Sweet Revenge (16 page)

“You’re repeating yourself. Besides, you don’t even know what my plan is, so don’t tell me I can’t do it.” She gave him her own hard stare. “What’s this really about?”

He was silent for so long, she didn’t think he was ever going to answer. Finally, he said, “I wanted you to know about Reddington.” He shrugged. “I thought it would upset you more than it did.”

“I hate that he’s back in business, but it’s no surprise.”

“We’re going after him, Jamie. You do realize that, don’t you? And we will get what we need to bring him down.”

“Good. I’m all for it. Whatever it takes, I’m for doing it.”

Shit
. Dylan didn’t know who he was angrier with, Jamie or himself. He’d wasted five damn days without doing what was expected of him: getting the information she was hiding and convincing her that she wasn’t qualified to carry out whatever harebrained scheme she had concocted. Instead, he’d trained her as if he wasn’t leaving soon, as if they had all the time in the world. To make matters worse, he’d been a jerk for those five days—an attitude that wasn’t exactly conducive to encouraging her to share her secrets.

Dylan knew he had many flaws, but until now, procrastination had never been one of them. That had to stop; he could no longer put off the inevitable. What he was about to do was something he’d never forgive himself for and would most certainly make Jamie hate him, but she’d given him no choice.

He drew a silent breath and stood. “Why don’t you take a hot shower? We worked a little harder today than usual, so your muscles might be sore. I’m going to start dinner.”

“That’s it? That was your ‘We need to talk’ conversation?”

He shrugged. “That’s it.”

Dylan saw confusion mixed with relief as she turned and disappeared into her bedroom. She’d thought he was going to tell her something devastating. After all she’d been through in her life, getting crushing news was probably something she expected far more than getting good news. And, dammit, that was one of the biggest reasons he wanted to protect her. She’d been through so much. Why was she putting herself at risk when she didn’t have to?

His mind resolute, Dylan headed to the kitchen. If nothing else, he would make tonight as good for her as possible. She’d hate him afterward, but he could damn well make certain that until the hatred came, she would know nothing but pleasure.

thirteen

Jamie took her time showering and dressing, her thoughts on the disturbing conversation. After months of knowing her course, her decision about Reddington certain and unyielding, Dylan’s disapproval and dire warnings made her question herself again—something she was sure he’d be pleased to know.

While in that dank, dark room of Reddington’s, she had overheard many discussions. Not everything she’d heard had concerned his business dealings. Much of it had been of a personal nature, especially the conversations with his wife. Those discussions had seemed mundane and uninteresting, but she had listened to as many as she could. And she was so glad she had, because one very detailed conversation with his wife had given her exactly what she had needed.

After her rescue, she had been confident that Reddington would be put away and had pursued every legal avenue to ensure that this happened. Had talked to the prosecutor’s office until she was hoarse and limp with exhaustion, detailing her experience. Nothing had worked. Reddington had come away looking like an aggrieved do-gooder, and she’d seemed like an ungrateful bitch and a raving lunatic.

She’d been depleted and on the verge of just giving up when a specific conversation he’d had with his wife had popped into her head. And the idea had been born. She had the qualifications and she had the knowledge; all she needed was a plan.

In Paris, when she’d been recovering and getting to know her sister again, things had coalesced in her mind. McKenna hadn’t known it, but she’d given Jamie the information she’d been lacking.

Once it was confirmed that no charges would stick, Jamie had put that plan into place. And as soon as she finished her training, it would be time to put that plan into action.

Standing in front of the mirror, she took in her appearance. Her favorite lavender shirt deepened the blue of her eyes and her jeans hugged her body emphasizing her curves. She’d also taken special care with her hair, washing it with her lemon-scented shampoo and then blowing it dry until it looked like a bright, gleaming waterfall. Putting on a lot of makeup would have been too obvious, but she did add some subtle color to her lips and darken her lashes with mascara.

She took a step back and nodded her satisfaction. For the last few days, Dylan had treated her as if she were an asexual entity he could barely tolerate. Raising her chin to its customary defiant level and veiling the hurt of his rejection, Jamie turned to go out the door. She’d just see about that.

She stopped in the middle of the living room, startled to find a cozy fire blazing in the fireplace, a bottle of Shiraz and two wineglasses placed on the coffee table, along with a tray of cheese, crackers, and black olives.

“Since we don’t have a lot of fresh food, putting together appetizers was a little difficult.”

Dylan leaned against the doorjamb at the entrance to the kitchen. He had apparently been very busy. Not only had he showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a charcoal-gray shirt; the fragrances emanating from the kitchen told her he had a delicious dinner well under way.

She gestured at the wine and the cheese tray. “This looks wonderful.”

He came toward her and then stopped to pick up the wine bottle. He poured two glasses and handed her one. Taking the other glass, he clinked it against hers and then took a long swallow.

Eyeing him from beneath her lashes, Jamie sipped the wine, savoring the variety of flavors on her tongue. She had set out to seduce Dylan, and he’d turned the tables on her.

“Why the change of heart?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

She gestured at the cozy scene. “You’re obviously expecting more tonight than just a discussion of successful martial arts moves or how to spot a predator.”

He took another swallow of wine and set his glass down. “Just tired of the tension between us. This is my less than subtle way of hoping we can put an end to it.”

“And that’s it?”

He moved close, within inches of her, and said softly, “Do you want something more?”

Jamie almost groaned; the heat in his eyes was melting her insides. Before she could answer, Dylan covered her mouth with his, swallowing the “yes” she was about to give.

The mouth she’d dreamed of nightly covered hers in a hot, devouring kiss that poured heat throughout her body. With a groan of surrender, she raised up on her toes and sank deeper into him.

Releasing her, Dylan took the glass she still held and set it down. Then, with a deliberateness that stole her breath, he unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it to the floor. Jamie reached out a hand and pressed her fingers to his chest, the heat of his body almost singeing her skin. When she would have moved in to taste him, he put his hands on her shoulders to stop her. “What?”

“Raise your arms.”

Her entire body now a mass of quivering, aroused nerves, Jamie lifted her arms and Dylan whipped her shirt over her head. Then, with speedy efficiency, he unhooked the front clasp of her bra.

His voice thick, he growled, “Take off your shoes.”

Feeling hypnotized by the hot green eyes holding her gaze, Jamie slipped her shoes from her feet. Quickly, he took her jeans, along with her panties, and shoved them down her legs.

“Step out of them.”

Once again, Jamie complied. Breathing was becoming increasingly difficult. Dylan was giving her no time to think, to do anything other than follow his gruff commands.

The knowledge that she was completely nude and he was still partially dressed penetrated her haze of lust. She had never felt vulnerable with him, and though the heat inside her could almost make her forget, she couldn’t help but feel a little uncertain.

As if he could read her thoughts, Dylan used the same quick efficiency on himself and in seconds was stripped bare. Jamie let her eyes feast on him: the rock-hard chest, copper-colored nipples, and light sprinkling of springy black hair that trailed down the unbelievably hard abdomen. Her eyes went lower, and her entire body clenched at his penis jutting out toward her. The other night, the room had been dark, and though she’d felt his erection inside her, she hadn’t touched him the way she’d wanted to. Tonight, she wanted to know Dylan in every way possible.

Her hand went tentatively toward him, and Dylan caught it before it could reach him.

“What’s wrong?”

He tugged at her arm. “Let’s lie down in front of the fire. We didn’t get to do this the other night. I want to make up for it.”

Following him, she asked, “Do what?”

He pulled her down onto the rug and lowered himself beside her. “Explore.” And with those words, Dylan pushed her gently onto her back and began a heated and thorough exploration she wasn’t sure she would survive. Starting at her neck, he tenderly bathed her with his tongue, then nibbled his way down to her breasts, where he spent torturous, bone-melting moments sucking and licking. Before he could continue farther, Jamie stopped him with her hands on his shoulders. “Wait.”

“What’s wrong?”

“When do I get to do the same thing to you?”

For an instant, before he quickly masked it, something like astonishment flared in his expression. “I want to make you feel good.”

She almost laughed. “Touching you will make me feel good.”

Pressing a quick, hard kiss to her mouth, he moved to lie back on the rug. “Then have at it, sweetheart.”

Feeling as though she’d been given the keys to fantasyland, Jamie placed her hands on his chest and began to live out what she had only dreamed.

At the first touch of her soft, delicate hands on him, Dylan knew he was in trouble. Control during sex had never been a real issue with him. Giving pleasure to a woman was one of nature’s greatest wonders, and he’d enjoyed the hell out of it more times than he wanted to count. The other night, though he’d come close to losing it a couple of times, she had allowed him to give her pleasure without the need to caress him. Tonight, she wanted to play, and while he couldn’t deny that it felt better than damn good, losing control wasn’t a comfortable place for him. Locked inside him were fierce emotions that were rarely unleashed. He didn’t lose his temper, rarely said things he didn’t mean, and almost never veered from a set course. Trust Jamie to tempt him like no one else.

Her hands glided down his chest and stopped on his stomach. Dylan ground his teeth as she slowly caressed him, her hand going lower and lower, until she stopped at his throbbing cock. A cool, soft hand closed around him, and he bucked up, hissing his pleasure. He hadn’t come prematurely since puberty, but damned if he didn’t think that was about to happen.

“You’re like hard steel encased in satin.”

He’d been watching her hands, but at the wonderment in her voice, he moved his gaze to her eyes. She looked so enthralled, almost enchanted. He’d never seen that look on a lover’s face before. Jamie was truly enjoying touching him.

At that realization, Dylan knew he’d hang on. Tonight would be the last time they’d be together. The memories would have to sustain him for a lifetime; he’d be damned if he’d shorten her pleasure or his by coming too soon.

The first lick of her tongue almost had him changing his mind. Gritting his teeth, he endured the delicious feeling of her hot, tight mouth sucking on him and then taking him deep, almost to her throat. He endured until it was no longer humanly possible.

With a gentle touch to her face to get her attention, he pulled out of her mouth. “Don’t think I don’t love this, but …” Unable to speak with any coherence, Dylan grabbed a condom he’d hidden beneath the rug. After easing it over his erection, he rolled, taking Jamie with him. Above her now, he set out to make sure she was fully with him. Kissing her deeply, he sucked on her tongue, loving her moans, her fingers digging into his back. He lifted his mouth and trailed kisses down the length of her body, stopping at the juncture of her legs; then he lowered his head and delved deep with his tongue. She was wet and so hot he almost lost control again as he imagined what it was going to feel like to slide inside her.

Unable to wait, he shifted between her legs, raised them up, and pressed into her. His gaze locked with hers, and her eyes widened as he went deeper, and then deeper still. Finally buried to the hilt, Dylan lost all hope of maintaining any kind of control. Setting up a hard, driving thrust and retreat, he rode her until explosion loomed. Determined to make sure she was with him, he put his thumb on her clitoris and pinched. She gave a soft little scream and spasmed around him. Finally giving in, he groaned her name as he came.

Sated and so relaxed she could barely move, Jamie rubbed her face against Dylan’s chest. The experience had been beyond her comprehension. The other night, Dylan had been passionate but so controlled. Tonight that control had broken. He had groaned her name several times, and while the pleasure he’d given her had been phenomenal, his obvious pleasure had increased her enjoyment even more.

As if in deep thought, Dylan absently caressed her hip. She wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but she feared the answer. Would he go back to treating her as if she barely existed? No, she wouldn’t allow that.

His voice grumbled under her ear. “Dinner is probably ruined.”

She wanted to say that it was okay, she wasn’t hungry. Unfortunately, her stomach, at the word “dinner,” gave a loud, rumbling reminder that it was empty.

Another rumble sounded under her ear, this time husky laughter. The sexy, masculine sound sent heat running through her veins again. “I guess that means I need to get up and find us something to eat.”

“We never did eat the cheese and crackers.”

Dylan rolled her over, pressed a quick, hard kiss to her mouth, and got to his feet. Grabbing the tray of cheese and crackers, he set them in front of her. “Munch on these. Be right back.”

Enthralled, Jamie watched a very naked Dylan pull on his jeans and pad into the kitchen. When she could no longer see him, she picked up a piece of cheese to nibble. She was tempted to offer to help, but he seemed so intent on doing everything himself, and Jamie couldn’t deny her delight at the thought of Dylan wanting to please her.

She had barely swallowed her second piece of cheese when he appeared at the kitchen doorway and announced, “It’s salvageable.”

Before she could ask what that meant, Dylan headed toward her with two steaming plates. She looked around and quickly cleared off a place on the coffee table.

As he set the plates down, Jamie was suddenly very aware that she was nude. Though he’d seen, tasted, and touched every part of her body, the thought of eating a meal naked was a little too extreme.

“Here.”

She turned to catch the shirt Dylan tossed her—his shirt. Standing, she shrugged it on and stood still as he buttoned it for her.

“Though I’d much rather take your clothes off than put them on you, I figured you’d be more comfortable.” Leaning down, he gave her a quick whisper of a kiss. “Besides, I’ll look forward to taking it off you after dinner.”

Jamie was tempted to tell him to forget about dinner. Before she could open her mouth, he turned away. A ragged sigh escaped her. The man was too potent.

Dropping a plump pillow on the floor next to the table, he held out his hand. “Come eat.”

Jamie sat down and breathed in the fragrance. “Smells delicious.”

“My grandmother’s lasagna is hard to mess up.”

Jamie took a bite; flavors exploded in her mouth. “Oh wow, this is good.”

“I made it yesterday while you were working out and kept it in the fridge overnight. That was one of her secrets … she said it brought out the flavors.”

“Your grandmother must’ve been a wonderful cook.”

Without looking up from his plate, he nodded. Jamie mentally shrugged. Dylan wasn’t the type to be forced into anything. When and if he ever told her anything more about his past, it would be because he wanted to, not because she’d coerced the information from him.

From talking with McKenna, she knew that many LCR operatives had come from horrific backgrounds or circumstances. It hurt her to know that Dylan’s childhood had scarred him so deeply. The one clue that he’d given her—that his father had killed his mother—was certainly enough to damage any person for life. But Jamie had a feeling that there was even more behind his inability to share. She sensed a deep, never healed wound. Would he ever let her get close enough to soothe those hurts?