Phantom in the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
"Don't tease a lion that's roamed the jungle alone for two years."
*
Terri rolled onto her back, for the fourth time in the past twenty minutes. How could Nathan be comfortable in the living room? On a couch that was a foot shorter than him?
He wouldn't even discuss comfort, stating the best place for him to be was where he would hear someone trying to enter one of the two doors.
She kicked the covers off and climbed out of bed. The hardwood floor was chilly, a welcome change from baking in the sheets. She hadn't planned on wearing more than her underwear to bed, but she couldn't run around the house undressed, so she'd pulled on a white undershirt that stopped short of her red panties.
Terri walked to the window and parted the sheers with her fingers, gazing out at the empty street through the slat of her shutters. She turned away and navigated the room with her night-light. Maybe she'd use her booklight to read for a while. Just as she reached her to-be-read stack of novels, a loud boom sounded outside.
Nathan appeared out of nowhere, lunged into the room, grabbing her on his way down as they hit the bed as one. He rolled her beneath him.
"What's wrong?" She struggled to move, but he had her pinned tight.
"Shh."
The boom she'd, heard? "That was a backfire, not a gun."
He didn't answer her. That alone silenced her.
She squirmed until she could see his face, then wished she hadn't.
Above her was the rigid jaw, sharp cheeks, and dark eyes of a dangerous predator, anticipating a threat and ready to attack. He stared at the window, but she could tell he listened for any change or sound.
Her heart raced.
This was a man who had been in Special Forces.
And had survived two years in prison.
But he would never harm her. She knew this with a certainty Terri hadn't been willing to entertain, much less believe in for a while. Her mind conjured up warnings she beat back into submission, ready to trust her instincts again.
She'd been intimate with a couple men she'd thought were special, but realized now neither of those would have put themselves on the line for her.
Nathan had, more than once.
Even now, he shielded her with a body built for power. Defined muscles covered his upper torso. He flexed an arm, the cut of his bicep deep, no doubt sculpted from relentless exercise. His wide chest hovered over her, protectively, but he used his solid forearms to hold his weight off her.
Except from the waist down, where they touched intimately.
She felt his gaze before she lifted hers. The thin material left no question over his state of arousal. All she had to do was lift her hips to feel every inch of that.
Don't tease a lion that's roamed the jungle alone for two years.
He'd given her fair warning. She'd have to take responsibility for anything that happened after this point.
Her mind turned into a chaotic debate. Don't let this chance pass. He's interested. Don't be stupid. He's on the run. She closed her eyes. If only she could quiet her thoughts so easily.
Use the excuse of the boom outside to dissipate the heat simmering between. Or to suggest he let her up to make coffee since they were both awake.
She opened her eyes. He studied her with a gaze that swirled darker by the second, until those eyes reminded her of an ominous gray storm cloud waiting to explode with lightning. His chest rose and fell with one deep breath after another.
The longer she stared up into his smoldering gaze, the less she cared about backfires, coffee, or moving one inch from this spot.
Terri licked her lips, lost in the tempest building between them. She lifted a hand up between them and smoothed the pads of her fingers lightly over his face.
He closed his eyes. A shudder ran through him.
To know she could stir him so was exhilarating. She'd never thought of herself as a babe or sex kitten, but watching this incredible man react to her touch was intoxicating.
And seductive. She wanted more.
Terri rubbed her palm across his cheek, then glided a fingertip over his lips. He kissed the finger, then drew it into his mouth, nipping lightly, teasing with his tongue. He kissed her palm. His fingers toyed with her hair.
She lifted another hand to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart quicken.
His lips met hers, kissing, gently urging her with his touch for more. His hand moved from her hair to her neck, smoothing his fingers across her skin, tantalizing her with his light touch.
Her eyelids fluttered closed, intensifying her other senses. She breathed in his male scent, engaging parts of her mind and body that had been dormant too long.
The gentle fingers brushed along her shoulder to her chest. She held her breath, anticipating his touch, waiting, waiting until... his finger glanced over one hard nipple straining against her thin undershirt. He held the tight bud between his fingers, then moved his thumb slowly back and forth, gently torturing her.
Sensations shot down to where her thighs clenched.
Between her thighs felt damp and hot, needy as hell. She moved her hips against him and he groaned, then stilled, breathing as if he'd just outrun a bullet. "Terri... I'm a losing bet."
"I don't think so."
He stared past her head, swallowed, then lowered a gaze so full of longing that her heart bled for him. "I can't st"
She covered his lips, not wanting to hear, because she knew with a certainty he'd tell her the brutal truth. Of course, he figured on running, but she wanted a chance at preventing that. If she told him so, he'd be out of her arms in a flash, always ready to protect everyone else first.
Well, not this time. She'd never known another man the way she knew Nathan. She could live with however this turned out.
Terri moved her fingers to cup his smooth cheek, freshly shaved. "Stop treating me like I can't make my own decisions. I'm clear on what we're up against, who you are, and my role in all of this. That doesn't change the fact that I want you to make love to me, touch me, kiss me."
His breathing quivered, debate wheeling through his gaze, but he held himself in check. Out of emotional reach.
She'd fought for everything she'd ever wanted in life and wouldn't quit now. "I want to feel you deep inside"
He covered her mouth, the kiss savage with need. She ran her fingers around the thick sides of his chest to his back. His long hair fanned across her cheek, the fine ends touching her fingers, which raced along the muscles rippling his back.
His lips demanded more, but tenderly now as his tongue played slowly with hers. He softened the kiss as if he finally realized not only had she not run, but she was dragging him closer. Holding him was like embracing a magnificent jaguar. Powerful, dangerous, and unpredictable.
She'd risk tempting the wild side of this man tonight, trust her instincts that she was right about him.
His mouth tore away from hers to her neck, his lips languid and urgent at the same time. She lifted her hips and rubbed that impressive erection.
His entire body clenched. He sucked in a breath and lifted dark eyes so filled with lust to meet hers she should be backing away and probably would have from any other man.
"I'm not a china doll you have to be careful with, Nathan, and I'm not afraid of you."
He let out a pent-up breath. "Damn, you're something." The kiss he gave her this time was one of surrender.
Warmth blossomed in her heart.
He latched two long fingers under the lacy edge of her undershirt, then slowly lifted the covering, forcing her hands above her head and unwrapping her from the waist up. When she started to pull her hands back down, he whispered, "Grab the bars in the headboard."
She wasn't sure if the shiver ran through her body from anticipation or the promise his voice held that she'd need the anchor.
When he lowered his mouth and hands to her breasts, she realized it had to be the latter. His tongue brushed one hard nipple and she clenched against the bolt of
He kissed the hard bead, drawing it into his mouth to spin his tongue across the tip as he suckled, the dual motion driving her insane. His thumb continued to brush over and around her other nipple so slowly the contrasting frictions brought tears to her eyes.
Her body trembled, shuddering under the onslaught of sensations she could barely stand. The turbulence built, higher, closer to that peak, drawing her tight from end to end.
"Not yet." His mouth abandoned her breasts and she caught her breath before he kissed her with thundering passion. His hand massaged her breasts, fingers barely grazing her swollen nipples, but the brief touch shook her. Then his fingers smoothed along her abdomen, farther down, until he slipped a finger inside her panties, between her legs.
She knew he kissed her but her mind and body had focused on that one nerve center. His finger moved within her damp folds and she whimpered, releasing his lips to torture her nipples again. He grazed his teeth across the bud and pulsed a finger inside her at the same moment.
Her body bowed. Her skin burned with need.
His finger pumped once, again, then pulled out, drawing a wet stroke across the spot begging to be touched.
As if hearing the silent plea, he zeroed in and stroked her softly, then more earnestly. She didn't know when her hands had gone to his back, but she clutched his hard shoulders and arched, moving toward that blinding light he led her to and pulled her back from over and over.
"Please... now..." She panted each word desperately.
One lick of his tongue across her nipple and she let go, her insides splintering in a thousand directions. She cried her release and tumbled through a liquid blast of pleasure.
Time zoned out, expanded, and collapsed into a limp fog before the world slowly refocused.
She opened her eyes to his feral smile. Perspiration dotted his forehead. "That was unbelievable." She lifted her hands to unbutton his shirt.
"I don't have"
"Nightstand on my left. You didn't think I'd let this go anywhere without condoms, did you?" She couldn't believe the extent of his control. Two years. The man had a steel will.
"You're a goddess for sure."
She liked the sound of that.
He lifted off the bed and first shed his shirt, exposing a honed chest ripped with muscle, then stepped out of his jeans.
Reminding her of an earlier wish to see him fully commando.
Done. The hard planes of his cut body were almost as impressive as his surging erection, but that was going to be hard to top.
Nathan sheathed himself so fast it practically hurt to touch his swollen cock. He dropped a knee down along-side her then removed the whisper of red material she still wore, sliding the panties along her legs. He moved to where he could follow the path with his lips, kissing and teasing sensitive spots.
Nathan tossed the red panties aside and stared at her soft body, lush with curves and ripe with passion. "You're so beautiful, soft curves and so hot. Holding back is close to killing me."
"Then don't wait any longer."
He didn't deserve this gift, but he'd be damned if he was going to walk away. Couldn't walk right now if the house was on fire.
His groin was so full he felt true pain, but as fiercely as he wanted to drive into her at this moment he wanted to make love to her more. He ran his hands up her legs, noting the scar on her right leg. Running fingers inside her thighs, he gently parted her legs and knelt between them.
She reached out to him. He took her hands and pulled her up on his thighs, then cupped her bottom and lifted, his eyes lost to everything but her searing green ones. She hooked her hands around his neck and kissed him. Lovingly. Her fingers stroked the side of his face.
Nathan lifted her higher, then lowered her until the tip of his cock inched inside her. Sweat trickled down his chest at how tightly she gloved him.
She pulled her lips from his. "I won't break. I want you, want this. Now."
He drove up into her and gasped for air, losing all thought when she lifted almost off and slid right back down his length. Nathan bit hard to keep from coming that instant. The shaky control he'd been clinging to stripped free of his hold. He drove up hard, another stroke to the hilt, then again. She wrapped her arms around him, hanging on, urging him on.
His release clawed through his center, breaking free and screaming with independence, sparing no part of his body as he plunged over and over until milked dry. While the last tremors sizzled along his skin, he held her close, hugging her to him, possessive.
He'd never wanted to possess anyone, but he wanted this woman in a way he knew would hurt like a bastard when he walked away. He laid her boneless body down on the sheet. She murmured some order about lying down now and they'd shower in a few minutes.
Always wanting to be in charge. He smiled until his conscience poked a finger of guilt at him for taking advantage of her offer, knowing he had to walk away;
What the hell was wrong with him?
How had running back here to protect her gotten so out of hand?
Because he'd forgotten his initial plan the minute his tongue tangled with hers.
She'd stood on the opposite side of a gun from him once already. Twice, actually. If she knew his intentions for his brother's killer, Terri would look at him through the hard eyes of a cop instead of the soft eyes of a woman.
Besides, he couldn't make love to her, then just walk away. She wasn't that kind of woman.
Her delicate fingers caught his hand and tugged him down beside her. He drew her into his embrace, her back to his chest, wrapping his arms and legs over her and rubbing his chin along her hair.
Maybe he could stay when this was all done.
Nathan rolled his eyes. Oh, sure. Then he'd have an address for the president to send a full pardon to if he didn't want to remain dead since he'd defrauded the government in a court case and had gone AWOL.
When was he going to learn to stop wanting the impossible?
Obviously, no time soon, since he wanted Terri Mitchell.
*
Terri poured herself a cup of coffee, wondering what she was going to have to do to convince Nathan he had more options than he thought. He was already withdrawing from her this morning, becoming more remote. She knew why he'd backed awaybecause he either believed he was going on the run or going to diebut he could damn well give her a chance to help him.
"What's your schedule today?" he asked.
"Good morning to you, too." She turned around slowly and leaned against the counter. Nathan wore jeans and a faded green T-shirt, unremarkable clothing if not for how the material clung to him like a second skin. Stop paying attention to his body and start figuring out what he's up to.
"Good morning," he said. "Now, what about your schedule?"
"It changes throughout the day. Why do you ask?"
"It would help me if you were around the precinct for a while today so I could do a few things."
She laughed, but not with any humor. "What is it going to take for you to understand that I don't need a bodyguard?"
"Remember the backfire last night?"
"I remember a every detail of last night. Do you?"
"Terri, last night was amazing, but
"If you say it was a mistake, I swear I'll shoot you where you stand."
"A night spent loving you would never be a mistake."
Damn, but he had a way of turning her heart into Jell-O.
"However, that doesn't change the fact that I shouldn't have and... won't again."
He also had a knack for turning her temper valve wide open to steaming. "Don't I have a say in this?"
He hesitated as if he wanted to say something else, then sighed and shook his head. "If you won't accept that it's not a good idea given my situation, then at least understand that I can't watch over you if I'm involved."
"And I've told you I don't need you t
"That was no backfire last night. There's a chunk of wood missing from the frame of your window."
"No way." Her skin felt clammy. Stars sprinkled her vision.
"You okay?"
No. Terri forced herself to straighten and fight through the light-headed moment. "Yes, just a little surprised. We haven't had any drive-by shootings here."
"This wasn't a drive-by. The slug looks to be from a high-powered rifle. The angle indicates the shot was from a roof."
Her knees weakened over that. Grandma could have been here.
"Sit down."
"Don't tell me what to do." Yeah, she sounded like a beyotch, but treating her like some simpering female ticked her off.
"Have you always been this hardheaded, or is it just me that brings out your worst side?"
That shot her blood pressure back up to peak level. She sat the coffee cup down with a solid thunk and stepped away from the sink. "Oh, this isn't my bad side, baby. Trust me, it gets much worse."
Terri grabbed her purse off the table. "Guess I'll just let you lock up since you haven't needed a key yet." She made it to the door when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.
"Please."
She sighed. He could say more with one word than any human she'd ever met. Terri stepped around, breaking loose from his touch. Her cell phone buzzed, but she ignored it.
"About last night" Nathan started.
"I'm through talking about it."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"I'm a big girl, capable of making big-girl decisions. You make it sound like I expect some sort of commitment, but I'll ease your conscience. I'm not the marrying kind, so don't break out in a sweat because things got hot." Some of that was true.
"You don't do one-night stands."
No, she didn't, but that didn't mean she wouldn't consider a full-fledged affair, anything to buy time until she could figure out how to keep him out of jail. "You don't know."
"Yes, I do. But it doesn't matter. I can't treat you like a casual roll in the sack."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't feel like that to me." He cupped her cheek. "You're special. Wish we'd met in a different life when I might have a chance with a woman like you."
How did he always manage to leave her speechless?
Her cell phone buzzed again. He moved his hand from her face. She glanced down. Carlos Delgado. She couldn't ignore this one, but couldn't take it right now, either.