In Too Deep (14 page)

“Tell me.”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing you can do. Drop it, Knox. Please.”

He moved toward her, using her retreat against her until her back collided with the bulkhead.

She stared up at him out of those gorgeous eyes, the mix of fear, regret and caring in them nearly driving him to his knees. “Just tell me it has nothing to do with the
Chimera
.”

Her throat worked. “It’s personal,” she whispered.

He didn’t believe her, not entirely. But what could he do about it? Not much.

Frustration and worry twisted in his gut. It was a combination he didn’t particularly like.

Spearing his hands into her hair, Knox tipped her head back so he could stare deep into her eyes. “Don’t lie to me, Avery. Not anymore.”

She simply shook her head, pulling the strands around his fingers tight to the point that it had to be tugging on her scalp, not that she seemed to notice or care.

Going up on her tiptoes, she brought her mouth to his. The kiss started tentatively, the slide of her lips hiding the passion he knew ran deep beneath her calm surface.

He could have taken over, but he didn’t want to. He wanted to feel her need grow until it overpowered that hesitation she couldn’t quite shake. He wanted something from her, if she wasn’t going to give him her trust.

If he was smart, he’d walk away from her. But he couldn’t. He was just now starting to realize how tangled he was over this woman. Definitely in deep.

The frenzy hit hard. He watched it glaze her eyes, flush her skin. Her tongue darted across the seam of his lips, asking and then taking what she wanted.

She was using it against him, the fervor she caused in his blood.

But he couldn’t seem to stop, even knowing it would most likely end up causing him a hell of a lot of pain.

Right now, all he cared about was the pleasure they could give each other. The reprieve they both apparently needed.

13

G
OD
,
WHAT
ON
EARTH
was she going to do?

The thought twisted through her brain, but she let it get swept away by something better. The feel of Knox pinning her against the wall with the hard press of his body. His mouth on hers, the bitter taste of beer mingling with chocolate-chip cookies. Catherine must have baked while they were diving.

She needed for Knox to help her forget how screwed up her life had become.

It was selfish and stupid, because she knew it wouldn’t solve anything. But she wanted it. Besides, wasn’t it well past time for her to be a little selfish?

Her entire life, she’d put everyone around her first. She’d been the good child, because her parents had had their hands full with Melody. She hadn’t tasted her first beer until she was twenty-one. She hadn’t sneaked out like other teenagers to do stupid things.

She’d put her career in jeopardy because someone had needed to take care of her sister. And now she was considering a deal that would crush her soul but save Melody once again.

She hated herself for even contemplating it, and yet she pretty much knew what she was going to do.

So, she deserved a few hours of selfishness.

The restless, helpless feeling that had been building inside her to the point of explosion had a new focus—Knox.

Clasping her hands behind his head, she brought him back for another kiss, letting that familiar snap turn into a rushing burn. She welcomed the sizzle of it across her skin, the way her need for him expanded, filling every cell of her body until it was a living, breathing, demanding thing.

He groaned, the vibration of it tickling against her skin.

Grasping her around the waist, Knox boosted her up so that her back was tight against the wall.

The heavy ridge of his erection nestled perfectly against her throbbing center. They were both wearing too many clothes.

She wanted fast and furious, needed mindless and overwhelming right now. But he refused to give it to her.

“Please, Knox,” she begged against his mouth, nipping, biting, arching her hips in an enticing way to tempt him into giving her what she wanted.

He simply shook his head, using the thrust of his hips to hold her still against him.

Gathering both of her wrists in one hand, Knox pinned them above her head. His mouth found hers again, pressing heavy kisses to her already swollen lips, sweeping his tongue inside, teasing and chasing, before pulling back out again.

“Slow down, baby. There’s no rush.”

That’s what he thought. She needed the passion only he could make her feel to wash away everything else.

If he wouldn’t hurry, at least she wanted the feel of his hot skin against hers. Avery flexed her wrists, testing his hold.

Knox chuckled, the vibration of it rumbling across her skin where his mouth ghosted down her neck. “I’ve had years of training, have close to seventy-five pounds of muscle and almost a foot of height on you. Do you really think you can break my hold?”

Smirking, Avery stilled, taking his words as a challenge, even if he hadn’t meant them that way. She hadn’t needed her martial arts skills in a while, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t handle a little wrist grab.

Knowing that the element of surprise was on her side, she pushed her hands forward, forcing an inch between them, before jerking back and down, bringing her elbows tight together and driving both of their connected hands down.

Knox moved with her, a grunt of surprise slipping out.

She twisted into his body, using the motion and his weakened grip to rip her hands out of his hold.

Waving her fingers—now free—at him, Avery said, “Did I forget to mention I studied Muay Thai in Thailand?”

She wouldn’t have been surprised to see annoyance clouding his face, but enjoyed his grin of appreciation a hell of a lot more.

“You really are full of surprises, aren’t you, Dr. Walsh?”

The tiny bubbles of euphoria that had begun to effervesce inside her burst all at once. But Knox didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll have to remember that the next time I need to blow off some steam. You’re a hell of a lot more fun to spar with than Asher.”

Snagging her around the waist, Knox pulled her close again, latching his lips onto the skin at the curve of her throat. His mouth continued to slip across her body, leaving a moist trail of fire everywhere he touched.

God, she needed to feel him. Avery pulled his shirt off, baring his tanned skin to her hot stare. She traced the line of muscle. Through her clothes, he sucked the aching peak of a breast deep into his mouth.

She wanted nothing between them, but couldn’t find the words to convey the thought.

Knox worked his fingers down, popping the catch and zipper on her shorts and pushing them down over her hips. Avery kicked when they pooled at her feet.

He lifted her off the floor. For a moment she thought he might sweep the desk clear and spread her out across it. Wanted that gritty, intense experience.

Instead, he settled them both in the big leather chair behind the desk. Her thighs spread wide, squeezing around his hips.

The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her, hitting just right. Oh, hell. He felt so good. “More,” she pleaded, writhing on his lap.

“Avery,” he said, his voice rough. His hands swept across her cheeks, jaw and forehead. He brushed the wisps of hair that had fallen around her face out of the way.

He held her there, staring straight into her. And for several seconds Avery felt more exposed than she’d ever been in her life, not physically naked, but completely bare.

Until she realized he wasn’t just taking, but giving as well. Because as vulnerable as she was right now, he was just as open. And that helped settle her.

She shifted, letting her body rub against him. Heat flared deep in his eyes, flashing golden through the rich brown. A knowing smile curled at the edges of his lips. “Witch.”

Reaching for his hands, she pulled them away from her face and wrapped his fingers around the hem of her shirt, holding them in place. They both knew he could pull out of her grasp anytime he wanted, but he didn’t.

Slowly, she dragged their hands up her body. The backs of his fingers skimmed her skin, a touch that didn’t go nearly deep enough.

His gaze moved across her, eating up each inch of revealed flesh as if it was a gift. With Knox, maybe it was.

Together, they threw her shirt across the room, but Avery didn’t release his hands. She guided him around her back and waited for him to pop the clasp of her bra. Each strap fell from her shoulders and it slid to the floor beside them.

With their fingers twined together, Avery directed his hands to her belly. She couldn’t hold in the fluttering sigh at the feel of his touch. She guided him across her body. Her head dropped back and, eyelids heavy, she watched his expression from beneath her lashes.

Her entire being heated and hummed. She wasn’t certain when he took over and began leading, not that it really mattered. The combined sensation of the pads of her own fingers caressing her skin and then his, hers, his... It was overloading her brain.

Knox caught one tight nipple between his thumb and her index finger, rolled and tugged. A line of electricity zinged from that point straight to her core. Her internal muscles contracted, empty and unsatisfied.

Somehow, one of his hands worked free, sliding up her back to tangle in the heavy hair at her nape where she’d let it free. He held her still, applying pressure until she was looking down where he teased her.

“Watch,” he muttered right before leaning forward and pulling her distended nipple into his mouth, right along with her finger and his thumb.

His tongue scraped across both. Avery gasped at the barrage of sensations. Soft, hard, rough, wet.

Her hips moved, unconsciously seeking relief for the building pressure. His hand swept down her back to settle around her waist.

She wasn’t entirely certain which one of them fumbled to push her panties away. Not that it really mattered. Somehow she found herself on her feet, swaying and blinking rapidly as Knox stared up at her from his position in the chair.

He tugged at her panties until she was naked, then quickly removed his own clothes. Pulling a condom from the back pocket of his jeans before tossing them away, he rolled the ring of latex over his beautiful erection.

Hands bracketing her hips, he guided her back onto his lap.

His skin burned against hers, the heat of him searing through her. Her hands settled on his shoulders, sweeping down over the hard ridges and planes of his chest, abs, ribs. He jerked when she touched an unusually sensitive spot, but didn’t try to stop her.

And when she finally wrapped her fist around the hard length of his erection, Knox let out a groan, half torture, half relief.

She wanted to play, but craved something more.

Somehow she found the words to say, “I need you.”

Grasping him, Avery brought the thick head to the slippery entrance of her body and sank down.

“God, you feel so good,” she moaned, taking him deep.

He chuckled, the sound thready and strangled. “I was just about to say the same thing.”

Grasping the back of the chair for leverage, Avery rose up onto her knees. The chair tipped back, putting them both off center. Like her world didn’t already feel as if it was spinning off axis...

His arms wound around her, holding her, supporting her, guiding her. Over and over again, she pumped her hips, letting him slip almost completely out before plunging back down.

They were both panting. Sweat pearled her skin. Tension coiled deep inside her belly, deliciously tight.

“You’re killing me,” Knox said, fingers digging into her skin.

The chair rocked with the force of their joined thrusts. His powerful hands gripped her, moving her in perfect time, hitting the spot inside that only he seemed able to find.

The orgasm exploded out from her center, making every muscle contract and quiver.

“Oh, my...Knox,” she managed to utter. Her fingers hurt where they gripped the chair, but she didn’t care as she rode out the powerful wave of her release.

Despite feeling as if every bone in her body had been replaced by jelly, she tried to hold herself upright. It was a Herculean effort, but worth it when she got to witness the sheer pleasure and relief that washed across Knox’s face. The way his eyes rolled back, every muscle in his body went rock solid and his mouth opened on a moan of satisfaction.

She’d done that to him.

Together, all useless limbs and sweaty skin, they collapsed against the worn leather. The chair rocked and creaked.

“I don’t think this chair will ever be the same,” Avery whispered. Her head snuggled just below the damp line of his jaw.

Knox tried to smother his laughter, but failed miserably.

Contentment, an unfamiliar feeling for her, bubbled up.

Unfortunately, even completely blissed out, she knew it couldn’t last.

* * *

A
VERY
TRIED
NOT
to think about what had happened in the office yesterday, but it was difficult not to be distracted.

Despite those memories, the office had become her sanctuary. All around her, the crew was in a tizzy. In the night, the hurricane had changed track and was now heading straight for them.

The dive that had been scheduled for today had been canceled. They were busy preparing to find shelter in Nassau.

The captain had woken Knox in the middle of the night. Neither of them had been particularly happy since they’d only been asleep for a couple of hours.

If she hadn’t been groggy, she might have been amused by the captain’s embarrassment and surprise at finding her in Knox’s bed. Apparently their relationship wasn’t a secret anymore.

As it was, she’d needed copious amounts of coffee to kick her brain back online. Knox hadn’t fared much better. While he was completely in control, over the past week she’d become intimately familiar with his body. She could easily read the tension riding his shoulders, the worry lines tightening the corners of his mouth.

Unable to do anything productive above decks, Avery had decided it would be best to get out of the way and let the rest of the crew do their jobs. So she’d holed up in the office and buried her nose in research.

First, she tackled the photographs she’d taken, blowing them up and running them through enhancing software in an attempt to sharpen the markings carved into the beam. She’d almost crowed with triumph when after about two hours of painstaking work, the words had become clear.

Realizing time was against her, she emailed the enhanced version to a colleague in the UK, asking for some information.

The
Chimera
had been commissioned and built over there and she hoped someone more familiar with the maritime industry in that time period would be able to quickly identify the markings.

She’d been careful not to mention the project she was working on, and felt guilty for that tiny lie of omission. But the last thing she needed was for someone else to identify the ship before she’d decided how to handle McNair.

Then she began to dig through websites, research sites and online libraries.

She was in the middle of a break—standing with hands braced at the small of her spine, leaning back, in an effort to work out the knots that had tightened there—when a heavy knock sounded against the door.

Before she answered she knew it wasn’t Knox. He wouldn’t have bothered requesting entrance to his own office.

“Come in.”

She was surprised and excited to see Shawn, the guy she’d passed the two artifacts from the wreck to the previous day.

“I thought you’d want to know, we’ve made progress on the pieces you recovered.”

“That was fast.” Not only was the process of preservation a painstaking one, but with the impending storm Avery had assumed everyone would be pulled to other duties.

“Mr. McLemore requested we work as quickly as possible. We’re all anxious to have the ship authenticated so we can begin excavation.”