Authors: Kathy Love
Devilishly Sexy (8 page)
“Were you trying to kill yourself?”
She’d known he had questions, but for some reason, she hadn’t expected that one.
Fortunately, it was one she could answer with all honesty.
“No, I wasn’t.”
His eyes roamed over her face. Beautiful eyes somewhere between green and brown. And she felt her body react to him. Again. She might have been loopy on the way here, but she still knew she’d been attracted to him. She’d wanted to touch his hard muscles and feel his wonderful warm body against hers.
And even now, she was very aware of his hand on her arm. A very strong, warm hand. She felt her cheeks burn with a combination of embarrassment and longing.
She had to go. These feelings could lead her to yet another awkward situation.
He finally nodded, apparently finding the answer he wanted on her face. Or maybe he saw her discomfort. But still he didn’t remove his hand from her arm.
Heat curled through her belly and lower. Why did this man have such a powerful effect on her?
Because he was handsome, and she was so unfamiliar with the touch of another human being these days, she reminded herself. It had been years since she’d really allowed anyone to touch her. Of course she would react. But gosh, she couldn’t believe how good even this simple contact felt. How would his touch feel on her bare skin?
No, no, she warned herself. Her thoughts could not go there. Even with Boris unconscious for the moment.
“Well, I should head home,” she said, shifting away from his hand. He let it fall away.
“Yes, that probably is a good idea,” he agreed.
She smiled, thanking him again, realizing she actually meant it. She felt better knowing there were people like this man out there in the world. It was easy to forget that, living around evil as she had been for so long.
She turned, her movement almost reluctant, even though she knew leaving was the best thing to do for both of them. Okay, she was attracted to the man, but where could this really go? She only had room for one male in her life at the moment, and that was a bitchy, annoying demon who resided inside her body. There was no place for a real, live, human male in her world. Not now, and she didn’t know when.
She closed her eyes briefly, and gritted her teeth. But God, she wanted one. She wanted Michael, she realized. She’d wanted him from the first moment she’d seen him.
She groaned slightly and then opened her eyes.
“Are you okay?”
She jumped, a hand flying up to her chest at the voice coming from so close to her side. An almost comical reaction, since she heard voices all the time.
Then she saw it was Michael. He’d fallen into step beside her.
“I’m fine. You just startled me.”
“Sorry,” he said, giving her a genuinely contrite look.
Her heart skipped. He was so good-looking.
“Do you live in this direction too?” she managed to ask.
He shook his head. “No, but you can’t really believe that I’m going to let you walk home alone after everything you’ve been through already.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she really would be fine, but she suddenly discovered she didn’t want to say that. She was free for a few hours to be a normal woman. And she was attracted to this man. What could it hurt to simply enjoy his company for a little while? It had been so long since she’d enjoyed any company, really.
“I guess you are right,” she said with a wide smile, feeling almost carefree, which seemed strange given what this man had seen tonight. But he wasn’t questioning her about any of that. He was just being a nice guy. A gentleman. A hero.
“I think it would be a good idea if you walk me home.”
Chapter Eight
M
ichael was surprised that Liza allowed him to walk her home. And he was even more surprised when she stopped on the brick steps of her apartment building and said, “Would you like to come up for a drink?”
ichael was surprised that Liza allowed him to walk her home. And he was even more surprised when she stopped on the brick steps of her apartment building and said, “Would you like to come up for a drink?”
He raised an eyebrow, but smiled. “Do you really think you need a drink along with your allergy medicine?”
She smiled, taking the comment as it was intended, as a joke.
“No, definitely not. I was thinking you could have a drink and I would stick with some herbal tea.”
“Good plan,” he agreed. “And yes, I would love a drink.”
She nodded, the gesture almost one of determination. As if she wasn’t sure whether she should be doing this, but wanted to anyway.
Michael was feeling the same way. He knew as an employee of the DIA, he shouldn’t be allowing himself to become attracted to a
HOT!
employee. It was an obvious security risk, as well as a conflict of interest, but he found himself not worrying about it. Not tonight anyway. He wanted to stay with Liza, for just a while.
HOT!
employee. It was an obvious security risk, as well as a conflict of interest, but he found himself not worrying about it. Not tonight anyway. He wanted to stay with Liza, for just a while.
After all, he should be sure she was truly okay, he reasoned.
He still didn’t understand how it was possible. He was positive she’d taken more drugs than she’d admitted to the doctor, but he’d also decided it must have been less than he’d thought. And the loopiness and odd comments must have been because she was allergic to that type of medication. It was the only explanation that made sense. Although she had said things that did make him think she wanted to take her life, to just end her struggles.
All the more reason to stay with her for a while. To be really sure she was okay. Her situation was a tough one, and though he couldn’t reveal that he knew what she’d done, the bargain she’d made, he could be supportive in other ways.
She smiled at him again, a truly beautiful, radiant smile. Then she turned and walked up the stairs, her rear end swaying back and forth with each step.
And damn, it had been thirty-three years since he’d been near such a beautiful woman. He pulled in a deep breath, telling his long-starved libido to stay calm. This was just a drink.
Liza’s fingers trembled as she fumbled with her apartment key, taking three tries to actually get it into the lock. Fortunately Michael was kind enough to act as if he didn’t notice, surveying the hallway, rather than her ineptness.
“Here we go,” she said, with a slight laugh, opening the door and reaching inside to flip on the light. They stepped into her small eat-in kitchen. And she was glad to see that she’d actually done her dishes this morning.
Dealing with demonic possession and an evil boss often outweighed mundane things like housekeeping. But she couldn’t exactly explain that to Michael.
“Well, this is my kitchen,” she said, her voice sounding a little shaky. She hoped he didn’t notice. He nodded, looking around at the stainless steel appliances and wood floor.
“Very nice.”
“Have a seat,” she said, pointing to the café-style table and chairs. “I’ll see what I have for drinks.”
Behind her, she heard him pull out a chair, while she busied herself looking in her cabinets and then her refrigerator. All the while telling herself not to be nervous, to just enjoy his company and the novelty of her attraction to him.
After all, she didn’t even know if he was attracted to her in return. He probably wasn’t, which meant she really had nothing to be nervous about.
“Well, it looks like all I have is coffee, Sam Adams, and tea. Oh, and some orange juice.” She turned, expecting him to be across the room at the table, only to discover he hadn’t sat down, but leaned against the counter, only inches away from her.
She made a surprised noise, and he gave her an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry I keep managing to startle you. Right from the very first time we met.” He reached forward and brushed a strand of her always disheveled hair away from her cheek. His fingers brushed her skin, just lightly, just a fleeting touch, but with that simple brush of skin against skin, her knees felt weak.
“You cut your hair,” she said, suddenly realizing that was what had changed about him.
“Yes, I did.” The hand that had just touched her hair moved to his own, running through the shorter locks. “So you recognized me from the other day?”
“Yes,” she said, then reached out to touch it, just as he had, ruffling the soft locks against her palm. “I like it.”
She started to pull her hand away, suddenly realizing she probably shouldn’t have touched him that way.
But instead, he caught her hand and pulled her closer to him. She could smell his soap and shampoo, and a spicy scent all his own, and her head swirled with a light-headedness far more intoxicating than the dizziness caused by Benadryl, or wine or any drug imaginable.
She stared up at him, not sure what to do now. It had been so long. For a moment, she just raised her face toward his and waited. And just when she was certain he would lean in and kiss her, he released her.
She swayed, unsteady and a little confused. Did he not find her attractive after all? She thought she’d seen something smoldering in his green-flecked eyes, but maybe not. She certainly hadn’t had enough experience with men of late to even remember, honestly.
Taking a breath, she willed her body to calm down. Then she managed a smile. “So? What can I get you?”
She could have sworn she saw his eyes flick over her body, but then he straightened, gripping the edge of the counter, the change in position putting a little more distance between them.
“What is a Sam Adams?”
His question actually managed to distract her from her confused and desirous thoughts. Who didn’t know what Sam Adams was? “It’s a type of beer.”
“Oh,” he said, then made a face. “That was a silly question. Of course it’s a beer.”
She smiled.
“So the Sam Adams?”
“Sure.”
She opened the fridge and leaned in to grab one from the bottom shelf. When she turned to hand it to him, she could have sworn his eyes were snapping up to meet hers as if they had been focused somewhere lower.
“Were you just checking out my butt?” she asked, then nearly groaned. What was she doing asking such a ridiculous and forward question? Did she really expect him to admit—
“Yep.” He smiled, attractive creases appearing on either side of his mouth like parenthesis highlighting his beautifully sculpted lips.
Wow, she hadn’t expected that. His straightforward answer and that very distracting smile. A shivery thrill tingled throughout her body. Was he really attracted to her?
“And what did you think?” My God, was she being this forward herself? Apparently she was.
“I think it’s stellar.”
Liza laughed at that. “Stellar, huh? I’m pretty sure no one has ever said that about my behind.”
Before she realized what he intended to do, he reached forward and caught her arms, pulling her toward him until her breasts brushed against the hard wall of his chest.
This time, he did exactly what she’d thought he was going to do earlier. His head came down and his lips brushed against hers.
She moaned, stunned at how wonderful a kiss could feel. How perfect. His lips continued to move, shaping hers, controlling her.
She moaned again, and he used that moment to deepen the kiss, his tongue seeking out hers, hot and exciting.
She wasn’t sure how long the kiss lasted. Time didn’t seem to exist in that moment, but all too quickly Michael pulled away.
“I’m sorry,” he said, although she couldn’t fathom why. What was there to be sorry about? That was perfect.
When she only stared at him in lust-hazed confusion, he added, “I didn’t come up here with the intention of making a play for you.”
He waited for her to react again, and when she still didn’t formulate any words, he said, “I just wanted to make sure you were really okay and spend a little time with you.”
She continued to stare up at him, trying to get control of her desire, but failing miserably.
“I hope you aren’t offen—”
Liza cut him off, doing the only thing she could think of, the only thing she wanted to do. She pressed her lips hard to his.
She didn’t want to hear any more of his explanation. She just wanted to feel his hands all over her body. Then she wanted his lips to touch every place his hands had. And she wasn’t going to think about whether that was wrong, or a bad idea.
She hadn’t had anything she wanted in a very long time, and she so wanted this. Michael’s touch. She wasn’t going to worry about the consequences right now. She was taking this.
Michael hadn’t expected Liza to kiss him again. He’d had the feeling that she was nervous around him, unsure, and that was why he’d ended his kiss. He didn’t want to pressure her into something she wasn’t positive she wanted. But with her lips clinging to his, silently begging him, he realized he’d misread her. She wanted him in the same way he wanted her, and his long-denied libido roared to life, desire ripping through him like raging waters breaking down a flimsy dam.
Shit, it had been so long since he’d touched a woman, tasted one. He wanted to make love to Liza right here, and before he thought better of it, he spun them around so she was against the counter and he was pinning her there.
She made a low, hungry noise deep in her throat and her kisses grew more aggressive, telling him with her body that she liked his dominance. That made his desire surge even stronger.
Not breaking the kiss, he lifted her onto the countertop. The beer bottle she’d somehow managed to hold on to until now clattered loudly on the granite countertop, although neither of them stopped their frenzied embrace to see where it ended up.
Instead, with her now fully freed hands, Liza tugged at his shirt, pulling at it roughly until her hands made contact with the skin of his back.
She groaned then, her hands roaming all over him. His own hands worked the buttons of her shirt, until frustration got the better of him and he tore at the garment. Buttons popped off, clattering onto the hard work floor.
“Sorry,” he breathed against her lips. “I will replace it.”
“I don’t care,” she said, her teeth capturing his bottom lip in a desperate moment of her own. He groaned and shoved the ruined blouse off her shoulders. Under her expensive shirt, she wore a simple white bra, but Michael couldn’t recall seeing anything sexier.
“Damn, you are beautiful.”
She smiled and stole his breath away. Her dark hair was loose around her shoulders and face, her skin pale and flawless. The hint of perfect breasts swelled above the cups of her bra.
He tugged a strap down over her shoulder, until one breast was bared, a pale pink nipple puckering up at him.
He bent forward and licked it. Liza gasped loudly, shoving her swollen nipple harder against his mouth, silently begging him to suckle her.
He obliged, pulling the hardened bud deep into his mouth. She cried out, her nails digging into the flesh of his back.
“So sensitive,” he murmured, sucking her again.
“Yes,” she cried. “Yes.”
He toyed with her one nipple until she was writhing and panting. Only then did he stop and pull down the other strap of her bra. With her arms effectively trapped at her sides, he took his time lapping and nipping her other nipple until she was pleading with him almost incoherently.
“Please, Michael, please.”
“Please what?” He smiled against her breast, loving her responsiveness, her hunger.
“I want to kiss you,” she demanded, but he didn’t stop swirling a leisurely tongue around her left nipple.
“I want to kiss you too,” he murmured and he finally straightened.
She lifted her face to him, her eagerness adorable. But he had other plans. He placed his hands on both her legs, and he slowly slid her fitted skirt upward over her thighs. She made a small noise, a frustrated little groan, but shimmied her hips to allow the material farther up until it was banded around her waist like a wide belt, her small white bikini underpants exposed.
Michael spread her legs.
“I want to kiss you too,” he repeated, leaning forward so his head was between her parted thighs. He ran a finger lightly over the crotch of her panties. He could feel the moisture dampening the cotton, steamy, hot.
His cock pulsed and hardened even more at the feel, at the idea of feeling that heated wetness around his rock-hard erection. She was so wet, so ready for him. And he wanted to be inside her, but not before he had a little taste of her.
“I want to kiss you there,” he said, his voice low and husky with need.
He nudged aside the moist cloth and licked her. Her mons and labia were smooth, bare, a fact that surprised and excited him. He licked her again, loving how sweet and soft her bare flesh felt against his tongue.
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