She watched, her stomach tight and her pussy wet, as the hand at her waist dipped to the slit in her dress once more. He touched her other thigh this time, and she couldn’t find the strength to worry when his fingers grazed her scar.
“I've been wondering about this car crash, what happened?”
Before she had the chance to answer, he cupped her through her panties, rotating his palm over her most sensitive spot. The slow grind left her clinging to his shoulders and biting her lip to keep in a moan of intense pleasure.
“Tell me, what happened?”
What the hell was he talking about?
She pressed her head against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to remember what she’d told him, but Merc increased the pressure between her legs, robbing her of her memory. “I am - was driving too fast, lost control. I flipped it, that's it.”
“You should learn to be more careful. I bet your father had given you a bright red sports car for your 16th birthday right?”
His finger slipped past the hem line into her panties and eased inside her. Her strength gave out. Merc held her up with his hand as he stretched her tight walls, excruciatingly fingering her.
She slung an arm around his neck, desperately trying to tug his lips down to hers before she moaned out loud. Merc resisted, instead he pushed her back in place, continuing to take her with his finger while the party went on downstairs. “So, was it a little red sports car?”
“Of course. What else would it be?” She answered irritably and then gasped when he shoved another finger inside, stretching her muscles. His dominant, controlled expression unnerving. But she was helplessly nearing an orgasm, close to completely falling apart in his hands.
In a last frantic move to reclaim a little control, she palmed his dick through his trousers in a tight grip, enjoying the way his mouth tensed. “I want you inside me.”
His midnight eyes turned obsidian, his hips bucked forward. “You're playing with fire.”
She shuddered. But not from her fear of fire; from craving more. She found his zipper and lowered it, her hand snaking inside to wrap around his length. His cock pulsed, jumping beneath her caress. “I like your fire.”
Merc took a step back, leaving her speechless that he had the will to deny her. And then he was urging her to a nearby room, slamming the door behind them. A guest bedroom with moonlight spilling through the large windows, highlighting a massive four-poster bed. He propelled her forward, his arm hooked around her waist, and bent her over the edge of the tall mattress. Without a word, he shoved her dress up and to the side and yanked her panties down.
And then she felt his broad head pressing against her entrance, sliding between her folds, filling her so completely she gasped and fisted the silk coverlet.
“So tight. You drive me fucking crazy.” Merc gripped her hips and yanked her back as he drove forward with enough force her teeth rattled.
His words spurred her on and she arched her hips, begging for more. He took her with ferocity, his hard deep thrusts pushing her over the edge, past the point of control. She bit her lip to keep from screaming as an intense orgasm crashed over her, leaving her helplessly clinging to the bed. Merc continued to take her, prolonging the waves of ecstasy, driving her higher.
He growled and slammed in fully. She felt his hot liquid filling her, his own stamp of possession sending her into a bottomless spiral of pleasure that left her limp.
She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, with Merc draped over her back, both of them panting. She only became aware when he slowly withdrew from her and stood.
She heard him buckle his pants and knew she should fix her dress, but he’d stolen her ability to think, let alone function. Merc was the one who pulled up her underwear and helped her stand again. He righted her dress and tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear, all the while she stared up at him, wondering how she’d ever be able to forget him.
And then Merc cupped her cheek, holding her hostage with his caress. His voice was gruff when he asked, “Did I hurt you?”
She turned into his touch, kissing his palm once. “Not even close.”
“Caroline.”
Nightshade fought the flinch. Hearing him call her by her sister’s name now just seemed wrong. But no matter how wrong she felt and how much she wanted to tell him the truth, it wasn’t her life at stake. “Hmmm?”
She knew if she tried to speak her lips would tremble, because she could barely contain the riot of emotions he’d set free once more. If only she’d met him some other way, another place and time...If only...
“I want you to know how much I care about you.” He held her face in his palms. “And that you can talk to me about anything. Anything at all. And no matter what, I will still care about you.”
It was as though her heart swelled and then contracted in one violent movement. He knew. He knew something was up. And he honestly expected her to believe that if she just told him the truth, they could have a happily ever after?
Maybe if she had a normal life, she’d find it easier to believe his words. If Merc found out her real identity, she knew without a doubt he would hate her. And she knew without a doubt, that if he stopped her from locating and saving her team, she would hate him.
She drew in a shuddering breath, but the oxygen seemed to have disappeared. “Thank you, but there’s nothing to talk about.”
She tried and failed miserably to harden her heart as his expression dimmed into a hard shell. She steeled herself, waiting for him to shove her away, to call her out to make it easier on her to leave him.
