Gage (Contract Killers Book 1) (7 page)

How I feel isn’t what this is about.

That might be true, but she couldn’t stop her emotions, and she knew what she felt for Gage wouldn’t just disappear.

I don’t understand how I know that, but it’s the truth. I know it deep inside of me.

Chapter Nine

Gage slowly sat up, keeping his eyes on Neeka. The towel she wore wasn’t that concealing, and in fact he could make out her form through the thin fabric. Droplets of water dotted her flesh, and he lowered his gaze down the swells of her breasts and to her legs, which were clearly visible. Lifting his gaze back up, he stopped on her breasts once more, feeling like an asshole for watching her. But Gage couldn’t stop looking at her, and as she moved further into the room she had her gaze trained right on him as well.

He could see her nipples poking through the too-thin material, and although he should turn his attention away, or hell, stand up and move away from her, he didn’t do either of those things. His cock was rock hard, and standing would mean she’d get a prime shot of the fucker pressing against his fatigues. Because her hair was wet from her bath, the strands were even darker against her alabaster skin. Water droplets fell from the ends of the locks, sliding down her chest and arms and making him grit his teeth, trying to control himself.

He heard her swallow and could see her pulse beating wildly in the base of her neck. He wanted nothing more than to make her realize he would never let anything harm her again. It felt like this was how it was supposed to be, how he was supposed to feel with her. Even though he shouldn’t feel desire for her, and even though he knew nothing could ever happen between them, it didn’t stop him from wanting her like a fiend.

“I don’t have any clothes.”

Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. He willed his body to calm, but of course that was like telling a bull not to charge. Standing and turning to give her his back so she wouldn’t see his cock straining against his pants, he walked over to one of his bags, which he’d grabbed from the SUV. Gage turned around, and gave her one of his shirts and a pair of sweats he’d pulled out. They’d be huge on her, but they’d cover her up.

“It’s all I have right now, but you’ll be home tomorrow, so these should work for now.”

She nodded. “Thank you again.”

He watched her as she grabbed the clothing, holding the material close to her body, and looking him in the eyes. She then turned and headed to the bathroom again. He balled his hands into tight fists, needing to get under control. But all he could see, even though she wasn’t standing in front of him anymore, was her creamy skin, her slender back, and her long legs.

Adjusting his cock again so the asshole wasn’t digging into the zipper of his pants, he turned and went back to the duffle bag. Grabbing a first aid kit, he knew he’d have to tend to her wounds. At least he hoped that would help keep his arousal down.

A few minutes later the bathroom door opened. He gazed at her, every part of her. Of course she looked fucking incredible in his clothes. His shirt hung off her slim body, and the sweats were oversized. She swam in the clothing, but she looked good, and this spike of proprietary need slammed into him.

“Have a seat on the bed. I want to clean up the cuts on your leg and feet.” Getting those words out was harder than he’d thought. Gage pulled up a chair in front of her, taking her leg with the nasty wound and placing it on his thigh. Rolling up her pant legs as delicately as he could, he looked at the cuts. They were superficial, but would still need to be tended to.

“They’ll be healed by tomorrow.”

He glanced up at her.

He could smell her, a sweet and flowery scent that had his desire moving into overdrive. Gage needed to control himself because acting on his lust for Neeka was going to have things spiraling pretty fucking fast.

****

Neeka watched as Gage bent over her leg and cleaned her wounds. He was so big, yet his touch was soft, gentle even. She sucked in a breath when he pressed the peroxide-drenched cotton ball to the open cut on her shin. He glanced up at her, stopping instantly.

“I’m sorry. I know it stings” His voice was soft and gentle, but still deep and hard. “The wounds on your feet probably hurt like hell, but they are only superficial and should heal fairly quickly.”

The truth was she liked having him tend to her, care for her, even if she did heal faster than a “normal” person. It was strange feeling these things for someone she hardly knew, but this man had come for her, saved her, and he didn’t try to stop how she felt. He might have come to her because of her father, but there was chemistry between them, a connection she felt when he looked at her.

He applied a generous amount of ointment on the cut to her shin and then secured a bandage on her leg. He looked at her, but didn’t remove his hand, which rested on her upper leg. She swallowed, her pussy becoming wet, her nipples hardening. She wore his clothes, and the material smelled like him: darkly rich, woodsy, and masculine.

If he knew she was aroused, he did a good job out of not acting like he knew. He stood and cleared his throat, and as if on instinct her gaze lowered to his crotch. That was when she felt her eyes widen when she saw the massive bulge pushing against his pants. He quickly turned away, running his hand through his short hair, the muscles in his back and arm flexing beneath the shirt he wore. She could make out the tribal-like swirls of ink on his arms, the tattoos making him seem even more dangerous, more powerful, if that were possible.

“We should probably get some sleep. We have to leave early tomorrow.”

She nodded even though his back was to her, but didn’t argue because she was exhausted. But that was when she noticed there was only one bed in the room.

“I’ll sleep on the floor, don’t worry,” he said to her unspoken question. Without looking at her again or saying anything else he walked to the bathroom, stopping right at the doorway. “I’m going to clean up,” he said over his shoulder. “I’ll be out in five minutes. I’ll leave the door open so that I can hear anything.”

“Okay.” She pulled the covers down and got on the bed, a sigh escaping her at how good it felt.

True to his word, he was out in five minutes, steam emerging from the bathroom and saturating the room. She turned onto her side, watching with female appreciation as he came into the room. He wore another black t-shirt and a clean pair of black military fatigues, his short, dark hair damp. He grabbed several blankets from the closet, a pillow from the bed, and made a pallet on the ground in front of her bed, between her and the front door, and his gun beside him.

“Try to get some sleep, Neeka.”

She reached out and turned out the light, the room going dark, and only a sliver of moonlight coming through the part in the curtains. Although she felt safe with Gage, every little creak, every little whisper of wind against the window had her on edge, because all she thought about, could see when she closed her eyes, was Rye. This couldn’t be over, not so easily.

She was so tired, but her heart was racing, and she felt fear take a stranglehold on her. Looking toward Gage on the ground, but not seeing anything but his broad back, she whispered his name. “Gage?”

“Yeah?”

“I feel like I’ll unravel.” She didn’t know why she’d said that, but she had to believe he’d know what she meant, that she was hanging on by a thread, especially as the silence penetrated the darkness, covering her, surrounding her in this suffocating blanket. “Will you lie beside me, just until I fall asleep?”

He didn’t respond right way.

“I just want to feel another warm body beside me. I don’t want to be alone right now.” Silence greeted again for a stretched period of time, and she feared he would refuse.

What did you expect? You’re his charge, nothing more. He doesn’t owe you anything but getting you safely back home.

“That’s probably not the best idea.”

She closed her eyes and breathed out. “I know. I’m sorry for asking.”

But only a few moments later she heard rustling as he rose from the floor and got on the bed beside her. He didn’t get under the covers, but his presence beside her was good enough. Neeka inhaled his masculine scent, her skin tingling, her heart racing. His body heat seeped through the covers, warming her and wrapping her in a feeling of safety.

“Thank you,” she whispered. They were silent for several heartbeats, and just as she felt herself drift off to sleep Gage’s deep soft voice speared through the darkness, rousing her.

“Tomorrow will you tell me about what happened?”

She bit her lip, her heart starting to race again at the thought of telling him everything. Maybe if she got it out she’d feel better? She took a large, steadying breath, feeling resolve wash through her.
Why wait until tomorrow?

“Rye Vincent was our family doctor. I loved him like a father.” She squeezed her eyes shut, emotions boiling inside of her that she didn’t want to surface. She was aware of Gage moving closer to her. Neeka felt safe with him, like nothing in the world could hurt her.

She spilled the rest of it, telling him about Adaym and the other “soldiers” Rye had made using her blood. There wasn’t anything she left out, because what was the point? Tears slipped down her cheeks, and she felt emotions crash to the surface.

“Although I know this isn’t my fault, I can’t help but feel responsible for it all.
I’m
the reason Adaym is locked up and God knows how many others.”

It was then that Gage wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to his body. There wasn’t anything sexual about him holding her, because it was all about comfort, and she desperately needed that right now. It was in his warm embrace that she let herself fall asleep, and let herself push the nightmare of Rye to the back of her mind, at least for the time being.

****

Gage listened to Neeka’s deep and even breaths as she slept. She’d fallen asleep fairly quickly, and although he could have let go of her, he found himself holding onto her tightly. He didn’t want to let her go, didn’t want to stop touching her, giving her comfort, protection.

He hadn’t planned on getting bed with her, but the sound of her voice, the fact he knew she was emotionally hurting and scared, had him going to her.

I can’t deny her.

He knew he should have just kept on driving, knew that stopping was a bad idea because he wanted her really fucking badly, but he’d seen how exhausted she was. He felt weak with her, like his walls crumbled when she was around. He honestly didn’t know what it was about Neeka that made him feel this way, but Gage liked the feelings she brought forth in him.

As he breathed in deeply, the scent of her filled his head. He lifted his hand to touch her arm and sucked in a breath when she shifted in bed, rolling over so that she now faced him. Her breathing was still deep and even, her face almost illuminated in the darkness because of the moon coming through the partially opened curtains.

He knew he shouldn’t, but he extended his fingers and ran them over her warm flesh, a soft sigh escaping her as she unconsciously moved closer to him. He should go sleep on the floor, he knew this, but he didn’t want to, and had no strength to move. A small lock of her hair fell across her cheek, and he didn’t top himself from reaching out and brushing it away.

Damn, her skin is smooth.

His mouth watered to taste her, to run his tongue over her freshly washed flesh, to see if she tasted as good as she smelled. Damn his cock for getting impossibly harder. She shifted her legs, and with every move she made, her thigh would brush up against his erection, teasing him to the point where he thought he would come right in his pants.

He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that he would just need to hold out until he could deliver her to McCarthy. Maybe he’d just been too long without a woman? He kept telling himself that, but he knew deep down that wasn’t the case, that he was just inventing excuses for the emotions Neeka brought forward in him. He was afraid that when the time to turn her over to McCarthy finally came, he wouldn’t be able to do it.

****

Neeka opened her eyes, the room dark, the moon still coming through. The old clock on the bedside table said it was three in the morning, and although she was still so tired, she felt her body waken at the sensation of Gage still beside her. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she took note of Gage sleeping right next to her, his hand wrapped around hers. Her heart skipped a beat and then seemed to stop altogether when he opened his eyes and stared at her. Even though she’d just been a prisoner less than twenty-four hours ago, she couldn’t stop herself from feeling these things, having this warmth move through her at the man that saved her life.

“Gage,” she said his name softly.

He cupped her cheek, an act so gentle she was slightly stunned by it, but she yearned for more.

“What’s happening, Neeka?” he asked just as softly.

“I don’t know, but I don’t want it to stop.” She was being honest.

Her heart slammed against her ribcage when he leaned forward and pressed his mouth against hers. They didn’t move for a suspended second, their mouths barely touching, their breathing mingling as one. Gage pulled back, and she felt her face heat, not from embarrassment, but because this all felt so right.

And then he leaned in again and kissed her. Gage opened his mouth and ran his tongue along the swell of her lips. He made a deep sound in the back of his throat and pressed himself closer to her. She opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to slip inside and press against her own. His erection was prominent as it prodded her belly. He was big and thick, no doubt about that, and her insides clenched.