Chapter 23
23
Landon had never intended for him and Noel to end up where they were, but to say he was thrilled would be the understatement of the century.
He had watched her jump into the assignment and go above and beyond to care for, counsel, and hell… even shoot a man for them. He knew she thought she had only shot toward the man without hitting him, but Landon was willing for her to keep that assumption. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel guilt about a man who would have killed all of them with no compunction.
She'd offered a shoulder for the kids to cry on, a listening ear, and a heart with the capacity to carry other people's burdens. She was also not a pushover. She was an enigma that had surprised him, and he wanted to know more.
While she'd been upstairs helping the children to pack when their own mother had taken to a bed with a bottle of vodka, he'd talked to the other Keepers before they headed to the garage condo, then made sure the two guest rooms downstairs were ready for him and Noel.
He'd waited at the bottom of the stairs, and when she came down, he could see the dark shadows underneath her eyes, the bits of mud that still clung to the bottom of her pants, and the slump of her shoulders that told him she was exhausted. And all he wanted to do was hold her, give her someone to lean on, and take care of her.
The kiss yesterday had been an impulse he rarely gave in to, catching him by surprise. Her kissing him this evening had been just as much of a surprise but not unwanted.
The feel of her body pressed against him, the trust she offered him, and the taste of her lips combined to make him know he wanted more. But he would've never pushed.
But the kiss seemed to have sparked something ready and willing inside her.
It had been a while since he'd experienced a blow job, but watching her drop to her knees in the shower was unexpected. As soon as her lips wrapped around his cock, all thoughts of going slow flew out of his head. He had the presence of mind to warn her that he was about to come, but she didn’t stop, and watching that gorgeous woman as she sucked him off nearly took him to his knees.
Now, he wanted to return the favor. First, he was determined to care for her how he'd intended when he met her at the bottom of the stairs. He reached around behind her and grabbed the shampoo. “Turn around.”
She acquiesced, and he lathered her hair, massaging her scalp and running his fingers through the tresses. She dropped her head back and moaned, the sound shooting straight through him.
Turning so that the water would rinse her hair, he grabbed the bottle of conditioner. Following the same motions, he was soon finished with her hair. He grabbed the shampoo again and quickly did his own, giving a shake to send the water droplets flying.
She surprised him when she snagged the body wash first, but he held his hands out and she squirted a generous amount in his palm. Their hands slid over each other's bodies, cleansing and stimulating all at the same time.
As his hands moved over her breasts, she sucked in a quick breath and dropped her head back. Her hands hesitated for a second, but then she quickly continued to smooth them over his body.
He explored every inch of her luscious curves, and he gave her full access to do the same. He was glad for the continuously heated water as they completely forgot their conservation ideals.
He thought of lifting and taking her in the shower but wanted their first time to be in a bed. She deserved a soft mattress instead of hard tiles cradling her back. Flipping off the water, he led her out of the shower and dried every inch, starting with her head. He quickly toweled off as she ran a comb through her hair. She squirted lotion onto her hands and lightly moisturized her face and body.
He’d never considered something as mundane as a shower or watching a woman get ready for bed as sexy. But with Noel, every movement she made called to his instincts to take her, care for her, and be part of her world.
She turned to him and smiled. “You've been watching me rather closely.”
“I find you fascinating,” he said, not bothering with a flippant answer but giving her the truth. “Fascinating, and someone I want to know better.”
She stepped forward and placed her palms on his chest, peering up at him. Both naked, he felt her nipples against his skin as his erection nudged against her soft belly. “How much better do you want to know me?” she asked, her lips curving upward.
“I want to know everything. But only taking whatever you want to give me willingly.”
She dragged her fingers down over his abs, and just when he thought they would wrap around his cock, she diverted to the side and linked fingers with him. She turned and walked out of the bathroom, and he willingly followed.
She flipped off the light, leaving the small lamp next to the bed on. Grabbing the covers, she pulled them down, then turned, sat on the edge of the bed, and scooted back. “I want you to know me better, too.”
He stood for a moment and stared at this beautiful naked woman offering herself to him and realized what a gift he'd been given. He crawled forward until his shoulders nudged her legs open. He could smell the soft scent of the body wash, but it was her arousal that held him captive. Bending, he sniffed at the trim curls at the apex of her thighs. With her legs splayed open, he dove in and feasted on her folds.
He licked and tongued, tasting and memorizing. He inserted a finger in her channel as his tongue circled the bundle of nerves before sucking. Her body bowed off the bed.
She writhed underneath him, her fingers clutching the sheets. He looked up, finding her eyes on him, and just like when she'd stared at him in the shower, he was captured by the intensity of her gaze. His free hand roamed upward over her belly to her breasts. He massaged both, tugging lightly on her nipples.
They moved in tandem, and he felt her tense just before she cried out his name. As her orgasm rocked her, he licked her essence. Then slowly, he crawled up her body, kissing the soft skin along the way. His mouth moved between her breasts, teasing and tormenting each distended nipple. Holding his weight off her with his forearms, he suddenly realized he was bare. Kissing her deeply, he thrust his tongue inside her mouth so she could taste the combination of them together.
Murmuring, “I'll be right back,” he hastened to the side and slid off the bed, feeling like an untried teenager who couldn’t get his shit together.
Grabbing his pants from the floor of the bathroom, he snagged his wallet and opened it, finding the two condoms he always kept for just in case . He was careful to keep new ones, never wanting them to expire, especially since his just in cases weren’t frequent.
Back to the bedroom, he found that she’d rolled to her side, with her head propped in her palm and a wide grin on her face.
“I'm glad you remembered,” she said. “To be honest, I'd completely forgotten about a condom. I guess you can tell this isn't something I do often.”
He rolled the condom over his cock and slowly shook his head. "I may have come prepared, but it's a rare occurrence for me, too.”
As he crawled onto the bed, she rolled to her back and opened her legs, allowing him to nestle his hips against hers. Her arms wrapped around him as the tip of his erection found her sex.
“Are you sure?” he asked, peering closely into her eyes.
“Yes, I'm sure. I want you. I want this now. And I want you for as long as we can last.”
Plunging into her warm channel, he allowed her words to wash over him. He couldn’t have said it any better. He wanted this now and to spend more time with her when the sex was over.
From that second on, all rational thought left as he reveled in the warm, tight, slick channel that gripped his cock, sending his senses into overdrive. He wanted to close his eyes and drift along the building excitement. But more, he wanted to see the beautiful woman underneath him.
Her hips moved up, and she matched his rhythm, thrust for thrust until all they could hear was their breathing and the sounds of their bodies crashing together.
Her fingers had dragged along his scalp but now gripped his shoulders tightly. Her eyes were closed, and she threw her head back. “I want to see you. Open your eyes,” he gently ordered.
Her eyes flew open, and he felt her body as she hurtled through her orgasm.
That was all he was waiting for because the tingling strengthened, and his release jolted through him. He continued to thrust until he was spent. He finally withdrew and, leaning up on his knees, took care of the condom. Looking down, he watched as her complexion was now cream and pink, and she had the lazy smile of a well-sated woman.
He kissed her lightly, stealing her breath, before he whispered, “I'll be right back.”
He took care of the condom in the bathroom and washed his hands. When he walked into the bedroom, she’d pulled the covers partially over her body, but it was obvious she was still naked. “Fucking perfect.”
She chuckled. “I was just thinking the same thing about you.”
Turning off the lamp, he slid underneath the covers, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her deep into his embrace. He had no idea what the next day would bring or what would happen after they parted ways in Montana. But he knew he wanted to see her again and prayed that she would feel the same in the morning light.
Soon, her breathing grew deep, and he knew she’d found sleep. Closing his eyes, he quickly joined her.
Landon woke the following morning and stretched, a smile on his face. A warm body lay next to him.
“You know, we woke up a lot like this yesterday,” Noel said.
He chuckled, then rolled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight. “Yes, but today, we’re a hell of a lot more comfortable.”
Her laughter rang out as she nodded. “I can't argue with that.” Their gazes held and then they leaned forward simultaneously, their lips meeting.
He would have taken the kiss much deeper, knowing exactly where he’d like it to go, but they woke in the wee hours of the morning and used his second condom.
Noel pulled back and sighed. “I know, I know. I just can't help but wish we had a box of condoms.”
“You've got that right,” he replied with a groan.
Laughing together, they climbed from the bed. “I’ll shower and then go check on the kids.”
“I would suggest we shower together, but?—”
She placed her finger over his lips. “We’ll never get off this island if we have another shower like last night.”
He groaned, pulling her closer, loving how her body fit so perfectly with his. "You’re right. You shower first.”
“Afterward, I'll go check on the kids and see what I can find for breakfast. We have to forage for ourselves.”
“Yeah. Even if Horticia was let go after questioning, I doubt she’d come back here.” He kissed her quickly, then watched her sweet ass strut into the bathroom, willing his cock to calm the fuck down. When she was finished, she dressed and started packing her overnight bag while he headed into the bathroom. “When I’m done, I’ll find out when we can leave.”
She smiled and started to turn away, but he reached out and snagged her hand. Gently pulling her closer, he leaned down to kiss her smiling lips.
When he finished his shower, he packed his bag and walked to the front door, placing his next to hers. He could hear her voice coming from upstairs. Pulling out his phone, he called Devil. “Do we have a departure ETA?”
“Frazier talked with Cole and said he can file a flight plan when you’re ready. He'll wait until we get there, but we won't have much of a wait before we can get into the air.”
“Anything new from Logan?”
“I talked to him late last night,” Devil said. “They had spent their time working on the connection between Roger, Pamela, and Horticia, uncovering the kidnapping plot. The information was sent to the Jamaican police commissioner. The police want to have all the facts before they arrest her. Sadie and Todd just started yesterday evening, taking a look at who might have sent Mike to kill Pamela.”
Landon dragged his tongue over his bottom lip as thoughts flooded his mind. "Any idea what he plans on doing with that information?”
“He didn't say, but if I had to guess, it's just to make sure no one is also after you all or the kids.”
It was the kind of information that would sometimes give Landon pause. When he was with special operations, he just took orders—never worrying about the results. However, in the years spent in the Bureau, he constantly looked to uncover clues leading to arrests and prosecution. That wasn't always his job as a Keeper, but he found it sometimes challenging to let go of that mindset.
“Noel is checking on the kids, making sure they'll be ready to go soon. Once we leave here, I know we all want to get to the airport, get on the plane, and get the fuck out of here. I haven’t seen Pamela this morning?—”
“She left in the middle of the night. Picked up by whom I assume is her new sugar daddy. They returned to his house in this resort in a golf cart.”
“She doesn’t waste any time.”
“You got that right,” Devil said before disconnecting.
His thoughts wandered to Noel as he disconnected, and a soft smile crept onto his face. Their night together lingered in his mind, and he couldn’t shake the warmth he felt. He had no idea what would happen between them once they were back in Montana, but he was ready to give it a chance. Whatever it took, he wanted to see if something real could be found with her.
A slight sound made him turn, and there she was, slipping quietly into the kitchen. Noel moved toward him, her steps light and sure. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him. Her warmth spread through him as he instinctively pulled her closer.
“The kids are getting ready and packing up. I told them to bring down their suitcases and check their rooms to make sure nothing gets left behind,” she said softly, her voice warm in his ear. She leaned back, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. “Didn’t see Pamela in her room. Guess she wasn't as drunk as we thought.”
“Don’t worry about her,” he replied, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. “She spent the night with Roger’s replacement. Looks like this one’s got money.”
Noel’s brows lifted in mild surprise, but then she just shook her head with a small laugh, her gaze drifting over his shoulder toward the patio doors. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, the light in her eyes softening.
“Would you mind if I took a quick walk down the beach?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just want to fill my lungs with that salty air and feel the sand under my toes one last time. This might be my only trip to Jamaica, and I’d like to see the beach up close at least once.”
He smiled, brushing a tender kiss across her lips, tasting her sweetness in that fleeting moment. Then he nodded, jerking his head toward the door. “Don’t be long.”
She made her way down the path, her fingers grazing the leaves and flowers on either side, her hair catching the golden morning light. As she reached the sand, she paused, letting the breeze tug at her clothes, her gaze cast out to the endless stretch of sea and sky.
He dragged his gaze away from her and moved to the refrigerator. Opening the door, he was glad to find eggs and bacon. Glancing toward the counter, he discovered there was also bread. Perfect… we can fucking eat before we leave. He soon had the bread toasted, the bacon sizzling, and the eggs scrambled.
Devil and Frazier entered the kitchen after dumping their bags by the front door. He quickly started breakfast, and then the sound of Penny screaming, “Landon!” He tossed the plate to the counter and whirled around just in time to see Penny racing down the stairs. He darted to her with Devil and Frazier on his heels.
Her eyes were wide with fright as she lifted her finger toward the back patio. “It's Noel! There's a man on the beach, and he's got a gun pointed at her!”