Page 52 of Deny Me
Hope sparked, spreading like warm fire through her chest.
But King wasn’t finished. The hand holding hers moved to her chin, his thumb tracing the fullness of her bottom lip as he watched intently. “I know I made mistakes, a lot of them. I should never have made you feel as if you had to choose between me and your family.”
She tried to interrupt, but his thumb stopped her.
“You need to know,” he said, “that a day hasn’t gone by in the past ten years that I haven’t wished you were by my side. Yes, I made the right choice between a career and a calling. I was meant to do what I do. But you?” He moved closer, his rough cheek coming to rest against hers as he whispered in her ear. “You are my only regret, angel.”
Her heart broke at the pain in his words. She turned her head, and her lips met his, opening immediately to allow him in. His tongue answered the call, pushing inside, tasting her, tempting her to taste him. The pieces of her, past and present, drew closer to each other, melding into one body. Once broken but healing. Growing stronger. Wasn’t that what they said about breaks—once mended, it just made you stronger. Maybe it was true, because with King against her, over her, inside her, she suddenly felt like she could face the loss she’d borne for so long alone.
A groan escaped King as he cupped her breast, his thumb and finger teasing the taut tip begging for his attention. A wild surge of need struck deep in her belly. She let it drive her as she pushed King to his back, rolling with him until she straddled his hips, her breasts dangling in front of his face. A rough rumble left him at the sight, the feel of her wet slit meeting his rigid erection. She planted her knees on the towel, fallen to his sides, and arched. The slick glide of her body down his shaft, all the way to the base, then up to the tip, had them both moaning.
The next few minutes were a jumble of hungry sucking, shifting, groaning, until they joined like a lock and key, sealing much more than their bodies together. King feasted on her breasts as she rode him hard, reveling in the drive of his rigid cock inside her, pushing them together toward climax. They chased the pinnacle with every glide, every thrust. When King slipped a hand between them and pressed the sensitive nub of her clit, she went over the edge, taking him with her.
They were still panting, sweaty and sated, when a knock came at the door.
Charlotte whined. “If we ignore them, will they leave?”
King’s chuckle was strained. “Given the situation, no way in hell, unfortunately.”
Another knock. King kissed her, hard and quick, and rolled from the bed. “You’ll have to answer it.”
She watched him stride into the bathroom, envious of his escape. Whoever was on the other side of that door must know he was here. His team would have guessed when he didn’t return from her room. Heck, he might’ve let someone know where he was going—not that he’d intended to stay, but it didn’t take a genius to read the tension between them, just eyes.
A third knock came, and this time the short raps told her it would be the last before the door opened. Snatching King’s discarded towel off the bed, she gave her body a hasty swipe, praying whoever was in the hall couldn’t smell sex all over her. Futile, but she couldn’t help her embarrassment. Her robe whispered against her skin as she pulled it on and strode across the room.
Remembering to give her hair a hasty finger comb, she steeled herself and opened the door. “Yes?”
Elliot stood on the other side, her fatigues fresh and smile smug. “Good morning, Charlotte.”
Charlotte gripped the lapels of her robe together. “Morning.”
Weak response, but she had a feeling it didn’t matter. Elliot knew everything.
She thought back over the past few hours. Okay, maybe not everything. A flush swept up her neck and her cheeks got hot.
Elliot snickered. “Don’t worry, I won’t tease you. King, on the other hand…” A smirk. “I’ve managed to keep the rest of the team in the dark, but your mother is gathering breakfast and will be here anytime now, not to mention our staff meeting is about to start. He’s got to move his ass.”
She opened her mouth, unsure how to respond—thank you, maybe?—but a sound from behind her saved them both the embarrassment. King strode across the room, his clothes from last night perfectly in place, though she couldn’t figure out why there were no wrinkles.
Because they wouldn’t dare wrinkle and make him look bad?
If anyone had that power over inanimate objects, it would be King. He was actually grinning as he neared them, as if he could read her mind. Or Elliot’s. Whichever it was, he didn’t seem overly concerned as he bent to kiss her in full view of his teammate.
Not a quick kiss, either. He took his time and did it thoroughly.
Oh man.Her knees wobbled.
King raised his head. After she steadied, he swiped his thumb across her lips. “See you downstairs, angel.” Then to Elliot, “You too, Otter.”
They both stared as he strode down the hall. “Otter?” Charlotte croaked, unable to get anything else out.
“Call sign,” Elliot said. She fanned herself playfully. “I always knew the ice man had depth, but fuckin’ A, I had no idea he was hiding that much heat.”
Charlotte’s blush burned brighter as she stepped back to allow Elliot inside. “You have no idea.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
King knew the minute he walked into the dining-room office that Dain wasn’t happy. It didn’t surprise him. Nor did it worry him, not anymore—even if he was pulled off the case by JCL, Charlotte would demand he stay, officially or unofficially. That didn’t mean Dain wouldn’t chew his ass out first.
