Wicked and Dangerous (20 page)

“So what about you?” Mike asked her.

Ryder held his breath and kept his gaze on the table. But he was watching her from
the corner of his eye as he waited for her to answer the question.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she said, “No one . . . significant. I’ve
kept pretty busy with work and school, so it feels as if my time hasn’t really been
my own until now.”

“What do you do?”

“I studied art history at school, which my dad didn’t think was at all practical,
so I also majored in graphic design. I’ve been doing some freelance work the past
few years and have been making good money. I’d taken off until January so that I could
go on this boat trip with my dad, visiting a bunch of different places, but when we
got back I was planning to open my own business.” With a little shrug, she added,
“I guess that’s still the plan, once this whole . . .
situation
is over.”

While they continued to chat, Ryder lost himself in his own thoughts, only half listening
to the conversation as it steered toward Mike’s work. He couldn’t let go of the way
Lily had brushed off Mike’s question about boyfriends, wondering whom she’d dated
after he’d left. If it turned out to be any of the guys from his old unit, he figured
he’d probably end up killing them. Or at least tracking them down and making it clear
why they’d be smart to
never
go near her again. There’d been so many times, over the years, when he’d been tempted
to put his hacking skills to good use and keep electronic tabs on her from afar. But
he’d been fully aware of his own weakness. He never would have been able to handle
reading about her with another man.

But it didn’t mean he wasn’t curious as hell about what she’d been up to.

After they cleaned up the kitchen, Lily thanked Mike for an awesome dinner then told
them both goodnight, saying that she wanted to read for a while before crashing. Ryder
bit the inside of his cheek as he watched her walk away, knowing it would only have
led to trouble if she’d stayed. Mike was heading off to better familiarize himself
with the surveillance equipment in the control room, which meant he and Lily would
have been on their own. Considering what had happened when they’d been alone in her
motel room, it was smart to keep some distance between them. But that didn’t mean
he had to like it.

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep if he tried, he changed into a pair of sweatpants
and used the house’s fitness room for a grueling workout on weights. He then ran five
miles on the treadmill, pushing himself to go faster than his usual pace. But it didn’t
help take his mind off Lily and the reason they were hiding out there. He was still
jacked up on restless energy as he grabbed a shower in the bathroom attached to the
bedroom he’d taken, which was right across the hall from Lily’s. He did his damnedest
to stay away from her, but after two hours of fighting the inevitable, he finally
gave in with a hoarse curse and crossed the hallway. Mike was taking the first watch,
which meant he had until 4 a.m. to fucking lose himself in her. And since staying
away appeared beyond his abilities, he planned to use every minute of the time he
had.

He didn’t bother to knock, not willing to risk her telling him to go away. And she
hadn’t locked the door. He opened it, keeping his grip on the handle as he walked
in, then pushed it shut behind him, flipping the lock. His sharp gaze had found her
surprised the second he’d opened the door, and he didn’t look away as he took a few
steps toward the bed, his heart hammering in his chest like a heavy bass drum.

Christ. He’d been so sure he could keep this from happening, but he’d been an idiot.
She’d barely been back in his life for twenty-four hours, and he was already here.
In her room. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. Then he finally
just said, “Fuck it.”

“What?”

“I said ‘Fuck it.’ I’m not going to be able to keep my hands off you. I know I should,
but it’s not gonna happen. So fuck it.”

Lily blinked as she set aside the book she’d been reading, unable to believe what
he’d just said. She was so excited she wanted to squeal, but was terrified of ruining
the moment. He was standing there dressed in nothing more than a well-worn pair of
blue jeans that hung low on his hips, his body so gorgeous she was pretty sure she’d
started drooling the second she set eyes on him. Broad shouldered. Long legged. Ripped
and cut and lean, bringing to mind ancient warriors who fought to the death. She hated
the scars that covered his tanned skin, but only because she knew that each mark held
a history of violence and pain behind it. They didn’t detract from his beauty. If
anything, they only made him more gorgeous in her eyes, since they were proof of how
incredible he was. How brave and selfless and willing to put himself in harm’s way
to protect others. God, if she’d been thinking clearly after her father’s murder,
she would have figured out that Ryder would never let her get away from him once he
knew her life was in danger. To do so would have gone against every natural instinct
he possessed.

“Is that true?” she whispered, finally finding her voice again. “You can’t keep your
hands off me?”

“Not unless you tell me no. You understand what I’m saying? You can always tell me
no and I’ll leave you the hell alone.”

Pushing the covers back, she scrambled onto her knees. “No. I mean . . . that’s not
what I want. I don’t want you to leave me alone.”

“Be sure, Lily. Because it isn’t going to be nice and easy. I’ve waited too long for
it. And the same rules apply.” His hands flexed at his sides, his breathing getting
deeper as he dragged that intensely erotic gaze down her body, then slowly up to her
face again. His expression was raw-honed and deliciously male, full of primitive hunger
and intent. “Just sex. That’s all I can give you.”

“Okay.” It wasn’t what she wanted, but when it came to this man she’d take what she
could get.

His gaze got a little sharper. “You even know what that means?”

Her laugh was husky. “I’m not a starry-eyed virgin, Scott. I understand
just sex
.”

She could have sworn he’d flinched when she said the word
virgin
. “I don’t want to talk about . . . that,” he practically croaked, sounding like a
boulder had lodged in his throat.

“Why?” she asked, her own gaze starting to get a little narrow. “You think I’m . . .
what? Tarnished? A slut? Because after some of the things I heard Mike say about your
reputation today, that would be pretty freaking rich coming from you.”

“I hardly expected you to live like a nun,” he growled, making a cutting motion with
his hand as he stepped closer. “I left. You had every right to sleep with whatever
guys you wanted. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to kill them.”

“Then I’ll be sure to keep the names to myself,” she offered with a quiet snort.

Something hard and male flashed in his eyes, his voice little more than a throaty
whisper. “I could always fuck them out of you, Lil.”

Her pulse quickened. “You can certainly try.”

“Maybe I will,” he said, undoing the top button on his jeans.

Lily bit her lip, stunned by how freaking sexy he looked standing there glowering
at her, his muscles bunched beneath his golden skin, his abs rippling as he came another
step closer . . . and then another. His jeans were hanging even lower on his hips,
the soft denim pulled taut by the massive erection it was trying to contain. He was
right at the foot of the bed now, but she held out her hands, stopping him from coming
any closer. “Wait!”

He’d started to undo the next button on his jeans, but his fingers stilled, his dark
gaze locked hard on hers, waiting for her to speak.

Bracing herself for his answer, she asked, “Are you here because of Mike?”

His head jerked back, his straight brows drawn together in confusion. “What? Why the
hell would you ask me that?”

“Because you were jealous,” she said daringly, searching his expression. “Is that
why you’re here? Are you trying to rub it in his face that we’re together? To prove
a point?”

He took a few hard, deep breaths, keeping her locked in his glittering stare. Then
he growled, “I’m here because I couldn’t stay away. I don’t give a fuck about Mike.
I just give a fuck about you.”

“Good. Then get rid of those jeans,” she said breathlessly, eyeing him hungrily as
she moved her legs out from under her and whipped her tank off over her head.

He did just that, and the sight damn near stopped her heart. He swiftly shoved his
jeans down, kicking them away, then turned to face her. With his hands fisted at his
sides, he let her get a good long look. And, God, did she look. His erection sprang
up against his ridged abs, hard and brutal and beautiful, with black hair curling
at the base and two heavy testicles hanging low that were in perfect proportion to
the rest of him.

It took her a moment to get her tongue working, but she finally managed to say, “Holy
hell, you’re gorgeous.”

He immediately scowled. “Christ, Lily. You don’t have to lie.”

She shot him a stunned look. “You think I’m lying?”

“I’m no fucking oil painting,” he muttered, working his jaw. “I’m scarred inside and
out.”

“You think I care about your scars? I hate that you were hurt, but they don’t change
how I see you.”

He grunted, obviously deciding he was done talking. He crawled onto the foot of the
bed, yanked her ankles between his knees and reached for her panties, ripping them
down her legs and tossing them over the side of the bed. Then he ran his big hands
down the insides of her trembling thighs, curved them around her knees, and shoved
her legs apart, holding them that way as he knelt between them. And after that he
just stopped . . . and stared, his chest rising and falling with the jagged rhythm
of his breaths.

Resting back on her elbows, her face flushed with embarrassment to be so exposed,
she finally asked, “What are you doing?”

He didn’t bother looking up as he answered the question, his heavy-lidded gaze fastened
on the glistening pink folds of her sex. “I didn’t take the time to get a good long
look at your pussy at the motel,” he said tightly. “Been regretting that ever since.”

She swallowed, her face burning even hotter as she felt her body respond to his sexy
admission with a warm rush of moisture. She was swelling and softening like a ripe
piece of fruit, her insides aching and empty, desperate for him to get on with it
and take her. “Oh, God, hurry. Please. I can’t wait.”

“I know, baby. I’m desperate, too. But I have to get you ready.” He let go of one
of her knees and slipped two fingers through her drenched slit, separating the puffy
folds, then swirled the callused tips of his fingers around her clit.

“Now,” she snapped, falling to her back. “I mean it, Scott. I need you now!”

A low, gritty laugh rumbled in his chest as he came down over her, working those two
big fingers into her opening. He gave a hard, wet suck to each of her nipples, then
lifted higher. “Go on, Lil. Screech at me some more,” he whispered in her ear, nipping
at the lobe. “Tell me you want me to fuck your tight little pussy.”

“I do,” she moaned, running her hands down his sleek, muscular back. “I want you to
fuck me.”

“Say it.” He licked the side of her throat, pumping his fingers into her, then rubbing
the moisture on them around her opening. “Say it exactly how I said it.”

She writhed, wanting him inside her so badly she was ready to scream. “Fine! I want
you to fuck my tight little pussy. Now, damn it!”

He gave another one of those low, sexy laughs, and the instant she felt his broad,
hot cockhead touching her vulva, her hips jerked up to take him in. But he held himself
back, not letting her have it. “Do I need a condom?” he whispered in her ear, bracing
himself on his elbows.

“What?”

“I’m clean. I get checked regularly, and I always,
always
use latex. But you said you were on the Pill. So I’m asking if you want me to wear
a condom.”

“No. No condom. I want to feel you inside me, skin on skin. Every hard, thick inch
of you.”

His breath left his lungs in a shuddering rush, and he reached down, positioning the
flushed head of his cock at her opening. He rubbed it around a little, getting it
wet with her lube, and driving her wild in the process. Her skin was hot, tingly,
her breaths coming in short, sharp pants that should have been embarrassing, considering
he wasn’t even inside her yet. But she didn’t care. She just wanted him. Needed him
so badly she was going out of her mind.

“Don’t move!” he grated, when he finally started to push himself in. “Stay still!”

She gasped for air, burning up inside. “Why?”

He groaned, the thick sound rough and male. “Because if you don’t, this is going to
be over before we even get started.”

“But I can’t stay still,” she moaned, gripping his hips as she tried to pull him deeper
inside her.

“You
will
, damn it.” He captured her wrists and pulled them over her head. “You’re tight as
a fucking fist, Lily. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t,” she whispered, feeling desperate, knowing she only had one shot at getting
this right. “Do it, Scott. Damn it, just do it. Please. I need you.” She knew she
was begging, repeating herself. But she couldn’t help it. She meant every word. She’d
never meant anything more.

He shuddered as he pressed forward, starting to work against her snug resistance as
he bore down on her with his weight. Knowing she had to have the timing perfect, Lily
waited until he’d pulled back and started pushing forward again before making her
move. Lifting her head, she set her teeth into the tight tendon between his neck and
shoulder and bit down just as she wound her legs around his hips and slammed her feet
into his ass. He roared, jerking hard from the erotic bite, and rammed himself into
her with so much force it made her scream. But his shout was even louder.