Elude (18 page)

"Of course I am." I turned to face him. "I have my own Italian assassin in my bed."

His eyes didn't heat.

They were empty again.

Great. I'd successfully pushed him away. At what cost?

"Listen…" He backed me up against the door. "…you tell me what to do in front of the guys again, and I'll follow through on that spanking I promised earlier this week. If I want to jump off a cliff to save your life, you don't talk me out of it. You don't complain or whine. You say thank you and cheer me on." His mouth was hot. I could almost taste him as he leaned in and whispered, "When I said I'd protect you with my life, I meant it. So stop being such a damn martyr and for once in your life let someone save you."

He tilted my chin up, his eyes searching my face for a few seconds before he pulled back and walked away.

Sergio

I WASHED THE BLOOD FROM MY HANDS
, not really sure why I was putting forth such an effort when it wasn't going to come off unless I scrubbed like hell until my skin was raw.

The good news?

I didn't work for the feds anymore, so I had nothing to hide. I could waltz right into Starbucks with a bloodstained shirt and tell people I'd just fallen off my Harley, and people would barely blink.

It irritated me that in the face of something so terrifying — had you not been raised in it, you'd assume it only happened on the movies — Andi had simply watched in fascination.

And then had the nerve to tell me I couldn't protect her.

What the hell?

I slammed my hands against the marble countertop then slammed them again. "Damn it!"

"Easy tiger," Andi said from the doorway.

I looked up at her reflection through the mirror. She walked hesitantly toward me.

I shook my head and moved away before she could touch me. It was too raw, killing them, nearly losing her, being reminded yet again that this little story wasn't going to end happy. In the end, I would lose her.

It was up to me to decide how.

Shit.

With a scowl, I turned on the shower. "Not now, Andi, I'm not in the mood."

"Not what you said about an hour ago."

I started pulling off my clothes. If she wasn't going to leave, I didn't give a rat's ass; I was still going to shower. I needed to get Russian slime off my body.

Steam billowed out the minute I opened the shower door.

After a few minutes, I assumed Andi had left.

I was just getting ready to turn the handle when a soft delicate hand met mine. With a curse, I closed my eyes and leaned forward, allowing my forehead to press against the glass as water dripped down my face.

Her breasts pressed up against my back; her arms wrapped around my waist. "I'm sorry."

I couldn't trust myself to speak. I'd always been good with words, even better with my intellect, but in that moment I had nothing. I didn't know what to say because I'd never been in a situation so out of my control — so completely out of my element that all I wanted to do was push it to the farthest part of my brain so I wouldn't have to think about it.

So I wouldn't feel.

"I'm sorry I told you not to come after me." Andi sighed, pressing a kiss against my back. "And I'm sorry I did it in front of the guys… but what I'm most sorry about is that you're in this position, somewhere you never wanted to be in the first place."

I let out a heavy sigh, my chest squeezing tight. Slowly, I peeled her hands away from my waist and turned. Her brown eyes were large, focused, sad. It killed me, because Andi wasn't one of those people. Sadness looked completely foreign on her.

I hated it.

I hated it so much I vowed in that moment to do everything in my power to extinguish that emotion forever.

I wasn't a soft person.

A tender lover.

A thinker — when it came to the opposite sex. But everything about her made me think. As water cascaded down her soft face, I thought. I thought so hard I was convinced she could hear my thoughts.

She was beautiful.

Breathtaking.

Brave.

And mine.

My lips found hers. I kissed her softly, tasting the water on her mouth, sucking it between my teeth. "I'm exactly where I want to be. I just never knew it… until now."

Our mouths collided in a heated frenzy as I lifted her into the air then pressed her against the shower wall. My hands slid down her thighs as she clenched around me tightly.

Her blond hair stuck to her cheeks. I moved my lips to her ear, licking the trickle of water down her neck, following its trail all the way to her small breasts.

My mouth sucked along every inch that the water traveled, my lips unable to do anything except taste. I flicked my tongue — and gained a painful jerk as she tugged my hair back and let out a moan.

I wasn't gentleman enough to ask her if she wanted more.

Because I wasn't going to be gentleman enough to stop if she said no.

I was desperate in a way I'd never been before, to feel her, to feel all of her and, most of all, to forget that in a few short months…

I wouldn't be able to feel that heart beat.

I wouldn't be able to lick her skin.

Her taste would be long forgotten.

A frenzied sort of madness over took my senses as I slammed my mouth against hers, willing her to live, willing her to fight, making promises with my lips that I knew I could never speak aloud — because if I did, it would make it real. It would make what we were going to go through real.

And I didn't want real.

Not anymore.

Tension built between us. She jerked my lower lip between her teeth then kissed me deeper, harder, faster.

I didn't ask if she was ready. I didn't need to.

I just… knew.

As if we'd been long lost lovers… as if we'd been made to be together.

One thrust, and I was inside of her, moving with her, living with her. Sharp nails dragged across my back, and then her hands found my hair again. With each movement of my hips, she tugged harder.

Heat surged between our bodies.

Every muscle tensed in her body. I only cared about her — not myself — and that's when I knew I was already gone. Screwed the minute I'd said yes to her.

I softened my kiss as her body slowly tensed and then released. Her big brown eyes blinked at me slowly. I was completely transfixed as my world tilted on its axis and became solely about something other than myself — someone.

Winking, she hooked her ankles tighter around my body. It was uncontrollable, the way I let go, the way she allowed me to.

It was silent except for the sound of the water slamming against the riverrockk and our own labored breathing

"Fourteen." She slid down my body, her teeth tugging my ear as she whispered the number against my skin. "You gonna keep a tally of this on your other side?"

I barked out a laugh. "Epic moments deserve to be remembered."

"Promise me something?"

"Anything." I reached for her hand. Who was this man? This person talking? I didn't recognize myself, wasn't sure I wanted to.

"Remember us."

It took me a while to register what she was referring to. My tattoos, remembering us. I tried to lighten the mood. "I'm not putting Stoli vodka in ink on my body, Andi. I don't care how much you like the stuff."

She burst out laughing then launched herself into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist for the second time in the past half hour. Our foreheads touched. I brought her underneath the middle of the shower and kissed her mouth.

"Our symbol would be something cooler… like… something from our honeymoon trip."

"Oh, so like the number fifteen?"

"Exactly!" She giggled. "I knew I chose well when I chose you, Italy."

I rolled my eyes and set her on her feet. One minute she was standing; the next she was collapsing into my arms.

"Andi?" I caught her before she hit her head. "Andi, can you hear me?"

"Of course!" She laughed. "You're yelling in a shower."

I rolled my eyes. "Not funny. Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She shrugged. "But shower time probably dehydrated me. Got any Gatorade?"

I sighed, forcing a smile I didn't feel, considering my heart had damn near stopped a few minutes ago. "Yeah, let's Gatorade you up before bed."

"The words… you're so good with them. It's a wonder I swooned."

"Your swoon needs work," I pointed out. "You went in the wrong direction."

"Drat."

"Drat?" I repeated.

"Read historical romance, Sergio. It will seriously change your outlook on so many words!"

"I like my vocabulary."

"Hmmm…" She patted my chest and yawned. "I'm sorry. I'm just really tired."

"Sure." With a heavy heart I lifted her into my arms and walked out of the shower. I set her on the teak bench, grabbed one of the monogrammed towels, and wrapped her in it before wrapping one around myself.

"Can I lick chocolate off your abs?" she asked in a tired voice.

"I, uh…"

"I promise I'll go slow."

"Is that on the list?"

She crossed her arms.

"Andi…"

"It should be!" She pouted. "I completely underestimated your workout routine!"

"So you thought I'd be a fat Italian?"

"To be fair, you guys eat a lot of pasta."

"When have you ever seen me actually eat pasta?"

She chewed her lower lip. "Good point."

"Look…" I kneeled down in front of her. "…I'll let you lick chocolate off me…"

She clapped her hands.

I held mine up for her to stop. "If you go to sleep. After all, we have honeymoon activities to do, don't we?"

She wrapped her arms around my neck and placed a soft kiss against my cheek. "Yes, Italy. We do."

Andi

I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG THE MINUTE
I tried to open my eyes. My mouth tasted like cotton, and every single bone in my body hurt like I'd been beaten up and left for dead.

With a groan, I tried to turn on my side so I could fall very ungracefully out of bed. My legs felt so weak. I needed more water and to eat, even though I'd been feeling more and more full, just another fun side effect.

I took a few deep breaths holding the air in my cheeks then slowly released a breath as I finally managed to roll onto my side and place my feet on the hardwood floor.

The room was spinning, but I was used to being dizzy. I walked slowly to the door and opened it then shuffled down the hall.

I wasn't paying attention to anything other than getting to the bathroom so I could grab a drink of water and maybe take a shower.

"Andi?" Sergio's voice sounded at the end of the hall.

Crap. I needed to act chipper or he was going to know something was up. I licked my lips, forced a big smile, and gave him a saucy wave.

I must have looked worse than I thought because his expression went from morning bedroom eyes to horrific, all within athe span of a few seconds.

In two strides he was in front of me, gripping my face with both hands. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Huh?"

He turned my face to the side as if he was examining it. Then the weird part happened. He tried to pry my mouth open with his hands.

I jerked away, but he was too strong.

With a curse, he shook his head and lifted me into his arms. He strode into the bathroom and set me on the counter.

"I can walk," I pointed out, though it was nice not having to.

"I know." He swallowed slowly. Face pale, he filled a cup of water and handed it to me. "Swish it around a bit."

"Huh? Why can't I just drink it?"

"Your gums." He reached up and placed his finger in my mouth and pulled it back. Blood mixed with spit slid off his skin.

I covered my mouth in horror then turned to look in the mirror. My gums weren't just bleeding; it looked like I'd suddenly gone vampire during the night and taken out an entire town. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that bad, but my teeth weren't so white, considering the bleeding wouldn't stop.

"Here." Sergio shoved the cup into my hand. "Swish around the water so that you can clean your teeth. Then we'll use some mouthwash. I wouldn't suggest brushing until the bleeding stops, which it should once the day moves on, and you start yakking my ear off again."

He was being sweet.

Which naturally made my eyes well up with tears. "Where'd you learn all this, huh, Italy?"

"Prepare to be awestruck." He smirked, his one eyebrow arching playfully. "I read a book."

"No way!" I punched his shoulder. "You little nerd!"

"I'll probably buy a pocket protector at the end of the week and start ironing my jeans too."

"Don't!" I pointed my finger at him. "Those jeans are designer." I swished the water around and spit it out into the sink. I filled it up again and drank deeply then handed it back to Sergio, only to have him put a bottle of mouthwash in my hand.

"Gargle."

I rolled my eyes but did as he said. When I spit into the porcelain sink, I had to fight the tears welling. Everything was still tinged with blood. Slowly, I turned and smiled weakly in the mirror.

My gums were still bleeding.

I hung my head. "I'm gross."

"Not true," Sergio argued.

I nodded, not trusting my words. Then when I found my voice, I pointed at my mouth and shuddered. "Gross."

Sergio's eyes took on that dark hue that told me he was either really aroused by my vampire mouth or just pissed off. One minute he was staring at me; the next he was kissing me.

I tried to pull back, but he wouldn't let me.

His was invasive, hard; nothing soft about it.

When he pulled back, he still didn't release my head; instead, he looked at me directly in the eyes and said, "I don't want to ever hear you say that about yourself again."

"But—"

His kiss interrupted my words. When he pulled back, I had to admit I was a bit dizzy.

"Never again," he whispered.

I nodded. "Okay."

"Now…" He helped me off the counter. "…let's shower."