Solid Steel (Unseen Enemy Book 6) Read online

  Griff.

  Luke sat up now, swung his feet over the side of the bed. He’d go and call Dallas again, cook something, wait for Selena to wake up. He padded out of her bedroom, shut the door halfway, pulled on his jeans. He retrieved his cell phone from the kitchen counter and switched it on again.

  When he saw that she’d called again – fucking eight more times, Jesus Christ! – he scowled. What the hell did he have to do to get the woman to back off? Did he have to tattoo the message to her forehead that he wasn’t interested, because if so, he was game.

  He scrolled down through his call history, found Dallas’ number, dialed. As he waited for the other man to pick up, he stared out of Selena’s kitchen window at the Rockies. God, the mountains were amazing this time of year: all blazing gold and burnt orange and vibrant red. Luke was from Denver, born-and-bred, and he’d never seriously considered living anywhere else. The mountains kept him grounded.

  “Luke?” Dallas’ deep voice in his ear broke his reverie. “How’s Selena?”

  “Still sleeping.” Luke kept his voice low. “How’s Griff?”

  “Still sleeping.”

  “Wow. They’re a couple of party animals, huh?”

  “I know, right? You’d think that being stabbed and heavily medicated would keep them up dancing all night, but nope. They’re flat on their backs like a couple of wimps.”

  Luke chuckled. “So how is he, really?”

  “He woke up a few hours ago, went crazy trying to make sure Selena and the client were safe. As soon as I reassured him, he kind of dropped off again.”

  “So he’s talking?”

  “Not really. More like strangled whispering. Sounds like it hurts like hell, too.”

  “Urgh.” Luke grimaced. “So it’s best if we show up tomorrow, not tonight?” He checked the oven clock. “I mean, visiting hours are over in less than two hours anyway, right?”

  “Yeah. So for sure just take it easy tonight, come on over in the morning. I think Griff needs the extra time to rest up, anyway.”

  “And how are you doing?” Luke said.

  “Me?” Dallas sounded surprised. “I’m good. Nobody stabbed me.”

  “Yeah, I know, but… I mean, these are your people, Dallas, and I know you care about ‘em. It had to have been a shock for you and your team when they got so badly hurt. Upsetting.”

  Dallas was silent for a few seconds, then he spoke in a quiet voice. “I’m doing better. Thanks for asking, man. I was a fucking wreck this morning, but as soon as I got word that Griff was going to be alright, I settled.”

  “OK. Good to hear it.”

  “So.” Dallas’ tone was brisk again. “You take care of our girl and drop by tomorrow. Yeah?”

  “Sure thing. You staying there much longer?”

  “Another three hours, maybe, then I figure they’ll boot me out. I kinda like pushing my luck about things like visiting hours and rules, though.”

  Luke laughed again. “Why am I not surprised?”

  “Yeah, yeah. You know you’d be here backing me up and digging in if you could, Rhodes.”

  “You’d better believe it.”

  “So, goodnight. Give Selena a hug for me?”

  “Consider it done.”

  Luke disconnected and opened the fridge. He was getting hungry now, and he pulled out chicken and vegetables and some stuff to make a sauce. He also grabbed the bottle of white wine that he’d bought earlier and uncorked it. Selena was on painkillers, but half a glass with dinner should be OK.

  He was almost done chopping the mushrooms when his cell beeped, indicating that he’d received a text. He set down the knife, wiped his hand, opened the text. What he saw made him reel back in horror and almost drop the damn phone.

  It was her again, but she’d obviously decided that simply calling wasn’t enough anymore – she’d upped her game. And how.

  Luke averted his eyes from the naked breasts and pouty mouth, deleted the photo. He was just contemplating calling her back and telling her to fucking cut it out when he heard the bedroom door open behind him. He switched the phone off, set it back on the counter, turned to face Selena.

  “Hey, babe,” he said softly. “How you feeling?”

  She blinked sleepily. “Better, I think.”

  He crossed the living room and carefully pulled her against his warm, naked chest. “Any pain?”

  “A bit.”

  Luke ran his hand up and down her back. “I filled your prescription. You want a painkiller?”

  “Oh, thanks.” She nestled closer to his incredible body, feeling so tiny and feminine. “And no, not yet. Maybe in an hour or two.”

  “Sure. You let me know.”

  “I will. Have you heard anything about Griff?”

  “I just called Dallas and Griff's fine. He was awake earlier and talking a bit. Asked about you and that twit who got you both stabbed, and was real insistent about making sure you were both OK.”

  “Thank God.” She started to pull back. “Can we go see him?”

  “Not tonight. Dallas said that he’s sleeping right now, and so he thinks it’s better if we head over in the morning.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.” He tugged her back in to his embrace. “Visiting hours are almost over, so there’s no sense in rushing over there to look at a sleeping man only to be kicked out right away, anyway. You relax for tonight and just let me take care of you, OK?”

  “Ummm-hmmm.” She held on tighter. “Luke?”

  “Yeah, beautiful?”

  “Will you stay?”

  He leaned back a bit, his hand tangled in her wild curls now. “You mean for a while longer?”

  “I mean for tonight.” She shifted as she remembered his hard kisses, the heat in his eyes when he’d seen her half-naked body. “All of tonight.”

  His eyes twinkled in his rough face. “I kinda thought I already was.”

  Selena laughed and a burst of color spread across her golden cheeks. “Good. I kinda thought that, too.”

  “Nice to know we’re on the same wavelength, huh?”

  She nodded, then noticed the food. “You cooking?”

  “I am.” Reluctantly, he moved away, but not before dropping a sweet, lingering kiss on her forehead. “You hungry?”

  “Yeah.” She followed him in to the kitchen, noted how amazing his ass looked in those jeans. “Can I help?”

  “Are you kidding me?” He shook his dark head. “Ass-kicking ladies who have been stabbed in the line of duty get to drink wine and watch the man cook. That’s a rule, you know.”

  “It is?” She clambered on to a stool. “Says who?”

  “Says me.”

  “Ah, yes. The famous Rhodes Rules. I have heard of them, actually.”

  “Smart ass,” he growled as he brought her some wine. “Now, not too much of this, OK? It doesn’t mix well with your medicine.”

  She took a tiny sip and then sighed. “Thanks, Luke.”

  “No problem.” He went back to chopping vegetables.”I like taking care of you.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.” He stared at her, his eyes hot once more. “I want to take care of you in some other ways too. Take care of some needs you may have.”

  She was surprised at the strength of her reaction: her arousal was immediate and overwhelming. Her pussy lips opened at the mere thought of Luke taking care of some of her needs… and she was definitely not thinking of dinner.

  “Oh, really?” She kept her tone light and teasing, but he heard her breath speeding up. “What needs do you think that I may have?”

  His grin was slow and dangerous. “I think you need for us to be naked together, babe. I think you need my mouth all over you, moving over every inch of your fucking incredible body. I think you need me to slide my fingers ins
ide you, stroke you deep, until you come for me.” He watched her face closely, loving the glittery look in her eyes. “Those may be some of your needs. Maybe.”

  “I – I…”

  He cocked his head. “Speechless, babe?”

  “Uh…” She forced herself to actually articulate. “Uh, yes.”

  “Yes, you’re speechless? Or yes, those are some of your needs?”

  “Both.”

  “Huh.” He held her eyes, loving her clear, naked desire. “Good to know.”

  Suddenly embarrassed, she looked away and Luke felt worry start to move through him.

  “Selena?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “Is this too much? Too fast?” He kept his distance, but his voice pulled her in, drew her closer. “I know you have some worries… I don’t want you to feel like I’m rushing you. I can wait, you know. I can wait until you feel comfortable with having me touch you.” He grinned, trying to set her at ease. “I mean, we haven’t even had a real date, if you think about it. Unless you count that morning at the track?”

  “You mean the morning when you tricked me in to a sham deal and then kissed me while I was checking your non-injured ankle?”

  “Yes.” He blinked at her innocently. “That morning.”

  “Then no. I don’t count that.”

  “Yeah, me neither.” He turned more serious now. “Do you think it’s all happening too fast between us? Tell me, babe.”

  She considered that, tracing patterns on the kitchen island. He waited, watching her as she thought some things through. No need to push; she’d talk when she was good and ready.

  “Honestly?” she said at last. “If you’d asked me that before this morning, I’d have said it was too fast… way too fast. Then, I could never have imagined letting a man see – see me. Not any man, and most especially not you.”

  “Why especially not me?” Luke said. “You disliked me that much?”

  “No. Oh, no.” She looked at him, her face totally open. “I liked you that much.”

  He paused. “I’m confused.”

  “Yeah, I was too. I mean, I knew that I was attracted to you, Luke.”

  “I knew that, too.”

  She gave a small laugh. “But you’re so – so gorgeous. You’re just amazing, and I was afraid that…” She stopped.

  “What? What were you afraid of?”

  “That you’d…” She faltered, sucked up her courage. “You’d find me ugly. Unsexy. Unfeminine.”

  “Because of your mastectomies?”

  “Yes.” She dared to look at him now. “Breasts are… well. They’re a big part of a woman’s sex appeal to men, and without them, I just feel…”

  “What?” Luke asked gently. “Talk to me. Tell me everything.”

  “I feel like I’m not a whole woman,” she whispered at last, tears stinging her eyes. “Like I’m half a woman, at most and at best.”

  God, it felt so good to finally say this out loud, and she lifted her chin to look at Luke. It was out there now, her biggest, darkest, deepest fear. No taking it back and no pretending that it didn’t matter to her. It did matter; it mattered a hell of a lot.

  He was gazing at her, that rough, hard face so incredibly tender. He smiled, shook his head.

  “Oh, beautiful.” Affection dripped off every syllable. “You’re not half of anything, I promise you. You’ve got it all, Selena, got it in spades: brains and beauty, strength and sass. You are without a doubt the most intriguing, fascinating, stunning woman I’ve ever known… the way you move, your voice, your smile.” He paused. “The way you take down knife-wielding stalkers in a bar parking lot.”

  She laughed and he smiled right back at her, loving seeing her happy.

  “Fuck, babe, you’re it. The whole damn package, missing nothing. You’re a vibrant, gorgeous woman and I’m hoping that you’re my woman.” Those blue eyes stared right on through to her soul. “All mine. Just mine.”

  She swallowed now, a tiny bit afraid. No man had ever just laid it out for her the way that Luke did. He was the kind of guy who made up his mind, and that was it: he was all-in and he wasn’t ashamed to say that he was all-in. No bullshit, no holding back. He was a man who said what he really, truly meant, and if he said that her lack of breasts wasn’t an issue for him, then it wasn’t an issue and that was the end.

  For the first time in what felt like years, Selena relaxed. And maybe – just a little bit – she started to feel comfortable in her body. Not the body she had six years ago or even six months ago. Not the body that had been born with a genetic anomoly, one that would have killed her if she’d let it.

  No, she was starting to settle in to this body. The one that she had now, the one that was healthier and safer today than it had been even a few weeks ago. The one that she had – in one very important and powerful way – chosen.

  “I am yours,” she said quietly. “I am and I want to be, but…” She hesitated. “I’ve never been anyone’s before… I don’t like ownership.”

  “I don’t like it, either, and I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about you trusting me. Talking to me, confiding in me, turning to me when you feel weak or insecure. Looking to me when you need something – and I don’t care what it is. If you’re mine, then I’m yours too, and that means that I make it my fucking top priority to make you feel safe and happy and that includes in your own body. I’ll do whatever you need. You just ask.”

  Her breath was coming short and shallow again. Dear sweet Lord, this man turned her on more than anyone ever had… and he did it with just his voice. If she got this hot and wet from his words, what the hell was going to happen to her when he actually touched her? Selena was sure that she’d spontaneously combust and have an earth-shattering orgasm. Probably at the exact same damn time.

  “OK,” she said at last. “I can agree to that.”

  His eyes flashed at her acquiescence. “Then we’ll figure it all out. Together.”

  She nodded.

  “OK.” He broke the moment by refocusing on the food in front of him. “That means we need to eat and then get naked and climb back in to bed. And I mean ASAP.”

  “Uh, what?” She was totally wrong-footed, but not in a bad way. “We… what?”

  “I feed you, then we strip off our clothes and go back to bed. You need some more rest, and I need to hold you with nothing between us.”

  Desire – bright, hot, sharp – stabbed her in her stomach.

  “Oh, God,” she almost whimpered.

  “What?” He looked up, alert and attentive at her strange tone. “You need a painkiller? You hurting?”

  “No.” She bit her lip. “I – I really want what you said… like really really.”

  He regarded her, smiled again. “Then I’d better cook fast, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  They exchanged heated looks and then, without any warning at all, they burst in to peels of laughter. Pure, no-holds-barred, crazy, happy-as-all-hell laughter.

  It felt pretty damn good.

  **

  Selena rinsed the last plate, set it on the draining board. She’d just gotten off the phone with her Dad and managed to reassure him that she was OK; now she was washing the dishes from the surprisingly fun and flirty dinner with Luke.

  The shower was still running in her bathroom and she felt her throat close up at the thought that Luke was in there. She closed her eyes, imagined the water running over his large, strong body. The body that she’d soon be held close to… naked. As she had the thought, the shower was turned off and she almost dropped the wine glass she was holding.

  Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.

  She fought down the sudden rush of panic that was moving over her. She had nothing to worry about, right? Luke had already seen her without her shirt on and he hadn’t been disgusted or repulsed at her sca
r or her lack of nipples or curves. Also, she’d already slept next to him for most of the day, so that was nothing new.

  But doing it naked is.

  The door opened and she actually squeaked. Fuck, how could she be so fearless when confronted by creepy stalkers and armed militants and drunk MC assholes – and so utterly terrified of a man who adored her?

  Get it together, girl. Right. Now.

  Luke appeared, a towel carelessly wrapped around his lower body, and Selena made that small, high-pitched sound again. Sweet tap-dancing Jesus, the man was nothing but hot, hard muscle and she was fighting like crazy to keep herself from throwing herself at him. But who’s to say that he’d mind if she did?

  “Hey, babe.” His dark hair was slicked back off his face and he ran his hand through it. “You had your painkiller?”

  “Yes.” Her voice sounded weird to her own ears and she cleared her throat. “I took one.”

  He nodded. “So… ready for bed?”

  “Yes,” she said, her voice still way too high-pitched.

  He peered down at her. “What’s wrong with your voice?”

  “Nothing,” she squeaked.

  Luke laughed. “If you say so… c’mon, beautiful.”

  Not wanting to risk embarrassment again, she just nodded and took his outstretched hand. He led her to the bedroom, stopped just outside the door.

  “You want me to grab my boxers?” he asked gently. “Just say the word, babe. It’s OK.”

  Selena gazed up at him, touched and moved by him yet again. His consideration, his clear desire to just make sure she was OK with what was happening. And she was; Lord, was she ever.

  “No boxers,” she said firmly. “This bedroom is a clothing-free zone, Luke.” She gave the towel a pointed look. “Towel-free, too.”

  “Ohhhh-kay,” he said. “If you say so.”

  “I do say so.” She crossed her arms. “Towel off, handsome.”

  His hand moved to the towel now, hovered over his hip. She watched avidly as he slowly undid the knot there; when the terry cloth fell away, he just let it drop to the floor. And there he was – every single glorious inch of him. He was long and thick and semi-hard and she felt the wild urge to take him in her mouth.