VANGUARD(76)

“When will you be medically cleared to go home?” She ran her fingers along his arm. After so many months apart, just this gentle contact seemed an unimaginable luxury, and she reveled in it.

“That will be up to Anjali, but within the next seventy-two hours, I imagine. Will you fly home with me? The Rev believes it would be safer for you to leave the country, too.” Twenty-four hours ago, he might have booked her ticket and tied her up to ensure she made the flight. Today, he asked. A start.

“Yes. I’d always planned to leave the mission as soon as I found you. If I found you.”

“Are you sorry to leave?”

She looked at him in surprise. “Sorry to have found you? Sorry to bring you home to your family and our class?” Sophie touched his cheek. “Mikael, how could I be sorry?”

“I am thinking of your career advancement.”

“I achieved a great deal forming the coalition and getting it to work,” she said. “It has been successful beyond my wildest dreams. This is enough for now. Don’t worry about my career. Let’s think instead about getting back to New York.”

“About that.” He played with her hair for a moment. “Will you allow me to buy our tickets home?”

“The coalition will pay for our tickets.”

“Consider it a donation,” he insisted. “I do not think the coalition will buy us first class tickets, but I will.” Sophie found the idea of flying back to the US in a class other than steerage tempting. “Please? I have never given you anything nice. I wish to do this for you.”

“You gave me something nice earlier.” She rolled over in his arms to face him, her pink pointed nipples already growing hard at the thought of making love again.

“As did you.” He kissed her, then his mouth drifted down between her breasts, leaving a line of fire in its wake. “I have much more to give, if you will allow me.”

Which she did. And again in the middle of the night.





Chapter 17





February 23, 2014





Sophie woke up early with Michael's warm body draped over her. He grunted in dissatisfaction when she untangled herself, dressed, and left the room. She returned with coffee and settled down beside him to make a to-do list. She was fifteen items into it when a hand reached over to take her pen away.

“Good morning.” She chuckled and recaptured her pen to continue her list. A moment later, his hand snuck up her shirt. Shortly thereafter, she flung her notebook in the general direction of the bedside table. There was a crash as it skittered off the side, taking a few things down with it.

“That took less time than I expected.” He smiled as Sophie yanked off her t-shirt. “I had planned to work much harder than that.”

“You’re impossible to resist.”

He started exploring her warm nakedness, beginning with her breasts. The pale mounds quivered under his skillful fingers, her sore nipples flushing red as he teased them with his lips and teeth. After several long minutes, Michael slipped down her body and eased her legs apart.

Her breath caught in her throat as he kissed the insides of her thighs, blowing lightly over her swollen sex. Spreading her with one hand, he began slowly licking from her opening up to the most sensitive spot at the top. He loved her for several long minutes, keeping her hovering on the edge of orgasm until at last, he entered her. As good as he felt sliding into her, she couldn’t hold back a wince and a small cry.

“Sore, mana mila?” Michael slowed his thrusts. “Are you feeling well enough to…?”

“I’m feeling fine,” she whispered. “A little sore. This is the fourth time in the last twenty-four hours, you know. But not too sore to stop, so please don’t.”

He continued very carefully, moving agonizingly slowly to keep from hurting her. The resulting build had them both on the brink for what felt like hours until Sophie came, screaming his name beneath him. He followed, shuddering helplessly in her arms. He collapsed on her chest, gasping.

“I love you,” she murmured, stroking the back of his neck. Michael slipped out of her and a moment later lobbed the condom recklessly at the garbage can. Without tying it. It hit the side of the can with disastrous results. She raised her head to survey the damage.

“Do you still love me after I just made that mess?” he asked meekly.

“Even after that.” They lay in each other’s arms for a few moments, and she felt her body drifting back toward sleep. The thunderous knock on the door startled her out of her wits.