Guarding Valentina [Paladin Protection Agency 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (8 page)

Val nibbled on the last morsel of her cheese toast and then deliberately licked her fingers as she realized Aedan was watching her from across the table. Heat flared in his eyes, and she winked at him, letting him know she’d caught him staring.

“Dinner was amazing. Thank you.” He winked back at her and set down his fork. “But now I think I really, really want dessert.”

She didn’t even see him move. One second he was sitting down, and the next he was behind her, his hands on her shoulders. “That is still really damned freaky,” she told him as his hands moved down to the collar of her shirt.

“You’ll get used to it.” His fingers tangled into the fabric, and she heard the sound of cloth tearing. Cool air wafted over her skin and she realized he’d torn her shirt down to her navel, leaving her dressed in nothing but a bra.

“Aedan!” She tried to turn around to glower at him, but his hands were back on her shoulders and he wouldn’t let her move that far.

“I’ll buy you a new one.” He chuckled as his lips traced a pathway from her ear to her shoulder.

“This isn’t what I had in mind as dessert!”

“We’ll get to dessert in a minute.” His hands slid down her body, pausing to cup her breasts through the thin cotton bra she was wearing. His fingers teased the already hardening buds of her nipples, and her pussy instantly reacted, soaking her panties. He tweaked each nub gently before letting go of her to tear away the last bit of her shirt. His hands smoothed back up to her shoulders, easing the torn fabric back so she could shrug out of it.

“Take off your bra for me, sweetheart. I want to see you.”

“What are you planning?” Val wasn’t sure when she’d lost control of the situation, but sitting in her kitchen with the tattered remains of her T-shirt in Aedan’s hand, she had no doubt she was not calling the shots right now.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” His breath fanned over the back of her neck and made thrill bumps chase down her spine. “Now, are you going to take off that bra, or am I going to have to buy you a new one of those, too?”

“Are you enjoying yourself?” she grumbled, twisting her head back over her shoulder to give him a dirty look. “If you’re going to go all alpha male on me, then you’re definitely going to be sleeping on the couch tonight!”

“Nuh-uh.” He reached around again and snapped the clasp on her bra with a twitch of his fingers. “Not unless you’re sleeping there with me.”

“Aedan, this isn’t going to work.” She tried another tactic just as his warm hands curved around her breasts. He drew his fingertips around her areolas in slow circles, and her body betrayed her in an instant. Her nipples hardened to points under his touch, and she felt her pussy grow slicker as he played her body like an instrument.

“I’m not going to tie you up, or hurt you.” His voice was a soft, sultry whisper by her ear. “This isn’t about control, Val. It’s about pleasure, yours and mine.” He flicked lightly at her breasts, and she bit back a gasp at the exquisite sensation. “It’s going to be a long, dangerous night. Let’s play while we still have time.”

“Play?”

She heard him grumble something under his breath, and he came around to face her, one hand on either side of her, caging her in as he leaned down to brace his weight on her chair. “What sort of lovers have you been choosing for yourself, luv? Yes, I meant play. If sex isn’t fun, you’re not doing it right.” He lowered his head until his mouth was just a fraction of an inch from hers. “You’re beautiful, and sexy as hell, and I want to enjoy the time we have together. Now, will you please stop worrying and just say yes?”

“Yes to what?” It was hard to think when he was so close. He smelled good, and she couldn’t stop thinking about the way her body reacted when he kissed her.

“Yes to everything I want to do to you.” He grinned and brushed a kiss to her lips. “I promise you won’t regret it.”

Her heart slammed against her ribs, and her brain stuttered. Caught in a tug-of-war between doubt and concern, it was her libido who finally won out. “Yes!”

“Good choice.” His mouth sealed over hers before she could utter another word. His kiss was hot, hard, and demanding, his arms caging her in, keeping her in the chair. Not that she wanted to move. Not when his tongue darted between her lips to tangle with hers and she couldn’t think past the need to have him keep touching her. She reached out and snagged his shirt, and then tugged it out of his jeans. Her fingers slid underneath the cloth to stroke over his bare skin, and she heard him groan low in his throat.

She dragged her nails lightly over his flanks, and he groaned again. His kiss deepened, claiming every inch of her mouth as he nipped and suckled at her lips. He leaned into her, and the chair creaked in warning, bringing her back to her senses. She broke their kiss with reluctance. “I’m not sure the furniture is going to hold up to this abuse.”

“The table looks sturdy enough.” He flashed her a wicked grin and kissed the tip of her nose before standing up and skinning his shirt over his head. As he dropped it onto the floor, she couldn’t help but appreciate the view. She worked with some of the fittest, sexiest men in Seattle, but Aedan made her mouth water just looking at him. He was lean, but what she’d taken for thinness was actually a streamlined torso of solid muscle. He caught her staring and flexed for her, grinning like a schoolboy.

“Like what you see?”

“How do you eat like you do and look like
that
?” She reached out to brush her fingertips over the ridged line of his stomach.

“You’re not going to like the answer.” He winked at her and then started clearing the table with more speed than care.

“I’ll not like it if you break my dishes either.” She rose to help and met with his waggling finger.

“You sit right there and don’t move. I haven’t finished with you yet. And I won’t break your dishes.”

“You’re pushy tonight.” She sat back down and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I have plans for us, luv. And the sun sets in an hour. I’m a man on a schedule.” He flashed her that grin that made her insides heat. “And to answer your other question, it doesn’t matter what I eat. It’s one of those dhampir traits I mentioned earlier. Workouts help, but even if I ate nothing but ice cream and cakes for a month, I’d still have this body.”

“You’re right.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “I don’t like that answer at all. That’s totally unfair!”

“Life’s unfair, sweetheart. Anyone that says differently is selling something.”

“Did you just paraphrase Wesley’s speech from
The Princess Bride
?”

He finished with the table and crossed the room to crouch in front of her. “I may have.” He had her in his arms and cradled against his bare chest before she could so much as argue.

“Aedan!” She kicked her dangling feet and glowered up at him. “Put me down!”

She caught the gleam of mischief in his hazel eyes as he laid her down on the newly cleared table. “As you wish.”

“This is not what I meant.” She squirmed, trying to get to the edge of the table.

“You said I was in charge of dessert.” His hand stroked over a breast, pressing her back down. “Trust me.”

She looked up into his handsome face and saw nothing there but playful desire. “All right.” Val tucked her arms behind her head so they acted as a pillow and tried not to think about the fact she was sprawled half-naked on her kitchen table. “So, what happens now?”

“Now you stay still, and I go on a quest.” He leaned down to kiss her, his fingers stroking her cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”

She felt a pang of regret as he moved away from her, heading for her fridge. She watched in amusement as he started rifling through the contents, setting a handful of items onto the counter where she couldn’t see them. He lifted up a glass jar full of bright red fruit. “How many jars of maraschino cherries does one woman need?”

“Those are special. They’re soaked in whisky.”

“Gods above, woman. I didn’t know you could do that to cherries!” He cracked open the jar and groaned as he took a deep breath of the fumes. “If I were the marrying kind, this might just have inspired a proposal.”

He set the jar on the counter and closed the fridge door, giving her a wink as he checked to make sure she was still where he’d put her. “Now, what have we got in the freezer?”

“There’s no way in hell you’re putting anything near me that’s been in the freezer!”

She caught the smirk on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. “I’d not be making a bet on that, luv.”

“You’re enjoying this
way
too much,” she grumbled and closed her eyes in resignation.

“Not nearly as much as I’m going to enjoy what comes next.” She didn’t even hear him move this time, but the next thing she knew, there was a soft cloth lying over her eyes. “I don’t want you peeking.” Aedan’s voice was a sexy whisper by her ear as he adjusted what could only be the tattered remains of her shirt over her face. “I’ll only be another minute. Don’t go anywhere.”

Val just waved him away, not trusting her voice any longer. Despite her complaining, she had never felt this turned on in her life. Her pussy was wet, and her clit was already swollen and aching to be touched. Anticipation was making her crazy and not being able to see what he was up to was only making it worse. She could hear him as he opened drawers and cupboards, and when the freezer door opened she growled low in her throat. “No.”

“You, shush. I’m creating a masterpiece here.”

She heard the sound of an ice cream lid being pried open, and she knew he’d found her secret stash of
Chunky Monkey
ice cream.
What the hell is he doing over there?
She’d run out of patience and was about to pull off her blindfold and peek when she sensed movement. He was too fast and too quiet to hear, but she was starting to get familiar with the odd way the air shifted when he was moving at preternatural speed. His mouth grazed over hers, and she could taste the potent flavor of whisky and cherry juice on his lips. “You started without me,” she protested.

“I’ll make it up to you.”

Goose bumps chased down her body as something cold and wet touched the peak of one breast and trickled down her skin. She tried to lift her head to see what he’d done, but he kissed her again, pushing her head back down to the table.

“Stay still, or I’ll make a mess.” She could hear the laughter in his voice as another shockingly cold bit of liquid was drizzled over her other breast. “Now
that
is a thing of beauty,” he murmured just before his tongue began to chase down each errant drop, warming her skin as he devoured her. When he was done, she felt the cool curve of a spoon brush her lips, and she opened her mouth, sucking in the blend of ice cream, cherries, and whisky as he fed her.

“Fucking hell, you’re sexy.” He groaned, and then his mouth was on hers, the taste of him mixing with the sweet mouthful of dessert she’d just swallowed. He removed the blindfold without ending their kiss, and she opened her eyes. His eyes were molten with lust as he watched her, desire etched into every line and feature of his face.

She lifted her head and grabbed at his shoulders, pulling him down on top of her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered the sound of something hitting the floor and a wet splatter, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was him.

His arms came around her, and she felt herself being lifted off the table and into his embrace, her skin sticking to his where traces of dessert still stained her body. She wrapped her legs around his hips and kissed him harder, loving the way his body felt under her hands. Hard and hot, she could feel his muscles standing out as he growled her name and lifted her higher, his hands kneading her ass.

He lowered them both to the floor, his back to the wall and her body cradled in his lap, with her legs effectively pinned behind him. “I have a new plan.” He laughed as he speared his fingers into her hair and tugged her head back, exposing her throat. He kissed his way down to her collarbone and then nuzzled the valley between her breasts. “Sex now, dessert later.”

“Good plan.” She flexed her legs and ground her pussy against the hard ridge of his cock. “But I’m pretty sure we’re going to need to ditch a few more clothes for that to work.”

“Fuck,” he growled and arched his hips hard against her. “You’re right.”

His hot mouth closed over one nipple, and he sucked hard, his tongue toying with the diamond-hard peak and sending sparkling shards of pleasure through her entire body. Val bowed her head over his and started nibbling at the curve of his ear, loving the way he groaned at that simple touch. She traced the outer rim with her tongue and he rewarded her with another moan that vibrated through her breast and made her clit throb. She started to ride his cock, needing to feel something, anything against her clit to make the aching stop. His mouth released one breast, only to latch onto the other, and he arched his hips again, lifting them both off the floor with the force of his need.

She nipped at his earlobe and then reached between them, finding the button on his jeans and managing to tear it open without stopping the roll and grind of her pussy against his crotch. She dipped her fingers past his fly and just managed to brush the tip of his cock, the slit already damp with pre-cum. Aedan shuddered and growled something into her breast, the words too muffled to make out.

“I need you, Aedan,” she whispered into his ear. “You wanted to play, so let’s play.”

The world spun, and the next thing Val knew she was on her back, with Aedan hovering above her. Her legs were still wrapped around his hips, and his well-muscled arms were braced on either side of her shoulders as he grinned down at her. “You’re going to have to let go of me if you want to play, luv.”

She unwound her legs from his hips and reached up to brush a curl back from his face. “If you insist.”

Heat flared in his eyes, and he turned to nuzzle her hand before he pushed himself up and away from her. He stood up just long enough to toe off his shoes and shed his jeans and underwear, kicking them aside in a forgotten heap as he dropped back to her side and deprived her of the delectable view of his naked body. His warm hands moved hers aside, and he skinned her jeans over her hips and down to her calves as she wriggled and squirmed, as eager to be rid of them as he was. He grinned as he spotted her underwear, and she felt her cheeks heat as she remembered what she’d grabbed out of the drawer that morning.