Chapter 7
Angel’s movements halted. His cock pulled free.
Panting, Maya’s eyes shot open. “No,” she cried out, her orgasm arrested at the very edge.
He untangled her legs from around his neck and quickly flipped her to her belly. Before she could get her knees beneath her, he was lifting her bottom by her hips, his hard fingers digging into her skin. One thrust and he was back inside.
“Bastard,” she cried out, secretly thrilled at being manhandled once again.
“You teased.” He grunted, pounding faster. “Blame yourself.”
Wondering just how far she could push him, she pretended to struggle, trying to crawl out from under him, but he quickly bent over, snaked an arm around her waist, and continued to pound.
Maya’s head sank to the bed, and she rubbed her hot face on the cool sheets. What he was doing, f*cking her faster and faster, not only had the bed squeaking, but her core tightening like a spring. She eased open her knees, widening them, inviting the bang of his balls, the deepening of his hard, targeted thrusts.
She snuck a hand between her legs and touched her *, so swollen the thin membrane usually cloaking it had completely receded. The first touch was electric. “Angel,” she sobbed.
Angel nipped her shoulder and ground his hips against her, pushing his cock an inch deeper, tunneling into her. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat, both breathing hard. His heart thundered against her back, and her own pounded in her ears. Another toggle of her slippery finger and a shard of explosive pleasure shot through her. Her breath caught on a jagged cry.
The hard arm anchoring her against his body eased. His hand covered hers between her legs. She slid her fingers away and bunched the sheets in her fists.
His hips churned against hers again; his fingers rubbed her sensitive knot. With each rotation, her body jerked. Her sobs deepened to moans that came, one right after the other. Maya writhed against him, until at last, she hurtled over the edge.
With a cry, she went rigid and threw back her head. His lips nuzzled her cheek, nibbled her ear, and still, he didn’t stop moving, drawing out her orgasm until it was a sensual torture.
At last, he gave a final gasping groan and come jetted inside her, warm spurts that soothed her ravaged channel, as stroke by stroke he slowed.
When the storm passed, they clung together, breaths fractured, bodies shuddering.
Maya reached back and patted his thigh—the full extent of the appreciation she could show because she was utterly spent. She’d thought she’d had rigorous lovers in the past, but Angel had managed to blow her mind.
His large hands gentled. He turned her on her side, then lay down behind her, spooning their bodies together. A rough palm glided from shoulder to elbow.
She shifted, lifting her head to rest on a muscled bicep. Comforting, all those muscles, she thought, then yawned.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked.
His voice was so smooth, she knew he wasn’t really concerned. Maybe he wanted a little praise. “Do you mean did you leave bruises? Probably.” She snuggled closer to his chest. “If I tell you that was the hottest sex I’ve ever had, will my words go to your head?” His chest shook against her, and she grinned, happy to hear him laugh. She didn’t imagine he did a lot of that.
“You should rest,” he said, his deep voice gruff.
“There ya go again. Ordering me around.” But she yawned, spoiling the complaint. She wished she could keep her eyes open, because she didn’t want to miss a minute of her time with Angel. The thought of parting from him, which inevitably she’d have to, dampened her mood. “Guess you’re right.”
A kiss landed on her shoulder, his hand continued easing up and down her arm, but the large body resting against her never relaxed. He’d keep watch over her while she slept. The thought was comforting, but also disturbing. She hoped she didn’t drool on his arm.
Angel waited until her breathing deepened, and she lay quietly snoring. Only then, did he gently shift away and leave the bed.
Dressed in just his cargo pants, he roamed the house, checking the booby traps he’d laid with thin wire at the front and back doors, checking windows, lifting curtains to gaze out onto the street. He detected no movement. No interest at all in the fact the house was now occupied. He hoped that meant Cowboy had kept the neighbors accustomed to seeing people move in and out.
He sank on the lumpy sofa, not ready to rejoin Maya on the bed, because horny bastard that he was, he was already hard again. If he got close enough to smell the sex on her skin, he’d be all over her, and he’d seen how exhausted she was.
The afternoon sun illuminated dust motes floating in the air, and he winced at the squalor of the house. He doubted she’d ever been in a place like this before. When a spider crept across the floor in front of him, he stomped on it. “Yeah, you know how to show a girl a good time.”
Although she’d been game, and hadn’t gone into hysterics eyeing the murky water, stained bathtub, or flimsy bed, he knew she wasn’t accustomed to roughing it. Thoughts of how he might make it up to her flitted through his mind, but he doubted once they made it out of this situation, she’d ever want to see him again.
What a damn mess.
Floorboards squeaked as footsteps padded near. He glanced to the side to find Maya standing there, her slim figure engulfed in a large T-shirt. Her hair was mussed. One side of her face was indented with marks from where she’d rested her cheek against the sheets. In his eyes, she’d never looked sexier.
Angel held out his hand and she gave him hers, allowing him to pull her onto his lap where they sat together, her head resting on his shoulder. Her weight on his lap felt comfortable. He rubbed his cheek against her soft hair. “Thought I told you to sleep.”
“I did.”
“For about a minute.”
A shiver ran through her body. “I woke up and you were gone.”
And she’d been frightened. He could hear it in the smallness of her voice. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I know.”
“We should be out of here by tomorrow.”
She pulled back and touched his face, sliding a finger along his jaw. “And then what?”
Angel swallowed. “I still have a job to do.”
Her eyes lost a little luster, and she sighed. “And I have to get back to Chicago. The agency.”
Had she been hoping he’d say something else? He wouldn’t lie or make promises he couldn’t keep. But when her gaze fell away, escaping his, his chest felt empty. Angel gathered her closer, pushing her head against his shoulder. Right now, he couldn’t stand to think about letting her go. Right now, she was here with him. “I won’t tell you I’ll see you again. We both know what this is.”
“Are you telling me this is just about the fact you saved my life, that this attraction is natural, but it won’t last?”
“Yeah.” Even as he said the word, he wanted to yank it back.
Her head shook, sliding against his jaw. “I know all about flings, catching a moment and enjoying it. I’ve been there and done that. But Angel…” She tilted back her head. “This isn’t that. I know what I feel.”
His heart thumped at her words. “Don’t.”
“Saying it doesn’t mean I expect a damn thing from you.”
But hearing it might change everything. And he couldn’t risk that. “I’m not done here. I don’t know how long it’s gonna take.”
Her gaze studied him. “I understand.” She placed her hand on his chest, over his heart. “What I want you to know is, for this night, I’m yours. Heart and body. Yours, Angel.”
Not what he’d expected to her say. An avowal of love would have caused his gut to knot. Yet, giving herself to him felt like so much more than simply agreement to use her body. The promise was more of a commitment than he’d ever accepted or given to any other woman. This wasn’t just a hookup. It was a true connection, but then he’d known that from the moment he’d taken her against the shower wall. Maya Cordoba had gotten under his skin.
He cupped her chin and drew her face close, studying her features, reading her expression. Everything she thought, from day one, was there for him to see. Maya was a proud, intelligent woman, but was out of her element in so many ways. And yet, she was here. Her dark gaze locked with his, waiting for his response.
Angel knew he’d never find the words to satisfy her. She was a travel agent from Chicago. He was a DEA cop with a f*cked-up mission to put back on track. But he didn’t want to douse whatever was burning in her eyes. Couldn’t stand the thought of disappointing her.
With a nudge from his finger against the corner of her jaw, he coaxed her closer. Her gaze didn’t leave his as he kissed her mouth, rubbing his lips over hers, a soft branding. But when he followed with a deeper, harder kiss, her eyelids fluttered downward. A moment later, he was as lost as she, because she’d made a little sound in the back of her throat that pleased him—a cross between a moan and a sigh—and he wanted more of them.
Gripping her waist, he turned and lifted her until she straddled his lap. He scraped the tee up her body and tossed it away, then stared down at the creamy skin he’d bared. If he’d been able to make his tongue work, he’d have told her she was beautiful. But he didn’t trust telling her anything, because he might confess so many other things he had no right to say.
Instead, his hands followed his gaze, bracketing the base of her throat, a thumb entering the hollow there to caress. At her swallow, he glided his hands outward, cupping the balls of her shoulders and pushing them gently to arch her back. The movement pushed forward her breasts, and he watched as the tips slowly hardened and the areolas puckered. His gut clenched.
Squeezing one shoulder, he palmed a breast, plumping the fleshy mound, then rubbing the tip.
Her breaths deepened. Her thighs tightened.
He felt the heat of her p-ssy through the pants he still wore. With both hands, he gripped her waist and lifted her to her knees, bringing her breasts level with his mouth.
Maya cupped her flesh and presented her breasts, angling her chest to deliver a nipple to his lips.
Groaning, Angel licked the soft velvety circle then latched his lips around it. With the first draw, air hissed between her teeth. Her hips moved forward, pressing her p-ssy against his abdomen. Angel sucked harder and drew the tip between his teeth, clamping down and tugging until her fingers raked his scalp.
Fluid wet his belly, and suddenly, he couldn’t wait a moment longer to be inside her. Clamping an arm around her back to anchor her, he reached down and opened his pants, lifting his ass to shove the garment down his thighs, and then he sat with his legs spread and lowered her, forcing her to widen hers as he gripped her waist to center her over his cock.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders; she tossed back her hair, emitting a guttural moan.
Angel lowered her in increments, enjoying the feel of her opened channel enveloping his cock. Glancing down, his attention was snagged, watching his cock, glistening with her juices, disappearing inside her and her sweet little p-ssy pushing slightly inward on each downward plunge, then stretching, clinging to his cock when he lifted her.
Maya’s hands flattened against his chest and she leaned forward, cutting off his view of what was happening below. A dark brow arched. “I’m right here.”
One side of his mouth inched up. He shoved her a little hard down his cock, and watched her jaw ease down, her eyes grow unfocused. The woman liked it rough, which pleased him, since he seemed to run out of patience quickly with her. He doubted a month of f*cking would ease the urgency he always felt when he was close enough to catch her scent.
“No fair,” she groaned.
“Want fair?” He pushed her down again, growling when she tightened around him. By the glint in her eye, he knew she’d done it on purpose.
“Not really, but I don’t want you mistaking me for an easy girl.”
“Baby, there hasn’t been anything easy about you from day one.”
“Good.” She gripped his shoulders and forced her way down faster, taking control of the rhythm.
Something he allowed because he liked watching her breasts bounce.
Her hands cupped his face and lifted it until their gazes met again. Her head was shaking.
“What? A man likes to watch things…bounce.”
“And a woman likes knowing you know exactly who you’re f*cking.”
As if he’d ever forget. Angel wrapped his arms around her and lunged off the sofa.
With a squeal, Maya slung her legs over the crest of his hips, her arms encircling his neck.
He strode straight for the wall and pressed her against it, easing his arms away, using just his hips jutted against hers to hold her in place. He pulled her arms from his shoulders and threaded his fingers through hers, placing them too against the wall, and then began to rut against her, grinding his cock, rasping crisp pubic hairs against her mound. “I know who I’m f*cking. I’ll never forget our first time. Won’t forget this one either.” He ground again, circling his hips as he screwed deep inside her.
Her thighs began to quiver, and he felt convulsive pulses rippling up and down her channel, massaging his dick tip to root. She was wet and hot, and so close, he knew she’d blow if he gave her just a couple more twists.
But he held still, pressed as hard against her pelvis as he could without crushing her. His cock as deeply embedded as it had ever been.
Biting her lower lip, she shivered and shook and tears filled her eyes. “I won’t forget either,” she said, and then hiccupped.
Angel lowered his head and kissed her. “I wish things were different.”
“I don’t expect promises, but I want to know you care.”
“Baby, I do, I swear I do,” he said, nibbling at her cheek, her ear. His heart thudded in his chest as he realized just how much he cared, and the thought scared him a bit. Not that he believed she’d hurt him, but he didn’t know how he’d let her walk away—and he had to.
He let go of her hands and reached down to cup her ass. Stepping away from the wall, he walked with her to the bedroom, then lay her down sideways on the bed, her ass at the edge. Leaning over her, his feet spread wide to lower his hips, he pumped against her while his hands molded her lovely curves, memorizing each—sweet breasts, narrow waist, lush hips. Churning against her, he watched sweat sprout on her forehead and upper lip, lending her golden skin a glow. Her dark lashes were black and spiked from tears, her irises a soft and dewy brown. F*ck yeah, he’d remember.
With his gaze locked with hers, he slipped a finger into the top of her folds and softly swirled atop her *. Her reactions were instantaneous—a jerk of her frame, a muffled shout, feet that pummeled the backs of his thighs, and nails raking his arms.
Her expression was so lovely, tears leaking from her dark eyes, her swollen mouth opened around a soft moan. He cupped her hips against him and rode his own orgasm, shouting as he filled her.
When his heartbeats ceased thundering in his ears, he heard crashing glass and realized one of the doors had been breached. He pulled away and narrowed his gaze. “Close the door after me.” He reached under the bed for the gun he’d hidden there, then ran to the door, glancing around the corner before entering the short hall, his weapon supported on the opposite hand, his finger on the trigger.
“Hey, Angel,” came a soft call from outside.
At the familiar voice, Angel lowered his weapon and strode to the front door, opening it a slit until he was sure Cowboy was alone. Then he tipped the door open and stood to the side as Cowboy entered the house.
Cowboy’s eyebrows shot up as he glanced down Angel’s body. “I see you’ve been making good use of your time.”
Angel gave him a blistering glare. “You got everything arranged?”
“I do, but we have to drive a ways. The helo can’t put down anywhere near here. Calderon’s people have the place covered. Can’t risk them getting shot down.”
“We going it alone?”
“Just the three of us. Once we’re on the highway, we’ll have an escort. A roadblock’s being removed as we speak. Get dressed. We leave now.”
Angel swiped his pants from the floor beside the sofa and made his way to the bedroom. He tapped softly on the door then opened it.
Maya had a sheet wrapped around her body.
He looked away from the gorgeous image she created. “We’re going.”
“I heard.”
Angel drew a deep breath, and then met her gaze as he walked to her and knelt in front of her. “I’m sorry this is happening so fast.”
She gave him a small, crimped smile. “Maybe it’s best. I hate goodbyes.”
Angel closed his jaw and tightened it rather than risk saying something he’d regret. “I’ll get your clothes from the bathroom.”
“Don’t, I’ll get dressed in there.” Rising, she hesitated beside him, giving him a glance that landed on his mouth, but she turned away and left him.
Angel had wanted that kiss. Wanted many more of them, but he didn’t have time to contemplate what any of it meant. They might be traveling a gauntlet of Calderon’s forces. He had to keep his head in the game. Not on what Cowboy had interrupted.
Still, as he dressed, he silently cussed himself for leaving things wide open, for touching her in the first place. He knew better than she that bonds formed quickly when adrenaline was running high. Rarely did those intense feelings last once the danger was past.
So why did he feel as though something precious was sifting through his fingers? Angel buttoned his pants, put on his game face, and yanked open the bedroom door.