Maya Banks - Whispers in the Dark

 She moved in close, until their bodies pressed against each other, heated, bringing her to instant awareness.

 His erection was cupped against her belly and she slid her hand between them to gently encircle it. With her other hand, she reached down to cup his sac, caressing him intimately as she stroked over his length.

 “Take me hard, Nathan. Hard and fast. We could spend all night touching and kissing, but what I need tonight is you. Just you. Nothing else.”

 “Ah hell, baby,” he groaned.

 He swept her up into his arms, his eyes so dark that it sent a shiver down her spine. It was as if she’d unleashed the beast or at the very least given him permission to lose control.

 He crawled onto the bed and put her down in the middle. He loomed over her, his features tight and strained. Even though she’d told him what she wanted, she knew he held back. He didn’t want to hurt her. Didn’t he know he couldn’t?

 She reached for him, wanting, needing him so much. Only he could fix the empty ache in her heart. Only he could erase the fear that seemed such a permanent fixture in her life.

 Only he could keep her safe.

 “Please,” she whispered.

 His palms hit the bed on either side of her. His knee nudged impatiently at her thighs and then he was over her, inside her in one breath. Deep. Hot. Hard.

 Her back arched upward to meet his thrust. Her hands flew to his shoulders, her fingers digging deep as pleasure exploded through her body.

 Not that endless foreplay wasn’t very nice, and Nathan certainly had talent in that area, but this instant, explosive coming together was electrifying.

 It felt primal. It was primal. Claiming and taking. Possession. He covered her, thrusting, hovering protectively over her even as he demanded his due.

 Oh God, she was never going to last and she wanted it to go on forever.

 His eyes bore into hers, dark and fiery. His jaw tightened with each thrust and he watched her closely even as he drove deeper into her body.

 She started to close her eyes, but he stopped, embedded tightly.

 “Look at me.”

 She refocused her gaze on him, saw the love and also the edgy need burning so bright in those velvet brown eyes.

 “Look at me. Stay with me. Always.”

 He slowly withdrew and then thrust powerfully back into her.

 “Is this what you wanted?” he strained out. “Is this what you need?”

 She wrapped her legs around him, lifting her hips to meet each and every forceful lunge. “Yes,” she whispered. “I need you, Nathan. Just you. I need this. I need your strength.”

 “You have it, baby. You have it and me. Always. I swear.”

 Their gazes locked, she writhed beneath him, the edgy rise already upon her. Sharp and yet delicate. Hard and yet so utterly gentle. She was lost in him. Lost in the power of his possession.

 This was what she needed. To feel that she belonged to him. That she was his and that he’d never let her go. She wanted to feel owned, protected, unbelievably cherished. And he made her feel all of those things and so much more.

 “Use your hand, baby,” he whispered. “I want you to go first. Touch yourself. Tell me how deep you want it.”

 His words danced erotically over her ears and sent her that much closer to the edge. She moved her hand down her belly, tight between them, and lower until her fingers slipped down to where they were joined.

 For a moment, she caressed the part of him that still remained outside her opening and then she moved back up, through damp, sensitive folds, to her clit.

 “That’s it. Damn,” he groaned. “You just tightened all around me.”

 “Harder,” she gasped out. “Please don’t stop, Nathan. I’m so close.”

 He pulled back and plunged again. Harder and deeper. Then again, with so much power that it drove her farther into the mattress.

 She couldn’t catch up. Couldn’t breathe. So she held it, straining higher and higher. He pushed into her, so tight. She was so full. He overpowered her senses. All she could process was him. Inside her body. Owning her. Staking his claim. Giving her the most unimaginable pleasure she’d ever experienced.

 He lowered his head to ravage her mouth. Hot, possessive kisses. Their tongues clashed and rolled over each other. He tasted her from the inside out and then ran his mouth down her face to her neck.

 He sank his teeth into the ultrasensitive area over her pulse point and, at the same time, swiped his tongue erotically over the area where he nipped.

 He seemed determined to give her everything she’d asked for and so much more. More than she could even take.

 She moaned softly and then louder as her orgasm came roaring over her like a runaway train. He drove hard and held himself there.

 “Oh God, Nathan. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop,” she begged.

 She forgot all about his order for her to look at him. She closed her eyes and cried out as he pushed deeper still. She was unraveling at a speed that left her breathless.

 And then she hit her peak in one shattering, mind-numbing explosion.

 He was pushing into her faster, harder. His hips slapped the backs of her thighs and then her legs fell away as he forced them wider apart.

 He shifted so his weight was squarely over her and then he leaned his head down until his forehead rested against hers.

 “I love you,” he whispered.

 He thrust again and then closed his eyes as he shuddered with his release.

 “Open your eyes. I want to see you.”

 His eyes flew open again and he smiled at her teasing reminder of what he’d told her just earlier.

 He thrust slower and more gently now but he kept their bodies joined as he settled himself carefully so that their bodies were flush.

 She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close, loving the warmth and strength that emanated from his flesh to hers. She kissed his shoulder.

 I love you too, Nathan.

SHEA awakened to a long, hard body shifting over her and sliding up her body. Nathan parted her thighs and slid another long, hard part of himself deep inside her.

 She let out a contented sigh and lazily opened her eyes to see him staring intently down at her.

 “I love morning sex,” he murmured. “I love seeing your hair all spread out over my pillow, your body wrapped around mine. I love watching you sleep. So beautiful.”

 She arched an eyebrow. “So would that be you love morning sex in general or you love morning sex with me?”

 He chuckled. “You, baby. Definitely you. Only you.”

 “That’s better.”

 “There shouldn’t be any doubt,” he whispered as he eased forward again.

 He kissed her lazily, drawing out the pleasure for both of them with slow, gentle strokes. It was markedly different from the night before. She’d wanted his urgency then. The borderline desperation, the loss of control. She’d wanted it raw and rough. Just as now she needed his reverence and gentleness.

 He rocked over her, kissing and caressing until her orgasm whispered softly through her veins. Then he found his own release and gently lowered himself to her body.

 “I forgot the damn condoms last night and this morning,” he said in disgust.

 She smiled. “The ship has already kind of sailed on that issue, hasn’t it? What’s that old saying about closing the barn door after the horse is already out?”

 He sighed. “I know. I just should have protected you better.”

 She snuggled into his arms and pushed her head under his chin. “You protect me just fine.”

 A knock sounded at the door, sending Shea scrambling for the covers. Nathan chuckled. “No one’s coming in, baby.”

 “Nathan?” Joe called through the door.

 “Yeah, what is it?”

 “We’re heading out. Thought you and Shea would want to come with.”

 “Give us ten, okay?”

 “No problem.”

 “Ten minutes?” she squeaked.

 Nathan grinned at her. “Better get a move on. We run a tight ship around here.”

 She sent him a disgruntled look but threw the covers off and hurried for the bathroom.

 SHEA leaned into Nathan during the short drive back to the KGI compound. They parked outside the headquarters and Nathan ushered her inside with the others.

 Sam and Garrett were already there. She wasn’t sure what Sam was doing, but Garrett was watching the surveillance footage again, a frown of concentration etched deep into his features.

 The very last thing she wanted was to rehash that footage and see Grace all over again.

 “Ethan will be over soon,” Sam said when he looked up and saw everyone enter.

 “Any word from Resnick?” Donovan asked. “The bastard hasn’t answered any of my calls.”

 Sam shook his head. “Nothing. He’s pissing me off.”

 Shea paced restlessly, focusing away from the huge LCD screen that seemed to dominate the room. At one point, Nathan cornered her, trapping her by placing both arms on the wall on either side of her.

 “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.

 “Can we just get some fresh air? Just you and me?” Her gaze inadvertently caught on the screen again and she frowned.

 He looked over his shoulder, following the direction of her gaze, and then his eyes flashed in understanding. He pushed away from the wall and tangled his fingers with hers.

 “Come on. We’ll go out the back.”

 After explaining to the others where they were going, Nathan directed Shea down a long hallway leading to another door with a data entry keyboard. He punched in the code and the door slid open.