Burning Intensity (10 page)

“Holy shit, you’ve more than adequately made it clear you know me well, too. Let’s not become one more road statistic, though.”

El licked her lips and managed to stay silent for another minute.

“I was thinking about that when we got into the car earlier, anyway. But I got distracted thinking I’d rather have you ream my arse. That would prove rather difficult to do in here, though. Then I got back to thinking about this baffling case and my mood understandably soured.”

James glanced at her a few more times. She chuckled, lifted her hand away from his, not trusting herself to have much more contact with him just yet, and waved at the road.

“Better focus on that. I’d like to make it back to your flat in good health. I think we both have plans for later.”

“Bloody right on that,” he muttered.

Feminine power had her feeling almost drunk. Her frustrations seemed negligible just now. They were still present, simmering under the surface, but they no longer consumed her. Heat flooded her body. Desire, liquid and potent, had her pussy slick and her nipples tight.

Oh yeah, she had plans for herself and James. While some of them included finding this damn painting and getting answers, others were far more sensual and provocative in nature.

James drove like a man possessed, his features hard and controlled. It didn’t take a psychic to realize his mind was consumed with delicious, wicked thoughts of what waited for them when they got back to his flat.

Chapter Six

“You’ve called Robert Stevens. Please leave a message and I’ll get back to you.”

Beep.

“Rob, it’s El. Just a heads up for you—Louise Calloway is likely headed into HQ to check on her brother. Neither James nor I think she’s involved in this, though I do believe she knows more than she’s told us about the work he does in general. I gave her my card and the main reception number we give out to civilians. I’ll call you back when I know more. Be safe.”

Snapping her phone closed, she pondered for a moment the reasons why Rob mightn’t be answering his mobile phone. She debated calling the landline at his desk, but decided she might just be acting paranoid. Rob was a grown man and more than capable of not getting himself in over his head. With his height, strength and physical capabilities, there were few men who could take him on, one on one.

“Everything all right?” James asked as he entered the living room carrying two plates piled with enormous sandwiches. El took a deep breath, pushed the stupid concern away and smiled.

“Yes. I left a message, he didn’t answer the call.”

James set the plates on the coffee table but didn’t sit. She could feel the tenderness and concern as he studied her features. He remained silent. Not wanting to spread her stupid concerns, El smiled. She reached out and touched James’ arm.

“He’s probably driving, or talking with someone about the case, and can’t stop to answer his phone. He knows I’d have texted him with our emergency signal if something was wrong, so if he was busy and saw my number he’d not necessarily answer. I’m not going to worry. Not yet.”

James nodded, accepting her explanation. Reaching his hands up, he then cupped her shoulders, drawing her into his embrace. El relaxed, her body melting into his. She held him tightly, soaking up the warmth emanating from his chest.

“I’ve missed you,” she murmured, lifting her chin to stare at him. For the hundredth time she memorized his features, willing herself to impress his face in her mind so she’d never forget a thing.

“Me too,” he replied.

James lowered his head and they kissed. It started out simply, almost chaste. Every time she experienced this, the wonder never dissipated. His lips were so soft, so perfect. She could die a happy woman if she never kissed another soul except this man. El tugged on his shirt, lifting it from the waistband of his pants. His skin was warm to her touch.

She moaned with approval. Smooth and hard, the flat planes of his muscled chest were delicious and she enjoyed the sensation of them under her hands. El traced her fingers up the small notches of his back, paying particular attention to the indentation of his spine. James shivered, growling huskily as they continued to parry and thrust their tongues together. She knew he was particularly sensitive there—it was why she focused her attention on the straight, long line of his backbone.

Passion grew through her body. She moved her mouth hungrily over his. He started to remove her clothes and the air filled with small sounds of pleasure from them both. Heat fused them together. It was only the beginning stages. She knew they’d burn before they sated each other.

“Off,” El panted as she tugged his shirt up over his head. “Get it all off.”

Shoes, pants and clothes were stripped off. El thrust her breasts forward as she arched back to remove her bra.

“Damn you’re gorgeous,” James breathed.

Distracted, El threw him a naughty, ravenous look over her shoulder. He was naked and breathtakingly erect. Her gaze heated, roamed down the long, muscular, perfect length of him.

James bit off a curt cuss and closed the distance between them. Standing there with her breasts pressed forward, and in her lacy thong, El didn’t have the brainpower—nor the urge—to move as he dipped, pressed his shoulder to her stomach and slung her over his body in a fireman’s carry.

Arse waving in the air, blood rushing to her head, her long red hair falling in her face and down in front of her, she could only laugh.

“James? Wait. What are you—?”

He lightly slapped her bum, a tiny sting that further aroused her. Not the sort of girl to remain placid—even when at a disadvantage—El worked her arms behind her and unclasped her bra. She tossed it to the floor as James entered the bedroom. Hooking her fingers into the waistband of her thong she tried to remove that too, but lost her grip as he lowered her to the bed.

She held her palms out to brace her descent. James’ warm body quickly followed her down. He flipped her onto her back and she grinned wickedly at him. He skimmed the tiny triangle of lace down her legs. His hunger visible on his face, James reached back up. He pressed his palms to her inner thighs, exerted a small force and coaxed her to spread for him.

Eagerly, she complied.

“Fuck but I’ve missed this,” James’ tone was rough, but his touch was exquisitely gentle.

El bent her elbows on the mattress and lifted her head and chest up to watch. Her lover lay between her legs, his face level with her pussy. Gently, he placed a hand under her arse, cupped her and lifted as he simultaneously lowered his head and licked a long, wet line along her lips.

The warmth of his tongue seared her. Tingles of pleasure followed the trail he made. El dug her heels into the bed, tilted higher and pressed forward, urging him on. Not needing any more incentive, James grasped her hips, angled her to his liking and ate at her.

Shocking sensations rippled through her. His tongue was devious, naughty and deliciously teasing. He spread her lips, devoured her with a hungry passion that couldn’t be faked. When he stroked over her clit, she arched up from the bed, crying out. Hands shaking, her breaths came faster, her heart beating so fast she felt it would break from her chest. Knots of delicious tension grew in her belly and still he pushed her higher. James joined his fingers with his tongue, and El had to fall back to the bed, her eyes pressed shut against the intensity that buffeted against her.

El gasped—the sounds that fell from her lips now couldn’t be put into words. The noise was raw, earthy and elemental. James pumped into her, seeking and finding every nerve and tender place and using that knowledge to devastating effect.

Hot, slick pressure pushed against her anus. A fire of nerves burned at his touch. El cried out in bliss, her body moving without her conscious will. Looking down, she saw James watching her, and her face flushed hotly. His lips glistened with her juices as he continued to lick and suck at her.

“James,” she moaned, caught up in the whirling vortex he’d created.

She felt his finger press at her puckered rear entrance. Her body resisted. He moved his hand and he collected more of her cream before returning again. The slick sensation was divine, even though she understood he was using it to grease his way. Slowly but with a steady force, he eased the tip of his finger into her anal passage.

Pressure turned to pain. Need blurred with resistance.

Logically, El knew full well that James’ cock could fit inside her arse. Men and women performed this act every day. Sensible reason, however, didn’t mean much when the mere tip of his finger had her feeling like her backside was on fire.

“I don’t think—” El bit off the words, tried to breathe through the discomfort. James didn’t lift his head from her pussy, so he could only mumble encouragingly. He shifted his free hand, tilting her hips down slightly to let him lick her clit in slow, wet circles.

Pleasure fought against the pain and the line blurred once again. El opened herself to the growing sensations, dizzy from the overwhelming dichotomy she’d never experienced before. Time dropped away and it was as if she and James were in their own little bubble. Nothing else mattered. Just him. His finger. Those feelings he could bombard her with.

All too soon, El found herself pressing her buttocks backward, accepting more of his digit. James balanced her perfectly, adding more sweetness when his possession became too much to bear. His progress was slow, but he had patience and seemed to enjoy watching her discover this new boundary.

When her body sang once again, he lifted his head. Overwhelming need had her uncaring at the loss of stimuli.

“El, darling, I need to get the lube.”

She nodded, beyond speech. El didn’t initially understand why he’d said this, until he carefully removed the finger up her arse, stroking her from the inside. The loss of that penetration had her gasping with dismay. She lowered her hand, then stroked her clit and played with one breast. She didn’t want to lose this moment.

James moved quickly, opening the bedside drawer and removing a tube, returning seconds later. He rested his eyes on her, pleasuring herself, splayed decadently on his bed. His gaze was admiring as he appeared to soak the sight up. When their eyes met, she grinned at him, wanton and not the least shy about it.

“Roll over, darling,” he murmured. “Let me prepare your arse. Damn you’re a gorgeous sight.”

Bracing a palm flat on the bed, El continued to caress her clit as she rolled onto her knees. Looking over her shoulder, she watched as James coated his thick, hard cock with the gel, then added more to his fingers until they shined with the slickness. She almost didn’t feel the slender digit slide a few inches into her arse, it was so well greased.

Only as he added a second finger did the pressure return. She widened her knees, lifted her arse and concentrated on relaxing her muscles.

“I’ve imagined this countless times,” he confessed. “Next time I’d love to restrain you, bind you to the headboard, maybe even spank you first. Redden your delicious arse to compliment the contrast between your pale skin and fiery hair. Damn, you’re every fantasy I could wish for, El.”

Turning, she gazed at him over her shoulder.

“If we’re going to get kinky then you’d better expect to indulge in a few of my fantasies too. I’ve always wanted to dabble with a cock ring. See how far I can push those boundaries of yours.”

He lifted one dark blond eyebrow. James seemed intrigued but not turned off by her suggestion. He nodded once.

“Seems like we have plenty to discuss later. I can handle that, El. It sounds tempting.”

James continued to caress his fingers within her inner passage, stretching her. El kept the pressure on her clit, blending the opposing sensations until she could hardly breathe through the strength of her need.

“Fuck me, James,” she panted, pleading with him. “I need more. Please.”

“It’ll be my pleasure,” he replied, his voice strained.

El groaned as James widened his fingers inside her, opening her even more as he slowly withdrew. She felt hollow, destitute when he left her. Glancing back at him, she watched James, entranced by the fierce look of concentration on his face. At first she didn’t understand what the pressure at her opening was. It felt alien, indescribable.

Pressure bloomed into pain. She cried out, shocked more than actually hurt.

“Wait,” James murmured. “Bloody hell, you’re so tight, like a clamping vice around my cock.” He didn’t appear to be speaking to her, but rather himself. He was focused completely on his actions.

Fierce, potent pleasure seared her. She gasped, her body feeling under attack. James played his fingers deliciously over her skin and found every erogenous zone from her pussy back to her open anal passage. Swamped with the sensations, she could only wriggle her behind at him in delight, groaning with approval.

“More,” she pleaded as she shifted back to accept another tiny thrust from his shaft.

“That’s the right note. Sing for me, baby,” James crooned to her.

Hunger built within her as his cock slid slowly deeper. El reached between her spread thighs and stroked her clit. It only took a few slick swipes to take the edge off the pain of his possession. Eased into the sensation of his thick length piercing her rear, El found she couldn’t distinguish fully between what hurt and what didn’t. The blurring emotions jolted her system. With surprise, she found herself pressing her hips backwards, pushing her body to impale itself deeper on his cock.

This time they both moaned, caught up in the heat.

“James,” she panted, unable to articulate anything further.

“El,” he replied, seeming to be as caught up as she.

“Harder,” she pleaded. “Please, fuck me harder. Right now.”

“Bossy wench,” James’ voice was husky and deep, but the words were a caress, not annoyed.

He took her at her word. He grasped her with his warm hands, held tightly to her hips, pulled her up and back as his shaft sank completely within her. Tingles shot up her spine as inner nerves were brushed by his rock-hard erection. They were both panting hard. El felt sweat bead down her spine as her heart pounded as though it would explode.