Page 82 of Stand Fast

With nothing left to do but wait, she stretched out on the bed and called her parents to update them, but she was too down to talk long. As soon as she hung up with them, reality set in, making her throat close up and her heart feel like it was splitting in two.

Her phone chimed with a text. From Zaid. She jolted into a sitting position to read it.

You there?

Yes, she responded.

Open your door. I sent you something.

What, flowers maybe? A card delivered by the front desk?

She got up and crossed to the door, not even bothering to check through the peephole before opening it. A gasp tore from her when she saw Zaid striding down the hallway toward her, dressed in his utilities. That trademark grin of his lit up his face and he broke into a jog, not stopping until he grabbed her up in his arms and lifted her from the floor as he walked them back inside her room.

“What are you doing here?” she cried, precariously close to tears as she locked her arms around his back and buried her face in his neck.

“Pleaded my case to Taggart, called in a few favors and hopped a last-minute transport flight here.” He set her down and took her face in his hands. “Didn’t seriously think I’d let you leave without seeing you, did you?”

She smiled so wide it hurt her cheeks. “You just want to get me into bed.”

He shook his head. “Ah, ye of little faith. But hell yes, I do.”

And with that he bent to sweep her up into his arms and carry her toward the bed.

ZAID’S PULSE POUNDED out of control as he pulled the covers back and laid Jaliya down on the soft, white sheets. With her gorgeous thick, dark hair spreading across the pillow in waves, she gazed up at him with such love and longing on her face he thought his heart might explode. He’d panicked when she’d told him the agency was flying her out in a matter of hours, and was so damn thankful he had been able to be here with her.

She slid a hand around the back of his head and pulled his lips down to hers. He speared his hands into her hair, gripped tight as he plundered her mouth, taking possession the same way he wanted to take her body. She made a sound of longing in the back of her throat and arched into him, the softness of her breasts crushed against the plane of his chest, her pelvis cradling his painfully hard erection.

He rocked against her, needing so much more but not wanting to rush things. He remembered what she’d said about her first time, that she hadn’t enjoyed it. Whatever happened, he didn’t want her to feel the same way about this, or worse, regret it later. He never wanted her to regret him. Ever.

They tugged at each other’s clothing until he was naked and she was in nothing but a black bra and panties. His breathing was erratic as he slipped them off her, revealing her to him in all her naked glory. A low growl came out of him at the sight of her full, round breasts and the tight, brown nipples begging for his mouth, the neatly-trimmed triangle of dark hair between her thighs.

She ran her hands over his chest and shoulders, her eyes heavy-lidded as she stroked him, her right hand slipping down his abdomen to curl around the hot, rigid length of his cock. He hissed out a breath and closed his eyes a moment, unable to keep from pushing into her grip just to feel that electric friction along his sensitive flesh.

Pleasure rocketed up his spine, his heart surging so hard he was dizzy. He grabbed her hand and pulled it from him, then locked his fingers around her slender wrists and raised them over her head.

“Lie still and let me touch you,” he said in a rough whisper. He wanted to make her blind with pleasure before pushing into her. Needed to make sure she enjoyed this to the fullest so that she’d crave him, think about him constantly while they were apart.

Because he was determined to make this work between them somehow.

Those dark, mysterious eyes stared up at him, full of heat and a trust that made his heart squeeze. Her breasts rose and fell with her rapid breaths, drawing his gaze. With a silent groan he cupped her in his hands, savored their soft warmth before lowering his mouth to one straining peak and dragging his tongue across it.

“Ah!” she cried out, grabbing hold of his head as she arched her back, asking for more.

He gave it, pulling her nipple into his mouth and sucking while his fingers played with the other. She smelled so fucking good, soap and light perfume and pure, hot woman. More perfect than he’d even imagined.

Jaliya twisted beneath him, pushing her hips up to rub against his throbbing cock. He groaned and switched to the other nipple, teasing and stroking until she was panting and moving restlessly.

Easing his body to the side, he kept sucking as he eased his free hand down her ribs, over the indent of her waist to the rise of her hip. He stroked the rounded curve, squeezed it before gliding down the length of her leg and back up the inside.

When he brushed against the heated folds between her thighs she whimpered and he bit back a groan at how slick she was. He caressed the tender flesh gently, petting and stroking before dipping a finger down to slide inside her.

Her breathing hitched. Zaid looked up the length of her body to find her staring at him, eyes glazed with arousal, her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Watching her face, he eased his finger out and slid up to circle the swollen bud of her clit peeking through her flushed folds. Her thighs quivered at the gentle touch.

“Zaid, please. Want you inside me,” she rasped out.

He made a negative sound and kept doing exactly what he was doing. He wanted her on the verge of coming before he pushed into her. When he made her come this time, it would be with him inside her.

She whimpered as he rubbed her clit. Releasing her nipple, Zaid kissed his way down her body until he could replace his finger with his tongue. He slid two fingers inside her, curving them as he dragged them back and forth over her sweet spot, and settled his mouth over her clit.

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