Maybe he wasn’t garbage after all?
He lowered his face, kissing her as he stroked her pussy.
Jo’s moans were so very sweet to his ears.
She had to make it through whatever the hell she was doing, because he was not going to find her and then lose her. Not after tonight. He couldn’t allow that to happen. But that was tomorrow’s problem.
Tonight he wanted to make her feel.
Jo pushed at his shoulders. He sat up and she yanked at his shirt, pulling it up over his head. He threw the garment over the side of the bed and stood. She was already sat up and was undoing his belt buckle. Elias grabbed his holstered weapon and disentangled it from his belt, then set the gun on the nightstand—next to hers.
In this they were, and would likely always be, the same.
The moment his fingers let go of the holster Jo was on him again. She undid his pants, never once pausing to stare at his scars. Hell, she’d seen the gaping wounds. She’d seen him at his worst and she still wanted him. That knowledge made his hands shake as he stepped out of the last of his clothing.
Jo rose up on her knees and cupped his face in a tender gesture. She kissed him with as much desire as before. He dug his hands into her hair, marveling at the silky feeling of the strands. Her hand wrapped around his cock and he groaned.
It had been so long...
He shuddered at the feel of her hand against his flesh.
So damn good.
Skin on skin.
Wait.
“Jo. Jo? Hold on a moment.” Those words nearly killed him. He grasped her by the shoulders and pushed her away enough to look at her.
“What?” Her eyes were so dark, her hair a mess from his hands and her skin flushed a pretty pink.
“Condoms. I don’t, I mean...” He didn’t have any.
“I don’t need them,” she said without hesitation.
“Shouldn’t we—”
Her hand tightened around his cock. “Elias, I care about one thing right now. I have an IUD and I haven’t had sex with a human in almost two fucking years.”
“Oh.” He blinked a few times trying to take all that in. It was hard when her hand wouldn’t stop stroking.
“Is that a problem?”
“I, uh, guess not? Fuck.” The last word came out more like a groan.
Jo scooted back, and he followed, planting one knee then the other on the bed. She shoved his shoulder, surprising him enough it knocked him off balance. He sat down on the mattress. She moved in fast, straddling his thighs.
Everything about this moment was surreal. She was looking at him like he was the prize, the thing she’d been wanting. And he felt the same way about her.
She leaned over him with one hand on his shoulder. He eased back onto the plush pillows while his mind tried to take it all in, commit the sight of her to memory. The way her hair caught the light. Her breasts were bigger than he’d expected. She had freckles down her sternum, pale barely there dots.
He was still in that state of breathless aw when Jo went a step farther. Holding his cock in one hand, she sank down onto him.
All at once Elias’s mind went blank, his entire being focused on the sensation of her soft skin against his. Her wet heat enveloped him, hugging him tightly.
Jo slid her hands up and down his chest. She arched her back, a shift he wouldn’t have thought he’d notice, but he did.
“Jo?” he managed to get out.
She rose up slowly. He felt the tremble in her thighs. She was a strong, physically fit woman, which meant that tremble wasn’t from exertion. She was feeling this every bit as intensely as he was.
Jo sank back down without warning.
Elias gripped her hips as his vision went hazy.
Fuck, she was amazing.
“Eli?” She panted for breath.
“Yeah?”
Her cheeks were pink, her eyes bright with need. “Touch me.”
He lifted his hands and cupped her breasts, exploring her tight nipples with his thumbs. She groaned and tossed her head back as she moved over him.
She was a thing of beauty, embracing and demanding what she wanted.
He planted his feet on the bed and using his good leg thrust up to meet her.
Jo’s eyes went wide, and she moaned.
He’d always wanted to be closer to her, but he never thought he’d get this close.
“Again?” she asked in a breathy, needy voice.
They moved in time.
Jo leaned over him, her hair making a sort of curtain so the only thing that existed in their little world was each other. He stared into her eyes, committing every gasp and moan to memory.
“God—Eli. Eli!” She threw her head back as her pussy tightened around him.
He thrust up again, harder this time and felt the surge of pleasure rush through him. It seemed to roll up from his very soul. He tilted his head back and groaned through the wonderful, earth shattering pleasure of it.
Jo’s body shuddered over him. She pitched forward, barely catching herself before flopping on top of him.
Beautiful.
He wanted to see that again.
Jo’s shoulders slumped, and she blew out a breath, kindly aiming at the pillow instead of his face.
He reached up despite the rubbery quality of his arm muscles and smoothed hair off her face.
Her eyes popped open, and she stared at him with wide eyes.
“You didn’t come?” she asked.
He grinned at her. “yeti did.”
“Oh, good. I just, sorry.”
Elias wrapped an arm around her and pulled her down to lie across his chest. She pillowed her head on his shoulder and squeezed him.
There was no more denying it. Elias had been, and might always be in love with Marjorie Walker. No other woman made him feel things like she did.
And tomorrow he’d have to send her into battle alone.
It just might kill him.
WEDNESDAY. AEGIS GROUP Safe House, Seattle, Washington.
Jo stroked her fingers up and down Elias’ arm. He held her so tight, as if he never wanted to let go.
Why had she waited? What was wrong with her? Why now, of all the times?
She turned her head, burying her face in the pillows.
They’d taken turns in the bathroom, then collapsed back into bed. Half the lights were on, casting the room in a comfortable glow. She half-hoped they’d fall asleep and skip the talking bits. But sleep was avoiding her.
When she’d known she needed help, Elias was the first person she’d thought of. Granted, after hearing the target was in Seattle, Elias had been in her head, anyway.
Why couldn’t she tell him the whole story?
He worked for Aegis Group, who did government contract work. There was a good chance he had a security clearance. She knew she could trust him. So why was she letting her MIA handler run her life like this? Why was she risking everything she could have just to follow some silly rules?
Restless, she turned to face Elias.
He had his head on the end of one pillow, one eye aimed at her.
He wasn’t sleeping either. Because he’d picked up on her anxiety about tomorrow?
If he asked, would she tell him? Did she really think he’d ask?
They stared at each other for several moments, neither speaking a word.
There was so much quiet understanding in him. She didn’t have to say a thing, he just knew. He’d always known, even when she didn’t. He got her in a way no one else did. Why had it taken her so long to act on it?