Ultimate Kill (Book 1 Ultimate CORE Trilogy) (CORE Series) (13 page)

He blew out a deep breath. Still holding her hair back with one hand, he touched her cheek with the other. Running her tongue up his length, she met his gaze. His lips tilted in a small smile. “You’re so damned sexy,” he said, his voice husky. “Come here.”
 

The bed dipped as he rested his knees on the mattress. When he brought their bodies together, she twined her arms around his neck and kissed him. Skin to skin, chest to breast. The warmth of his body radiated where they were connected. As he swept his tongue into her mouth, tangling it with her own, he used both hands and caressed her back, her rear, her thighs. He pressed against her inner thigh, forcing her leg to widen, then slipped his fingers into her sex. As much as she loved having his skilled fingers on her, she wanted more and moved slightly to grasp his length.
 

“I need you inside me,” she said, stroking him.

He pressed himself into her hand. “Are you still on the pill?”

“No. Don’t you have a condom on you?”
 

Sinking his fingers deep, he tugged at her long hair. “I haven’t carried a condom around since I met you,” he said a wry smile curving his lips.

“Improvise. I need you inside me,” she repeated, and pumped his erection harder for emphasis. “Now.”

His smile fell. The look in his eyes became animalistic, carnal and so damned sensual it made her heart race with desire and anticipation. “Bossy,” he murmured before capturing her lips. He removed his fingers from her heat, cupped her rear and eased her onto the mattress. Widening her legs, he settled himself between her outstretched thighs and kissed her sex with his erection.
 

Tearing his mouth away, he brushed a strand of hair from her face. Keeping his eyes on hers, he leaned forward. Inch by agonizingly slow inch, he filled her. Then stopped. Her inner muscles clenched, drawing him deeper. Her over-sensitized nerve endings ached and screamed for more. For him to stop teasing her and take her the way she loved. Hard, fast, dominating.

Wrapping her legs around his back, she reached up, sifted her hands through his hair and gripped his head. She drew his lips back to hers. “Jake,” she whispered. “Please. I need you.”

He moved his hips, drawing out his length, then slammed back into her. “It’s been so long, I thought you’d want me to go slow,” he said, his voice rough as he pulled back out and thrust again.

She moved her hands from his head to his ass and gripped him. “Don’t you remember what I like?”
 

The erotic look filling his eyes sent goose bumps across her skin. She loved when he looked at her like that, as if she was the only woman for him.
 

He thrust again. “Yeah.”

“Then what are you waiting for?”

In an instant, her legs were on his shoulders. He leaned back, rested his palms on her thighs and rocked his hips. Hard, fast. Slid a hand to where they were joined and rubbed her clit. Smoothed his other hand over her stomach, then up until he palmed her breast. He massaged her, plucked and tugged at her nipple. Giving her pain, giving her pleasure.
 

His muscular chest rising and falling, his flat, tight abs flexing, she reached up and touched him. Sifted her hands through the dark dusting of hair along his chest and clung to his pecs. God, she loved his body. Loved what he was doing to her.
 

One thing she hadn’t lied about, she did need him. Not just for pleasure. Sex had always been great between them, but, to her, it had also been an extension of their love and commitment to each other. She hadn’t held up her end of the bargain when it had come to commitment and wished her circumstances could be different. Having had Jake in her life, only to lose him, had left her empty and hollow. Until he’d showed up yesterday she hadn’t realized just how unfulfilling and meaningless her life had become. Without him, she’d been going through the motions, surviving and enduring the self-imposed loneliness and isolation.
 

She gripped his strong biceps, fed off his strength and welcomed each thrust of his hips. Seared this moment to her memory while wishing it could last a lifetime.
 

As he looked down at her with lust and love in his eyes, guilt niggled at her heart. She was nothing but a selfish hypocrite. She’d never stopped loving him, and yet had lied to him again this morning. She would never take him back, and yet she’d pouted like a bitch when he hadn’t made a move to have sex earlier.
 

“You’re thinking too much.” He slowed his pace and smoothed his thumb along her forehead. “I must be rusty if you can’t stay in the moment.”

She touched his strong jaw and smiled. “You’re not rusty at all,” she said. “I was just wondering if I could get away with chaining you to my bed.”

“Were you now?” He quickly rolled her, positioning her on top of him. “Show me what you’d do to me,” he coaxed and, gripping her rear, gently bucked.
 

Grinding her pelvis, she pressed her palms against his chest and rode his length. Each time she dropped down, he pressed up, driving deeper, heightening and stimulating, sweeping the amazing and euphoric sensations through her body. Keeping his hands under her rear, he helped take the pressure off her burning legs, glided her along his erection, driving her closer and closer to the edge.
 

Just as she thought her body might implode, he quickly rolled her again. Holding her legs wide, he thrust hard, his tempo quick and determined. His pure male scent, the feel of his hard body, the sight of him coated in a light sheen of sweat, had her inner muscles clenching, her belly tightening, her breasts swelling.
 

“Come for me, baby,” he grunted, rocking faster. “Let me see you.”

His words, the passion and love in his dark eyes, the hot friction from his thrusts drove straight to her womb and her heart. Her core burst. Her orgasm splintered and shattered throughout her body. She gasped as the delicious sensation went on and on, then groaned when he rubbed her clit and gave her one hard final thrust.
 

He quickly pulled out and gripped his length, releasing his passion along her stomach. Her inner walls and muscles continued to compress and tighten, her body protesting the loss of him.
 

Breathing hard, he let go of her legs, braced a chiseled arm next to her shoulder, leaned down and gave her a hot open-mouthed kiss. Greedy for his kiss, she arched her neck to maintain contact. When he tore his mouth away, he pushed up and climbed out of the bed. Resting her arm on her forehead, she tried to slow her racing heart, but it did little good when she caught sight of his sexy bare ass. When he disappeared into the bathroom, she realized she really was greedy and selfish. She wanted more. She needed him in her life to feel whole again. Her stalker hadn’t contacted her in years. Maybe he’d lost interest and was no longer obsessed with the need to own her. Maybe she should throw caution to the wind and take what she knew her heart and life deserved—Jake and a long, happy future with him.

When he came out of the bathroom carrying a washcloth, he sat on the edge of the bed and cleaned off her stomach. The tenderness in his eyes and gentle touch had uninvited guilt crashing into the perfect moment.
 

No matter what her heart deserved, no matter that she knew to the depths of her soul that she belonged with Jake, she wouldn’t play with his life. She refused to risk his safety.

After tossing the washcloth to the floor, he moved next to her, pulled the comforter around them and cocooned her with his body.
 

She needed to distance herself from him. At least emotionally. Making love to him had been a beautiful, bitter reminder of what could never be.
 

“I should go start dinner,” she said and, with reluctance, moved.
 

He held her still and forced her even closer. “Dinner can wait.”

Damn it. If only he understood.

Tell him the whole truth.

Too risky. What he didn’t know couldn’t kill him.

With that thought in mind, she shoved at his arm. “I’m starving,” she said and, finally free of his safe, protective arm, she scooted off the bed. She caught his gaze in the dresser mirror as she grabbed clothes from the drawer. “Go ahead and take a nap while I make us something to eat.”

Clothes in hand, she headed into the bathroom and quickly dressed. Still not prepared to deal with the guilt and the cold way she’d treated him, especially after they’d just made love, she rushed from the bathroom to the bedroom door.
 

“Naomi,” he said, stopping her.

Hovering at the threshold, she kept her back to him. “Yeah?”

“Aren’t you tired of running?”

Her throat tightened and her vision blurred with unshed tears. “Take a nap, Jake. I’ll call you when it’s time for dinner.”

She closed the door behind her and let the tears fall. Yes, she was tired of running, tired of living a lie, of living in fear and mourning. But the fight had been knocked out of her. Too many people had already died because of her. Although she had no idea if her stalker still searched for her, she wasn’t about to take a risk now. As much as she wanted to take a chance on Jake again, she would not chance his life.

*

Jake leaned his head against the pillow and stared at the rotating ceiling fan. In a matter of seconds, things between him and Naomi had gone from scorching hot to icy cold. Maybe he shouldn’t have made the ‘aren’t you tired of running’ comment. But he knew her, knew how her brain worked. He’d guarantee that between her orgasm and the time it took for him to grab a washcloth, her mind had spun in all kinds of directions. Where would this lead them? Would he expect more now that they’d made love? Would he want to start where they’d left off? Would he pressure her, make her tell him about her stalker so he could put an end to it?

Or maybe he was questioning himself.

He still loved her, could picture them putting the past to rest and moving on with their future. Together. If only she trusted in him enough to let him finally find a way to put her fears to rest. If only she’d stop allowing her stalker to dictate her life.
 

The bed felt empty without her in it, just like his world had since she’d left him. He climbed out, then headed into the bathroom. While he took another quick shower, he considered how to approach her. Shaking sense into her wasn’t an option, but giving her the illusion that he was willing to take things at her pace or that he was okay with looking at this weekend as something fun and just for old times’ sake might work. Even if none of those things worked for him.
 

Dressed and prepared to hash it out with Naomi, he walked into the kitchen. Wearing running shorts and a t-shirt, she stood at the counter peeling the shrimp they’d caught. “Need any help?” he asked and hoped she’d give him a job that didn’t include deveining the shrimp. He loved eating the stuff, but those black veins were just gross.
 

“I already started the grill and have the fish seasoned. Mind spearing the shrimp onto these?” she asked and pointed to the wooden skewers on the counter.

“Sure.” He grabbed a beer from the fridge, before approaching the counter. “Need a refill?” He motioned toward her almost empty wine glass.

“Nope,” she said without glancing at him. “I’m good. I’ll wait until we eat.”

“Naomi, look at me.”

With a sigh, as if he was bothering her, she dropped the shrimp into the colander and looked at him. Her eyes held hints of sadness and wariness, the total opposite from when they’d been making love.

“I’m sorry about what I said earlier, but can you blame me?”

She shook her head. “No. It’s just…never mind.” She turned back to the sink.

Moving next to her, he forced her to face him. “It’s just what?”

“Being with you again has been wonderful. But I know it’s going to come to an end tomorrow.”

“We have another day.” He settled his hands on her hips. “I’m making arrangements for my flight to leave Monday morning. But that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to see each other.”

She sent him a rueful smile. “Sure, if one of us makes the fifteen hour drive or catches a flight.”

“I didn’t ask you this earlier, but I’m asking now. And I want an honest answer.” Did he really, though? If she’d left him out of fear for both his and her safety, that was one thing. He didn’t like it, but he could handle the excuse. If she’d left him because she had no longer been happy being with him, then that would be a blow to his ego. His stomach tightened. “Did you leave me because you were afraid of the stalker?”

Holding his gaze, her chin trembling slightly, she nodded. “I should have told you.”

“Yeah, you should have. But now that I know—”

“It’s still too risky.”

“Why? You said yourself he hasn’t contacted you.” He let go of her and stepped back. Realizing he was being way too presumptuous and moving way too fast, he leaned against the counter and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry. I have no right to push you. You’ve got a life here. I can’t expect—”

“I want to be with you,” she said, standing in front of him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted.”