Heat of Passion Read online

  “Someone’s a little eager,” he teased.

  “A little? Try a lot. I’ve been fantasizing about being with you again for an entire month.”

  “Fantasizing, huh?” His lips were suddenly on her neck, kissing the sensitive skin, sucking it gently. “Did you lie in bed at night and touch yourself while thinking about me?”

  “Yes.”

  He groaned against her skin. “That’s hot.”

  “I’m glad you approve.” She shuddered when his teeth nipped at her jaw. “Can we go the bedroom now?”

  “It’s too far away,” he said huskily, then pulled her toward him and captured her mouth with his.

  She didn’t know how long they stood there kissing. And she definitely had no idea how they ended up in the kitchen, the closest room to the front hall. But suddenly they were there, and Carson had dragged her toward the small island in the center of the room.

  His warm hands gripped her ass and then he was lifting her up onto the counter.

  “Ever done it on this counter?” he teased, stepping closer and toying with the side zipper of her black skirt.

  “Can’t say I have.”

  Her thighs shook when she saw him lick his lips. Oh God. He looked about ready to devour her. “Can I be honest?” he asked.

  “Are you ever anything but?”

  “No, not really.” He smiled wolfishly. “And right now I honestly need to tell you that I’ve been dying to lick your pussy since the moment I met you.”

  A jolt of arousal thudded between her legs. God, if he kept talking like that, she’d probably end up coming before he even touched her.

  With a grin, he unzipped her skirt and slowly peeled the material down her legs, leaving her in a pair of white bikini panties. His grin widened when he saw the damp spot on her underwear, indisputable evidence that she was extremely turned on.

  He dragged his index finger along the crotch of her panties, brushing over her swollen sex, and she experienced a burst of pleasure. “S-stop,” she managed to squeeze out, and his finger froze.

  “You okay?” he murmured.

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “No. I’m seriously seconds away from coming, Carson.”

  Carson burst out laughing. “And that’s a bad thing?” Without waiting for her to respond, he stuck his fingers under the waistband of her panties, lifted her ass and shoved the underwear down.

  “I want it to last,” she protested.

  Another chuckle slid out of his throat. “Don’t worry, I’ll go slow. Now be a good girl and spread your legs for me, Holly.”

  She swallowed. Then spread.

  The heat of his gaze slammed into her and pulsed through her body. He stared at her exposed sex with those piercing blue eyes, his gaze roaming over every hot, damp inch. A rush of vulnerability welled up inside her. She almost closed her legs, wanting to stop the moisture that seeped between them, wanting to put an end to the crazy shockwaves of arousal that made her clit throb. But she didn’t close her legs. No. Because Carson had stepped toward her again, and he was licking his lips again, and his eyes glittered with raw, unadulterated lust, and…oh God he was touching her.

  He moved his finger along her folds, up and down, the gentle, teasing caress nearly causing her to topple off the counter. “Tell me what you like,” he said roughly.

  “I like everything you’re doing so far.”

  Sliding over her clit, he rubbed the swollen nub for a few moments before moving lower and toying with her wet opening with the tip of his finger. “And this?” he prompted.

  “Also good,” she choked out.

  Before she could blink, that talented finger pushed into her, deep inside, drawing a moan from her throat.

  Carson grinned and then she blinked again and he wasn’t looming over her anymore. He’d sunk to his knees, his finger still buried in her wet pussy, his gorgeous mouth now inches from her thighs.

  “So,” he said thoughtfully. He moved his finger, in and out, a slow torturous rhythm that had her squirming on the counter. “How close are you?”

  “Um, really close.”

  “Yeah? So if I put my tongue here…” she gasped as he lightly flicked his tongue over her clit, “…you’ll explode?”

  “Any fucking second,” she said hoarsely.

  He laughed again, and she felt a flicker of annoyance at his amusement over his situation. Didn’t he realize she wasn’t kidding? Little flutters of orgasm were already floating through her body, waiting to crash to the surface, her clit ached so badly it hurt, and he was laughing at her.

  She opened her mouth. “It’s really not fun—”

  He withdrew his finger and replaced it with his tongue.

  She closed her mouth.

  Pleasure swarmed her body like a herd of excited butterflies. Carson’s beard stubble scraped against her hyper-sensitized thighs, his mouth hot and eager as he pressed it to her aching pussy. And his tongue…oh lord. His tongue lapped her up, long sensual strokes that stoked the fire building in her belly and made her toes curl and—yup, she was going to come.

  She bit her lip, closed her eyes, and desperately tried to tamp down the rising orgasm. But his mouth felt so good and…oh yes! The orgasm ripped through her like a tornado, stealing the breath right out of her lungs while shards of vivid colors and bright light distorted her vision. She gave a desperate moan, pressed her hands to Carson’s head and brought him closer, milking all the pleasure she could, drowning in it, consumed by it.

  When the agonizing ecstasy finally abated, she opened her eyes to find Carson grinning at her again. He wiped his chin and gave a small chuckle. “Um, okay, so you weren’t bluffing,” he said ruefully.

  “I told you.” She cleared her throat when she realized how husky her voice sounded. “I couldn’t help it…it was…too good.”

  “Don’t apologize for coming, sweetheart.”

  She started to shift off the counter, but he quickly reached up with two large hands and kept her in place. “And don’t even think about getting up. That orgasm was just to take the edge off. Now I can really get started.”

  Huh? Before she could ask what his definition of getting started was he’d already pressed his lips back to her clit.

  “Carson, you already—” Her voice died in her throat as he swirled his tongue over her.

  Okay, so this man was obviously more than just a skilled soldier. As his mouth worked its magic on her again, Holly decided Carson Scott was her new hero. She also decided she would be a complete moron if she argued with him about this.

  So she simply leaned back on her elbows, closed her eyes and lost herself in his sexual ministrations.

  “You taste like heaven, sweetheart,” he murmured. He slid his tongue over her pussy and groaned. “I could stay here for the rest of my life and never get bored with this sweet cunt of yours.”

  She added extremely good dirty talker to the growing list of Things Carson Excels At.

  Another moan slipped out of her mouth as he suckled her clit between his warm lips. Her entire body throbbed with restless arousal, as if the violent orgasm he’d just given it wasn’t enough. And no, it wasn’t enough. She wanted more.

  Her nipples pebbled against her bra, demanding some attention of their own. She reached up to touch her breasts, then lowered her hands, feeling embarrassed.

  Carson lifted his head and rolled his eyes. “I saw that. Now bring those hands right back to those gorgeous tits of yours and make yourself feel good.”

  “Do it for me,” she replied with a tiny smile.

  “I’m busy.” And then his head dipped between her thighs again and his mouth resumed feasting.

  Shockwaves of pleasure rocketed through her. His tongue flicked over her clit, with just enough pressure that she could feel the faint quivers of another orgasm. Her hands trembled as she reached for her breasts again, but this time there was no hesitation. So what if she fondled her own breasts? Carson obviously enjoyed it.

  She pulled her shirt ove
r her head and unclasped her bra, tossing both garments aside. Her nipples were painfully hard when she touched them. She’d always had sensitive breasts, but Steve never seemed to give them the attention they craved. God, she wanted Carson’s tongue on them, wanted him to suck each rigid bud deep in his mouth, to lick her and bite her and make her scream with pleasure. But like he said, he was busy, and she was definitely enjoying his other task.

  He sucked on her clit again then shoved two long fingers inside her. She was so wet she could feel her own juices trickling down her thighs. How was that possible? She and Steve had always needed a tube of lubrication when they’d had sex.

  Don’t think about Steve.

  Right. She seriously needed to quit comparing her ex to the man between her legs.

  Not that there was even a comparison to be made.

  “Are you going to come for me again?” Carson muttered, adding a third finger into the mix.

  She whimpered and managed a strained, “yes.” Then she pinched her nipples and the whimper became a moan. God, she was close. Pleasure built up inside her like water against a dam. All it would take was one more stroke of his tongue, one more thrust of his fingers…a little more…so close...Carson pressed his fingers hard against her G-spot, sucked even harder on her clit, and she exploded.

  The climax was just as intense as the first, just as fierce and all-consuming, and this one didn’t end. It just roared on, tearing through her body like a wildfire while bursts of bliss sparked her nerve endings.

  “Carson,” she moaned, fighting for breath. “It’s too much…it’s…I can’t take it…oh God.”

  Rather than release her, he continued to tongue her, his fingers sliding in and out with long, deep thrusts until she was coming again. Or maybe she’d never stopped coming the first time. Who knew. Who cared. Holly’s pulse shrieked in her ears, her breasts throbbed beneath her trembling fingers. And the pleasure…it never ended. The dam had broken and a rush of pure rapture poured through her in uncontrollable waves.

  “Oh yeah,” Carson groaned, lifting his head after planting one last soft kiss to her clit.

  She gasped for air, her body so sated and numb she couldn’t move a single limb or muscle.

  He rose to his feet and pushed her hands off her breasts, quickly replacing them with his own. His warm palms cupped each mound, his fingers stroking. Bending his head, he tasted her, covering one nipple with his mouth and sucking gently. He groaned again, then moved away from her breast and captured her lips in a hot kiss.

  She kissed him back eagerly, enjoying the warmth of his mouth, the taste of herself on his tongue. Lifting her arms, she twined them around his strong, corded neck and pulled him closer, needing to feel that rock-hard body pressed against her. He stepped closer and she widened her legs, allowing him to push his jean-clad lower body into the junction of her thighs.

  “You’re so hard,” she whispered into his mouth, rubbing herself against the long erection bulging at his crotch. The denim scraped over her naked sex, but the slight abrasion only turned her on even more.

  “Hold on a second,” he choked out. “All that rubbing is too damn distracting.”

  She quit moving and waited for him to grab a condom from his pocket. Shoving his jeans down, he sheathed his thick cock and offered a faint smile. “Okay, do your worst. Or best, actually.”

  Holly laughed, then circled his heavy erection with her fingers and guided him to her opening. They released simultaneous moans as he slid his entire length into her wetness. The feel of him inside her was so good she almost fell off the counter, but Carson grabbed her hips and steadied her, thrusting a couple of times before letting out another groan.

  “Damn. I won’t last long,” he admitted in a raspy voice.

  “Then come. You know, to take the edge off,” she said, mimicking his earlier words. “But next time, I expect at least a full hour of serious thrusting and pumping to make up for this debacle.”

  Laughing, he bent down to kiss her, then set out in a fast, hard pace that had her gasping into his lips. He pounded into her with his cock, all the way to the hilt, and each stroke brought her closer and closer to the edge again. When she heard Carson’s low groan of pleasure, she let herself go, squeezing her inner muscles against him as his cock pulsed with release inside her.

  When the waves of orgasm finally subsided, she saw Carson watching her with something that resembled awe.

  “What?” she asked self-consciously.

  He shook his head, looking a bit stunned. “How are we this good together? The only time I’ve ever come this hard is when we did it in that closet.”

  She managed a small laugh. “Are you just trying to be nice?”

  He snorted. “I just fucked you on your kitchen counter. Does a nice guy really do that?”

  “Hmmm, I guess not.” She tilted her head. “So…just to clarify…are you officially agreeing to fling with me?”

  “I guess I am.”

  Wariness crept up her body. “Because I meant what I said on Friday, I don’t really have the time for a relationship right now.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Yes, okay. If you want sex, I’ll give you sex.”

  “Just sex,” she prompted.

  An indefinable expression flickered in his eyes, and then he smiled. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.”

  Chapter Four

  “Your plan isn’t working,” Carson said as he sank into the chair in front of Will and handed the other man a beer.

  It was Monday night and Carson had dragged Will to the Sand Hole, one of his favorite bars in San Diego. A few yards from the pier, the bar offered an outdoor patio that overlooked the ocean, and the two men were sitting at a table by the railing, while the balmy evening breeze tried to claim the napkins on the tabletop. Carson finally set his beer bottle on the napkins, so the damn things would quit fluttering around. It was just Will and him tonight, something that was becoming a habit. Garrett and Shelby were still away, and Ryan and Matt had hit a nightclub across town, but Carson hadn’t felt like clubbing tonight. He was in a seriously foul mood, despite the incredible sex he’d been having for the past week.

  “She still wants a fling, huh?” Will said, slowly sipping his beer.

  “Yep.” Carson groaned. “Don’t get me wrong—the sex is unbelievable. But every time I even bring up the subject of going out to dinner, or catching a movie, she tries to distract me with sex.”

  Will laughed. “Does it work?”

  “Every fucking time, man.” He was almost a little ashamed of how badly he craved Holly’s lithe little body. Every time she was naked, he couldn’t think. Or breathe. Or do anything that didn’t involve running his tongue over every inch of her nakedness.

  It was like an addiction, and one he could spend the rest of his life enslaved to. But that was the problem—he wasn’t going to have Holly for the rest of his life. Hell, if she had her way, he wouldn’t have her for much longer.

  “She’s got midterm exams coming up, and she keeps hinting that we need to take a breather,” he said with a sigh.

  “Culinary school has exams?”

  “Kind of. She’s got to prepare all these fancy dishes for her teacher, and then work in a restaurant for a couple of nights to show she’s capable of working under pressure and all that crap.”

  “Bring her on our next assignment.” Will snorted. “She’ll definitely learn how to work under pressure then.”

  Carson lifted his beer to his lips, suddenly sidetracked. “Speaking of assignments, what’s this I’ve been hearing about us going to the jungle?” The idea of hopping in a chopper and going somewhere—even the freaking jungle—wasn’t all that unappealing. The team hadn’t been out of the country since that stint in Colombia, and Carson was itching for an adventure. He hated sitting around and waiting to be paged.

  “Not for sure yet,” Will replied. “But I’ve been hearing rumors about some trouble happening at
a plant in Brazil. A few workers were killed by some rebels, I think, and there’s a chance we might need to go in and extract the CEO. He refuses to leave, but there have been a few threats to his life, so we’ll see.” Will put down his beer bottle. “You’re feeling stir crazy too, eh? Thought you were too busy wooing the waitress to remember what you do for a living.”

  “Well, maybe the best way to change her mind is to leave,” he said with a shrug. “You know, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that? I swear, she’s got so much shit on her plate, I’m starting to think she’s Superwoman.”

  Will looked curious. “Yeah? Like what?”

  “Work, this culinary class, and don’t get me started on her incompetent family. I can’t count how many times she’s left me in her bed this week so she could rush off and save someone from themselves.” Carson shook his head, baffled. “Her father calls her to come over and help him check his email! And her sister Caroline is a total space cadet. She locked her keys in the car every day this week.”

  And when they said jump, Holly jumped. That’s what Carson didn’t get. His sister Jenny was constantly getting into jams, but she only called Carson when something bad was going down. Holly’s family, however, called for everything. Every goddamn miniscule problem that they could probably handle all on their own, if Holly would just let them.

  He knew her mother had died, and that sucked, but he didn’t think it was reason enough for Holly to drop everything and play mother hen to everyone. Especially when all the responsibilities—which she could easily rid herself of—constantly got in the way of their relationship.

  Sorry, their fling. Because no matter how much fun they had together, how many times they laughed over pizza or cuddled in front of the television or had wild sex on every surface of Holly’s apartment, she still refused to call it anything other than a fling.

  “So tell her how ridiculous her family is being,” Will suggested.