“I’m not sure what you mean.” She sipped her whiskey. A big, long sip.
His mouth twitched, but that was the only break in his intensity. “I rather enjoy when you make me work to know you. But I’m afraid, like I already said, time is up. Tell me what you’re hiding.”
She swallowed. Part of her wanted to tell him everything. Explain her entire past. But if Hunt knew about her past life as Marissa Ricci, and that she’d had her true identity buried, he’d have to tell Rhys. Then Archer would learn that she’d lied to them. She’d never be allowed back in Phoenix. She loved her new life, and that included her sensual life in Phoenix, and her friends who also belonged.
The air seemed too thin as Hunt took another step closer, erasing the distance between them. “I know there’s a reason you have refused, from day one, to not act on what’s between us. And I know that reason is tied to your break-in today.”
She looked to her glass, avoiding his penetrating stare. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His fingers dragged against her jawline before he cupped her chin, forcing her to meet the strength in his gaze. “Let me help you.”
She needed to shut this down.Now.Hunt was too smart, too insightful, too damn trained. Her heart began to hammer, making the room feel smaller and smaller. He’d peel all her layers back and expose all her secrets. She couldn’t allow that.
“Lottie,” he said, a pillar of strength.
Suddenly it occurred to her she knew exactly how to distract him. Ignoring the consequences, she placed her glass on the table and grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer. Before she could second-guess herself, she sealed her lips on his. He stiffened, seemly momentarily surprised, until he softened, wrapping his arms around her, bringing her tight against him with a low groan.
Her lips opened, and his followed, but he never quite gave her the kiss she suddenly, desperately needed.
When he broke away a few minutes later, he chuckled against her lips. “Shutting me up, huh? All right, Lottie, I’ll go along with that.” His hands fell to her hips, and he gave her a push until her back hit the wall. She gasped. Need stormed through her as his eyes darkened with arousal. “For now.”
Frenzied thoughts filled her mind as his mouth met hers again, but when he took over the kiss, her thoughts simply faded into nothingness.
She parted her mouth, and his tongue invaded, sliding against hers. His kiss was skilled, determined, and left her dripping. She slid her hands over his strong, flexing arms, shoulders, up his thick neck to the back of his head, running her fingers across the shaved hair.
He groaned, breaking the kiss so his lips could travel along her neck. His hand threaded in her hair, and she rolled her hips, heat pooling low in her body. His tongue flicked her ear lobe, and she moaned, a tease of how that tongue would feel elsewhere. “Can I touch you?” His breath tickled across her ear.
The game was dangerous. And yet,and yet…she couldn’t stop from playing now that she felt him…tasted him. “Yes.”
A primal sound rumbled from his chest as his hand traveled up from her hip to her breast. “Fuck, Lottie.” His mouth met hers again as that hand sneaked up her shirt and pulled her bra down, exposing one breast and then the other. He broke away to swirl his tongue around one bud before sucking it deep into his mouth.
She moaned. Loudly. His mouth was fire and sin.
Pinned to the wall by his body and kiss, he unbuttoned her jeans and slipped his hand down the front. He grunted in approval at the wetness he no doubt felt. Dragging her arousal up through her sex, he circled her clit, with his big, capable fingers, and she fell into the pleasure.
“I want to taste you,” he said against her mouth. “Can I?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
He roughly yanked her jeans down to her ankles and nudged her legs open until she felt bound by her pants, trapped in his claim.
When his tongue met her hot flesh, she hissed against the pleasure. He chuckled, gently caressing her lower lips as he ran his tongue over her arousal. She didn’t even have it in her to feel ashamed for how drenched he made her.
Between her legs, he glanced up, one eyebrow slowly arched. “Already so fucking wet for me, Lottie?”
She couldn’t form words. She slid her fingers through his hair, tightening them, pleading he stay right there.
And he did. He turned his attention back onto her sex and stroked her, invading her, taking in all of her, like he couldn’t help himself. With a growl, he tickled his tongue upward and licked her clit, each touch becoming hotter.
Hunt.
She forced herself to look down and found him staring up at her. Her breath caught in her throat, the pleasure unraveling her as he kept his focus on her clit.
Hunt.
She unabashedly ground her sex against his mouth, riding him, fulfilling a fantasy she’d had a thousand times before now.
His low chuckle hummed against her like he knew it too. He added one finger and then another.
