Chapter 9

Chapter

Nine

N oah watched her go. He wasn’t unaware he was upsetting her equilibrium. In his opinion, it was time someone did. The half-life she had relegated herself to after Damian’s death was no way for a woman of Zara’s passion and intellect to live. He’d never imagined he’d be the man to do it, but now that he had her, even though it was a tenuous hold, he had no intention of letting her go.

As he entered the cottage, he could see her sitting on the bed with her back to the door, her entire body rigid with tension. Noah decided to put together something for a midday meal and give her a bit of space, although his cock throbbed in opposition to that decision. The fact was, he looked forward to having her suck his cock, but not in the way she wanted. He had no illusions her plan was not so much to please him as to allow herself some semblance of control. Noah was quite sure, if he gave her an inch, she’d take the bit in her teeth and run for miles.

While the kiss she’d given him wasn’t much as kisses go, in terms of learning to yield to him, it was a step in the right direction… not a big step, but a step, nonetheless. Noah prided himself on being able to learn from other men’s mistakes. For instance, Mac had allowed a job promotion to cost him and Willa five years together, a decision Mac bitterly regretted. And Croft had tried to allow Finn to reconcile her conflicting feelings on her own, which had resulted in her taking off on him before realizing her foolishness and returning home. He’d have to remember to thank Finn for that. If she hadn’t, Zara might never have become embroiled in all of this. Certainly, it might have taken him longer to decide he and Zara were meant to be together.

Noah looked at what they had on hand to prepare. Ah, the ultimate comfort food—tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. He often wondered why that was such a universal thing in most western cultures. He went about blending the tomatoes and preparing the sandwich, ensuring the bread was buttery and well toasted.

“Zara? Come on, sweetheart. I made you tomato soup and grilled cheese.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Seriously, is this going to be a thing with you?” He left the kitchen with the sandwich toasting on the grill pan and stalked across the cottage, stopping just inside the bedroom door. “Get your ass off that bed and come eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” she repeated, but this time he heard her voice catch in her throat.

Noah walked around the edge of the bed. The evidence of the tears she had shed was apparent. Sitting next to her, he drew her resisting body into his lap, holding her close, and rocked her gently.

“It’s all right, sweetheart. I know it’s been tough, and I probably haven’t done all I could to make it easier for you. I just don’t think lying to you about how things are going to be is productive or helpful.”

“No,” she wailed as the tears began to fall again.

“Shh, I’m here. Everything will be all right.”

She pushed ineffectively at his chest, but he held her close. Zara fought, but Noah knew it was more with herself than him. She would come to see he could be her port in any of the storms that came her way. Finally, she quit struggling and just held herself perfectly still. He rocked her, offering wordless comfort and support. When she wrapped her arms around one of his and clung to him, he kissed her temple in reassurance.

“I don’t like it when you’re nice,” she whispered.

“Good thing for you, it probably won’t happen all that often,” he teased.

She didn’t laugh or giggle, but he could feel her smile.

“I’ve had it. I’m just exhausted. Would you mind if I just stretched out?” she asked.

“Not at all. Do you want some company, or do you just want to be by yourself in here for a while?”

“Just by myself… if that’s okay.”

He kissed her cheek. “It’s fine, but don’t think you have to go through this alone. I do understand it’s a big change for you.”

“It is, and I don’t know that I want it.”

He laughed softly. “You don’t, but that’s okay… I’m not giving you a choice about that.”

She shook her head. “You really are a sonofabitch, you know that?”

“I do indeed.”

That made her laugh. He ran his hand down her leg and removed her shoes and socks. Standing with her in his arms, he placed her on her feet, then pulled back the covers and helped her undress. Reverently, he kissed her lips and briefly sucked and kissed each of her nipples before helping her into bed. Noah watched as her eyes riveted on the growing bulge in his pants.

“Noah?” she asked tentatively.

“It’ll keep, sweetheart. Close your eyes and take a nap. I have some things I need to do for the office. I’ll get those done, then if you’re still asleep, I may come and join you. I’ll just be in the other room if you need me.”

He brushed the hair off her face and was leaning down to bestow a kiss on her face when Zara reached up and drew him to her mouth. Pressing her lips against his, her small tongue darted past his teeth to flick the tip of his, enticing him to deepen the kiss and take possession of her mouth. He caressed her lips with his before deepening the gesture, inordinately pleased when she sighed and relaxed into his hands, enjoying his attention. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to kiss her like that forever. His cock reminded him there were other parts of Zara to be enjoyed, but Noah pushed down his hunger to have her again and finished the kiss as softly as it had begun.

“Are you going to be all right if I go into the other room?”

She nodded. “Just leave the door open, okay?”

“Not a problem. Call if you need something.”

She nodded again. This time when he leaned down to kiss her, he merely bussed her temple before running his hand down her side, folded the covers over her, and left her to sleep. She probably was exhausted with everything that had happened.

Thom had said when he downloaded her files, it was obvious Zara had worked for several hours after she parted company with Finn and had been back at it the next morning when the hit squad had come calling. As he left her and entered the main room, he could smell something burning and saw smoke rising from the stove. Shit! He’d forgotten all about the damned grilled cheese. He ran into the kitchen and beat the flames out just as they started, then removed the pan from cooktop and turned it off. He held up the decimated ruins of what would have been a delicious sandwich. Well, at least it was well toasted.

Noah called Thom to see if they’d found anything of interest at Zara’s.

“So, you and the hard-hitting journalist? How do you see that working?” The grin on Thom’s face could be heard in his voice.

“I have no idea, but we’ll figure it out. Easier, I think, than an IT nerd and a fighter pilot, but hell, what do I know. I’m in love and want the rest of the world to be as happy as me. I was just thinking earlier that I pride myself on being a man who learns from other’s mistakes. I know Mac feels as if he lost a lot of time he can never make up with Willa. I don’t intend to let either of our jobs come between us.”

“Whoa, you’re really serious about this.”

“I am. I know it seems fast, and believe me, no one is more shocked about it than me, but nothing has ever been as right as being with Zara. Nothing. Mac has toyed with the idea of opening up something on this side of the Atlantic, and I mean to pitch that idea to him. That way, I wouldn’t have to ask Zara to leave her home. By the way, how bad was the mess?”

“About what you’d expect. They tore it apart pretty good. She had some nice furniture in there. Finn knew the restorer Zara used in the past, so we got the damaged pieces to him. They pretty much destroyed her mattress and bedding, I think more to upset or scare her than anything. They did leave a couple of surveillance devices behind. We let them see us moving around, then let them record the place empty. I’ve hacked their system, and now they just see a continuous loop.”

“Anything we can use against them?”

“Several sets of fingerprints and some DNA evidence. If we catch them, Scotland Yard has physical evidence linking them, so they can arrest and lock them up. Also, the crown prosecutor said they’ll let us know if it looks like something they’re going to take before the bar. You’re not planning to let her come back yet, are you?”

“Hell, no. There’s still way too much we don’t know about who’s behind this. I’m pretty damn sure Zara either knows something or at least thinks she knows something and is keeping it to herself. I’ll let her have a few more days before she decides to tell me.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“I’ll persuade her keeping secrets from me isn’t something she wants to do.”

Thom laughed. “I’ll just bet you will. Reid and Fariq are both still at the ranch. Reid grumbled a little about his job until Croft shut him down by reminding him Finn and now Zara were in danger because of him. That seemed to set him back on his heels.”

“What about Fariq?”

“He seems content to just hang out and give us the dope on all his competitors. Croft isn’t convinced we have the whole story about what’s going on in his organization or that he’s ready to abdicate to Springer.”

“How’s Billy Boy doing with Finn?” Noah asked, grinning. Of all the men he worked with, he was the closest to Croft, and the only one who dared call him Billy or worse yet, Billy Boy.

“You know he hates it when you call him that.”

“I know, that’s half the fun. But how are they doing? Finn seemed fine when she talked to Zara earlier.”

“She’s fine. She’s still careful about how and where she sits, and I suspect she’s sore in the same places as your Zara… she is your Zara, isn’t she? I mean, this isn’t casual…”

“It’s about as casual as a heart attack,” Noah said, shaking his head. “If you’d told me this time last week, I even had a soul mate, I’d have said you were dead wrong, but I do, and she’s napping in the other room.”

The two men talked about their possible next steps and Noah’s plan to stay where they were for a few more days before moving on to another remote location. Staying in one place was simpler, but it wasn’t as safe. They arranged for Thom to head to a rendezvous point with a new vehicle. There was also a discussion of moving them back to Mesa. Noah nixed that idea, saying he didn’t want Zara’s life turned upside down. The truth was, he wasn’t ready to share her. He wanted to keep her to himself until he could solidify their relationship.

Z ara lay in bed, listening to Noah’s side of the conversation. She hadn’t lied to him about being exhausted, but her mind was too busy concocting and discarding plans for escape. She also hadn’t lied when she’d told him she couldn’t stand it when he was nice. Her breakdown earlier had been genuine. Crying it out had helped, but she would have felt better about what she was planning if he’d ignored her. She had liked being cuddled in his embrace. His cock had throbbed against her in need, but he’d completely ignored that to care for her.

She couldn’t discount what Noah had said about soul mates. She’d always felt safe, secure, and loved by Damian, but like a piece of the puzzle had been missing. Zara also had to admit, if only to herself, she’d never been concerned with not being completely honest with Damian. She had a feeling her loose adherence to the truth might well prove problematic for Noah. Keeping him at arm’s length was becoming an issue.

Zara listened intently as Noah vetoed what sounded like a suggestion to get her back to Mesa. That wouldn’t work at all. It was going to be difficult enough to slip Noah’s leash on her home turf. Once that was done, she needed to be able to make her way to Morocco to talk with Ghazil Assaraf. Ghazil was a broker of sorts between arms dealers and those who wished to purchase their wares. Zara had been able, on several occasions, to use him as deep background or to engineer a meeting with someone normally reticent to meet with a journalist. She had earned the reputation as one who wouldn’t give up a source or betray the trust of those who chose to talk with her.

“Zara,” he called softly from the door.

She rolled over to look at him, only grimacing slightly as her derriere came into contact with the mattress. Noah almost managed to suppress his grin.

“It’s not funny,” she said with little rancor.

He smiled as he crossed to the bed and sat down, then took her hand in his and raised it to brush his lips against her knuckles. She shook her head.

“What?” he asked as he smoothed her hair.

“Why is that one moment you can be the most egotistical sonofabitch, and the next, you can be so caring? It’s very disconcerting and interruptive when I’m trying to hate you.”

He chuckled. God help her, she was starting to enjoy that sound. It was all male and underpinned with a sensual tone that acted as a switch to her pronounced sexual response to him. How startling the simplest of gestures could spark the banked embers of desire contained deep within her into a wildfire, she found impossible to control.

“How’s that working for you… the hating me part?”

“It could be going better.”

He laughed outright. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Care to join me?” she invited.

“If you’re looking for a nap buddy, you’re probably better off alone.” He stood.

Zara turned back the covers and held them up, so he could see her beaded nipples.

“I’m not tired anymore.”

“Aren’t you hungry? I had something earlier…”

“I am, but not for food.”

Noah looked at her intently, but Zara couldn’t hold his stare. She feared he could peer into her soul and somehow figure out while she did want to suck his cock and have sex with him again, that she was planning it as a ruse might become apparent. Noah was a lot of things… stupid not among them.

Noah pulled his sweater over his head and sat down to take off his socks and shoes. When he stood to unbuckle his belt and unfasten his jeans, Zara crawled provocatively across the bed toward him.

“Let me,” she purred, pushing his hands away and taking over the task.

She loosened his belt and opened his fly. As her hands worked, she knelt, licking and nibbling her way up his chest until she was sucking one nipple, then the other. His hard cock was readily revealed as it sprang from the opening in his jeans. Zara worked her way back down his torso until it was proudly displayed at eye and mouth level. She reached out with the tip of her tongue and licked the bit of pre-cum from the slit in the head of his penis before enveloping it in her mouth. Zara sucked and swirled her tongue around him as she pushed his jeans over his butt, down past his thighs. Noah’s groan gave evidence to the fact that he was enjoying her skills and attention.

He stepped out of his jeans, freeing himself so nothing encumbered him. She trailed her fingers from the back to the front of his balls, wrapped her hand around the base of his cock, and squeezed. Lapping the underside of his staff with her tongue, she drew him deeper into her mouth until he touched the back of her throat.

“Jesus, that feels good.” He groaned with pure masculine intensity.

Noah’s eyes locked with hers, watching her suck and lick him in the most intimate fashion. He wove his fingers through her hair, keeping it off her face. Zara knew he would enjoy watching her pay homage to him in the most fundamental and sensual way possible. Not only was she enjoying pleasuring him, she knew when she was done, for once, he’d be under her spell and not the other way around.

Her eyes must also have hinted at her thoughts as Noah brought both his hands up to cup her head. He stilled the motion of her head but allowed her to lick and gently nibble on him. No longer in control of her motions, she looked up to see a feral gleam had overtaken his face.

“That’s not the way it works, sweetheart. Remember? I told you.”

Noah held her head in place and rocked his hips, pushing his cock forward, then retreating… never quite pulling the head past her lips before plunging back into her. It wasn’t that he was moving his cock fast, but he was moving it powerfully and not allowing her any control whatsoever. She decided if that was the case, she’d just provide him with a hole to fuck and not bother trying to make it better for him.

“Uh-uh, you started this. I expect you to finish. Suck me, Zara.”

Surely, he didn’t expect her to respond with her mouth full of his staff. Noah fisted her mane, lighting up her scalp, with one hand to keep her in place and reached past her with the other to land a hard swat on her backside. She yelped but began sucking him. The faster she got this over with, the better for her, but Noah didn’t seem to be in any particular hurry to finish.

Noah brought the hand that had struck her bottom back up to wrap it in her hair, too, as he pumped harder and faster. He arched his back, so she had no choice but to deep-throat his entire length. His thrusting became more urgent, and Zara found she wanted to provide him with the maximum pleasure she could, even if she was no longer in control.

There it was, she thought—she was no longer giving him a blowjob. As he had told her, he was fucking her mouth, and the profound difference between the two made the fire in her blood race through her body and center in all her erogenous zones.

“Fuck, yes,” he growled as he shot his creamy essence into her mouth, down her throat, and into her belly.

He had a death grip on her head and continued to shoot his load until she was sure his balls would never produce another drop. She had never been one to swallow, but Noah didn’t ask and didn’t give her a choice. When he finally emptied himself, he withdrew and pulled her onto her knees in front of him.

Noah kissed her deeply, not seeming to mind the residual taste of his essence as he held her close, cupping her ass gently. He tilted her backward but never allowed her to feel as though she was falling. He kissed her mouth, then trailed other kisses over her face and throat, nipping at its base, then tonguing her there. He pressed her back onto the bed, pulling her legs out from beneath her as he kissed his way down her torso.

His tongue swirled around her hardened nipples, then he sucked each into his mouth. As he pulled on her hardened beads, he used both his lips and his teeth to extract cries of pleasure from her lips. Slipping his hand between her legs, he pressed his thumb against her clit, rubbing it in circles before penetrating her with two fingers. Her body surged upward to take him deeper.

Even though the blowjob had ostensibly been for his pleasure, he now had evidence she had been as turned on by it as he had. Worse, Zara was certain he would know his taking command and fucking her mouth had contributed in a major way to her highly aroused state. He moved down her body, kissing, sucking, nipping, and caressing as he went.

When he was lying at the juncture of her thighs, his chin resting on her mons, he grinned up at her. Zara tried to squirm away, but he wrapped his muscular arms around her thighs, using his hands to splay open her outer lips, burying his face in her cunt. His teeth grazed her clit, then latched onto the entrance to her core as he greedily lapped up all her nectar.

Zara screamed in wild carnal bliss as his tongue probed her wet heat—lapping, licking, and sucking her until she climaxed, pushing herself into his face. He ate her as she came and seemed disinclined to stop. Repeatedly, he stabbed at her with his tongue, drawing back to lick and nibble the entrance before doing it again.

Her whole body tightened in expectation of the intense pleasured response she knew he would call forth. She tried to find a way to separate her mental and emotional self from that of her physical being but failed. Her body shuddered as her sheath pulsed with need.

“Noah,” she wailed, coming a second time. Resplendent in the aftermath, she looked down to see him resting his chin lightly on her mons. Crawling back up her body, he kissed her again, then rolled to his back and pulled her close.

“Jesus, that felt good, and you sure do taste sweet.”

“You don’t,” she sighed. “You taste salty with a hint of sweetness, sort of like the salt rim on a margarita glass. Lucky for you, margaritas are my drink of choice.”

He chuckled, his pleasure with her both on the giving and receiving end apparent in its melodious sound.

“Only you like yours on the rocks, not blended, with no salt.”

“But my way sounded more romantic and nicer.”

“That it did.”

Zara signed contentedly and wrapped her arm across his chest, laying her head on his shoulder with one of her legs draped between his.

“I could get used to lying here with you like this.”

“That’s good to hear because, especially after that, there’s no way in hell I’m ever letting you go.”

“You think you’ll ever let me give you a proper blowjob?”

“Did I miss something? I fucked your mouth and emptied myself, my cum ending up in your belly. You got turned on by the whole thing, then I tongue fucked you to two orgasms. Sounds pretty damned proper to me.”

She nipped the piece of skin closest to her, which caused him to inhale sharply before squeezing her butt cheek.

“I don’t know… you did only make me come twice. Usually, it’s been three or four times. I’d hate to think you were slacking off.”

“You are so going to regret tossing that little insult my way. The next time I fuck you into exhaustion, I’m going to remind you, I got dissed for only making you climax twice. From now on, woman, I’ll make damn sure before I’m through, you are tired, sore, and completely sated.”

They laid together without speaking for the longest time, idly stroking the other, canoodling in the most intimate manner as if they had been lovers for years. Zara had never known such peace lying within a lover’s embrace. It was becoming more and more difficult to remind herself there was no future with Noah Taylor—there couldn’t be, not if she expected to retain her autonomy and freedom.

Noah would expect her to submit, not just in sexual matters, but in all ways. He would never give up the dominant role and would do whatever he believed was necessary to ensure his status. A little voice inside her head asked if that wasn’t what she truly wanted as well. He had never made any mention of her having to give up her career or change who she was on a fundamental level. She had even heard him tell his colleague he had no desire to uproot her life in London.

That happy thought crossed her mind as she considered, with a few modifications, her place in the mews could easily be made comfortable for them to share. Her style wasn’t overly feminine, and she’d been meaning to redecorate. While she couldn’t hear the man on the other side of the phone conversation, she could glean from what she’d heard, those goons had damaged her place.

“How bad was it?”

“Wha… how bad was what?” he asked, confused.

She leaned up to bring his head down so she could kiss him.

“Sorry, change of subject. I heard you talking to someone.”

“I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“You didn’t,” she assured him. “I just got the impression they messed up my place.”

“They did, but Thom’s getting it taken care of. Finn said she knew the guy you use to fix things, so we’ve got him working on it. You’ll need to get a new mattress.”

She laughed. “I rather suspect I’ll be going through those more frequently in the future… due to the added stress they’ll be subjected to.”

“Probably,” he admitted, laughing and pulling her closer.

Suddenly, a chill ran through her, and she shivered.

“It’s all right, Zara. I’ve got you. Everything is going to be fine. We’ll get it figured out and taken care of.”

“Sometimes, I think I’d just like to forget the whole world exists and stay here with you…”

“Then others,” he said, laughing, “you wonder when I’m going to fall asleep, so you can slip away and do whatever it is you’re planning.”