Chapter Eight
Reese was beginning to think they’d bit off more than they could chew in the DRC. With warring factions pushing the limits and warlords looking for ways to fund their war machines, Ferrence Klein, the son of the US Secretary of Defense, was a prime target.
Her experience as both a soldier and an MMA fighter would be precious little protection if they were cornered again by Congolese rebels.
President Sabando didn’t return to the social event. After waiting for him for the next hour following his departure, Klein called it a night.
Fortunately, he and Reese had rooms on the same floor. His room directly across the hallway from Reese’s made it possible for her to hear if he was being attacked. On the other hand, he was right across the hall from her. Which meant little privacy. The three of them rode the elevator up to their floor. When they reached Klein’s door, Diesel asked for his key.
Klein frowned. “Why?”
“Let me make sure your room hasn’t been compromised. Anyone of the maintenance staff could let himself in. And they could have been bribed to let someone else in.”
Klein handed over his key and waited in the hallway with Reese as Diesel searched his room for intruders or booby traps.
When he emerged, he handed the key to Klein. “I’ll be across the hall if you should need me. Lock the dead bolt and don’t answer the door unless it’s one of us.”
“I arrived before you two,” Klein said. “You’d think if anyone was going to do something, they already would have.”
“Except Diesel’s team got you out of the jungle with the express purpose of keeping your rescue on the down low,” Reese reminded him. “If the same folks who ordered the kidnapping were going to sabotage your room, they wouldn’t have known you’d show up when you did. They might still have been under the impression you were secured in the jungle somewhere.”
“No one was expecting you to arrive,” Diesel said. “Now that you’ve shown your face at a gathering, they’ll know you escaped. You’re back to being a target.”
“Great.” Klein shook his head. “I guess I’ll be sleeping with one eye open tonight.”
“Again, we’re across the hallway.”
“Why not stay in my suite?” Klein suggested.
Reese held her breath. It made sense to have Diesel stay with the Secretary of Defense’s son. But she didn’t want him to. She wanted him in her room, doing what he’d done earlier, and more.
Diesel shook his head. “We set the precedent. I’m here as Miss Brantley’s fiancé. If you suspect someone is trying to break in, and you think I won’t hear it, you can call. I’ll be there.”
Klein nodded. “Okay, then. I’ll see you two in the morning.” His eyes narrowed. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Reese refused to rise to his taunt and smiled as the man closed the door. “Which means the sky’s the limit,” she muttered and turned with her key to open the door to her suite.
As soon as she crossed the threshold, butterflies erupted in her belly, and her body tingled all over. She was alone with Diesel, and they weren’t being shot at or threatened by a troop of gorillas. The possibilities exploded in her head, and her core heated.
She didn’t turn around, afraid Diesel would see the desire in her eyes. What if he wasn’t feeling it as deeply as she was?
She heard the door close behind her and felt a hand catch hold of hers, spinning her around.
“Come here,” he said, his voice low, throaty and sexy as hell, melting every bone in her body. How did he do that?
Reese hadn’t been with a man in so long... She tried not to think about the last time. She’d been raped by Taliban fighters. As far as she was concerned, it didn’t count. She pushed the memories to the back of her mind and concentrated on the real electricity firing off all of her nerve synapses, sending fire to her center.
And took back ownership of her body.
Since her abuse at the hands of the Taliban, she’d thought she wasn’t capable of feeling the intensity of lust and desire. “I was wrong. So very wrong,” she whispered.
His head dipping low, Diesel stopped before his lips reached hers. “Wrong?” He leaned back and stared into her eyes, his brows knitting. “Did I read you wrong? Are you not feeling what I’m feeling?”
She laughed and wrapped her hands around the back of his head and pulled him down for a quick kiss, before saying, “No. I was wrong. I thought I would never feel what I’m feeling now.”
“And what are you feeling?” he asked, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out. She told herself that he wouldn’t be holding her like he was if he didn’t feel the same. “Every cell in my body is on fire.”
“I hope in a good way.” He brushed his lips across her forehead.
“Only the best.” She smiled up at him, but the smile faded. “You need to know something, though.”
“Shoot. After our trek through the jungle, and facing the wrath of a giant gorilla, I think I can handle just about anything.”
Reese dipped her head and stared at the tips of her toes in the stilettoes. “I haven’t had sex with anyone since I was a Taliban captive.”
Diesel drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then he gathered her in his arms and held her, stroking the back of her head, his lips pressed to her temple. “Sweetheart, if I could, I’d kill every one of those bastards.”
“You and me both.” She laid her cheek against his chest and listened to the beat of his heart. “When I was liberated, the army ran me through all the tests for STDs. I’m clean, but because of how rough they treated me, I’m damaged. Remember, I told you before, I’ll never have children.”
“Oh, Reese, darlin’, you’re not damaged. You’re perfect. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.” He tilted her chin up and stared into her eyes. “You’re strong, brave and you have a big heart.” He smiled down at her. “In my eyes, that’s perfect.”
“I always felt dirty after that.” Her eyes filled with tears, but she managed to grin. “Until I showered earlier, I hadn’t realized how much cleaner I’ve felt since I met you. Inside and out. And you’re making me feel things I never thought I would feel ever again.”
“Like you’re on fire?”
She nodded. “Like a flame is burning inside, making my blood warm and my heart beat faster. Please tell me I’m not silly. Am I the only person who has ever felt like this?”
“No, you’re not.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and brushed his lips across hers. “I’m feeling it, too. It’s like electricity is humming through my body, and it’s all because of you. I can’t seem to get close enough to you.”
Reese knew exactly what he meant. Their bodies touched from their lips to their thighs but it wasn’t enough. She wanted to be closer.
But first...the kiss.
He claimed her mouth, thrusting his tongue between her teeth to sweep alongside hers, caressing it in long, slow swirls.
Reese gave as good as she got, wrapping her hands behind his head, threading her fingers through his short hair. The longer the kiss went on, the weaker her knees became. She wrapped a leg around his, rubbing her aching center against his thick, muscular thigh. She wanted him inside her, filling the emptiness that had been with her since she’d left the military.
When Diesel broke the seal of their kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers.
Reese dragged in breaths, filling her lungs. Her heart raced and her knees wobbled. This man had such a profound effect on her, she couldn’t control her reaction. Before she could think or talk herself out of it, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders. By the time the garment hit the floor, her hands had moved to the buttons on his shirt, sliding them through the holes, her fingers shaking, eager, desperate to reach the skin beneath.
When one button got stuck, she tore at it.
“Hey.” He chuckled and laid a hand over hers. “I need this shirt for tomorrow.”
“Sorry. It’s just...you have on too many clothes.” She glanced up at his face, her brows drawing together. “Are you just going to stand there and make me do all the work?” She brushed his hand aside and attacked the button again. “I can’t get you naked fast enough,” she muttered beneath her breath.
“Sweetheart, we have all night.” He pushed her hand aside and deftly flicked the button through the hole. He repeated the action with the next three buttons, his motion pulling the shirttail out of the waistband of his trousers.
Reese was already working on the button on his trousers. She then proceeded to slide the zipper down.
His shaft jutted out of the opening into her palm, and she looked up, giving him what had to be a goofy smile. “Commando?”
“Always,” he said.
“I should have guessed.” She wrapped her hand around his length and tried to remember to breathe. This was what she wanted, him naked, inside her, thrusting, filling, becoming a part of her. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of his trousers and shoved them down his legs. God, she hoped she didn’t freeze at the wrong moment. Deep inside, she knew she was ready, but that PTSD stuff had a bad habit of debilitating her when she least expected. A sexual situation would be the most likely to trigger her into a downward spiral.
Diesel toed off his shoes, bent to remove his socks and stood in front of her completely naked. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.
He arched his brows. “You’re overdressed for the occasion.”
Trying not to salivate, Reese turned her back to him, her entire body shaking.
His fingers curled around her shoulders, and he pulled her back against his front, his staff pressing against her bottom. “Tell me if I move too fast. Just say no, and I’ll stop.”
“Are you kidding me?” She laughed shakily. “I just stripped the clothes off your body. Does that say no to you?” Dear sweet heaven she wanted him, and he was taking far too long to get her naked.
His hands slid downward, gripped the zip on the back of her dress and lowered it to the base of her spine. She tilted her head back, letting her hair brush across her back, liking the way it felt.
Then he skimmed her shoulder blades with his fingertips and slipped them beneath the straps, inching them over her shoulders. The little black dress slid down to pool at her hips.
Diesel leaned over and kissed the curve of her neck, pushing her hair aside to nibble on her earlobe.
Reese shivered and leaned her head to the side, giving him full access to her neck. He accepted the invitation and laid a trail of kisses along the length and back to the curve of her shoulder. Meanwhile his fingers lowered to the clasp of her bra, and he unhooked it.
Tied in knots and eager to get the show on the road, Reese shrugged out of the bra and let it slide down her arms to the floor. Then she raised her hands to the dress gathered around her waist.
Diesel beat her to it and pushed the dress over the swell of her bottom, slowly, letting his hands ride down her hips until the dress slipped to the floor in a puddle of black fabric.
He hooked his thumbs into the elastic of her panties and dragged them down her legs, going down on one knee to reach her ankles.
When she stepped out of them, she started to reach for the clasp on her shoes.
“Don’t,” he said and pressed a kiss to one of her lower cheeks, and then the other. Rising, as if in slow motion, he kissed the small of her back and dragged his hands up her thighs to rest on her hips.
His shaft pressed against her bottom, hard, thick and hot.
“I can’t wait any longer,” she whispered, her core so hot, she feared she’d spontaneously combust before they actually made it to the bed.
“Me either.” Then he scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.
This was it, this would be her first time since...
And her only thought was if it felt this good now, it could only be better when he finally came inside her.
* * *
DIESEL LAID HER on the edge of the bed, parted her knees and hooked his arms beneath her thighs. He wanted to thrust into her, hard, fast and all the way to the hilt. But this woman had suffered at the hands of their enemy. A horrible, tragic abuse of her body. She needed to know it didn’t have to be that way. He wanted her to know and feel how good making love was when the person doing it cared.
Drawing in a deep breath, he released her thighs and bent over her to kiss her lips, long, slow and gentle. He’d bring her to the brink, to that pinnacle of desire before he slaked his own.
Reese wrapped her arms around his neck, arched her back and pressed her breasts to his chest.
She was going to make it hard for him to hold back.
He unwound her arms from around his neck and pressed her back against the mattress. “Let me show you how good it can be.”
“Just don’t take forever. I’m really a quick learner, and I want you. What more do we need?” she said, her voice quivering.
“If you have to ask, you don’t know.” Then he kissed a path across her cheek and down the side of her neck. He didn’t stop until he brushed his lips over the swell of her breast, taking the nipple into his mouth. He tongued the tip until it formed a hard, little bead that he then rolled between his teeth.
Reese moaned. She cupped the back of his head and guided him to the other breast, where he then performed the same treatment. When he had her squirming beneath him, he moved down her torso, flicking his tongue across her skin, dipping into her belly button and then moving lower to the tuft of hair at the juncture of her thighs.
Her body stiffened.
“Are you afraid I won’t stop?” he asked and blew a stream of air across the curls.
“No, I’m afraid you will stop. Please, don’t.” She widened her thighs, giving him better access to his goal. He dropped to his knees and looped her legs over his shoulders. Then he parted her folds with his thumbs and touched the strip of nerve-packed flesh at her center with the tip of his tongue.
She gasped and arched her back off the bed. “Oh, please.”
He chuckled. “Please, what?”
“Do it again.”
“As you wish,” he said, breathing warm air over her heated flesh. He flicked her again, this time staying long enough to swirl his tongue the length of the nubbin, drawing from her a long, low moan.
He swirled and pressed a finger to her entrance, pleased by how damp and ready she was. Still licking and flicking, he slid a finger inside her channel.
Reese bucked off the mattress and laid a hand over his.
He froze, afraid he’d scared her.
When she curled her fingers around his hand and urged him deeper, he wanted to yell hallelujah. He sent another finger into her and then another, stretching her and pumping in and out to prepare her for when he came to her.
Her juices drenched his fingers, making him so hard, he couldn’t hold out much longer. He flicked and swirled until she raised her feet, still wearing the shoes, and dug them into the mattress. Sweet heaven, she was sexy, pushing her hips up as her body pulsed and trembled with her release.
Diesel didn’t stop what he was doing until her bottom lowered to the bed. Then he pushed to his feet, reached into the nightstand for the accordion of condom packages he’d stashed there earlier when Reese had been in the bathroom. He tore one off, opened it and rolled it down over his throbbing shaft.
Then he hooked her knees in his arms and pulled her bottom to the edge of the bed, nudging her soft, wet entrance with his hardness. “Are you okay with this? I can stop now.”
“Oh, please, whatever you do, don’t stop now.” She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him into her.
He entered her slowly, giving her body a chance to adjust to his length and girth. When he’d sunk all the way to the hilt, he stopped, breathing in and out, afraid he’d scare her if he went too fast.
“Faster,” she said on a gasp. “Faster and harder. I want to feel every bit of you.”
He obeyed, sliding out and then back in, increasing the pressure and the force with every thrust.
Reese flung back her head and arched off the bed, tightening her thighs to bring him deeper.
He pumped in and out of her until his body tensed and heat radiated from his center, sending electric tingles out to the very tips of his fingers and toes. Diesel thrust into her one last time and held her tightly against him, his shaft throbbing inside. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest, he thought it might break his ribs.
When he finally came back to earth, he gathered Reese in his arms and scooted her up onto the bed, laying her head on a pillow. Then he dropped down beside her, spooned her body from behind and cupped a breast. He kissed the curve of her shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be okay again,” she said, her voice sexy and gravelly. She wiggled her body against his. “I’ll forever be fabulous. Okay is for underachievers.” She laid a leg over his and wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you.”
Diesel chuckled.
“What?” She turned her head in an attempt to look at his face.
“Nothing. You just make me happy.” He pulled her closer, kissed her temple and reflected on how incredibly lucky he’d been to find her in the jungle.
His life couldn’t be better than at that moment. Tomorrow they’d have to sort through what had just happened, but tonight was everything he could have dreamed of.
“Diesel?” Reese said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah, babe?” He brushed her hair aside and kissed her shoulder.
“Do you really think Sabando’s brother will try something stupid while the delegates are attending the conference?”
“I don’t know. But there are a lot of important people here from all over the world. If his brother is desperate enough, he might.”
Reese lay quietly for several minutes.
Diesel thought she’d gone to sleep.
“Diesel?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“Do you think your team will get here in time?”
He chuckled. “You bet. It might be overkill to bring them here, but I’d rather have overkill and nothing happen than do nothing and innocent people die.”
Silence settled in around them. Sleep was just a blink away.
“Diesel?”
“Mmm?”
Reese yawned and stretched her lithe, sexy body against his. When she settled back into him, she sighed. “What’s going to happen tomorrow?”
“At the conference? I have no clue.”
“No,” she whispered. “Between us?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure out something.”
She hugged his arm around her and pressed it to her breasts.
Diesel’s body jerked awake, his groin tightening at her touch. He willed his desire to recede.
Reese needed her sleep, and so did he. Tomorrow might be more of an event than even the attendees anticipated. At least his team would be there to provide backup.