Smoked (The Invincibles 5)

body back and forth. My fingernails dug into his shoulders when he increased the pace and thrust against me. He lay back, bringing me with him so I was in the same position as before, straddling his body, only this time, he was inside me. I slowly moved up and down, my eyes boring into his.

Smoke put his hands on my waist. “Be still,” he said, taking over the rhythm of our lovemaking. When I leaned back so I could feel him even deeper, he pulled me forward, grasped the back of my neck, and kissed me. He thrust once more and held my body as close to his as I could be. His mouth ravaged mine as I felt him pulsing inside me while the fingers of his other hand pressed against my clit.

I held my breath as my body pulsated, squeezing every last ounce of pleasure before I collapsed at his side.

“I can only sleep a few hours,” I heard him say as I felt myself sinking into a deep slumber. When I woke, it was still dark and I was alone.

A profound sadness settled over me as though, somewhere deep in my soul, I knew that, one day soon, Smoke would be gone from my bed forever.

15

Smoke

Two weeks ago, I’d called Decker Ashford to see if there was any way we could accelerate the installation of the ranch’s security system. He told me he’d see what he could do and get back to me. Today, he’d be arriving with a crew, and by the end of the week, the Blazing T should be close to as secure as King-Alexander Ranch.

Since the morning after we returned from Asheville, Zeke, the rest of the guys, and I worked around the clock, surveilling every part of the ranch. The breaks we took were few and far between, which meant I had very little time to spend with Siren.

Every minute I was away from her, I craved the feeling of her sweet body next to mine. More, I longed to keep my cock buried inside her wet heat as often as I could.

She’d left two days ago for Asheville, and once she finished her PT session today, followed by a session with Mansfield, she and Maureen would be on their way back here.

Siren’s nurse had insisted she was perfectly capable of making the drive from the ranch into the city, and when I balked, the woman who could be so sweet and loving when in my arms, turned into the hellcat I hardly remembered. Especially when I couldn’t contain my smile when she lectured me about being a misogynist.

I’d wound my arm around her waist, pulled her close, and told her the next time we had sex, I’d gladly let her be in charge.

“Maureen driving the car and you and I having sex are not the same thing, you feckin’ eejit.”

* * *

Today, I found myself hanging out near the barn, checking the time every few minutes, not in anticipation of Decker’s arrival, but of when I’d see my SUV drive through the gates and be able to feel Siren in my arms.

The last two nights, as I lay in bed alone, I reminded myself that my time with the woman who set my blood on fire was temporary. Even if her memory never came back, a woman like Siren would get bored with spending her days in the middle of nowhere on a ranch where there was little she could do.

In terms of her returning to work for Irish Military Intelligence, I would do everything in my power to make sure that never happened. Even if she wasn’t with me, I couldn’t fathom being able to live, knowing she was putting herself in danger without me being there to protect her.

I heard a vehicle pull in but was soon disappointed to see that while it was a big black SUV like mine, Decker Ashford was sitting in the front passenger seat.

“You’re like a puppy waiting for his master to come home and feed him,” said Zeke, clapping my shoulder.

“Fuck off,” I muttered as I followed him over to where Decker and his team were exiting the truck.

“Smoke,” he said, stepping forward to shake my hand. “It’s good to see you.”

“Likewise, Deck. Thanks for accelerating the schedule for me. I don’t know how much longer the guys and I could’ve kept up the round-the-clock surveillance.”

“Copy that,” he said. “Okay to set up in there?” he asked Zeke, pointing to the barn.

“All ready for ya,” he answered.

My head shot up when I heard another vehicle pulling in.

“That’s the rest of my guys,” said Decker, maybe catching the look of disappointment on my face.

“He’s waiting on Siren,” said Zeke once he was far enough away from me that I couldn’t throttle him.

“Go do your job, asshole,” I growled in his direction.

I walked over to the corral, and Deck followed. “How’s she doin’?”