Delta Salvation (Phantom Force, Book 1) (11 page)

“This place is as secure as we can hope on short notice. There’s even a panic room, which I didn’t know about until you were in the shower. Rowan’s given me the code. Follow me.” He indicated the hallway near the room Tay was sleeping in.

She did her best not to stare at his ass, following him down the corridor, running her hands over the polished wood a sense of wonder fell over her. What would it be like to own a home of her own like the one she was being led through, flittered across her mind.

“I’ve reset the code to one only you, me and Tay know. That means, if something happens you lock yourself in here, and don’t let anyone in. Period. Got me?” His military gear made him look totally in control, and ready to kick ass.

Shit, she needed to get her mind off his ass.

“Alright. Like I said, I’ll do whatever you say.” She swallowed, her throat all of a sudden seemed dry and she licked her lips for a second time, noticing the way he tracked her movements.

****

K
ai felt his control snap. Watching her eat had been a test of his control, knowing she’d been naked just moments before had already set his body on fire. Now he wanted to trace her lips with his own tongue, wanted to see if she was as sweet as she looked. “Woman, you are testing my limits.”

Alexa sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, making him growl.

“I don’t mean to do...”

He pressed Alexa’s back against the wall, bent his head and captured her lips with his. Hearing her moan had him reaching down with one arm and lifting her, letting her feel the hard press of his desire against her abdomen.

Pulling back he rested his forehead against hers. “You make me lose my head, luv.”

“Pretty sure if we keep going I’ll lose my borrowed panties.” She nuzzled into his neck.

“That is no way to rein me in.” He bit her earlobe.

She sighed. “You’re the one tempting me.”

He was sure it was both of them. There was something about Alexa that drew him to her like a moth to a flame. Without second guessing himself, he bent and took her lips in another kiss. Delving inside with his tongue, tasting the burger they’d had for dinner mixed with the glass of wine she’d had.

Her hands gripped his shirt pulling him closer, kneading his chest like a little kitten. Both his hands found her ass, lifting her up, and without words she wrapped her legs around his hips.

A noise alerted him to the fact they were no longer alone, and it took him longer than he liked to separate from the woman he held. He rubbed the moisture from their kiss into her mouth, wishing like hell Tay hadn’t chose that moment to return. However, fucking their charge against the wall would be bad he told himself.

“I’m going to go stall Tay while you take a moment. I’m sorry for stepping over the line.”

He turned away quickly, hating the hurt he saw in her strange colored eyes.

“Hey, it takes two to tango.” She ducked her head.

Kai took great pleasure in seeing the rosy hue covering her face, and wanted to check for himself if it covered more of her body. “Baby, I want to do the horizontal tango with you.” He turned before he could make good on his words. Her gasp wasn’t one of outrage, and the telltale sign of her pebble hard nipples were a sure sign she was as turned on as he.

There was no way Tay wouldn’t notice the signs as he rounded the room into the kitchen area, but the other man kept his back to Kai, rooting in the fridge for more water.

“Did you get her all sorted out with the safe room?”

Kai wanted to laugh, but suppressed it. “Yep, she’s good to go. How did the perimeter look?”

“Rowan has cameras set up along with enough lights to light up a football field. There’s early warning alarms set to go off if anything larger than a hundred pounds steps within 25 yards of the house, so unless someone is aware of the triggers, we should be good.” Tay turned with a smile on his tan face.

Raising his middle finger, Kai flipped him the bird. “I’ll take first watch, while you get some rest.”

Tay shook his head. “I got first watch. I want to run some programs and do some upgrades on Rowan’s security. I won’t rest until I do, so you get some shut eye.” He raised his bottle toward the entryway.

“Alright. You got first watch. I’m going to go up and shower then get a few hours’ sleep. Ms. Gordon, what are your plans?” Kai asked without turning around.

“I think I’ll turn in as well. I’m exhausted.”

Kai finally turned to look at Alexa. His dick, which he’d finally gotten under control swelled at the sight of her swollen lips. He imagined those same lips traveling all over his body, and knew he needed to get away quickly. “I’m going to take a quick check around outside before I turn in. Goodnight, Alexa.”

He strode past her without another word. Fuck!

Outside he took deep breaths, the scents of pine and fresh outdoor smells hit him. The cool breeze helped him gain some much needed restraint. Being around the petite woman was shredding everything he’d known about himself, and he wasn’t sure he liked it.

Fifteen minutes later he walked up the back steps, entered the code and waited. When the red light flashed instead of green he panicked. He tried again and the flashing red had him taking a step back. The sound of the tumbler locks disengaging made him squint in the dark, his hand went to the gun at his side as he stepped next to the edge.

“At ease, Kai. I told you I was changing the codes so only you and I would know them. Although I trust Rowan, I don’t trust anyone who may have had access to this place, or his computers.” Tay’s voice carried out the door.

“Damn it, Tay. You could’ve shot me a text or something. My first instinct was to shoot first and ask questions last.” Kai stared at Tay, looking at the man still dressed in his fatigues.

Tay shrugged. “I didn’t want to disturb you while you did a perimeter check. I figured you’d come back in the front.”

He didn’t like the way Tay had a knowing smirk on his tan face. His surfer boy good looks was enough to set Kai’s nerves on edge, but he ignored the urge to punch him. “I’m going to get a few hours rest, and then I’ll take over watch. Anything I need to know about?” He nodded toward the laptop open on the granite counter.

“Our guys are good. Should be here in the morning, early afternoon. No hits on Alexa, so either it was a fishing expo, or Tyler has cut his losses, or...”

Yeah, the last or was bothersome. They didn’t have time to have her scanned for a tag, but she could very well have been like they’d done others. He voiced his concern, watching Tay’s eyes widen.

“Shit, dude, what the hell we gonna do if that’s the case?” Tay began to pace.

“We do what we do best. What’s our code?” He waited a beat. “Failure is not an option.”

Both he and Tay yelled “Hoorah” at the same time. He pulled Tay in for a back slap, then turned away. “Don’t go outside while I’m sleeping. The windows are bulletproof. The only thing getting through the doors are major fire power, a big rig, or someone who knows the code. The first two I’ll hear, the last, we are in a shit ton of trouble if it happens.”

“Yes, dad.” Tay saluted smartly, his middle finger tapping his forehead.

“No respect, asshole.”

His actions were light, but Kai was secure in the knowledge Tay was guarding his and their... he wasn’t sure what Alexa was to them, only that they were her protection detail. The fact Tyler had his sights on her made her their number one priority. He wasn’t fooling himself that they were using her as a sort of bait, knowing their old team mate would follow where they took her. They only needed to find out why, and keep her safe in the process. He’d do his best to keep the fact she was being used by them as such, but the security of their country, his team was at stake. Besides, he reassured himself, they would make sure she was alive to live a long, healthy, happy life. Unlike what Tyler had plans to do. The bastard only cared for himself and what he could get out of things.

Up the stairs he paused outside the door to Alexa’s room, then went across to his own. His duffel sat on the end of the bed with clean clothes. More of the same as what he was wearing. Grabbing out a clean pair of boxer briefs, he entered the ensuite and took a quick shower, leaning into the water he thought of Alexa across the hall. His body responded, and he looked down knowing he’d not get any rest with a hard on to rival a steel pole. “Good god, the woman is a menace,” he growled, taking himself in hand. He made quick work of bringing himself off, images of Alexa’s tiny hand doing the work, her gorgeous eyes looking at him so trustingly had him coming before he’d realized it.

Using the soap on the ledge, he washed up and got out, drying off Kai had just slipped on the briefs when he was sure he’d heard a woman’s whimper. He grabbed his glock and was slipping out the door silent as a ghost.

Tay stood at the bottom of the steps, gun in hand.

Kai gave him a motion with his hands, easing inside the unlocked door. Lying on the big bed he could see Alexa thrashing with the moonlight spilling over the bed, highlighting her form. She cried out again, the sound had him hurrying to the side of the bed.

He flicked on the bedside lamp. “Alexa, wake up.” Touching her bare shoulder, he felt her jerk.

Alexa’s eyes popped open. “Oh, god.” She scurried to the head of the bed.

The blanket lay at her knees, leaving her in a tank top and small pair of boy short panties. “It was just a dream. You okay now?” He began backing away.

“Don’t go. Please stay.” Her hand reached out.

He was not equipped, or more aptly he was completely equipped for this. “What do you need? I can get you a drink or something.” He looked toward the open door.

“Could you sit with me for a little while?” Her voice quivered.

What the hell was he supposed to do? “Sure. Scoot over.” Now, if his dick would just listen to his mind and stay down, he’d be fine.

Alexa breathed a sigh. “Thank you.”

With his back against the headboard, Kai sat with Alexa and thought he was definitely getting brownie points for sainthood. Her shiver had him reaching down for the blanket she’d kicked off. When his palm brushed her smooth thigh, he pictured her naked in the shower using a razor and wanted to kick his overactive imagination. He tucked the blanket around them both, using it to hide his growing bulge and her cold form.

“Lay down and get some rest.” The wood poles on the headboard dug into his back, but he ignored the pain.

“I don’t think I can go back to sleep.” She shivered. “How about we talk?”

Torture. That was what he was being put through. Hell, he’d been tortured, and still he thought he’d come out of it a lot easier than lying next to a half dressed Alexa. “What do you want to talk about?” He’d dated plenty, was actually good at drivel and shit.

“Where are you from originally?” She asked.

“My family originated from New Zealand, but I was born in Hawaii. I’m Polynesian if you hadn’t guessed.”

She turned to look at him. “Can you do the haka dance?”

He raised his eyebrows, shocked she knew what it was. “You a Rugby fan?”

Nodding, she licked her lips. “I love to watch the All Blacks.”

Her actions made his cock jump, but her words made him smile. “The haka is the ancestral war cry, dance or challenge of the Maori people of New Zealand. The All Blacks are my favorite team as well. I love to watch them perform it before each game. Many New Zealand teams do it and other teams all over have begun doing it as well.”

“Can you do it? The haka dance like them?” Her eyes sparkled.

Kai laughed. “It would be a matter of dishonor had I not learned it. My family is very big on tradition.”

“I bet it was hard to learn,” Alexa said looking away.

He knew she had no family traditions and cursed her family for leaving her. “Tomorrow I could teach you.”

She brought her hands up to her chest, making his eyes zero in on the hardened tips. “That would be fantastic.”

“You should get some rest,” he murmured, preparing to get out of the bed. His control was barely on its tether.

Her hand grabbed his arm. “Could you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep.”

The pleading in her trembling voice had him staying where he was. “Scoot down and get comfortable.”

Saint Kai was definitely going on his uniform.

“Thank you,” she said around a yawn.

Kai nodded and pulled a pillow behind him.

“You should lay down beside me. We can both rest in this bed. I mean we’re adults, right?” Her clear eyed gaze showed him she had no clue he was hard as a rock beneath the blanket.

“Baby, you have no clue what you do to me.” He warned her.

Her indrawn breath and quick look down at his lap showed the cover wasn’t truly hiding his condition.

“It’s kinda hard to hide something like that, but it’s biological. We’re adults and can ignore pesky things we can’t control.” She snuggled down and turned her back to him.

Pesky things his ass. Speaking of ass, hers was pointed right at him, and he swore it was the sweetest thing he’d seen. When he’d gripped it in his palms, she’d had more than a handful, and he’d loved it. He hated skinny women, and Alexa Gordon was curvy in all the right places.

“Fine, I’ll ignore him if you can.” Kai moved down to lay flat on the bed, sure he wouldn’t get a wink of sleep.

Hours later, he woke with his hand gripping one firm breast and his hips cradling Alexa’s. His dick he’d promised to ignore had wedged itself between her thighs, and he’d somehow been thrusting in his sleep. Hearing Alexa’s moan, he quickly realized she wasn’t unaffected by their sleep play.

Kai reluctantly lifted his hand away from her breast, but her hand grabbed his and put it back.

****

“D
on’t stop,” she moaned.

“Woman, if I don’t, I will be balls deep inside you in five minutes or less.”

Alexa used the grip on his hand and pushed until he reached her mound. She was so turned on, she was sure it would take less than thirty seconds for her to come, let alone five minutes. “I don’t care. I want you.”

Kai groaned, his finger dipped beneath the fabric. “Damn you’re wet.”