Marked (Hostage Rescue Team Series) (24 page)

Somehow he got them up the stairs without tripping and into his bedroom. His wide king-size bed lay in the center of the far wall.

He carried her there, wrenched the quilt back and laid her out. A territorial thrill shot through him at the sight of her there, stretched out naked on her back like an offering, her eyes glinting with pure need as she stared up at him. With his crazy schedule and the kind of work he did he rarely brought a woman back to his place, and never since he’d moved in with Tuck. He was glad Rachel was the first. This was everything he’d fantasized about come true.

He stripped off his jeans, underwear and socks and climbed over top of her. Rachel wound those silken arms around his back, her hands stroking his overheated skin. She raised her head as he lowered his weight onto her, and moaned into his mouth. Jake kissed her hard and deep, twining his tongue with hers. She was so fucking soft and warm and all his.

“Jake, get inside me. Now,” she panted, arching against him.

He was too worked up to slow down now and give her the foreplay she deserved. He’d make it up to her a thousand times over later on. Leaning his weight on one elbow, he yanked the bedside table drawer open and got a condom. This time when he came he wanted to be buried as deep inside her as he could get and feel every pulse of her sex around him. When he rose to his knees and tore the packet open, she surprised him by wrapping her slender fingers around his throbbing cock and taking the condom from him.

He shuddered and bit back a groan as she rolled it down the sensitive shaft, inch by torturous inch. Then she reached up to tangle her hands in his hair and wrapped her legs around his hips, pressing her open folds to his aching cock.

“Get inside me,” she begged, undulating beneath him.

Fuck.
He couldn’t wait anymore.

He levered up on one hand and fitted the crown of his cock against her soft folds. His muscles were knotted up, his breathing as unsteady as his pulse. He paused only long enough to look down into Rachel’s eyes. They were half-closed, dreamy and yet full of anticipation. And he couldn’t hold off another goddamn second.

Gripping her hip to hold her steady, he pushed, sliding deep until every inch of his cock was buried inside her. She was so tight and wet, her inner walls rippling around him. Sparks of ecstasy raced up his spine. Helpless against the lash of pleasure, he closed his eyes and moaned as he leaned forward to press his face into the side of her neck, a shudder ripping through him.

Slick. Soft.

Perfect.

In the shower it had been good, but here in the comfort of his bed where they could slow down and savor each other, it was fucking amazing. He was surrounded by her, enfolded by her heat and softness, her hold on him surprisingly strong.

“Jake…”

Her breathy moan penetrated the fog of lust, but just barely. Not wanting to be a completely selfish bastard, he began to move, starting out in a slow, steady rhythm. He used her sighs and gasps to gauge his movements, making sure to add a little circular motion at the end of the in-stroke to rub his body against her clit.

“Oh! Do that again…”

He repeated the movement. “This?”

A loud whimper answered him, her slick inner muscles squeezing around him. “
Yes
.” Her voice was tight, desperate.

Any fucking time you want, babe.

He gritted his teeth against the need to come, the pleasure already climbing to the critical point. Beneath him Rachel rocked in time to his thrusts, the pressure of her fingers in his back and her heels in his ass silently begging him for more. Demanding it.

He let his tightly held control go a little, increasing the force of his thrusts. Her moans, the breathless little cries that echoed through the room drove him into a frenzy. He drove deep, hard. Soon she was clinging, crying out in desperation as he pounded into her. The headboard thudded against the wall and the bed shook. She was right there with him, straining and writhing in his grip, trying to get him closer, deeper.

His tongue trailed a damp path down the side of her neck to where it curved into her shoulder. Rachel clutched at him, circling her hips and a wild cry broke free from her lips. He felt her sex contract around him, felt the rhythmic pulses as she milked his cock and sobbed in ecstasy. Her release undid him. His hips jackhammered, his body on auto-pilot as the need took over.

“
Rachel
,” he gasped out, lost in her and what she was making him feel. Nothing had ever felt like this.

The orgasm rushed at him, filling every cell before it peaked and held, wringing out his release as his muscles shook and he groaned like a dying man. Through it all Rachel cradled him to her, holding him close as it finally faded, her fingers drifting through his hair, over his shoulders and down his back.

“I love you.”

At the whispered words he managed to lift his head, surprised that she’d been the first one to say it because he’d been planning to. Her eyes were dreamy, her expression contented. It made him feel ten feet tall to know he’d put that look on her face, to know he’d finally won her love. “I love you too.”

She gave him a supremely satisfied smile and leaned up to place a kiss so tender on his lips that it made his chest ache. “I thought you might. But it’s nice to know for sure.”

“Babe, just gimme the chance to show you how much.”

“Pretty sure I saw that earlier today. And just now.”

Christ, every time he thought about entering that room and seeing her tied with that grenade in her hands, he broke out in a cold sweat. “No one’s ever gonna hurt you or scare you like that again. I promise.”

She kissed the tip of his nose. “I believe you. And thanks for saving me today.”

Jake cupped her face in his hands and stared down into her eyes. “You were so brave, sweetheart.”

It floored him to think of how resilient she was, that core of inner strength untouched by all she’d faced in the past few days. Which was good, because girlfriends and wives of guys in law enforcement had to be tough, to cope with the stress and high tempo of the job, or everything would fall apart. He’d been through a relationship like that already but he knew Rachel could handle it. And he had every intention of making her his wife someday.

She snorted softly. “I felt a whole lot braver after you showed up, trust me.”

“Good. Because from now on you’ll always have me to back you up.” Whatever came at her, he’d be standing at her side, and in front of her when she needed him to shield her.

She flashed him another soft smile that twisted him up inside. The woman was incredible. Gentle, serene, yet incredibly tough, all wrapped up in an elegant package. He knew she’d always take his breath away whenever she walked into a room. “That sure sounds like you’re thinking long term, Mr. Evers.”

“Why yes, I am, Miss Granger. Very long term. I’ve already waited for you my whole life. I don’t want to go without you anymore.” He stroked a thumb over her cheekbone, marveling at how delicate she seemed when in reality she was one of the strongest people he knew. “I want you to move in with me. We’ll find a place you like. I want you next to me when I fall asleep in our bed and have you there when I wake up.”

A light sheen of moisture filled her eyes. “I’d love that.”

“Good. We’ll start looking for places tomorrow.” And not long after they moved in together, he wanted a ring on her finger as a symbol of his commitment to her, and show the world she was his.

Rachel laughed softly and drew him down once more, surrounding him with her embrace and her love. “Sounds like a plan.”

Six weeks later

Rachel shifted her briefcase to her left hand and inserted the key into the lock on the condo door with her right. After a long week filled with overtime while trying to meet deadlines on an upcoming project, she was looking forward to a quiet night of unwinding with a glass or two of red wine.

Slipping inside, the sound of male voices reached her.

She smiled in anticipation, slipped off her shoes and set her briefcase on the kitchen island. A wine glass was waiting for her near the edge, already filled with a few inches of garnet deliciousness. The sight warmed her inside. “I’m home.”

“Hey, we’re back here,” Jake called out. “Have a good day?”

“Long.”

Picking up her wine, she reached up to pull the clip from her hair and let it fall around her shoulders. Jake loved it when she wore her hair loose and she had every intention of using every seductive weapon in her arsenal tonight. Yeah, she was tired, but she wasn’t
dead
, and there was no way she could be in the same room with Jake and not want him. Besides, spending a quiet Friday night with him at home was rare with his crazy work and training schedule, so she was determined to make the most of it.

She strode through the kitchen, her feet nearly silent on the hardwood floors, and into the living room. Jake half-turned around on the leather couch to look at her, his smile of welcome making everything right with her world.

She loved coming home to this place they’d moved into over a month ago. Out the wall-to-wall windows on the south side of the condo they had a gorgeous view of the DC skyline, the sky already turning a soft purple as the stars winked to life one by one.

Not that either of them was paying the slightest attention to the view. Brandon was on the loveseat opposite the unlit fireplace, a baseball game displayed on the large flat screen TV—Jake was
such
a guy, and as much as she loathed how much of the living room wall space the thing took up, she’d merely rolled her eyes when he’d bought it, knowing how crucial its presence was for him to feel at home in their new place.

He’d let her do whatever she wanted pretty much everywhere else in the condo, other than all his military and law enforcement awards and paraphernalia he displayed in their home office, so she couldn’t complain. She’d been careful to keep the colors light and neutral, the furniture a bit masculine, the overall look soothing. He’d told her how much he loved coming home and it pleased her to know she’d created a tranquil home where he could recharge after the long days he put in.

“Hi,” she murmured, leaning over the back of the couch to kiss Jake. She was careful to lean far enough over to give him an eyeful of her cleavage and the lacy black push-up bra she wore beneath her red silk sheath.

“Hi yourself,” he murmured back, his heated gaze dipping down right where she’d known it would go.

He was so easy, but she knew she’d never tire of him wanting her so much. Usually they didn’t get to fall asleep together often throughout the week and he travelled a lot for trainings, but when he was home he more than made up for his absence with lots of hot loving. Many times over the past six weeks he’d come home in the middle of the night and woken her by crawling naked into bed beside her, rousing her from sleep with heated kisses and caresses that led to even hotter, more delicious things. He’d already made it abundantly clear that he intended to marry her someday, and she was so on board with that plan.

Rounding the couch, she cradled her wineglass in one hand and lowered herself beside Jake, who stretched out an arm to wrap around her as he drew her into the curve of his body. His scent and the feel of his muscular frame pressed to her back filled her with longing. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and closed her eyes with a heartfelt sigh of contentment when he kissed the top of her head.

“You two are brutal at making me feel like a fifth wheel all the time,” Brandon muttered, shaking his head in disgust as he focused on the ballgame.

“Tough,” Rachel said with a satisfied smile. She opened her eyes and looked over at him, all comfy on the loveseat. “How did your appointment go?”

He held up his hand, which no longer sported a bandage. “They’re upping my physio appointments to four times a week, but I think so far they’re pleased with my progress. I think the receptionist has a thing for me. And she’s way hot.”

She chuckled. “Well, that’s good, I guess.”

He slung his head around to look at her. “Yeah, so maybe from now on I’ll be spending my Friday and Saturday nights with her instead of here being bothered by all the hot and heavy vibes you guys give off all the time.”

Jake’s chest moved as he smothered a laugh. “Sorry, pal. Can’t help it with her.”

Brandon shrugged. “Whatever. I know how it is when things are new, the whole infatuation-slash-honeymoon phase. But she’s my sister, man. It’s gross.”

“I don’t think she’s gross,” Jake murmured, one hand playing with her hair as he nuzzled the side of her neck in a way he knew was guaranteed to make her shiver.

“Ugh, can’t you at least wait until the game’s over and then I’ll go to bed so you guys can…whatever?” He shifted on the loveseat, practically squirming in discomfort.

She felt Jake smile against her neck. “Cope, Brandon,” she told him. “Just watch the game and ignore us.”

“Believe me, I’m trying,” he muttered.

She loved the banter between them. Just like old times. Brandon was healing fast, both physically and emotionally, and her now twice weekly counseling appointments were helping her deal with everything that had happened. But then, nothing was as good as falling asleep and waking up in Jake’s arms, or at least hearing his voice over the phone every day. He still had to travel for training or exercises sometimes but so far he hadn’t been out on another op since the kidnapping.

In other good news, Celida was all healed up now—well, physically anyway. Rachel had talked to her a few times on the phone and when Tuck had last been over a week ago he’d told her that Celida was doing fine and about to start work again this coming Monday.

As for Tuck, the man was dealing with a lot of stressful personal crap right now, and adjusting to a new roommate who wasn’t exactly made of sunshine and rainbows. Though Jake still owned half the house he and Tuck had bought together, Bauer had moved in there a month ago. His rent went toward utilities and property taxes so Jake wouldn’t have to pay that on top of what he already did for their new place. Rachel had only seen Bauer a couple of times since then but despite his grim, often aloof manner, he and Tuck seemed to share a roof well enough.