“Thanks.” She smiles at him.
Diego just nods. She steps closer. “I’m Aurora.”
He doesn’t look her in the eye. Diego doesn’t talk much, and he bears the scars of a life of violence. We all do. Each one of us is a retired assassin or merc, except for Tiernan, who had his hands in all sorts of mafia dealings before faking his own death. We’re tainted goods. It’d be wise of me to keep that in mind, but the more I look at the pretty-eyed angel next to me, the more I want to dirty her up.
“Diego,” he finally mutters.
“This has been fun.” Tiernan turns to me. “Where’s the turkey?”
“No turkey tonight.”
He frowns. “Well shit, how am I supposed to make ‘Tiernan’s Turkey Surprise’ with no turkey?”
I stare at him, the jokester of our ranks. “Just get some of the filets from the freezer. Steak night.”
“Good plan.” He claps me on the shoulder, then glances at Clover. “Watch out for this one. He’s a real lady killer.”
“What?” She glances at me.
“Tiernan,” I growl, but he’s already striding away, a smirk on his face, no doubt.
“He’s an asshole.” Maybe I’m an asshole, too, because I want to get Clover alone. Right now.
“Diego, could you look after Aurora? I’m going to take Clover to my place and make sure she wasn’t busted up any in the wreck.”
“I’m fine. Bells took—”
“I’ll go with you,” Aurora tells Diego brightly. “I love adventures.”
He looks at me with suspicion. “Split up?”
“Just for now.” I wrap my free arm around Clover and lead her up the stairs and into the sprawling lodge.
“I’ll see you in a little bit,” Clover calls to Aurora, who is staring at Diego with curiosity.
“I don’t know if I should leave her with—”
She doesn’t finish the sentence, because as soon as the garage door closes, I turn on her, push her against the wall, and claim her lips again. I’m desperate for her, my body like a bundle of kindling ready to burst into flames. To my fucking delight, she answers my kiss with her own, her arms wrapping around my neck as I grip her ass and lift her, carrying her to my room.
7
Clover
There is something wrong with me. Each time Charles’ mouth takes mine, I can’t seem to think about anything else. The rest of the world and the millions of things to worry about all seem to vanish. With him, all I feel is passion, and I want to soak it all up. I wonder if this is how it is for everyone. If so, then I’ve been missing out on this kissing thing.
“What are you doing to me?” I ask when his mouth leaves mine and goes to my neck.
“I need to taste you.” He’s pulling at my clothes, and I’m not stopping him. I stand there as he removes piece after piece of my clothing until I’m completely naked. It’s too fast and too much, but also just right on every level. He’s hitting every pleasure center in my brain like he’s turning on the lights in a dark house, and I want him beyond reason.
I’m not shy about my body. I was graced with good genes. Ones that made Bells and Aurora want to punch me in the face. I can eat everything and never gain a pound. They’re both freaking gorgeous, so I find it only fair that I get to eat whatever I want. At least I have that going for me. My balance is iffy, my eyesight terrible, and I also have some odd tics, but I try not to let anything stop me from going for what I want. And right now? I want Charles.
He can’t seem to take his eyes off me. He could have had one of his men tend to me as he’d done with the others, but he’d insisted I’d be going with him. I have to say that I was both relieved and excited that he wanted me all to himself.
“You are tasting me.” I moan when his teeth rake across my shoulder before he gives it a small bite that goes straight to my clit. “I think you may be eating me, too.”
“Promise you, pretty eyes, when I’m eating you, you'll know it.”
That does nothing to soothe the throb between my legs. If anything, it makes it worse because the only thing I can think of now is his broad shoulders parting my thighs as he feasts on me.
“Lift me,” I order. I need to be closer to him. He does as I say, and I wrap my legs around him.
“No one gives me orders, babe.”
“That’s funny, because I’m pretty sure I just did.” He lets out a deep chuckle that I feel all the way to my soul.
“I guess you’re the exception.”
Crap. I’m falling deep already. Way past like and right into the big L with this mysterious mountain man who saved me from a snowy end. I’m new to all this, and I want all of it at once. This is what happens when you’re too busy in life to date. The first person who shows you affection turns you into a clinger. When he pulled me in here, I was thinking this was going to be a fling. Not that I’ve ever had one before, but I figured what the heck. I guess a near death experience will do that to you.
I almost died a virgin. I have to make sure I begin living life a little. I thought a night of fun sounded as though it was exactly what I needed. I figured I could have a quick roll in the hay, and then tomorrow the girls and I would be gone. That idea had blown up in my face real quick, considering my heart is starting to get in the way.
“You just fell into my lap. How?” He pulls back and stares into my eyes. “How did I luck out like this, after all these years alone?”
Why are my eyes watering? I can’t seem to get a handle on my emotions.
He moves across the room until I feel my back being pressed against a mattress. He frees himself of my hold to stand at the side of the bed. I don’t know how long he stands there taking in every inch of my body. It’s as if he’s memorizing it. I’m sure he knows that tonight is all we likely have. I want to enjoy every moment I can with him until real life comes crashing down on us again.
“Take your shirt off.”
He gives me a half smile but reaches behind him to grab it and tosses it away.
“See?” I smirk. “You take orders quite well.”
“That’s it.” He lunges for me. I let out a small scream. I roll over to my stomach to try and get away from him, but his hands grab my ankles and pull me back down the bed. My ass is on full display now.
I look over my shoulder to see what he’s doing. He kisses one cheek and then the other. When he goes to do it again, he takes a bite. I let out a small scream. It doesn't hurt. It can't, because when he slips his fingers through my wet folds, there is no hiding that what he’s doing is turning me on.
“Fuck, you’re wet. Does it hurt, pretty eyes?”
“Please” is all I can get out. In one quick move, he flips me over, and I’m on my back once again. My legs hang off the side of the bed where he is now kneeling. He lifts my legs, throwing them over his shoulders.
“What are you doing?” I ask. It’s a stupid question. I might be a prude at times, but I know what he’s about to do, but still I’d found myself asking the question.