Chapter 7
Grace
The little voice inside my head was pecking at me as she’d been doing since I returned home. Only instead of pushing me to dig my way out of the protected cocoon she’d nagged me about, she was jabbering on about how I could be making a mistake.
A huge mistake.
Granted other than what little Viper had told me, every detail easily written on a sticky note, I had no clue about who he was or why he’d suddenly appeared in Missoula.
A job.
Okay, doing what? An accountant? No way. He was like a caged lion already, eager to pounce on the world.
Maybe he’d been hired by the park service to fight lions, tigers, and bears. Well, hopefully not lions and tigers, but we’d experienced our share of bear sightings and destruction of local trash cans.
Not a chance. He was completely unfamiliar with animals. How was that possible? Had his parents never allowed him a pet when he was growing up? Wasn’t Colorado just as rough and rugged as Missoula?
Maybe his father was a rich guy, owning several of the haughty ski resorts. Now, while Viper was as arrogant as any man I’d ever met, it wasn’t because he was princely.
It was because he’d used his I-don’t-give-two-shits attitude to keep people away.
Or to stay alive.
Maybe the mystery and hint of danger surrounding him was the reason I easily and without reservation slipped my arms around his neck when he pulled me into a kiss.
But not just any kiss; one that would live in my mind for weeks.
Months. At this rate, maybe even years. Between his hot breath and natural scent of manly testosterone, I was lost in a hopeless sea of desire.
To make matters worse, he was a fabulous kisser, knowing exactly when to play rough and dirty and when to pull back, allowing me just a taste of control.
I sensed he was a very dominating man, the type of guy who refused to take no for an answer when he fixated on something.
Or someone.
Tonight, I was the benefactor of a practiced, almost expert tongue that immediately brought me into a zone outside my body where I was floating. I tangled my fingers in his hair for no other reason than to try to keep myself grounded.
But things weren’t going too well, a sheer wave of pure ecstasy coming way too soon. From a single kiss. Granted, a magical hot wildfire of a kiss.
His tongue became a lethal weapon, creating such electricity that for almost a full minute, I couldn’t move. But when I wiggled in his arms, I could tell exactly how excited he was. I’d noticed the thick bulge between his legs several times all throughout making and enjoying dinner together.
Yet he’d remained aloof, answering questions with only a few words while studying me as if pulling apart every layer. I’d never felt so exposed in my life and I remained completely dressed.
He rolled his hand down my back, crushing the full weight of his body against mine. In being breathless, there was no sense of suffocation as I’d experienced before with unwanted kisses. Even with his sheer muscle, being in his capable hands, I felt protected.
Cherished.
Wanted.
All good things for a girl who’d been so damn lost for far too long. That made the moment that much more special, even if the experience would be a one-off. I was no fool about what this was.
We were enjoying decent company after sparring our way out of a battle zone. Who was I to interrupt such a stupendous moment?
Tiny moans slipped past our locked lips, the sound creating an almost desperate vibe. While he’d lifted me onto my toes, holding me while his cock throbbed against my stomach, I was pulling on his shirt, longing to expose even an inch of his heated skin.
Finally, a slight accomplishment and I slipped my hand underneath, immediately experiencing a series of colorful stars. There was such power in his hold, a need that had been bottled for a long time. That was easy to sense by his rough and tumble demeanor.
When we pulled our lips free, we both took gasping breaths. He still had one hand wrapped around the back of my neck, holding me in place. Maybe he never intended on letting me go. What was wrong with wishful thinking?
He nipped my bottom lip, his husky laugh afterward sending another thrill through me. I undulated my hips at the same time while tugging on his hair, which was thick and silky, creating a vibe of need that was long overdue.
I don’t know what was running through his mind, but I did know his body wasn’t going to allow him to ignore the attraction.
When he lifted me off the floor entirely, I laughed nervously.
His right eyebrow lifted and I had a sense the slight gesture was his only way of taking the time to ask me if this was what I wanted.
Of course it was.
My nipples had ached all evening, especially when I’d noticed that he’d flitted his gaze to my chest. The dress, while tickling my calves, was only remotely sexy, at least from what Darlene had told me, yet he’d been fascinated by how the light material had hugged my curves.
I was a woman. I knew when a man was hoping for x-ray vision.
While I was lost in my sinful thoughts, he continued taking control, including moving from the kitchen with long strides. He headed for the stairs as if he’d been to the house before.
And I didn’t stop him. Not a chance.
I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d had sex. Forget about passion. The notion was a thing for movies where stars had body doubles. I’d kept every flaw to myself and he was eager to expose them.
Viper took the stairs two at a time, sensing exactly where to go. Granted, I’d kept the bedroom light on after I’d grabbed Sailor’s pills, but he was taking ownership.
Even after an experience in the past, I craved that in a man, an attribute that had been completely unattractive before.
Once inside the bedroom, he captured my lips a second time, the kiss long and sensual.
All while I tugged and pulled on his shirt, longing to see every inch of him.
I’d been fascinated by the tattoo and he’d known it.
He’d also sensed my reaction had been personal, allowing me to keep the memories to myself.
That took someone who’d been through an experience as painful as I’d been.
Not tonight. Why was it that my mind had yet to begin to heal?
When he eased me to the floor and backed away, I almost clung to him, fearful he’d changed his mind. How silly of me. I could tell by the full-blown expression of a man ready to feast he had no intention of going anywhere.
Seeing his reaction to my girlie bedroom had my face burning hot. He grinned as if he’d just discovered a treasure. When he concentrated on the poster of Justin Timberlake, he mimicked the singer’s stance to the letter and I burst into laughter.
“Keep your day job,” I cooed.
“I think I’ll start with the night first.”
He yanked off his shirt, wasting no time doing so. When he ripped off his boots, I was allowed to see a real smile instead of the grouchy smirks from before.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t as comfortable with my own body, almost turning away from him to unzip my dress. How was it possible he sensed my nervousness, cupping my chin? All he’d needed to do was to shake his head and confidence was built.
I pulled his hand away from my face, turning it so his palm was up. As I’d done before with his arm, I traced his lifelines, finally pulling his hand so I could place a single kiss on his skin.
He shuddered audibly, the sound boosting my confidence. When I stripped the dress away, his entire body stiffened, a whistle coming from deep within his throat while he rubbed his jaw.
“Fuck. Me. You’re beautiful.” His words were laced with heavy lust, so much so the lower timbre sent vibrations dancing through me.
Now, with me standing only in a lacy bra and thong, he wasn’t about to waste any additional time. With a single step closer, he cupped my breasts, finishing the distance. He rubbed his thumbs back and forth across my aching nipples, leaving me more breathless than before.
With his chest heaving, the slight growl only added to the level of my desire. I brushed the tips of my fingers down his bare chest. How could a girl not swoon when her fingers slipped across such chiseled pecs? The man was built like no other I’d ever met and his skin was hot to the touch.
While I was concentrating on exploring every dip and every defined rib, he reached around to my back, unfastening my bra.
One last minute of feeling a sense of embarrassment hit me as he pulled the lace from my body.
Every expression he offered was as if he was a famished man and I was his last meal.
He couldn’t care less that I wanted time to explore, pushing my hands away and cupping my breasts again. Only this time he dragged me onto my toes, forcing my back into an arch.
My God, the sounds he was making made me continually blush. Every guttural pant, every growl was that of a primal beast. And I was all for it.
With his head dropped, he pulled my nipple into his mouth, sucking with enough pressure I whimpered. He didn’t seem bothered by the anguished sound, taking his time to swirl his tongue before biting the tender tissue.
Another batch of stars was right there, keeping me from focusing, but I knew I was in good hands. Yet I dug my nails into his forearms, feeling free enough to toss my head back. Holy shit, the man’s mouth was indeed a lethal weapon. When he rolled his lips to the other breast, I held my breath.
Every inch of my body was covered in goosebumps. With tiny prickles of electricity beading across my skin, I was certain I’d fall to the floor if he tried to let me go.
He obviously had no intention of doing so, lifting his head while dropping his gaze all the way to the floor.
After grabbing a fistful of my hair, he yanked me back to a standing position, our lips mere centimeters apart.
For what felt like minutes but was probably seconds, we did nothing but breathe heavily.