Flash Burned (2 page)

Amano had been head of security for Dane's father. Though Dane's parents had died in a plane crash when he was just a month old, Amano had stayed on at the family estate in Philadelphia where Dane's aunt had raised him.

The others were part of the small, generational secret society Dane had broken sacred rules to tell me about. For my own good, and because I'd insisted on knowing everything he was embroiled in.

Getting involved with a mysterious billionaire had posed a huge risk from the start, but it'd proven inevitable from the moment I'd laid eyes on Dane.

“We're not far from the launch of the Lux,” I said. “A little over a month. Everything's going as planned. No more mishaps. Clearly, the botching of Vale's ransom attempt, combined with whatever it is you and the others have done to stand your ground, is working.”

It was two days before Thanksgiving. The grand opening of 10,000 Lux was scheduled for New Year's Eve, with a jaw-dropping list of celebrities, global political and financial leaders, and other VIPs who had already RSVP'd to the event of the decade. The Lux was the height of opulence, and memberships were costly and exclusive. In high demand.

It had been seven or so weeks since I'd been kidnapped, a pawn to get Dane to reinstate the original investment team. Since then, we'd been blessed with smooth sailing—with the exception of my occasional nightmares, which left Dane tense with fury and remorseful that I'd been caught in the crossfire.

He said, “We've come to a silent truce. But I won't take any chances.”

That meant I still had a bodyguard. The six-foot-six, solidly built, dark-haired, mid-fifties, incredibly formidable Amano. A man wholly dedicated to his charge.

“I know everything will turn out fine, exactly as you want it.” Dane was a perfectionist, and powerful enough to get what
he
wanted. “The only thing wrong at the moment is that I'm naked and you're not inside me.”

He growled. A low, carnal sound that sent heat ribboning through me in the most alluring way.

He unraveled my arms from him and shoved off his pants. Lacing his fingers with mine, he led us to the bed. He climbed in first and held the covers up as I slipped in beside him.

We snuggled in the luxurious sateen bedding, facing each other.

Dane swept a curl from my temple. His touch was tender, though his eyes blazed.

“Believe me,” he said in his rich, intimate voice. “It didn't go unnoticed that you were naked.”

I smiled. “I know.” My fingertips grazed his erection before wrapping around the base. Sliding my hand slowly up and down his thick shaft caused him to let out another seductive, sexy noise. Excitement flared low in my belly.

His lips tangled with mine. Sensuous, tongueless kisses that drew me in, so that I forgot all about snakes and scorpions and scary extortion plots.

I sighed contentedly against Dane's lips. “You make everything fade away, dissolve into the background.”

“Good,” he murmured as he gently tugged at the corner of my mouth with his.

I pulled in a long breath, loving the smell of him. Male heat, a hint of sandalwood, and the enticing scent I could only describe as raw virility. Maybe that didn't qualify as a fragrance, but it exuded from him, encapsulating his masculinity and power.

I breathed him in, feeling a heady rush from the intoxicating aroma. All that strength and confidence. The dark, intense beauty of him. Everything about this man permeated my senses and left me burning for his talented touch, his stirring kisses.

“Make love to me,” I whispered.

“Any way you want it, baby.”

Ah, decisions …

He had a healthy sexual appetite and a clever repertoire. I was certain that even after several months together he still hadn't done to me everything he wanted.

But as my hand continued to pump, I had a change of plans.

“On your back,” I quietly ordered.

He crooked a brow.

Okay, so
he
was the commanding one in the relationship. Dane had never once denied me anything, though. And now was no exception. I released him and he did as I asked.

I straddled his waist, my hands gliding over muscles that flexed beneath my fingertips. He clasped my hips and raised me slightly, easing me back.

“Not yet,” I said, resisting him, though every fiber of my being ached to feel him thrusting deep. I had something else in mind. “You know how much I love your body.”

“And you know I'm not complaining about that. But once you get me going…”

“Yeah,” I said, leaning forward and nipping his lower lip. “It gets all hot and sweaty between us.”

I kissed him long and leisurely, our tongues twisting. His grip on my hips tightened. Our kiss deepened, turning provocative and passionate. I threaded my fingers through his silken hair and let him take the lead. Until I was restless and returning to my deviated plan.

Dragging my mouth from his, I kissed my way over his jaw and down the thick cords of his neck. My hands continued to caress his chest as I moved lower. He relinquished his hold on me and I licked one of his small nipples. Bit it affectionately, making his hips jerk. Then I ran my tongue along his abs, tasting him, admiring all the ridges and warm flesh.

“Ari,” he muttered sexily. His hands plowed through my hair, lifting the strands up and away from my shoulders and face. His cock nudged my opening.

I grinned coyly. “I told you … not yet.”

Shifting lower, I kissed my way downward, over his pelvis. My lips brushed along him, from base to tip.

“You little tease,” he ground out.

“I think you can handle it.”

“Don't be so sure. Once you get started like this, it's not easy for me to stop.”

I slid my tongue along the grooved underside of his smooth head, then closed my lips over him, suckling softly at first while my fist pumped again, unrushed.

“Christ, Ari.” He sighed. “Baby.”

Flicking my tongue over the indentation caused a bead of pre-cum to form and I licked it up. Then I took him deep and sucked hard.

His hips bucked. His fingers tightened the strands he held before he caught himself and loosened them. “Ari. You're pushing me to the edge.”

I loved how he responded to everything I did to him.

My fingers unfurled and I slid my hand down to gently massage his sac, carefully rolling his balls as I took him in as far as I could again.

“Just like that,” he said in a strained voice.

I worked him in the way that made his breath come in sharp pulls. My tongue caressing, my teeth ever so lightly scraping on occasion, my mouth suckling.

“That's it, baby.” He groaned. “You do it just right. You could make me come in a heartbeat.”

I knew he wouldn't, though. There were times when I'd get him off like this, but since I'd gone on the pill and we didn't need a condom, he preferred to come inside me. It was what I wanted, too. Needing to feel all of him, including his release deep in my core. From the first time I'd experienced the rush of heat and moisture, I'd been forever addicted.

My head bobbed a little faster and I heard the hitch in his breath. His cock pulsed in my mouth and I knew I tested his restraint.

When he was close to the boiling point, his hands shifted to my shoulders. “Don't make me lose it,” he insisted. “I want to make love to you.” He guided me up his body while I left feathery kisses on his skin.

He kept leading me until his head was positioned between my legs, my knees on the mattress above his shoulders. The low headboard was tufted with distressed brown leather that matched all the chairs and the sofa in the room. A wide wooden ledge held a few expensive, artistic knickknacks and above it were framed sketches of various historic transportation schematics, with lighting to showcase them that was currently turned off. The only illumination came from the embers in the fireplace.

I leaned against the pile of pillows along the headboard and propped my forearms on the ledge as Dane's mouth covered me. A raspy moan fell from my parted lips. My spine arched and my long curls tumbled down my back. Lowering my hips, I pressed myself against him.

“You get so wet for me,” he whispered, his warm breath teasing my sensitive flesh.

“Impossible not to. Just thinking about what you might do excites me. Actually, just looking at you does the trick.”

“But this is how you like to come. With my mouth on you.”

“One of many, many ways.” Everything he did was thrilling. I could never get enough of him.

His lips tugged at my slick folds, toying with me as an electric current raced through my veins.

I let out a lusty sigh. Dane got serious.

The tip of his tongue flicked over my clit as the tiny bud pulsed with an erratic beat.

“Yes.”
My heavy eyelids closed and I concentrated solely on how wonderful it felt to have him licking and suckling, driving me wild. He'd been the first and only man to ever pleasure me this way. Every time he did, I was so relieved he'd issued a
nothing's off-limits
ultimatum when we'd started our secret affair. That I'd accepted his demands.

It hadn't been easy, but now, as I climbed that beautiful peak he always took me to, I had to admit he'd freed me from my intimacy-phobic shackles.

“Dane,” I whispered as the scintillating sensations heightened. “I'm so, so close.”

He worked me a bit feverishly, his tongue fluttering over my clit.

“Yes,” I moaned. “Christ.”

I twisted slightly and slipped a finger into my pussy from behind, pumping slowly. Not to be outdone, he eased in two fingers with mine and quickened the pace.

“Oh, fuck,” I gasped.

The flutter against the knot of nerves between my legs increased in tempo as well. The tension mounted.

“Come for me,” he commanded. “Now.”

He suckled deep. I erupted.
“Oh!
Dane!”

He didn't let up, and I quaked from the powerful release that went on and on. My body vibrating, my insides sizzling.

“You taste so fucking good.” His words and his hot breath on my quivering skin kept my pulse jumping.

It took some time for me to be able to speak. “You want to be in me now, right?” My pussy throbbed with an incessant need for him.

I certainly wasn't above begging—had done it many times before. But Dane didn't disappoint. He withdrew his fingers and changed positions on the mattress, coming up on his knees behind me.

I returned to my propped-on-forearms position, back still bowed, my ass in the air. His supple yet strong hands cupped my cheeks, kneading almost roughly. I hadn't pinpointed which body part of mine he liked the most, since he devoted equal attention to them all and diligently admired the entire package.

He playfully smacked my ass, jolting me.

“Hey,” I tossed over my shoulder. “That was for what, exactly?”

With a devilish grin and fire in his eyes, he said, “For being a bad girl and almost making me come in your mouth.”

“You like it when I'm bad.”

“And when you're soft and sweet.”

“But that's not what you want right now.”

“No.”

“You want me half out of my mind while you fuck me.”

“Hard.”

My stomach flipped. The throbbing in my core intensified. “What are you waiting for?”

His fingers slid along my cleft, sweeping back and forth over my pussy lips and then massaging my clit. “I don't think you're wet enough.”

“I'm plenty wet.
So
ready for you.” Everything about the man lit me up, whether he was touching me or not. I more than wanted him—I
craved
him. Had to have him.

“I don't know, baby.” He gazed heatedly at me. “I'm really worked up over you. You do a phenomenal job of sucking my cock.”

My cheeks burned, though I should be used to his bedroom talk by now.

“I want you,” I simply said.

With the hand he'd used to arouse me, he stroked his erection, coating his shaft with my cream, slickening the skin.

“Now who's the tease?” I asked.

His emerald gaze smoldered. “You know what
I
want.”

“Dane,
please,”
I finally begged, the way he liked. “Fuck me.”

His tip slid along my dewy folds, and I let out a throaty moan. Anticipation mounted as he continued to toy with me. It was wicked, a bit sadistic, and exciting at the same time.

My fingertips pressed into the ledge. My nerve endings ignited. And he wasn't even inside me yet.

He rubbed slowly, tauntingly. So very tempting as his cock massaged with just the right amount of pressure against my clit and then along my damp flesh before returning to that ultra-sensitive spot.

“God, Dane.” I could barely breathe.

He pressed into me, just the tiniest bit. A sample of what I desperately longed for.

He stilled. I rocked back, forcing him farther in.

“No.” He didn't let me get away with stealing more of what he wasn't ready to give me, easing me forward with a hand at the curve on my waist.

“This is just plain cruel,” I whimpered.

“Not when I want to make you come again.”

He pulled out, his cock stroking along my folds once more. A bit faster. An exhilarating sensation that sent flames over my skin. He pushed against that throbbing bud between my legs and caressed skillfully.

As much as I wanted him inside me, the sensual rhythm along my hypersensitive flesh ensnared me. My eyelids drifted closed. I moved with him.

“Dane,” I murmured encouragingly.

“Changed your tune, I see.” Triumph tinged his intimate tone.

“Bed is no place to gloat.”

“But sometimes you need a little coaxing to my side.”

His very dark and edgy side. His intensely raw and occasionally dangerous side.