Winters Heat (Titan) (10 page)

“You want me to get all triggered up?” He checked the mirror for the tails again. He’d be ready, even if the woman next to him was distraction-worthy.

“You’re acting like someone isn’t trying to kill us.”

“It’s not the first time, and it’s sure as hell not going to be the last. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” God help the men chasing her. “And I don’t scare.”

His thumb caressed the top of her hand. Engaging the enemy was an expected part of his operational to do list, but it must have been a nightmare for her. He wanted her to feel safe with him. He wanted her to trust him.

“But I’m scared, Colby.” Mia chewed her bottom lip.

“I know you are. Don’t worry. I promise you, it’ll be okay.” He tightened his grip and brought her fist to his mouth. He kissed her knuckles and pressed her folded fingers against his lips. She was sweet, but under it all, she was a woman who could hold her own. He should have known that when she wielded her kneecap as a weapon. Mia blasted every one of his preconceived notions. Untrained women in the field weren’t weak as he assumed.

A motel sign illuminated the night with a flashing neon sign. Vacancy. Truckers welcome. Free cable. Karaoke bar. He eased the car off the highway and into a parking lot lined with a handful of big rigs.

He put the car in park in front of the motel. “You’re coming with me. I’m not leaving you alone again.”

She crunched her feet against a fast food bag. “I don’t have shoes to wear.”

“Them’s the breaks, doll. Barefoot and safe. Come on now. We’ll be fast.” The plan he was piecing together didn’t allow much time. Convincing her to move wasn’t in the plan at all.

“I’m going to stand out. My clothes are tattered.” She stared down and rubbed her hands over the shirt.

His lips pressed into a tight line, and he resisted the urge to grab and carry her around again. They were past that type of interaction. But it would’ve been far more expedient. Coaxing wasn’t his forte, and he had to make fast work of it. He took a deep breath.

“Honey, this truck stop has seen far worse. Trust me. And if someone pays too much attention to you, I’ll distract them. Hell, I might just pummel their face.”

She tilted her head, her hair obscuring part of her smile. “I thought you were always calm in the face of danger.”

He tried not to blow out a frustrated breath but failed in grand fashion. Time was speeding by, and she still hadn’t moved. “Undue attention at your expense is their mistake. As far as anyone is concerned, you’re mine. You’re
with
me. And I’d consider it a personal affront if they looked at you any way you don’t like. Or any way I don’t like.”

His blood felt thick in his veins. Given their day, he would’ve considered killing someone who even offended her, and he wouldn’t have been sorry about it. That was who he was, a warrior, and she was… Mia was a priority.

“Oh.” She opened her door a crack, signaling her willingness to make a public appearance, and turned back to him. “All right. Let’s do this.”

She smoothed her hands over her sweater. Even barefoot in mussed up clothes, she personified grace. Check that. The woman defined understated sexy. He didn’t know why it wasn’t so apparent at first.

The torn shirt worked for his attention. It’d be so easy to finish the rip, tearing it off of her. Fuck, man, he couldn’t tear his eyes from her body. She might have been a priority, but she was the best looking one he’d ever seen.

“Colby?”

He blinked, more than aware he was busted staring at her tits.

“You’re distracting, Mia. You know that? Every time I look at you—never mind. Forget it. Let’s do this.”

He jumped out and walked to her side, pulled the door wide open, and she slid out. With her hand in his, they made their way to the front desk. The freckled-face clerk eyed her up and down. Mia buried her cheek against his chest. She fit perfect. Their bodies were the right mix of spark and C4. Together, there was the potential for explosions.

He made a specific room request, handed over a few Benjamins, and watched for incoming assaults.

“Sir, your receipt and room key. Are you sure you want a backside room? There’s a karaoke bar back there. It’s loud, and the drunks are nasty. Nothing will slow down ‘til after five in the morning.”

Winters grunted his lack of concern. It was time to loiter and keep a visual on the incoming traffic. The only flaw in this plan was the proximity to a private room and bed. But that wasn’t why they were there. He should repeat that mantra until the tangos arrived.

The clerk directed them out the reception area. “King-size bed. Non-smoking. Your room is back out the front and around the side. Just follow the music from the bar.”

King-size bed. His dick went semi-hard, and he stifled a groan.
Stop thinking about her naked.
It wasn’t the time.

Winters nodded his appreciation to the clerk and leaned close to Mia’s ear. His mouth brushed her lobe. It took more strength than he expected to keep from nipping her earlobe. “Come on, doll. Let’s draw ‘em out.”

CHAPTER NINE

Winters’s plan wasn’t perfect, but it was a solid start. Mia padded barefoot with her hands clasped tight in his grip. The soft slap against the tile floor took him away from the dirty reception area. The sound was pure, echoing against the seedy undertones of the motel. It was a complete contradiction, just like her genuine presence in his less than stable life.

They walked outside to a starless night. The faraway sounds of cars were almost drowned out by the thump of tunes pouring from the nearby bar. Winters made a beeline for their car and idled them to the darkest corner of the motel.

“You ready?” he asked. Man, did he not want to put her in this position.

“Not much choice.”

“True. Let’s get this shit over with.” He opened the door, and she did the same.

He scoped out their locale. Shadows noted. Vehicles cataloged. Nothing out of place. She stood by the hood ornament, bending it down and letting it bounce back up. She was nervous. He couldn’t blame her. This was an offensive attack. Her first with him. Probably her first ever.

“Mia, you ready?”

“You already asked me that.” Her voice was tense. He wished he could wash it away.

“This is going down easy. I don’t want you to worry. You got me?”

She put her hand on his belt buckle. “Yeah, got you.”

That wasn’t what he meant it, nor how she probably meant it, but it was fine by him.
Hold on to me anytime
. “Let’s move boots, babe.”

Winters brought them to a vacant corner of the motel and drew her in front of him. He pressed against the brick wall, pulling her close to his chest and could see all entry points here. The driveway. Front and rear entrances of the bar.

She laid her weight against him and let out a long, tired breath. Nothing left to do except wait. And breathe in her vanilla and butterscotch. Their enemy could roll up anytime, and he’d fight fast and furious, but right now, he needed this. Mia leaned against his hooked arm and looked up, tilting her chin.

“You okay?” he asked. Peppering her with the same questions was pointless, but he couldn’t stop.

“Tired. That’s all.”

“I’m sorry I’ve had to push you so hard.” Soon as this was over, he’d make sure she had anything she needed. The woman would be pampered. No doubt.

“I didn’t mean to complain. I hate… All of this. You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for me.”

That was her concern? “Hell, Mia. It’s not like that.”

What was it like?
Oh, man
. He had a thing for her in a bad way. Winters bent his head toward her. Their foreheads kissed, and there was no question. While she was with him, she was his. His to protect. His to savor. A woman like Mia was rare. At least he had brains enough to notice.

He never should’ve put her in this position. He could’ve packed her off in a plane, back toward the East Coast. Someone from Titan could’ve kept her safe while he finished his original job. But selfishness and curiosity made it so he wouldn’t push her away. He couldn’t, because an irrepressible desire consumed him, powering lust through his veins.

“Colby.” Her hushed whisper tickled his skin. “What are we going to do?”

His pulse thumped in his neck, and he tightened the forearm wrapped around her waist, melding her onto him.

I’m on the job. Serious danger ahead.

He’d missed it before and couldn’t let that happen again. No time for arousal. No time for fantasies.

Images flooded his brain, searing his senses. He remembered the taste of her tongue. Red-hot cinnamon. A sweet, delicious burn of aphrodisia.

What were they going to do? Where to begin... A million ideas popped to mind, starting with making good use of the wall behind him.

No woman had pressed against him like this, so pliable, supple, and luscious. They had always draped him like sex kittens on steroids. Those other women were as over-sexed and one-dimensional as they were obvious, all self-fulfilling prophecies, and they were the definitive opposite of Mia Kensington.

Before Mia’s hands explored him, before her beautiful body had even disrobed, she toyed with his mind like it was the first of many playgrounds. And he wanted to play so bad.

“I’ve started a list.” His lips flitted over hers. “Want me to share?”

Her eyelashes fluttered. “What kind of list?”

“I have you thirty feet from a bed. What kind of list do you—” A drunken couple stumbled out of the bar. Actually, more likely a john and a pro. He should have seen them before he heard them. “More on the list later, doll.”

Men were coming to hurt her, and his hard-on could pick another time for games.

“Okay, Mia, here’s what we’re going to do. When they pull up, act like we let loose. We had too many drinks.” He motioned to the karaoke bar with a tip of his head, then dipped his lips to her neck, lingering under her ear. “I’m convincing you to come to my room. You’re not putting up too much of a fight. Just enough to keep it fun.”

He nipped her earlobe, and she took a tiny gasp. It made his gut jump. Her taste drugged him, intoxicated him. Temptation was a cruel mistress. Giving him a little and making him wait.

“That’s your plan?”

“Not my whole plan, no. But that’s the part you have to play.” He traced the slide of her neck. “Think you can act mildly interested?”

“You’re crazy.” Her voice was husky. “Men are trying to kill us. How can you think about sex?”

“You’re not?”

“I’m… I’m—”

“You’re what? I’m getting into character. You should give it a try.”

“You’re rubbing your hard-on against me, is what you’re doing.”

“All part of my cover. Believable, huh?” Her innocent act was toast. She was far more like Jessica Rabbit than Snow White. “If I tried to drag you off to bed right this second, you wouldn’t join me?”

There was only one answer. He knew it. Felt it as sure as he felt her body mold against him. She couldn’t fight their hunger either.

Her breaths escalated. The quick rise and fall of her breasts fueled him. Winters cupped her chin in his hands, palms caressing her cheeks. Sweet Mia. If he could freeze this moment, it’d be one he’d put on repeat.

“I would,” she whispered. “But…”

“Forget everything else. It’s just you and me.” He thumbed her lips, dragging the bottom one down.

Slowly, his hands drifted into her hair. Lust hung heavy in the cool night air. Her dark lashes fluttered, and her hard nipples pressed against his chest.

How beautiful would she be naked? How would she feel? Impossibly smooth. He would whisk across her sensitive spots, watching those succulent breasts rise and fall in anticipation. He would make sure she ached for him. As much as he ached now.

His fingers tangled into her hair, and Mia leaned her head back, heavy lidded and heady breaths.

“Shouldn’t you watch for the bad guys instead of torturing me?” Her eyes were sealed shut, defenseless.

His lips grazed her neck, and she purred, the sinful sound acting as a deft stroke to his already engorged shaft.

“You don’t think I can multi-task?” He kissed behind her ear, dancing his mouth down her neck. It was a tease. A simple promise of what was to come. When he had a moment to concentrate on her, he’d do whatever it took—lick, kiss, caress, and suck—to make her cry out for him.

His fingers slid to her nape, trailing to the front of her shirt. The fabric felt fragile under his palms. He was losing a battle to a ripped shirt on a pretty girl, but revenge would be amazing.

“How can you do this,” she nudged her head down to where he nuzzled his erection, “and pay attention to anything else?”

“Can you imagine what it’s going to be like between us when I don’t have to worry about anyone but you?”

A smile bloomed but before Mia could respond, the faraway sound of tires crushing gravel flittered through the parking lot. She tensed in his arms. Her body now rigid as the brick wall he leaned against.