His finger moved faster, harder. His teeth gently hugged her clit while he sucked deeply, sending her up on her tiptoes. And with a final look down at Rhett between her legs, a fantasy she’d imagined for years, she dropped her head back and came against his mouth with a quiet shudder, only a soft moan spilling from her lips.
When the shuddering eased, he slowly withdrew his fingers. She finally opened her eyes, finding Rhett’s wild with desire. “Just you, Kinsley,” he said, giving her inner thigh a kiss, then he pulled her jeggings up over her hips. “Only you.”
* * *
The screaming deafened Rhett’s ears. Fear and horror, the sound was one he’d never heard before. One he didn’t believe anyone should hear. Rhett moved swiftly through the warehouse and bodies dropped as he fired off rounds. “Clear to the south,” he said.
“Clear to the west,” Matthews added.
“Move east,” Elliott roared. “We’re under heavy fire.” The gunfire echoed through the warehouse that the CIA had discovered housed a chemical weapon.
Rhett and the three men behind him turned, heading down the hallway. They’d studied this building. He knew in a few short minutes he’d get to Elliott’s location. A door to the right opened and an enemy appeared. Rhett squeezed the trigger of his assault weapon and the person fell. Rhett kept his breath steady, his stride quick but guarded. Two shots sounded behind him. Lester or Michaelson had handled the threats behind them.
When they rounded the corner, Rhett spotted Elliott and his three-man team set up behind a wall, keeping safe from the rapid gunfire coming their way. Rhett shot out the window and then pulled the trigger, removing the danger to his men.
“Breathe.”
Rhett bolted upright, his heart hammering. Kinsley was on her knees next to him, gently placing her hand on his trembling shoulder.
“Breathe, Rhett,” she repeated softly.
Slowly, he exhaled, realizing that she’d turned on the lamp on the night table. Judging by the concern on her face, he must have been yelling in his dream.
“Fuck,” he exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. He shifted to sit on the side of the bed, pressing his feet against the worn floor, grounding himself.
Kinsley moved in closer and kissed his shoulder. Once…then again…and he felt the sweat slicking his flesh.
Many minutes went by. Rhett’s heart was still beating fast, thundering in his ears. A run or a shower helped usually, but he couldn’t find the strength to get up and leave her.
Apparently, she’d realized that. “Come lie with me,” she eventually said.
He had to force himself to glance back at her over his shoulder. Why would anyone sign up for this? Men were supposed to be strong, not haunted with nightmares that woke them up in the middle of the night, obviously scaring those around them. And yet…and yet, there she was offering him a place to land.
She p
ulled on his arm a little, her warmth calling to him. “Come. Please.”
Needing her, he went then, and lay down on his back. She snuggled into him, resting her cheek against his heaving, sweaty chest, and he wrapped his arms around her tight. She pressed her hand to his heart, obviously feeling the thundering beat of his. He exhaled slowly, trying to calm down. Show her that he was fine. That she didn’t need to worry.
“Can you tell me about the dream?”
He shut his eyes. “You don’t want to hear about this shit.”
Heady warmth filled the space, invading all his cold spots, and yet her voice firmed. “I’m strong enough to take this on. Please don’t insult me by thinking otherwise.”
He shut his eyes, battling his way back from the dream. “It’s not about you being strong enough. It’s that I don’t want you to know this shit, Kinsley.”
“But it’s you,” she said in an instant. “It’s what you went through.” She snuggled even closer, bringing all that warmth up against him, and said, “It won’t make me think different of you.”
“It will,” he told her straight.
She pushed up. “No, Rhett, it won’t.”
He could feel her hard stare on him and was unsurprised when he opened his eyes to find the sternness in hers. Christ, her strength blew his mind. He gave her a little smile and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Always such a fierce warrior ready to take on any fight.”
“Not any fight,” she countered. “This fight.”
He felt her sweet affection sweep around him and settle into spots he thought long dead. He drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly before he addressed her again. “You think my nightmares are the problem here, don’t you?”