Ignited (Titanium Security Series) (25 page)

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Khalia stood beneath the spray of hot water from the showerhead, hands braced on the slick fibreglass wall, her forehead resting against the backs of her fingers. A little over two hours ago she’d survived yet another bombing then listened to the sound of an innocent man’s throat being slit. The same thing that had been done to her father, and maybe even by the same hands. Ever since his death she’d imagined a thousand times what he must have gone through, but hearing the real thing tonight across the phone line was too horrific to bear.

Blowing out a breath, she stretched the taut muscles in her neck. It was the middle of the night. She’d woken when the team had reached Islamabad to change vehicles, and after that it had been a blur of traffic and hotels as they searched for a safe place to stay. Hunter had checked them in and whisked her straight up to the room without saying anything to her.

There were no more tears to be shed. She’d cried them out in painful bursts on the drive back before crashing in Hunter’s lap. Now she just felt hollow and alone.

She let the water beat down on her shoulders and neck, grateful for the warmth, grateful for being alive yet feeling guilty because of it. Hunter was out there in the room right now, conferencing with Tom and the rest of the team. She was done. There was nothing more to say now and the last thing she wanted to do was talk to anyone, even Hunter. No matter what anyone said, Aisha’s father had died because of her tonight.

She swallowed hard. It didn’t matter that Khalia had risked her life by going to Peshawar with Hunter or that they’d tried their best to meet the deadline. It didn’t even matter that the police were the ones who had screwed up and triggered the bombing. The end result was the same. And now Aisha was left to suffer the same grief Khalia had gone through just weeks before. Only worse, because while Khalia’s father had left part of his estate to her, Aisha and her family faced a long winter in that harsh valley with their primary—and maybe only—source of income gone. Giving them money might stave off starvation for a time, but it wouldn’t fill this new hole in their lives. She didn’t know how else to help them.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she forced herself to take a steadying breath. The shower door clicked open behind her.

She straightened with a gasp, immediately covering herself with her arms. Hunter stood in the opening, stark naked. He was staring right into her eyes, and his taut expression made her breath catch.

Before she could move he stepped inside and shut the door behind him without breaking eye contact, taking up all the remaining space in the enclosure. His heated gaze broke from hers to trail down her naked body, past her arms crossed over her breasts and down to her ass. When he dragged his eyes back to her face and she saw the molten hunger burning there, a sudden yearning roared to life inside her, so strong she turned and wound her arms around him. He caught her to him in a fierce hug, burying his face in her wet hair.

Khalia held on and concentrated on breathing through the sudden bombardment of sensation. He was hot, hard. It was as if her body was starved for his touch, every nerve ending in her skin suddenly hypersensitive. He was so strong. With every inhalation she breathed in more of that soapy, lemony scent that clung to him. The feel of those steely arms around her, holding her close to his powerful chest, made her feel safe and cherished. But the way he held her made it clear he needed her just as badly.

This wasn’t just physical, not for either of them. She felt his emotional response to her as clearly as if it were her own. Every touch, every nuzzle was loaded with a need and tenderness that made her throat tighten.

Tangling her fingers in his wet hair, she tilted her face up and sought his mouth with hers. His hands clenched in her curls as he kissed her, sliding his tongue inside the moment she opened for him. The kiss was hungry and desperate yet she could feel the gentleness in him, the most primal part of him held back. His big body thrummed with tension, his muscles locked tight. She rubbed against him, gasped at the sensation of her nipples rubbing against his naked chest. She wanted him to let go and give her everything, melt the freezing core of ice inside her.

In response Hunter growled low in his throat, a raw sound that vibrated over her skin and made the hair on her arms stand up as it spiraled through her. In a single, fluid rush he backed her up against the slick wall and pinned her there, then blazed a path of kisses down her jaw to her neck. She sucked in a breath and threw her head back, shoving his face harder against her.

Delicious shivers spread in the wake of his mouth as it traveled to the tender juncture of her neck and shoulder. Sparks of heat cascaded across her skin. The scrape of his stubble and teeth were like a whip, driving her closer to the release she needed. His big hands slid up from her hips to cup her breasts, lifting and pushing them together for easier access. Arching her back, Khalia offered herself to him, head falling back when his hot, moist mouth closed over one aching center and sucked. A high, thin cry broke from her throat.

He took his time despite the desire driving him, working her with his mouth until she began to tremble, the ache between her thighs becoming an urgent throb she was desperate to ease. She squirmed in his grip, loving the erotic contrast of all that strength holding her in place and the tenderness of his lips and tongue on her body. He was worshipping her, and he wanted her to know it. Her throat ached as she cradled his head to her, little cries of pleasure slipping out.

Hunter went to his knees in front of her and released her breasts to slide his hands over the curve of her waist and grip her hips. He squeezed her flesh and pressed his face hard against her abdomen, conveying his own need and desperation without a word. Khalia stroked his hair and started to kneel with him when he raised his head and stopped her with a stare so molten the breath backed up in her lungs. Her knees wobbled.

Straightening, she leaned back against the wall and gazed down into his eyes, letting him see her consent. He shifted his gaze to his right hand, watching with an absorbed expression as it travel back and forth over her damp skin just above the trimmed strip of hair that covered her mound. Under the power of his stare the ache between her legs intensified. Her heart pounded and she bit her lip as she waited for him to touch her where she needed him so badly.

His expression was intent, rapt as he studied her most intimate place. She was too turned on to blush or feel embarrassed by his scrutiny. The muscles in her thighs and belly were pulled tight in anticipation of that first touch. When he brushed his fingers over her folds and found the wetness there he groaned and lifted that amber stare to hers.

“Hunter,” she whispered unevenly, the pleasure twisting like a knife inside her until she was on the verge of begging.

He locked his gaze on hers and leaned forward to kiss just above where his fingers caressed. Her breath hitched, her heart slamming against her breastbone. The desire was overpowering, simultaneously drawing her body tight and sapping the strength from her muscles.

With a wicked glint in his eyes he parted his lips and touched his tongue to her softness. The hand on her hip contracted when she whined and shifted her hips forward.
More.
She tightened her hold in his hair in a silent plea and this time he stopped teasing. Closing his eyes, Hunter settled his mouth over her and stroked his tongue across her aching flesh. Soft. Slow. As if he wanted to make this last for hours.

Her stifled cry of desperation and pleasure echoed in the shower stall. The muscles in her legs trembled so much she was afraid they’d give out but Hunter’s solid grip on her right hip held her still as he made her mindless. She could hardly breathe, overwhelmed by the uncontrollable wave rising inside her. His tongue was like velvet against her most sensitive place. The pleasure was immediate and huge, each erotic caress sending her further up the crest gathering inside her.

Then he moved away from her most sensitive place, lower, and slid his tongue into her. In and out in firm, rhythmic strokes until her knees shook and she was tugging on his head to bring him up to where she truly needed him. He followed the motion, gliding that wicked tongue up and over her pulsing clit. Shockwaves of sensation radiated everywhere. Her head fell back, eyes sliding closed as he continued to cherish her with his mouth. She was panting, mewling for more when he eased two fingers into her core and hit a spot that made her see stars.

“God,” she moaned, holding onto his head for fear he’d stop. In answer he made a low sound of reassurance and sucked gently at the taut bundle of nerves as he stroked her inner hot spot. Khalia gripped his hair and pushed closer to that maddening tongue, needing him so badly she couldn’t stand it. Her body was shaking now, a rapid quiver she couldn’t control. His tongue was so soft and warm, so patient, his fingers hard and demanding inside her. The combined caresses built the gnawing ache to an almost painful level, leaving her swollen and throbbing. Desperate.

She rocked her hips against his face, demanding her pleasure
now
, refusing to let him stop. A quick twist of his head and his mouth was gone, his fingers pulling away. “No—” she cried in protest but the words were lost in a passionate kiss as he rocketed to his feet and took her mouth.

He fisted one hand in her hair, the other gripping her bottom, lifting her against him so she could feel the imprint of his erection against her belly. She tasted her own essence on his tongue along with his near desperation, and forgave him for tormenting her. Wrapping one leg around his hip, she reached one hand down to caress the scalding length of his cock, curling her fingers around him.

Hunter shuddered and groaned into her mouth, then pulled back to nip at her lips. “Turn around.” His voice was deep, guttural.

Breathless, she lowered her foot and did as he said, bracing her palms against the wall and tossing her wet hair back to look at him over her shoulder. His expression was almost feral as he devoured the sight of her awaiting his possession. To tempt him further she spread her legs and arched her back to tilt her ass up. His sharply indrawn breath was a reward in itself, but it was nothing compared to when he seized her hips and his fingers bit deep into her flesh, holding her still. Then he leaned in and nuzzled the side of her neck, right where he knew she was most sensitive, and scraped his teeth over her skin. She pressed back against him and rubbed her ass against his cock.

With a low snarl he reached over to the small shelf and snagged the condom she hadn’t realized he’d brought in, then rolled it on. Setting one forearm against the wall, he turned back to her and laced his fingers through hers. “Want you,” he whispered against her ear, wracking another shiver out of her.

Unable to speak, she turned her face toward him and sought his mouth. Hunter cradled the side of her face with his free hand and kissed her so thoroughly she couldn’t breathe before pulling away. With gentle pressure on the back of her skull he urged her head forward until her cheek rested against their joined hands, then gripped her hips and pulled them back, opening her to him completely. She felt the hot, hard pressure of him against her folds and closed her eyes, dying for the moment when he entered her.

But he only pressed an inch or two inside her and stopped. Khalia groaned at the delicious teasing, the heavy stretching that somehow both soothed and intensified the throb inside her. She tried to press down and take more but he stopped her with an implacable grip on her hip and leaned in to deliver an open mouthed kiss into the curve of her shoulder, his front plastered against her back. Melting, she sighed and relaxed in his arms. The moment she did he bit down on the place he’d just been kissing and thrust deep.

Khalia jolted and squeezed her eyes shut as a throaty cry ripped out of her. He was huge inside her, filling and stretching every aching inch of her with his hot, hard length. Growling in satisfaction, he began to pump in and out of her with a smooth, steady rhythm. He slid his hand from her hip around between her thighs to stroke her swollen clit.

She shuddered at the lash of pleasure.
So good.
Trapped between him and the shower wall, Khalia could do nothing but hang on for the ride. Her fingers clenched around his and her head fell back as pure ecstasy burned through her. The tender stroke of his fingers matched each internal glide of his cock, turning her liquid with bliss.

She dimly heard her own moans as they ricocheted off the enclosing walls and knew she sounded out of control but didn’t give a damn. All that mattered was this. Him plunging deep inside of her, holding her so close that she could feel every inch of his body against hers. The orgasm rose swift and hard, flinging her up until she was mindless with the need for release. She turned feral, fighting to ram herself onto his driving cock, make him fuck her harder as those skillful fingers rubbed her clit.