Fighting for Everything (Warrior Fight Club 1)

The kiss felt like he was feasting on her, like he’d been starving for her and finally let himself have a taste. His desire was thrilling. His rough intensity was breath-stealing. His need fueled hers. Against his chest, her nipples ached to be tugged and sucked. She clenched her thighs together, dying for relief from the inferno he’d ignited inside her. She sucked hard on his tongue and ran her hands up the corded muscles of his biceps to grasp his thick shoulders, trying to anchor herself against the storm his desire had unleashed in both of them.

Her brain tried to remind her why she’d come down here, that she’d wanted to confront Noah—her best friend, Noah, but then his hands skimmed down her body—over her breasts, her belly, to her hips—and his clutching, urgent touch chased the thoughts away.

Later. There’d be time for talk, for thought, for consequences…later.

Because there wasn’t a chance in hell she was pulling away from what he was giving her. Not when she’d never felt anything like it before. Not when she hadn’t even known her body was capable of feeling this way. Not when he’d been the one to open her eyes to how she could feel.

With the right man.

Except he isn’t—

Later.

Tongue stroking and twining with hers, his hands squeezed her hips, his fingers digging in to her ass. The thin cotton of her dress and the thinner satin of her panties allowed his heat to reach her skin, setting her on fire everywhere. And then his hands palmed her ass and hauled her even tighter against him.

On tiptoes, Kristina’s head fell back on a moan. She ground her hips against his, needing more. More of his touch. More of him against her. More of the hard press of that delicious ridge in his jeans. More of Noah everywhere.

She could hardly believe she was thinking this way about Noah, but as he ran kisses and small nips down her throat, all she could do was grasp the back of his head and hold him there, urging him on.

God, how far was she willing to go here?

Because her mind already had her naked and underneath him—

He pulled her off the wall and walked her toward the bed. He separated from her long enough to reach over and give the door a hard push. It clicked shut, encasing them in darkness. And then Noah was right back on her. Kissing her. Touching her. Lowering her to the mattress and climbing on top of her.

Why wasn’t he saying anything? Why wasn’t she?

Part of her thought she should slow this down and see if he was really okay taking them where they were going. But damn was it hard to think when his knees pushed her thighs apart and his hips settled between her legs. His weight covering her felt obscenely good. “God, Noah,” she moaned. Kristina’s thighs spread wider as she drew them up and her knees fell open.

“Fuck,” he rasped, attacking her mouth again. His hips circled against hers, giving her the hard friction she was so desperate for. “Feels good. God, it feels good.” He kissed along her throat to her shoulder, and then he pulled aside the straps to her dress and bra.

Kristina moaned as his lips and fingers followed the fabric’s retreat, until Noah’s breath caressed her breast and his lips dragged across her nipple. She arched at the goodness of him licking her, flicking at her, sucking her. Her hands flew to his dark hair, loving that it was long enough that she could fist and pull.

Noah moved to the other side and bared her there, too. And then he was sucking hard on one nipple while he teased and tugged at the other. Each touch, each lick, each bite flashed through her and pooled liquid heat between her thighs. She used the leverage of her heels against the bed to rock herself against him—

Pop. Pop-pop-pop. Pop. Pop. Boom.

Noah was off her in a flash.

In the dim light thrown by the LED screen of his alarm clock, she saw him tumble in a quick and controlled move into a crouching position on the far side of the bedside table.

Boom. Boom. Pop-pop-pop.

Heart thundering in her throat at the confusing suddenness of his movements, Kristina couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on. “Uh, what are you doing?”

No answer. The fireworks display that the Harlows always put on at their big riverfront house seemed even louder against his silence.

She frowned. “Noah?” Scooting to the edge of the bed, Kristina tugged her dress back into place. Sheer bewilderment pushed every other reaction away as she leaned over and fumbled for the lamp on the nightstand.

Light illuminated the room, coming from right above where Noah remained crouched.

And it was like he didn’t even notice. Like he didn’t see it. Or her.

Like he wasn’t there at all.

Chapter Three

The firefight raged around Noah. He crouched at the edge of a building and peered around the corner, automatic weapon in hand, trigger finger at the ready. A bombed-out car, half-hidden passageways between the buildings, and high rooftops gave their enemies plenty of places to hide down the seemingly empty street.