CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Elias lay in bed, staring into the darkness, long before the sun rose. Miller was curled into his side, her hand fisted on his chest and her breathing deep and even. And as he held her, he realized he was in a whole lot of trouble. Because he loved her. And love and revenge had no future together.
He’d known it before he’d touched her. But he hadn’t cared. His carnal nature had far outweighed his common sense. And now that he knew how well they fit together, what true intimacy really was, he knew he could never settle for anything less. Anyone other than Miller.
He slipped out of bed, smiling when Miller didn’t even shift. They’d only gotten to sleep a couple of hours before. Never had he spent so long making love to a woman. And that’s exactly what they’d been doing. It hadn’t been just sex. They’d talked, and touched, and tasted, and he knew every inch of her body and the places that gave her the most pleasure. And she knew his.
He showered and dressed quickly, donning linen shorts and a blue island shirt, and then he went above to make sure the coffee had started. He didn’t actually drink it himself, but he wanted to make sure it was at hand. Especially since he wanted to tell her that he thought she should stay on the yacht while he looked for her brother. He couldn’t care less about the treasure. But Miller’s safety was of utmost importance.
Had he ever put anyone else above himself? His brothers, of course, but war was different. On a personal level, his life had always been about him. What could advance his career. What brought him the most pleasure. But somewhere along the way in his relationship with Miller, he wanted to bring her the most pleasure, whether it was something as simple as making coffee or something as intimate as watching the way her eyes darkened when he slid deep inside of her.
The storm had stopped about the time they’d finally drifted off to sleep, and the darkness was still in their secluded corner. Even the water seemed at peace for the time being. He woke up Elaine, hoping she wasn’t holding a grudge from the night before, and he set the coordinates and started up the engine.
He’d always liked the quiet time of night. It had been his favorite time as a SEAL. The mission rattling around in his head, the adrenaline pumping, but disciplining his body to stay completely still and alert. To wait and watch. Combined with being on the water, he was pretty much in heaven at the moment.
He steered the boat out of the cove and toward the Triangle Islands. They needed to move swiftly. His gut was telling him Cordova was right behind them. And another part of his gut was telling him Eve was going to play games with him.
The sky faded from black to gray, the promise of the sun a hint at ocean’s end. He felt her behind him, and when he turned to look at her his heart stopped in his chest. She wore one of his T-shirts, and it hung to midthigh. Her face was free of makeup, her skin flawless and flushed from sleep, and her lips were swollen from the night before.
“Coffee,” she rasped. “I beg of you.”
The moment was broken and his heart started beating again. “Right behind you,” he said.
She grunted something unintelligible, poured herself a cup, grunted something again, and then turned around and went down below again. He chuckled and thought he could get used to this. And then he quickly put the thought out of his mind.
He made sure they were on course, checked their surroundings, and then he followed after her.
The bathroom was efficient and a good size. The floor was large neutral tiles and it was seamless to walk straight into the shower. There were no doors on the shower, and a large rain head spout hung from the ceiling. There were multiple showerheads on each end of the shower and they all sprayed toward the middle. A simple drain in the floor kept the rest of the bathroom floor from getting wet.
Steam billowed, filling the room, and he grinned again as he watched her for a minute. Her head rested against the wall and her eyes were closed, the coffee cup in her hand, and hot water poured over her. And still his body responded. Even after the night they’d spent.
He checked his watch, and then stripped off his clothes in silence. She didn’t hear him approach, and he took the coffee cup from her hand before she dropped it and set it on the ledge. She barely noticed. He adjusted the spray and moved in close behind her, his erection pressing against her full bottom, and she widened her stance for him as he probed for entry.
“I thought I’d help you wake up,” he whispered against her neck, nipping with his teeth.
“I don’t think it’s working,” she said, and then she gasped as he pushed fully inside of her.
She was tight, swollen, from the night before, but she was ready for him. Her hands pressed flat against the cool tile and her breath hitched with every stroke. His hands grasped her hips and then slid up and around to cup her full breasts.
“How about now?” he asked, his thumb and forefinger tweaking her nipples. He felt her tighten around him and he groaned because it felt so good.
He pushed high inside of her, lifting her to her toes, and a cry escaped her lips. He bit down on her shoulder and he could feel the change in her—the liquid heat that surrounded him, the change in texture as her vaginal walls swelled around him. But still she was stubborn, and held back.
“Not yet,” she said. “You’ll have to try harder.”
“If I try any harder you won’t be able to walk for a week,” he said.
“It’s good to have goals,” she panted, making him laugh.
He moved a couple of steps back, pulling her with him, and then he placed his hand between her shoulder blades, pushing her down. He took her hands and wrapped them around the handrail so she was stretched out fully in front of him. He kissed his way up her spine, burying himself deeper inside of her the farther up he got. And when his lips were next to her ear he whispered, “Hold on.”
Her cry of pleasure echoed in the small room as he grabbed her hips and pistoned in and out of her. She came around him with a violence that almost brought him to his knees. And he couldn’t hold off any longer. He emptied himself into her with a roar and then they both crumpled to the shower floor.