by Lora Leigh
There were other things burning inside her as well. The fierce, blazing heat was followed by the knowledge that something wild, something untamed, was growing as well. Despite his gentleness, his emotion, she was burning higher.
She had once been content to let Mac direct their lovemaking; now she strained against him, needing to establish her own dominance.
He chuckled at the movements, ignoring her harsh cry as his fingers slid from between her thighs while he deftly turned her, bending her over the high mattress of the bed.
"Now, this is a pretty sight." His hand caressed over the rounded curve of her buttocks, stroking them, causing her to shudder at the submission of her position.
"You're a pervert," she accused breathlessly.
"Oh darlin', you have no clue," he murmured, his roughened voice stroking over her senses as she bucked against him.
Keiley could feel the familiar, blistering heat surrounding her as Mac's hand cupped beneath her thigh, lifting her leg until her foot was braced on the wooden frame of the high bed before she felt his cock pressing against the hot, wet folds of her sex.
"This is the sweetest pussy in the world," he groaned behind her as she caught her breath at the pleasure.
He was stretching her, working inside her with slow, heavy movements that had her crying out his name.
"Do you like this, Kei?" Bending over her, his lips moved to her ear as his erection pressed deeper inside her. "Do you feel how light and hot your pussy is around me? How sweet and wet you are?”
She could feel. She could feel every inch of his cock throbbing inside her, stretching her. The broad head parted her flesh, making way for the heavy stalk behind it to fill her.
And she could do nothing to hurry him along.
The sheer impact of the submissive position combined with the powerful strength behind her shouldn't have made her hotter. It did, though. She could feel her juices gathering and flowing, slickening her, easing his way as he drew back until only the broad crest remained within her grip.
A second later he plunged inside her.
Keiley arched, crying out his name, trying to writhe beneath him as the incredible pleasure threatened to explode inside her. She wanted it to explode inside her. The knot of tension gathering in her womb was agonizing, the pleasure of it building until it bordered on pain, until the need to orgasm was ripping through her mind.
"God, I love fucking you," Mac whispered at her ear. "Feeling you tighten on my dick, your pussy sucking it inside you and rippling around it like the tightest fist."
His voice was harsh and guttural, his hands less than gentle as he held her, his hips gathering speed, gathering in power. His cock plunged inside her, worked through the snug tissue, stroked and caressed, burning her with the strength of his passion as her own burned inside her.
She couldn't handle it. She felt stretched until pleasure and pain combined, until the need for release had her hands fisting in the blankets beneath her.
"Mac, please," she panted, barely able to breathe.
He was moving deeper now, harder, his breathing a dark rasp behind her as she felt her womb begin to ripple with the warning tremors of orgasm.
"So sweet and hot," he groaned again, pumping faster. "So tight and sweet."
Heat surrounded her, pulsed through and around her.
"I love fucking you," he groaned. "I dream of fucking you. I ache when I'm not fucking you."
She was crying out for him now, incoherent, lost in a world that centered on his thrusts inside her, his fingers sliding over her hip and delving between her thighs.
The swollen bud of her clit pulsed and throbbed as his fingers surrounded it, welcoming the touch as perspiration soaked her flesh and the demand for release pulsed in her veins.
His fingers stroked, his cock thrust, and within seconds Keiley felt the burn begin exploding throughout her body. First in her clit. An exquisite burning sensation erupted in the tight knot of nerve endings and tore her mind from her body. It echoed into her womb, then into her vagina, then throughout her body as a harder, deeper explosion ripped through her.
She bucked beneath him, trying to scream, trying to escape the intensity, the power of her orgasm until the violence of her pleasure ripped through her mind and sent her senses spinning. Flying. She was flying, lifted and flung into a world of kaleidoscope colors and an ecstasy she never grew used to.
Dimly, she felt the last hard thrusts slam through her before Mac poured his release inside her with a shattered male groan and the feel of his teeth at her shoulder. They were both shaking, shuddering, fighting to find their breath and their senses as he surrounded her with his arms and pulled her fully up onto the bed before stretching out next to her.
Chapter 15
Keiley drifted in a haze of pleasure, pushing back the niggling little reminder that they had indeed been alone.
"It's not the same now, is it?" he whispered against her ear, satisfaction and dark knowledge filling his voice. "You know the difference. You feel it. And you miss it."
Her eyes opened, her gaze immediately caught by the wooden panels that covered the hole left by the shattering of the French doors.
"I can live without it." Her voice was quiet, reflective. Because she had heard those same words from Mac before they ever left Virginia.
What were they going to do when Jethro left? He couldn't stay forever. He had a life, his own interests, and one day he would fall in love himself. Where would that leave her then?
"It's different," she finally said, her voice low, thoughtful. "But I couldn't do this again." She knew that with a certainty. "When Jethro's gone, it will be over."
She expected an argument. Instead, she felt the smile on his lips that were pressed against her shoulder.
"When Jethro leaves, it will be over," he agreed.
Keiley rolled over, staring into his eyes with a frown. "I'm serious, Mac."
"I know you are, Keiley." He cupped her cheek with his palm. "I never imagined or considered sharing you with anyone else. And I never will."
"Why Jethro?"
He shook his head. "Because he suits us both," he finally said.
And that was all she was going to get out of him. He was so damned closemouthed about this that she felt as if she were walking through shadows alone, feeling her way through this strange new relationship.
"I love you, Mac," she said as she turned and rose from the bed before turning to stare back at him. "I love you more than my own life, but you're starting to worry me."
"How am I worrying you, Kei?" He turned on his back, lusciously nude, powerfully sensual, that arrogant quirk on his lips drawing a frown between her brows.
"Because you're playing games." She leaned forward, placed her palms on the bed, and stared him straight in the eyes. "It won't take me long to catch on to this new side you're showing, husband mine. And once I figure it out, this sexy little battle you're starting will even out. I promise you that."
His gray eyes lit with challenge and humor.
"I look forward to it," he drawled with a sensual smirk. "You have no idea how much I look forward to it."
She opened her lips to inform him how little she appreciated the arrogance when the soft trill of the doorbell interrupted.
Keiley jerked back as Mac suddenly surged from the bed and grabbed his jeans, jerking them on quickly.
"I wanted a shower," she said mournfully as she grabbed her clothes and rushed to the bathroom.
The slick warmth of sex still coated her thighs, reminding her of the excess of moments past. She hastily cleaned up before dressing and rushing back into the bedroom, where Mac was waiting impatiently.
"It's Maxine," he informed her as he glanced out the side of the curtains to the driveway.
"Maxine?" Keiley pushed her feet back into her sandals.
"Jethro let her in." Mac sighed, his expression rueful. "We'd better get back down there."
Keiley stared back at him with a measure of concern.
"What will Jethro do?"
He snorted. "With Jethro, who can be sure? It's according to the mood he's in."
Keiley stepped into the living room behind Mac to see that Maxine Bright hadn't arrived alone. She was accompanied by her quiet husband, Joseph.
Joseph wasn't rough and rugged, and he wasn't altogether handsome. But his quiet blue eyes and warm smile were steady and dependable. And his reputation for spoiling Maxine was legendary.
Six feet tall, lean rather than muscular, but with a surprising male grace, Joseph Bright was the complete opposite of his wife. Until Keiley had met his wife, she had imagined he was staid, stuffy, and self-righteous with his carefully combed thinning brown hair, light blue eyes, and carefully controlled lips.
As she had gotten to know the couple, she had learned that Joseph had a wicked, quiet wit, and that he was the perfect counterpart for his vivacious wife.
"There you are." Max bounced from the couch where she and Joseph had been sitting talking to Jethro. "We've been talking to your guest." She turned to her husband with a grin. "Why don't you ever have such good-looking friends visit?"
"Because they know you," he snorted. "You terrify them."
Keiley smothered her laughter at the frown that pulled at Max's pretty face and the little pout that pulled at her lips.
"You'll pay for that, Joseph," she warned him.
He winced, though there was an edge of laughter in his gaze. "I'm sure I will, Maxine."
He rose to his feet to meet Mac's outstretched hand then. "Mac." He nodded to Keiley.
"Keiley. It's good to see you two. I hope we aren't disturbing you. Maxine was supposed to have called you before we arrived." He gave his wife a mocking glare.
"Oh, dear. Did I forget?" Maxine blinked innocently. "How rude of me."
Mac laughed. "You're always welcome, Max. I see you've met Jethro."
"We have indeed," Max drawled. "I'm impressed, Mac. He's actually very charming."
"What did you expect?" Mac chuckled as Jethro rose to his feet as well.
"Well, according to Delia, your houseguest was a cross between a pit bull and an ogre.
Of course, I just had to find out for myself." Her tone gave every appearance of friendly laughter, but Keiley heard the anger just beneath it. "And can you imagine?" She turned to her husband, meeting his wary gaze. "We must have missed the orgy, honey. Do you think we should come back later?"
Joseph's expression tightened for an instant before he turned back to Mac with rueful amusement.
"She promised to behave."
"Yes, I did." Maxine turned to Keiley. "Where the hell have you been? You missed last night's meeting and Delia is telling everyone far and wide it's because you're having orgies out here, and evidently the whole damned FBI agency Mac was a part of is participating. Really, Keiley. You didn't invite me."
"I would have." Keiley shook her head mockingly. "But you know how it is, Max. I had to try them out myself before I introduced them to you. I know how picky you can be."
Max's green eyes twinkled with merriment as a spurt of laughter left her throat.
"I am very picky." She cast her husband a teasing glance before moving to Keiley.
"Let's go discuss their fine qualities while Mac and Jethro entertain Joseph." She gave Mac a warning look. "And be nice or he won't play with me later. I wouldn't like that."
"Yes, Maxine." Mac was obviously restraining his own laughter. "I'll be very gentle with his delicate sensibilities."
"You do that." Maxine nodded as she pulled Keiley from the room. 'And remember, he blushes easily. So don't embarrass him."
Keiley couldn't help but smile as Maxine pulled her across the foyer and into the kitchen before releasing her arm and heading for the refrigerator.
"You know, Keiley," she commented as she pulled a drink free from the interior and popped the cap. "We're going to have to have a little talk about the best way to weather gossip. Hiding out at home isn't going to do the job."
"I had no idea there was any gossip, Max." She stared back at her friend, at once amused and concerned.
Maxine was furious beneath the amusement. She had to be the only person Keiley knew who could be equally amused and angry at the same time.
"Figures." Max plopped into a kitchen chair and stared back at her with a grin. "All those orgies take time, I imagine."
"She's really saying that we're having orgies?" Keiley winced.
"I don't know if she started it or if she's just pushing it along." Max shrugged then.
"But it's working its way through the charity committee and likely through town as well.
Thankfully, no one is really taking it seriously. What's happened to the world? Ten years ago, we would have all been suitably horrified by the prospect and blacklisted you immediately."
"Progress. Go figure." Keiley laughed as she sat down across from her friend. "Maybe orgies just aren't fun enough anymore."
"Or too tame," Max snapped, the edge of anger showing in her voice again. "Delia's becoming a problem, Kei. She's managed to even surprise me. Did you know she's trying to have you thrown off the committee?"
"She's been trying to do that since my first year there." Keiley shrugged as she tucked her leg beneath her on the chair and leaned her elbow on the table. "Come on, Max, she's harmless. She's just jealous."
"Jealous, you say," Max snorted. "I swear, she had a nipple hard-on when she was talking about immorality within the committee ranks, and if she didn't cream her tight-laced panties when she said the words ménage and orgy, then I don't know my body language." Max paused. "We both know I know body language, right?"
"You do know your body language," Keiley agreed.
"It was gross." Max gave a mock shudder. "She was standing at the podium during the meeting last night getting wet at the thought of hurting you and Mac. The woman is rabid."
"She's sad." Keiley shrugged again. "I signed the contract; they took my money. They can't take me off the committee and their petty shit doesn't affect me."
"Keiley, can she have any kind of proof?" Max asked her softly then. "I don't care what you do here in your own home, and if you were getting it on with both those lean, mean hunks in there, then more power to your energetic ass because you have a hell of a lot more stamina than I would have. But Delia is too confident that she can have you voted out."
"Delia's always confident and never successful," Keiley assured her. "She's making a lot of noise, Max, and noise is something better off ignored. She'll get tired of it eventually, as she always does, and go away."
"You can't keep missing meetings." Max shook her head. "Promise me you won't. You have to face them, sweetie. I know how hard it is, hell, poor Joey, he goes through hell because of me and I know it. But I can't be someone I'm not and still be happy. That's how I know you can't hide from it."
"I'm not hiding from the gossip," Keiley assured her.
"Keiley, listen to me." Max leaned forward, her green eyes compassionate. "You're one of my best friends and I know you. I know what you told me about your past with your dad, and I know how gossip hurts. You're hiding."
"Not from the gossip." Keiley breathed out roughly the minute the words left her lips.
Damn it. The last thing you did was give Max a lead when she was in protective mode.
The other woman was like a protective mother wolf when it came to her friends.
"Then what?" Max frowned. "What the hell is going on, Keiley?"
"Keiley has picked up a stalker, Max," Mac said from the doorway as he, Jethro, and Joseph walked into the room.
Silence filled the kitchen.
Joseph moved around the table, pulled out the chair beside his wife, and sat down beside her, his arm going around her as Mac sat down beside Keiley and Jethro moved to the refrigerator.
"Mac just explained everything to me, Max," Joseph told her,
his voice soft as Max stared back at her in horror. "It's an old case that Mac was working on. It's followed him here."
Jethro sat out three beers as Keiley stared back at Max. Then she shot Mac a disapproving frown. "I could have handled this, Mac."
"Oh, listen to Superwoman here." Max threw her hand toward Keiley as her green eyes glittered damply. "You could have handled it. Well, God bless your heart."
Keiley winced. It was never a good thing when that comment came out of Max's lips.
"Now, Max."
"Don't you 'Now, Max' me, Keiley McCoy," she snapped. "I'm glad you're handling it so damned well by yourself because honest to God, I just felt my heart fall to my stomach and it's not in the least comfortable buried down there."
Keiley's lips twitched. That was Max, dramatic to the end.
"I could have handled telling you myself," Keiley explained. "Mac and Jethro are taking care of things, Max. It's going to be okay."
"That bitch, Delia," Max muttered then. "She's a viperous little wannabe slut with no way out from beneath her mommy-in-law's eagle little eye. You know she's doing this because she wants in Mac's pants. Right?"
"She's welcome to try." Keiley shrugged. "I just can't promise she'll have a hand left when I get finished with her."
Max sniffed as an unwilling laugh roughened her throat. "Don't make me laugh, Keiley. I'm too horrified to find any amusement in this."
Then her gaze shifted to Jethro as he took his seat on the other side of Keiley.
"I liked the idea of the ménage better," Max sighed, staring back at Keiley sadly. "That sounds like a lot more fun."
She had no idea just how much more fun it was.
"Mac, is there any way we can help?" Joseph asked then.
"Stay away," Mac warned him. "I don't want him to find another victim to focus on, Joe. And keep your ears open. I don't like the way this rumor of a ménage has suddenly flared up. See if you can hear where it started."
"I can find that out." Max glared back at Mac. "Trust me, Delia can't keep a secret, and I know she's behind this. I'll find out where it started or if she just started it on her own."