Vivian Arend - High Passion

He took a moment, staring seriously into her face. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

She shook her head. “You won’t. I trust you.”

God. His expression changed. The fear and sadness. The tension and discomfort. All of it faded away, and he nodded.

His gaze darted over her face as he adjusted his stance. Slipped his hand into her hair and tightened his fingers slightly.

The movement pulled her hair, and she couldn’t stop her moan of satisfaction. This. This was what she wanted.

“Jesus. You’re going to fucking kill me.” Devon swallowed hard, his fingers wrapped around his cock as he stroked a couple of times. “You want me to stop, tap out.”

“I will, but I’m not going to stop. I want this, Devon. Now, shut up, and stick your fucking dick in my mouth before I go crazy.”

His lips twisted into a smile. “Potty mouth.”

“What you going to do about it? You don’t have any soap,” Alisha taunted.

His eyes darkened as his pupils widened. “I have something better on hand.”

All hesitation vanished. Devon used her hair as an anchor to tilt her head. It wasn’t a violent motion, but this time there was no doubt Alisha was no longer in control. He pressed the fat head of his cock against her closed lips.

“Open.”

He didn’t wait for her to obey but pressed forward, the crown slipping between her lips as he thrust to the root, his groin meeting her nose. He pulled back instantly, but the difference in his touch was there. Every motion bolder, more aggressive. Full strokes that left Alisha dizzy and tingling. A network of excitement spread over her as if he had found a way to share the tension building in his body as his climax rushed forward.

Devon closed his eyes and shuddered, and the first spurt hit her tongue. He pulled her head forward as he thrust deep, and she swallowed around the head, dragging a cry from his lips as he shook, fingers tugging her hair.

He held so tightly she couldn’t have moved if she’d tried, and his slow withdrawal was perfect, tension in his hands, his body, all carrying to her and showing she’d made an impact.

He gentled then, stroking the hair from her face. Smoothing his knuckles over her cheek. Lifting her to her feet and draping her against him.

They stood silently as his breathing evened out and he regained his balance. The rush of mixed emotions flooding her was confusing, and strange.

She wanted to be in control. To be appreciated for being capable and strong. She wanted Devon to take her in the most primitive and forceful ways possible.

Two sides of a coin that she had no idea how to balance.

“Call from the Kootenays.” Lana interrupted them on the training field, papers in her hand shaking in the wind. Devon thought her dark brown eyes were sparkling far too much to be sharing an emergency call. “They have a couple of missing climbers in the Valhallas, and their last known position is in an avalanche area. The local SAR are requesting backup.”

Marcus nodded, pointing to the team. “Anders, since Tripp’s still out of commission, you’re on lead. Alisha, when you grab those new harnesses you guys cleared the other day, make sure they’re the right ones, I don’t think Lana’s had time to go through all the rest yet.”

They were all in motion, picking up the training gear and heading toward HQ at top speed.

“I called Erin. She’ll be in ASAP,” Lana reported. “She said thirty minutes tops.”

“Thanks.” Marcus stepped around her. “Once the team is en route I’ll give you a few more jobs, but for now, help them load gear. I’ll take over the call desk.”

Devon had to dodge around the woman as she kept pace with the team then got in the way. They were barely through the doors, and Devon had his jacket off, ready to switch to warmer gear for the high mountains.

Lana spoke eagerly. “If you want, I could join the team. Since they’re one short today, with Tripp gone.”

There was dead silence in the change room as the team hurried to grab their stuff. Devon glanced at Marcus, wishing there were a way to force his thoughts into the man’s head, to repeat Oh hell, no again and again.

Lana on a rescue with them? Not fucking likely.

It seemed he wasn’t the only one whose immediate opinion raced down that same line. Anders tossed a bag on the floor and stepped behind it. “As lead, I vote no. This isn’t the time to have a newbie on the ropes. Sorry, Lana, we appreciate your help here in the office, but I’m not taking responsibly for an untested partner in uncertain conditions.”

Marcus settled behind the desk, slipping on the headset and adjusting the mouthpiece. “There’s your answer, although mine would be the same. Thank you for the offer, but we’ll let the team deal with running one man short. They’ve done it before, and it’s safer than introducing an unknown into the equation.”

Alisha scooted into the change room and pulled her T-shirt off, reaching for a thicker long-sleeve shirt. Devon peeled his eyes off her, focusing on the task. “Harnesses good?”

“Got them. You want to load ropes, I’ll join you in a minute and help with the rest.”

She tossed him a wink and he smiled, the well-oiled gears of teamwork slipping into place in spite of the elevated voices rising from by the desk.

Lana wasn’t taking no for answer.

“I’m not untried,” she insisted. “I trained with them the other day. With Becki, on the wall. I’m excellent in mixed climbing conditions if they hit any ice, and—”

“No, Lana. The leader has confirmed his team, and you weren’t on it.” Marcus spoke firmly. He didn’t attempt to hide his rising annoyance. “And I said no. One session on the stationary wall with the team doesn’t make you ready to work with them.”

“But I—”

“Enough,” he snapped. “The answer is no, so get out of the way. We’ll discuss your inappropriate behavior when there isn’t a call in progress.”

Devon escaped into the storage room relieved that Marcus was in charge, and perplexed that Lana had pushed so hard, so soon.

The rescue went well, if overly long. They finally found the climbers in a cave where they’d been trapped following an equipment failure. Everyone on the team was thoroughly soaked and chilled to the bone by the time they were ferried back to HQ.

Even after Alisha showered, her lips were blue during debrief. Marcus examined her often, and Devon was sure she would get called up before they left.

Only Marcus tapped him on the shoulder after they were dismissed. “I want to talk to you.”

Devon nodded. “One minute.” He slipped into the back and caught Alisha by the arm. “Wait for me? I shouldn’t be long. Grab something hot to drink.”

“I’m drinking, I’m drinking.” She jerked on her winter coat as another shiver took her. “I hate being cold.”

Marcus looked up from his desk as Devon slipped into the tidy office space. “Close the door.”

Devon obeyed, his concern rising. “Am I in trouble?”

Marcus shook his head. “Do you deserve to be?”

“Not lately,” Devon answered honestly.

That pulled a snort from Marcus. “How are things going with you and Alisha?”

Shit. “Are you asking as my boss or my friend?” Devon met Marcus’s gaze straight on. “Because if it’s as my boss I’ll tell you to butt out.”

Marcus’s steely gaze remained fixed firmly in position. “How does your relationship with her affect the efficiency of the team?”

“Makes us stronger, as far as I can tell,” Devon stated plainly. “We used to fight all the time. Now we’re not putting out negative energy. I would think that’s a move forward.”

“So this is for the good of the team, you and her fucking each other?”

Devon had no idea what the hell was up. “Marcus, if you have concerns, tell me, but otherwise, I’d respectfully ask you to mind your own goddamn business and let me go so I can take her home and we can recover from today.”

The stern, almost foreboding expression Marcus wore lightened. “Good for you. I expected you to tell me to fuck off, but that was about as close as you could get without saying it. No, I don’t have any issues with you and Alisha. My trouble is elsewhere, and this is more of a warning.”

Devon sat gingerly in the chair opposite his boss. “What’s really the concern?”

Marcus tapped his fingers on the desk. “I had to rake Lana over the coals today for stepping over the boundaries.”

Devon nodded. “She was out of line.”

Marcus’s gaze snapped up. “She said you’d encouraged her to try for the team. Full team, not desk work.”

“What?” Of all the stupid, idiotic . . . “Encouraged her, how?”

“Climbed with her, invited her to join in during social activities.” Marcus waved aside the rude noise Devon made. “I know, you were probably being friendly, but she’s taken it the wrong way.”

“She’s trouble.” Devon shook his head. “I gave the woman a ride home once. She showed up at the Rose and Crown, once. I buddied with her on the wall. Once. Right in front of Becki, I might add, and that was only to make sure no one else had to climb with her.”

“I figured that was the case, but damn, the woman is good. If Becki hadn’t given me a heads-up regarding her, I might have fallen for the wide-eyed innocent ploy Lana tossed at me.”

Devon picked at the arm of his chair. “I need to get Alisha home. I’ll be careful around Lana, but I hope you’ll seriously consider getting rid of her.”

“She’s on probation. I have to follow rules as an employer, but I’m not pleased, and I will cut her if she doesn’t smarten up fast.” Marcus looked him over once more. “You’re a valued member of this team, Devon. I like the maturity and confidence you bring. I don’t care that you’re young—you’re good. I want you to know that.”