Perfect Picture [The ShadowDance Club 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) (9 page)

“
Cara.
” Her name was more of a prayer than a form of address at that moment. “Love, your mouth is going to be the death of me.” The feel of her hot mouth taking him in, sucking so tightly around the plump lips she’d sealed over his cock. The sensation was enough to make his eyes roll back in his head. When he finally managed to re-gather the fragments of his control he pulled her off his cock and rolled them both so that he was over her and inside her in a split second later. “Fuck! Oh
cara
, my love. You are so hot and wet for me, baby. Your pussy is tightening around me as it tries to pull me deeper, but trust me sweetness, I’m going to be as deep as I can get.” And with those words he began fucking her in long deep strokes that had the tip of his cock pressing against her cervix and caressing her g-spot with each tilt of his hips.

When he felt her tip her hips upward he knew she was getting close so he picked up the pace and leaned over pulling her against him so she would feel him surrounding her as he growled, “Mine. You are mine, Ilaina. Don’t ever doubt that. Carve that in your heart and know it’s there until the end of time. Come for me,
cara.
” He felt her pussy spasm around him almost instantly and he caught her scream as he pressed his lips to hers. He only lasted a few more strokes and then he followed her over the edge of a canyon awash in the light of pure pleasure. Honestly it felt like he’d been launched into space. At first there was darkness with nothing but a pinpoint of light followed by bursts of brilliant colors and then pure white hot ecstasy riding on the back of his deep primal satisfaction of knowing that he would be leaving behind a part of himself deep inside of the most amazing woman he’d ever known.

The next morning they found themselves facing the hot sun as they tried to take quality photos that they didn’t really care about in front of a giant rock. While the structure was amazing to photograph from a distance—and he’d taken plenty—up close it was pretty much like any other rock wall. Well, any other rock wall with one of the most recognized faces in the world gracing the front of it. Shaking his head he worked to get the shots and was amazed at how great Ilaina was to work with. He’d heard his colleagues remark about how she was easy to shoot, but he’d never met anyone with Ilaina Red Cloud’s natural gifts in front of a camera. She was at ease with a lens pointed in her direction and it showed in each and every shot he’d taken. And to say cameras of all sorts loved her was a gross understatement.

Their next stop was a lot more inspiring and offered even more photo opportunities. The Women of Hope Ministries was operated by a small group of inspirational women who truly believed in their mission. Ilaina was a trooper, posing for literally hundreds of photos with everyone who asked her. He’d promised to send digital copies of the pictures to the director via email so she could print them and share them with her staff and the women they served. He hoped to send them before they arrived back in the U.S. because no one believed the Nigerian government officials would be willing to share.

By the time they returned to the hotel they were both way past being ready for showers and food. They each took a quick shower before enjoying the dinner that was delivered to their room and then started repacking their bags. They had deliberately packed only a few things in each of the bags they’d brought along so they could stuff everything into the bags that looked like photography equipment. They didn’t want to tip off anyone that they weren’t coming back to the hotel after today’s shoot. They planned on picking up Myla and heading directly to the airport.

Sensing the shift in Ilaina’s mood, Noah walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you alright,
cara
? We can still cancel this you know? No one will think less of you if you decide not to go through with the plan.” And even though he knew his words weren’t entirely true because he knew Myla would be heartbroken he still felt as if he needed to give Ilaina an out if she needed it.

She turned in his arms and looked at him as if he’d grown two heads. “Are you serious? Do you really think I’d leave that child to the fate we all know awaits her? Please tell me you don’t think so little of me.” Her voice had gone from incredulous to hurt and the unshed tears he saw filling her dark eye threatened to send his heart to his toes.

“No,
cara
, please don’t cry.” He pulled her close and just held her against his chest trying to let the feel and scent of her seep into him. “I just thought you seemed unsettled and I was worried you were having second thoughts. This is not your usual element and I don’t want you to do anything that jeopardizes your safety. Do you have any idea how important you are? And the irony of me staying away from you for all this time in order to protect you from all of this and then putting you at the center of the storm the first time a mission comes up is not lost on me.” Taking a deep breath he just continued to hold her close.

“Perhaps you are looking at this wrong? Don’t you think it’s possible that fate might be trying to show you that I’m stronger than you think I am?” Her words went straight through him like a flaming arrow to the center of his heart. It had never occurred to him that she might see his lame attempt to shield her from all he had been over the years as a judgment that she was weak. It humbled him that he’d been so very wrong about the most important person in his life.

“How is it that someone so beautiful on the inside and the outside can also be so amazingly brave and wise as well? Now, let me start again.
Cara,
love, please tell me what you were thinking when your whole mood seemed to shift a few minutes ago.” He smiled when she just shook her head and grinned up at him.

“Good save, Noah. I was just sad because I didn’t even think to ask you what size Myla wears. I could so easily have brought her some nice clothes for our trip home. I’m usually much more considerate than this and I feel horrible” He watched as her eyes filled with unshed tears before she added, “I didn’t even buy her a gift.” Noah wanted to laugh but he could see how sincere she was. What Ilaina didn’t realize was that being able to leave behind a life that had been nothing but one heartbreak after another was the only gift that Myla cared about. She didn’t even know what her future in the United States held because she probably wasn’t yet aware that her father’s family was coming to meet her in Climax.

After Myla’s mother had delivered her to the Catholic mission school and then simply turned her back and walked away, the heartbroken child had handed the nuns a note with both his and Alex Lamont’s phone numbers. It had taken the women a week to get someone to a phone with international access. As Noah explained all the details to Ilaina he saw the realization light her eyes. “She’s just anxious to get out isn’t she. The rescue is the only gift she’d see anyway isn’t it? Noah, my heart breaks for her and for all the others we don’t even know about.”

Pulling her close again he spoke softly against her hair, “Your insight and compassion are remarkable,
cara
. And there are changes being made in this part of the world, but they are so little and centuries too late.” He pulled back again and smoothed his fingers over her bottom lip and watched as her eyes dilated at his touch. “I promise, we’ll take her shopping at our very first opportunity. Is that fair?” He was relieved to see her smile and nod. “Now, we need to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a big day. Drake Foster is meeting us tomorrow at the first site we’ve set up to shoot. Do you remember him?”

“Yes, well, we’ve never actually been introduced. But I remember he and Cash were on the same mission just before Cash met Layla. And I know that mission didn’t go well and from what Cash told me, he and Drake both had a hard time bouncing back. I didn’t know he was back working for the Lamonts. I have seen him at Red Clouds a couple of times, but haven’t spoken to him.” She seemed confused by the fact Drake was here and Noah was anxious to explain.

“Drake asked to help with this rescue. He and Cash didn’t make it in time to save the young girl they were trying to rescue on their last mission. He sees this as a chance to do something to honor that child’s memory. Alex and Zach agreed it would be a healthy step in his recovery. Cash found Layla and she has healed his heart—Drake needs this.”

This time her tears did fall and he used his thumbs to wipe them away. “I wanted to tell you tonight so you wouldn’t be surprised tomorrow when you see him. His story is that you two were lovers and he’s followed you here to try to make up after you had a fight. We’re hoping it’s a good enough cover and that if we need it, you two can provide some much needed dramatic distraction.” He nearly laughed out loud when he saw the mischievous grin that spread across her face. Oh she would know exactly how to play this one, of that he was quite sure.

“But just a word of warning my sweet
cara
. This plan is only
if needed
….and I would suggest you not make that act too convincing my love, because you do not belong to Red Clouds Dancing’s Surfer—you belong to me.” He smiled at her and then crashed his lips over hers and kissed her letting all of the frustrations of the day drain away as he melted into her.

Lainy had gone from exhausted to sad and then straight to a rush of pure lust that felt like she was being swept out to sea in the span of just a few minutes. She had to give Noah credit, spending time with him was never dull. She had seen the sadness in his eyes when he had realized how she was interpreting his comment but she had resisted the urge to placate him. She wanted him to understand how she felt and even though it was her nature to always be the “peacekeeper” she had felt it was important to clear the air.

Her brothers had always just assumed she needed to be sheltered and that she wasn’t capable of taking care of herself. She had tried to explain it to them thousands of times and Cash had finally only very recently started to understand. It had helped when she had pointed out that they did after all share the same DNA. Collin had always been the most distant from her and she’d been pleased to hear him say that one of his goals was for them to establish a closer relationship now that their lives had brought them back together again.

But as soon as Noah had explained that he considered her his own, she’d felt a rush of desire she was afraid she would drown in. And when his lips had pressed against her own with an unrestrained hunger she was lost. The feeling of his hands sliding up her ribcage was like having pure white heat pressing in from both sides. And then when he moved to cup the undersides of her breasts with his calloused palms she couldn’t hold back her moan. He kissed with the same attention to detail that made his photographs works of art. And in that moment her need for oxygen was taking a distant second place to her need for his touch. For long minutes they just stood among the bags they’d packed surrounded by a whirlwind of lust-fueled passion that threatened to spontaneously combust at any moment.

She was grateful that she had just pulled on loose boxer shorts and an oversized tank top because the feel of Noah’s hands skimming under her clothes was like an electric current that set every inch of skin he touched on fire. She finally had to pull back because the moaned words were bubbling up faster than she could swallow them back down. “Oh God, Noah...your hands absolutely light me up.”
They make me think about the books I’ve read and wonder if all of those feelings are really possible.

Lainy wasn’t entirely convinced she hadn’t spoken the last words out loud. And she sure hadn’t intended to give him that information. But then he picked her so that she had to her wrap her legs around his waist and he pressed his rigid length against her heat and whispered, “
Cara
, the feelings you’ve read about are absolutely true if the sub trusts her Dom to provide her with everything she needs. I would love to show you all of the pleasures you have been missing.”

Oh boy, she wanted that more than he could possibly know, but first she wanted this moment. She needed the emotional connection. The feeling that he understood her and wanted her for more than how her face would show up on film was pure addiction. Pressing herself flat against him, she sighed. “I want you to show me everything.”

“And I will, but right now it’s about making sweet love to you, feeling my cock slide into your hot pussy and losing myself as you come all around me. There will be plenty of time to show you all of those pleasures—a lifetime as a matter of fact.” It was probably a good thing he’d picked her up into his arms because his words had gone straight to her heart and she’d felt her knees wobble at the wave of need that had swelled up from her soul.

* * * *

Noah had intended to talk with Ilaina about some of the “gadgets” Mitch had sent along, but when his kiss had caught fire he’d quickly decided it could be tabled until the morning. He had been thrilled to make it through five different airports without being questioned about the specialty items Mitch had provided. Because God knew it would have been very interesting trying to explain the presence of such sophisticated tracking devices in among his photography equipment—particularly considering some of it was more than just a bit intimate in nature.

When he laid Ilaina down on the bed he didn’t waste any time stripping her out of her loose clothing. Sliding his hands up her ribcage to cup her perfect, luscious breasts he lowered his mouth to her rosy areolas and sucked first one, and then the other nipple to a tight peak. Using his teeth to apply enough pressure to bring about a sting of pain that would quickly turn to pleasure, he smiled as she gasped and then arched closer. Her soft sighs and sexy moans sent shards of razor-sharp desire straight to his cock.