Page 28 of Dangerous Affair (The Phoenix Three #2)

L iam recognized that Quinn was high on adrenaline, a common feeling after a tense or dangerous event, like having a gun pointed at her by a man who’d threatened to kill them.

When the bastard said he would play with her first before killing her, he’d had to use every bit of his discipline not to tear the man’s tongue out of his mouth.

He wasn’t complaining, though. That adrenaline had turned her into a wildcat. Within seconds of entering the cabin, she turned to him, put her hands on his chest, and pushed him against the wall. He raised his brows. “Want something?”

She tugged on the hem of his T-shirt. “My reward and this off.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it on the floor. “Now what?” Indecision was in her eyes, but he wasn’t going to help her. He liked this game and wanted to see how far she’d take it.

“Now you ravish me.”

“There’s a word I can get behind. Tell me a fantasy you’ve had but never experienced.”

“I have lots of fantasies I’ve never experienced.”

“You stick with me long enough, and I’ll give them all to you. For right now, tell me just one of them.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “Make it one that really excites you.”

“I’ve always wanted to be taken against the wall. The idea of it sounds hot, but I just don’t see how it could really work. I think all those romance novels exaggerate how sexy it really is. I want to know if it’s even possible.”

“Stop talking.” He crashed his mouth down on hers.

He’d never had sex against the wall either, but he was determined to live up to those scenes in romance books.

And yes, he’d read quite a few. When on deployment, during downtimes, when he was bored, he’d read anything he could get his hands on.

Many of the guys would, and the women on base thought that was cool and would pass their romance books around.

He put his hands on the wall above her head and pressed his body against hers, trapping her between him and the wall.

Her throaty moan went straight to his groin, and when she scraped her nails down his back, he growled and deepened the kiss.

She arched against him, and damn, he’d never been this hot for a woman in his life.

“I need to feel your skin against mine,” he said.

“Yes. Naked is good.”

They shed their clothes with frantic haste, and thankfully, he was still coherent enough to remember to get a condom out of his wallet before dropping it and his pants to the floor.

She watched him put the condom on, and seeing her eyes on him as she swiped her tongue over her lips almost sent him over the edge.

“You’re the sexiest, most beautiful woman on the planet, Quinn. Are you ready for me?”

“I’ve been ready.”

“Good, because I’m going to bury myself so deep inside you, you’re going to think we’re one person. Wrap your legs around my hips.”

She did, and he slid his arms under her bottom and held her close to him as he pressed her against the wall again.

In this position, it was on him to do all the work since she didn’t have room to move, and he was good with that.

He thrust into her, pulled back, and did it again.

Nothing in his life had felt this good. Good wasn’t even the right word.

Amazing. Incredible. Mind-blowing. Those were so much better words for how being inside her felt, and underneath those words was a feeling he never wanted to lose.

He’d found his home, and it was with her.

She scraped her teeth along his shoulder. “I want to bite you.”

“Do it.” When her teeth clamped down on his skin, he almost lost it then and there. Only by sheer will did he hold off. “Can’t wait much longer. Come for me, little vampire.”

“Liam.”

That was all she said, but it was how she whispered his name, as if he meant more to her than just the fling she kept insisting this thing between them was.

He was done for. “Now, Quinn.” He found her mouth and stroked his tongue over hers.

Her body tensed, then shook as her climax crashed through her, driving his own release.

He let go of her mouth and buried his face against her neck as he struggled to get air back into his lungs.

What just happened? He’d never come that hard, and before his legs—the same ones that could walk miles across the desert with eighty pounds of gear on his back without a quiver—threatened to quiver him right down to the floor in a heap with her on top of him…

Before that could happen, he managed to get them to the couch, where he fell back, still holding her.

He might never let her go. Never wanted to.

“You okay?” he said. She’d snuggled against his chest with her head resting in the crook of his neck.

“Better than.” She gave a sigh of contentment. “You zapped all my energy. I think I’ll sleep right here.”

He refused to sound needy, so he didn’t ask if what just happened was as good for her as it had been for him. But he wanted to because, eff him, he was feeling pretty damn needy right now.

When her breaths slowed and he realized she was asleep, he rose with her still wrapped around him and carried her to the bedroom.

Lowering her to the bed, he pulled the cover over her, then kissed her cheek.

“We have some talking to do,” he quietly said.

After what just happened between them, there was no way she could deny there was something between them.

They were not going their separate ways when this was over because it would never be over.

He let her sleep for two hours while he gathered their things and had all but her bag set at the front door, waiting to be put in the car.

That done, he made some sandwiches and packed them along with apples, chips, and bottles of water.

He didn’t want to make any stops on the road where their route home could be tracked.

The remaining groceries they’d bought went into a trash bag.

There was a bear-proof can at the end of the driveway, and he took the bag out to it.

They hadn’t planned to leave for another day, but the men after her would be out looking for them even now.

He had no intention of sticking around long enough for them to find her.

It was time to wake her up, and he went into the bedroom.

She was still asleep, all that magnificent red hair that he’d had wrapped around his fist spread over her pillow.

One leg was out from under the covers, something he’d noticed before that she did when sleeping.

His girl did love her sleep. Affection for this woman swelled in his chest, and he wanted nothing more than to crawl back into that bed and spend the day loving on her. The risk of being found was too high to stay any longer, though.

He sat on the edge of the mattress near her waist. “Quinn, wake up.” He shook her shoulder. She mumbled something and burrowed deeper into the covers. He shook her again. “Up and at ’em.”

She squinted her eyes open. “Still dark.”

“I know, but it’s not safe to stay here any longer. We need to go.”

“’Kay.” She closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

“Sorry about this.” He pulled the covers off her, then the pillow out from under her head. “Up, Quinn.” And…he’d forgotten she was naked. He briefly considered risking a few more hours at the cabin, but she was too important to take that kind of chance.

“I don’t like you.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

He grinned at that. “That’s not what you were saying a few hours ago. In fact, I seem to recall these exact words. ‘Oh, Liam, you’re amazing. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Liam.’ Admit it, you really like me.”

“I never said any of that.”

“Maybe not, but I know you thought it.” He stood. “Up. We really do need to go.”

“You’re no fun,” she grumbled as she rolled out of the bed.

“Not true. I’m the funnest guy you know. The bag with your clothes and girlie stuff is on the counter in the bathroom. I’ll make us coffees to go while you get dressed.”

He had their coffees made and in travel mugs he’d found in a cabinet by the time she walked into the kitchen. “Ready to go?”

“If we have to. I wish we could stay a few more days.”

“Too risky. We got what we came for, pictures of the drums and the lake with children playing in it. Even got a sample of what’s in the drums, which is a great bonus.” He handed her the coffee mugs. “Carry these. I’ll load our bags in the car.”

It was a little after midnight when they drove away from the cabin, and there were only a few cars on the road. Liam tensed each time a car passed them, but no one paid any attention to them. He only relaxed when they made it to I-95 without incident.

“What if they move the drums before we can get the proper authorities involved?”

He pulled over to the left lane to pass a slower moving car. “Won’t matter. We have plenty of proof with the thumb drive, your photos, and the samples from the drum and the lake.”

“I’m ready for this to be over. I want my life back.”

Did she include him in that picture? He wanted to talk to her about where they went from here, and the long trip home would give them plenty of time.

Before he could bring up the subject of a future, she yawned.

“Why don’t you sleep for a little while,” he said instead.

“We’ve got about four hours before we get home. ”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all.”

“Thanks. I can barely keep my eyes open.”

She reclined her seat, and within minutes, she was sound asleep.

Although disappointed that he wasn’t going to learn where they stood, maybe it was for the best. A better idea would be to bring it up at his condo.

Tomorrow night, he’d romance her, make her a nice dinner, and then after, they could sit on his deck, drink a little wine, and talk. It was a much better plan.