He jerked when, at last, she was able to lay her hand on his erection, stroking, gripping, savoring the astonishing pleasure of finally touching him.
She was shocked when he wrenched himself back.
“Don’t move,” he said in a low, harsh voice. “I’ve got to go get a condom. Unless you have some…?”
Lia shook her head.
“Stay.”
He muttered under his breath when he left her bedroom, swearing, she thought. Oh, heavens—he was trying to pull up his zipper. Lia was giggling when he returned, which earned her a dark look.
Conall shut the door, which was when she realized it had been standing open the entire time they were kissing and stripping each other. Would she have even heard one of the kids getting up?
He hadn’t quite managed the zipper, she saw when her gaze lowered. Conall glanced down, his expression momentarily rueful. “I’ll keep some of these in your bedroom from now on,” he muttered, dropping a handful of packets on her bedside table.
From now on? Splayed wantonly on her bed, Lia knew that he meant to come to her bed every night, and she was glad. Fiercely glad.
Every night until he had to leave.
I won’t regret this. I won’t.
“You have amazing legs,” he whispered. “I watch you all the time, you know.”
She nodded. “I know.”
Conall wrapped his hands around her feet and gently squeezed, then worked his way upward, stroking and kneading. Lia whimpered.
“Can we…not go slow? This time?”
He didn’t answer with words. Instead he tore her shorts off and wrenched his zipper down. He stepped out of his jeans even as he reached for one of the packets.
She was staring, wanting to touch him, but he said in a guttural voice, “No touching. Not now.”
Another time she might like to put the condom on for him, but at this moment she was only glad of his speed. He came down on top of her, some of his weight on his elbows, thrusting even as she lifted her legs to accommodate him.
Her body arched and a keening sound slipped out. Conall swallowed it with his mouth. He took her at her word—the rhythm he set was hard and fast and had her frantic within seconds. They grappled and plunged. The headboard whapped against the wall and Conall flipped so that she rode him. Even if she’d wanted to slow the pace, he didn’t let her, his powerful hands gripping her hips and lifting and lowering her even as he drove upward.
Release came shockingly soon, rolling over her in intense waves that were barely subsiding when Conall arched, bared his teeth in ecstasy and came. The cords in his neck stood out, and the sound he bit back was raw. It was a long moment before his hands first relaxed on her, then finally slid up her back to pull her onto him.
She lay there, limp and replete, feeling glorious so long as she didn’t let herself think. Thinking would open her to worries and fears.
Then I won’t.
“How the hell did we manage to hold out until now?” he muttered.
Lia smiled against his throat. “I don’t know.”
“Do you have any idea how many nights I’ve stood out there in the damn hall wondering what you’d do if I got into bed with you?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
He bent his head. “Mmm-hmm, what? You knew?”
Lia couldn’t help a soft laugh at his outrage. “Of course I do. I hear you every night, you know. I always wake up when you come downstairs.”
“It’s been killing me.”
“Me, too,” she admitted with a sigh. She kissed his neck right where it joined his shoulder. He tasted salty. She licked him for another sample. Who would have ever thought sweaty male could be so delicious?
“I’ve got to take this damn condom off.” He groaned, lifted her off him, and heaved himself out of bed. Her lamp was still on; she was able to drink in the sight of his broad back, lean hips and long legs as he left her room naked.
That gave her a moment of concern—what if one of the kids got up?—but it didn’t last long. For all she knew, he slept naked every night and chanced running into someone when he got up to use the bathroom. He was back before she had a chance to wonder whether he’d return. He was also semi-aroused, she saw.
She smiled when he reached the bedside. “May I touch this time, Agent MacLachlan?”