Elite Metal-ARE-epub (36 page)

“Juniper.” She shifted her hips and guided his head to where he knew she ached most. “Ant, please.”

He chuckled and blew a stream of air across her damp pussy. “Please what?”

“Stop teasing.” She pulled at his hair. “I’m cold without you. Warm me up.”

“That’s what I’m doing, sugar.” He blew another stream of air then swiped at her cunt lips with his tongue. She tasted so good, he did it again and again. “I want you hot and ready for me.”

Damn, he loved watching her writhe and squirm against his mouth. Loved the sound of her soft sighs and coos as they rained down on him. For too long, he had hungered for a taste. The reality of having Beth finally in his arms far exceeded the fantasy.

The insistent pulsing in his cock demanded attention. He raised himself up and hovered over her, stroking the hair off her flushed cheek with his hand as he positioned the head of his cock at the opening of her pussy.

“Are you ready for me?” he asked.

“Yes.” She reached up to kiss his chin. “Yes.”

With short jabs, he sank deeper and deeper in to her body, luxuriating in her heat and clutch of her gripping sheath. Plunge and retreat. Plunge and retreat, he guided them on a course that rose and swelled like a growing storm hitting shore. He couldn’t get over how soft she felt beneath him, how tight her pussy gripped him, how beautiful she looked with her sex-drowsy eyes and lips parted as she panted out her desire.

“Oh God, Beth,” he moaned and picked up his pace. “You feel so damn good.”

“Please,” she panted. “Please.”

Her fingernails scored his back as she gripped his hips, pulling at him as if encouraging him to go faster, harder.

“Slow down, sunshine. I’m trying to make this good for you.”

“It is good. If it gets any better, I won’t survive.”

As she kissed and licked a path across his shoulder, she reached between his legs and stroked his tightening ball sac.

“Fuck,” he barked. “That’s gonna make me come.”

“Then come.”

“Not without you.”

“I’m right there with you,” she groaned in his ear. “Take me. That’s it. Take me—ah.”

Beth gasped and arched her back, her pussy squeezing his shuttling cock in long draws.

Fire shot down his spine and out the tip of his cock as he buried his dick deep and filled the condom with his seed. For long seconds, he shuddered above her, somehow finding the strength to not crush her with his weight.

“Beth. My Beth,” he murmured, and when the muscles in his arms gave out, he rolled to his side and scooped her close. “Finally.”

Chapter Six

I’m a whore. I’m nothing but a dirty, slutty whore.

Beth carefully lifted the bed sheet off her sticky body and inched closer to the edge of the bed. Her foot had barely brushed the carpet when Ant shifted. She tensed, holding every muscle still as he rolled over. When his snores resumed at an even pace, she released a slow breath and eased the rest of the way off the bed.

She didn’t even bother turning on the bathroom light as she closed the door behind her, inching along in the dark until she found the shower and stepped into the tub. The freezing water burned her skin, but she refused to make a sound as she took a seat under the icy spray. It wouldn’t have surprised her one bit if steam formed where the hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

A litany of dirty names raced through her mind as she questioned her mental stability. What was wrong with her? A gorgeous, compassionate, honorable man just made the sweetest love to her and she had felt…nothing.

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She most certainly felt affection for Scott—damn it—Adamantium. And she had felt the stirrings of desire under his gentle caresses, but what was lacking was the fire. He tried so damned hard to make her feel cherished, which he succeeded in spades, but no matter how desperately she wished it otherwise, she just hadn’t been able to find it within her to be swept away with passion. For God’s sake, she even faked an orgasm just so he would finish.

This was all that asshole Brandon’s fault. For too many years, he had conditioned her body to respond to a smack of a hand or the bite of a whip on her flesh. He’d spend hours stroking her erogenous zones until she came, because nothing got him off more than making her orgasm for a man she despised. He’d manipulate her body until she cried in agony and had no choice but to comply.

And now she was broken.

Never once had she given any thought to what her life would be like once Brandon set her free. To dream of freedom only invited disappointment. But now the joke was on her. Here she had a wonderful man tell her he loved her, and her body wouldn’t respond in kind.

God, what was she thinking? Sex should be the last of her worries at the moment. If Brandon didn’t believe she was taken with force, he might very well retaliate and have her daughter hurt. Perhaps it was best if she ran away and hopefully make it back to the mansion before Brandon acted?

Ugh, that thought was just as appealing as remaining there under the icy spray forever. Not to mention Ant would probably try to break her free again. She couldn’t risk him putting himself in danger, especially when he was already facing fallout from his team just by her being with him.

What had been his plan anyway? He‘d come for her and…what? She’d stay with him forever? She’d begin a new life somewhere? How was she going to support herself?

Those were the real issues at hand. Whether or not she could orgasm meant jack-shit nothing.

She drew in a jagged breath, then another.

Suck it up, buttercup, and start taking control of your life.

Right. Priorities. Those would be good things to have at the moment. The pity party needed to end and she had to get her head out of her ass.

She stood and lifted her face to the stream of water and imagined all of her insecurities washing down the drain. The next few days of her life were going to require a clear head and strong spine and the only person responsible for granting her those gifts was herself.

As she stepped out of the tub, a knock sounded at the door.

“Beth?” Ant asked through the wood. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Almost finished.”

She dried her skin with the over starched cotton towel and did her best to ring out her hair. She used a second towel to wrap around her body before stepping back into the bedroom. Dallying in the bath wasn’t going to do her any good. It would be best for both of them if she dressed quickly and got right to the point about his plan for moving forward.

“Sunshine,” he greeted when she opened the door. “It’s four a.m. Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Because I—” She looked up and promptly swallowed her tongue.

Of course he wouldn’t bother to put on any clothes. He appeared perfectly content to stand there in all of his muscular, naked, tanned and tattooed glory, looking like sex on a stick and making her wish he’d use those big hands of his to push her to the ground and smack her bottom until it burned.

Just the thought made her nipples harden and her belly quiver. Yeah, like that suggestion would go over well.
Ant, would you spank my ass and call me a whore? I really get off on that.

Yep. She was well and truly fucked up.

She started when he touched her arm. “Beth, what’s wrong?”

“I’m, uh.” She swallowed. “I couldn’t sleep. Too nervous about what happens next.”

“Ah, baby.” He took her stiff body into his arms and cuddled her against his broad chest. Holy hell, he smelled good. “I’m going to be right beside you the entire time. I’m working on a plan right now.”

She scoffed and pulled away from his embrace. “Would you like to share it?”

“When I have more information.” The ringing of his cellphone on the nightstand interrupted whatever he was about to say next. He frowned at the vibrating object then turned back to her. “First order of business is to get some rest, then breakfast.” The phone rang again. “Then I’m going to run diagnostics on some equipment I left at Chesterfield’s. Damn it,” he growled when the phone continued to peel. “Fuck it to hell.”

He stomped to the nightstand and swept up the phone. “Hey, man,” he said with his best you-just-woke-me-up tone of voice. “Do you know what time it is? It’s supposed to be my day off.”

The deep voice that surged across the line was so loud, deep and clear, Beth was able to hear from the other side of the room as a man shouted, “What the fuck did you do?”

Ant pulled the phone away from his ear and shook his head before he tried to respond. “Dude. No need to shout. What are you talking about?”

The other side of the conversation was more muffled, but she distinctly made out the words “don’t,” “bullshit,” and “fucker.” Every time Ant tried to interject, the man continued to rail. When the words “Chesterfield,” “Red Wolf,” and “woman” reached her ears, her stomach sank, along with her knees as they buckled and she landed hard in one of the chairs. Ant’s gaze flicked in her direction, confirming her suspicion that the discussion was about her.

“But I—” Ant tried again. “No—but—I. Will you listen—no. Ah!” He gasped with a jerk and slapped at a spot where his back met his shoulder. He looked at the spot and his face appeared to turn to granite and his lips drew into a tight line. Finally he bit out a terse “Yes sir,” then hung up the phone.

He sighed and sank onto the bed with his head hung low. She watched him with bated breath as he drew in one deep lungful of air after another. Her fingers curled into her palms and her nails bit into her flesh as she waited.

Just before she was about to scream, he lifted his head and looked at her with a weary gaze. “Sorry, sunshine. Our vacation has been called off. We need to come in.”

“What happened?” she asked with a tight throat.

“I didn’t know your boy was so well connected. Apparently he’s friendly with Red Wolf.”

“Who’s that?”

“A major bad man and main contributor to this.” He pointed to the burn on his side. “Some of his men have shown up in town. Word on the street is they’re all looking for Chesterfield’s girl. They’ve been flashing your picture. Cobalt recognized you from Bone Daddy’s and squealed to my COs. They know I have you.”

“Brandon knows?” She shot up in alarm.

“No, my bosses. Hell, I don’t know anymore. Doesn’t matter, we have to come in.” He scratched at the spot he had slapped. “They know where we are anyway now.”

“And then what?”

“We’ll find out when we get there.” He tugged on her hand until she sat by his hip. “I’m sorry, sunshine. This was not the way I wanted to wake you up this morning.”

“That’s all right. I understand.”

“Come here.” He tilted up her chin and pressed his lips to hers.

She lifted her hand to his chest to push him away, but he was so warm, and his kisses were quite nice, especially with the delicious burn of his whiskers against her cheeks. In his arms she felt so safe, so secure. Even with the walls tumbling down around them, she knew he would do anything to protect her.

When he tilted his head to deepen the kiss and the weight of his hand fell on her breast, she broke away and latched onto his wrist.

“Wait. We should probably get going. Right?”

“Should,” he said and trailed kisses down her neck. “But I don’t want to give you up just yet.”

“Ant, please don’t tempt me. Your boss sounded really mad.” Hopefully he’d think she was more worried about the time and not her inability to respond as she wished.

“You’re right.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I know you’re right. But I’ve wanted you for so long. Now that I have you in my arms, I don’t want to let you go.”

She was a horrible, dirty, hateful person, and completely undeserving of his affections. As much as she craved the positive attention, she knew there were a million more women out in the world who were more worthy of his tenderness.

Tears stung her eyes and she turned her face away before he could see the telltale shimmer. “I have to admit, your arms are really nice to be held in. But I don’t want you to get into any more trouble than you already are.”

“I can handle anything those old coots can dish out.”

“Ant,” she admonished.

“I’m serious. Mostly.” His grin turned rueful. “They can be pretty frightening. Yeah, we should get going.”

She ran her hand down his chest and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be ready in no time.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were back in the Charger and roaring down the highway. Destination unknown. At least to her, anyway. Ant didn’t say a word, and she was hesitant to ask. She was already wound up enough as it was. Her poor shirt was becoming frayed at the seams as she picked at the loose threads. It was either that or chew her fingernails down to the stubs. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the flaming inferno of whatever was going to happen next.

Ant placed his hand over hers, stopping her fidgeting fingers. “It’s gonna be all right, sunshine,” he said, then repeated the phrase over and over again as if he were trying to convince himself it was true as well as her.

The farther Ant took them into the flat expanse of red dust and sagebrush, the harder her heart pounded. Sweat began to form across her upper lip and her knees wouldn’t stop bouncing. As dawn began to creep over the horizon, cactus and brush gave way to ponderosa pines and prairie land. Ant suddenly took a right-hand turn onto a one-way lane hidden between two trees.

“Almost there,” he murmured.

She bit her lip and sat in silence as they rounded a bend and approached a gate that swung open as they neared.

“Is that an airstrip?” She pointed to the gray ribbon of road that ran parallel to the lane they were on. A chain-link fence separated the properties.

“Yep. We have a few planes and a chopper on site. We need to be up and out in a hurry sometimes.”

After they passed through the gate, they approached little cabins that lined both sides of the road. At the end of the lane, a larger building stood sentinel like a momma watching over her children. With the roofline of the hangar looming in the background, the entire complex looked just like a military base camp.