This is the worst time in the history of the world, or at least in my life, to start something up. But Ellie Mae Smithers is one of a kind. Can we keep it casual? Is that the fates laughing? Damn it.
—Hugh Johnson, Brigade Notes and other shit on my mind
This was beyond insane, and Hugh didn’t give a care. He was inside Ellie Mae, and she was every bit as tight, hot, and delicious as he’d known she would be. For the first time in his life, he felt whole.
Now, that was crazy.
Her little body moved beneath his, urging him to get a move on.
Nope. Not this time. Oh, he’d give her faster than usual, but he was still going to destroy her mind. If he was going to lose himself in her, she was going to do the same thing. Plus, she just felt so fucking good.
He lowered his head and kissed her again, a long, deep, rich kiss that took any brain power he had and tossed it out of the steamy bathroom. The shower droned on, and he ignored the sound and the slightly chilling air.
Only her soft breaths and small gasps mattered. They filled him, pouring through his veins.
She tasted sweet and spicy and inherently female. She tasted like hope in a desperate world. More importantly, she tasted like…his. Like he would’ve known her instantly. “Are you sure, Ellie?” It was a silly question considering he was inside her, but he had to know. Needed to make sure and protect her. He had no choice.
“I’m sure.” She lifted her hands and ran her fingers deliciously through his soapy hair. A clump of soap landed on her collarbone, sliding across the small ridge. “Take anything you want, Hugh.” Her smile was filled with a siren’s edge. “I plan to.”
Then she tugged his hair. Erotic tingles lashed down his body to his balls, ramping up his heartbeat and heat.
Had he ever been so aroused? Slowly, he pulled out of her and then pushed back in.
The sound she made stole any control he’d thought he had. Soft little panting with honest need.
She wanted him and had no problem letting him know. He loved that about her. No games, no walls around her heart. She was sweet and smart and honest.
In truth, Ellie was fucking amazing. He had to make this good for her.
Beyond good. “You’re beautiful, Ellie Mae,” he murmured.
She raked her nails down his sides and grabbed his ass, turning him on enough he started moving faster. Plowing into her. All of a sudden, he went from thought to hunger. There was only Ellie Mae and right here and now. Fire flashed through him. They moved into a wild frenzy, kissing and caressing, their hands all over each other.
He felt eighteen again. Invincible. Desperate.
“Hugh,” she moaned. The sounds she made dug into his head, into his heart, planting deep. Her hands were driving him crazy. She clutched at him, rocking to meet his every thrust.
This was Ellie. That one simple thought nearly destroyed him. She was everything.
Tremors started around his cock. Thank God. She arched against him, elongating her neck, crying out his name. The orgasm rocked through her entire body, shaking her breasts against his chest.
Her internal walls gripped him tight.
He exploded, cupping her head and kissing her as deeply as he could, coming with her name on his lips.
Finally, they panted quietly against each other.
He couldn’t move. He might not ever move again. The shower continued, the steam abating, the room chilling. Finally, he lifted his head.
Her smile was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen. Her eyes were a satisfied blue, and a lovely pink covered her cheeks. A blob of soap covered her right ear, and soap was spread all over her upper chest. His heart rolled right over.
“So,” she whispered, stretching against him. “What now?”
* * * *
Aches and pains—the yummy kind—ran through Ellie’s body as she exited the motel bathroom in the morning and stopped short at seeing what was left of the bed. The covers were all on the floor, and even the mattress looked cockeyed.
What a marathon of an evening.
She swallowed. Hugh had gone with Connor to brief the new security team, leaving her lounging in bed after a truly phenomenal night.
The rumors, although awesome, hadn’t given Hugh enough credit. He was amazing in bed.
Or maybe her big crush on him helped.
She pushed wet hair off her shoulder and smoothed down her faded jeans. The air had turned cold enough she was comfortable in her light blue sweater. Her phone dinged, and she tore her gaze away from the demolished bed. “Smithers,” she answered.
“You alone?” Deke asked without preamble.
“Yes.” Striding quickly, she reached her laptop next to the computer and flipped it open, easing back to perch at the end of the bed. “What’s up?”
Deke cleared his throat. “The intel came in on Hugh. He’s not one of the good guys, Eleanor.”
She snorted and inhaled the scent still left in the room from Hugh. Masculine and tough. “He’s beyond good.” In more ways than one, actually. “You’re being silly.” Was Deke being overprotective? How loud had they been last night? Had Connor somehow heard something from the next room? She bit her lip. Had she screamed at one point? Geez. “Give me a break, Deke.”
“I’m sending you the intel. Call me after you’ve read it.” He clicked off.
Well. She huffed and rolled her eyes, quickly opening an attachment from him. Documents, dossiers, and FBI investigational files quickly filled her screen.
She read them, her stomach beginning to hurt. “This isn’t right.”
A knock on the door nearly stopped her heart. “Who is it?”
“Connor.”
She stood and quickly unlocked the door for him, moving back to her computer instantly.
He slipped inside and leaned back against the door, his dark eyes somber. “I finished at the plant and left Hugh to continue briefing the new security details. Told him I’d be back after grabbing more coffee. Did you read the information from Deke?”
“Not all of it. I’m about halfway through.” She didn’t believe this. Not at all.
Connor rubbed a hand across his eyes. “Let me fill you in. Hugh’s family had financial troubles with what had been very successful tire stores, and Gregor bailed out his brothers. That put Hugh in a world of hurt.”
If there was a way to get to Hugh, it’d be through family. She shook her head anyway. “I don’t believe this.”
“Believe it,” Connor said grimly. “Hugh had no choice but to work with Gregor. Fed the guy information on nuclear plants, vulnerabilities, and hot targets. There was a hell of a lot more than just one picture of them together. He really was being investigated by the FBI.” His lips pressed into a thin white line as he took in the status of the bed. “Shit, Ellie. You didn’t.”
She stood, her chest filling. “I did, and he’s not a terrorist. Or a co-conspirator with a terrorist organization.” The information had to be wrong. It just had to be.
“Read the rest of the files,” Connor said softly. “Hugh has been under FBI investigation for the last four months. His vacation? Yeah. That was forced on him, basically so the FBI could go through all of his records at work without his knowledge. He’s a bad guy, Eleanor.”
No. She’d known Hugh for years. People didn’t change that much. They just didn’t.
Connor’s phone blared out a Florida Georgia Line tune, and he pressed a button, igniting the speaker. “Connor here with Eleanor. What do you want us to do, Deke?”
“Options?” Deke asked, his big voice booming over the speaker.
Connor’s rugged face lost all expression. “We can leave him here, bring him with us to answer questions, or put him down and not look back.”
Ellie gasped and tossed her laptop on the bed. “We are not putting him down like a dog.” There had to be a decent explanation for all of this. “Come on. I know this guy.”
“You knew him. Years ago,” Connor countered, looking beyond deadly with the gun strapped to his thigh. “It has been about ten years, and a lot can happen in that time. I say we put him down and move on from here. Vet people better in the future.”
“No.” Ellie moved closer to Connor, almost getting into the big guy’s face. “We are going to give him a chance to explain.” Her chest hurt. Was she having a heart attack? A panic attack? Yep. One of those was happening right now.
“Deke?” Connor asked quietly.
Silence ticked over the line for a minute. “Fine. Bring him in. But it’ll be a lot easier if he’s cooperative, so don’t let him know we have questions,” Deke said.
Connor sighed. “That might be difficult. Apparently, Eleanor and Hugh tore up the sheets last night. Literally.”
Embarrassment roared through Ellie and she punched Connor in his rock-hard arm. “Shut up,” she hissed. When he glowered, she took a measured step back from the soldier. “I can act normally,” she said, her voice only shaking a little bit.
“You slept with him?” Deke barked, his Scottish brogue emerging deep.
“None of your business,” Ellie answered, lifting her chin. She wanted to die right then and there. Yep. She sure did.
“It’s my business if he’s a bloody terrorist,” Deke bellowed.
Ellie winced. “He’s not.” No way in hell. “Now let me get back to the computer so I can figure out what the hell is going on.”
Connor glanced down at his phone. “Orders?”
“Bring him in. If he gives you any problems, shoot him,” Deke said evenly before clicking off.
Connor shut his phone. “You sure you can do this?”
“Yes.” She started typing. There was no way the sweet kid she’d known in college had turned into a terrorist she’d just had the most amazing night of her life with. Hugh had to be innocent.
He just had to be.