Joseph (9 page)

She walked softly not wanting to make any noise to wake Joseph. A quick observation showed the “cabin” was a two-bedroom, three-bathroom home built with care and craftsmanship. Every room boasted a beautiful view of the hills and was furnished with sturdy furniture that fit the rustic feel of the house.

Making another carafe of coffee for herself, she walked back to the bedroom and peeked in the door. Joseph lay awake and stared at the ceiling. Ember walked in and sat down beside him. She gently pushed the hair off his forehead and smiled. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

He closed his eyes and swallowed. “Like I’ve been run over by a semi-truck…a couple of times.” He put his hand on her waist and opened his eyes again. His voice was soft, “Your hair is red again. God, how long have I been out?”

“It’s okay, you haven’t been out long.” Ember whispered as she lay down beside him and caressed his cheek. “The color was a temporary rinse. I shampooed most of it out this morning. You faded out on me last night at the gate. We managed to make it to the bed and then you were gone. It’s just as well. I am glad you weren’t conscious when I cleaned and redressed your wounds. It’s late afternoon now. You need to drink some water.”

He shook his head and reached over pulling her closer. “No. I couldn’t hold it down. I need to call Jacob and let him know we are safe.”

She chuckled. “You told me to do that last night. I called him. I think he wants you to call when you’re feeling better.”

Joseph closed his eyes and nodded. “Alright, but not right now.”

She lay still as his body relaxed again and he drifted back to sleep. Exhaustion was a symptom of opioid withdrawal and the sleep was good for his mending body. She waited until he was in deep REM sleep before she slid out of his grasp.

Her mind ticked off his physical progress. No fever, better color, no respiratory distress—all good signs that his stamina and conditioning were fighting to pull his body through.

She turned the corner into the kitchen and froze. A large man leaned against the counter in the kitchen drinking a cup of her coffee. Of American Indian descent, she thought. He looked menacing, but passive. Something in his casual repose fueled her courage. Ember picked up her coffee cup and walked to the pot. Pouring a cup, she turned. “Are you here to kill us or help us?”

“If I wanted to kill you, you’d both be dead now. Jacob sent me.”

She took a drink of her coffee. “My name is Ember.”

The man nodded. “Yeah, I know. I’m Mike, but everyone calls me Chief. I have a cooler of food and some other groceries in the truck. Doc sent some medical supplies. He nodded toward the small package on the counter. Said you’d needed that.”

She opened the packet examined the sealed vials of medication. “Joey needs these antibiotics.”

Chief nodded and put the cup down. “You make good strong coffee.”

She smiled as she opened a syringe from the sealed pack. “No sense in drinking it if it tastes like tea.”

“You got that drive? I’ll send in the documents.”

Ember stared at him and shook her head. “Sorry ace, nice that you know names and appear to be a good guy, but until I get permission you don’t get squat.”

He looked at her and laughed. His entire personality transformed. “Okay, call Jacob and ask or go back into the bedroom and wake up Joseph. He can vouch for me.”

Ember looked at him and growled protectively. “There is no way in hell I’m going to wake him up.” She walked to the satellite phone and powered it up. Looking up at the huge man, she pushed the redial button. It rang twice before Jacob answered.

“Joseph?”

Ember responded, “No this is Ember. There’s a huge man standing in my kitchen drinking coffee and he said
you
sent him.”

“Yeah, I did Em, his name is Chief and he’s my friend. I trust him with my life. He’ll stay with you until Joseph is better.”

“A little heads-up would have been nice.”

“The satphone was off. Besides, after you told me about his injuries, I knew Joseph
and
you needed help. Chief can upload the documentation, and we can start to get some resolution to your situation. By the way, did you say
your
kitchen?”

Ember glanced at the big guy as he poured another cup of coffee. “I believe I did. Thank you for sending us help. I’ll have Joey call you when he wakes up.”

A low rumble resembling a laugh came through the phone. “Joey? Jesus, I haven’t heard that in a while. Thank you for taking care of him. If he had his way, he would have healed up and left the country without anyone knowing he was here. He’s…well, he’s protecting us by not bringing his world into ours. We know it, and what sucks is that you’ve spent more time with him in the last two days than I’ve had with him in the last ten years.”

Ember blinked back the tears that filled her eyes at the thought of the loneliness Joey must live with. “Yeah, he’s alluded to the fact he doesn’t do relationships—even with his family.” She cleared her throat and bounced back to her comfort zone again. “Look, I get that you didn’t know about the abuse. There is no way I can verbalize the extent of the trauma he has endured. Honestly? I’m surprised he wasn’t mainlining morphine.”

“Okay, please ask to him call me when he can. Chief will take care of your security until Joseph kicks him to the curb. Once we get the documents, we will start defusing the time bomb that Dale primed.”

Ember disconnected the phone and got the drive for Mike. She watched as he set up the computer and placed inline encryption devices on the system that would secure the data transfer. As the documents uploaded, they unpacked his truck and Ember gave Joey a dose of antibiotics before putting the groceries away.

She finished preparing dinner for herself and Mike and checked on Joseph throughout the evening. Over his protests, she force-fed him a few spoonfuls of broth and a bottle of water. When Mike headed out to check the access road for any activity, she went to bed. She slipped in between the sheets and moved next to him. Joseph reached out and pulled her closer. “God you feel so good.”

She chuckled and snuggled closer to him. “Go back to sleep, Joey. You’re not strong enough to do anything your mind might be imagining.”

“Mmm…don’t go anywhere. When I wake up in the morning, you’re going to see just how strong I am.”

“Hate to tell you this champ, but your body is going to be really sore for the next couple of days.” She traced his lips with her fingers.

His voice was soft and she could tell he was falling back to sleep. “Yeah? Been there done that…got the scars to prove it.”

She put a hand on his chest and kissed his lips softly. “I know, baby. I know.”

His breathing had evened out before she pulled her lips from his. She lifted her hand and brushed his hair from his forehead. She still loved him. Oh, not in the sweet innocent way she had when she was eighteen. No, he was the epitome of everything she wanted desperately to avoid. Drama, stress, anxiety, and fear. Yet, he was everything she needed. Strength, loyalty, kindness, and compassion.

Joseph King was a dichotomy rolled in danger and served with a huge side of sexual tension.

“I’m so screwed. How can you still mean so much to me?”

Ember smelled the amazing aroma of strong coffee long before she walked into the kitchen. God bless Mike for making coffee the right way
and
for getting up earlier than her to do it. She walked out onto the back porch with a steaming mug in hand. She stilled immediately when a doe and two fawns raised their heads from grazing in the meadow. Sitting down with a slow and quiet intent, she watched the gentle creatures dip their heads to eat, oblivious to her intrusion.

Mike’s voice from the kitchen carried in a low whisper, “They’re upwind. If they could smell us, they wouldn’t be in anywhere near here.”

Ember glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “They’re bigger than any deer I’ve ever seen. So beautiful.”

“They’re mule deer. See how large the ears are? They resemble the length of a mule’s ear, hence the name. They’re the largest breed in the States.”

He walked out slowly and leaned against a post as they watched the animals feed on the tall grass. Ember sighed and looked up at him. “I’m sorry to pull you out here, Mike. I am assuming you had other reasons for being way out here in no man’s land?”

He shrugged his shoulder. “I was in the area. Joseph and Jacob have pulled my butt out of the fire many times. It was the least I could do. The Kings are my family. I’d do anything for them.”

Wait. Hold on a minute.
“I thought Joey worked alone.”

“He does. Normally.” The man drank his coffee obviously not going to expound on his answer.

“Would you care to elaborate? I don’t have a nifty security clearance, but I’ve figured out what he does.”

Chief took a draw of his coffee examining the bottom of the cup as if searching for the words to use. His shoulder lifted in another shrug. “About a year ago, a rescue mission we were on tanked. It was bad. Two of us were taken by hostiles. Jacob, Joseph and another brother stayed in country to mitigate the damage and recoup the losses. Losses…hell
I
was the loss. Me and a teammate, Doc. Jacob and Joseph were able to track the ones who took us. The bastards didn’t stand a chance once those two showed up.”

“He’s really good at what he does, isn’t he?” She didn’t try to hide the admiration in her voice.

“No ma’am, that’d be an obscene understatement. He’s the
best
there is. Period.”

“Are you married, Mike?”

He shook his head and laughed. “Whoa, whiplash on the conversation vector there. No, ma’am, I’m not. I don’t think it’s fair to ask a woman to take on my lifestyle unless she’s part of it, like Jacob’s wife.”

A small smile tugged at her cheek. “Really? Don’t you think that should be left up to the woman?”

“No, ma’am. I don’t. It would be incredibly selfish of me to ask any woman to put up with my life. Hell, physical training and involvement with the teams I train impact any down time I have. Plus I’m subject to immediate recall if the situation warrants. What would give me the right to ask someone I care about to put up with the loneliness and the danger? What kind of woman would say yes?”

Ember stood and looked down at her empty coffee cup. “One like me would say yes in a heartbeat. One that understands there are no guarantees but is willing to take a risk on having a happiness that others desperately seek and rarely find. Yeah, I guess a woman like me.” She leaned against the railing and looked towards the meadow. “Women are so much stronger than you testosterone-filled alpha males give us credit for.”

She slid a glance his way and winked. “Take some unsolicited advice from a woman who knows just a tiny bit about your life. If you have someone, stop wasting what precious time you have on this earth by protecting her from your lifestyle. Tomorrow isn’t going to come for everyone. What happens if she walks out the door one day and never comes home because an accident takes her away from you? Would she know how you felt about her before she died? Trust me, Mike. You need to let her have the opportunity to enjoy you. And you? You better love her while you can. My mom once told me life isn’t about the millions of breaths you take. It’s about the individual moments that take your breath away.”

Ember turned to walk into the house but froze at the site of the gorgeous man standing in the doorway wearing nothing but low-slung jeans. Joseph. Evidently, yesterday’s re-bandaged wound dressings didn’t make it through the shower. His hair freshly combed and still wet shone jet black in the morning sun. He lifted his coffee cup in a mock salute. A slow smile spread over his face. Mike turned to follow Ember inside but when he saw Joseph, he too, stopped. Chief nodded acknowledging his friend and immediately turned, dropped off the porch and headed toward the front of the house.

Ember felt her face flame red as Joseph sauntered towards her. The mesh of livid wounds across his shoulders, chest and ribs couldn’t detract from the sexual magnetism he exuded.

He pulled her toward him gently and lowered his lips to her neck. “Having a good conversation with Chief?” he whispered.

He trailed light kisses along her neck sending rivulets of pleasure throughout her body. She melted into his arms, moving her head to the side giving him access to her neck and sighed. “Yes, he’s nice.”

“Nice? Huh. Not a word I’ve heard to describe Chief before.” His quiet whispers were interspersed between delicious feathery kisses. His hands traveled down and cupped her ass pulling her closer to his apparent desire. He nibbled on her ear. “What were you talking about?”

The feel of his body against hers and the heat from his hands and lips enveloped her.
Damn, did he ask a question?
“Hmmm? Oh…God, you feel good. Ahh, we were talking about you…I mean…oh…your work.”

He chuckled as he moved to nip and kiss her jaw, slowly making his way to her lips. “Oh? That’s not what I heard.”

He lifted his lips over hers hovering above them as he whispered, “Is it true? All I have to do is ask a woman like you?”

Her eyes opened and stared into his.
Yes
. “Maybe.”

He smiled and lowered his lips slowly towards hers. He swept over her lips softly exhaling as he teased her, pulling away before he kissed her. His arms tightened around her almost crushing her to him. “I won’t ask. I can’t. You know I can’t give you forever. This is for now, this moment in time only. But I find at this moment I want to take your breath away.”

He finally lowered his lips and captured hers with a warm press of lips. He tasted of morning coffee and an indefinable flavor only Joseph possessed. Memories of long summer nights spent testing and teasing each other flooded her senses as it had happened only yesterday. Ember lifted to her toes, pressing her body close in an answer to his demanding call. Immediate need flared inside her just as it had when she was in high school. The knowledge that today her need would be filled roused the ache no other man had ever fueled.

He smiled and lifted his hand to her face, stroking her bottom lip with his thumb. “Let’s go into the bedroom baby. I don’t think we need Chief to walk in on us.”

“Joey, you shouldn’t. You need to rest and let those wounds heal.” God, it cost her to say that. She wanted him, but the physician in her raised its hackles and screamed in disbelief at what the wanton woman in her was considering.

Taking her hand, he led her into the bedroom and shut the door. Crossing to the bed, he pulled her closer. He slowly unbuttoned her shirt as he kissed her neck, his voice low and thick, “I’ve slept for over twenty-four hours. My wounds are better and I’ll be damned if they’re going to stop me from making love to you. Tell me you want this. You want this moment in time.”

Her hands traveled over his shoulders and chest feeling his muscles ripple under her touch. “I want you, I need... But...”

“No buts. No future. Just us. Now.” He covered her mouth with his as he dropped her shirt from her shoulders. His kiss pulled her dizzyingly higher as he unsnapped and pulled off her bra. She clung to his arms as he unbuttoned her jeans and pushed them over her hips dropping the material to the floor. Holding her tightly, he continued to kiss her as he laid her under him on the bed. He broke the kiss and stood as he pulled her jeans off and then his.

Her eyes traveled his body and his obvious arousal. As a doctor, she’d seen hundreds of naked men. But
damn
this man’s sexual equipment was the finest she’d ever seen. “Mr. King as a health care professional I would be remiss if I did not remark on the distinct attributes of your spectacularly endowed physique. You’ve grown into a fine specimen of a man.”

He chuckled and lowered over her. “Dr. Harris as a man who appreciates true beauty, I would be remiss if I did not tell you I have never seen…touched…or kissed…a more beautiful woman.” He punctuated each word with a kiss as his lips slid from hers, to her neck, to the top of her breasts. His thumb rubbed the top of one nipple as his lips covered the other. His teeth nipped and tugged her tender flesh. She gasped and arched her back toward him to encourage the exploration of his mouth. He transferred his attentions to her other breast and lowered his hand seeking her center.

Ember stilled as he touched her. This wasn’t what he had described wanting, but God it was so good. Joseph lifted his head and kissed her neck softly. “You’re so beautiful. I’ve wanted you for so damn long. Just us, baby. You and me. Right now. So good.”

His hand continued to explore, opening her. He covered her lips with his and immediately deepened the kiss matching his hard finger strokes with the invasion of his tongue. Her body tensed, arched to his touch as she moaned under him. His mouth on hers consumed her sounds of need and desire.

The degree of the growing tightness in her catapulted from intense to inescapable. His fingers speared her as his thumb continued to stroke her clit, driving her towards orgasm. Never before had anyone set off the unmatched heat raging in her body—not like this. Where his hands and body touched her skin, intense feelings ignited. Her body tightened and convulsed under his hand as waves of deep pulling sensations drove through her core and exploded within her. Her cries consumed by his lips rent the quiet of the room. He pushed into her relentlessly with his fingers and rode out her orgasm never leaving their kiss. Joseph slowed his hand and the fervor of their kiss as her body calmed. Tremors shook her. Apparently, lingering aftershocks were a byproduct of phenomenal sex.
God, who knew?
A deeply sated grin covered her face when he finally pulled from the kiss. She watched him as her expression registered. He lifted himself over her and moved his knee between her legs.

“You look so damn sexy.”

Sweet baby Jesus, his deep baritone whisper set off another aftershock. “Mmmm…Feeling so good right now, Joey.”

“Baby I’m about to rock your world.”

“Promises, promises.” She ran her hands through his hair and pulled him back down to kiss him. She loved the way he tasted—the dark, bitter flavor of coffee accented the wonderful essence of the man he had become. His hips settled between her legs and he nudged the head of his thick cock against her.

“For the love of God, tell me you’re on the pill.” He groaned his words against her lips.

“We’re protected, and if you tell me you’re clean, I’ll trust you.”

He nodded against her neck. “I’m clean.”

Her body arched towards him, encouraging, begging him to continue. He slowly pushed forward, just barely entering. He lifted his chest away from her but took the bud of her nipple into his mouth. Slowly he increased the pressure of his bite on her breast until her body pulled away. The pain radiated from where his teeth clenched and yet he didn’t stop.

With his teeth still around her nipple, he growled, “Brace, baby.” His cock split her in one monumental thrust, wrenching a gasping cry from her. Her body lunged trying to escape his penetrating thickness. He fingers bit into her shoulders and held her onto his cock. “Stop, baby girl. You’re going to take me now. Good girl, now look at me.” His words bit into her over-stimulated brain. She pulled another ragged breath and tried to move away again. His size was too much. The discomfort was almost unbearable.

“Ember, stop pulling away.” He pinned her mouth with his and punished her with the press of his lips against hers. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. And then he moved. Oh God, a moan ripped from the fabric of her soul as he slid out of her only to slam back into her recesses. She couldn’t explain the sensations. The pain was intense and yet…she wanted…no…needed more? Over and over, his cock impaled her as his mouth held her, silencing her cries. His arms pulled her to him as his shaft drilled into her. His kiss refused her the oxygen she needed and she desperately pulled air through her nose.

Finally, he lifted his head. Instinctively she drew large gulps of air into her lungs.

“That’s right. Breathe, baby girl. You feel so good, so fucking tight.”

He lifted onto his knees and pulled her legs over his thighs. Joseph grasped her hips, curling his fingers into her flesh and moved, driving in and out of her at various angles but always with a mind-numbing force. He drove his shaft into her impaling her with an assault like none she had known before. Ember couldn’t stop the cries his forceful mating drew from her. She tried, God knew she tried, but the sensations were too much.

“Fuck yes, let me hear it. I love the way you sound when I’m taking you.”