Crave (Talon Security #1) (10 page)

He was writhing on the bed, his back bowed as he let out another hoarse shout.

“Sid,” I called softly. I never dared to touch him when he was like this. “Sid,” I tried again, louder this time.

He sat up with a start, looking around the dark room in confusion.

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” I murmured quietly.

He hung his head in dismay. “Shit.” His chest was shiny with sweat as he fought to catch his breath.

I reached over to grasp his forearm, needing to touch him. It killed me to see him like this.

We sat in silence for several minutes as he collected himself. “Sorry,” he muttered finally, raking a hand through his hair.

In the years we’d been friends, I’d comforted him through several of his nightmares but I’d always kept my distance. Now, it dawned on me I could finally comfort him the way I’d yearned to all those times before. I scooted closer, pulling him into my arms. He was so much bigger than me, but I still managed to get my arms around his shoulders, his head pressed to my chest. His arms went around my waist and together we just breathed.

In a move that took me by surprise, he rolled me on top of him so I was straddling him. I pressed my hands against his chest, looking down at the raw hunger in his gaze and feeling my belly clench in response. One hand pulled me toward his mouth while the other went to the globes of my ass, squeezing firmly. I let out a low moan as his mouth conquered mine.

He flipped us over, his massive body hovering above mine. His large hands explored the terrain of my body, stroking and teasing until I was a ball of need. “You have the most gorgeous body,” he rumbled. “Spread your legs.”

His deep-throated order sent a thrill through me. I obeyed, letting out a moan as he turned his exploration southward.

“I have to watch you come again. I need to,” he groaned, stroking my heated flesh as I clung to his shoulders for dear life. “I haven’t been able to think straight since the last time I had you in my arms and on my tongue.”

I moaned as my knees began to quiver. He was about to get his wish, in record time.

His mouth skimmed my lips before biting my neck gently. I tossed my head back, more turned on than I’d ever been in my life. When he took my nipple in his mouth, I let out a sound foreign to my own ears as I fell over the edge.

He pressed his face into my neck, pulling me close. I clung to him, feeling exposed and yet safe.

“Christ, you’re so gorgeous, Sam,” he breathed reverently.

“I want you,” I whispered in his ear, feeling him shudder in response.

He pulled back to look me in the eye. “You need to be sure. Because, Sam, I just know… once I have you, I’m never giving you up.”

I pulled him closer, looking him straight in the eye, knowing he wouldn’t accept anything less. “I’m sure. Now, please tell me you don’t have to leave the room to get a condom.” I tried to smile, though I knew he detected the concern in my voice.

“Even if I had to leave the fucking country for one I’d still come back to you,” he assured me gruffly. “Luckily, I have one in my wallet.”

He reached down to grab it from his discarded jeans, and then sheathed himself in one smooth motion.

He slid between my legs, holding himself at the precipice as he stared down at me with sheer hunger lighting his gorgeous eyes.

If I ever had doubts that he wanted me, they were eradicated in that moment, replaced with lust that rose up to meet his. “Take me.”

In one smooth thrust, he claimed me. We both groaned in unison as he pulled back, then slid home again. “Goddamn, never felt anything like you. Never felt like this.” He groaned as his intensity picked up.

I clung to his back, knowing my nails scored his skin as noises escaped my throat I barely recognized as my own. His mouth claimed mine before moving lower, his whiskers raking my neck. He bit lightly as I moaned in response, wrapping my legs tightly around his hips, driving him deeper.

When the wave crested inside of me, it was slow and smooth before it built into a chaotic crash so intense I cried out, tears in my eyes.

His own groan soon followed, muffled as his lips pressed into my neck. “Fuck.” He collapsed carefully on top of me.

I held him there with my arms and legs wrapped around him, never wanting to let him go.

I had a huge grin plastered to my face when he pulled back to look at me. His eyes warmed. “What?”

“Just happy.” I shrugged. There was really no other way to say it. Not that I could articulate, anyway.

“Me too, baby. Me too.”

We lay quietly, both catching our breath, wrapped up in each other. Finally, he disengaged, getting up to take care of the condom before returning to bed and immediately pulling me back into his arms.

“Your nightmare, was it what we talked about last night with Trav that caused it?” I asked quietly, my palm spread over his chest.

“Probably,” his deep voice rumbled. “Sam, the thought of you being in that kind of danger isn’t something I can handle. There has to be another way.”

“We’ll figure it out.” I assured him. “I can’t believe Zitto’s dead,” I murmured, my voice filled with the shock I felt. “I mean, I know he put me in this position and maybe he wasn’t the man I thought I knew, but I’m struggling to believe that it was all a lie. How could it have been all a lie?” I lamented.

He squeezed me closer and I felt him kiss the top of my head. “I’m not making excuses for him, Sam. The fucker wouldn’t want to be anywhere near me if he was still alive.”

Of that, I had no doubt.

“But people make mistakes. They get into situations they can’t dig themselves out of. I wouldn’t doubt he cared for you—after knowing you so many years, how could he not?”

“You’re biased,” I argued with a sad smile.

“Maybe,” he allowed. “I’m also right. It’s okay to feel confused and sad that he’s dead. It’s natural. Regardless of what he did to you, he was still your friend.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, relieved that he understood. I didn’t know why I’d ever doubted he would. “You okay now?” I asked quietly.

He nodded. “I am, but I think I better hold on to you just a little bit longer—just to make sure.”

I grinned. “Yeah, you’d better do that.”

*****

I woke up to a warm hard wall of muscle at my back. I grinned, relishing the feel of him before I slipped out from under his arm and headed for the bathroom.

I stepped into the shower, placed my hands on the tile, and leaned into the warm spray.

When I saw movement in my peripheral vision, I gasped audibly. Sid stood outside the glass, his gorgeous, naked body on prominent display. His blue eyes smoldered as he pulled open the glass door and stepped in behind me.

He put his mouth to my ear. “Mornin',” he murmured as he pulled me back against his firm body.

“Good morning,” I replied breathlessly.

He turned me in his arms. “You ran away before I got a chance to do this,” he accused just before he took my mouth in a scorching kiss.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer as his hands went to the globes of my ass, squeezing firmly. I let out a low moan as his mouth conquered mine.

We explored each other’s mouths with a hunger that spoke of years of deprivation. My hands wandered his body leisurely as I relished in the fact that I could. Then something happened that I’d never dreamed of. Sid washed my hair. Then I washed his. We toweled each other off as I marveled yet again at how natural it felt, being with him like this.

I tracked my gaze over his naked form, my heart rate quickening as I openly admired him. He grabbed my hand, raised it to his mouth, and kissed my knuckles. “Breakfast?”

I shrugged with a sly grin. “I’d much rather eat you, but all right.” I walked out of the bathroom naked, knowing his eyes were on my ass.

He groaned dramatically. “You’re going to kill me, woman.”

I turned to look at him over my shoulder, suddenly serious. There wasn’t much I was certain of, but if he felt for me even a tenth of what I felt for him, then of this I was sure. “No, Sid, with me—with me you live.”

His gaze softened as he watched me disappear into the bedroom to get my clothes.

I wandered out to the kitchen and we made a simple breakfast side by side.

“So about what Travis said last night,” he began. “Sam, I know you have a hard time staying put. Cade can come over, the three of us can jam. We can set up a space for you to write. Whatever you need while staying safe at the same time.”

I knew that was the point of his whole argument. He didn’t want me to be in danger, but he didn’t want me to feel stifled either. He was protecting me on the inside as well as on the outside.

Sid was a wall of muscle; he was highly trained to protect me physically. There were many who could probably perform that particular duty. But no one knew how to protect all of me, all the hard edges and softer curves, the neuroses and quirkiness that made me, well, me.

No, only Sid could do that.

I looked at him, feeling a sudden lump rise in my throat. He was beautiful with his electric-blue eyes watching me intently. “Okay,” I agreed. “I’ll need to look for a new job soon, but I can get by on my savings for a little while. Living rent free right now is really helping.”

Sid looked like he was going to say something, but I soldiered on, needing to hammer my most important point home. “And I’m not missing Piper’s wedding,” I said firmly.

“We’ll talk about it,” he responded, too vaguely for my liking.

My gaze narrowed at his noncommittal response.

He sighed. “We’ll see, okay? I don’t want to miss it either. I’ll talk to Ryker.”

I breathed a small sigh of relief. “I feel weird that you’re going to have to follow me around.” I wrinkled my nose.

He rolled his eyes and bent to pick up Trixie. She looked even smaller when he held her, practically swallowed by his biceps. “Actually, you’re going to have to follow me around too.” He chuckled. “I was going to ask if you minded going in to work with me. Travis called that meeting this morning and I want to check in with the guys. Then I thought we could swing by and see Cade at the shop.”

I stared at his arms before realizing he’d caught me midswoon. I nodded quickly, fighting the blush threatening to spread across my cheeks. “Sounds good.”

He grinned, laying his arm over my shoulder. “You’re cute.”

I groaned. “I’m not cute. I feel like a total dork.”

“No, you’re cute,” he corrected. “I fucking love this. I get the best of both worlds. Being with my best friend and still feeling like we’re just starting out. I love that I make you nervous.” He grinned with a devilish wink.

“I’m not nervous around you,” I lied.

He chuckled. “Oh, babe, see, this is where the knowing you for years thing comes in handy.” He leaned in close. “I happen to know you’re a terrible liar.”

I was about to deliver an amazing comeback, I really was, but then he kissed me and I lost all rational thought. Snarky or otherwise.

CHAPTER 10

W
hen we pulled up to Talon, unexpected butterflies took flight in my belly. I slipped out of the truck before he’d even cut the engine, nearly tripping over the curb in my hurry.

“Babe, slow down.” Sid’s exasperated voice sounded behind me. He sided up to me and grabbed my hand.

I looked down at where our hands were joined. “You don’t have to hold my hand, Sid. You’ll catch hell from the guys,” I protested.

“Maybe,” he agreed, his grip still firmly in place. “But they’ll be seeing it a lot. Better let them get used to the idea now.”

I bit my lip, part of me still feeling like this was all some sort of dream—minus the whole mafia-threat element. That part I could have forgone.

We walked in, hand in hand and as expected, three pairs of eyes immediately shot to us.

“Look who’s making their red carpet debut!” Theo hollered while Declan let out a low whistle.

Travis looked at us speculatively for a moment before he chuckled at the guys’ antics, shaking his head.

I blushed, wishing a hole in the ground would open up and swallow me. “Aw, and look, they even had a baby,” Theo continued, looking at Trixie with an exaggerated wince. “Ugly little fucker though, sorry to say, guys.”

“You’re hilarious,” I replied dryly.

“Does this mean I don’t get any more hugs?” Theo asked with a playful glint in his eye.

I replied, “No,” at the same time Sid bit out a firm, “Yes.”

Travis and Declan burst out laughing. Sid let go of my hand and pulled Theo into a playful headlock. “You should be thanking me, asshole. I just gave you material for months to come.”

Theo laughed, pushing at Sid. “I am immensely grateful. I was running out of reasons to fuck with you.”

I rolled my eyes at their juvenile behavior, looking over at Sarah, their receptionist. “How do you deal with them all day?”

“Coffee during the day. Wine at night,” she responded without delay.

I grinned. My kind of girl.

“We already have you drinking? You just started,” Theo protested with a grin.

“It’s just you, Theo,” she retorted.

Sarah wasn’t much older than me. With long caramel-colored hair, big brown eyes, and a fit figure, she was gorgeous. She had been shy when she’d first started, but she’d clearly come out of her shell a bit.