Wicked Games: The Extended Edition (Steele Security #1) Read online

  She walked slowly and answered all of his questions about her sisters and her parents. He wanted to know everything about her life growing up, her college years, and what she liked to do for fun. Questions about college led to questions about how she got into journalism.

  She explained she didn’t want to be an anchorwoman because it was too stuffy and boring for her. Out in the field, with the excitement, is where she saw herself. He also correctly guessed that her parents were not thrilled with her decision to avoid the hotel management career.

  It occurred to her he could garner any information he wanted from her, in just the phrasing and timing of his questions. She wondered if he learned that from his advanced training, or if it just came naturally to him. She knew there was no point in asking. Any questions about specific training courses wouldn’t be answered anyway.

  Just as they reached the entrance of her tent, his hand grasped her elbow and stopped her in her tracks. As she turned to ask him what was wrong, he wrapped his arms around her waist. She willingly stepped into his arms as he pulled her closer. When he bent to brush his lips against hers, he pulled back for just a second to look into her eyes. She couldn’t hide the same desire there that burned in his. He sensed it and covered her mouth with his with a deep, demanding kiss.

  His tongue ran across her lips as he teased and tempted her to open her mouth to him. When she did, he dipped his tongue in to caress and dance with hers. Her hands locked behind his neck as she pulled her whole body up closer to his. She felt his massive hand run up the back of her neck, grasp her hair in his fist, and tilt her head slightly for him to deepen the kiss even more.

  He breathed heavily as he tentatively pulled back from their sensual embrace. He looked around to ensure they were still alone and unseen, then turned back to Brianna. The intensity in his eyes was palpable. It pulled her in to him and made her want to succumb to desires she’d never wanted before.

  “Reaper, I need to tell you something. As badly as I want this to happen, and believe me when I say I do, I don’t do one-night stands.”

  “Noah Steele.”

  “What?”

  “My name. It’s Noah.”

  “Oh.” She wasn’t sure what to say at first. No real names were allowed because there was just too much at stake. But he just told her without being asked. She didn’t know what to make of that. “Noah, I don’t mean to lead you on. Really.”

  “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.” His voice was low, deep, and so seductive.

  “I didn’t say I didn’t want to…” There was that chuckle that rumbled through his chest again.

  “Okay, then, no pressure. I will stop whenever you say.” His light kisses brushed along her jawline, to her ear, and down her neck. She knew he must have felt her pulse increase, because she could feel her heart pounding.

  Barely able to speak now, she almost whispered, “Hmmm…and if I can’t say when?”

  “I’m here to protect you…even from yourself.” He walked her backwards into her tent. Then his mouth reclaimed hers with an intense desire and need. Her fingers rested on his massive shoulders, and suddenly her hands ran across his chest, down his stomach, and then around to his back. She couldn’t get enough of him. Then she felt his hand splayed across her stomach, underneath her shirt. The heat from his touch seared her skin.

  First his hands traveled up her body, cupping her breast through her bra, the pad of his calloused thumb rubbing her sensitive nipple. The traitorous nipple was already hard from his embrace, but puckered even more at his touch. A moan escaped her mouth, and he caught it as he deepened the kiss. Then his other hand cupped her ass and pulled her even tighter to him, and she felt his erection pressed against her lower abdomen.

  He deftly unhooked her front-clasp bra and ran his hands over her bare breasts, heating the desire that had pooled between her legs even more. He walked her backwards, until she was against a pole, and bent his mouth to take her nipple in it. He licked and sucked on it, then drew his teeth over the sensitive skin, and ran his hands over her entire midsection.

  His hands made their way down her stomach to the button on her jeans. He deftly unbuttoned it with one hand and slowly slid his hand in. She realized he was giving her ample time to stop him, but she could no more stop him than she could stop breathing. His long fingers reached the top of her lacy panties, and she was instantly glad she was at least wearing attractive ones.

  His fingers lightly brushed across the top of the lace and against her stomach, as her fingers dug deeper into his shoulder muscles and the butterflies grew stronger in her stomach. He flattened his hand, and his fingers slipped under the lace, covering her mound and lightly stroking just above where she really needed his hand to be right now.

  When she again didn’t stop him, she felt his finger reach the mound of ultra-sensitive nerves in her clit, and she would have sworn she saw stars. He rubbed in small circles, making her want him more and more. Then one of his massive fingers rubbed along her sensitive folds and suddenly pushed inside her. She moaned deeply, and he pulled back to watch her face. She tried to lean into him, but he wouldn’t allow her.

  “I want to see you.” His low, rumbling voice sounded almost pained with desire.

  Even though she felt completely self-conscious and exposed, she trusted him with this intimate moment. He moved his finger slowly in and out of her, tortuously slow, as her desire built higher and higher. When she didn’t think she could take it anymore, his fingers stopped for a split second, as he pursed his index finger and thumb together. He quickly pushed inside her again, rubbing against her most sensitive area, as he increased his speed.

  “Just let go. Let me watch you come apart in my arms.” He was whispering in her ear now, and it was so damn sexy, she couldn’t stop. She dug her fists into his shoulders, leaned her head back, and his gaze remained constant on her face. She climaxed with his fingers in her as she released a moan that relayed her complete pleasure. As she lifted her head, his mouth found hers again. But this time, the kiss wasn’t urgent or demanding. It was gentle and almost sweet.

  She opened her eyes to see him watching her again. “Damn, Bri. You just don’t know what you do to me.”

  Before she could respond, a call came across his radio, ordering the team to the command center. He kissed her again,

  “Duty calls.”

  He stopped at the opening of her tent and turned to look at her. “Don’t think this was a one-night stand, Bri. It’s not by a long shot.” He flashed her that heart-stopping smile of his and was gone in an instant.

  “What I do to him?” she thought incredulously.

  She spent the rest of the night thinking of Noah. The man had just taken her to a new high, and they hadn’t even removed their clothes. Her rational mind immediately went to the fact that this could never work. A long distance relationship rarely works under normal circumstances and this was far from normal. This was a man who was stationed half a world away from her. He lived on a little known, top-secret base, and carried out top-secret missions. She didn’t even know exactly where in the world she was.

  She decided this wasn’t the time for rational thinking. She wanted whatever this was between them to run its course. She didn’t want rhyme or reason to take over and complicate things. She’d just enjoy his company while she could. If they weren’t meant to be once she returned home, she’d at least have this time and these memories. And she’d never regret them.

  Chapter Four

  When the team wasn’t out on an assignment, Brianna spent as much time with them as possible. She passed the days taking notes on everything they did, filled up her diary with every thought she had, and got to know the men behind the mask, so to speak. She quickly learned she genuinely enjoyed their company. One night, the guys teased Brianna about her lack of security clearance and the need to blindfold her before she could visit their base.

  “Poor Brianna, she had to wear a blindfold and didn’t even get to have any
fun in return for it. She’s just not trustworthy, I guess,” Shadow joked. “You know, she could be a highly trained spy and has us all fooled into believing she’s really innocent.”

  Shadow leaned forward with his forearms resting on his thighs. He eyed her carefully and pretended he was seriously considering it. “Yeah, look at her shifty eyes. There’s no doubt that she’s a double agent. We’ve all been fooled, gentlemen. We should just give up now.”

  “I’m glad you’ve finally figured it out. It’ll make your surrender much less painful,” she stated. “For you.” She brought her arms up, flexed her biceps, and leaned her head in to kiss her right one. “These guns are deadlier than any gun you own.”

  The guys all burst out laughing at her gestures. Brianna was most pleased to see that Bull had also joined in. She’d had the most trouble breaking through his tough exterior. After her talk with Rebel, the guys all agreed to answer questions about each other and she’d been able to gather much more information since then. Except from Bull. He still didn’t trust her and answered her questions with only the bare minimum of words.

  She still had the original black cloth that was tied around her eyes from the first time she was brought to the base. “You know,” she started. “I still have that first blindfold they used when they brought me out here. I’m keeping it. It’s my promise to each of you that no matter what anyone does to me, I will never give you up. I’d never willingly allow anyone to hurt a single one of you. Even though you all have nicknames and I don’t have one yet.” She smiled.

  The mood among the men suddenly became serious, but sincere. Bull was surprisingly the first one to speak.

  “Well, Sunny, I for one appreciate that.”

  “Sunny?”

  “Yeah, Sunny, short for Sunshine, because you always have such a sunny outlook on everything.”

  “Couldn’t you come up with something scarier? Like Skullcrusher or something cool?”

  “Nope. You’re Sunny. No way around it,” Bull grinned. She’d never seen his ‘sweet’ smile before. It reminded her of a little boy’s smile.

  “Sunny” stuck among the group and it fit her. She claimed she didn’t like it, which made everyone call her that even more.

  “You’ll have to accept it, Sunny,” Rebel smirked. “You’re our little sister now and we’ll torture you mercilessly. But know this–no one else will. You’re ours to protect now. We’re your brothers.” He motioned around the circle of men. They all nodded in agreement, except Reaper. The look of possession in his eyes spoke of something more.

  Brianna fought back the tears of emotion that threatened to overtake her. She’d finally been accepted as part of the exclusive group. Even Bull looked at her as his little sister, and she cherished the feeling. “I’ve always wanted a brother. Now I have several.”

  “You have all of us,” Shadow promised. “We’re proud to be your brothers. We take care of our own.”

  Brianna felt the shift in the bond had a great love for her family and was all too happy to add this wonderful group of men to the mix.

  Later that night after everyone else was asleep, Noah slipped out of his barracks and into Brianna’s tent. He eased onto the uncomfortable cot with her and draped his arm over her, both protectively and possessively. Her body craved his warmth and his kisses. The way he nibbled along the back of her neck sent cold chills through her entire body. He held her all night as they slept, his hand splayed across her abdomen. Before dawn, she felt his reluctance to leave her bed before anyone else woke up.

  Over the following week, Reaper made it a nightly ritual to find his way to her bed. Each night, Brianna found it increasingly difficult to resist the powerful urges that he created in her. If anyone in his team knew what was happening between Reaper and Brianna, they never let on. She knew damn well they knew. It was their job to know, and it wasn’t like she could even hide her feelings for him during the day when they were all together. But at least they were good-natured enough toward her to not bring it up.

  With every day that passed, Brianna fell in love with Reaper just a little more. In all the nights he snuck into her bed with her, he never once tried to go farther than what her grandmother had called “heavy petting.” She laughed at that term when her grandmother first used it.

  Now, this petting was making her crazy. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him when he was around and fantasized about him when he wasn’t. Right or wrong, she had decided this definitely was not a one-night stand, and she was ready to take it to the next level. She would be leaving for home the following week, and she planned to make the most of her time with him while she could.

  As she got ready for bed that night, she desperately hoped he wouldn’t be called out for a mission. That would ruin all her plans. She washed her face and brushed her teeth as usual, then sprayed her body with her favorite perfume. The mixture of jasmine, rose, orchid, and freesia was inherently feminine and unforgettable to the senses. There hadn’t been a call to use it in this God-forsaken place before now. She knew the sweat from the sweltering heat during the day would have rinsed it all off her anyway. But the cooler desert night air would help keep it in place, at least until he joined her.

  She climbed into her bed without her pajamas this time and waited for him to join her. Within an hour of lights out, he opened the tent door silently and slid into bed next to her. She lay on her side and he slid his arm around her. He suddenly jerked his head up when his hand met her cool, bare skin.

  “You’re sure?” he whispered.

  “I’ve never been more sure,” she replied.

  She turned her body into his, looked into his eyes, and watched the chocolate brown turn to black with passion and desire. She reached up and kissed him, softly at first, then ran her fingers through his short black hair.

  She ran her tongue around the outline of his lips before seductively licking in the middle to urge him to open his mouth to her. When he did, a deep rumble rolled through his chest, and the kiss suddenly turned urgent and demanding.

  Her hands never left his body, as she felt the muscles in his shoulders tense, then across his chest, down his stomach to the hem of his shirt. She started to slowly pull it up over his head when he grabbed it with one hand and flung it to the floor.

  He rolled her onto her back and he moved to cover her entire body with his. Through his jogging pants, she felt his erection pressed against her lower abdomen. She raked her fingernails down his back, moved her hands to his sides, and slid her fingers under the elastic waistband. He grabbed her hands and pushed them above her head, holding them both in one hand. She realized she must have had a puzzled look on her face when he gave her the sexiest half-grin she’d ever seen. He whispered, “I plan on taking my time.”

  Noah rose up on his forearms, cupped her face in his hands, and paused to gaze deeply in her eyes. His eyes raked over her face, taking in the slight blush from the embarrassment he knew this intense intimacy caused in her.

  Her lips were still swollen from their last kiss and her breasts heaved as they rose and fell with her increased breathing. He kept his eyes on hers as he dipped his mouth to hers again, licking, teasing, and pulling away. She tried to raise her head to capture his mouth again and he pulled farther away, still watching. When she realized what he was doing, Brianna lowered her head back to the cot.

  His kissed along her cheek, to her jawline, and finally to her earlobe. His touch sent shivers through her entire body. He licked and sucked on her ear before finally pulling on it seductively with his teeth. Then he worked his way down her neck with open-mouthed kisses as he licked and bit her skin. She tried to pull her hands loose to touch him, but his grip tightened just enough to keep her hands in place, and he continued his assault on all her senses.

  She inhaled deeply to breathe in his musky, masculine scent and let out a long sigh. He continued moving lower on her body. She didn’t even realize the moment when he freed her hands, since his mouth had found the sensitive, hardene
d buds of her breasts. Noah licked and bit, teased and tempted her, until she grabbed his head in her hands and pulled him back to her breast. She felt the rumble of his low chuckle reverberate through her. As he started again, her back arched in response to his touch, as his hand found her other breast. Slowly, painfully slow, his mouth followed his hands, as he tasted every inch of her.

  Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they moved all across his body. She was in complete awe and appreciation of every muscle in his chest, shoulders, back, and arms. He moved lower down her torso, still kissing and licking along her stomach. In hushed moans, she heard him whisper. “So beautiful.”

  His hands moved lower still. He cupped her heated mound possessively before he found the small nub of nerves that could send her soaring. His thumb moved over it slightly and instantly made her body beg for more and more. He watched her intently as he moved in small circles while applying more pressure.

  Instinctively, her hips rose slightly to meet his touch. His fingers found her soft, wet center, moving his finger along the folds, just barely touching her where she so desperately wanted to feel him.

  “Noah, please, now!”

  But he didn’t surrender to her request. He swirled his finger around her wet heat before finally pushing all the way in. Out. In. Out. His rhythm was such sweet torture.

  “Baby, you’re so wet for me.”

  “Noah…” His name was all she could mutter before his second finger found her wet desire and plunged in. He moved his hand faster, watched her expressions, admired how responsive her beautiful body was to his touch, and how it brought her closer and closer to climax. Then he suddenly stopped.