Roberts, Sarah - Action Hero Junkie [Movieland] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) (5 page)

He stepped back. The door was Mia’s new best friend. It was propping up her melted body. His hot blue eyes glittered at her. “I missed you.” There was that growly deep voice again, the one that sent shivers straight to her toes.

Mia sucked in another breath.
Gotta be strong. Be strong, girl.
She eased away from the door. Her shaking legs held her up. That was good. That gave her confidence. She held out her hand. “Mia Haven.”

He looked at her. Then he grinned and stuck out his own hand. Those long, calloused fingers wrapped around hers, very carefully, like he was afraid he might break her hand. “Aiden Smith.”

“Well, Aiden Smith.” Mia got her hand back. She sort of slid past him, but she didn’t take her gaze off of him. “I’m going to take a shower. Just thought I’d let you know.” Mia deliberately dropped her purse. She backed up a step. She toed off her sneakers, first one and then the other. She took a step. She pulled her scrub top off over her head and took another step. Mia dropped her dangling top from her crooked forefinger. She took a couple of more steps backward. With her thumbs, she slid her scrub bottoms down past her navel. Mia stepped back again. She dropped the bottoms and stepped out of the puddle.

All the time, she was walking away from him, sometimes backward, sometimes looking over her shoulder. Mia watched his electric-blue eyes grow hotter and hotter. He brushed a hand across his mouth. Mia slowly traced a fingertip over the edge of lace on her bra. She licked her lips. That was when he rushed her.

He slung her over his shoulder. Mia squealed and bounced against that muscular back. His arm pinned her bare legs against his front. A warm hand was spread wide on her butt. Mia grinned while watching, upside down, the flex of his magnificent buns. He marched straight into the bathroom.

There wasn’t much room. But he lowered her to the floor. Mia felt every inch of his hard body slide over her tingling front before her bare toes touched the cold tile. His thick pike pressed into her soft belly.
It must be awful uncomfortable behind that terrible, confining zipper.
Mia shuddered deliciously.

“
You drive me mad, Mia
!”

“Yeah, well, you’re doing a pretty good job of turning
me
inside out.” Mia didn’t even know what she was saying. She was too busy pulling his shirt out of his pants. She started undoing buttons, and her arms were knocked by his forearms because he was working at his belt and pants.

The rest of their clothes kind of melted away. Then they were standing under the stinging spray, doing naughty things to each other with fingers and tongues and slippery soap and hot body parts. Pretty soon Mia flew apart.
I’m wrung out tighter than the washcloth
.

Aiden carried her to the bed. He laid her down and then lay down beside her. He pulled the covers up over their damp bodies. Mia snuggled up against him, her butt nestling into the warm shallow of his lean hips. She could feel the warm, softened bulge pressing against the curve of her rear. His muscular arm came down over her waist, his big calloused hand sliding under and cradling her breast. He didn’t say anything about first watch. She was glad.

* * * *

Aiden basked in the warmth of his woman’s soft, pliant body. Her generous breast nestled in his hand. His hands were big and calloused from handling weaponry. It amazed him that she didn’t seem to mind them on her tender flesh. Her womanly scent filled his nostrils like the most seductive perfume. He couldn’t remember feeling so content in his life. It felt right being with Mia Haven. He could let down his guard with her. She made it so easy. She was brave and playful and beautiful. What more could a man like him ask for? If he died tomorrow, he would die happy.

He shifted, spooning her closer, so that he pressed against her from shoulder to thigh. She sighed softly. He adjusted his shoulder and angled his wounded arm more sharply over her supine body. Realization hit him, and he lifted his arm into the air, rotating it. He grinned, looking up at the new pinkish scar.
Not a twinge.
He hadn’t even felt anything when he had thrown Mia over his shoulder and carried her into the bathroom.

Suddenly, he realized what his recovery meant to him and to them.

His grin faded. A mingling of desolation and resignation hit him. He was no longer an invalid. His obligation to duty loomed up in the room like a gray, billowing pall of battle smoke. Aiden lowered his arm and folded it back around her, cradling her close. He sighed heavily, regretfully, his breath huffing against her hair. He closed his eyes tightly. For a moment, he pressed his lips against her soft, dusky curls. For a moment longer, he pretended.
Damn it.
Damn it!

Reluctantly, he disentangled himself from her body and got up out of the bed. His metal dog tags and the silver medallion he wore on chains around his neck swung forward then back against his sternum, jangling softly. Mia stirred and rolled over, her eyes blinking drowsily. Under the edges of her lids, her eyes gleamed. He knew she was watching him. For a moment, he stood looking down at her. She lay on her back, one hand curved under her cheek, her curly, chestnut hair falling onto the pillow. She was beautiful. He knew he was already memorizing the sight of her, with her lush naked body sated from his lovemaking, because he might never see her again.

He didn’t say anything. It hurt too much. He just turned away and went into the bathroom to get his pants on. She didn’t say anything or call after him, either. It was like she already knew.

* * * *

Mia got dressed in a T-shirt and jeans and trailed into the kitchen, where the light was on. He had turned around one of the kitchen chairs and was straddling it, his big forearms folded on the top of the back. His chin was cradled on top of his arms. There was a ferocious frown on his face. His dark-gold brows were lowered, and he held his mouth tight in a grim line. He raised his head and looked up at her with a darkened gaze when she came in. “Mia—”

“Yeah. I know.” Mia slowly walked over behind him and pressed herself over his bare back. She put her arms around him, her breasts flattening against his hard muscles, and she could feel the heat of his body through her T-shirt. Mia laid her cheek on top of his head. His thick, tousled hair tickled her face. “You’re leaving.”

His fingers closed hard over one of her hands, and then he let go. “I’ve got to.”

Mia straightened up. She made herself act all business. “Okay, let me look at the stitches.” Aiden dropped his forearms. He got up, turned around, and sat back down. Mia stepped between his spread knees so that she could better see the wound. Her work looked good. It looked more than good, in fact. The stitches had dissolved. The wound was closed and pink and healthy-looking. “You heal quick.”

He nodded. His chiseled face tautened, and a tic jumped in his jaw. “That’s why I can’t stay any longer. I’m fit enough to go back into action. I have to leave tonight.”

She felt it. She had never before understood that old phrase, “It feels like a kick in the gut,” but now she did. “This sucks.”

He barked a short laugh. “It does.” He put his hands on either side of her waist and drew her in closer, wrapping his arms loosely around her, with his large hands pressing warmly across her back. “Ah, Mia.”

Aiden buried his face in the turn of her neck and shoulder. Mia felt his firm lips press against her skin. She blinked her eyes rapidly. She sniffed a couple of times.

He lifted his head, and his electric-blue gaze searched her face. “Mia, sweetheart, don’t cry.”

Mia brushed her eyes, quick, with the backs of her hands. “I’m not. I won’t.”
Not until later when I’m alone again.
The forlornness of her thought caught in the back of her throat. She scowled at him and poked her finger in his chest. “You better come back or call me or something!”

“You can count on it.” Strength emphasized his firmly spoken promise. His eyes glittered with a savage light. “Even if I have to knock out this whole town to get to you!”

She liked that. It was extravagant and macho and sounded a whole lot better than the evasive
I’ll call you sometime.
She perked up and moved out of encompassing warmth of his embrace. “Good!”

Nothing had changed. He was still leaving. She didn’t want to think about it.

Mia glanced around, unsure what to do with herself, so she started bustling around the kitchen, opening the refrigerator, taking stuff out of the pantry. It was good to have an excuse to move around. “I’ll make us something nice.” She didn’t look at him much, but she could feel him watching her. She slapped some pots on top of the stove. “So when are you going?”

“There’s time yet. I’ll wait until full dark. I’d like to eat first, pull my gear together, and spend the time with you.” He caught her gaze. “I’m going to need your help again, Mia. I need to get back to where my communications got dropped.”

She nodded. She chopped vegetables like a sushi chef. “Okay. I can drive you there.”

“I need to get inside. I need to go back in the way I got out. I tried that the other night, after you escaped, but the entrance was barred from the inside.”

“Oh. Right! The door can’t be opened from the outside.” Mia thought it was weird that he didn’t want to just buy a ticket, but then maybe he didn’t want to be seen at the theater. After all,
someone
shot him. Maybe they were still hanging around. Also, she was pretty sure there were rules about carrying a gun into a theater. Especially a big one. She sure didn’t want him to leave the scary thing at her place. So she could definitely see his point about going back in the same way. She set the oven to preheat. “I can probably get the door open from the inside for you.”

His eyes narrowed as he considered her offer. “Can you do that? I don’t want you to get into any trouble.”

“Well, there aren’t usually too many people around that late. I don’t think anyone will bother me if I open the door, even if they do see me.” She shrugged, stirring the bubbling contents of one of the pots she had going. “I don’t see what they can say. It’s not like I won’t have a right to be there. I even have a free pass.”

Surprise crossed his face. He laughed, his eyes gleaming at her. “Mia! You’re amazing.”

“It’s no big deal. I’d do it for anyone.”

Aiden’s smile slowly faded. His electric baby blues seemed to be looking straight into her soul. “I believe you would.”

Mia cleared her throat. There was something strange and unreadable in his eyes that made her body feel too warm. She opened the hot oven to slide in the baking dish with the cheese-topped entrée. “There’s just one thing, Aiden. You said you dropped your communications. They sweep the place every night.”

He frowned, his expression turning thoughtful. “You’re right. But I don’t have a choice. It’s the only way that I can reestablish contact with my team.”

She shook her head. She didn’t have much hope that a little communication device, or whatever it was he had dropped, would still be in the auditorium. She hadn’t even found any bullet holes in the walls. She broke an egg into a bowl then fished out a bit of shell. She added sugar and milk to the egg. “Well, I can always ask if anything was found the other night.”

Aiden’s eyes suddenly blazed. The angle of his strong jaw jutted out. “I don’t want you involved! I don’t want the connection made between you and me. It’s too dangerous.”

“Relax, soldier boy! We’ll take it as it comes.” Mia thought he was making too much out of it, but what did she know. He had saved her life. She
knew
it. Even though there were no bullet holes in the walls. Mia briskly whisked while she thought about that for a minute.
Yep, I have quietly gone crazy.
Bizarre as it seemed, though, she was really getting a kick out of it. Well, except for the sucky part about him leaving.

* * * *

Aiden watched Mia charging around the tiny kitchen, preparing a lavish send-off meal. He counted three pots on the stove, and there was something heating in the oven, too. Enticing aromas filled the air, but he didn’t feel hungry. His stomach felt a little knotted up like it did before a mission. He’d eat everything just to please her, though. She deserved that much from him.

He swallowed past the unexpected lump in his throat. She was making such an effort! He knew it was all for him. It wasn’t just what she was doing with the food, either. It was like she kept reminding herself to smile, and so she did. She smiled, but her brown eyes were softened with sadness. Aiden felt his heart constrict.
Ah, damn it, sweetheart.

He was a member of an elite fighting force, but when it came right down to it, he wasn’t as tough as this fabulous woman. She was so awesomely brave, he practically had to wink back tears!

Hiding his own surging emotion, Aiden broke down his weapon and methodically cleaned the already pristine workings. He had the faintest tremor in his hands, which he couldn’t control, and for the first time ever he fumbled with putting the well-oiled parts back together. He was glad that his buddies couldn’t see his less-than-stellar performance. They’d unmercifully rib him for sure.

* * * *

They didn’t talk much over dinner and cleaning up afterward. They didn’t even say anything when they walked back to the bedroom, undressed, and got back in bed. They made love, slow and sweet, more than once. Then they got cleaned up and dressed again.