The finding, p.18
The Finding, page 18
“Bring it on, elf-boy,” she called out after him.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Elf-boy? Really?”
Aubron stormed back down the hall and propelled Reece into the dining room by her shoulder.
“What? Can't take the heat, princess?” she sneered, and spun to face him.
A dangerous light entered his eyes. “I’d watch it if I were you.”
“Why? Oh, poor Aubron can't handle his girlfriend. So sad.”
“Enough,” he growled.
“You don’t get to tell me enough. You don’t get to tell me anything. That woman is a nasty, calculating bitch who’s only trying to figure out how to worm her way into your bed.”
“Wow, Reece. Do I detect jealousy?” He narrowed his eyes. “I can handle her. I’ll tell you what I damned-well please and this is enough.”
Fury materialized in two bright spots of heat on her cheeks. “You do not. Why would I be jealous? I don’t care who you screw. I don’t care what you say. You don’t own me.”
A feral grin widened his mouth. She should’ve known it was dangerous to push him, but she was too angry to care.
“Oh … but I do.”
Reece’s fist connected with the bottom of his jaw. She couldn’t reach any higher, but it helped relieve some of her frustration. Aubron’s head snapped to the side, a dark red patch blooming where she’d hit him.
“Feel better?” he mocked, then spun her around and placed both her hands on the wall.
“What do you think you're doing? Get your hands off me!”
“No.”
Simple. Short. To the point. It only infuriated her more.
She shoved herself backward, but he stood behind her, reminiscent of the first day they’d met. He placed her hands shoulder-width apart on the wall again.
“Keep them there. You'll need something to hold on to.”
“Piss off, arsehole.”
To her annoyance, he laughed. It wasn’t a happy sound.
“Soon enough, but not yet.”
He gripped her hair and pulled her head to the side, exposing her throat. His mouth dropped to the curve of her neck and connected with the soft, sensitive skin. Reece gasped and jerked against him.
Holy shit.
“Keep rubbing against me and you’ll find out sooner rather than later what it does to me.”
Shock stopped her dead. He ran a hand down over her butt where he’d slapped it and stroked soothingly. He slid his hands up her bare stomach and ribs to her breasts, scraping his claws ever so gently. Her heart kicked up a notch, pounding now not from anger, but from awareness.
He stroked her gently, in total opposition to his rough treatment of her. His thumbs rasped across her nipples and she jerked backward again. A low growl sounded against the skin of her neck.
“I told you not to do that,” he murmured.
He pinched a nipple through the damp fabric between his thumb and forefinger. She gasped.
Oh, dear God.
“Stop,” she managed to grind out, even though it was the last thing she wanted.
His hands stilled. “Are you sure about that? Do you really want me to?”
Reece gritted her teeth and conceded defeat.
“No. I don’t,” she whispered.
His hands covered her breasts and massaged slowly. Her brain went to mush. His mouth moved on her throat, kissing, licking, nipping. She gasped when he nipped at her earlobe.
What was she angry about again?
“Calin?”
He breathed a moan. “Yes?”
“Why won’t you let me go?” she whispered.
His lips and tongue moved to the back of her neck. She bent her head forward to give him better access. If he kept this up she wouldn’t even know what her own name was, let alone be able to speak coherently.
“You're angry. You're frustrated. I can fix that.”
“What if I don’t want you to?”
He licked her from the base of her neck to her ear. The moan that left her echoed around the room.
How could she convince him when her body betrayed her at every turn? She didn’t even want to convince him, she just wanted to fight him. He took her lobe into his mouth and tugged. She gasped and trembled in the prison of his arms.
“I think you do,” he murmured.
She shook her head halfheartedly.
“Stop me.”
No, her brain screamed. Dear God, no.
His hand slipped from her breast and fell to the waistband of her bikini bottoms. He took his time, stroking her heated skin, allowing plenty of time to stop him. She didn’t.
His fingers inched beneath the fabric.
She grabbed at his hand. “I don’t, I …” She had no idea what she wanted to say.
He nuzzled her ear. “Put your hand back on the wall. You're going to need the support.”
His hot breath scorched her neck. She couldn’t help it, she let go of her anger and sighed. He felt so fucking good.
“Why are you doing this?”
The sinful mouth on her neck stopped for a moment. “Because you want me to.”
Reece could’ve cried. Yes, she did want him to. She wanted that and so much more.
“And you're so sure of that?” she whispered.
Gentle, softer kisses peppered her throat.
“Yes. Tia explained. I don’t know how it’s possible, but we’re reacting to each other. I can give you the release you need. I can make you feel good—let me do it.”
Reece nodded her consent. She closed her eyes and swore under her breath. Damn him to hell and back.
She was so frustrated. She needed. What was worse was he knew it.
She’d been such a bitch, pushed all his buttons. She’d wanted a response. Wanted him to retaliate. Pushed him. And now she was surprised and fighting him when he did?
No. Not surprised.
She’d fought him because it had felt so good to get her frustration out. She placed her shaking hand back on the wall.
“Don’t worry. I won’t take advantage. This is for you alone.”
His fingers slipped straight down. A great gasping moan tore from her. She fell against him, cradled by his strong body from behind. His mouth never left her neck, kissing and licking and biting.
She couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but feel that amazing mouth and his incredible fingers. Slow strokes began a mind-shattering rhythm. Her knees jellified. She was lucky he was behind her, taking her weight. She would’ve fallen without him.
“Please! Don’t stop.”
Calin groaned into her damp, heated skin. He pressed a lingering kiss to her cheek. “I won’t. I promise you’ll feel better.”
Hell yes, she would. She was so close, but she never wanted it to stop.
“Where do you like it most?”
Fingers entered her, stretched her, stroked her, teased her.
Fucking hell, she wanted that so bad, wanted him. Wanted to feel him thrust into her.
Even his fingers would do.
“Anywhere. You feel so good.”
His fingertip slid over her clit. She cried out. “There. Oh God, there.”
She clutched at his arm with one hand and pressed her face into his muscled bicep. The other wrapped around his neck, holding on for dear life at the incredible feelings he dredged up. His scent enveloped her, making each touch super-sensitive. Her fingers flexed on his neck.
“I need to touch you,” she whispered.
Molten hot breath blasted her neck. “No. Not this time. This is for you. I told you that.”
“But I need to!”
His fingers spasmed, then regained their incessant, mind-blowing rhythm. “This is hard enough for me, don’t make it worse.”
She finally registered the feel his erection pressing into her back.
Touching her turned him on? That only made her want him so much more.
“I want you inside me. I need you!”
His hand left the wall, slammed over her mouth and clamped down hard. “Don’t say that!”
His fingers played over her, then dipped deep inside. Over and over again.
Why couldn’t it be his cock? Why wouldn’t he just give it to her?
Suddenly her knees lost strength. She tried to suck in great gasps of air but couldn’t. His hand lifted, letting her get the much-needed air into her lungs.
“I need to taste you,” he gasped against her neck.
An image of his mouth where his hand was blasted into her brain. Ravenous need flamed through her blood.
“Yes! Lick me. Please.”
She turned in his arms, his hand still down her pants. Wide, glowing gold-ringed eyes stared at her.
“What?”
She cupped his face. “Lick. Me.”
His fingertip dipped to just inside her slick, wet entrance. “Here?” He slid it back up to her clit and she bucked against it. “Or here?”
“Both.” She forced the word out. It was nearly impossible. Her voice had all but dried up. Just the thought of that mouth, that tongue …
The intense need that flooded Calin's gaze almost undid her. “Are you sure?” he rasped.
She could only nod.
He dropped to his knees without another word and yanked her pants to her ankles, then dragged them off her feet, one at a time.
He lifted a leg over his shoulder and bent his head, breathing deep. A rumbling growl left him, as much felt in her belly, as heard.
Strong fingers spread her and he licked.
Reece gasped and jerked back against the wall, unconsciously shoving her sex harder against his mouth.
Fuck, yes!
His tongue dipped between, sliding over her, flicking over her clit as he pulled it out. “You’re frakking delicious.”
Reece could only moan an affirmative. She didn’t care what came out of his mouth, as long as it was accompanied by his tongue, as long as he kept doing that.
Her hands were plastered flat to the wall, her fingers twitching, trying to grip each time he licked.
“Calin, please,” she keened.
She didn’t know what she was begging him for. He tilted his head further and thrust his pointed tongue deep inside her. His groan almost surpassed her loud moan.
His hands gripped her butt cheeks and he worked her against his mouth, dipping his tongue inside then pulling out to swipe over her clit with each stroke. The continuous growls leaving his throat sent a never-ending cascade of shivers and goosebumps skittering over her entire body.
Plunging a hand into his hair, she scraped his scalp with her nails and twisted her fingers deep amongst the braids, grinding her sex against his mouth with each teasing thrust of his tongue.
She’d never wanted or needed like this. Like if she didn’t have his tongue inside her, she’d die. Release flickered at the edges of her awareness and she wasn’t sure if she should chase it down, or run.
She didn’t want this to stop.
Ever.
Calin swiped his tongue over her clit again, then sucked. She couldn’t breathe. Stars burst behind her eyes.
“Calin!” Reece cried out as orgasm hit in a blinding blast. He wrapped his arm around her thighs just beneath the crease of her butt to hold her tight to his mouth and kept sucking, fingers sliding into her to pump as he did so. Her body clamped down on them.
His fingers hadn’t stopped. He kept lapping at her clit. Reece jackknifed against him and screamed, orgasm hitting a second, more intense time, wave upon wave flooding her in delicious, mind-shattering ecstasy.
He shuddered, his moan muffled against her flesh as he kept licking, devouring her. Pulling back, he gasped in deep, loud breaths and nipped her thigh hard, then pressed his face into her skin; those harsh, panting breaths bursting heat across her upper thigh.
Calin gently rubbed his cheek against her trembling leg that lay over his shoulder and pressed a kiss to it.
Reece tried to catch her breath. She shook her head to clear the fog of bliss. She bit her bottom lip and moaned softly as Calin slipped his fingers from her and looked up. He raised his glistening fingers to his mouth and licked each one clean while she watched, panting.
Fuck.
He carefully lowered her leg to the floor and her legs buckled completely; strong, sure hands grabbing her before she hit the floor.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered. She could barely recognize his voice.
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he scooped up her bikini bottoms, stood, and swept her shaking body up into his arms. She’d never come so hard. Certainly not twice, so close. She had a hard enough time breathing, let alone anything resembling thinking.
Each gasping breath drew his incredible scent deeper, inside her very soul. It wrapped around her, intensified on the bare skin of his neck.
Reece pressed her face into his neck and breathed deep, drawing it into her blood. She couldn’t seem to get enough.
That delicious scent seemed so much stronger than before. It tangled her insides into tight knots. It was so intoxicating it almost made her claw his clothes off and insist he get on top of her.
She closed her eyes and tried to control herself. Her body didn’t seem to belong to her anymore.
All it wanted—all she wanted—was him.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Calin carried her down the hall. He bypassed her room and headed straight for his own. He yanked the duvet back on his enormous bed and laid her down carefully, sliding the bikini bottoms over her feet and up her legs. She lifted her butt and he pulled them into place.
“I’ll be back in a moment.”
Reece watched him grab something from his closet as he walked through and into his bathroom and shut the door.
With shaking hands, she closed her eyes and scrubbed at her face.
Holy hell.
Sure, she’d fantasized about him. Several times. But nothing in her imagination came close to that. She breathed deep, stared at his ceiling and relaxed back into the pillows.
Every part of her still tingled, as if electrified by what he’d done.
Jesus. Those fingers. That mouth.
The bathroom door opened and Calin reappeared. Her gazed dropped. He’d changed his pants. She couldn’t school her expression fast enough.
His mouth hitched up at the corner and he shrugged a shoulder. “You shouldn’t be so surprised.”
Reece tried to find some witty comeback and failed. This wasn’t the time. “I guess I'm not?”
She wasn’t. Not really. If he’d been anywhere near as worked up as she’d been, she was surprised he hadn’t needed a damned shower, as well.
Calin sat on the bed. He looked undecided for a moment, then flopped onto the pillow beside her. He turned his head. “You don’t sound so sure.”
Reece let a small smile tilt her mouth. “It’s not that. I can't explain it.”
She could, but she had no intention of opening that particular can of worms. He nodded, accepting her lame deflection.
Some of the ends of his hair fanned out beside his head. Encouraged by what had just happened, she reached out and touched one of the finely twisted lengths. She ran it through her fingers to the end. Gilded thread wrapped and folded the ends, holding the braid together and hiding any end hairs from view.
She looked up into incredible gold-ringed eyes, watching what she was doing. She thought about dropping it but decided not to. If he didn’t want her touching it, he’d say so.
“I love your hair.”
Calin blinked, surprised. “Thanks.”
Reece smiled at him. She ran it through her fingers again, feeling the tightly wound strands glide through her fingers. It felt amazing, both soft and strong.
“Do you ever wear it out? Loose? Or only ever pulled back?”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Mostly back. The Navy doesn’t mind how long we have our hair as long as it’s pulled back out of the way for duty. I guess I just got used to wearing it like that.”
She rolled to face him properly, focused on his hair. He didn’t have to know how sexy she found it, especially on him.
“Can I?”
“Ah, sure. Why not?”
He turned his head on the pillow to give her access to the back of his head. She touched the large, tight metal ring. A small button indented near the split in the metal. She pressed it, unsure. The ring expanded as if sprung, making it triple in size, then clicked open along the split. She removed it and turned it over in her hand.
Tricky.
She placed it on the bed as he turned back to face her.
Much better. Her fingers found their way back into the mass of braids.
She busied herself winding them through her fingers. She wrapped one long one around her whole hand several times. There was something incredibly sexy about running your hands through a man’s hair. It was like undressing him. She ignored the way her stomach clenched at the comparison.
She wouldn’t mind undressing his sexy body in the least.
Calin stared at her face while she played with his hair.
What was she thinking while doing that?
Intense concentration highlighted her face. The way Reece wrapped the strands around her hand and pulled them through her fingers, it felt incredibly close to foreplay. He’d never have thought the gentle tugging on his scalp could feel so sensual.
He couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to have her hands tangled tight in his hair, holding him down while he was on top of her. She’d done it while his tongue had been buried deep inside her, grinding herself against his mouth at the same time.
He shivered.
He shook his head slightly to try and rid himself of the persistent image. It wouldn’t leave.
Stop it!
He couldn’t afford to go back there again today, but her taste almost overwhelmed him, making him crave more.
He needed her. Needed to be inside her. He clenched his hands to stop himself reaching for her.
Think about anything else. Think about Alais.
He almost laughed. Thinking about her was enough to destroy even the most persistent erection. Usually, it worked.
