Solid Muscle (Unseen Enemy Book 5) (11 page)

“Connor?” she whispered.

Hunter gave her a twisted grin devoid of all humor. “That’s what we’d decided to call him. Connor James Sullivan.”

“Hunter.” She reached for him now and she was nothing but relieved when he came. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

He was shaking a bit as he clutched her close. “I wasn’t there, Cordelia. I didn’t see the danger they were in, I wasn’t there when they needed me. I didn’t protect the two people in the world that I should have
died
to protect… I was fucking half-a-world away, protecting a whole bunch of other people.”

“I know.”

“And since then? I haven’t… I can’t seem to let myself care about anyone. Not really.”

“I don’t think anyone would blame you for that, Hunter.”

“No, they don’t.”

She hesitated. “Who else knows about Jessica and Connor?”

“At work, you mean?”

She nodded.

“Dallas and Mark. I had to disclose it when I left the military and started applying for jobs in personal security and was subjected to all kinds of psychological tests and questions. Obviously, I was going to come in to contact with stalker victims and Dallas needed to know my personal history. I told him right away and at first, he wasn’t sure I’d be able to handle that kind of thing.” He paused. “I wasn’t so sure, either, actually.”

“And can you? Handle it?”

“Turns out, I can. I just – disengage.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen you do that.”

“I know you have.” His face was gentle, open. “I just – it’s survival.”

“I know.”

“But with you, Cordelia… I…” He paused, trying to find the right words. “With you, I
feel
again. You make me
feel
.”

“Is that OK?”

“Not at first, it wasn’t. It made me angry at you.” He made a small sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. “I didn’t want to feel anything for you and
fuck
, you’d better believe that I fought it. I avoided you at work and I ignored you and when I had to talk to you, I kept it strictly professional. But then we got that Foxburg Falls assignment and suddenly, I just couldn’t get away from you. From what you did to me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No.” His voice and touch were both rough, abrupt. “No, don’t be sorry. I liked it. No, it was more than that. I
loved
it. Being around you, smiling, laughing, touching you. Being – human. For the first time in a very, very long time.”

“And now?” she asked quietly. “How do you feel now?”

“Fucking terrified.”

She blinked. “Terrified?”

“I can’t go through that again, baby. I – I’d never recover if I let myself care about you and then lost you because I fucked up and couldn’t keep you safe.”

Cordelia had no idea how to make this all OK. “Oh.”

“That’s why I’m so worried about tomorrow,” he said, his voice low. “I’ll die to protect you, I swear, but I’m not sure even
that
may be enough with these assholes. Blindfolded? Taken away in a car? No weapons? I
hate
feeling that powerless, because it means that my ability to take care of you is compromised.”

“Hunter…”

“No. Don’t.” He touched her lips. “Don’t tell me that you’ll be fine, Cordelia. Don’t promise me that.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

He paused. “…No?”

“No. I can’t guarantee you anything about my safety tomorrow.”

“You’re such a realist, huh?” He was surprised to be able to gently chide her a bit.

“Sure, I am. My ten-year-old son has a brain tumor.”

That
sobered him up. “Yeah.”

“I don’t believe in false hope, Hunter, and I know all about not having a clue what tomorrow will bring. I’m an expert at loving someone that you have no way of keeping safe. I know how hopeless and lonely that is.”

“Of course you do… I’m sorry.” He wanted to kick his own ass, hard. “That was so goddamn insensitive of me.”

“No, it’s OK. I don’t want you to feel badly… I just want
you
to understand that
I
understand. I get why it’s so scary to let someone in, knowing that something bad is coming their way.” She shrugged. “It’s easier to build up a wall and protect yourself. Better odds, too.”

“Odds?”

“Protecting yourself has a higher chance of success than trying to protect someone else, doesn’t it? You have more control over things that way, right?”

And Sully found that he had nothing whatsoever to say to that. Yeah, Cordelia got it, got it intimately. But unlike him – who had closed himself off from love and emotion for twelve years – she’d decided to just go on ahead and love and feel. Despite it all, despite the inevitable pain, despite not knowing if her kid would be around next month, she did it anyway. The woman was nothing less than astounding. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from her.

“I want this, with you,” he admitted, his hands roaming over her curves now. “I want
this
.”

“I can tell.” She smiled at him. “Those kisses couldn’t lie, Hunter.”

In response, he kissed her. Gentle, tender, careful. When her mouth opened to him, he slipped his tongue inside again, longing for her more than he had before. But he was still holding back, still hesitating.

Far too soon, she pulled away. “Hunter?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you – do you want to come to my bed?”

“Fuck, yes. I do.” He ran a hand over his face. “More than you know, baby.”

She was silent for a few seconds. “Then take me to bed and make love to me.”

He started, stared down at her. “What?”

“Look, let me just lay it all out for you, OK? I mean, from my side.”

“Go, sweetheart.”

“For me, this is simple. You’re a good man, a gentle man, and I know you’ll take care of me. In the bedroom, outside the bedroom… whatever you have to do to make me safe, you’ll do it. So, what’s so complicated about any of this for me? You care about me, I’ll be safe with you. You’ll kiss me tomorrow when we wake up and you’ll bring me coffee. You’ll respect me, right? You’ll stick around after?”

He unstuck his voice. “Yeah.”

“Then it’s simple at my end. I want you. In my bed, in my arms, in my body. Tonight, tomorrow, next month, next year. For as long as you’ll want to be mine.”

“Cordelia…”

“No.” She shushed him with a finger on his lips. “I’m going to bed now. If you want to join me, you do that. Come to me, Hunter, if you decide that you want to take the risk and love me.”

He was stunned.

“But if you can’t, or if you’re not ready… then don’t come to me. Go to your own bed, and we’ll be friends and colleagues from now on.”

“Friends and colleagues.”

“Yes.” Her smile was genuine. “I’d
love
to love you. But if you can’t do that, I’d rather be friends than go back to whatever we were after Foxburg Falls. God knows, we were barely even acquaintances.”

“That was my fault.”

“This isn’t about blame, babe. I promise you, I understand why you pulled back. But you’re holding me and kissing me now, right? You’re not holding back anymore and you may think that’s a mistake. I don’t think it is, but I’m not the only person in this.”

He nodded.

“So.” She brushed back her hair. “You decide what you want. And if it’s to love me – love me for real and no fear – then you come to me.” She slid down off the island. “And if you don’t come, it’s OK.”

“Cordelia…”

“Goodnight, Hunter.” She brushed his lips softly with her own, and he ached for more. “Maybe I’ll see you soon, or maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sully watched her leave the kitchen and he stared at his own face in the darkened window. What the fuck had just
happened
? After months and months of rigorous self-control and denial and reason, he’d just lost it. Kissed her, opened up to her, been totally honest with her. And it had felt good – all of it. It had felt
right
.

That was when he decided what he wanted to do, who he wanted to be with. Cordelia in his arms had felt right; telling her the truth had felt right.

And it all felt right because
she’s
right.

Enough control, enough clean and neat and uncomplicated. He wanted wild and messy and complicated. He wanted passion and fucking and making love. He wanted
her
– he wanted Cordelia. And that was hands-down the simplest, clearest, purest thing in the whole damn world.

Without another second of thought, he went to her.

Chapter Thirteen

For the rest of her life, Cordelia would remember that moment after Hunter opened her bedroom door.

He’d knocked, of course, and she’d turned, startled, delighted, a bit scared. She’d called for him to come in and the door had swung open and then there he was. Huge, muscular, strong. And all hers, she knew now.

Once he saw her standing there in an oversized t-shirt and nothing else, he didn’t even hesitate. He crossed the room in three long strides, took her in his arms. His kiss this time was hot and hard, full of emotion that he was finally unafraid to show her. In this kiss, he handed her his whole heart, gave himself over to her.

Cordelia moaned as his tongue slid in to her mouth, tasting, probing, exploring. His hands were all over her body, roaming hungrily over her curves. It was different already, she sensed, different from the kiss in the kitchen. That one had been full of flame and passion, but it had also been uncertain and shaky. Like Hunter had acted on impulse and then immediately second-guessed what he'd wanted.

This
kiss, though. Good God... it was sure. Strong and intense and so fucking
ready
. Hunter wasn't going to be turning back this time. No 'maybe's', no 'wait's', no 'after's'. No regrets, no guilt.

As if to prove the point, he pulled back, his eyes fierce and bright. "T-shirt. Off. Now."

She gasped when he yanked the material up and over her head. She was nude beneath it and she fought the urge to cover herself. She was proud of her body, most of the time: it was strong, it was lush, it had given birth. She loved her curves and had never tried to starve them off, but suddenly, she felt shy. The man in front of her was sheer physical perfection and undoubtedly spent time at the gym surrounded by lithe young things without an ounce of fat on them anywhere. How was she going to compare?

Hunter saw a flash of vulnerability in her eyes and his heart squeezed. She just didn't know how amazing she was, did she? Well, this woman wasn't going even one second longer not knowing it. She was
his
now and that made it his job to tell her that she was nothing less than fucking breath-stealing.

"You are so beautiful," he said, his voice husky with lust and emotion, running his eyes over her whole body. "God, I've dreamt of this, Cordelia... wanted to see you like this for so long."

She was still trying to gather enough breath to speak when he lowered his head to her breasts. She closed her eyes at the sensations he evoked, trying to not scream already. His lips were demanding and determined, and they tugged and sucked on her nipples. He moved from one breast to the other, licking and gently nipping, his hands on her back and pulling her in tighter. Cordelia felt her pussy tense up, start to turn liquid, start to throb and pulse. And he hadn't even touched her there yet.

I may spontaneously combust when he does, I swear to God.

He spun her suddenly, pulled her back up tight against that massive chest. Without a word, his right hand slid down her belly and he palmed her slick heat. Now she
did
give a small scream and he grinned.

"I am going to love making you come. Over and over again." He licked her neck. "You're going to scream for me to fuck you before we're done, I promise you."

Her head fell back on his shoulder and her back arched. "Hunter..."

"Yeah, that's it, Cordelia." His fingers were soaked with her sweet arousal and he traced the curve of her slit slowly, over and over, until she opened to him. "Let me in, sweetheart."

When he slipped a finger inside, she gripped his hand, trying to speed up his movements. He laughed softly, though, and with his free hand he grasped both of her wrists, pinning them against her body.

"We're not rushing this," he murmured in her ear. "I'm going to enjoy you, baby. I'm going to feel you get hotter, feel you writhing against me, feel just how wet that sweet pussy can get for me. I want you to
want
to come more than you want your next breath. I want you to fucking
beg
me for it."

She whimpered, her chest heaving. "Please..."

"Begging already?" He slid a second finger inside now, starting to thrust and withdraw in a torturously slow rhythm. "But I haven't had any fun yet."

Cordelia lost the ability to speak now. His fingers were moving smoothly in and out of her pussy and true to his word, he was taking his damn sweet time. Three plunges, four, ten, twenty. She lost track, lost any concept of time. Helplessly, her hips started to move on his fingers and she rode and fucked his hand, shameless and abandoned, her legs as far apart as she could get them, her breath coming out in hot pants.

Hunter couldn't believe how passionate she was, how quickly she just handed herself over to the pleasure. She was so wet, so open and ready. His cock was rock-hard and he ground it against her gyrating ass, trying to keep some degree of control as he felt her legs start to shake. She had her head thrown back, her body straining and reaching, her nails digging in to his muscled forearm. She was so fucking gorgeous and wild, all feral need and feminine sweetness.

Cordelia was close, so damn close. She moved faster now and he matched it, his fingers starting to fuck her deeper, harder. She almost sobbed with relief when his twisted his wrist and started to stroke her clit with his thumb as he thrust.

"Oh!" she cried. "Oh... Hunter!"

"Beg me," he growled. "Beg me or I make you wait."

"Please!" Her plea came out as a ragged scream. "Oh, God...
please
!"

"That's my girl." He pushed down on her clit, let up, pushed again. "I've got you, Cordelia. Let go. Just let it happen now."

Mindless, her whole being a turmoil of emotion and sensation, Cordelia did as he said. Her climax started in her toes, shot up her legs, rolled over the rest of her body in a wave that took her knees out from under her. She slumped, convulsing and crying out, the clenching and releasing inside her body the most powerful thing she'd ever felt. Hunter's arm snaked around her waist, holding her up as she rode out the orgasm, gasping and calling his name.

The pleasure faded slowly, her body shuddering with aftershocks. Gently, he turned her in his arms; her head fell forward now, rested on his chest. She clutched his upper arms weakly, still trying to get her knees to function properly. She was exhausted, energized. She'd loved every second of it.

Hunter kissed her forehead, running his hands through her tumbled hair. "Fuck, baby. That was beautiful."

She made a small, strangled sound in her throat and he laughed.

"Come on." He picked her up, carried her over to the bed, sat her on the edge. "I want more. I want to kiss that hot little pussy now, so spread those legs for me."

Her eyes popped open, shocked. "You – what?"

"You heard me." With a gentle push, he shoved her down to the bed, knelt in front of her splayed thighs. "I'm going to lick and kiss you until you come again."

"Hunter..." she said. "I don't know if..."

"Oh, I get it." He grinned up at her. "You've never had more than one orgasm at a time, have you?"

She flushed furiously, shook her head.

"Oh, God. Game on, baby... challenge accepted." He paused and stared at her, all spread and open to his gaze. "Fuck, sweetheart. You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in the whole of my life."

In one movement, he moved closer, his shoulders forcing her legs even farther apart. With no grace or teasing, he gripped her hips, pulled her to his mouth. She gave a little shriek of pleasure as his tongue stroked her soaked lower lips, then pushed inside. He licked and lapped at her, sucking on the taut bud between the folds. Her hands were in his dark hair, pulling his head closer to her, pushing his tongue deeper.

"My God," he panted as he pulled back slightly. "God, Cordelia... you taste amazing. Sweet and hot..." He lowered his head once more, gave her a long, hard lick. "You're perfect."

She cried out, amazed that her body was actually heating up again. She'd never found it difficult to achieve orgasm, but she'd also never had two in a row. Leave it to Hunter Sullivan to make her multi-orgasmic, though. The man's fingers and tongue were nothing but pure wickedness.

Hunter didn't go slowly this time, didn't tease her: his tongue plunged deep inside her pussy, reaching for the very heart of her. Utterly consumed by need, she wrapped her legs around his shoulders and raised her hips to meet his mouth. Dear God, she was going to come again, and it was going to be even harder than the first one. She arched her back as the wave rose and built. She wouldn’t be able to take much more, she knew.

Hunter withdrew his tongue, gently parted her lower lips, pressed it against Cordelia's clit. When she screamed and shuddered, he circled it, fast and hard, then sucked it, feeling it expand against his mouth. Her whole body jerked and he did it again, and again. She was vibrating now, her thigh muscles jumping and convulsing as she fought the urge to close her legs. He heard her cries and knew that she was close. He put two fingers inside her, pushing hard, lashing her clit without mercy, licking and sucking and tonguing her sex. She tensed and he thrust both fingers and tongue as deep as he could. That was it... that was all she needed.

Cordelia shattered in to a million pieces. Her fingers gripped his head, pushing his hot mouth against her pussy and she screamed once, twice, three times. He held her thighs open as her orgasm went on and on, her glorious body twisting beneath his tongue and hands. He sucked her dry, the pure woman essence of her covering his lips, and he loved every second of it.

He felt her body relax now. Her fingers released their grip on his head, her hips lowered, her thighs fell apart. He raised his head and looked at her gorgeous face. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks glowing, her chest heaving. Fuck, he wanted to watch that all over again, this time when he was buried deep inside of her.

He lifted the bottom of his t-shirt and wiped his face, then laid down on the bed to hold her. She didn’t move, didn't even open her eyes.

"Sweetheart?" he said quietly. "Are you dead?"

She gave a muffled laugh. "Yes. You killed me."

"Awesome." He kissed her, deep, slow, hot. "I hope you loved it."

"Oh, God." She stared up at him now. "You know I did."

"So," he said in a conversational tone. "Turns out? You
can
have two in a row."

"With you I can." Still trying to catch her breath, she raised herself up on one elbow, propped her head in her hand. "Jesus Christ, Sullivan... you have a dirty mouth, huh?"

"Do I?" He blinked at her innocently.

"Yeah. You go weeks not talking to me or just grunting at me across the office, and the second you get me naked, you're all about the chatter."

"You mind?"

"Oh, God, no. I
love
it."

"Good. I love it, too."

She sighed happily, curled up against his side. His arms went around her and he held her close and as he did, something cold and dead just opened up inside of him. It was like a thaw after a long, merciless winter; it was a slow, gradual releasing of his guilt and anger. He'd never stop loving Jessica, he knew that, never stop loving Connor... but it was OK to love someone else now. It was OK to be happy again.

"Hunter?"

"Right here."

"You're not naked."

His heart jumped. "True."

"Why not?"

"Well." He shifted a bit to pull her closer. "I was kind of distracted by
your
nakedness."

"You're going to blame
me
for this travesty?"

"I think I just might, yeah."

"So." Cordelia sat up now, ran her fingers over the bottom of his shirt. "I guess since this is all my fault, I need to fix it."

"That sounds about right."

"OK. How shall I do that?" She lifted his shirt slowly, revealing what were only the most incredible abs that she'd ever seen in the whole of her life. God, she just wanted to lick them, run her tongue over those edges and ridges. "Want to offer any suggestions?"

"Nope. It's all on you to make this OK."

She grinned. "You sure about that?"

"Yep. Go on, now."

"Ohhh-kay," she said. "But just remember, Sullivan: you asked for this."

"Do your worst. I can take it."

"Uh-huh," Cordelia said as she pulled his shirt off, revealing muscle and hair and a huge tattoo just below his collarbone. "We'll see about that."

He watched her unsnap and unzip his jeans, lifted his lower body to help her pull them down and off his legs. When her fingers skimmed the elastic waistband and slowly lowered his boxers, he felt his cock leap towards her. And when she started to kiss his neck and then move down his body, kissing and licking everywhere, blazing a trail of fire on his skin, he wondered if he actually
could
take it.

Cordelia took her time, really got to know his astounding body. She kissed her way down his chest, loved the way his heartbeat accelerated under her touch. Agonizingly slowly, making him wait, she moved lower, lower. When she finally reached his cock, Hunter was panting as hard as she had been just ten minutes earlier. She smiled at that, loving his clear desire.

When she grasped him in her fist and started to move up and down his hard length, his hips came right off the bed. He groaned.

"Oh, fuck, sweetheart. Just like that."

"Yeah?" she said. "Feels good?"

"Yes."

"Maybe you want it to feel better?"

"Oh," he ground out. "Yes."

Teasing, taunting, tantalizing, making him wait and holding his eyes, she lowered her mouth to his cock, took the head between her lips. He gasped, his hands went to her head, trying to hold her in place.

"Fuck!" he said. "Oh, Christ..."

She licked the drops of pre-cum from the tip, pulled back. He groaned again, sounding like a man in agony.

"Cordelia..."

"Beg me to suck you," she breathed. "Beg me or I make you wait."

"
Jesus Christ.
" His cock hardened and lengthened even more. "Please... please."