Page 37 of Beachcomber Danger

“We need to be concentrating on the mission. We can’t let . . . this distract us.” She waved a hand in the direction of his hard cock, making it less hard.

“You won’t believe this, but I think you’re right.” He meant the words. The question was, could he follow through? Could he put his pants back on and keep them on—without resentment rearing up? Not resentment at Shana, but resentment at the mission. He felt himself sliding.

But if he started resenting the mission, wanting her, them, more than the mission—by a million to one margin, not even a close call—then who was he? Dane Blaise had always been about seeking justice, fighting the bad guys, ridding the world of scum as best he could. If he didn’t do that, if he didn’t have that, if that wasn’t his life, then what was his life about?

Then who would he be?

He’d been right all those years to avoid this falling in love crap. He thought he’d learned his lesson with Elena, but that affair paled in comparison to what he experienced now with Shana. Love had him by the balls and he couldn’t let go now that he had it.

Why couldn’t he have both? Himself and Shana? Why couldn’t he be the man he was without losing a piece of himself by loving her? Is that how it was?

He knew the answer. And yet others managed. He was reminded of the Governor and his wife. Of David Young, the Director of the Scotland Yard Exchange in Boston and his wife. They were married and they were still tough sons of bitches, still managed their exhausting all-encompassing careers because what they did was part of who they were.

He had to do this. He had to make this work. He wanted Shana and he would have her and he would be able to perform in the morning, with crystal clarity, as if their lives depended on it.

Because they did. And he could handle the stakes. Even if the stakes were Shana’s life.

Crusty sounding, but firm, he finally spoke.

“You don’t fool me. You’re turned on. Excited as hell.” He pulled her up against him, slamming her chest to his with pleasant brute force. “We’ll be on in the morning, Shana, but tonight is for us.”

If she were an ice sculpture exposed to the heat of a thousand suns, she couldn’t have melted faster. Taking his face in her hands and raking her fingers back through his hair she pulled him in for a scalding kiss to show her exactly how far from icy she was.

Then he slid a hand from her behind around front, under her dress and slipping it inside her panties to prove his point. She was wet. He stared into her eyes, watching the pupils dilate. That turned him from rock hard to diamond cutter in a blink.

He pulled her dress up and off and shoved her panties down until they hit the floor and she was naked, touching him. Standing there, he took her in for a beat, that was as long as his impatient need would allow him. Then he pulled her down onto the bed with him.

“You might not believe this,” his whisper came out husky. “But I don’t give a shit about our reputation or Secret Service agents or even the President right now, God help me. I want you.” I love you. He should say the words out loud, but he was still getting used to allowing such vulnerabilities.

He cupped her behind and pulled her tighter to him, feeling the hot fuzzy center of her against him, her moisture seeping, making his head buzz and his entire body vibrate. His cock twitched, his heart thudded like an atomic bomb, and he clenched his teeth against the pounding need. Until she mewed and touched him where she knew it would undo him. She held his cock and glided her thumb over the smooth sensitive creamy tip. They lay close, skin sticking to skin.

He shuddered, but he didn’t let go of her. He wanted this to last. He pushed aside the sense that he’d need to make it count for a while. With his hand over hers he gripped and squeezed until he was dizzy.

“Let me,” she murmured and moved her head down on him. He moved his hand from hers and took a fistful of her hair, aiding her descent, urging forward his hips.

Her hot wet mouth engulfed him in a blinding rush. He nearly bit his tongue off to stop from crying out. He stilled his hips, but his cock twitched like mad as if were begging for more. Because it was.

She toyed with him, her tongue playing with the sensitive tip, licking and sucking up the seepage. The sensation of something building from deep inside took over and he let it take him, let her love him and eat him alive.

She slid him down her throat deep and held his balls as she sucked until he let go. All the passion, everything in him, all the good, the bad, the pain, the ecstasy came to the surface and poured into her. As it did as he felt her swallow he pulled her up to see her, to look into her eyes.

“Let me inside you now.”

Holding his pulsing cock, she slid it inside her and sat atop him, back arched, writhing and magnificent. With one hand he held her hip and the other he pressed to her mound, sliding one finger into her folds between them. Moving with her, he smiled as he found her marble-like clit and flicked. She cried out.

He pulled her to him, moving his finger relentlessly as she squirmed and bucked and tried not to scream. He clamped his other hand on her head and pulled her mouth to his to swallow her moans, to taste himself on her lips, to feel her breathe into his mouth, to call out his name when the violent orgasm shook her and didn’t let go. He held her pulsing clit in his fingers and pinched.

She bucked and screamed and clenched her hands, digging into his shoulders. He let her push away, heaving breaths, gulping air. He watched her glassy unfocused eyes come back to him. Then she collapsed onto his chest and buried her face in his neck, whispering into his ear all manner of promises and tenderness. He wrapped his arms around her tight and held on.

They stayed that way until their breathing settled into a rhythm. He knew if he stayed any longer they’d fall asleep. He knew he couldn’t let that happen.

Damn Agent Andrews and his mission. Damn the President for not canceling his trip. Damn his entire career as long as it kept him from loving Shana.

Damn him for slipping out from under her and getting out of bed.