Dangerous Games (Aegis Group, #3) (27 page)

He pulled her up against his chest, swooping down for a hot kiss, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. He tugged her hoodie off, taking her tank top with it. Since she and Crystal had vastly different bra sizes and Andrea’s was pretty much disgusting, she hadn’t bothered to put one on after her shower. She fought the urge to cover herself and kept her arms down by her sides.

“What’s wrong?” Zain asked. “Do you want me to stop?”

She had no doubt he would stop—and then she’d die. Or want to die.

Andrea shook her head. She couldn’t speak without fear of what would come out of her mouth.

He cupped her breast, his thumb swiping back and forth over her nipple. She groaned and leaned into the caress, her clit throbbing with each pass.

“Andrea?”

“Please don’t stop?”

“What’s wrong? You can tell me.” He edged closer until her bare breast brushed his chest.

She had to tell him something. The truth was totally out and saying
nothing
would only make him press for more answers.

“I don’t want you to go,” she blurted. Someday soon, she knew he’d have to. His life and job were half-way across the country. The idea of him being so far away ripped her into pieces.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He hooked his left hand into the waistband of her sweatpants.

She lifted her chin and he kissed her, choosing to interpret his statement how she wished. For now, she’d wrap herself in the lie that he’d be there. Always. That this wasn’t going to break her heart when he finally had to leave. Right now, she wanted him worse than she’d ever wanted anything. Even making D7, and that’d been her goal since she’d begun playing video games.

Zain rubbed his fingers over her nipple and she arched her back. She grasped the belt and released the catch. His jeans sagged a few glorious inches, those deep, muscular trenches at his hips and the dark patch of hair all pointing at the button on his jeans. She tabbed his jeans open despite the way her hands shook.

Telling him she loved him was out of the question—but she could show him. She could love him with her body and heart. The words though, those she’d whisper only in her mind.

Zain walked her back until her calves hit the bed. She sat down, her gaze zeroing in on the bulge in front of her, the way his erection tented his boxer briefs. He tugged at the waistband of her sweatpants. She scooted back and he pulled both her underwear and pants off in one go, leaving her naked, save for the bandages still on her arms.

He sank onto his knees.

Oh God, she didn’t know if she could handle
that
. The last time he’d gone there, he’d nearly broken her.

Before she could get words out his lips wrapped around her clit. Her ability to speak was reduced to whimpering gibberish. He thrust one and then two fingers inside of her.

“Zain.” It took her a good thirty seconds to get his full name out, stretching every letter out.

Her muscles went to goo, all liquid and warm. She arched her back and flexed her hips, moving with him. Each flick of his tongue and press of his fingers stroked her desire higher. He did things to her, inside and outside her body, that weren’t natural. It shouldn’t be possible to feel this way for a man she’d just met—but she did. And the way he made her feel about herself...was new.

She shoved her fingers into his hair and pulled.

Much more of that and she’d come.

He kissed her hip, her stomach, the place between her breasts and all the way up her throat.

“Touch me?” he whispered to her.

Was that seriously a request? Shouldn’t she be asking if she could touch him?

She started at his shoulders, running her palms down his chest.

“Andrea.” He said her name with need.

No one had ever needed her before. Not like this. It was...savage.

She pushed her hand past the elastic waistband until her fingers met hot, hard flesh. She kept going until she could cup his balls, rubbing her palm over his sac. His eyes closed, his short, dark lashes standing out against his skin. She stroked her hand up, wrapping her hand around his cock. Slowly, she pumped his flesh, all the way to the tip and back. He rocked into her hold and dropped his forehead to hers.

Andrea swallowed.

The depth to her want scared her.

Zain was important to her in a way no one ever had been.

“Zain?” Her voice broke saying his name this time.

“Oh. Yeah?”

The words stuck in her throat.

“What is it?” He kissed her cheek then her lips.

“I want you inside of me,” she whispered.

“Me, too.” He pulled back slowly and she let him go.

Zain stood and placed his palm against his groin, one side of his mouth hiked up while his gaze traveled over her body. The urge to cover herself was gone.

He crossed to their bags and spent a moment digging around. He muttered a curse and started tossing stuff out of his bag, one thing after another, and then handfuls at a time.

She got up, chuckling, and joined him.

“Easy access, remember?” She slid her hand into an exterior zipper on his bag and produced the strip of condoms.

“Fuck me,” Zain muttered.

That was the point.

Andrea ripped one off and shoved the rest in the bag, which promptly tumbled off into the floor, leaving the window seat empty. She placed a hand against his chest and nudged him back until he sat on the cushions.

He’d let her do this once. Now, would he again?

She ripped the package open carefully and pulled out the latex disc.

Zain sat with his legs spread, jeans partway down his hips. She hooked her left hand into the waistband of his boxers and pulled them down. He helped her, their gazes never leaving each other, even as his cock was freed. The silence was...deafening. So many things unspoken. The need they both felt screaming at her.

She rolled the condom on while he watched, the blinds clanking as he shifted the cushions.

“Are you going to ride me?” he asked.

“Is that a problem?”

“Hell no.” He palmed his erection.

She’d rarely wanted to be on top. She’d always felt too awkward. But now, she wanted to touch him. To see his face.

“Come here.” He reached for her, clasping their hands, and pulled her to him.

She placed one knee then the other on the bench until she straddled his lap. Her stomach fluttered, unaccustomed to being watched like this. He could see all of her—had seen all of her—and yet he still watched her with a kind of predatory hunger.

He turned her hand over and cupped her mound, pressing her fingers against her folds.

“You’re so hot. And wet.” Zain sat up and kissed her, his fingers slipping past hers into her pussy.

She gasped and shifted her hips. His fingers were talented, but it wasn’t what she wanted. She wrapped her hand around his cock and rose, breaking the kiss. He shifted, helping her guide his erection to her entrance.

There.

She held her breath and lowered herself onto him. Her eyes drifted closed as her body shifted, stretching to accommodate his girth. She bit her lower lip.

He hooked his left arm around her waist and slid down a bit, changing the angle.

“Oohh.” Her breath stuttered out of her lungs as he hit a new, yet undiscovered pleasure spot.

“Yeah.”

Zain tightened his grip around her waist, urging her to move. She gripped his shoulders and rose, her thighs shaking.

Maybe this was a bad idea, but it felt so good.

He was the perfect height to lick her breast. She groaned again as he filled her. His hand coasted over her body, plucking her breast, rubbing her clit, while his mouth made love to her.

She closed her eyes and tipped her head back. There was nothing awkward or out of place about this moment. It was right. And she wanted it to go on and on forever.

Zain thrust up into her, sending a zing of pleasure through her body.

“Look at me.” His voice was rough, worn, needy.

She stared down at him, lost in his gaze.

He was in her. Everywhere. Her heart. Her body. She didn’t know how it’d happened so fast, but it had and she couldn’t see it changing. Ever.

She dropped her head until she could kiss him and rolled her hips, squeezing him with her internal muscles. Fingers massaged her clit, stroking the need for him higher.

“Come on, Andrea. Come on,” he chanted.

She gripped his shoulder, tossed her head back like some sexy siren, and rode him as hard as she could. The sound of their bodies joining driving her on. His grunts, the lick of his tongue, the touch of his fingers created an ache of need low in her belly she had to satisfy.

Zain sucked her breast, the sensation redoubled by his fingers stroking her need. She dug her nails into his shoulder, and bit her lip a moment before pleasure overtook her mind, spiraling out of control. He continued to thrust up into her, groaning and stroking her on and on until his movements became jerky, uneven and then he stilled.

She collapsed on top of him, spent, exhausted and unready to face reality.

Andrea loved him, and nothing was going to change that.

Zain wrapped his arms around her, hugging her closer. She stroked his hair and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting away the tears. They remained like that for several long moments, neither speaking, not ready to let go. At least not until a black and white cat jumped up onto the bench next to Zain.

Meow?

“I knew I hadn’t gotten them all,” she grumbled.

“Go away, buddy, she’s mine,” Zain muttered against her shoulder.

Her eyes prickled and tears fogged her vision. She needed a moment to get herself under control.

Andrea squeezed her eyes shut and drew in a deep breath. She could do this.

She sat up and smiled down at Zain, her heart quaking. The cat head butted his shoulder, intent on being involved. She ducked her head and kissed Zain.

“I’ll take care of this guy,” she said.

It was the most graceful way she could think of to flee. She scooped up the cat and climbed off the bench, hiding her face in the cat’s fur while she crossed to the adjoining bathroom and shoved the cat out into the hall.

She shut the door, blocking out the sound of Zain moving around and took a few moments for herself to pee and get her head screwed on straight.

How could she love him? She’d just met him. And yet—that was what she felt. She couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever, either.

Zain tapped on the door.

“I thought you might want this,” he said.

She cracked the door and peered out at him—still gloriously naked—and holding the red Star Wars shirt. She couldn’t help but grin and accept his offering.

“Your turn.” She scuttled out of his way, pulling on the shirt for a thin barrier between her heart and the object of her affections.

Yeah, she still didn’t have any defenses against him.

She pulled the blackout curtains and peeked under the bed and behind the dresser for any more stray cats before diving between the sheets. Sex had only woken up her mind and all her feelings, while her body was aching and exhausted.

Zain emerged, still without a stitch of clothing on. She could get used to this at least.

“You look ready to pass out,” he said.

“I doubt I can sleep.”

He laid down next to her, his gaze thoughtful.

“What’s bothering you?” he asked.

“Pick a thing.” She shrugged, hiding behind the events of the last week rather than admit the truth.

“I get it.” He slid his hand down her arm over the bandages. “I hate that I failed you.”

“No, you didn’t—”

“I did. I should have seen that coming. It’s okay to be scared. I was scared of losing you. I just...when we pulled up and you weren’t there, I had this sickening thought that I’d never see you again and I couldn’t wrap my head around a future without you in it. It was just...then you screamed...” He shook his head.

I couldn’t wrap my head around a future without you in it.

Andrea swallowed.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

Zain couldn’t look away from Andrea’s slowly widening gaze.

Why was he still talking?

Could he just shut up already?

Of the list of things he should not be saying, he’d covered at least half of them in a few sentences. He needed to put a sock in it now, but the damage might already have been done. Especially if her wide-eyed, staring at the ceiling gaze was anything to go by.

He clenched his teeth together.

Andrea wrapped her hand around his prosthetic, holding it tight, if her white knuckles were anything to go by.

Zain opened his mouth to say something—smooth it all over—but the words were stuck in his throat. He didn’t want to take back what he’d said. He’d meant it.

“I have a bad habit.” Andrea was still staring at the ceiling.

Of what? Letting guys fall in love with her and then crushing their souls? Or was it just him?

“Okay.” He swallowed and steeled himself for the let-down.

“I ruin relationships. I like someone and I get scared of where it’s going. That I’m a fuck-up. That, well, you can just about insert any reason you want into the equation because it always ends the same.” She swallowed and ran her thumb over the silver hook in her hand. “I run away. I ruin things because they can’t possibly turn out good. Crystal says I need therapy, and she’s probably right. I just...”

She turned her head toward him and now it was his turn to struggle to breathe. There was a depth of emotion in her gaze he couldn’t begin to fathom.

“I really like you,” she said. “And then I realize it and I start to freak out. A lot. I’m scared I’m going to do something stupid because I don’t know how to not ruin good things.”

“What do you want, Andrea?”

“I want to hide under the bed.” She laughed and swiped her fingers under her eyes.

“Careful, you might find another cat.” It was his turn to be scared. If he said or did the wrong thing...would it change her mind?

“What do you want?” She turned, lying on her side, one arm curled under her head. Her hair was a curling mess spread out on the pillows. She was so damn beautiful.