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Tori wrapped her leg around his thigh, canted her hips and guided his erection to her entrance. He let her dictate how fast he went, not wanting to harm her in his exuberance. He felt her heat through the thin rubber barrier first. She rolled her hips and the head of his cock slid into her. He sucked in a deep breath, his grip on her tightening. She cupped his cheek and kissed his lips in a tender gesture.

It was his move now.

Emery rocked into her, trying to be easy.

Her mouth opened on a silent groan. This close he could hear and feel everything about her. Her gaze was on his mouth and her hand hadn't moved from his cheek.

“Emery.” She unwound her leg from his, perched her toes on the drawer handles and pushed against him, taking him deeper.

“Shit,” he muttered as her internal muscles squeezed him. She was tighter than he'd anticipated.

“I want to feel you.” She closed her eyes and let her head tip back.

He kissed her throat and thrust with more force than he intended. Had he hurt her?

“Oh yes!” Tori's hand went from his cheek to his shoulder.

Not too hard then.

He withdrew and thrust, watching her face, fascinated by the tiniest movements. Her eyes squeezed shut while her mouth worked silently. Nothing in her expression spoke of pain, only pleasure.

“Emery . . .”

In and out he moved, while his hands coasted over her body. He touched her, learning the way her muscles bunched and moved in a whole new way.

“Emery!”

“What is it?” Speaking was a chore, a task he didn't want to think about, but Tori needed words.

“God.” Her nails scraped down his arms and her gaze went a little unfocused, staring off over his shoulder.

“You feel so good.” Good was an understatement. How else did he communicate what she did to him though?

“Mm.” She dropped her head back, exposing the long column of her throat.

He chuckled. Had he ever seen her at a loss for words?

Emery leaned forward and kissed her throat, up over her jaw and mouth. He had a serious hunger for her. If he had his way, he'd spend days doing just this, or better.

He pulled almost entirely out of her before thrusting back in, sinking his entire length into her pussy. Tori cried out, arching her back and lifting her hips off the table. He gripped her hips, transfixed by the pleasure on her face and the way her breasts swayed with each thrust, taunting him. He hadn't spent nearly enough time there.

“Harder.” Tori panted, her eyes open and staring at him now.

Emery lifted her ass almost off the table, supporting her weight between his hands, and thrust. She moved with him, or tried to, but he was in control. He moved in and out of her body. The sound of flesh meeting flesh was the loudest sound in the garage next to the mix of gasps and groans. Tori muttered encouragements, things he couldn't hear. Not that he needed to. Her body was giving him all the right signals.

The skin at the base of his spine prickled. He was close, but damn it he would not come first.

“Come on,” he muttered.

“Oh. Oh, Emery.”

Tori ceased her attempt to move, allowing him freedom to rock into her body. Instead, she reached between them, her fingers grazing his cock. She began to rub her clit in hard strokes while he moved in and out. He very nearly blew his load then and there, but his resolve to see her pleasured first held firm.

“You are so damn hot.” It was the hottest fucking thing next to the visual of himself buried deep inside of her.

Her breathing hitched and her spine bowed. The rhythm of her hand faltered. He felt the spasm all around him. The invisible iron bands around his chest broke free and he inhaled, letting go of his control, allowing her orgasm to spark something deep inside of him that connected them in this moment. He braced one hand on the bench for leverage as his climax rolled up from his toes. Her gaze sharpened, focusing on him in that last second. He shouted as he came, thrusting roughly while his vision blurred from the force of the orgasm.

He collapsed forward. Tori slumped against the bench and wall behind her, half sitting, half lounging. She cradled his head to her chest, her breasts taunting him with all the things he had yet to do.

Holy shit.

There were no words.

He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her. How had his heart come to be wrapped up in one, bite-sized woman? And how did they proceed from this?

Chapter Ten

Tori towel-dried herself in the dim bathroom after a much-needed cold shower. A couple of candles were the only source of illumination since the sun had set. She strained to hear movement in the house, more worried about where Emery was than the threat of a Russian hit team. It was a weird shift in priorities, but chances were, Emery was a hell of a lot more dangerous to her right now than men with guns.

She didn't know what had come over her in the garage. Frustration? Pent-up sexual tension? She couldn't blame Emery for doing exactly what she'd told him to. He was a man, presented with a naked, willing woman. God, how could she face him? She'd wanted him so badly for so long she hadn't exactly thought about what they were doing. He wasn't someone she could fuck and leave. They worked together, for Christ's sake.

Given the circumstances, she needed to be up-front with him. Emery was a reasonable guy. She just hoped he didn't treat her like a piece of ass after this, not that she thought he would. He was more likely to go back to forgetting she existed, which was probably better in the long run, though it would hurt her. He'd continue to tinker with his electronics and she'd pine for him. It wasn't a great plan, but she'd lived with it for this long. Eventually she'd get over him and move on, or the job would end and they'd go their separate ways.

Armed with a flimsy plan, Tori got dressed in another pair of cotton panties, the same sports bra she'd worn earlier, a new tank top and jeans. It wasn't the most flattering outfit she'd ever worn, but it would do in a pinch. She gathered up her discarded clothing and exited the tiny bathroom. Almost immediately she was aware of the overwhelming sense of Emery's presence. He stepped into view at the end of the hall, his shadow stretching out toward her.

“Made sandwiches.”
Thought you might be hungry after all the exercise.

“Thanks.” She clutched her clothes to her chest like some sort of shield.

He lingered a moment longer before stepping out of view. She could hear his footsteps creak as he retreated toward the kitchen, leaving her in peace.

So much for tackling the problem of their coupling head-on.

Tori went straight to her duffel bag of new clothing set against the wall and squished the dirties into a side pouch. If they had to run, she didn't want to leave much evidence behind of their presence. In a pinch, she could shoulder the bag and keep her hands free to shoot.

Emery had a few candles placed through the house to provide a little light. The windows were open to let the breeze in, and outside the bugs hummed a chorus of sounds. It was almost peaceful. Except for the impending awkward conversation. They couldn't let this rest between them. Not when she needed to count on him. Being distracted could cost them their lives.

She stood, pushing her shoulders back.

It was better to handle this like a Band-Aid. Rip it off all at once. The sting would abate and they could move the heck on. Or pretend to.

She strode into the kitchen and blinked in the light. A battery-powered lantern provided far more illumination than the candles. Emery stood leaning against the counter, sandwich in one hand. He blinked at her, which was infuriatingly cute. A man with that much hidden strength should not be sexy—and cute. His hair was still rucked up on one side and she could remember sliding her hands under that very shirt not too long ago.

“Turkey?” He held out a sandwich neatly divided into triangles.

“Thanks.” She took the offered food and backed up until she could lean against the refrigerator. She bit into the bread and meat without tasting it. How did she begin? What did she say? She swallowed and stared at the floral print on the paper napkin.

“About earlier?” Yeah, what about it? How did she begin?

“Hm?”

She lifted her gaze to his. If she was going to be honest with him, she'd do it with pride and own the truth.

“I shouldn't have kissed you or pressured you like that. I'm . . .” She took a deep breath to keep going. The unwavering quality of his gaze was a little unnerving. “It was my fault. To be honest, I've had a silly crush on you for a while. I don't know why I did what I did. It was stupid. I don't want it to change our working relationship.”

Heat rose to her cheeks and her eyes pricked. There was nothing stupid about what she felt for Emery, it was just unrequited. She couldn't fault him for not feeling the same about her.

Emery stopped chewing. In fact, he didn't move except for the gentle rise and fall of his chest. He just stared at her.

The imagined Emery voice almost made her smile. Wouldn't that be wild to hear?

He put his unfinished sandwich down on the counter and dusted his hands off. She wanted him to say something, but time had proven that she couldn't rush him. He'd speak in his own time.

“I thought we'd talk about that later,” he said.

“Why not now?” Couldn't they just agree to move on?

Emery shrugged.

“Look, we can forget it happened. Cool?” She bit one of the triangles in half, still not hungry.

“No. That's not cool.” His frown deepened.

“Then what do you want to do?” she said around the bite of sandwich.

“I don't think you're silly or at fault. No one is at fault here. We're adults. We can talk about this.”

That was remarkably reasonable, and full of complete sentences. She nibbled on the rest of the triangle, a bit more interested in food now.

“I've been thinking while you were in the shower,” he said.

“Hurt yourself?”

“No.”

He paused, piquing her curiosity.

“What were you thinking about?” She wasn't sure if she wanted to know.

“That we've both been oblivious.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the floor before looking at her once more. “I think today was bound to happen. I'm attracted to you. Have been for a long time.”

That sounded an awful lot like what her imaginary Emery said, minus the admission of love.

“Wait. I'm sorry. What?” Had she heard him right?

Emery crossed the kitchen in two strides until he loomed over her, filling her vision and blocking out the light. Just looking at him, the counter pressing against her back, she could almost feel him moving inside of her again and that brought heat crawling up her neck.

“If you've got a silly crush, I have an unwise obsession.” He placed his palms on either side of her and leaned down until his face was mere inches from her own.

Was he serious? Her heart pounded against her ribs, the deep ache of desire throbbing alive. What if this was a joke? Was he being serious? Or telling her this to—what? Play along to keep her with him? That was silly. Emery hadn't lied to her or tried to control what she did. He'd presented the facts, just like he was doing now.

He was attracted to her.

“Say something,” he said.

“What am I supposed to say?” She gripped the half of her sandwich so tight the pieces of turkey squished out of her grip and hit the floor.

“Whatever you're thinking. You always have something to say.”

“I'm wondering if this is some kind of practical joke.” There. Every opportunity to own up to his bad humor.

“I'm not kidding around.” His brows drew down into the serious expression she was used to from him.

That was a relief to hear. She didn't dare hope for more, but she couldn't stop the yearning from bubbling up inside of her. She wanted him. And he wanted her, too?

“Why haven't you ever said anything?” she asked. How much time had they wasted?

“Why should I?” He shrugged. “I didn't see the point of it.”

“How is it not completely obvious?” She pushed the napkin and what was left of her sandwich onto the counter to free up her hands. “I call you all the time.”

“With work stuff.”

“I do not.” He'd fixed her laptop. Tricked out her sister's necklace with a tracker. And a dozen other things that had nothing to do with their job.

“I am guilty of being oblivious to what is otherwise obvious to other people. But I'm not about to forget what happened today. Not at all.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and damn it, she wanted him to kiss her.

“Then . . . what are we going to do?”

“I'm going to kiss you.” He bent his head a little, and damn if she couldn't feel the memory of his lips. “But only on your mouth, and only once. Any more and I'll get distracted. We can't afford to be caught unaware.”

“O-okay.” She could appreciate his forethought, even if her body screamed at the unfairness of it. Her hormones were overriding her critical-thinking ability. The safety of her sister and the threat to her should be at the forefront of her mind, but all she could think about was Emery. This close, she could see the lighter flecks of gold in his hazel eyes.

“One kiss,” he said.

Was he taunting her, or promising her?

Tori held her breath. Emery leaned toward her and bent his head a little more. His lips whispered over hers in a gentle glide.

“That doesn't count.” She reached for him, but he grasped her wrists, holding her hands prisoner. In this setting, she didn't mind him pinning her hands.

“No.” He pressed against her, trapping her body with his.

Emery sealed his mouth over hers. He licked the seam of her lips, demanding entrance. There was nothing of the shy lover she'd imagined him to be. She didn't have to coax him out of his shell. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and she curled her fingers into her palms. She wanted to hold on to him, and yet the way he took complete control was a major turn-on.

The pieces clinked together.

She'd never been attracted to a guy like what she'd imagined Emery to be. Her body had recognized the strength in him even when she hadn't. She melted into his hold, wishing they were skin to skin. Once wasn't enough. She wanted him again and again. But damn it, there wasn't time for that.

As if Emery heard her thoughts, he broke the kiss. He pressed his lips to her forehead, breathing deep. She closed her eyes, soaking in his strength, the quiet competence she'd taken for a single facet of his personality.

“I can't let you keep distracting me.” His lips moved over her skin. Did it count as a kiss?

“You're right.” Tori pulled her wrists from his grasp because he allowed it and hugged his waist. She'd never again make the mistake of thinking she could show him up, unless they were talking cars. “What are we going to do?”

“I can't think when you're touching me.”

“Really?” The Walking Brain had a weakness?

“I'm thinking a lot about things that won't help us.” He stared down at her, gaze narrowed.

“Like? Dirty, sweaty things?”

“Yes.” He frowned.

“Want to tell me about them?”

“No.” Yet he slowly brought his arms around her, as if he thought she might bolt if he moved too fast.

“It could be fun. We could compare notes.”

“You have notes?”

“No. Why? Do you?” Oh, that could be fun to explore.

Emery cleared his throat. “We need to assess the situation.”

“I know. Can I see your notes after we assess things?”

He continued speaking over her. “And we also need to sleep. I've been going for almost two days.”

“Shit, Emery.” She pushed at his chest, the haze of lust abating. Their safety depended on both of them being ready for danger. Emery exhausted and running on fumes was not ideal. “Go to bed. I'll keep watch. There's nothing more to assess than what we already know.”

“Wake me in two hours.”

“Six.” She glanced at the no-frills watch she'd purchased because they were keeping cell use to a minimum. “One AM. Then I sleep. We'll do better with clearer heads in the morning. If I think of anything useful, I'll write it down and leave it in here for you to work on, okay?”

Emery nodded and for the first time she noticed how his shoulders sagged. Had he stayed up all night on her account? Christ, the man was a machine if he could be firing on all cylinders and making sense.

“Don't leave the house,” he said.

“You don't get to give orders.”

“I'm the field agent here.”

“Not when you're sleeping. Go. Move. Now.”

Tori was pretty sure he let her shove him into the living room. She grabbed the makings of a second sandwich now that her hunger was awake, and blew out the lights, following him into the front of the house. By the time she made it to the armchair he'd positioned for a lookout, Emery was already lying down with his back to her on the queen mattress. He was still dressed, down to his boots.

“Talk to me?” His voice was quiet in the darkness.

“What do you want me to talk about?”

“Anything. I like to hear you.”

Where did she start?

Tori licked her lips, her mind going back to her theory for how to tweak the Lancer for a faster start. Good as anything. As she spoke, her mind circled the new discovery.

Emery liked her.

He had hot, dirty desires that featured her.

They were going to get through this, because she wanted to find out which of them had the naughtier list of fantasies.