Page 10 of Draven (Special Forces: Operaton Alpha) (Nemesis Inc. Bravo Team #3)

CHAPTER TEN

Her bones were going to rattle right out of her body. They couldn’t have found a paved road or something. Of course not, why would that have happened? Instead, she had to deal with almost landing on Draven’s lap every time they went over one of the huge ruts caused by the rains. “Sorry.” She leaned to the opposite side, trying to sit in her own seat and hit the broad shoulders of Draven’s teammate.

“No worries, Ma’am.” Braddock smiled down at her.

“If we had seat belts, this wouldn’t happen.” She was being a bitch, and she knew it. These men had risked everything to rescue her. The next time the truck went up on two wheels to get over a rough patch, Draven pulled her onto his lap. “I’m fin—”

“Leave it out, Indy,” he growled in her ear. “Every time you bang your head off the window, it pisses me off. Either sit here or I’m going to slit Kristof’s throat, and it’s not his fault the road is in shit condition.”

He was right. As much as she hated to admit it, she was being stupid by insisting she was fine. She wasn’t. It sucked, but there was nothing she could do but sit on his lap and let him hold her in place. She huffed in annoyance, but settled back against his chest, ignoring the equipment and gear strapped to his vest. She could deal with them digging into her back, as it meant she didn’t have to feel his body heat seeping into her skin.

“Good girl.”

His breath washed over the side of her neck as he whispered to her. She had no business wanting to arch her neck as if inviting him to kiss her there. No business, but she did it anyway.

Hussy!

His hands wrapped around her waist and he shifted her against him, this time her butt was pressed against something attached to the lower end of his vest.

“Can you move what’s digging into me?”

He chuckled softly against her ear. “Nope, it’s attached to me.”

It took a couple of seconds for what he meant to sink in. “Oh.” Even she could hear the mortification in her voice. Heat climbed up the back of her neck and given how she was sitting on his lap and the amused noise he made behind her head, she knew he saw her blush.

Asshole. Imma going to make you pay for being a dick.

Dick… hummm… remind him that two can play that game.

She waited for the next rough patch on the road. It would never do to be so obvious. When the truck rolled, she moved her body with it, half standing out of his lap, before slamming down as the truck righted itself again. Indy bit her lip to keep her groan from escaping. She was more than willing to torture herself if it made him growl like that. Next to them Braddock snickered. She turned her face to him, grinned, and winked.

We’re all adults here. No reason to be embarrassed.

She snorted in her head.

You sure talk a good game, sister.

She shifted, wriggling on his lap. Teasing herself hadn’t been the plan. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting him to do, or how she’d thought he’d react, but holding her in place while his penis pushed against her butt hadn’t been it. But the stubborn bitch inside her refused to veer from her path.

“If you keep doing that,” Draven muttered, “one or both of us are gonna be very embarrassed right quick.”

She glanced at him over her shoulder, her eyes innocently wide. “Are you telling me you have no staying power?”

Braddock guffawed and slammed his fist into his chest as if to stop himself from choking. “You are killing me.”

“Behave, damn it.”

Make me.

He didn’t think he could kiss her like he had back there. Then tell her it was just to distract her and think there would be no payback, did he? It was almost as if he’d forgotten who she was. “No.”

“Indy.”

The warning was clear in his voice, but she chose to ignore it. A dangerous path to take—maybe—but she was already on it and peddling full steam ahead. She could barely move with how his grip was holding her in place. But she was determined to make every tiny movement she could manage count.

“You better not be jacking off in the truck,” Kristof drawled from the front seat. “If you are, then Wolf will lose his shit and make you clean it.”

“Oh my God.” Draven’s words were barely audible. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Can’t do that,” she dragged out the last word. “Because if you do, then have fun explaining to your sister that you murdered her bestie for turning you on.”

“Jesus,” Lucian called from the row behind them. “Boss, tell me we can sell tickets to this show. We’d make a fucking fortune at the sexual tension pouring off those two.”

“Better than a strip joint, that’s for sure,” Brodie agreed.

Indy refused to let their teasing get the better of her. That she could feel the tension they spoke about pouring off Draven both thrilled and unnerved her.

Maybe you are going a teeny bit too far.

But before she let common sense prevail, the truck gave one last dip and jerk and then righted again.

“Fucking finally,” Kristof muttered. “A straight road.”

“We’ll be in a town in about twenty minutes.” Braddock tilted his arm to show Kristof the map on his wrist-held device. “At least I’m assuming that’s where we’re heading.”

“Yeah, Wolf said they have a hotel in the area which doubles as a safe house.”

“Thank fuck,” Draven muttered, “I need to take a leak.”

Everyone snorted at his comment, including her. He could use that as an excuse all he wanted. But they all knew that was not how one relieved pressure in your dick. Not that she had one, mind you. But she’d kind of paid attention in biology class. She moved off his lap and into the center seat again. Now they were on a decent road, there was no need for her to still be on his lap.

“We are not done,” Draven whispered into her ear. “I’m warning you; we are not done.”

She ignored the shiver which ran through her and turned to smirk at him. “Bring it, big boy, show me what you got.” She decided once they got to the hotel, she was paying for her own room and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

If she’d been expecting some kind of resort or a typical hotel, she’d have been disappointed. Who was she kidding? She was disappointed. When Kristof followed Wolf down a side street and in through a set of gates which had miraculously opened as they’d approached it, she scanned the courtyard as the trucks pulled to a stop. “I thought we were going to a hotel.”

“This is a hotel.” Draven pushed open the door and climbed out. Despite the display they’d put on in the truck, he clearly remembered the manners his momma and Mrs. Mac had drummed into them as children and he turned, blocking her exit, clearly scanning for trouble, before he turned and offered her his hand to help her out. “At least it’s what counts a hotel in this place.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You aren’t meant to.” Instead of forging ahead, he was almost a step behind her with one hand placed squarely on her lower back, guiding her forward.

He’s comfortable here. He’s been here before.

She eyed the tall man in fatigues who stood waiting for them at the doorway. At least a couple of inches over six foot, with blond hair and piercing green eyes which flicked over her before moving onto Draven.

“Who invited you to my little piece of paradise, Kilkenny?” the man asked. “Because you weren’t with the guys when they went on safari.”

It didn’t take a genius to guess safari was a euphemism for a mission.

“We stumbled across ‘em,” Wolf answered before Draven could. “And decided it was better to bring them here. They’d get into shit if we left them wandering around in the jungle causing shit you don’t want to deal with.”

“Yeah,” the man replied slowly. “It’s probably better that you brought them here.”

“Who’s he?”

“Classified,” Draven whispered back. “If he wants you to have his name, he’ll give it to you.”

“And here I was thinking you still had the manners your momma and Mrs. Mac gave you.”

“Hah.”

“This your wife, Kilkenny?” The man turned to them. “Nobody told me you got hitched.”

“Hell no.” As if realizing how he sounded, Draven huffed out a breath. “She’s a friend. I’m giving her a ride home.”

Even if what he said was mostly truth, yet another rejection from him stung more than she would like. “What he said.”

“Good, then, you won’t mind sharing with him.” The corner of the man’s mouth quirked up on one side. “Because this ain’t no Hallmark movie and my momma would kick my butt into the middle of next week if I made you share a room with a stranger.”

“I… um—”

“Thanks.” Draven nodded to their host. “I appreciate that.”

“I bet you do, you ole dawg.” He turned away from them. “C’mon in the house and get out of the sun. I’ll have Mucy find all y’all some grub and something cold to drink.”

“Thanks, man.” Draven urged her to follow him into the house, almost stepping on her heels until the door had shut behind them.

“Wolf.” Their host pointed to a corridor. “You and your men can take the same rooms you had before. Take everyone but Kilkenny and his—er—friend with you. They can stay in my guest room.”

“Man, I thought we were friends.” Wolf smacked his hand off their host’s. “And you are sending me off with the minions while Kilkenny and his woman get your fancy guest suite.”

“When you go boobs instead of balls, you can stay in my guest suite,” their host shot back. “Mucy will have refreshments ready in about half an hour. You know where you’ll find them.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Wolf replied. “Thanks, man.”

“No worries,” their host replied. “Anything for a brother, and you know it.”

Indy turned that little nugget of information over in her head. Anything for a brother. Was this man a SEAL? A former SEAL? She supposed it didn’t matter who he was. She walked next to Draven as they followed him deeper into the house. If it mattered, she’d figure it out when she needed to.

“I wasn’t expecting guests.” Their host opened a door and stepped out of the way to let them enter the room. “I’ll have Mucy come in an’ dust.”

“Nah.” Draven waved him off. “It’s perfect as it is. Seriously, we appreciate you putting us up.”

“Yes, we do,” she added on. “A little dust never hurt anyone.”

“My social skills are a little rusty.” He shrugged. “My ma would have a shit fit.” He grinned again. “Thankfully, she isn’t here to do it.” He leaned into the room. “But at least you don’t have to share a bathroom with everyone else.”

“I appreciate it more than you know.” Indy smiled at him. “I’ve been trucking through the jungle for days.” She wrinkled her nose. “I can smell myself, never mind them.”

“If you go now,” their host nodded to a door, “the bathroom is through there. You better shower fast, or all the hot water will be gone.”

She could take a hint when one was so blatantly given. As much as she wanted to know who this man was, she would take her smelly nosey self into the bathroom and wallow about it under the shower. “Thank you.”

She took her rucksack from Draven and headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She dropped the bag on the floor and rested her forehead against the door. “What was I thinking? I wasn’t—that’s what happened. I wasn’t thinking.”

Murmuring of voices filtered through the closed door and she pressed her ear against it, trying to make out the words.

“If you see my brother, tell him I’m vertical…”

She didn’t catch the rest of the words as it sounded like they had moved out into the hallway. She’d ask Draven about it later. But for now, the shower was calling her name loud enough that she could no longer resist. She flipped on the water, used the toilet, and stripped off the filthy clothes she’d worn for way too long. “I’ll deal with you later,” she told her pants as she dropped them on the tile floor and nudged them to one side to step under the water. “Mmh, he was right, this is paradise.” Conscious that the men would probably also like a hot shower, she hurried through washing her hair and slathered on some of the conditioner she found on the shelf, then soaped up her hands with the bar of soap next to it to scrub her skin as best she could with no washcloth, the lack of one telling her it was mostly men who stayed here.

When she was done, she switched off the water and wrapped herself in one of the towels, twisting the other one into a turban to keep her hair from dripping all over the floor. After donning clean clothes from her ruck, she put the filthy clothes into the large plastic bag she kept for just this purpose and put them in the back before zipping it closed.

“Bathroom is fr—” She cut off on a yelp as her wrist was caught when she emerged from the bathroom and she was pushed against the wall.

“Did you mean it?”

Draven!

“You scared the shit out of me, asshole.”

His breath was hot against her ear, his voice gravelly when he rasped, “Did you mean it, Indy, or was it just teasing to you?”

Yes. Yes, I meant it.

Oh, lord.

Doing this changes everything.

It’s sex. It doesn’t have to.

That’s a steaming heap of bullshit and you know it.

She pushed back against him and spun to face him. “Did I mean to drive you crazy?”

“Yeah.” He braced his hands on the wall at either side of her head, enclosing her between them. “Was it just teasing…” He paused and blew out a slow breath. “Or you telling me you want more from me?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but he stopped her with a finger to her lips.

“Before you answer that…” He captured her mouth, sipping from her lips as if they tasted of the finest cabernet. His dancing tongue and the hand massaging her scalp drew whimpers from deep inside her. She didn’t know how long they kissed, but when he broke away, she sighed and tried to pull his head back down.

“Now you can answer,” he whispered softly. “I wanted to taste you again before you told me no, or kneed me in the balls.”

She was going to knee him in the balls if he didn’t kiss her like she was his last breath again. Did she dare believe this wasn’t just a one and done? But somehow, with Draven, she knew better than to expect anything more.

“I want you to tell me you want me too.”

Stunned, that was the only way to describe her reaction. Her jaw dropped, and she shook her head. “You are asking me if I want you too?” Was he dense? Did he think she was like this with everyone?

“Yeah.”

She wrapped one hand around the back of his neck and drew him down until his mouth hovered over hers. “Kiss me.”

He kissed her again and again and again, slow, exploring, and deep, then scorching hot and wild until she couldn’t tell where he began and she ended. He whispered, “Be sure, because I do not want to fuck things up between us.”

Fingers trembling, she lifted the hem of her shirt, and whipped it over her head, baring her bra covered breasts to him.

“Jesus, Indy.” There it was; the sexy growl he didn’t even appear to know came from him. “I want to touch you. Will you let me?”

She shot him a sidelong glance, and her heart skipped a few beats. Never had anyone look at her like that, with such burning intensity that she felt it all the way down to her toes.

“May I?”

“God, yes, please.” If he didn’t, she was going to burst into flames any second. She swallowed hard, unable to look away as his stare held her spellbound. She nodded, her hands reaching for his shirt, tugging it out of the waistband of his pants. As he kissed her again, she was grateful that he divested himself of his flak jacket and gear while she’d been in the shower.

His hands, hot, large, and insistent, covered her breasts, squeezing and releasing, before tugging down her bra to flick over her nipple with his thumbnail.

He slanted his lips over hers and wrapped his other hand behind her back, keeping her close to him. She ran her hands up his back, using her nails, reminding him that while she may be the woman, she would not be a passive partner. She refused to have half measures from him. Especially not from him.

She pressed her lips to his throat when he released her mouth and bent his head to suckle at her nipples, sending excitement and desire surging through her.

When his thick fingers slid down, popped the button on her pants, and delved under her panties, she didn’t know how her knees were holding her up. But she didn’t have time to figure it out as he skimmed one finger down between her folds, ramping up the heat and desire between them.

He moved a finger, and then another. “Jesus, look how wet you are, Indy. I love how easily my fingers slide over your pussy.”

She pressed her head into the wall, arching toward him with her body, and swallowed against her rioting emotions.

“When we make love,” he ran his finger in a circle over her opening, “I promise, I am going to worship your pussy with my mouth until you come on my tongue.”

She clutched onto his shoulders as the promise in his voice went to her head. He pressed at the bundle of nerves and sent sparks of lightning scorching her body from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. Her hips rocked against him, craving more of the pressure he gave.

“Ready, baby?” He tilted her head up and brushed a soft kiss across her mouth. When she nodded, because words were impossible right now, he pushed a finger into her, then another.

“Ahh.” She arched against him, closing her eyes against the intensity on his face as he watched her.

With excruciating slowness, he withdrew his fingers and then plunged back in.

“Draven,” she sighed.

He twisted his hand and pressed the heel against her clit while his fingers moved in and out of her pussy.

“Faster.”

“Demanding little thing.” But he did as she asked.

It wasn’t enough. She clenched hard around his fingers. “Harder.” A scrumptious wave of something she’d not felt before swept through her, wrapping around her. Pulling her along, urging her higher until she was almost at the point of exploding. She just needed… “More, please, Draven, more.” He pinched that aching spot in the center of her folds, and she shattered, shuddering and moaning as her sex clenched around his fingers. The delicious waves of her orgasm went on and on, until she sagged against his chest and he carefully withdrew his fingers.

He pressed a kiss to her temple and fixed her bra back into place. “So damn beautiful.” He caught her hands when she skimmed along the top of his pants and drew them to his mouth. He turned first one and then the other over and kissed each palm.

She knew. She just knew this was it. He was going to walk away. She clamped down on the disappointment and hurt which splashed over her like a bucket of cold water.

“I’m gonna go shower in the guys’ area.” Draven pulled a key out of his pocket and placed it on the small table next to them, then grabbed his ruck. “Lock the door when I leave. Don’t open it for anyone but me.”

He’s leaving now? What a jerk.

Fabulous, he thought she was stupid as well as wanton. Leaving her now after what they’d just done was a dick move. She clenched her hands into fists. She could punch him now… right? That was allowed?

“Have another shower. We’ll go grab dinner when I get back. And, Indy?”

Despite the fact that the thought of another hot, steamy shower reminded every muscle in her body they ached from running and from the orgasm which had raced through her a couple of minutes ago, she refused to cry in frustration. The jackass would probably think she was upset and there wasn’t a hope in cornflakes that she was going to know let him know that. “What?” She couldn’t keep her voice as even as she’d wanted to. She didn’t mind if he thought she was pissed, it was much preferable than him knowing she was hurt and upset. He didn’t get to give her one glimpse of what it could be like between them and then disappear to jack himself off in the shower somewhere. It would serve him right if she’d taken off and found her own way home by the time he got back.

“Be here when I get back, because I swear if you make me chase after you, I’m gonna be pissed as fuck.” His growl was low. If he’d been a dog, she’d have been tempted to say it was feral. “I’ll be listening to hear the lock turn.”

The asshole is reading my fricking mind.

She’d never been so tempted to throw a key at someone’s head before. She gritted her teeth and waited for the door to close before ramming the key into the hole. She turned the key and repeated the phrase Mrs. Mac had drummed into her. “Patience is a virtue. Patience is a freaking virtue. My ass.”

“Patience and you do not mix.”

“Bastard.” She gave the closed door a middle finger. It wouldn’t be polite to yell the words which ran through her head. If she had any hope of retaining her sanity and being able to pretend nothing had happened between them, then polite was the only thing she could be.

Ugh. Men are freaking infuriating .