Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (41 page)

Luke made a motion. “Stay put.” He sliced through the end of the rope, releasing her and she waited with trepidation. “Where are you…”

She stopped, seeing his shadow begin hacking vines from the base of the wall. The machete flashed in the darkness, catching the light from the dim moon and Kendle wondered if his own demons were on him as he cleared the entrance to what could only be an over-grown cave. Moving through the jungle at night had to be a blast from his past.

Luke stepped back to light a torch and when he vanished into the small hole in the cliff, Kendle slid in behind him without hesitating. She wasn’t staying out there alone.

The cave was small and dry, surprising since he’d mentioned a waterfall. Flat and curving around to disappear, the area was also spooky and she kept him in sight as he checked it out.

“This should be fine until nightfall,” he called, slamming the torch handle into a hole in the center to keep them lit up. “The back is mostly a dead end, just bats in there.”

Kendle shuddered at the thought, but dutifully began stripping her gear off. If he said they were safe here, they were.

Luke got busy setting up their camp. When he finished, he moved back outside to cover their tracks and Kendle waited silently by the torch, fighting away images of what would happen if he didn’t come back. She could count on Luke. He would never abandon her. And she wouldn’t leave him either, Kendle realized, recognizing her feelings. She loved LJ. It wasn’t in question anymore.

3

“Where do you think they’re headed?”

Bright green eyes turned toward the Sheriff with contempt. “Your mother’s place.”

Cole wasn’t sure that a few slaps and threats had been enough to keep his mother from telling what she knew, but said the opposite. He couldn’t let Ethan infect her, too. “She won’t help them.”

“She already did,” Ethan growled in frustration. He’d expected to have Luke locked up by now and Kendle in his private care. “She was supposed to send them off on a wild goose chase, not give them clues!”

Cole hadn’t understood what she was doing either and he let out a quick sigh. Since he’d been attacked at the shack, he was always impatient. “You know she isn’t right, Ethan. You shouldn’t have picked her to help frame him.”

Faced with the truth, the deteriorating playboy spun toward the cave. “They didn’t have contact with anyone else. He’s too slick.”

“Where are you going? The Mayor said to wait.”

Ethan spun around suddenly, grabbing the Sheriff by his shirt. “My dad is almost dead. I’m next. Before that,
them
.”

“But the plan…”

Ethan shoved him away in revulsion. “The plan! My father wants to leave our family in charge. If I’m dead, what the hell do I care?”

Cole watched carefully, sensing he was on the edge. If Ethan went nuts, Cole would have to be the one to deal with it. What would calm him down? It came easily enough after considering his own new, violent urges.

“But if we don’t get rid of them other girls first, LJ can’t be blamed. They’ll figure it out and know it was you.”

Ethan had stopped and Cole pushed, but carefully. “Awful way to be remembered, but if you think we should do it now, I’m with you.”

“I need to fill it again.”

The Sheriff felt a chill at the words, picturing the last mess, and then the future that waited for his own infected soul, but he seized the opportunity. “Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll report back or keep following them, whichever you want.”

“Get the rest of them over to Jenna’s and shut her up,” Ethan ordered, moving away from the cave. “If you don’t, I will.”

4

Kendle had been awake for a while, listening to the creaks of the cave and night falling outside. Only seeking his warmth at first, she’d crawled onto Luke’s bare chest and pressed tightly, trying not to shiver. Once his heat had begun to seep into her bones, the feel of his naked skin under her cheek had sent delicious thoughts into her mind.

When he’d pulled her closer in his sleep, it was easy to get carried away and she pressed her mouth fiercely to his.

Kendle knew he wasn’t totally alert yet, knew she should stop after the one good morning embrace, but when he deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth like he owned it, thoughts of stopping were pushed back by desire.

Luke was struggling with himself, still in that hazy area between sleep and awake. Her body was hot against him, inviting, and he let his hand drift down to capture her jean-covered cheek. He shifted beneath her as that familiar iron bar returned and his hips tilted upward instinctively.

“
Oohhh
...” Kendle melted against him at the intimate contact, swept into a vivid river of stunning light.

Luke tensed under her.

“Don’t stop yet.” She gasped against his mouth. “In a minute or two. Maybe.”

Luke answered with a sharp jerk that had her arching against him in stunned pleasure.
He pressed his lips to hers, swallowing a growl of need when she spread her legs over his hips and shoved back eagerly. He let the kiss linger, their bodies rubbing, breath mingling.

When he pulled back, her face was flushed with want.
"Any farther and I won’t want to stop, Darlin’. We should get up now."

Swallowing a flip remark that was sure to ruin the mood, Kendle shook her head. "I don't want you to stop. I want to be yours," she confessed in a tight whisper and saw his nostrils flare, like he was scenting prey.

Luke’s head rose back to hers and this time, his mouth was demanding, insisting. He cradled her close as he rolled them over and they both arched at the feel of him lying on top of her.

This kiss was hotter, and she shuddered when his hand slid inside her shirt to touch bare skin.

"Easy," Luke breathed against her cheek and Kendle's heart thumped as he lightly rubbed a taunt nipple. His grip tightened, almost to pinching before letting up and Kendle moaned at the sensation.

Luke slid his head to her neck, nose full of her exotic smell, and he pressed a kiss to her throat, feeling the hunger wake. They’d necked a lot since his promise to love her, but none of those sexy moments had gone far before she pulled back.
That wasn’t going to happen this time
, he guessed. Heat flashed out, nearly consuming.

“Kendle, are you…” Her mouth covered his, tongue tasting, and his hands slid around her bare back. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss as her silken breasts touched his hard chest.

Kendle moaned lowly at the feel of their skin touching, stunned by the waves of need and Luke held her tighter, trying to memorize it. He wouldn’t be able to go as slow with her as he wanted to, but it would be incredible.

Luke shifted back and the heat in his gaze was enough to burn. “So beautiful…” he murmured, sliding a hand down her hip.

Kendle jerked as his hand brushed the button of her jeans and his eyes held her while his fingers slid the zipper down. Instead of stripping her like he wanted to do, Luke only lowered himself back against that silken skin.

Kendle shivered when his rough cheek slid across her bare breast and her hands tangled in his hair.

Luke pressed soft, slow kisses to her pert little breasts, her taunt, rosy nipples and finally allowed himself to taste her. His tongue flicked over a tip and Kendle arched against him.

He repeated the action on the other side, and used her distraction to unbutton his own jeans without her noticing. Then he reached back down for hers.

Kendle tensed, but allowed her pants to be pulled off, hands clenching to keep herself from bolting. She wanted Luke, but she had a fear of the pain, too. All of it flew from her mind when he settled back against her. Still wearing his boxers, he pushed against her as he suckled a rocky peak and Kendle shuddered at the sensation.

Her body was damp against his thigh, and Luke slid a gentle finger over her folds, pressing lightly. He did it again, a bit slower, and Kendle’s breath caught at the dizzying wave of chills. When he kept doing it, the fire between her legs spread out until she felt like she was being consumed.

Luke allowed his finger to press harder, sliding further down to glide through the signs of her approval and Kendle’s body trembled, muscles clenching in that telltale sign that sent Luke’s own need from hot to leaping flames. She was ready.

 
He leaned down to nuzzle her chest again, pushing against the only G-spot he’d ever discovered and she moaned, a low, liquid sound that sent a vicious crack through his control. This was the wire! Any further and he wouldn’t stop.

Kendle was pulled from the river of rainbow colors by his sudden tension. Not sure if she'd done something wrong, she waited for him to move again, heart pounding. She'd never been so aware of her body, or felt need like this!

LJ fought for control, but the flames! Against his will, his hand went to her slender hips, and then moved over her taunt, pink breasts. They both drew in air at the not-as-gentle contact. His fingers brushed a peak, drawing another molten sound that sent heat rolling into his toes, and then he was leaning down to claim her mouth in surrender.

Lightning flashed as they kissed, small gasps and groans of pleasure echoing, and she was unaware of all his clothes being gone until she felt his bare knee between her legs.

She tensed up, scared, and Luke won a last battle for gentleness. He slowed his movements, finishing the torturous slide between her long legs, but stopping without touching his throbbing member to her slick heat. He kept himself under tight constraint, his own need screaming for him to just take her. He dropped his head to her neck, breathing harsh. “I love you, Kendle,” he whispered.

Simple, it had the desired effect and her body began to relax against his. “I love you, too, Luke. You’re so good to me.”

His hand slid over her leg and upward. “Let me be good to you a little more?”

She nodded, flushing as her body jumped under his light touch and he let his hand continue its journey. He stroked her nub with his thumb, being sure to linger and she shuddered, eyes regaining that dazed, smoky color he loved so much. He did it again, harder, and felt a rush of wetness that told him she was as close as he was.

Leaning down, his hands went subtly to her wrists as he drew her into another soul searching kiss and gently pushed his hard body into hers.

Kendle’s eyes flew open. She flinched back and then tried to roll over.

His grip tightened. "Easy, Darlin’…"

She stilled beneath him and his hips shifted, adjusting angles. Her tension was clear despite her obvious want and he leaned back to lock eyes with her as he pushed forward against the barrier. Her mouth opened to protest and he thrust through it brutally.

Kendle whimpered, hands now fists that tried to hold him back and Luke jerked forward, sinking deeply into her. “
Ohh
God!”

Release flew toward him at the feel of being inside her tight body. Luke sucked in a determined air that gave him a brief second to regain control that he already knew wouldn’t succeed. Until he saw her face.

Kendle’s lids were shut, tears slowly oozing from the corners and her clenched fists were trembling against his arms. Luke shifted and felt her try to close her legs.

He held his throbbing body in check and dropped his head to her chest, lips brushing, teasing. “You okay?” He asked softly.

“Is impaled okay?” The sting was fading and Kendle opened her eyes, not about to miss out on this view of her first time, no matter how bad it got. “I’m fine.”

Luke chuckled, feeling her body already slowly thawing against his. “That’s it for the pain. It only feels good from here.”

He lowered his head to hers, sending his free hand to roam her curves and she returned his kiss distractedly. Not moving his lower half, LJ used his lips and fingers to remind her of the pleasure and felt her body soften more. When she moaned against his lips, he began to gently push against her.

His head lowered to her chest, drawing a shudder and Luke rocked harder. It was like nothing he'd ever felt when she began to thrust back against him, and watching her become a woman gave him the strength to hold out, to please her. She slid over his member like liquid silk, tight and inviting, and when she reached her pleasure, her female body clamped down on him in a way that had him thrusting remorselessly in response.

It was heat like he’d never felt. "
Oohhh
… Kendle!"

The stunned cry had her body clenching in another spasm of pain-like pleasure, and Luke thrust frantically. Over the edge, he gave a last deep shove that had him locking their hips in ecstasy.

Despite the lack of flames, they were easy to see through the cave’s entrance and the man spying on them shivered in rage as they made love. Glad to be on duty alone instead of with Ethan, the shadowy figure could hear their noises, could feel their passion. When it was over and almost immediately started again, he still lingered. Ethan would know when he saw them. It wouldn’t be much longer now.

“That was incredible,” Kendle whispered. She’d never felt anything like it. “Is it always that good?”