Page 13 of Going Rogue (Tactical Operations & Protection (TOP))

Rogue

The heat in Crane’s eyes was a solar flare capable of decimating her insides. Rogue tried to breathe through it, but her stomach had lodged itself in her chest cavity, stealing precious air from her lungs.

If he kept looking at her like that, she might spontaneously combust.

She’d demanded the use of the washbasin before they did anything, but it proved hard to focus on cleaning the dirt from her arms with his gaze trained on her every movement. He sat on the edge of the bed with his hands balled into fists in his pants pockets.

Clearing her throat, she asked, “Can you give me a minute?” To make sure he understood, she pointed toward the tent flap. She needed to wash some very important parts, and she couldn’t do it with an audience.

His sigh was audible, but he stood to leave. “I’ll be right outside.”

“Great!” Oh God, her voice climbed several octaves as if she’d suddenly inhaled helium.

Way to sound like a nervous wreck!

He gave her a strange look but, thankfully, didn’t comment. She wanted the cleansing ritual to give herself time to calm down, even at the risk of trying his patience.

When he disappeared through the flap, Rogue blew out a breath. She needed a drink or something to settle her nerves. She’d faced down armed men and not been this wound up.

As quickly as she could, she removed the rest of her clothes and scrubbed herself clean. But it didn’t stop her head from spinning.

What if I do something wrong? What if I suck at it? What if—No!

She mentally slapped herself and shook out her shoulders. Time to stop being neurotic over nothing. No matter how things went, it didn’t really matter because this would only be a one-time event.

With that fact calming her at least a minuscule amount, she climbed under the bed covers and called for Crane to return.

A frown tugged at his lips when he stepped inside. “What are you doing?”

She wasn’t sure how to answer, but he didn’t seem to need one as he stalked to the bed. “Why are you hiding under the blankets?”

The question irked her. “I’m not hiding.” She wasn’t . . . was she?

“I want to see you.” When he started to pull the covers down, she instinctively wanted to hold onto them.

After scolding herself for acting like a ninny, she sat up, letting him look his fill. A shiver racked her, but it had nothing to do with the air temperature.

The honey in his eyes glowed as he said, “You’re fuckin’ gorgeous.”

She didn’t pretend those words meant anything, but she couldn’t deny that Crane’s proximity amplified the magnetic energy between them, heating her from the inside out. What didn’t incinerate under his gaze burned with an impossible pressure when he hadn’t even touched her yet.

But she wanted him to.

Arching a brow, she goaded, “Are you planning to do more than look?”

“A lot more.” A dangerous smile built and spread across his face, making her stomach respond with jitters as if she’d swallowed jumping beans.

She didn’t know who reached for whom first, but she found herself being lifted off the bed as their lips melded together.

Her legs dangled, so she wrapped them around Crane’s waist. With his mouth on hers, every nerve ending in her body stood at attention.

She felt each scrape of his pants against her thighs.

When his metal belt buckle pressed against her center, its cool burn fired off new sensations until her whole body buzzed like a fuse waiting to go off.

Without disconnecting their mouths, Crane lowered them both until he sat on the bed with her straddling his lap .

His kiss was all-encompassing.

In the possessive slide of his tongue and the rough glide of his hands over her, she felt his longing—desire gone desperate from leaving it unquenched for so long.

She accepted the need spilling out of him and answered with understanding and patience she didn’t know she possessed.

Because the same need surged within her.

No one had affected her like this before.

Only Crane.

It seemed almost as if she’d been waiting for him.

She didn’t bother to wonder why the thought hadn’t brought any fear with it.

The more he kissed her, the more drugged she felt.

Enough that she couldn’t think straight in his embrace.

Her body became merely a vessel for desire.

When her core begged for friction, she instinctively rocked her hips against the bulge in Crane’s lap.

He broke the kiss with a groan. “Damn, baby. That feels good.”

Too far gone to care about his use of the diminutive, she repeated the movement of her hips.

He buried his head in her neck. She ached for more—more friction to feed the pressure building within her.

When his lips found a sensitive spot at the juncture of her collarbone, she cried out, arching against him.

“Mm, you like that, Rogue?” His tongue trailed across the tender spot before his mouth covered it, sucking with enough force to leave her gasping.

What is he doing to me?

Her nails clawed at his back when his head lowered, lavishing the same attention on her breasts. Pinpricks of pleasure arrowed through her, lighting her up like a firework. With a noise she didn’t recognize, her head fell back, her hands instinctively moving to grip his broad shoulders.

Don’t stop. Never stop.

She must’ve spoken the demand aloud because he chuckled, and the air leaving his lips tickled her sensitive skin. “Baby, we’re just getting started.”

Before she could comment, he shifted their position, lying down and pulling her hips forward until she straddled his face. “What are you—oh, oh, God. ”

Words failed her when his tongue traced her folds.

Sparks of electricity skipped up her back.

Noises she was positive she’d never made before burst from her lips as he feasted on her with his mouth.

Tasting her, teasing her, until her hips moved in a dance she didn’t realize she knew.

She felt wild and free as she gave herself up to the demands of her body.

“That’s it, baby, ride my face.” His words were almost unintelligible. She’d gotten lost in a haze of pleasure stronger than any dust storm.

It blanketed her, smothered her, and filled her up past the point of bursting until she detonated. As her back arched in a rigid bow, a shocked cry spurted from her lips, and lights flickered behind her closed lids. Every bone in her body liquified.

If this was death, she welcomed it.

Drifting among the waves of pleasure, she melted into the bed, falling forward over Crane.

While she lay there, he shifted out from under her and spoke. But her ears were still roaring. She’d just had the most powerful orgasm of her life.

E-ver.

He’d blown away any expectations she’d had. Of course, she’d hoped sex with Crane would be good, but this didn’t even exist in the same realm as good. It was fucking astronomical.

Shit . Did he ruin her for any other man?

◆◆◆

Crane

“Are you still with me, squirrel?” He couldn’t resist stroking his hand across the delicate ridges of her spine. All her smooth, tanned skin begged to be touched. He’d shifted out from under her and now lay propped on an elbow next to her prone form.

She groaned at his use of the nickname, making him grin. He’d figured it would get her moving, and he was right. She rolled over, blinking up at him.

“I don’t think I can move.”

A lance of pride and deep satisfaction coursed through him at her words, widening his grin. He’d made her feel this way. Him. And no one else.

He brushed a few blonde strands off her face and teased, “You just did.” Leaning in, he nipped the soft skin of her breast. Her gasp made him chuckle. “Besides, we’re not finished yet.” He pulled back to catch the eyes she’d narrowed at him.

“Pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you?”

Tracing her collarbone with his finger, he lingered over the spot she’d seemed to like. “Are you suggesting I shouldn’t be?”

“It’s poor form to gloat.” The twitch of her lips ruined the superior look she shot at him. Any second, the laugh he saw in her eyes would bubble out.

With a smirk, he tossed back, “You’re welcome.”

She tried to hide the giggle with a fake cough, but it didn’t work. The battle was lost. Mirth shook her frame, and he had to smile at the happiness bursting out of her despite the nerves he’d sensed in her earlier. Finally, she’d relaxed.

The lamplight reflected in her eyes as he watched her, casting them with a golden glow. They were warm enough he wanted to sink into them. The thought caused a flutter in his chest. A new and strange sensation, as if seeing her like this, made his heart desperate to give itself to her.

She’s not ready.

He scraped a hand over the spot near his sternum, rustling the material of his shirt and pushing the feeling away. There would be time to tell her how he felt—later. Right now, it would only scare her away.

When she had her laughter under control, she said, “I guess you’re pretty good at that, big guy.”

“You guess?” He clapped a hand to his chest in mock alarm as if she’d wounded him. “Apparently, I need to prove myself to you.” He rolled so he hovered over her, a forearm braced on either side of her head.

As he grinned down at her, she nibbled her lip, and the nerves returned to her expression. Bending, Crane gently kissed her sore and told her, “We can stop here, Rogue. Whatever you want.” He’d go as slow as she needed.

But she gave her head a slight shake. “No. I want this. ”

He read the truth in the plea swimming in her eyes and nodded. “Then let me love you.”

The words were a slip of the tongue, but she wouldn’t know how deeply he meant them. Tucking the overwhelming tide of emotions away, he placed his lips on hers in a kiss that started tender but heated much too quickly.

She triggered something in him—some primal instinct. Wild and savage, he strained against the desperate need to claim her and make her his.

Mine. Only mine.