In the Shadow of Vengeance (16 page)

She didn't understand what that meant, but she let it rest. Instead, she studied the charcoal drawing of her sitting on a beach with Danny and Erin laughing in her arms. Noah must have captured the image from a photo of last summer's beach trip. It was one of her favorites and she kept it in a frame on an end table in the living room. “That's not dabbling. I can't believe how well you caught Danny's and Erin's personalities, and as for me, you went over the top.”

He raised his eyes and met her stare. “I can only draw what I see. This is how I see you, Elizabeth.”

Reaching for her hand, he drew her close, her back resting against his chest. She turned and studied his face. His dark wavy hair had that tousled look, as if he ran his fingers through it repeatedly. While the sparkle she loved in his eyes was gone, it was replaced with what she could only describe as bedroom eyes with a hint of frustration he seemed to be trying to hide.

“I always thought you saw me as an irritating, overbearing, paternalistic mom.”

“Not even close. You are a stunning woman. Maybe I thought you were a little irritating when we first met, but now that I understand what you have been dealing with, I think you are one of the bravest women I have ever known.”

He bent his head and his soft lips brushed over the tender skin at her neck. Tiny, familiar jolts of need rushed through her. God, if just his lips on her neck made her body tremble, what would the rest of him do to her?

Stop! Nothing can happen tonight or any night
. The man drew a few lines on a page and she was ready to jump his bones. It was crazy. Noah McNeil was slowly becoming her drug of choice, and she had to end this.

She eased slowly out of his hold. “Why are you drawing me? Don't get me wrong. It's beautiful, but—”

“It's for me. I need this.”

Hell, what was she supposed to do with that? She didn't want the pain in his voice either. That sound, the feeling it gave her, was too familiar. Longing. Desolation. Loneliness. Those emotions lived close to the surface, and she wouldn't wish them on her worst enemy.

“I don't want to hurt you, Noah. Can't we return to the way things were?”

He shook his head as a slight smile touched his lips. Removing the rag tucked into his waistband, he cleaned the tips of his fingers. “I'm a moving-forward type of man. I like the woman I'm getting to know.” He closed the space between them. “And I want to know more,” he whispered as he traced the back of his finger over the tense muscle above her brow. “Don't shut me out. You and I could be amazing together.”

“I can't …”

He cupped her neck. “Yes, we can.”

“The De Rousses—”

“Those fucking bullies are going to wish they picked on someone else once I'm finished with them.”

“Bullies?” Elizabeth let out a frustrating breath and curled her hand into a fist.

“You think I'm going to stand back and allow the De Rousses to hurt you?”

“You will stay away from them, you hear me?” With each word, she poked a finger into his chest.

Noah grabbed her hand and flattened the fingers over his heart. “I'm not one of your kids. That tone isn't going to work on me.”

“You damn pigheaded—”

He covered her mouth with his, stopping her tirade. She pulled back, but he didn't give an inch. This kiss wasn't a tentative let's-get-to-know-each-other peck. It was a hot, open-mouthed, possessive kiss she couldn't ignore. Nothing about the man he transformed into could be defied.

And she was so damn tired of fighting. The blood in her veins turned to fire as need erased rational thought. When her knees began to tremble, she circled his neck, bringing herself hard against his naked chest. She gave back in spades what he was giving her. She wanted everything Noah McNeil was willing to give.

His hands cupped her bottom and he lifted her into him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he charged toward the doorway. Entering his room, he released her mouth. All gentleness left his features. She didn't need to hear what he had to say because he wore it on his expression: chiseled jaw, black coal irises, pulsating vein at his temple.

“I want you in my bed.”

“I got that.”

He paused for an instant then lowered her on to the rumbled sheets. “Just wanted to make myself clear.”

“Clear as glass. But, Noah …”

He lowered his mouth for another hard, quick kiss as his body covered hers. “No buts.”

She shoved down on her pride and said, “You need to know something.”

“What?”

The heat from the fire in her veins rushed into her face. She lowered her chin as she tried to find the words that needed to be said.

His rough knuckle just as quickly raised her face until they were eye to eye. “None of that. We are in this together.”

“It has just been a long time for me.”

“How long?”

“The night I conceived Danny.”

Shock replaced the hardness in his expression. “Damn, it's a wonder you are still alive.”

She couldn't help herself. A laugh bubbled up and escaped her throat. “There's more.”

“Spill it, sweetheart. You're not scaring me away.”

“Okay, so you know that orgasm thing?”

“Yeah?”

“Never had one. No pressure.”

“That's a challenge I'm willing to take.”

Noah rolled her on top of him and twined his fingers into her hair. She fit so nicely, her body molding into his. He wanted to ravish her mouth, every inch of her until he took his fill, but he slammed down his desire. Fourteen years was a long time. He didn't want her to regret her decision and leave disappointed. It was up to him to make the wait worth it.

He brought his lips back to her mouth, running his tongue gently over her bottom lip. “I'm good with that orgasm thing. We'll work up to that, but in the meantime, I'm yours.”

Something close to fear edged into her eyes. He brought his hand to her cheek. “What's wrong?”

She slipped off him onto her side. Again, she lowered her eyes.

“Elizabeth, talk to me,” he whispered as he raised her chin with his thumb.

“It's not a good idea to leave me in charge here. I haven't a clue what to do,” she said.

Now, that was honesty. Deep warmth settled over him. When was the last time Elizabeth Merlot trusted anyone enough to take over? He turned so they faced each other. “I said we are in this together. Where would you like to begin?”

She studied him closely as she gently chewed her bottom lip. His blood rushed into his groin. The woman was killing him and she hadn't a clue the effect that simple act was having on him. She raised her hand and cupped his neck, her finger teasing the stubble on his jaw. Sliding closer to him, she took his mouth, her lips at first so tentative, gentle, it took his breath away. Her control seemed to shatter an instant later as a slight groan escaped and she ravished his mouth.

Giving up control and allowing her to take the lead became a real challenge. He cupped the back of her neck and moved her on top of him where she belonged.

He needed to feel her skin against his. Moving his hand down to the hem of her T-shirt, he gave it a tug. She didn't break the kiss but eased off of him enough so he could pull the cotton fabric over her breast. Pulling his mouth away, he heaved the shirt over her head and sent it to the floor. Her lips were back on his an instant later, hot, demanding.

Her vanilla scent filled his lungs as the tips of his fingers inched down her neck to the silky skin of her breast. He gave her a chance to push his hand away before he moved to the peak. Using just his thumb and forefinger, he gently massaged the nipple as his other hand roamed down her spine. When a deep moan escaped her throat, he increased the pressure.

Time stilled, and hot, sizzling urgency charged through him. The woman was nothing what he expected but everything he wanted. And he needed more; every sense demanded equal time. He broke the kiss and brought his lips to the skin just below her right ear. “My turn,” he said, and raised his head to meet the fire burning in her eyes.

Good, her want was as strong as his
.

She weaved her hands through his hair, her fingers playing with the spot at the base of his neck. “On one condition.”

He let out a short laugh. “And that would be?”

“I'm not a virgin, Noah.”

“I'm giving you a chance to get used to me.”

“Well, stop that.” She leaned down and placed her lips at his neck, moving lower until she covered his nipple. Her tongue flicked back and forth as if she were trying to slowly drive him insane.

“Play fair,” he said, and rolled her under him, “or I'm going to get serious fast.” He moved his body down over hers, finding that one spot where they fit so perfectly.

Elizabeth's lips drew tightly together and she rolled her eyes. “About freakin' time.”

It took everything in him to keep from laughing out loud. Damn, she was wonderful, exciting, and spunky as hell. While her voice came out hoarse and shaky, there was such passion and fire radiating from her deep, amber eyes. Nothing between them was settled, not by a long shot, but she wanted this, wanted him as much as he wanted her.

With the flat of his hand, he moved over her breast, finding her hard nipple while his mouth covered hers. He hoped to hell she understood the hunger she had awakened in him because he wasn't going to stop until it was completely satisfied.

His lips trailed the same direction as his hand, nibbling, tasting. She arched into him and her hands roamed everywhere. With a quick flip, he had her back over him, caressing down her spine until he landed on the elastic waistband of the pajamas he lent her. He wanted no more walls, no more secrets between them. He shoved the fabric down. “Kick them off, sweetheart. I want to see all of you.”

Her expression changed from heat to something close to panic.

“It's okay. We can move slower.” Tender wasn't his thing, but hell, he did tell her she was in control.

An instant later, the pants were somewhere on the floor. “Just don't look too closely. I'm no longer in my twenties when everything stayed where nature originally placed it.”

“That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say. Damn it, woman, you're fu—”

Her mouth covered his in a hard kiss. When she broke it and glared at him, he cupped her face with both hands. “Okay, no cussing.” He lowered his lips back to hers for a tender kiss.

“You're breathtaking, Elizabeth. One of the most beautiful women I know. You don't have to hide a damn thing from me.”

“You don't have to say that.”

This time he shut her up with a quick, hard kiss. “No, I'm going to prove just how stunning you are to me.”

“How?”

“By loving every damn inch of you.”

Elizabeth Merlot was flawless. How did she not see that part of herself? But if he was going to show her just how damn sexy he found her, Noah needed control.

He lowered his mouth back to her lips. This kiss was gentle, tender, the slow assault intensifying the heat. The flat of his hand smoothed over her abdomen, resting just an inch from her core. This was it, time to give her that one thing she'd been denied all these years.

No pressure, my ass.

There had never been a woman he wanted to please more than the one in his arms. Covering her mound, he stilled as a slight tremble raced through Elizabeth. Her soft moan broke through his restraints. He allowed his lips to follow the path of his hands. Each nibble of her satiny skin, inch by agonizing inch down her abdomen, intensified the fire in his blood drumming between his ears.

Elizabeth pushed at his shoulders. Muted words entered his consciousness one syllable at a time. Noah. Have. Stop.

Stop
got his full attention, and he raised his head.

“Your phone. It could be the kids.”

“Shit,” he said, and rolled off her. He shook the sex-filled fog from his mind and reached over her to the end table. Without bothering to read the caller ID, he answered.

“What?”

“It's Raúl.”

“What the hell, man? It's past midnight. Don't you ever sleep?” He moved his back against the headboard.

“You asked me to keep an eye on all things Merlot, right?”

“Yeah?”

“I set up a little surveillance tool that would go off if someone broke into the townhouse. I caught this guy pounding on the door, then he kicked it in. I stopped him.”

“Ah, hell. Tall guy with Popeye's shoulders and arms?”

“You know him?”

“Let me talk to him.”

Noah listened to the exchange of conversation until a roar almost took out his eardrum.

“Where is Elizabeth, detective?”

Pulling the phone away from his ear, he handed it to her. “It's for you.”

She placed the phone down on the bed with the receiver against the mattress, brought the sheet to her breast, and scooted back, resting her shoulder against the headboard. She shot Noah a glare and punched him in the arm. “Chicken,” she murmured, and lifted the phone to her ear.

“Derek, I'm okay and so are Erin and Danny.”

Noah placed an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him. With her eyes lowered to her lap, she spent the next five minutes filling Derek in on the evening's events. With each passing second, the strong, vibrant woman of only a few minutes ago slipped away. The part of the conversation Noah could make out, the marshal wasn't yelling at Elizabeth, but his comments were making her feel like shit.

He gripped her wrist with one hand and removed the phone with the other. She reached out for it, but he turned his back to her.

“Hey, dickwad, you want to dress someone down, I'm your man. Leave Elizabeth the hell alone. She's been through enough.”

“I assume she told you who I am?”