Shattered Valor (25 page)

Eden lowered her gaze. The room had been chilly when she first entered. Now it was hot. She wanted to crack the window, but she didn’t want Ty to notice she was warming up.

Too late. He was watching the flush rising from her neck to her face. “What did you put in the fondue?” She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

“Not all toxins need to be ingested.” He lifted his cup to his mouth and sipped, covering the hint of a smile. When he set his cup down, he opened his arms wide, inviting her to look at his chest. “It’s not too warm in here. I’m perfectly comfortable. Perhaps you should remove your robe.”

“You haven’t had as much fondue as I did.”

His eyes dipped to her chest, followed the line of silk from the folds over her breasts up to her neck. “I’m looking forward to having my share.”

She pushed her plate away.

“Finished?”

She nodded, eyeing him warily. He put a few strawberries on a plate, then dipped a small ceramic cup into the warm chocolate. He set those items on the end table next to the sofa. He blew out the flame under the fondue, then picked up the knife and set it on the plate of berries.

When he had everything arranged as he wanted it, he held a hand out to her. She frowned at it, then at him. “What are you up to?”

He smiled, a sad expression, really. “I’m hungry for my dessert.”

Eden set her hand in his. She had no idea what he intended to do or why he couldn’t eat his portion there at the table. He led her over to the sofa. He hooked his fingers beneath the lapel of her short, silk robe, running his knuckles down over her skin, then up again.

“Is this new?” he asked. She nodded. “It’s pretty. I think Val’s wasting his talents as a sniper. He could make a fortune shopping for rich women.”

Eden smiled. “Don’t tell him that or he’ll start moonlighting.”

He slipped the tie of her robe loose. “We don’t need this.” He opened it and drew it off her shoulders. He draped it over the arm of the sofa, then swept a look over her, seeing the white lacy boy-cut briefs and their matching bra with its front closure.

He smiled as he bent to kiss her neck. His hands at her waist were warm and slightly rough, raising the gooseflesh on her arms.

“Are you cold?”

“No.”

“Then I’d like you to lie down for me.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.”

Eden kept her feet on the ground as leaned back against the sofa, not quite prone, but not in a power posture either.

“Lie back all the way.”

Eden slid down to the seat cushion of the sofa. Ty lifted her legs, straightening her out. She reached up and gripped the frame of the sofa back. There was a towel draped over it. Why did he need a towel?

“Are you thirsty? Do you need a bathroom break? This may take a while. I don’t intend to consume my dessert quickly. And I don’t want to be interrupted.”

“I’m good. Just do what you’re going to do.” She eyed him nervously. His face took on the look of a man who had staked on claim on a stretch of river rich in gold. Possessive. Determined. Fierce. He knelt next to her. She moistened her lips, letting her teeth worry the soft inner flesh of her cheek as he stroked his hand over her legs, over her hip, across her belly.

Eden held herself perfectly still, willing her body not to squirm under the heat of his gaze. He glanced over her bared flesh as would a painter considering a blank canvas.

After a minute, he went over to the side table and picked up the knife. Eden tensed, about to fling herself from the sofa when he simply sliced through a few strawberries. He brought the plate with him and set it between her legs.

He lifted a strawberry half and squeezed it over her navel, then popped the pulp that remained into his mouth. “Be very careful not to move,” he said as he held her hip in the palm of his hand. Involuntarily, Eden clenched her stomach. Strawberry juices spilled across her belly and down her side.

Ty hissed as he bent forward to keep the thin stream from hitting the cushion, catching it with his tongue. He licked the path it had made, stroking upward over her skin, stopping at her belly button. He swirled his tongue about the shallow cavity, clockwise, then counter-clockwise, then he mouthed her entire navel and sucked the juice from her skin.

Eden arched involuntarily, pressing her stomach against his mouth. He pushed her hips back to the cushion. “I said don’t move,” he growled, lifting his head enough to snap the warning as he gave her a dark glare.

He took another strawberry from the plate between her legs, then squeezed the ripe fruit, dribbling red dots from her navel up to her ribs. Eden watched the drops fall, anticipating the touch of his tongue as he savored the trail he’d made. Her breathing became erratic, making her chest move more than she wanted. The more she tried to stay still, the less she did.

Ty ate the pulp that remained, watching her. He picked up another berry half and squeezed a trail toward her other breast. He at that pulp as well, then sucked the remnants from his fingers, one by one. He leaned over her to dip his tongue across and in her belly button, then he took hold of her waist in both hands as he began to lick the first path of red drops he’d made.

His hands were large. She’d never felt particularly small, but something about the way he held her so gently, so carefully in his hands, hands she knew could easily cause so much damage, made her feel fragile.

He started on the second trail of sweet juice at her other breast, nuzzling the heavy, soft underside before dashing away each drop on his torturous path back to her navel.

Eden inhaled a sharp hiss as his face moved across her belly, equally frustrated and excited at his inventive use of the fruit. His eyes caught hers as he unlatched the front closure of her bra and opened the two halves, exposing her breasts. He took a leisurely look. She wondered if he fought the same need to end this torture, but he reached for another ripe strawberry. Holding it over her breast, he squeezed drops of red liquid onto the tip of her nipple. When he was finished, he sucked the sweet remnants from his fingers, then repeated the gesture with her other breast. He took up the small ceramic bowl, tipped it over to drizzle thin lines of warm chocolate haphazardly across her breasts.

He leaned forward to suck the lines of juice and chocolate, moving up each breast but never quite reaching her nipples, saving them like sweet cherries for the very last. When he finally latched on to one, Eden cried out and arched against him. He pushed her back down, his hands on her belly and collarbone, immobilizing her while he licked and sucked to his content.

When he finally finished, she dug her hands into his hair and pulled him up, crushing her mouth against his. He fisted her hair and took over the kiss, sweeping his tongue inside. He tasted of chocolate and strawberries, coffee and sin. She sucked on his tongue as he had sucked on her nipples, wanting him with a mindless, illogical need that demanded satisfaction.

She was barely aware of his wrapping his arms about her and lifting her to her feet. She held onto him as the shift in gravity slowly registered, and then they were standing in front of the sofa. Her breasts were level with the bottom of his ribcage. She reached to hold him, but he caught her hands and held them in one of his behind her back.

He gave her a warning glance. “You aren’t leading this dance.”

“You led last night.”

“And I am again tonight. I have to. For a while.”

She considered that statement as she studied him. Madness danced with the shadows in his eyes, as if he was with her and yet not. She nodded. “Okay.”

He took the plate over to the table and then removed a washcloth that was in a covered dish next to the fondue pot. He brought it over and stroked the warm, moist cloth from her stomach, up her ribs, around each breast, then quickly scrubbed it over his own chest. He set it on the side table, then came back and lifted Eden into his arms, carrying her the short distance to the bed.

When he reached to the nightstand for a rubber, Eden put a hand on his arm, stopping him. “I’m protected. Let’s not use a rubber tonight.”

He was still standing, as tense as a rabbit poised for flight. Eden went to her knees and touched her hands to his chest. She pulled her hands down his pecs, letting her palms contour to his ribs and taut abs. She leaned forward and kissed his sternum, moved her face over his heart. His skin was soft beneath her lips.

She breathed his scent in; filled her lungs with it. Her hands moved slowly down his waist to his jeans. She felt the sharp breath he took and held as she flicked his pants open. She looked up at him as she lowered the zipper. A muscle clenched in the corners of his jaws, spreading pulses of tension up his cheek and down his jaw.

She ran her hands inside his waistband and slowly pushed his pants down his thighs. He wore no underwear. Her hands encountered only the soft skin of his hips, then the coarse hair of his thighs. She brought her hands up to grip his penis. He swallowed hard. His nostrils flared as she gripped his rigid length.

She bent to take him in her mouth, but he gripped her shoulders, pulling up short. “Don’t, Eden. Please. Don’t”

“I need you, Ty. Please. Just love me.”

He moved over her on the bed. He spread her thighs with his knees. He pushed into her, moving slowly, slowly, as if she would break. Sweat dotted his brow. His face was tight, the corners of his jaw knotted. He was wide and long. She could feel him stretching her.

“Tell me if I hurt you.”

“You’re not hurting me.” He pushed forward, inch by inch, until he was fully seated within her. Only then did his eyes meet hers. His eyes were devoid of passion. The room was shadowy, only dimly lit by the candles behind him. She couldn’t be sure she was seeing what she was seeing, such a savage mixture of fear and anger and determination in his eyes.

“Are you all right?” she asked quietly.

“Yes,” he answered.

But he wasn’t. She wondered if he was even with her, even aware of her. She reached for him. “Let me hold you. Ty—.”

He leaned over her and began slowly pumping inside her. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, trying to draw him down on top of her, needing to feel him against her. He moved closer, but not close enough to let his body rub against hers.

“Ty,” she whispered.

He covered her mouth with his hand. “Don’t talk. Please. Don’t say anything.” His movements were becoming more powerful, thrusting deep inside her. He hooked a hand beneath her lower back, lifting her hips to his. Heat rolled through her, taking her to a level of pleasure that was so intense, she cried out against his palm. And then he was pistoning inside her, up on his knees, gripping her hips with his hands until at last the veins on his neck stood rigid. He bared his teeth but didn’t make a sound as he found his own release.

When it was over, he looked down into her face, his expression closed to her inspection. He pulled free of her and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, his back to her. He braced his elbows on his knees and bent his head, his hands covering his ears. His wide chest expanded and contracted with the remnants of their exertions.

Eden was afraid to move. She said nothing while he caught his breath. Said nothing when he got up and pulled his pants on. He walked out of the room without giving her another glance. Eden’s heart squeezed tight. What kept happening? What was going on? He hadn’t been like this at her apartment.

She got out of his bed and pulled her wrap on. She looked out in the hallway. Some of the guys were in the game room down below, but their voices were muted through the closed door. The hallway was dark.

She went into her room and dressed. Wherever he’d gone, she’d find him. She would not leave him alone to fight the hell he battled.

Ty moved down the hall, unaware of his destination until he walked into his old room, next door to Eden’s. Nothing remained of the room he’d had as a child. It had been fully refitted as an adult space. There was a small space in the far corner between the nightstand and the wall.

He lurched across the room and squeezed himself into that crevice, one of his safe places as a child. The furniture had been different then. And he, of course, had been much smaller.

“Ty?” Eden called softly from the hall. He didn’t answer her. He was invisible in that corner anyway. She wouldn’t be able to see him even if he called out.

“Ty? Are you in here?”

He shouldn’t have come back to this house. He should have quit the team and run like hell. God, he hated this place. He looked at the narrow space beneath the bed, wishing he were small enough to still fit there. It had taken his father hours to find him the day he’d hidden under one of the beds. But when he had, the punishment had been so much worse than that from which he’d hidden.

He started to rock himself, just a slight forward and back motion. He flicked a quick look at Eden, who now stood by the foot of the bed. Maybe he wasn’t invisible. Maybe he’d never been invisible, though he’d wished it so fervently.

Eden stood in the big empty bedroom, shocked to see Ty hiding in a corner of the dark room. Oh, God. What happened? She didn’t know what to do or what to say. For a long minute, she stayed frozen in place. She closed her eyes as she felt waves of emotion rolling off Ty, spilling into the room.