Saved by Sin [Paladin Protection Agency 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (7 page)

“This?” She couldn’t resist teasing him as she did it again. She clamped down and released him in a series of short, sharp squeezes that left him panting.

“Mother of—yes, that.” He laughed and withdrew until he was barely inside her. Then his hand settled on her hip, and he gripped her firmly before driving himself home, filling her again and sending her lust into overdrive. “Don’t tease a man like that unless you’re ready to face the consequences.”

“What if I like the consequences?” she gasped and tightened her body around him a third time. “Then you might just be the perfect woman for me.” He nipped her shoulder, his hand keeping her still as he took his pleasure from her one thrust at a time. With her leg draped over his and his hand pinning her in place, Michelle found herself at his mercy. She’d never been taken like this before, unable to affect any part of their lovemaking.

His fingers toyed and teased at her breasts as he fucked her, and the sensations were amplified by the lack of distractions. There was nothing to do but enjoy it, and as his breathing grew rougher and his thrusts harder, she found herself losing the last of her inhibitions.

“Touch yourself.” His voice held a note of command and she reached between her legs obediently, finding her clit and pinching it. She could feel his cock against her fingertips, the slick flesh pounding into her as she rolled the sensitive nub of her clitoris hard between her fingers.

Her walls clamped around him as she brought herself to the brink of release and he panted words of encouragement. “Just like that, yes. That’s my girl. Come for me, baby.”

The pace accelerated, his breath coming short and sharp behind her as he drove them both higher and higher up the scales of pleasure and then finally pushing them both over the edge.

Her release was gentler this time, blooming deep in her pussy and spreading outward like a stone tossed into a still pond. The ripples tingled all the way to the tips of her fingers as she felt him finish just a few strokes later, impossibly hard and deep as he groaned her name and came at last.

“I like the way you start your mornings,” she finally found energy enough to say, turning her head so she could catch sight of his handsome face from the corner of her eye.

“I haven’t started my morning that way in a very long time.” He leaned over her to kiss her softly. “It’s better than coffee and a hot shower any day.” He gently lifted her leg off of his and settled her back onto the bed as he eased out of her and then curled himself around her again.

“I know you promised me breakfast, but I think I’ll cook today. You aren’t going to want to be on your feet too much. How does bacon and scrambled eggs sound? I’ll carry you to the bathroom and you can get cleaned up while I cook.”

“Bacon sounds amazing, and I’ll owe you a breakfast.” She felt a sweet, glowing warmth in her stomach at the idea of the big man behind her actually cooking for her. “And much as I am enjoying this, I think at some point I should probably find something to wear.”

“I suppose you should,” he grumbled, and she could almost swear he was pouting at the idea of her getting dressed. “I’ll lend you a T-shirt and some socks for now, and I’ll get you back to your cabin after breakfast.”

His mouth grazed over her shoulder, drawing a trail of openmouthed kisses down her arm. “I really, really don’t want to get up, but we still need to eat.” He sighed against her skin before adding, “And then we have to figure out what we’re going to do about your very persistent ex.”

“Not until after I’ve eaten.” She felt a pall come over the day as she let herself remember last night and just how she had gotten herself battered and bruised.

“Deal.” He sat up and came around to her side of the bed. Giving her a very enjoyable eyeful of sculpted abs and virile male anatomy lightly scattered with scars, some clearly new. As he scooped her into his arms, she let her hand brush over the scar she’d seen the other day. “You’ve heard all about why I’m hiding up here, but I still don’t know why you are. Do these scars have something to do with it?”

She felt him tense up, and for a moment, she wondered if she’d pushed too hard, but then he planted a kiss on the tip of her nose and carried her out into the hall.

“The scars are part of the reason, yes. Why don’t we add that to the things we need to talk about after breakfast, my curious little cat.”

“Deal.” She mimicked his agreement of a moment before and then braced herself as he carefully lowered her to the floor, letting her stand on her own for the first time. The cuts stung as the skin stretched, and she could feel every bruise clearly, but it wasn’t so bad she couldn’t stand up. “I’m okay,” she told him after a quick assessment. “I won’t be going running for few days, but it’s not too bad.”

“I’ll bring you some towels and something to wear in a few minutes.” He leaned in and kissed her. “If you need help, ask.”

He closed the bathroom door behind him, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She limped over to the shower and turned it on, grateful that she wouldn’t need to climb into a bathtub. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t be ready to do that again for a very long time. As she ran her hands through the tangled mess of her hair, she groaned in horror. If her oh so very manly lover didn’t have a decent conditioner among his toiletries, she was in for a very unpleasant detangling session later.

“Well, what do you know?” she exclaimed a minute later as a quick inventory of his toiletries revealed a bottle of salon brand shampoo and a matching one of conditioner. “Somebody has very expensive taste!” she chortled to herself and turned on the water. The moment she stepped in her feet started stinging again, but it faded quickly. She was nearly finished when she heard the bathroom door open.

“Fresh towels and something to wear.” Sinjin’s voice called to her as the tantalizing scent of frying bacon wafted into the steam-filled room. “You okay in there? I could come wash your back?”

“Thank you, I’m fine. And if you wash my back, then that heavenly smelling bacon is going to burn, and that would be a crime.”

“Good point. Don’t be too long. Breakfast will be on the table in twenty minutes.”

“I’ll be there,” she called as the door clicked shut again. She’d never had a lover like him before. Generous, gentle, and actually able to cook! He was something quite different than what she was used to.
Not that you know him that well at all
,
her inner voice chimed in with a cautious reminder. He was clearly a soldier, or had been, but he could also be so kind. His hands were callused, and his manner rough around the edges at times. Yet he had high-end hair products and two-hundred dollar cologne in his medicine cabinet. The man was full of contradictions.

She hadn’t dated much when she was younger. She’d been too tall, too gangly for the boys of high school, and she’d gone to work straight afterward. First working as a receptionist and later as a personal assistant to one of the high-powered executives employed at Tanner Entertainment. That was how Robert had found her in the first place. Before him, there hadn’t been much time for more than casual dating, and after that, he’d swept her off her feet and into his world at a dizzying speed.

Robert had started off charming and confident, but his confidence seemed hollow now she’d met Sinjin. Sinjin wasn’t just sure of himself. He was truly capable, giving off the impression that there was nothing in the world he couldn’t handle. Robert suffered from the comparison, what she’d taken for ability now seemed like empty arrogance, and his charm was just gilding that hid a very ugly core. Sinjin was rougher, more real, but he’d treated her injuries and taken care of her in ways no other man had since she was a little girl and her father could set the world right with just his smile.

Dad would like him.
The thought popped into her head unexpectedly, and she was surprised at where her mind had gone. This was just a fling, wasn’t it? A week together, if he didn’t drop her like a hot potato the next time Robert’s ghost came calling. She knew he wouldn’t though. He’d promised her he’d help, and he was a man of his word. She trusted him.

Realizing she’d lost track of time, she rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair and shut off the water. Reaching out the shower door, she could easily grab one of the towels he’d left for her, and she laughed as she spotted the My Little Pony characters frolicking across the fabric. Clearly, this must have been stored here at the cabin and hadn’t been one he’d brought with him. As promised, a T-shirt and an extra thick pair of socks were laid out beside the towel, and she got dressed. The gray shirt he’d lent her came to midthigh, with the words “Property of the US Marine Corp” stamped on the front.

She combed out her hair and left it loose, wondering if he had a hair dryer stashed somewhere. His hair was nearly as long as hers so surely it was a possibility. She pulled on the socks last, her bruised stomach aching again as she leaned over to tug the socks over her abused feet.
Yep, I’m a mess.
She straightened up very carefully and headed to the main cabin, the smell of bacon, eggs, and toast making her mouth water.

He’d slept without a single nightmare. That hadn’t happened since the attack. He knew it was because of Michelle, as surely as he knew the sun rose in the east and eggs burned if one left them cooking too long…
Shit!
He realized he’d let his attention wander and grabbed a spatula, rescuing the eggs from overcooking. That summed up the impact she was having on his life right there, distracting him and setting his nice, orderly life off-kilter. He snorted with laughter at himself. Yeah, right. She wasn’t the reason he was up here, hiding from the world. He’d managed to screw himself up just fine, all by himself.

He tossed another couple of slices of bread into the toaster, and his mind wandered right back to thoughts of Michelle. He remembered the way she had looked last night. Her blue eyes had been full of fear, and her wet hair had plastered itself to her pale cheeks. She had clung to him in desperation as he’d carried her to his cabin. He wasn’t sure if it was the fact she needed him that had allowed him to sleep without dreaming, or if it was simply her gentle presence and the scent of her hair on his pillow that had kept the nightmares at bay. Either way, it meant he was healing, and she was somehow part of that process.

Even if she didn’t need him, he was coming to realize that he needed her. And that thought put a whole new set of knots tightening around his insides. He didn’t do
need
. He had buddies sure, lots of them, but his real friends could be counted on one hand. He had lovers, but he didn’t do love either. He liked his life simple, uncomplicated, and unattached. Alone, lonely, empty, some part of his brain added, and he sighed and scrubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw. “Great, one day of fantastic sex and I start turning into an angst-filled idiot. Next thing you know I’ll be spouting poetry.” He moved the eggs off the burner and slammed the frying pan down on the counter harder than he’d intended.

“What did the pan do to deserve such treatment?” Her voice was rich with laughter, and he spun around, spotting her leaning against the wall, watching him with an amused expression.

Part of him was stunned she’d managed to sneak up on him, while other parts were busy blaming her for distracting him in the first place. Deciding he had done more than enough thinking for the time being, he crossed the small kitchen and picked her up. He carried her over to the small kitchen table that was wedged into one corner of the cabin and deposited her into one of the old wooden chairs, ignoring her protests.

“No laughing at the man cooking you breakfast, that’s a rule,” he informed her, glad to see the sparkle back in her eyes. “And might I say, my shirt has never looked that good on me.”

“Oh, I bet it does.” She leaned back enough to be able to meet his gaze, her jaw set in a stubborn line. “I can walk you know. Not quickly, but I am not an invalid.”

“Maybe I like carrying you,” he muttered and turned back to finish making breakfast.

“Well in that case, you’re welcome to carry me wherever you want, just so long as we’re clear on why.”

He couldn’t help glancing back to shoot her a grin as he waved the spatula at her. “Keep up the sass Miss No-knickers, and I’ll be using this to paddle your cute ass later on.”

Her cheeks went bright red, and he couldn’t help but notice the interest that flared ever so briefly in her eyes.
Well, well, Michelle, who would have guessed?
He made a mental note to explore that particular avenue another time and went back to organizing their meal. “Coffee or juice?”

“I’ll have coffee please. Straight up black is fine, and thank you again for making breakfast, this all smells delicious.”

“My pleasure.” He loaded up two plates and carried them over, setting one down in front of her as she goggled at the heap of food.

“Good grief. That’s enough to feed a small army. I really can’t eat that much.”

“Your body needs the food to heal. Gotta feed the machine, marine.” He grinned her. “So eat up and don’t make me go all drill-instructor on you. Boot camp was a long time ago, but it really left an impression.” He settled into the other chair and started eating, his eyes on her fork as she bit into the first mouthful. The moan of approval she made a second later nearly made him black out as most of the blood in his body flowed to his cock.

“Oh god, this is good.”

He managed to swallow without choking on the eggs, grateful he was wearing a loose pair of track pants. “Glad you’re enjoying it. I like cooking. Don’t often have someone to critique it for me.”

She speared a bite of bacon and let it slide past her lips with a soft sigh. “It’s wonderful.”

How the hell is she making eating breakfast sexy?
He swore she was doing this on purpose. His cock didn’t care if it was intentional or not, it just liked what she was doing, a lot.