Standing in the Shadows (McClouds & Friends #2)(55)

He ran the brief conversation through his mind. "No," he admitted reluctantly. "But he called me by name."

"Hmm," she murmured. "And what else did he say?"

"He said, 'You know who I am.' And he said I took something from him, and he wanted it back. I assume he was referring to you. Then he hung up."

"But he did not say who he was," she-repeated.

"Erin, goddamn it—"

"Is there any way at all that you might have dreamed some of it? Projected Novak's voice onto some silly prank call?"

"You saw me talk to him," he snapped. "Did I look like I was dreaming? What are the odds that we would get a call like that tonight?"

She laid her hot cheek against his back. "I'm a deep sleeper," she said. "I've seen and heard strange things while coming out of a dream. You're so worried and stressed, it would be understandable if you—"

"I am not losing it." He bit the words out viciously.

She went very still. "I never said that you were." Her voice was crisp. "Don't you dare get huffy on me, Connor McCloud."

He groped for her hand, which was still resting on her shoulder, and pressed it to his lips. As much of an apology as he could manage.

It seemed to satisfy her. Her hands began to move again, sliding over his chest. "OK. Let's try this from another angle," she said. "Could he have found us by following the trail of your credit card?"

He could tell from her tone that she was just humoring him, but he appreciated the effort. Almost as much as he appreciated her sweet, stroking hands. He shook his head. "I used a fake ID. Complete with Social Security number, credit history, driver's license."

Her hands stopped moving. "Isn't that, urn… against the law?"

"Sure it is. My buddy Seth set it up for me. For my birthday present, believe it or not. Trust Seth, to come up with the perfect gift."

"Oh." Her voice was small and thoughtful.

"I gave him all kinds of moralistic shit about it at the time. He just laughed and said, 'Happy birthday, tight-ass. Your day will come.'"

Her soft lips moved against his neck. He wanted to tell her that he didn't need to be gentled like a skittish horse, but it would be a lie. She scooted around until she was facing him, and put her arms around him. Hugged him, her lush tits pressed against his chest.

His physical reaction was immediate, and predictable. He struggled to focus on his problem through the rising haze of lust. "Maybe… maybe they, uh, tagged my car," he mumbled.

She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "That's enough of that," she said. "It's three-thirty in the morning, and you need to get some rest, no matter who was on the other end of that phone."

He settled his hands in the curve of her slender waist. "Erin—"

"You've got alarms on the doors and windows. You've got your gun right at your elbow. If you can't relax now, then when can you?"

"Never," he said. "How am I supposed to sleep? I'm as pumped up as a racehorse at the starting gate."

She curled her fingers around his stiff cock, and squeezed him with seductive tenderness. Her siren's smile made his brain melt down to molten lava. "Could you if we, ah…"

"Don't tempt me," he growled. "We've been at it for hours. I don't want to hurt you."

She laughed softly. "That is so sweet of you," she whispered against his mouth. "And so misguided. You are so cute, Connor."

She kissed him. Her lips were so delicate and soft, her tongue flicking against his with shy insistence. She cut through his resistance with no effort at all. He dragged her closer and kissed her back. Frantically, like someone was trying to take her from him.

Someone is, a laconic voice in his mind observed.

He shoved the voice away. This moment was his, and he would allow nothing to diminish it. She flung her thigh over his lap, and her wiggling and writhing almost got him off then and there. He fought the excitement down to a dull, pounding roar in his ears.

Then she seized his cock and attempted to push him inside her. He flung his head back with a startled gasp, and hung on to his self-control. She was too tight to take in much of him in this position, but it was amazing. A hot, suckling kiss, just the head of his cock gripped tightly inside her. She moved against him, tentative and awkward, and his heart practically exploded with tenderness. She was so generous and sexy and gorgeous. All he wanted was to sprawl over backwards on the bed and let her have her wicked way with him, but he didn't dare, not without a condom. He had to be on top, to control the timing and the angle. He was on the brink of exploding inside her right now.

He was still shaking with adrenaline, but Erin had shoved that hellish phone call into another room in his mind and slammed the door on it. It waited for him, grim and patient. It wasn't going anywhere.

Let it wait. He cupped the curves of her ass cheeks, and stood, lifting her with him. Still joined just a couple of wet, tantalizing inches. He turned around and laid her down on the rumpled bed, never once breaking that hot, clinging contact. He stayed on his feet as he sank his full length into her welcoming body.

Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe just the sight of her smiling, holding out her arms to him, but the whole thing flew right out of control. Out of nowhere, he found himself panting and heaving and pumping against her; she was making those soft, sobbing sounds, and the bed was rattling and shaking. He knew he should slow down and make her come first, but it was beyond him. He would make it up to her later a thousand times over. This time was all for him. He craved the oblivion of this hot, slick, mindless thrusting, the deafening crash and roar as his orgasm blasted through him, obliterating thought.