Fatal Exposure (23 page)

A surge of fear shot through her, standing her arm hairs on end. No one had a key to her apartment. And she’d just left every friend she had in the world at the bar.

There was a stranger in her home.

Moreno was dead, but there was nothing to keep one of his buddies from trying to take his place. Ava had been afraid of retaliation. That’s why she had purchased a gun.

Without another thought, she made her way to the kitchen drawer where she kept it hidden. The small black pistol was the perfect size and fit for her hands as she grasped hold of it.

She’d been through too much to simply roll over and die now.

No, she was still a survivor. And whoever attempted to change that would regret it.

****

Kade let the hot drizzling water run down his back. He had to do something to ease his mind from the nervous anxiety of seeing Ava again. He pictured her in his head—deep blue-gray eyes that saw right through him. A petite curvy body he could hold in his arms. Nice, plump breasts. Soft. Supple. Lickable skin. Every inch of her. God, he couldn’t wait to taste her. That sweet flavor. He grew hard just thinking of it. Six months was too long.

“Who the hell’s there?” Her voice echoed into the bathroom.

The feisty sound of it made him smile. Sassy, lovable Ava.

He reached down to shut the water off and then yanked open the pink, flowery curtain that hung between them.

She stood there with a pistol gripped tightly pointed at him. Eyes wide and bloodshot. Face pale. Hair was blonde and cut short. Lips pursed. Light makeup.

He’d never seen such a beautiful sight. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Kade.” She choked out a whisper. Her eyes rolled back into her head and her body went limp. The gun dropped to the rug.

Before she could fall to the hard linoleum floor, he grabbed hold of her waist and lifted her into his arms. Her small, feminine body fit perfectly in his embrace.

He was home.

****

Her fast fluttering heartbeat woke her as he carried her to the bedroom. He was naked against her. Wet.

It was Kade, wasn’t it?

The same searing eyes looked down at her through those dark lashes, saying so much more than words ever could.

“Are you okay?” he asked with a half grin. Ava nodded, not knowing whether to scream, cry, or cheer. How could it be? She had gone to his funeral. Closed casket. Jax Cullen, his only family, had insisted on it even after Ava begged for one last look to say good-bye.

“I don’t understand,” she said as he gently placed her on the bed. “They said—”

“It was a lie. A cover up. I had to play along to avoid prison time.” He lay beside her and kissed her once. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, against her mouth.

The feel of his lips released a wave of pent-up fantasies she’d been evading ever since she spent her first night alone without him. But he was here now.
Wasn’t he
?

It seemed too good to be true. She brought her hands up to his clean-shaven face and cradled his strong jaw line. His head dipped down to kiss her again. His velvety tongue slipped past her stunned lips and possessed her mouth, commanding her to want so much more.

Yes, it was Kade. It had to be. No other man had the ability to blur her mind with a mere kiss. A surge of overwhelming heat raced down her body, settling between her legs. How the miracle of getting him back came about wasn’t important. But as his hand made quick work of the buttons on her silk blouse, a horrible thought occurred to her. She pulled away from his kiss. “Where have you been? You don’t have to leave me again, do you?” she asked all in one fretful breath.

He smiled and shook his sexy shaven head.

“We’ll talk about it after I’m done making love to you. And, no, I’m not going anywhere.” He finished unbuttoning and then threw her blouse to the floor. He dragged his fingers down her belly to unfasten her jeans and tugged them off with panties that were already soaked with her desire for him. There was an urgent yearning in his eyes that left Ava wanting to quench it. To give him everything he needed and desired. She kissed his lips, his cheek, the droplets of water on his neck. She inhaled his masculine scent, unable to get enough.

“Damn, I missed you,” his voice rumbled out of his mouth and into her heart.

Eager, she continued down his moist body, trailing a path along his powerfully built chest, solid to the touch. He leaned back and allowed her to lick at the rippled muscles on his stomach. She arrived at his cock—hard, thick and long. Stiff under her lips. She ran her tongue over the tip, tasting a small amount of his pre-cum. Delicious. Familiar. Hers. It was enough to make her hunger for more—to have him shudder under her power.

Before she could wrap her mouth around his hardness, he grabbed her and hauled her up to his broad chest. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her, taking back control.

She resisted. “Wait. I have a better idea.”

“No. I need you.”

“And you’ll get me, but on my terms.” Joy overwhelmed her, but she kept a serious frown on her face. It was time to take matters into her own hands. No more being led around by a leash
or
a gun. No more allowing a man to have complete control of her destiny. It was time for Ava Lureau to be in charge.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m not your captive anymore, Kade. I’m a free woman and I’ll do whatever I want whenever I want.”
With you.

No response. Just a blank stare. Apparently, he hadn’t factored in the possibility of her saying no. She wanted to laugh out loud. But she remained poker-faced for the game. She gestured toward the grip he had on her upper arms. “Let go.”

He did as she commanded but sure as hell didn’t look happy about it. “You know I didn’t mean to—”

“Shush.” She clapped her hands against his chest and shoved away from him. “Lie on your back in the middle of the bed.”

“Do you want to be on top?”

“I want you to be silent.” She turned her head away so he wouldn’t see her smile. This felt way too good. But who knew how far he’d go for her.
I guess I’ll find out soon.
She made her way to her dresser and plucked out a handful of her silk scarves. When she returned to the bed, he was in the middle, just as she had ordered. He propped up on his elbows and watched her.

“Maybe we should talk about this,” he said. “I’m sure this was all a lot for you to take in.”

Ava ignored him and attached one of the scarves to his ankle.

“What are you doing? Tying me up?” A tightlipped, anxious grin spread across his face.

“Trust me.” She jerked the scarf toward the bedpost and knotted. “Trust your intuition.”

“Oh, I get it. This is cute, but maybe we could play later. After I’ve made love to you.”

“Nope.” She secured his other leg to the opposite post, forcing his muscular legs apart. His cock jutted up, arched toward his stomach. God, she wanted him inside her. It had been too long.

His gorgeous ice-blue gaze followed her as she maneuvered around the left side of the bed and grabbed his wrist. His head fell back against the mattress. “You’re mad, right? You want to teach me a lesson?”

Not bothering to answer him, she yanked and tied. Then she climbed on top of his naked body and sat on his chest. Attempting to avoid his piercing

stare, she gripped his free hand and began to wrap the last scarf around it.

“I’ll do anything you want,” he said but twisted out of her grasp. “However, I need to be able to touch you.” He cradled her cheek and ran his thumb over her lips.

Weakened by the loving gesture, she closed her eyes. She felt him drag his fingers down her neck and over her tender breast, swollen with the need for his touch. He circled her nipple twice and then continued along her stomach.

Ava’s skin prickled from the intimate contact. Something she thought she’d never experience again but was ecstatic to have once more.

The tips of his fingers encircled her navel and then trailed back up the same path. “I love your body,” he said in a husky voice. “Every part of it.”

She forced her eyes open as he reached her cheek. She took a deep breath to steady her pounding heart. He’d had a certain power over her since the first day she’d met him. Today was no different.

Determined to take back the control, she gripped his hand and slid it back down to her breast.

“I have one scarf left. Do you want to touch me or see me?”

****

Kade understood the game. And he didn’t mind playing as long as he won the prize of Ava at the end. He squeezed her breast. “Touch.”

After all, he could do so much more with his hand than he could with his eyes. He dragged his fingers down her stomach to the sexy patch of blonde hair on her mound, arrow-shaped, pointing to heaven. He’d liked the smooth bald look, but

somehow the downy curls seemed more authentic. More Ava.

“Okay.” She gulped and leaned over him to pick up the last red scarf.

He watched as her rosy pebbled nipples lightly grazed his chest. Damn, he was going to miss the view.

She finished wrapping the silk around his head, blinding him, forcing his other senses into overdrive. The heat from her wet pussy smoldered against his chest as he lifted his head for her to tighten the knot. He could smell her sweet scent, feel the supple skin as his fingers skimmed her outer thigh, and hear her breathing when she spread out over his body. He could taste her fruity lip gloss as she molded her soft lips to his.

He enveloped his hand around the back of her neck and held her to him. Then he slid his tongue into her lush mouth, hot and delicious. She let out a small moan but pulled away from him.

Fuck. Why was she fighting it?

Maybe she needed clarification of his feelings for her.

“I love you, Ava.” The words drifted into the air above him and didn’t return. Had she changed her mind about him? Did he even stand a chance? Lord only knew. He’d put her through hell and back and wouldn’t blame her if she despised him. She sat up on his stomach and brushed her fingertips across his chest.

Kade reached for her, finding her leg. He made his way over to her soft folds and slid a finger in between his stomach and her pussy, up into her tight, moist heat. So wet. She might not love him,

but she definitely
wanted
him. He could work with that.

She clenched down on his finger as he slipped in and out, rubbing against her clit with each pass. She moaned as she began working with the rhythm of his finger, her ass sweeping up against his throbbing cock.“I want you, Kade,” she said breathlessly.

“You can have me. Whatever you want, it’s all yours.” His body. His heart. His soul.

Without warning, she grabbed his wrist and tore his hand away from her wet juices. Then she lifted off him, and his body felt empty without her heat warming him from the outside in.

“Are you teasing me, sweetheart?” he asked, blindly attempting to locate where she had gone.

“Are we even yet?” This was getting ridiculous. All he wanted was to be close to her after all the time they’d been apart.

The bed creaked, and the softness of her lips touched his ear. “Not even close,” she whispered.

“I’m going to go hide your shoes. Be right back.”

“What?” The shock of her words made him forget he was tied down. He attempted to rise but jerked back to the bed when reality hit. “Ava,” he bellowed.

“Ava, I thought you forgave me.”

With his free hand, he yanked his blindfold onto his forehead—and saw her sitting at the end of the bed with one of her crinkly, adorable smiles on her face.

“Just kidding.”

“Very cute.” He tried to grab her, but she was out of reach.

She crawled on her hands and knees across the mattress, her short blonde hair swaying with her

movements. God, this new hairstyle was sexy as hell. And it suited her.

His cock tightened when she stopped between his legs and kissed the tip of his engorged head. His gut knotted painfully, and he gritted his jaw. Her deep blue eyes stared intently at him as her pink, slick tongue slid out and licked. “Mmm,” she murmured against his skin.

Kade inhaled sharply. The woman played a good game. “Are you going to let me make love to you yet?”“After.” She ran her slick tongue down his shaft and up again.

Oh, hell. “After what?”

“After you promise me no more secrets. I want to know all there is to know about Kade Gavin.” She brushed her fingers over his ever-increasing erection and dipped his throbbing head into her hot mouth. God, he was about to burst. “Kade Gavin is dead,” he said, mindlessly.

Ava jerked her head up and sent him a glaring look. “Probably not a good time to be joking around like that.”

“I changed my name. It’s Kaden Thompson. I hope you don’t mind,” he said, quickly. Her eyes softened as she repeated the name a couple times, rolling it off her tongue. “I like it. Why would I mind?”

“You’ll be
Mrs.
Kaden Thompson after you marry me,” he dared to say.