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  She wanted to scream that she didn’t want it to be this way. That she didn’t want him to walk away from her. That she wanted him to love her and feel the same way about her that she did about him. But she’d learned that lesson long ago. Just because she wanted someone to love her didn’t mean it would be so. “Jansen will give you the weapons then?”

  He nodded, his expression impassive as he crossed his arms over his chest. They stood like that for a full minute. Then the awkwardness got to her. And she rolled back on her heels. “Why are you standing in my way? I need to get dressed.”

  His lips thinned before his eyes did a quick once over of her body. If it hadn’t been for the pupil dilation and the scent of leather wrapping around her like lover’s caress, she wouldn’t have known she affected him.

  “It doesn’t have to be like this, Symone.”

  Her hands started to tremble. As her gaze went to the adjoining room door. “Yes, it does.” He was abandoning her, and the last thing she needed was Jansen listening in on that conversation. Some things needed to be private. “You said yourself. It’s safer this way. You’ll go, and I’ll pretend I never met you.”

  He took one step toward her, his arms still folded across his chest, his teeth gritted. “All it would take was one word from you, and I would stay. I’ll find a way to make it safe for Michael. You are what I want, Symone. But how am I supposed to feel when I tell you I’m falling in love with you and all I get is crickets? You won’t talk to me about how you feel. You act angry when I tell you I’m leaving. But besides that beautiful body of yours, you haven’t given me one reason to stay.”

  The tremors leaked from her hands to her arms, then her torso. She knew the words she wanted to say, she just couldn’t form them. Couldn’t tell him that she was in love with him. Didn’t know how. She opened her mouth, but shut it again when the words strangled in her throat.

  Garrett pitched his voice low. “Just say the word. Say anything. Something.”

  No matter how hard she pared, the words failed her, so she did the one thing she knew how to. Raising her trembling had to his cheek, she cupped his face in her palm, deliberately emitting a low electric frequency intended to comfort. She might not be able to tell him she loved him, but she could show him.

  The contact made him tremble, and on a sigh, he squeezed his eyes shut. “Symone.” His voice was a plea.

  “Garrett, I don’t know how to tell you what you want to hear.”

  A frown marred his forehead, and he tried to step back, but she held him in place. “But maybe I can show you.”

  In an instant, his navy eyes went black and his expression turned fierce. He wanted her, but there was something more in the expression. Standing on tip-toe, she brushed his lips softly with hers. From their contact, she could feel him shake, feel the desire pouring through him, feel the trepidation, and the tightly restrained hope. He needed her to say the words.

  The one thing he wanted form her was the one thing that scared her the most. He put his hand over hers, and she pulled back and met his gaze. She read the pain in his eyes and the need, and it broke her heart. If she could give him nothing else, she could at least give him this.

  “Garrett. I—” In serious danger of losing her nerve, he mouth clamped tight. She mustered another breath. The worst he could say was that he didn’t want her. “I—I don’t want you to go.” She expelled a breath and felt like someone was squeezing every last breath out of her lungs. Greedily, she inhaled again. “I need you.”

  His eyes blazed with fire. “Symone, you don’t have to—”

  “No. I want to. I’ve wanted to ever since the other night back at the bungalow.” As she talked, the words came more easily until she feared she couldn’t stop them. “For weeks, I’ve felt you looking out for me. I used to fantasize that you were someone I could touch and not just a figment of my imagination. I would—” Heat blazed under her skin. “I would come home most nights and imagine myself with you, like now. At the bungalow that night, I was terrified I would lose you. Not just because you’re the only person I can touch. Or because we have some connection. But more because of the way you’d tried to save me, they way you’d risked your life, your brother’s life, for me. The way you’ve gone out of your way to protect me.”

  His voice barely went above a whisper. “I would do it again.” Garrett’s kiss was more of a brand than meant to arouse. It was fierce and powerful and brief. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you feeding that damn cat. I knew you were different.”

  “I don’t want you to go. I’m no good at this. I don’t know how to do this. Before I was turned into circus freak, I was convinced I wasn’t lovable. I was essentially sold and thrown away. Then when I became electro-girl, I couldn’t touch anyone.” She sniffed and wiped at her nose, clutching the towel to her chest. “With you, it’s more than the physical. I feel like I get you. Like you understand me. That’s more what I’m afraid of losing than a bed partner. Though…” She flushed. “That part’s better than anything I could have imagined.”

  Tenderly, he held her face in his hands. His rough calluses comforted her. “You don’t have to pretend to be anyone for me. As long as you want me, I’ll be around.”

  She wanted to believe that, but she couldn’t let go of the thought that he had other priorities. “And what about Michael? What’s going to work for him?”

  Garrett touched his forehead to hers. “I’ve already tried being away from the people I love and bad things happen. The safest place for him is with me. At the Lair or wherever you want to be. Cassie and Seth can show him how to use his powers when we figure out whatever the hell they are.”

  At the Lair. He’d said the Lair. She’d never dared to dream before that she would have a real home. But she could have one with Garrett if she wanted it. “I want you. To stay with me.” She nodded. It was easier to say than she thought. “I don’t want you to go.”

  “Just what I need to hear.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  When Garrett kissed her, there was no rush or hurry. But it wasn’t any less intense. This one had a tender intensity to it that broke his heart. She was his. When he pulled back to look at her, his gaze flitted from her lips to her eyes and back again as he tried to memorize every detail.

  Need churned in his belly when she smiled. That bright smile that was completely unrestrained. He lifted her, positioned her on the bed. When his lips returned to hers it wasn’t quick a kiss. Instead, he used the tip of his tongue to trace the outline of her heart-shaped lips, and she shuddered in response.

  Symone wrapped her arms around him and brought him closer. Running her hands through his hair, she tugged when he didn't deepen the kiss. A soft chuckle rose from his throat. “All right, I get the message.” He settled his body between her legs and kissed her for all he was worth. His tongue danced with hers as his hips rocked against hers in an effort to get as close as possible.

  Symone raised her hips to meet every invitation. When she scored her nails up his back, he arched into them, relishing the feeling. “God, Symone,” he growled.

  “Yes,” she breathed and locked her legs around his back.

  Reaching for the hem of her towel, he leaned back from her. “I want to feel all of you. We’re wearing entirely too many clothes for that.” In that moment he didn’t give a shit about anything else. Just her.

  He slowly unwrapped the towel until her breasts were exposed, and he coaxed her hands above her head with one of his. Now he had free access to her beautiful breasts, and she couldn’t try and distract him. Leaning down, he breathed soft kisses first on one, then another nipple, each responding to his caress by instantly budding into hard little peaks. Even given their fullness, they still sat high and proud, waiting for him to lavish attention on them.

  Impatiently, he tugged the towel the rest of the way off, and the sight of her full nudity made his breath catch.

  Symone wiggled her hands free
, reached for his T-shirt, and placed her hand underneath, directly on his stomach. Garrett shut his eyes tightly as she traced each muscle. When she reached the downy trail above his pants, he slammed his jaw shut as he pictured her on her knees taking in the full length of him. Completely in control of his every response.

  She finally pulled the T-shirt over his head, and a mischievous smile played across her lips. When she reached for the button on his trousers, his eyes flew to hers as though daring her to blush. She held his gaze as she removed the button from its loop and slowly tugged the zipper down. His jeans fell easily, revealing nothing underneath. Her gaze locked on his cock.

  Reaching for her with a chuckle, he lifted her face up to meet his for a kiss. “I do hate to disappoint a lady who obviously has unladylike things on her mind, but I have plans for you.” This time, there was nothing soft or tender in his kiss. It was all raw need. He pulled her close, ensuring she could feel every inch of his hardness between them.

  Ripping his lips from hers, he kissed down the long column of her neck, nipping selectively and soothing the nips with tiny licks.

  When he reached her breasts, she arched her back as if anticipating what was coming. But in the mood to tease, he didn’t reward her this time. Instead, he blew air across then continued his travels down.

  His hands gripped first her firm waist, then her hips, as he placed kisses in her navel and abdomen. She squirmed and whispered his name. He parted her slippery folds with the pads of his thumbs. But instead of kissing the slick dewy button that begged for attention, he began placing soft kisses on her inner thighs. Left, then right. He teased until she panted his name, and her hips rose and wiggled.

  He grinned. Patience was not one of her virtues. Pressing a soft kiss just above her clit, his grin widened as her hands grasped his head and tried to urge him to keep going. Slowly, with long, meandering strokes of his tongue, he explored her swollen folds. When he reached her clit again, he traced his tongue around it, once, twice, three times, until she was mewling and calling out his name.

  He continued this while she begged. Stroke, lick, tease, flick. Never allowing her release. She raised her hips in time to the ministrations of his tongue. Slowly, he inserted one finger, penetrating her as he flicked his tongue again over her clit.

  “Yes.” Her hands wove into his hair, clutching him to her.

  His fingers gently probed in time to his flicking tongue—in, out, insert, withdraw. Symons’s thighs quaked. “Oh…my…God…Garrett…”

  Finally, Garrett stopped teasing, quickened his pace with his fingers and began gently suckling the sensitive nerve bundle. Writhing and calling his name, Symone came apart in his hands.

  Garrett placed a soft kiss on her clit, and she moaned. He drew himself up her body, pausing only to kiss her breasts. In a hurry, he yanked his T-shirt over his head and shucked his jeans. Symone drew him to her, and he groaned as she guided his cock to her slick entrance.

  “I need you, Garrett.”

  Unable to wait another moment, she slid in and immediately fought the urge to come. Knowing she loved him too made it more difficult to hold back anything from her. His hips rocked in and out as she stroked his back and whispered to him.

  His balls tightened, and he forced himself to stop as an image flitted in his mind of their first time together—Symone on her knees, braced against the headboard while he took her from behind.

  Garrett forced his breathing to slow as he pulled away from her soft folds. Gently, he rolled her onto her stomach and she knew what to do. Rising up onto her hands and knees, she looked over her shoulder. “I want you to take me and know you have all of me.”

  His head swam as he moved between her legs. She would be the death of him. He gripped her hip with one hand and slid inside her to the hilt. They both hissed when he bottomed out.

  Slowly he retreated, careful not to hurt her. He kept the pace moderate to give her time to recover from her orgasm. But she would have none of it. She canted her hips, pushing her ass back at him in a faster rhythm.

  “Shit, Symone. I’m trying to be gentle.”

  “I don’t want gentle.”

  That was all the invitation he needed. Tightening his grip on her hip, he smoothed his other hand up her back until it tangled in her hair. He tugged, and she moaned.

  Picking up the pace, he gritted his teeth against his impending orgasm. Sweat rolled down his back, and Symone mewled as he stroked her inner walls with his cock.

  She changed their position by bringing her hands up to the headboard and wrapping around the wood slats.

  “Shit, baby, you feel go good,” he growled in her ear.

  He tugged on her hair again, and she cursed.

  Moving his hand from her hip, he stroked her lower back and the curve of her ass. He slid his thumb into the cleft of her ass, and her breath hitched.

  “Garrett.”

  “Yeah, baby?” He slid in deep and paused, his thumb just above the sensitive nerve bundle.

  “Please. I need to—”

  “Come?” His thumb slid over the tight rosette.

  “Oh, God. Oh, God, Oh, God…”

  Garrett pumped and retreated, knowing there was no coming back from the edge. He was going to come, and he was going to take her with him. He circled the rosette again, and her inner walls pulsed around his cock.

  “Come for me baby. Give me all of you.” He pressed his thumb against the puckered bud, and she dissolved in his arms. He pumped once, twice, and a third time, then followed her into oblivion.

  While she slept, he held her. Every inch of him craved her again, but he’d be damned if he would ruin this. He’d suffer a million nights of torture if it meant he could see her respond like that again. Forcing his mind to relax, he drifted off to sleep.

  As he slept, his mind took him back to the Lair, to when Symone had wrapped her lips around him and given him a taste of heaven. The way he wished her tongue had caressed the length of him, stopping just short of the most sensitive spot at the underside of the tip, and then gently flicking that spot with her dexterous tongue.

  The way he’d wanted her to take all of him into her mouth and suck until his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Dreamed about how she’d used her delicate hands to heighten his pleasure, one working the base of his shaft, the other gently working his balls. God damn, imagination was a great thing.

  As he felt his muscles bunch and his blood rushed, his eyes jerked open as he recognized the impending orgasm. His eyes met directly with hazel ones as Symone once again bathed the length of him. She smiled up at him. “What—Did you think I was going to let you have all the fun?”

  Hell. He had to get inside her. He couldn’t take much more of this. Gently, he tugged her away from her ministrations and rolled her over so he lay between her legs. He smiled down at her. “I thought you were resting.”

  Her return smile was full of feminine power. “Who said I needed rest? Besides I wanted to taste you.”

  “Anything to make the lady happy, but right now, I think I may actually die if I don’t get inside you.”

  Her only response was to raise her hips to his. He groaned out a curse as the tip of his dick grazed her dewy core. She moved her hips again and this time, the whole head was surrounded with warm, slick, tight female. Fuck. He almost came, gritting his teeth against the onslaught of pleasure.

  “Baby, oh Jesus.” He groaned and nudged the tip of his cock inside her. The muscles of her inner walls tried to draw him in.

  Slowly, he inched forward, watching Symone carefully for a reaction. He concentrated every bit of energy he had on not moving too fast. She met his gaze directly. Her pupils dilated, smoldering and completely focused on him. When he was finally sheathed inside her, she squeezed around him, and he knew he was lost. Being inside her warmth felt like a homecoming.

  He rocked his hips forward slowly and was rewarded with another contraction. “You’re…so…God…tight.”

  “Mm, I think it�
��s a perfect fit.” Symone met each of his strokes in time. He pulled back almost to the point that he was out all the way and surged forward again.

  Deftly, he rolled them so that she lay on top of him, not only giving her all the control, but also giving him better access to her breasts. His hands settled comfortably on her hips as she rotated them. He couldn’t last long. But now that he was finally buried inside of her, he never wanted to leave.

  He raised his head to suckle first one distended nipple, then the other. Their bodies rocked to a beat only they could hear. When Garrett knew he wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer, he reached around to her hips again and held tight. He massaged and kneaded her ass, separating the cheeks and molding them back together. Each time, Symone gave a low moan.

  Her gasping breaths drove him over the edge. His balls tightened in response to her movements. As she quickened her pace, he dug his hands into her flesh.

  “Oh, God.” Symone came in a rush, quickening around him. Her inner muscles succeeded in squeezing him to the plummeting depth of release.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Jansen’s face was stern when they joined him and Michael in the other room. He didn’t look Symone in the eye, and she flushed. He had to have heard them. Even with the television sound up, Garrett had all but shouted when he’d come.

  She didn’t want to hurt Jansen, but she had to live her life. She tilted her chin up. She was making her choice. If Jansen didn’t like it, tough. Though they were long overdue for that conversation. Even if there hadn’t been the risk of his electrocution, she never felt for him the same way she felt for Garrett.

  Her body shivered as she slipped Garrett a sideways glance. He kept his eyes on the television as the newscaster rambled on about the latest string of bank robberies in a nearby city. But he grinned broadly. He had to smell her. Michael also smiled as he looked between her and his brother. The kid looked a little better, though his eyes still had a glassy quality.