Slow Hands (22 page)

"Say it, Keira.
You are mine."

It felt like life or death hung in the balance.

As if he now also commanded the elements, the wind picked up, the rain howled, lashing her already sensitive skin, her exposed emotions.

"You are mine," she cried. "Finish it."

Unable to stop, Alec shoved forward, impaling her yet again. And lost himself to her.

He leaned over, covering her completely, as he battered away, shattering the last of her defenses, granting her that final release before he surrendered.

Keira felt Alec stiffen, felt his shuddering climax spraying deep and hot inside her.

As the rain fell in torrents around them.

Chapter Twelve

A
brilliant flash of lightning brought Keira's head up. Until then it had only been raining, the thunder distant.

"Come on!" Alec opened a window, scooped her into his arms, and ducked inside his apartment.

He set her down, then moved to snap on a lamp. The low-watt bulb cast the room in shadow.

While Keira knew Alec's floor plan was a mirror image of hers, his apartment was unfamiliar. She let her eyes drift. Curious.

Furnishings were sparse. Dresser, television, night-stands. A king-size bed. Unmade. The room smelled vaguely of his aftershave. Of him.

She shivered as the air-conditioning kicked on. Only then did she realize her jeans were still bunched around her ankles. Her bra and shirt were outside. Or so she hoped. She prayed they hadn't dropped to the fire escape below hers.

She watched as Alec leaned out the window, snagging their wet stuff. He had obviously toed off his shoes and stepped out of his jeans while her back was turned.

She admired his backside, the way his broad shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist and slim hips. He still had a fine ass. Tight, well chiseled, the cheeks pale in comparison to his tanned back and legs.

Then she noticed the scars on his left leg—faded but recent. Her heart twisted. He had been injured.

Alec dropped their wet clothes, shut the window.

"Your leg," she said. "I thought the grenade story was just part of your cover."

"I embellished it to make it fit."

Alec's last assignment had involved infiltrating a group of mercenaries buying stolen military arms. When ATF raided the compound, one of the mercenaries decided to blow up a munitions bunker as his last great act of defiance. Alec had been injured by shrapnel from the blast, while trying to stop the man.

"What really happened then?" Keira pressed.

"On-the-job injury," he said finally. "Comes with the territory."

She sensed his reluctance to discuss it, didn't want to shatter the fragile truce. "Will you tell me about it later?"

"Later," he agreed. "For now I want you to strip out of those clothes. You're shivering."

Keira kicked off her sneakers but found the wet jeans harder to work free. The soggy denim clung stubbornly to her skin.

"Let me." Alec dropped to one knee, tugging her pants as she lifted her leg.

She was keenly aware of how close his mouth was to her. Of how much she still wanted him. Making love outside had only whetted her appetite.

When he moved away to toss her jeans onto the pile of wet clothes, she once more admired the play of muscles across his shoulders.

But when he turned back, her line of vision was drawn lower. He was hard again. And his sheer beauty made her ache.

Fully erect, Alec's penis jutted out from a thick, dark thatch. The stalk was long and wide, slightly curved. Wicked. And topped with a bulbous crown that was bloated, the outer flange stretched.

Her heartbeat accelerated. In awe. In anticipation.

In the confusing aftermath of life without Alec, Keira had quickly learned no male equaled him. In physical prowess, skill. Before Alec, she'd had no basis for comparison. Afterward, she naively assumed all men were alike.

She'd quickly chosen celibacy. Would go back to it when he left.

But for now she'd gorge herself on the experience of a perfect lover.

Alec watched her stare, felt himself grow even harder. The storm raged behind him, rain slashing the glass, thunder swelling, lifting, seeming to empower him with an elemental magic.

He reached down, drew his hand along the solid length of his cock, comfortable with touching himself. He flicked his fist once, pumping his flesh.

"I want you again," he rasped. "So bad it hurts."

The sight of Alec's need was erotic. Her voice was a raw whisper. "Come here. I'll make it better."

Alec jerked. The seductive rub of her words, her blunt invitation, nearly caused him to lose it.
Jesus, what this woman does to me.

He stepped in and gathered her close against his chest. She felt cold.

"Hot shower?" he offered.

"Maybe later." She kissed his shoulder, nipping his skin with her teeth.

Bending, Alec picked her up and crossed the short distance to the bed. He looked at her, dark eyes dilated, and gently laid her down.

Reaching in the nightstand drawer, he withdrew a box of condoms, dumped the entire contents onto the table. Twenty-four foil packs. Wouldn't last long.

Grasping her chin, he forced her to look up. "I didn't use anything outside." That was a first. Alec never had unprotected sex.

Keira met his gaze. "I think we're okay." It was late in her cycle.

Alec wanted to make her promise she'd tell him if she got pregnant, but there'd be time to discuss it the following day. Just then, he wanted to love her.
All night long.

He leaned in, kissed her again. His hand reached out, catching her breast, squeezing the full globe. She whimpered, indicating pleasure. She'd always had sensitive breasts, had always enjoyed intense foreplay.

He felt her fingers close around his swaying erection and reveled in the feel of her solid grip.

Pushing her back onto the bed, Alec took her mouth, kissing her leisurely, his tongue sweeping in. Gradually, he shifted his mouth to her neck, savoring the soft skin of her throat before moving lower.

She smelled fresh, like the rain. He licked the drops still sprinkled along the curve of her breast, then kissed each pouty nipple, teasing with his tongue until she groaned for more. He latched on and suckled.

She arched beneath him. He drew back slightly, catching the tip between his teeth. Tugged. Her hands knifed through his hair, encouraging.

After he'd thoroughly laved that breast, he switched to the other, taking his time, loving, sucking, teasing, as she writhed beneath him.

He ran kisses down her ribs, lapped the rain in her navel, and pressed lower, his teeth grazing along the tender skin inside of her thigh.

She cried out, voice wild. "Alec. I—"

"I know. And I'll make it better."

Moving slowly, he kissed his way down one leg, to her foot. He sucked on her little toe before inching back up her other leg.

At the juncture of her thighs he paused, drew back, and spread her legs wider. He slipped a single finger inside her moist heat. Her flesh resisted. He coaxed, felt the slight give. The surrendering of her body.

If he had anything to do with it, she'd be sore tomorrow. Sore, but satisfied. Well loved.

He eased a second finger inside of her, felt the squeeze of her body as it adjusted against the welcome intrusion.

"You're hot, babe," he whispered. "For me?"

"For you."

"Good. Now hold on."

He lowered his mouth. His tongue darted between the moist folds, locating her swollen nub. Keeping his fingers inside her, he started sucking her clitoris.

Keira's hands went to his head, guiding, encouraging. Holding him in place.

The pressure built, and she quickly climaxed, but still Alec pressed on, unmerciful, stopping only to change rhythm—teasing, driving her mad in slow, sensual degrees.

Just before she came a second time, Alec shifted, moving back up, kissing his way from her abdomen to her breasts.

Condoms flew off the night table as he scrambled to grab one. He quickly sheathed himself, then settled between her legs, urging her knees up.

His blunt, throbbing erection nudged her slick opening. Keira moaned, still on the edge. She wanted him inside her. All the way. Hard and fast.

But Alec had other ideas. He pressed home slowly, slowly, easing his thickness into her. She shook her head, wanting him to go faster, digging her nails into his hips, scoring his skin, begging without words.

He caught her hands, holding them still as he continued his tortuous descent, refusing to be rushed.

Keira felt stretched to the breaking point with him atop her, his weight driving, pinning her.

Then, finally, he was in, filling her. Completing her.

"Wrap your legs around my hips," Alec urged.

She did and found he slid in even deeper. She closed her eyes, opening them abruptly as Alec began rocking very slowly, barely moving.

"God, you feel good," he managed.

She arched against him, shuddered, knew his words would shatter her. Worried
she
might say the wrong thing. "You talk too much."

She drew his mouth down, capturing his tongue and sucking on it. She felt his shaft withdraw, nearly coming out, before sliding back in. His penis was burning hot,
felt too thick, like he wouldn't fit. Yet it did, tightly. Fiery flesh dragging on raw need.

Alec did it again, and again, that agonizingly slow withdrawal, going deeper each time, until Keira was mindless with sensation.

She shifted, moving her legs up, around his waist. The new angle caused him to sink even deeper. She drew a sharp breath. Of pain. Of desire.

Alec gritted his teeth. "Can't last much longer."

"Good. This is torture."

Alec flexed, going deep, wanting to lose himself in the momentum. The motion, her body, felt so incredible. He surged forward just as she clenched her inner muscles, milking his flesh, squeezing as if to hold him in place. As if to capture the moment...

But it was like trying to chase quicksilver.

He groaned, tugged back. Then lost it.

Unable to stop, he ground his hips from side to side, bringing them both to a shattering close.

Saturday morning dawned too quickly.

They'd been up most of the night making love. Alec had followed her into the shower, seducing her yet again with soap, warm water, and heated touches.

It was almost as if he couldn't stand for her to be this close without them being physically united.

They made love until Keira wept from his touch. And when she thought she couldn't possibly feel anything again, he wrung the most powerful of all climaxes from her.

Then they slept.

Alec snuggled her on top of him, wedging one of her legs between his. His arms wrapped around her, holding her in place. It wasn't sexual—it was possessive. Predatory.
Mine.

The morning light streaming in his windows woke her. She kept still, wanting to sigh, but didn't. After all these years to finally awaken in his arms was bliss.

But her happiness was short-lived. It would pass.

He wouldn't stay.

Checkmate.

She wouldn't leave.

Stalemate.

Acknowledging that was painful.

And while she couldn't go back and change what happened last night, she realized getting physically involved with Alec was a mistake.

She moved to get out of bed, but Alec tightened his grip. She felt the drag of whiskers across her shoulder— felt his lips press kisses there.

And lower, much lower, she felt the prod of his erection.

"'Don't leave," he whispered, nuzzling his mouth against her. "We can stay in bed all day."

She winced as his rough chin rasped her skin. "Ouch!"

Alec eased back, examined her reddened skin, then ran a hand along his beard. "Sorry, babe. I'll shave."

She held his arm. "I can't stay."

"Can't? Or won't?"

Shouldn't,
she thought.

"The camp out," she said instead. "I'm supposed to meet Franny at noon."