Fire and Ice (Guardians) (12 page)

Jack stayed awake for a while, gathering her tightly to him. He was shocked at the revelations of her nightmare even if he had always doubted that Maia Pierce was her real name. Jack would bet his whole car collection that she was not of American descent either. He had always thought her features looked European, and he would bet she was Russian. She was getting too damn complicated for him. His survival instinct told him to run the other way, while another fragment deep inside him was demanding some answers and the latter part was winning. Jack was going to call in some favors and get the information he needed on Maia Pierce, damn the consequences.

CHAPTER SIX

Maia blinked her eyes open and noted the overcast sunlight filtering through gauzy, linen curtains. The gentle crash of waves of the North Carolina coast was lulling her eyes back to sleep. However, the unfamiliar weight of a heavy arm flung across her waist, not to mention the muscular leg shoved between her thighs, reminded her of the unusual events of the previous evening.

She had killed three men yesterday and then gone home and had the best sex of her life. With Jack McCord. And now she was spooning in bed. With him. Spooning! Maia was not a cuddler. She wanted her arms and legs free of any constraints. How she fell asleep last night in this position was a miracle and one she would not likely repeat.

Maia smiled, much like the cat that's had the cream, as she remembered the unrestrained, almost wild sex they had the night before. Wow. Jack sure knew how to use that hard mouth and hands of his, not to mention how deliciously endowed he was in the other department. She had not had the opportunity to give it an ocular inspection, but she felt it undoubtedly in her inner core muscles. Maia shivered in recollection—fine male specimen indeed.

"You awake?" his voice rumbled in her ear.

"Hmmn...nnn," Maia mumbled in response.

The hand that was on her waist drifted south, roaming beneath the waistband of her pajamas directly underneath her lace panties and hit the target.

Maia moaned.

"You're so wet," Jack whispered as he started kissing her jaw. "I want to see all of you."

He gently got her on her back, and then getting up to straddle her thighs, he lifted her tank top off of her. She instinctively tried to cross her arms over her chest.

"No, don't," Jack said as he pulled her arms and cocked her elbows on her sides so her hands were beside her head. His eyes were unreadable, inky dark orbs that trailed down her neck, collarbone and over her breasts.

He quickly took her lips in a quick wet kiss before paying homage to each of her breasts, just lazily circling the nipples with his tongue. By now, Maia could tell Jack was a breast man. His hands were busy tugging her pajama and panties down. He got off her and then propped himself up on an elbow by her side to take in her nakedness.

"You are so beautiful," he murmured in reverence. This time, when Maia looked back into Jack's eyes they were growing heated, hungry. His fingers lightly circled her nipples before stroking down her belly, his touch feather-light.

Maia wanted his mouth on her breast. "Jack, stop teasing."

But he ignored her as his hand played right below her belly button and drifted lower, straight to the mound between her thighs. Maia spread her legs instinctively as his fingers sought the moistness between them.

Jack shifted a bit closer, still not kissing her. "I want to watch you come," he declared thickly, his voice grating with lust. His fingers started doing whatever magic they did. It didn't take long; he hit the target the first time and Maia, already turned on by her earlier thoughts of Jack's talented mouth and hands, was coming so hard she had to grip his forearm as she moaned her release.

"Jack..." she panted heavily as she shamelessly rocked her hips to his thrusting fingers as her pleasure pulsed through her sex.

"Jesus, Maia," he muttered hoarsely and suddenly he was there, throwing her legs over his shoulder and plunging his tongue into her, sucking her swollen folds greedily.

"No, Jack, stop...I'm too sensitive," Maia gasped. She was going to pass out, she couldn't breath, she was wound up so tight and then she was coming again, shuddering, her toes curled.

He got up on his knees and dragged her up, impaling her on his massive erection. He was powering up like a piston, plunging into her while yanking her down to meet his thrusts.

Maia thought vaguely that she was going to have her third orgasm and she did as she spasmed all around his hard flesh. She felt boneless.

Jack had her on her back again and continued thrusting fiercely into her as he chased his own release.

"Maia ..." he groaned raggedly, shuddering as he threw his head back and came long and hard. He collapsed onto her but quickly rolled to his side, an arm curving around her to pull her tightly to him.

"Jesus, we need to slow down," he muttered.

***

"You have to feed me," Maia said as she tried to wiggle out of Jack's arms. It was three o'clock on a Sunday afternoon and they had been in bed all day.

"You're a greedy little thing," Jack smirked as he let Maia escape out of bed. He had taken her more times than he could count. The last one, he was finally able to slow down to kiss every inch of her smooth, satiny skin, memorizing every curve and sensuous line. He slid into her moist heat with deliberate intent, rocking into her gently, only increasing the tempo when she had begged him to make her come. He came the same time she did. It was the most beautiful experience.

 
He watched her naked body walk to his dresser and root through his drawers to grab a t-shirt to throw on.
 

"For food, crazy man. Sheesh, I don't think I can walk for a week," Maia grumbled. "You're insatiable."

Only for you
, Jack thought. He laughed and said, "Come on, don't tell me you didn't appreciate those multiple orgasms I gave you."

"Yes, but I need more than apple pie to sustain me," Maia retorted as she picked up his brush and yanked it through her wild hair.

"Hey, I did all the work," Jack said as he got up from bed, also naked, and came up behind her to hug her.

"Because you wouldn't let me drive, your Bossiness."

Maia stared forlornly at her unruly hair and her flushed face in the mirror groaning, "God, I look ..."

"Thoroughly fucked?" Jack finished the thought for her and chuckled as Maia speared him with a glare.

"Come on, let's go eat before you faint. I have more plans for you," Jack said devilishly as he bent down to pick up his clothes.

Maia watched Jack retrieve his pajama bottom to slip it on commando.
Now that's a gorgeous ass
, she thought lustily, biting her lip.
And it's mine for two weeks
.

As much as she was used to working out and yoga, her body was sore. Where did he get all that stamina?

Jack caught her looking at him and clucked, "Now who's insatiable? You keep looking at me like that, and we'll never get out of this room."

Not bothering to throw on a shirt, he grabbed her hand and led her down the stairs to the kitchen.
 

Maia switched the oven to 350 ºF and took out the rack of lamb and potatoes from the refrigerator. Jack uncorked a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and decanted it.

While the oven pre-heated, Maia called Grace.
 

"Maia, oh my God, I heard what happened," Grace gushed over the phone.

"How are Kyle and Betty?" Maia asked.

"They're okay. They went to the station this morning to give their statements. Are you okay, sweetie? I can imagine how horrible it was to see all that blood," Grace said.

Obviously, Kyle and Betty didn't share what really happened.

"I'm fine. I'm glad they're okay," Maia said, and then, changing the subject. "I'm heating up the lamb, can't wait to eat it."

"It's three o'clock, dear. Didn't you eat brunch?"

Maia felt her cheeks burning. "I wasn't very hungry this morning. Last night must have done a number on my appetite," she lied.

Jack was smiling. Damn him.

"And Jack, had he tried the lamb yet?" Grace asked.

"Uh, Jack wasn't hungry either," Maia replied, not knowing what else to say.

Silence, then muffled laughter came over the phone.

"Okay, dear," Grace said knowingly.

"See you tomorrow, Grace," Maia said, desperate to end the call.

Jack was looking at her with amusement as he handed her a glass of wine after she hung-up the phone. She took a big gulp savoring any form of nourishment. She was starving.

"Easy, you don't want it to go straight to your head," Jack admonished.
 

She opened the refrigerator, took out the prosciutto and started popping slices into her mouth. "Starving. Want some?"

He shook his head and took a sip of wine. He walked over to the cabinets and took out the baking sheets to set the lamb and the potatoes on. After popping those in the oven and setting the timer, he said, "I have an idea. How about you and I hop into the shower while our food heats up?"

Maia looked at him dubiously.

"I promise to be on my best behavior."

"Not sure I've seen a best behavior from you, Jack."

"You wound me, babe. And you give me too much credit. Like you, I need more nourishment before I can perform up to par," Jack waggled his eyebrows.

 
A shower would be nice, might ease some of her sore muscles.

True to his word, Jack didn't try anything sexual. He soaped her back and insisted on shampooing her hair. Maia returned the favor by soaping his back. He did kiss her a couple of times but it was more of the tender sort than the leading-to-sex sort.

They showered in her bathroom because all her toiletries were there and she didn't fancy using a man's shampoo. She got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Hopefully, Jack would take the hint that she needed a break from the sex-athon. She had not been kidding when she said she might not be able to walk for a week.

Although when she saw Jack drape a towel around those sexy hips, she did have a desire to lick those rivulets of water from his washboard abs, tear that towel from him and take him in her mouth.

Oh God, did she just think that?

Luckily, he returned to his room to change; hopefully he'd be covering that delectable body of his before he returned to the kitchen.

***

After clearing the dishes from their early dinner, Jack suggested that they retire to the living room to watch a movie.

"I don't understand who would watch TV with the beach scenery outside," Maia said.

"We can sit on the balcony and drink tequila," Jack offered as an alternative.

"Now you're talking," Maia enthused. "Grab the bottle, I'll grab the shot glasses. Do you want lime and salt?"

"Heck no," Jack said. "I want mine straight."

"Me too."

 
Jack got a bottle of Don Julio Anejo tequila and opened the sliding-glass doors that led to the balcony. It had an ocean view with some lounge furnitures. Maia stepped out and lowered a tray of shot glasses on a small round table between two chairs. She threw on a lightweight sweater as she inhaled the crisp ocean breeze.

"Weather is really getting chillier," Maia observed as she flounced down on the lounge chair and stretched her legs.

Jack unfolded his long lean body on the other chair and poured two shots of tequila.

"Are we going to talk about the weather?" he teased.

Maia ignored him and continued looking at the waves rushing to the shore.

"Relax," Jack said as he handed her a glass.

"Believe me, I am relaxed. Cheers!" Maia nodded to him and tossed back her drink.

They sat in companionable silence for a while. The sun had started setting and cast a majestic orange glow on the horizon. Jack loved it here; it was one of the properties he came to most often. He glanced over at Maia and noticed that she had stiffened when she felt his gaze on her. Jack frowned. Her guard was up. The bottle of wine from dinner had not loosened her up. He poured more tequila shots for both of them.

"So, you grew up in foster care?" Jack asked.

Maia hesitated. "Yes. I'm uncomfortable talking about my personal stuff."

He pressed on. "So you and Viktor go a long way back?"

"Jack ..." Maia said in warning.

"It's a simple question unless there's something to hide," he said casually.

"Eighteen years. Viktor and my foster parents are very good friends," Maia said.

Jack handed her the shot glass.

"You and Viktor seem close ..." he said as a lead in.

"We are tight. He can be a manipulative bastard," Maia said and then she laughed as if recalling something before tossing back the tequila.

"He can be a dick," she continued fondly. "But I know he cares about me. Tough love. He trained me, you know."

"Cares about you enough to use you as bait," Jack bit out. The more he heard about Viktor Baran, the more he loathed the guy.

Maia looked at him. "Viktor and I are complicated. It may appear that he puts me in danger but everything with AGS is a calculated risk. All the Guardians know this. He's put himself on the line for me so many times. It's about trust and we do trust each other. Implicitly."

Jack felt compelled to push her on the subject of Viktor, but all the questions he wanted to ask made him sound like a jealous lover.

"So how are you and Brett so different?" Maia asked.

"I have no idea," Jack admitted. "Sometimes he acts like he's adopted. He's always been the rebellious kid. Gave my parents so much grief. We were never close, eight-year age difference between us, by the time he was a teenager, I was away with the SEALs."

"I'm surprised you joined the Navy SEALs," she said. "Your dad is a real estate developer, thought you'd go that route."

Jack smiled as he poured two more shots of tequila.

"I guess I wanted the challenge physically and mentally," he replied. "I was also fascinated by guns and explosives. Which was why, when I got out, I started MDI: I get to be involved with the DoD and help our guys out by providing them better weapons."