Naughty Heroes

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Sara was more than a little frazzled for the rest of her shift. Not only had they uncovered one of the drug smugglers—that it was her ex was still something she couldn’t quite wrap her head around—but she and Mitch had had s*x. In the break room.

It had been scary and exciting at the same time. All she knew was that as exhilarating as it had been, she really didn’t want to do it again. She wasn’t an exhibitionist at heart. It was bad enough someone had listened to them making love. She didn’t want to consider they might have seen them.

As tempting as it was to head to the storage room on the pretext of needing more napkins or a mop to clean up a spill, she couldn’t risk it. If she got caught poking around by the wrong person, it would mean trouble for them both.

Every time she started to get overwhelmed, she looked to the corner of the bar where Mitch sat. Solid, dependable, sexy Mitch. His being there gave her the courage to keep on smiling at the customers, chatting with Joe, and even speaking with her boss, who’d warned her against taking long breaks again. Not so subtle code for “don’t have s*x in the break room again.”

She knew she was using s*x with Mitch to distract her from the more pressing problems, but she was okay with that. She needed to remain calm until her shift ended, which was thankfully soon since they’d just had last call for the bar.

“So you and the guy in the corner…” Judith let the innuendo just sit there and wiggled her eyebrows. “He’s hot.”

Sara sighed and set her tray on the bar, keeping an eye on her customers. She wanted to clear the tables as soon as she could. “Yeah, he is.”

“Isn’t it, like sudden?” Her question was a reminder that Judith had moved here with her boyfriend about six years back. The guy was long gone, but Judith had stayed.

“We were together in high school, but then he left to join the Marines.” She wasn’t about to get into her personal past with Judith. She liked the other woman well enough, but they weren’t close friends. “Things kind of fell apart after that.”

Judith touched her arm. “I’m really sorry. But you have a second chance now.”

Did they really? She hoped so. She had no idea what would happen once he had cleaned out his family home and finished his mission here. “I guess.” Just then a table in her area emptied out, and she hurried over to clear and wash it down. The janitor would be in early tomorrow morning, but it was her responsibility to make sure all the dirty dishes made it to the kitchen.

Like the night before, Mitch was waiting for her. It occurred to her that he must be exhausted. She was and she hadn’t spent all day doing physical labor like he had. His limp was a little more noticeable as he walked her to her car. Like the night before, he followed her home.

How quickly her life had changed. It had gone from boring—work and chores—to being involved with Mitch and all that entailed.

He was a quiet presence beside her as she unlocked the door and they entered her house. “I need a shower.” After working a full shift, and having s*x in the middle of it, she desperately wanted one.

She was very aware of him following close behind her. “You hungry?” he asked.

It was funny, but if her ex had asked her that question, she’d have assumed he wanted her to make something. With Mitch, she knew he’d asked because he really wanted to know if she was hungry.

“Not really.” Everything that had happened tonight had her churned up. After grabbing her nightgown, she headed to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She peered into the mirror, wondering how it was possible to look the same after being through so much inner turmoil.

It didn’t take her long to shower. She was very aware of Mitch waiting only a few feet away from her. By the time she toweled off, her n*****s were hard peaks and her skin was sensitive to the touch.

She took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. There was no sign of him. All the lights were off except for the glow coming from the bedside lamp in her bedroom. She stood in the doorway to her room. He was already in bed with his arms stacked behind his head, displaying his arm muscles to perfection, his chest bare. She wondered if he had anything on under the sheet.

“Come here.” He held out his hand, and she walked toward the bed and took it. He tugged her down beside him. She plucked at the fabric of her nightgown, very aware of being naked beneath it. “I’m sorry,” he told her.

“For what?” Both of them were keeping their voices low, as if speaking too loudly was somehow wrong.

He dragged his free hand through his hair. “For getting you into this mess. For f*****g you at work. That wasn’t right.”

Poor Mitch still saw her as a young woman in need of protecting. “I could have said no. I could have walked away,” she reminded him.

“You had to do what you did to keep my cover,” he reminded her.

“No.” She ran her finger down the center of his bare chest. “I had to keep kissing you. I didn’t have to do anything else. I wanted to.” She would never turn Mitch away, and she’d sensed he’d needed her for a far deeper reason than simply to keep his cover.

She let her finger push the sheet lower, exposing his very aroused c**k. “Hmm…what do we have here?”

“Sara.”

“No.” She didn’t want to talk, not now. Morning was soon enough to deal with the latest development. Right now, she wanted him and he certainly wanted her. She ran her finger down his hard length, loving the velvety skin that covered his shaft. Going lower, she cupped his balls and lightly squeezed.

He briefly closed his eyes and groaned. “I dreamed about this.”

“Did you?”

“Oh, yeah.” He reached for her, but she leaned out of reach. He immediately settled back, allowing her to have her way.

She knelt onto the bed and licked her lips.

“You’re killing me,” he told her.

“I hope not. At least not yet,” she teased. Then she leaned down and ran her tongue from base to tip. When she reached the flared head, she circled her tongue around it. He tasted warm and salty. Musky.

“That is so damn hot.” His hands were fisted by his sides. She knew it was to keep himself from grabbing her and appreciated his restraint.

Wrapping one hand around his shaft, she pumped up and down. It jerked in her hand, pulsed against her palm. She angled the top toward her and took him into her mouth. He groaned and bucked his hips.

It was a powerful thing to make such a strong man weak. It was only fair since he possessed the ability to do the same to her. She loved giving him pleasure. He didn’t expect it, didn’t use it as a power play. This was how it was supposed to be.

She stroked her tongue up and down his length, pumping him with her hand until he was rising off the bed to meet her.

“Let me touch you.” His voice was so deep it was barely recognizable. “I want to come inside you.”

There was something in his eyes that made her release him and then tug her nightgown over her head. He surged upward and took her down to the mattress. Their lips touched and he went wild, thrusting his tongue into her mouth, stealing her breath. His shaft pressed against her hip like a hot brand.

He pulled back and shook himself. “No, I won’t rush things. Not this time. He made a space for himself between her legs, forcing her to widen them. “This time I want to touch you.” He placed his hands on her breasts and moved them in a circular motion. Her already tight n*****s almost hurt they were so sensitive to his touch.

“I want to taste you,” he continued. Lowering his head, he licked a path between her breasts before moving to one of them and taking the taut peak between his lips.

All his movements were slow and deliberate, a blatant difference between their other times together. This time he wasn’t going to hurry. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Then he flicked his tongue and she moaned.

* * * * *

He loved the sound of her moan, the feel of her soft skin beneath his hands and her n****e in his mouth. He loved her intelligence, the way she was able to act quickly in a difficult situation, her kindness, her willingness to give him whatever it was he needed.

He plain loved her.

He’d never stopped, not in all the years he’d been away, not when he’d had other lovers. And he knew she loved him too. Knew her too well to believe otherwise.

There was only one thing keeping them from having their happily ever after. And that was the drug ring. He’d deal with that tomorrow. For now, he finally had Sara where he wanted her—naked and in bed. The hours he’d had to sit in the bar had seemed a lifetime.

She rolled her hips, pressing his erection against her hot core. The fact she was wet and ready for him and he’d barely touched her was a huge turn-on.

But he was determined not to rush things. Not this time.

He stroked her arms, kissing a path from her shoulder to her wrist. Then he lifted her hand and ran his teeth over her palm and the pads of her fingers. The pulse in her neck fluttered wildly, she licked her lips and sucked in a breath.

Then he took her index finger into his mouth and sucked. Her gray eyes went blank before filling with heat. Her sexy moan made his d**k flex in anticipation.

But he wasn’t anywhere ready to end this.

He went back to focusing on her. They might have been lovers long ago, but they’d both grown and changed. He wanted to know what pleased her, how she wanted to be touched. So he took his time and stroked her curves, paying attention to her reaction as he went from shoulders to breasts and down to her waist. Her curvy hips were a particular delight for him. He dipped his tongue into her navel before nibbling a path to her hipbone.

She jerked and gave a half laugh and half groan when he touched her there. She’d always been ticklish in that particular spot.

He ran his fingers through the curls on her mound before spreading her thighs wider on the bed. They were both sweating, and he was more than a little desperate. Liquid seeped from the head of his c**k.

Sprawling between her legs, he shoved his c**k hard against the mattress to hold back his release a little longer. He must have taken a bit too long, because she grabbed his head and tried to pull him closer.

He laughed and delved inward, licking her slick folds from bottom to top and back down again, avoiding her c**t. She swiveled her hips and moaned his name.

His scalp tightened and every muscle in his body quivered. He loved how she said his name with such passion and need.

When he pushed one finger into her core, she tensed and then relaxed. He worked it in and out of her hot sheath, and then added a second. He ran his tongue over her c**t, basking in the way she bucked toward him. Teasing and tormenting her, he brought her to the brink several times before pulling back.

“Now.” She thumped her heels against his back in warning.

He pushed his fingers deep. At the same time he sucked on her c**t. She cried out, her inner muscles clamping down on his fingers.

Rearing back, he grabbed the condom he’d placed on the bedside table earlier and had it on in record time. He pushed her thighs up and out and nudged her opening. He didn’t need to guide his c**k, it went straight to where it wanted to be. She was tight, her orgasm still rippling inside her. He thrust, not stopping until he was buried deep.

Bracing his weight on his forearms, he leaned down and kissed her. He wanted to tell her that he loved her but swallowed that back. It might be too soon for her, and he didn’t want to pressure her.

Instead, he flexed his hips and began to rock in and out, desperate to make her come again. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, clinging to him as he powered in and out of her hot depths.

He angled her hips so his pelvis rubbed her c**t with each stroke. Staring into her eyes, he pushed them both over the edge. He wasn’t sure if he yelled her name out loud or only in his head. After a few more thrusts, he collapsed on top of her. He started to roll away, but she wouldn’t let him go, so he rolled them to the side, with him still locked inside her.

He pushed her damp hair off her forehead and pressed a kiss there. She was so precious to him. He hadn’t fully appreciated just how much he’d needed her until she’d come into his life again. Her acceptance was everything. Now all he needed was to get her to trust him with her love once more.

He’d had it once and lost it. He was older and wiser, and this time he’d fight dirty if he had to.

She rubbed her nose against his chest. “Hmm…that was amazing.”

“You’re amazing.” He hated to have to disengage, but he had to deal with the condom. When he’d taken care of it, he turned off the lights, pulled her into his arms, and held her close. With her hand pressed against his heart and her snuggled next to him, he closed his eyes.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed or what had awakened him, but he trusted his instincts. They’d kept him alive in situations where he should have been killed.

“Wake up,” he whispered as he shook her.

She opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy smile.

“Shh,” he cautioned as he eased upright and got out of bed. “Something is wrong.” He already had his pants on and was tugging on his boots. “Get dressed, but don’t turn on the light.”

She was already moving by the time he eased through the bedroom door. He had his gun in his hand, grateful he’d brought it in from his truck last night as a precaution.

He heard another sound. It was coming from outside. Someone was walking around her house. He sensed her moving up behind him. She was calm and controlled, something he appreciated. She’d also pulled on a pair of canvas sneakers, which was good if they needed to run. He leaned down until his lips were against her ear and whispered, “There’s someone out there.”

She nodded. Her trust was complete. He would not let her down. He motioned for her to stay behind him as he crept down the corridor toward the living area. It was dark but his eyes had adjusted. He went to the living room window and used the edge of the curtain to hide him as he glanced out.

As much as he didn’t want to leave Sara alone, he was going to have to go outside. Maybe it was only a deer and his reaction was way over the top. But his gut said otherwise. There was a person out there.

Was it one of the drug runners? Mitch didn’t know who else it could be. Maybe whoever was with Connor this evening had worried they’d overheard something. Maybe it was Connor himself. He’d always been the type to come at an opponent from behind. Sneaking around Sara’s house and causing damage was something he would do.

He positioned her in the corner of the room away from the windows. “Stay here. I have to go outside.”

She shook her head. “It’s too dangerous.”

As much as he loved her concern, he knew what he had to do. “Stay here,” her repeated. Her lips firmed and she nodded. He knew he’d catch it from her later.

He moved toward the door just as he heard a familiar whoosh.

Without thought, he dove toward Sara, taking her to the floor just as the front door exploded inward.