Exposed Target, page 11
He made her want everything. His body, his mind, his love. He made her think of cottages with white picket fences, having children, growing old together.
She didn’t just want a little of him. She wanted all he could give her.
Was she setting herself up for heartbreak? She’d only known one after another when it came to some of the most important things in life.
Not with Beck.
He could be forever.
She needed to stop. Needed to just feel and not think.
And yes, he made her feel. Everything.
Beck slid his lips from hers, moving them over her chin and down to the hollow of her throat. He darted his tongue out, small kisses that sent waves of desire through her.
He slid lower and cupped her breasts in his hands. They felt so heavy and full. She wriggled beneath him, wanting so much more from him.
Beck flicked his tongue over her nipple, and she gasped and arched her back. She begged for more without words, and he understood her silent pleas.
“I just want more and more and more from you.” He moved his lips to her other nipple and sucked before raising his head. “I feel like I don’t ever want to stop.”
“Then don’t.” She smiled. “Don’t stop.”
He gave her a smile so sexy and erotic that she found herself dying to have his tongue between her thighs.
Beck pinched and pulled one nipple while sucking the other. Her breasts were so sensitive and his mouth so hot.
He kissed her breast over the full curve as he made his way to the valley between and kept moving lower until he reached her mound. He paused to inhale, as if drinking her in and letting her become a part of him. And she wanted to be a part of him in every way possible.
She gasped as he nuzzled the trimmed hair between her thighs. He pressed them apart with his palms, pushing them wide and exposing her completely.
He flicked his tongue over her clit. She cried out, rising with a sharp intake of breath. “Beck.” She panted between each word. “That feels so good. God, that feels good.”
“That makes me a happy man.” He paused, his big shoulders pressing her thighs even farther apart. “All I want to do is please you.”
“You couldn’t please me more.” She gave a strained laugh as she relaxed—only a moment because he licked her again, this time swiping his tongue from her core to her clit. Over and over again.
He paused to blow on her clit, and she cried out again. That soft breath nearly caused her to explode.
She slipped her fingers into his soft hair as he licked and sucked her clit. She couldn’t focus on anything. All she could do was feel. It was all she wanted in that moment.
Beck slid two fingers into her slick core and moved them in and out of her wetness.
He pressed his face hard against her folds and her orgasm slammed into her, hard and fast.
Ciara screamed, unable to hold back a cry. He kept it up, drawing out her climax, causing her to squirm and thrash.
“I want inside you.” He rose and braced his arms to either side of her chest. “I need to be inside.”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Please.”
He placed the head of his erection at her entrance. He paused and she raised her hips, ready for him.
“You’re mine, Ciara.” Beck gave a smile of triumph as he drove inside her. “You are mine.”
“Yes. Yours.” She cried out from the feel of his length sliding against her core, which still throbbed from her orgasm.
Then she wanted more of him, so much more. She wanted him to come inside her, to feel his orgasm in her sensitive channel.
“Is this what you wanted, Ciara?” He thrust in and out. “Do you like my cock inside you? What do you want?”
“Yes.” Her eyes grew damp as she nearly cried from the exquisite pleasure he gave her. “I want it even harder. Harder, Beck. Deeper.”
He looked so fierce above her as he drove in and out. “Tell me you want more.”
“Give me more.” She nodded, her hair sliding on the rug with the movement. “Give me everything you have.”
He thrust harder, drove deeper. Tears leaked from her eyes as she tried to handle so much. It felt so good. So, so good.
Her climax built and built and built.
“Are you going to come soon?” He looked down at her and she knew he was close.
“Yes, I’m going to come...” She nodded. “I’m so close... God, I’m close… Yes… Now.”
Ciara’s climax ripped through her and she screamed so loud and so long her throat ached when she came back down again.
Her core clenched around his cock, his movements driving her crazy once again. She thrashed, she whimpered, she begged, she pleaded.
Everything. Stop, go.
Don’t ever stop.
Beck groaned with his own orgasm. He drove in and out several more times, his face twisting with an expression of pleasure and pain.
She understood that. Understood how there could be pleasure with pain. She’d felt the same. How could anything feel so incredibly good?
He collapsed, rolling her until they both lay on their sides. He held her gaze as they both breathed hard, trying to come down from their orgasm highs. Their skin was slick from sweat, their bodies pleasantly sore from lovemaking.
As the haze of desire lifted from his mind, reason came back to him in full force. Hell, he was jeopardizing his career by making love to Ciara. Should he be concerned over his inability to stay emotionally uninvolved? She was under his protection, and he’d let things go much too far with her.
A more powerful feeling overcame him that he couldn’t shake. It was much too soon to be thinking this way, but the feeling was so strong he couldn’t shake it off.
He wanted her, needed her, and he would protect her with everything he had.
As for the future, he just knew he never wanted to let her go.
12
After dinner, Elmo took Ciara on the tour. Beck walked with them. She was delighted to learn he had an elevator that opened in the stairwell on each floor. However, they took the stairs while Elmo showed them the silo, top to bottom.
Ciara took in everything as they started on the first floor. Elmo pointed out the crane, freight elevator, ventilation, heating and cooling systems.
She looked at the big ceiling above them with the door that would slide open when needed. “Have you had pets here?”
U.E. grunted. “My Golden retriever, Sylvester, passed away from old age a couple of months ago.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Ciara said softly. “Do you think you’ll get another one?”
He shrugged.
The thought of Elmo’s loss and her own made her heart ache. At least Ella had gone to a new home and hadn’t passed away. “Is it difficult having a dog when you live in a silo?”
Elmo shrugged again. “I liked taking Syl out for a run twice a day. He could go in and out as he pleased through a hatch that’s impossible to see near the rear escape door.” He pointed to the stairwell. “I’ll show you the escape tunnel later.”
Ciara followed Elmo down another flight past the guest quarters she and Beck shared, and on to the third floor.
She caught her breath when she saw the next room below. She paused then heard Beck’s footsteps and moved out of the way. Instead of continuing down the spiral stairs, she walked away from it.
The stunning room’s wood floors shone beneath the warm glow of the overhead lighting.
“I didn’t expect this.” She walked to a navy leather couch with blue and white plaid pillows. A built-in entertainment center took up one part of the curved wall. A glowing wood bar top extended from that, rows of alcohol bottles lined up against a mirrored section of the wall.
Ciara looked at him. “I love this.”
Elmo harrumphed. She wanted to smile. She had a feeling a lot of the man was bluster, yet not. After all, he’d been a major in the Air Force.
Ciara trailed after him, still taking in the smooth light taupe walls with beautiful folk art pieces. She had seen one of the Ralph Fasanella serigraphs at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.
Inside, parts of Elmo’s place looked like a model home. The man was an enigma. But her thoughts might change when she got to know him.
Beck walked beside her to the stairs. “You’re right. He’s made this into one hell of a nice home.”
She headed down the spiral staircase first, and when she reached the fourth floor, she found beauty surrounded her once again. Italian tile stretched across the round level with a curved kitchen along one side. It had granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances.
A dining area was to the left, and a kitchen nook straight ahead. More folk art hung on the walls on this level as well. Comfortable and attractive all in one.
The workout room/gym took up the entire fifth level. Elmo clearly took advantage of all of the equipment, considering how fit he appeared to be.
Level six contained Elmo’s workshop with equipment to work on electronics and wood working projects. When she took a good look at his wood artwork, she realized he must have sculpted some of the pieces she’d seen earlier.
“This is beautiful.” Ciara trailed her fingertip down the smooth wood feathers of an eagle. “Is this Bugs or Daffy?”
Elmo shrugged. “Tweety.”
Ciara almost lost it. He might have been teasing her, but she found it hard to tell with him. She grinned and moved to a horse sculpture. “I love your work.”
Elmo grunted.
She glanced at Beck who winked.
Cue fluttering sensations in belly. She couldn’t get enough of him.
Beck enjoyed watching Ciara and Elmo as he followed them from one level to another.
The seventh level served as dry and canned food storage.
Level eight housed hydroponics. “It smells like spring in here. Living green things.” Ciara walked into the room and looked around her. “You have so many plants. Oh, and there’s where you grow your vegetables.”
She looked like an excited kid as she walked through his extensive system. She was so damned cute.
Beck grinned as he listened to the exchange, and he swore his uncle hid a smile. Ciara might not realize it, but his uncle liked her. He came across as cranky and grumpy as hell, but inside he had a soft spot for women and pets. If he hadn’t liked her, he wouldn’t have done more than grunt.
“How much do you raise here?” She stood in front of the potatoes and sweet potatoes.
“Enough for me and I freeze some so I have enough when company comes,” he said. “I don’t like waste.”
“I agree.” She wandered through the small maze. “This is an unbelievable home you have.” She cut her gaze to Beck. “It almost makes me feel like I could live underground. Almost.” She glanced at U.E. “You must really like it. I think I’d go stir crazy.”
Elmo braced one hand on the wall. “I’ve worked and lived in a missile silo for most of my adult life. I guess you could say I like it.”
Ciara tucked strands of her silky, brown hair behind her ear. Beck could almost feel himself running his fingers through it. And her skin. So soft and smooth beneath his hands. He wanted to touch her now. He’d give anything to kiss her, to taste her sweet center, and then slide inside her wet core again.
Yes, he wanted her again and again and again.
He needed his sweet Ciara.
“Beck?” Ciara called his name. “Knock, knock. Are you in there?”
He smiled. “Thinking about you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Elmo asked if we wanted anything in particular for dinner tomorrow night, but you seem to be out of it right now.”
He mentally shook away the remnants of his fantasy.
“I’ll make dinner, U.E.” Beck walked over to the vegetables. “You’ve got steaks in the freezer and fresh veggies here.” He spoke to himself as he rested his gaze on the sweet potatoes. “I’ll make sweet potato pie for dessert, and homemade bread.”
Ciara blinked at him. “You’re ambitious.”
“I like to cook.” He grinned. ”Fairly basic stuff, but I enjoy creating meals.”
She cocked her head. “I never thought of cooking as creating. I’ve always thought of it as a means to an end. I cook therefore I have something to eat.”
Beck grinned and Elmo snorted, which was as good as a laugh from him.
“Do you like Mexican food?” Ciara asked Elmo.
He nodded. “Dated a woman who cooked the good shit. I keep some masa harina in the freezer to make enough green corn and shredded beef tamales to last six months at a time. I raise cilantro and guajillo chiles.”
“Guajillo chiles?” Ciara practically bounced on her toes. “And masa harina. I am so going to make you homemade enchiladas.”
“I look forward to it,” Elmo said.
“I grew up making Mexican food with my mom. She immigrated from Sonora, Mexico to Southern California with my father before I was born.” Ciara smiled at U.E. “I’d be glad to do some cooking.”
“Homemade Mexican food. I’m impressed.” Beck met Ciara’s gaze. “I have great taste.”
“When you mentioned sweet potato pie,” she said with a smile, “I was thinking the same thing—that I have great taste.”
“Get a move on.” U.E. spoke in his grumpiest voice, but he seemed to be enjoying having the company.
Elmo took them past the communications center and showed them the massive room filled with dried and canned goods, along with a couple of freezers.
“U.E. could live years in the silo.” Beck glanced at his uncle. “He and all of his neighbors in a fifteen-mile radius, for that matter.”
Elmo harrumphed. “Considering not too many people live in these parts, you might be right.”
Before heading back to the living room, U.E. showed them the ninth floor with its water storage tanks.
“Stairs or elevator?” Beck asked after they finished the tour, as they headed back to the stairwell.
“Are you kidding me?” Ciara laughed. “Elevator. I thought I’ve kept in pretty good shape with mixed martial arts and jogging. I think I’m going to be sore like crazy tomorrow from all these stairs.”
“Thanks for the delicious breakfast, Elmo.” Ciara wiped her mouth with a napkin. She could have eaten ten of his tasty pancakes, but she managed to stop at three large ones. Which had left plenty for Beck and Elmo to shovel down. “I don’t remember ever having better.”
Elmo never seemed to smile, but he gave a nod. “Glad you liked them.”
“Your apple cinnamon sauce reminded me of my mom’s apple pies.” Ciara gathered plates off the dining table and carried them to the kitchen. Elmo took the dishes from her. “Mamá’s were incredible.”
“No one could beat Isabella Cruz’s apple pies, that’s for sure.” Beck came up from behind Ciara, carrying the empty platter that had formerly held a mountain of pancakes, along with his glass of milk.
“I’ve got some things to take care of in the workshop.” Elmo opened the dishwasher and started loading it. “I’m sure you two can entertain yourselves.”
“I’m well experienced at that.” Ciara half-smiled. After six months in WITSEC, she hadn’t had much of a choice.
Her thoughts turned to Olivia and Cujo, grateful they hadn’t been in the middle of what had happened when the Sokolovs’ men attacked.
Ciara would miss the girl and the dachshund, her only friends for the past several months.
Beck rested one hand on the granite countertop. “I’d like to take a look at those drones and the footage again.”
“Be my guest.” Elmo finished putting the plates and silverware into the dishwasher. He rose and hitched his thumb in the direction of the fridge. “Help yourself to whatever you want if you get hungry.”
“Thanks, U.E.” Beck drank the rest of his milk and put the glass into the dishwasher.
Elmo grunted. “Got a ton of movies on DVD in the entertainment center here and books in the library. Mostly non-fiction and classics. There’s a DVD player in the guest suite with plenty of movies there, too.”
Ciara smiled. “Thanks so much for letting us camp out here for a short time.”
“We’ll see how you like living underground once you’ve made it through your first couple of days.” Elmo went to the door that led to the stairwell and gripped the handle. “Then we’ll see if you’ll be able to make it any longer than that.” He exited the room and closed the door behind him.
“You’ll be fine.” Beck turned to Ciara and brought her into his embrace. “What do you have planned for today?”
“Nothing so far.” She hugged him close, and he tightened his embrace. “I’d like to go with you to look at the drones.”
He drew back and smiled. “Probably not the most exciting time you could be having.”
She placed her palm on his chest. “I can think of something more exciting, but then you wouldn’t get anything done for the rest of the day.”
He spoke in a low rumble. “Hold that thought.”
She brushed her lips over his. “Believe me, I will.”
When Beck and Ciara reached the CC, Beck went to the computers below a separate wall of monitors. “U.E.’s surveillance system recorded a helicopter flying over the property yesterday.”
Ciara stilled. “They found us?”
“Not that we know of.” Beck gestured for her to sit beside him on a chair in front of a monitor. “He analyzed the surveillance tapes and believes they’re just searching for us and don’t know we’re here. The truck is hidden in the garage, so it can’t be seen.”
She settled in the seat he’d pointed to and rolled it closer to the desk. “They were watching from wherever they were piloting the drones, so wouldn’t they have seen Elmo’s place?”
“Not necessarily.” Beck took the seat in front of the computer, which was the same one they used last night. “While you were taking a shower last night, U.E. and I looked over the recordings. They saw and recorded a considerable amount of our activities since the attack at your apartment.”
Ciara’s stomach pitched. “How much?”
