“You are infuriating, you know that?”
“I do,” I say. Then I duck down and kick her legs out from under her, just like she did to Jax.
She’s too shocked to even cry out before she hits the pillowy snowdrift piled up at the side of the path. Before she can get back up to her feet, I jump on top of her and pin her in place.
“And you are mine, you know that?”
Before she can protest, I cover her mouth with mine. She doesn’t even attempt to struggle. She sinks into the kiss as though she’s been waiting for it this whole time.
Her nails dig into my neck as she pulls me in a little deeper. I tease my tongue into her mouth, and she moans.
When my hand slips down to the waistband of her sweats, she breaks away long enough to ask, “What are you doing?”
“Stealing your wallet,” I mutter sarcastically, kissing a line down her jaw.
“Your fingers are freezing.”
I nip at her collarbone. “Should I take them away, then?”
She rolls her eyes, but I don’t miss how she lifts her hips ever so slightly so I can work my way into her pants.
I grab a hold of her and roll onto my back, taking her with me. She sits up, straddling me, and grinds her hips against my throbbing erection. I hiss, but it has nothing to do with the snow soaking through my shirt or the chill in the air—because inside, I’m on fire. Ablaze with need for her, with passion, with a desperate, furious love.
One look in her eyes says she feels the same.
Willow runs her fingers down my chest. Then she jumps up and sheds her clothes quickly. As soon as she’s done, she moves to my pants. The moment my cock jumps free, she straddles me again. She rubs herself against me, circling her hips sensuously.
“Are you trying to tease me?” I grit out.
“Depends. Is it working?”
Fuck yes, I think. Out loud, I say, “You’ll cave before I do.”
She frowns in concentration and slides herself along my length. Before she can retreat, I grab her hips and press myself where I know she wants me most. Where she’s been avoiding.
A shiver works through her. She tries to pull away, to regain control, but I slide my thumb there instead. She’s already wet and it only takes a few brushes before she’s bucking her hips against me.
We both know she’s already close, but she doesn’t want to admit defeat.
“Don’t be stubborn,” I whisper. “Do you want to come on my finger or my cock?”
If looks could kill, I’d be a dead man. But even as she glares, she lifts herself up and positions me at her opening.
I grab her hips and sheath myself inside of her in one thrust. She gasps and begins rolling her hips. She presses her hands into my chest and rides me until she’s breathless and panting, her hair coming loose from its tight knot.
Willow’s body trembles. When she collapses against my chest, unable to keep herself upright any longer, I wrap my arms around her and thrust into her hard. She clings to me, moaning in my ear.
“Leo, Leo, Leo…” she cries out as her body spasms around me.
I don’t slow down even as she comes. I pump into her, realizing how much I needed this. How much we both needed this.
I’m on the edge of coming myself when I hear footsteps approaching.
Willow hears the same thing, because she jerks up in alarm. “Oh, fuck, someone’s coming.”
“Yeah—me,” I growl, thrusting into her harder now. Almost there…
“Leo, stop! Someone is—fuck…!” Her words turn into moans as I drill into her.
I’m so close I’m seeing stars. Just a few more thrusts.
“Leo,” she breathes. And it’s the way she says my name that sends me over the edge.
I explode inside her, and she cries out, louder than she probably wanted to. She tries to scramble away while I’m still pulsating, but I hold her still, letting the tension fade and the glow of pleasure spread. She still feels too good.
“Whoever it is is going to see,” she warns limply.
“Let them see.”
I push into her a few more times, and finally, my body is spent. As soon as I let go, Willow rolls off me and starts pulling her pants back on.
I’m buttoning myself up when someone clears their throat. “Everyone decent?” Gaiman asks.
“What do you want, sobrat?” I ask impatiently.
“You’ve got a call.”
“Is it a call I can avoid?” I eye Willow and consider a round two.
Gaiman’s answer is clear. “No.”
“Duty calls,” I tell Willow.
She nods, but avoids my eyes. I leave her in the woods with Gaiman and head towards the house. When I enter my office, Jax is waiting by the phone.
“Who is it?” I ask.
“Ariel.”
“Fuck.” I snatch the phone. “Ariel?”
She sounds nonchalant, as always. “Took you long enough.”
“I was… occupied. I wasn’t expecting your call, either. Are you safe? What’s happening?”
“I have one last burner cell and Spartak is out,” she says. “I just wanted you to know I’m with your son right now. Can you hear him?”
I press the receiver tight to my ear. There’s a gurgling sound and then, sharp as ever, I hear a little cry.
“Did you hear that?” she says.
“I heard,” I say, unable to articulate just how strange that sound makes me feel. “Aren’t there cameras everywhere?”
“What do you think I am, a rookie? I’ve knocked off the cameras in the nursery. It’ll look like a technical difficulty. Happens all the time.”
“He’s okay?”
“He’s okay,” she replies. “The nurse needed a break, so I took over. I thought I’d take the chance to give you a call, let you hear how well he’s doing.”
I don’t bother telling her how much this means to me. She already knows.
“Thank you,” I murmur in a voice I hardly recognize. Then I clear my throat and stiffen up. “How are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“After the meeting.”
There’s a beat of silence.
“Ariel.”
“He’s on edge lately,” she says at last. “It makes him cruel. Crueler than normal, I should say. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
I bite down on my tongue, but I can’t stop the words any longer. I should have done this a long fucking time ago. “You’ve done your time, Ariel. And you’ve accomplished a lot. I think it’s time to pull the plug on your mission.”
“Excuse me?”
“Come back home,” I say softly.
The silence drags out for a long time. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Leo, the mission is not over,” she says, sounding angry now. “If you’re worried that I’m not up for this, then you’re wrong. I’ve been here for fucking ever—"
“I’m not questioning your dedication or your skill.”
“It sure as hell sounds that way to me!”
“I’ve been worried about you for some time now. You’ve been with him too long.”
“You’re worried about the psychological impact?” she asks. “What the fuck does that even matter anymore? I’ve been broken for a long time. This is nothing new.”
“You need to come back home,” I repeat.
“Home?” She laughs at the very concept. “My home died with Pavel."
“You still have people that care about you.”
“Stop trying to save me. I don’t need saving.”