I release her nipple from my lips and kiss my way down her belly, pushing her thighs apart. Natalie props herself up on her elbows to see what I’m doing, and when I slide my tongue through her wet pussy, her head falls back as she releases a deep groan of pleasure.
“You taste like sugar,” I murmur, then dive back in. She’s sweet and creamy, her flesh soft and puffy, and I suck and lick her as if she’s an ice cream cone.
“Oh, fuck,” she whines, her hips squirming. “Fuck, Murphy, I’m gonna come!”
Hell yes.
I roll my tongue against her insistently as her body shudders deeply, her cry of pleasure bouncing off the walls. It’s better than I imagined, and it’s only when she squirms away from my mouth that I stop.
“Make love to me,” Natalie whispers. “Please, Murphy.”
I pull her to the edge of the bed, loving the way she looks all spread out for me. I press her knees apart and back, then line up my thick, heavy cock at her hot, wet opening. Take it slow and easy, I tell myself sternly and start to sink into her slowly.
Her body is tense as I enter her, but I go as slow as possible, murmuring to her to relax. I feel her gradually unclench as she lets me farther inside her. Natalie hisses sharply in pain when I breach her resistance, but she nods for me to keep going.
Her grip is tighter than a dream—hot, wet. I hold very still for a moment, letting her adjust to me as much as I’m trying to keep my shit together. Then I start thrusting in and out of her, working my cock nice and slow, being gentle. Her creamy pussy relaxes even more, her excitement making it easier for me to move, and soon, she fucks me back, lifting her hips to meet each one of my thrusts inside her.
“Fuck,” I growl through clenched teeth. “You feel amazing!”
She only mewls back at me. Her hands reach over her head to grip handfuls of the bedding as I fuck her a little harder, a little deeper. Her pussy squeezes me tight, and I see fucking stars every time she does it.
“I think I’m gonna come again,” Natalie moans, her hips moving back against me faster. “Oh my God!”
She squeezes me even harder, and her inner muscles flutter as she screams out her pleasure. The sensation of it makes my knees buckle, and my cock warns me I’ve reached the point of no return. Gripping her thighs and groaning long and low, I empty myself deep inside her as my orgasm claims me.
I collapse on top of her, and she holds me close. Her body trembles.
I kiss her temple. “Are you okay, Natalie?”
“Yes,” she says faintly, sounding sleepy. “I’m okay. Help me up?”
I carefully withdraw from her and wrap my arms around her, helping her stand. Natalie heads to the bathroom, and I hear running water. A moment later, she emerges and crawls into bed beside me.
“Is this—okay for me to be here?” I ask hesitantly, already knowing how foolish a question it is.
Her low giggle puts me at ease. “Yes. It’s okay for you to be here. It’s not okay for you not to be here.”
I pull her close to my chest. And even though there are very likely people after her, and even though I’m in the middle of a mission and risking operational security, I let myself have this one moment of peace because I don’t know when I’ll have another one.
6
Natalie
Gentle hands shake me awake. “Natalie. Wake up.”
Blinking, I shoot up straight. “What? What is it?”
Murphy perches on the edge of my bed, his phone in hand. I note with surprise that he’s fully dressed, including his vest and gun. “I got a message from my tech guy. The chopper has a new rally point. Your father’s en route. We’re going to meet him there, and then the two of you are heading to Kuwait.
I squint at the clock on the nightstand. It’s barely two thirty in the morning. “Now?”
“It’s safer to go at night,” he tells me patiently. “We weren’t followed, and neither was your father. So it’s the safest time to go.”
The thought of leaving and possibly never seeing Murphy again after what we just shared jars me. You knew this wasn’t a permanent thing, a mental voice chides me. You wanted an experience. You got it. Now it’s time to move on.
Convincing my heart of the same is far more complicated.
“You should get dressed,” he adds. “And pack a bag, but only bring what you absolutely need. One bag.”
I dress as quickly as I can in the clothes I had on earlier, then stuff handfuls of underwear, bras, and other clothing items into a backpack. I follow it up with my toothbrush, toothpaste, and toiletry bag. As an afterthought, I locate my work laptop and charger.
Murphy’s standing by the bedroom door. “All set?”
I nod. “All—”
Bam!
I jump. “What the fuck?” Fear lances through me.
Murphy puts a finger to his lips. Every line of him is alert. He listens carefully, then draws his gun. He motions for me to get on the other side of the bed, the side farthest from the door.
I scramble around, and he joins me.
“Stay down,” he whispers. He hunches down, gun poised, and when the bedroom door flies open, he springs up to his knees and opens fire.
That means…people are in my apartment. People broke into my apartment. My apartment…for me.
I squeeze my eyes shut.
Then Murphy’s hand is under my arm, hauling me up. “Let’s go, let’s go! Stay behind me!”
I throw my backpack on and trail him as closely as I can, keeping my head ducked. I catch sight of booted feet sprawled on the floor and close my eyes. Don’t look. Don’t look.
Just then, a dark shadow rushes into Murphy from the left. One more intruder.
They crash into my kitchen table as I stumble back. The intruder, dressed in black, seems to get the upper hand. He tries to force a gun to Murphy’s head, and Murphy’s arms strain as he tries to keep him away.
Do something! Help him!
I whirl around, unsure of what to do. Then I spy a combat knife on the floor next to one of the dead intruders. Without another thought, I scoop it up and rush over to them…and slam the knife into the intruder’s back.
He howls, letting go of Murphy, and allowing him to kick the man off. He pulls his gun and finishes him off, then turns to me. “Let’s go!”
I’m still standing, shocked, staring at the man who I helped…kill.
Then Murphy’s in front of me, cupping my face. “Natalie, stay with me.”
“I—I fucking stabbed another human being,” I say, my voice weak and hollow and stunned.
His thumbs stroke my cheek. “You saved my life, is what you did,” he says and kisses my forehead. “It was him or us. And you chose us. I can’t thank you enough.”
I reach up to wrap my hands around his wrists. This isn’t a dream—his skin is warm, his forearms taut with muscle, and my fingertips brush the pulse in his wrist. This is real.
“We have to go,” he says gently, then takes my hands and leads me out of the apartment.
We take the stairs to the ground floor, then we head out a back entrance. Murphy keeps his gun up and ready as I grip the back of his vest. We sidle around the corner of the apartment. Just then, a bullet tears into the building right above my head.