Fatal Exposure (10 page)

He released her nipple and met her stare, his eyes drunk with lust. “Time to move on.”

“Please do,” she quipped, arching her hips toward him.

He sat up, selected a new piece of ice, and dropped it onto her stomach.

Ava gasped from the sudden chill against her feverish skin.

“It’s okay, baby. I’ll make it feel better.” He pressed on the cube with his palm and slid it over her navel. His mouth followed the path, kissing and licking her skin.

When he reached her trembling mound, his lips halted but his hand kept going. Over and in, he directed the shrinking ice.

Ava shuddered at the clash of cold on heat.

“Fuck,” he mumbled. “It melted.” He grabbed for another cube and then paused, looking her over as if planning his attack.

After setting the ice next to her, he took hold of her legs and slid her to the edge of the mattress. Ava wanted to ask what the hell he was doing, but clamped her mouth shut, afraid he’d waste time by answering her. Just as long as he was touching her in some way, she was pleased...no, ecstatic. Her legs and half of her ass were off the bed, her feet planted on the floor. Kade picked up the ice again and knelt down before her, out of her view. Without warning, she felt a cold sting on her clit. She tried to bring her legs together, but he was in the way. He coerced them apart, as far as they could go.

“Let me do this.” He sounded a mile away, his voice echoing around her.

“What is it that you’re trying to do?” Ava attempted to sit up, but he forced her back down with one large hand.

“Just relax. I’m not going to hurt you.” His tone was calm and tender. “Trust me. I want to make you feel good.”

At that, Ava lay back down and waited, staring up at the ceiling. Trust wasn’t something that came easily to her. Not after losing her parents as a small child or being thrown out into the world alone at the ripe age of seventeen. And especially not after what Zack had put her through.

But Kade was different. Somehow she could sense he’d never harm her. Never put her in danger. After all, he had been there to help her escape from Jarred. Who knew what could have happened if he hadn’t shown up.

Another frosty pinch nipped at her as he stroked the ice against her clit, but this time it was quickly followed up with the warmth and softness of his tongue. It was odd how pain and pleasure went so well together.

He repeated the torturous action twice more. Cold. Heat. Cold. Heat. She tensed and relaxed under his intense workings, surprised as the sting dulled, leaving only a delicious throbbing ache. The bliss spread from her pussy to her womb, where warmth curled and smoldered.

She whimpered and bit into her bottom lip. Her hands clutched onto the comforter at her sides. He stared at her as he slid the ice cube lower and buried it inside her feverish pussy. Ava gasped and covered her face with her hand. It was too much...until his hot tongue dipped deep inside, thawing it.

He sucked and prodded, elating her. The sound of his tongue and lips eagerly kissing and licking as he gripped her thighs with his rough hands sent her spiraling. Her pussy pulsed, her core singed, and her body writhed and bucked against his ready mouth.

“Kade. Oh God, Kade.”

“Mmm,” he groaned and greedily consumed her, licking the juices, from her pussy to the path it took to her sensitive anus.

Ava cried out when he lingered there, his tongue nudging her taut entrance.

“So good, baby.” His fingers pierced into her hips as he held her close, not letting her go until her sobs broke off and her body settled.

When he finally released her, he reached for something under the bed. “Don’t move.”

Ava was so exhausted and enraptured, she didn’t argue. Whatever he wanted from her, he could have. Whatever he wanted to do to her, she would let him.

The crinkling of a wrapper told her what he was preparing to do next. He stood up and guided her back a few inches so her ass was fully on the mattress. Clasping onto her calves, he pushed her legs toward her, spreading them as far apart as her body would allow. Then he thrust his hard, thick length into her, filling her pleading, wet pussy. So full.

In short passes, he drove in and out repeatedly, already building a new heated sensation deep inside her. His hips slapped against her, and she felt his balls hitting her ass. Her thighs quivered as he hunched over her, watching her with a dark intensity. His stomach muscles constricted with each thrust. His solid arms held her legs.

She wanted to feel him, to touch him, but he was too far away. She ran her fingers over her mound and let them skim over his cock as it slid into her pussy. It was hard and slick with her cream, a tangible reality of their passion for each other.

“Yes, baby, feel me fucking you. My cock driving into your tight little pussy. Does that feel good?”

“God, yes!” She loved him inside of her, filling her, stretching her. Her orgasm rose to a level she’d never known existed. Her entire body was on fire, hot and pulsing as he clenched tight to her thighs and drove in and out of her. “Oh, Kade! Yes! Yes!”

Tears welled in her eyes as she came hard, sparks bursting from her core and spreading to her fingertips and toes. How could she say good-bye to him? To this connection she’d never been able to find with another man?

He pushed her back farther onto the bed and lay on top of her. Ava wrapped her arms and legs around him as he drove harder and faster. Afterspasms tingled and delighted. She was his. All his. Her fingertips coursed down the corded muscles on his back, felt them bunch each time he pumped into her. Hot breaths huffed beside her ear.

“Oh, baby, I’m going to come.” He groaned and shuddered, violently filling the latex separating them.

Their hearts hammered in rhythm as he stilled. The air smelled of sex, and she nuzzled her nose into his neck, licking his salty heated skin. Not enough. It would never be enough.

Ava ran her hand through his damp hair as they recovered together. She kissed his stubbly jaw and

welcomed his warm sweet breath against her cheek. It felt natural to hold him close and adore him. Suddenly fatigued, she sighed and closed her eyes.

“Don’t go to sleep yet,” he whispered into her ear. “Please.”

Her lids were heavy, but she managed to lift them and see him brush a soft kiss to her lips.

“Where in the Rockies?” she heard herself ask and only wondered briefly where the thought had come from. It was sorely obvious. She didn’t want to lose him. Not yet.

“It’s a cabin. Pretty remote area. Maybe I can take you there sometime.”

She ran her fingers over his five o’clock shadow, and he leaned into her touch, drawing in a heavy sigh. He did care for her. She could see it in his expression. “I’d like that.” She shut her eyes again and began to drift.

“I hope so,” she heard him say in a low voice.

****

Kade tore himself off Ava’s unconscious body. Raw emotion was eating at him, but he needed to stay focused.

Don’t give in to weakness
.

She was too good for him anyway and was bound to detest him when she found out who he really was. And that he’d drugged her so he could kidnap her. What was the point in caring? In falling for a woman he couldn’t have? His was a life of danger and solitude, and Ava was only a distraction. Beautiful, spirited and goddamn sexy...but not his to enjoy permanently.

Nor was she Zack Moreno’s, but Kade planned on taking care of that detail when the time came.

He swiped the remaining melting ice onto the floor and covered her body with the blanket so she wouldn’t get chilled before he had a chance to dress her.

How had she ever gotten involved with the likes of Moreno? He was a lying, deceiving, shorttempered bastard. He was a corrupt minion for an even more corrupt Senator. And he was Kade’s current boss. Fuck him.

It nauseated Kade to know he was about to let him close to Ava.

He only wants to have a conversation
. That was all Kade was going to allow. Get it over with so Ava could move on without having to hide from the bastard. And so Kade would know she was safe.

He wouldn’t be able to live with himself knowing Ava’s life was in jeopardy. This was one target he couldn’t deliver without knowing the outcome. Whether he liked it or not, he cared too damn much.

****

Poppy perked up when she saw Kade stepping out of his hotel room with a duffle bag in his grasp. It was hard to tell if he looked guilty or innocent from across the street, but his head was bowed and his step was quick.

He shoved his bag onto the floor of his shiny, blue truck and relocked it. Next, he traveled two rooms over and disappeared inside.

Where was Ava?

She hadn’t answered the door.

The same overpowering curiosity Poppy’s mama used to warn her about was rearing its ugly head, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She exited the car and made her way across the street.

****

Kade found a backpack and a plastic grocery bag in Ava’s dresser. He grabbed them and opened the second drawer. Inside were an array of panties, one pair of jeans, two skirts, a sweater, tennis shoes, a tattered novel, and a T-shirt.

He scooped up everything and shoved it into the backpack.

The bathroom contained a sparse amount of makeup and personal items. Everything went into the plastic bag. He wasn’t going to leave any scent of her behind. Not even the stupid brown contacts. He scanned the entire hotel room, but there was nothing else. Not even a picture of a family member or an old friend, and Kade couldn’t help but wonder if she’d had any. And if they missed her. Like he was going to. How could he not?

He took a moment to roll his tense shoulders and then locked the door behind him. A flash of blonde hair and long legs from the corner of his eye startled him out of his stupor. He turned quickly to see Poppy standing in front of the soda vending machine that stood between his and Ava’s room.
Shit
.

It wasn’t like him to be so careless by not scoping out the area beforehand. Thank God it was only the scatterbrained blonde from the club. She pressed the button on the machine but nothing came out. “Oh, shoot. I think it’s broken,”

she said, clearly lying. She turned toward Kade and her gaze swept over him. “Do you have a dollar so I can try it again?”

Annoyed, Kade cleared his throat and dug into his pocket to pull out a crinkled bill. “Here.” He handed it over and tried to walk around her.

“Where’s Ava?” she asked, stopping him in his tracks.

“Sleeping.” The less he said the better.

“Why do you have her stuff?”

“She asks. I deliver.”

“That’s nice of you. Are you sharing a room then?”

“Yep.” He nodded and took another step away.

“See you around. Good luck with the soda.”

“Wait.”

Damn it. This unexpected delay was beginning to get on his nerves. It was the last thing he needed before the long drive home.

Poppy closed the small distance between them.

“I can see why Ava likes you.” She reached out and slipped her hand under his T-shirt, resting it on his stomach. “You’re hot.” She stared up at him with large green eyes and a pink-glossed smile.

“Thanks, but I have to go—”

“Why the rush? She’s sleeping. We can have a lot fun before she wakes.”

“Mmm...tempting,” Kade said, trying to sound sincere. “But—”

One of her cold fingers dipped inside his jeans. He cringed and was about to step back, but an older model sedan pulled up beside his truck and slammed on the brakes.

Jarred. What the hell did he want?

Kade soon found out when Poppy hurried to yank her hand back.

“Pop, get the fuck in the car. What are you doing?” The large white bandage on his nose made

him seem even more pathetic, and Kade almost felt sorry for the guy.
Nah, he got what he deserved
. Seeming flustered, Poppy slipped the dollar into her bra and sprinted to the car, leaving Kade to finish business.

Thank God.

Ava was still sleeping soundly when he returned. Considering the dose he’d given her, she’d be asleep for at least another ten hours. More than enough time to get them to his cabin.

****

Poppy didn’t know what bothered her more—not finding out what was really happening with Kade and Ava or getting caught by Jarred with her fingers in Kade’s pants.

She figured she might as well deal with the issue at hand.

“I wasn’t going to do anything with him” She leaned toward Jarred as he sped down the street. He shrugged and kept his eyes on the road.

“Why would I give a shit?”

She ignored him. His words didn’t sting like they used to. “I think he’s going to do something to Ava. I was just trying to find out what.”

Jarred began to laugh but winced and brought his fingers up to his nose. “Goddamn it. I hope he does do something to that bitch, and whatever it is, I hope it hurts like a motherfucker.”