Alpha One (Shadow Agents 1)

She’d told him no hours before. Told him to keep his distance. We’re done.

He’d called her on the lie.

She still wanted him just as much as always.

He cleared his throat. “If we just knew where James had stashed the evidence...”

“I’d barely spoken to him in years.” Because she’d seen what he’d become. Not the father she knew. He turned into someone cold, twisted. “He wasn’t sharing any secrets with me.”

Logan’s head cocked to the right as he studied her. “Maybe not directly.”

“Not indirectly, not in any way.” She hadn’t even seen him last Christmas. She’d spent the holiday alone. “Wherever he hid the evidence—I don’t know.”

Logan squared his shoulders. “Okay, let’s try this again. I’ll come at you and you attack back, as hard as you can.”

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, hesitated, then said, “Aren’t you worried that I’ll hurt you?”

He smiled. “I want you to.”

Okay, then. If it was pain he wanted... Juliana turned her back to him. She’d give him as much as—

His arms closed around her, tight bands that stole her breath. His last attack hadn’t been so hard and she hadn’t expected him to come at her full force. Panic hit for an instant. Panic, then—

I won’t be weak.

She hunched her shoulders, dropped low and slid out of his hold. She came up with her elbow, ready to hit him hard right in the groin, but Logan came at her. His body hit hers, and he pushed her back onto the rug, caging her body beneath his.

She lost her breath at the impact. He caught her hands, trapping them on either side of her head. “Use your feet, your legs,” he gritted out. “Fight back with any part of your body that you can. Never give up.”

No, she wouldn’t. She twisted and her leg slid between his. Her breath panted out. Juliana yanked up her leg, driving her knee right toward his groin.

Logan twisted to the side, and her knee hit his thigh. “Nice,” he said. “I knew you had a tough fighter inside.”

His breath wasn’t coming so easily, either. He still had her hands. Still had his body over hers.

She should tell him to move away. Should say...enough. But it suddenly wasn’t about fighting. Her heart was still beating too fast, but the ache in her body, that wasn’t from fear or adrenaline or anything but desire.

Need.

She’d had another relationship after Logan. It wasn’t as if he’d been the only man she’d taken to her bed. Actually, she’d been with two other men over the years.

But the pleasure had never been the same.

And if she was honest with herself, when she’d closed her eyes... I saw him.

She hadn’t been able to connect with the others, to let go. Not like she’d done with Logan.

“You shouldn’t look at me like that.” His voice was even deeper now, the sexy growl that she remembered. Lust could always make him growl.

“Like what?” But she knew.

“Like you want me to devour you.”

She didn’t move. The soft cotton of his sweatpants brushed over her leg. His hands were tight around her wrists but not hurting her. The man was always so conscious of his strength.

So strong, but she knew how to make him weak. Juliana had learned other lessons back in this cabin.

His hands released hers. “I think that’s enough for now.” He shifted his legs, pulling away from her.