “I want you.”

Fire leapt into his eyes. “The first time will be fast. I’m aching so bad I don’t think I could last long.”

“I want you hard and fast and deep.”

With a wicked, hungry grin that said he liked what he’d heard, Blayne laughed softly. “Sweets, I never realized what a reckless woman you are.”

Only for you.

His mouth came down on hers, hungry as his tongue plunged deep and started a cadence that spelled
Fuck
with capital letter. She knew by his kiss, by the way his hands touched her, that he was right. Their first time wouldn’t be tender, wouldn’t be an agonizingly long lovemaking session. No, this would be raw, primitive fucking.

Heat built inside her, starting a chain reaction of physical sensations she couldn’t control. Her breasts felt tender, the nipples extra sensitive. Her lower body seemed permanently on fire, heat and dampness igniting between her legs. He shifted and she felt his erection hard and long against her thigh.

Breath suspended, she realized the slow smooth jazz melody had extended into a new age tune with a sultry, exotic tone. Steamy, the song throbbed into the bedroom with a pulsating beat spelling urgency and desire.

Pulling back, he stood by the bed and unbuttoned his jeans. Despite his vow they’d make love fast, he slid the zipper down at an agonizing pace. He hissed in a breath as he hooked his fingers in the waistband and took his black briefs down with the jeans.

Holy, holy God
.

She’d ogled his chest, admiring the endless stretch of male muscle, but the dark hair trailing over his stomach bushed around a thick, long cock. Blayne’s penis was bigger than any she’d taken inside her before. Not porn star huge, but gorgeous male perfectly proportioned to his big male body. He looked delicious, and part of her wanted to take him in her mouth and suck him until he spewed down her throat.

Before she could reach out and touch him, he said, “Take off your clothes.”

She didn’t need more urging. She slid off the bed, never taking her gaze from the glorious male in front of her. Desperate to feel his nakedness against her, she yanked her sweater over her head and tossed it aside. Her bra, jeans, socks and panties followed seconds later in a heap on the floor. Every concern she might have had about shyness evaporated under his hot, appreciative survey. Without a word, he backed her toward the bed and they fell upon it in a tangle of arms and legs.

Her breathing accelerated, her body flushed with heat. She might burn up before he took her, if he didn’t take her right this minute.

She’d always thought groping was something uncouth high school boys did in the backseats of cars. As they explored each other like ravenous animals, she realized a mature man and woman in desperate need of each could thrash and roll and grope with the best of them. He covered one nipple with his hot tongue, lapping and sucking as he slipped his fingers between her legs.

As he traced her wet labia with one finger, she gasped and bucked against his hand. He groaned against her nipple, the vibrations tingling into the hard nub and making her echo his sound with one of her own. “Damn, baby, you’re so hot and wet already.”

His boastful male satisfaction didn’t diminish her yearning and excitement. Instead it fueled and heightened her arousal. Jemma shuddered against him. “God, I can’t stand this.”

“What do you want?” His eyes went animal, the most primitive part of him hovering on the brink. “What do you need, Sweets? Tell me.”

She’d never told a man what she wanted before, and a man had never asked. She could allow every inhibition dissolve into dust in Blayne’s protective arms. This realization came to her, forbidden, and more exhilarating than anything she could have imagined.

“Fuck me,” she whispered, her voice hoarse and aching with desire.

“Yes,” he growled.

As he lowered his hips between her thighs, his cock nudged her soft folds. His tongue penetrated her mouth, dipping inside to rub with a continual, deep stroke.

He ripped his mouth from hers, his breath coming harshly. “I almost forgot. Hold on.”

Jemma moaned softly as he headed for the bathroom and she heard him ripping open a condom package. Seconds later he returned, his heavy cock sheathed. He tossed several other condoms on the nightstand. Oh, yes. It looked like he had a long evening planned.

Now. He would take her now.

As he settled between her legs again, he made sure to keep most of his weight off her by propping up on his forearms.

This was it.

As he kissed her, he slid between her folds and eased his thick cock into her tightness.

She tore her mouth from his, her female power roaring inside her. “Hard. Do it hard.”

With a groan he muttered, “Yes, ma’am.”

He drew back for power and plunged so deep she gasped and arched her back in stunned ecstasy.

“Yes,” he said again, his voice guttural. “God, you feel so good.”

Hard as steel and so thick it stretched her, his cock felt hot against her walls. She’d thought she’d had sex before, but what had she known?

This…this incredible hardness buried deep inside her was
sex
.

She shivered and slid her arms around his neck. “Please. Now.”

 “Don’t let me hurt you,” he rasped. Without further preliminaries he withdrew and jammed his cock high and tight into her once again.

She gasped, her eyes wide as she sobbed with incredible excitement. “Yes, yes.”

He took her mouth, his tongue fucking her mouth as his cock fucked her cunt. He started a hard, driving movement, jack hammering between her thighs. Each insistent, ramming thrust into her took Jemma to a new height of craving, her hips rotating beneath his as he powered his way into her.

An incredible tingling built deep inside her as his cock rubbed her G-spot fast and relentlessly. Back and forth, back and forth, the steady piston action of his hips driving her to the beyond. Burning with amazing, stunned ecstasy, she moved with him, her body learning a rhythm of push and retreat. She understood more of her heart and soul through the heart-bursting physical connection. Sex became an intoxicating, loving, primal mating on the most basic scale.

As she leaned up and licked one male nipple, he tasted salty and hot. Jemma gripped his shoulders, her fingers digging in a little as she held on for the ride.

Blayne groaned her name against her lips, his breath harsh and rapid. “Come on. Come for me.”

As he rammed deep, she gasped in stunned ecstasy. She came, her hips lurching upwards, her back arching as a tiny moan of fulfillment left her throat and bursts of bliss fired in her clit.

“Oh, yeah,” he rasped.

Jemma’s reaction set him off, a male animal out of control and reaching for the top in no uncertain terms. She felt like he might fuck her forever.

God, she hoped so. The harder he thrust, the more she wanted him. She couldn’t get enough.

Although she’d experienced a satisfying orgasm, sensation piled upon sensation and demanded more from her. She opened wider to each punctuating thrust, each ruthless requirement of his body on hers, then pulsated and clenched over the rock-hard man moving inside her.

His voice raw with passion, he whispered erotic words against her ear. “God, you’re so hot.” When she whimpered, pressing her breasts into his hard chest and lifting her hips, he praised her. “That’s it. Oh, shit, you like that don’t you, baby?”

She groaned low in her throat, soft little pleas for more.

Instinctively she knew what he wanted, felt it in her bones. She grabbed his ass cheeks, digging into them with her fingers. As it anchored her, she rotated her hips, and at the same time, tightened and released over the hardness plunging inside her.