Delta Salvation (Phantom Force, Book 1) (14 page)

“Okay, now let’s play for real. Next hand, loser loses an article of clothing.” She grinned at his indrawn breath. “Unless you’re chicken that is.”

“Baby, I’ll have you know I am the best card shark out there.”

From the feral look he gave, she had no doubt he meant it. However, he didn’t live in a foster home with kids who had to live on street corners where their next meal depended on their ability to outfox others. When his phone chirped at the designated time, they’d both lost several pieces of clothing, but she’d had more to begin with.

She enjoyed looking at his muscular chest, but was shocked to see he had several faint scars, and what appeared to be a bullet wound above his camo pants belt, near his hip. Her lips ached to kiss and sooth all his old injuries, even knowing they no longer hurt.

“All is clear,” he said laying the phone on the table.

Alexa glanced down at her bra and leggings. The only things she had left to lose were the thin scrap of lace on top and bottom, leggings and one sock. Kai had his camo pants and a pair of socks. She wondered if he went commando beneath, or if he still had the boxer briefs from earlier on.

“Wanna go all in, big guy?” Her hand was more than good with the straight flush, her highest card being a king. The chances of him having anything better were slim to none.

His dark eyes stared at her from across the small table, making the air still. “You show me yours, and I’ll show you mine.”

Shaking her head, Alexa swore her heart was going to pound out of her chest. Like a professional card dealer she fanned her cards out, excitement stirred in her belly.

****

K
ai smiled. Her hand was good, but his was better. He couldn’t wait to see her naked.

Laying his own cards on the table, he watched her eyes register what he held, smiling as she recognized he won.

“Read em and strip, baby.” Kai sat back and folded his arms across his chest.

“But...how,” she sputtered.

He looked at the deck then at her. “I guess the cards liked me better.”

She smiled a smile that could only be described as devious, and he knew they were both winners. The strap of her bra came off one side at a time, and he had to clench his teeth to keep from reaching across the table to help. Her breasts kept the cups in place while she reached around to unclip the back, almost making them spill out. Kai was sure his zipper was going to leave a permanent indent in his dick. The only thing protecting him was the thin briefs, and even they felt too tight.

Like the prize it was, her bra was tossed to the middle, falling on top the cards. Sweat beaded on his brow at the sight of her pebbled nipples he couldn’t wait to taste.

Without getting up she shimmied out of the leggings and then they along with the panties were added to the pile.

“Now what?” Alexa’s voice was a mere rasp.

“That’s not fair. I can’t see anything above your ribs.”

Alexa reached for the cards. “One more hand, and if I lose I’ll stand up. If you lose, you take it all off and show me the goods.”

He had a seconds thought that she might be hiding a couple aces, but then realized she had nowhere to put them. “Deal em.”

The cards were placed down, she swallowed and licked her lips. Kai sincerely hoped he won, but if not it was no loss to show Alexa his body, riddled with scars and all.

“Let’s turn one card over at a time. See the suspense sorta unfold,” she said.

Damn, he was sure he fell a little in love with her right then.

Her first card was a jack of clubs, while his was a three of spades. By the time they were down to the final two cards, neither had anything, but her Jack was high. Kai was sure he was going to lose until he flipped over another three, but he didn’t exhale until her last card flipped over and she had nothing but another random card.

“Looks like I’m the winner again.” Kai couldn’t help but smirk, pushing his chair back he stood up sucking in a breath at the absolute perfection of the vision in front of him. If Venus had come to Earth, surely she was gracing the kitchen.

“I still think you’re a card shark.” One hand raised to cover her breasts, then dropped.

It took him three steps to stand in front of her. He raised his arm, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. “Damn, you are so beautiful you take my breath away.”

“I bet you say that to all the naked girls you see,” she joked.

Kai pressed his thumb against her lips. “Don’t. Don’t diminish this gift. Yes, I’ve seen naked women, but none that compare to you. You’re in a category all on your own.”

Alexa’s mouth opened, her tongue licked his thumb, making all his blood rush from his big head to his little head. “I want to make love to you in the worst way possible” He shook his head. “I don’t mean in a bad way...just that I want to...”

She stopped him by placing her fingers over his mouth. “I know what you mean.” Her fingers reached for his belt.

“Hold on a second.” Kai looked around the kitchen and wished they had more time. More privacy.

“Are you changing your mind again?”

“Fuck no. It’s just that I can’t get completely naked with you as much as I’d like to feel you skin to skin. If something were to happen I can fight with my pants undone, but not with my junk hanging out. It takes me less than ten seconds to get dressed if my pants are around my ankles, a little more if I had to put my shoes and everything back on. Make sense?”

A glimmer of amusement lit her features. “I could just see you shooting at the bad guys while buck-assed nekkid. That would be comical.”

Kai tickled her sides. “You saying my junk is laughable, woman.”

Screeching, Alexa twisted against him. “I felt that thing, and that is no laughing matter.”

Chapter Eight

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A
few months ago if anyone would’ve asked Alexa if she’d be laughing and joking when she was undressed with a man, she’d have said hell no. However standing in a stranger’s kitchen with Kai she was doing just that, and it felt good. If she died tomorrow, then at least she’d have one good memory.

“Okay, no nakynaky for you. How you gonna do this super SEAL?” Alexa trailed her hands up his sculpted chest. The man really was hard all over.

Kai twisted his head to the side, then turned back toward her. “You up for a little adventure?”

“Hello, I’m standing here with no clothes on after a rousing game of strip poker. Pretty sure I just adventured all over this here house.”

“Not yet you haven’t but we will.”

His words sounded like a promise, but Alexa wasn’t going to let herself believe their interlude was anything more than a one off. Maybe more if they could sneak it in. She’d never wanted to sneak around as a teenager, mainly because she didn’t want the foster people to think she was open for that type of thing. Now, she wanted Kai to know she was open for that and much more.

He lifted her up by the waist, making her gasp. She forgot he was so strong. When he placed her on the cold granite, her breath came out in a whoosh, which he immediately swallowed.

Expertly, Kai kissed like he did everything, with so much skill she had no choice but to follow where he led. Her tongue traced his, licking along the roof of his mouth, tasting the rich coffee they’d had while playing cards.

Alexa felt his hands pushing her knees apart and realized she’d squeezed them together. Her hands shook as she reached for his belt, the fastening coming undone quickly, and then she had the button and zip open. “Not commando then, huh?”

“That’s only in books, sweets.”

She inserted her thumbs into the sides of both his coverings, happy when he was finally exposed for her to see. “Damn, that is not only in books.” Alexa looked up at Kai.

“I’m hoping that is a compliment?” He bent, sealing her mouth with his.

Whatever she’d planned to say was lost as his hands moved over her breasts, tweaking both at the same time. Alexa locked her ankles around his thighs drawing him in closer and felt the heat of his body against the center of her. Aware he could feel how wet she already was.

His mouth pulled back, trailing down her neck and nipped her shoulder, making her shiver in delight.

“Put your hands on the counter, luv.” Kai gripped her wrist placing them where he wanted them.

Looking between them she saw the head of his cock standing proud, and wished they were in a bed where she could explore him too. Instead she did as instructed.

Kai’s lips and tongue trailed along her collar to her right breast, latching on while he pinched the left one. She writhed against him, needing more.

“Patience,” he murmured.

God, she hadn’t known she’d spoken out loud.

He didn’t let up on his assault with kisses, and licks, moving down her body until he was between her thighs. Alexa wanted to watch, but the first swipe of his tongue had her lifting against him. She dropped down onto her elbows, the cold counter vaguely registered in her brain.

She wasn’t sure how he was able to manipulate her entire body, but no part of her was left untouched.

****

K
ai stared up at Alexa, gauging her reaction to his touch. She was so tight he had to work slowly to get two fingers inside her. He latched onto the bundle of nerves at the top, making her entire frame spasm. Tiny little flutters had his dick envious of his hand.

“Oh, god, I’m so close,” Alexa moaned.

“Give it to me. Let me see how beautifully you come.” Kai added a third digit alongside the other two, her slight flinch was overrode as he sucked her clit into his mouth, and pumped in and out until he pushed her over the edge. The tiny flutters became a vice like grip. He waited for her to come down, then placed a kiss on her tummy.

Looking at her lying on the counter where they’d eaten breakfast, and now he’d just had the best dessert ever, Kai fit his dick against her opening, then remembered protection. He grabbed a square packet out of his wallet, then within seconds he was sheathed and at the apex between her thighs.

“You sure about this?” He needed to ask one more time. If she said no, he’d go to the bathroom and go blind from rubbing one out, but he’d do it.

“Yes. Oh, if you change your mind I will personally beat your ass.”

With her hair fanned out, a rosy flush covering her body, Kai was sure she was the only person in the world who could truly harm him. Somehow, the tiny woman beneath him had taken a part of his heart. He pushed aside his thoughts and pressed forward, working inside until he was wedged as tightly as he could get.

Alexa lifted her legs, wrapping them around his hips. “Soldier, I think you need to move.”

“I’m a SEAL, ma’am.” Kai leaned forward, his arms hooking under her shoulders and began to move. He wanted to make it last, wanted to make love for hours, but his body had other plans. With each forward thrust he ground against her clit, rolling his hips, then pulled back and repeated.

The sound of their panting breaths filled the air, her short nails raked his back.

Kai held her, staring down at the wonder in her eyes as he made love to Alexa for the first time. He felt his impending orgasm, and needed her to come with him. He moved his right hand between them, and flicked over the swollen bud, and had her crying out, her heels dug into him.

“Come for me, Alexa.”

“Right there. Keep doing that, Kai,” she panted.

He was a good listener, and followed the signs of her body, rubbing in just the right pressure and the right speed until she came with a yell. His own body reacted to the constricting muscles, making him jerk forward, and cover her mouth to silence the scream he wanted to yell.

Kai’s hips continued to gyrate long after he was spent. He pulled Alexa into a sitting position and held her against him. “That was perfect.”

She laughed. “It was the best ever,” she agreed.

They both stilled as the clock on the wall clicked indicating the hour. Kai slowly withdrew, pulling the spent condom off and disposed of it in the garbage. He straightened his clothes, and looked at his silent phone, expecting his team to have texted to let him know all was clear. Two minutes passed, and he knew something was wrong.

“Alexa get dressed, and get some shoes on, now.” He shrugged into his shirt, checking his weapons belt.

Kai typed a message to both teams, but didn’t expect a response. The code he entered would be meaningless to anyone but the five of them. If he got no response he knew his guys were in...he cut the thought off before he allowed it to go any further.

He heard Alexa running up the stairs while he went back to the room Rowan had set up for surveillance. After rewinding the cameras for the last half hour, he scanned each one, looking for his teammates. What he saw made his blood run cold. Both teams were nowhere to be seen. He zoomed out, using the heat seeking cameras. Kai stopped at the sign of two signatures within a few miles of the cabin. Neither men could be his guys. He hoped like hell his boys had a plan, and knew they’d been found, or he was going to beat their asses.

“What’s going on?” Alexa asked coming into the room.

He felt like a sitting duck as he searched more of the property, seeing more heat signatures, counting a total of eight.

Alexa’s eyes locked onto the screens. “We’re outnumbered, aren’t we?”

Not wanting to lie to her, he nodded. Kai figured he had few choices. Send Alexa to the safe room and go out in a blaze of glory, or call in for some reinforcements. Of course he didn’t know how long it would take Rowan, or what kind of man power he had. Man being the key word.

“I need to make a call, luv.”

She wrung her hands. “What should I do? I hate feeling like a liability, and I won’t be taken again. Promise me you won’t let anyone take me. Kill me first, Kai. Promise.”

Kai jerked Alexa onto his lap. “Listen to me. Nobody is going to kill you, least of all me. Damn it, you can’t give up now.” He watched tears form in her gorgeous eyes, hating the bastards who did this to her.

“I need to make a call. Hold tight.” Kai grabbed his cell, speed dialing Rowan Shade.

“Shade here, what’s going on? Please tell me you didn’t blow my cabin up.”