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  The kiss went on and Ace did not want it to end. He drew her closer to him until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Before long, they had to come up for air. His breathing was ragged as he tried to catch his breath. His hands trembled slightly. He gazed at Sierra, shocked at the wealth of emotion she had triggered in him. Looking into her eyes, he could see his shock mirrored in them.

  “I can’t get enough of you,” he said. Even now, he held on to her and wanted nothing more than to go back to kissing her.

  “Ace,” she whispered his name and her voice echoed the longing in his heart. She arched her back and her chest pushed against his. She leaned forward until her mouth was touching his ear. He breathed in her scent, even as a tremor passed through him. “I want you to kiss me some more.”

  The heat from her breath fanned the flames of passion that were coursing through his veins. He could feel the tightness in his pants and he shifted in his seat, trying to get more comfortable. She looked down and he followed her gaze to the bulge in his pants. She dragged in a long breath and he could feel her trembling. She lifted her gaze back to his and he saw that her pupils were dilated. Without breaking the look, he felt her hands on his erection. She slowly brought pressure, then lightly massaged it.

  He could not bite back the groan. “Shit, Sierra...” She was killing him, testing the bounds of his control. She moved, swung one leg across him and was suddenly sitting astride. She scooted until her center rested right against the bulge in his pants.

  Ace touched her hair, then ran his hands down her back till they rested just above her waist. She slipped her hands beneath his tee shirt and he shuddered in reaction.

  “I need to feel you.” She threw her head back, closing her eyes as she slowly traced a path from the flat of his belly up to his chest. She paused at his nipples and lightly ran the pad of her thumb against them.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ace groaned. His veins were on fire. He needed to taste her again. “Kiss me, Sierra.”

  At his command, Sierra opened her eyes and stared at him. She wanted to kiss him more than anything, but she wanted more. She could feel the bulge resting between the juncture of her thighs and she wanted nothing more than to feel him slide slowly inside her. She wanted to feel the walls of her heat clamp around him and draw him deep inside till he reached her core.

  She wanted with an intensity that made her shake.

  His hands had moved down and had slid beneath her dress. She had worn a G-string that morning and felt his palm on her bare bottom. She could feel the wetness between her thighs and knew that if he moved his hands a few more inches, he would have the evidence of her arousal.

  “Do you want me to stop?” His hands had paused on her backside.

  Sierra shook her head vehemently. She felt like if he stopped, she would not be able to survive it. His touch had become as necessary to her as breathing. To press home her point, she ground her hips against his groin and he groaned in reaction.

  “Does that sound like I want you to stop?”

  He pressed her further against him and she gasped. “Does that answer your question?” he countered.

  She gave a small laugh. “Stubborn man.”

  His eyes flashed amusement before they darkened and she read the stark need in them. He brought his hands up to brush her hair, then trailed a path down to her shoulders. He slipped the sweater off her shoulders. She brought her hands out to shrug out of the sweater. She was wearing a low cut dress. She felt the zipper go down and then Ace pushed the top part of the dress down, baring the upper half of her body. He stilled, his eyes focused on her breasts.

  “You are beautiful,” he said simply.

  Sierra felt a lump of emotion rise to her throat and settle there. Nobody had ever called her body beautiful before. She lifted her hands and cupped her breasts. “They’re not too large?”

  He reared back. “You’re kidding me, right?” He must have seen the insecurity in her eyes because he gently pushed her hands away and located the front hook. Her breasts sprung free. He placed his hands on her ribcage and slowly brought them up till they were touching the underside of her breasts.

  Sierra was panting now, she could feel the moisture dripping from her center and shifted uncomfortably, trying to ease the pressure down there. He moved his hands up to gently caress her. Just like she had a few moments back, he used his thumbs to slowly draw circles on her nipples. She felt the pull in the lower part of her belly and moaned.

  She arched her back to give him better access and he took one of her nipples into his mouth. It was so sudden, so unexpected that she gasped aloud. She moved against him, the friction from his jeans against her center exciting her further.

  “Ace,” she panted his name. She slipped her hands into his hair and moved again.

  “So sweet, baby,” he said, his breath hot against her skin.

  He shifted, tilting her body slightly, then his hands moved between them and located her core. He pushed aside her G-string and slipped a finger inside her. They both groaned at the same time.

  “Ohhh…. can’t…Ohhh…” Sierra was incoherent as she wriggled.

  “You are so wet…so wet, baby.” His voice was thick and gravelly as he moved his finger over her core, discovering what excited her. He slipped in a second finger and she began to shake. What she was feeling was so intense, she did not think she could bear it. She pulled his hands away.

  He lifted his head to look into her eyes. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?”

  Sierra shook her head. With trembling hands, she unbuckled his belt, pulled down the zipper on his jeans and freed his manhood. She ran her hands around him, trapping the moisture at the tip and using it to lubricate the head.

  “Ah,” he bucked.

  She leaned forward and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a deeper kiss. The action placed her wet center directly on his shaft. They moaned.

  Sierra began to move feverishly, running her well lubricated mound across the length of his arousal. She closed her eyes and gave in to the sensations that were rocking her body.

  “So close…” Ace muttered, his hands moving to cup her butt cheeks.

  She held on to his shoulders and rode him. As she glided up and down his shaft, tiny shocks of sensation were going through her body. At that moment, she forgot about everything. About the men who were after her life and about the man she had been investigating. Everything else faded and all that was left was the man before her and the wonderful things he was doing to her body.

  Just then he took her other nipple in his mouth and sucked. That triggered the release she had been searching for. She pressed harder against him and thrust her hips with greater intensity.

  “I just need…I need…” She was close, she could feel it. Ace rolled her nipple with his tongue, then closed his lips around it and tugged firmly.

  And just like that, the dam burst. Sierra bit her lip as she tried to hold in the scream that was rippling through her body. She felt the muscles of her center clench and she began to shake uncontrollably. Waves of immense pleasure wafted over her as she crested. From a distance she heard Ace give a muffled shout and then she felt the hot liquid on her belly.

  Sierra felt like every bone and muscle in her body had taken a vacation. She collapsed on Ace, resting her head on his chest as she tried to catch her breath. She could not believe how intense it all had been. She could still feel the aftershocks going through her body.

  And Ace…she could feel his kisses on her hair, her face then her neck. She could not explain it, but she felt cherished, like he really cared about her somehow. He held her chin and gently raised her face up to his, then covered her mouth in a kiss that she felt right down to her soul. When he slowly drew back, breaking the kiss, Sierra knew that she was in deep trouble. Her No Falling for Ace Campaign had gone to hell and she had no idea how she was going to recoup.

  She looked into Ace’s eyes and saw conflict
ing emotions. “You were right, Ace.”

  He raised an eyebrow in inquiry. “What about?”

  “It might already be too late.”

  She watched him carefully and saw when her meaning became clear to him. He froze then his gaze became shuttered. With a sigh of regret, she drew away from him and stood to her feet. Ace let her go without a protest. She took a few steps back, watching him as he also stood.

  They stared at each other for a few moments, not sure what to say. She could feel him retreat behind his emotional walls and it hurt. She looked away, unable to sustain the eye contact.

  “I need to go clean up,” he said.

  She nodded. She could not look at him; she didn’t want him to see the tears that were pooling in her eyes.

  “Sierra—”

  She lifted a hand to stop him. She took a deep breath and let it out. She did not want to imagine how she looked, but for once, she did not care.

  Finally getting hold of her emotions, she turned to him with a half-smile. “It’s okay, Ace. I understand. Thank you so much for a remarkable time.”

  He opened his mouth to reply then shut it again. She could see the storm in his eyes and wondered why he was upset. She had given him an easy out.

  “Just so you know,” she shivered from the coolness in his voice, “I don’t regret a single thing that happened.” He caught and held her gaze for a moment. Then he touched her hair briefly before walking out of the living room.

  After he left, Sierra sagged. On the way to her room she decided that nothing had to change. She was still determined to not fall for Ace.

  A small voice at the back of her head warned her that it really was too late.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sierra stood before the mirror in her bathroom and carefully lined her eyes. She paused and used her pinky finger to trace the dark circles beneath her eyes. She was barely sleeping these days. Done with the eyeliner, she riffled through her makeup bag till she found the nude-colored lipstick. She kept her makeup minimal; she really was not in the mood to get all primped up.

  She took a step back and looked at her reflection. With her hair down, she looked…vulnerable. She tipped her head to one side. She needed a more severe hairstyle. Quickly parting her hair in two, she drew her hair back from her face into a chignon at the back of her head. She noted the slight trembling of her fingers and sighed in disgust.

  She was a mess. Since that day with Ace, all her nerves had been all jumbled up. She quickly tucked in the pale yellow blouse she wore into the dark grey, pencil skirt. Smoothing her hands over herself, she felt the ache deep in her core and closed her eyes briefly.

  The fact that he had not penetrated her center had left her even hungrier for him than she’d been before. If he had been able to give her that much satisfaction with their clothes on, she could not even begin to imagine how explosive it would be if they came together. With her eyes shut, she imagined him thrusting into her, holding nothing back, and gasped. The sound of her voice forced her eyes open.

  Shaking with reaction, Sierra sat on the edge of the bathtub and buried her face in her hands. It had been this way for close to a week now. Her mind was betraying her. She thought about sex with Ace all the time. Sometimes it was gentle, sometimes it was wild and rough, almost violent. For the first time since she’d purchased it, her dildo had failed to bring her much needed relief. And it didn’t help that she had to see him every freaking day.

  She stood up and patted her hair. She needed to get to work. Her investigation had stalled and nothing seemed to be happening. There was no reaction from the other side, no more threats, nothing. And it made her very uneasy. Since she’d been unable to sleep most nights, she had decided to stir things up a little. She thought of the email she had sent to her editor and felt queasy. Sierra squared her shoulders. It had to be done.

  There was something else that also had to be done.

  She walked into her bedroom, straightening up as she walked. She smoothed the covers on her bed, even though she’d made it before she went into the bathroom. She picked out her ballet flats and put them on, picked up her purse and laptop sleeve and went out.

  Ace was waiting for her in the living room. He had a mug of steaming hot coffee in his hands. She walked past him, frowning slightly at the unwanted skip of her heartbeat. Not like she blamed her heart, Ace in slacks and a shirt was enough to make any heart skip.

  “Good morning to you too,” she heard him say behind her.

  “Got any more of that evil brew?” She stopped and gestured to the mug in his hands.

  Ace lifted an eyebrow in surprise. She dropped her purse and laptop sleeve on the armchair and headed for the kitchen. Picking up a mug, she went to the coffeemaker and made half a cup. She held it to her nose and took a deep breath, taking in the rich aroma. After a few sips, she could feel herself slowly becoming alert.

  “Rough night?”

  Sierra looked at him through narrow eyes. She’d heard him too at night. The restless pacing in the room right next to hers would have been enough to wake up a sleeping person.

  “Yeah,” she shrugged. “I’ve been working on something so it keeps me up at night.”

  He looked her dead in the eye and said, “Liar.”

  She stared at him in the silence that ensued. Because of him, she was in a state of constant arousal. Just being in the same space with him, she could feel her nipples peaking beneath the soft fabric of her blouse. She’d been hanging on the edge of a precipice for close to a week and it was suddenly too much.

  With deliberate moves, she walked to the sink and emptied what was left of her coffee. After rinsing out the mug she carefully wiped her face of all expression and turned to him.

  “I’ll need to go in to Silver Shield offices today.”

  Ace frowned at the sudden change. “Okay, what’s up?”

  “I don’t think I need a bodyguard anymore.”

  There was complete silence.

  “Why?”

  One single word, but the ice in his voice made her flinch. She squared her shoulders. “Everything is calm. No more threats or anything. I think they’ve lost interest in me.”

  He laughed in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

  “I am.”

  “I will state my objections.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t think it will make much of a difference, sailor.”

  She saw the muscle tic in his cheek and knew that he was barely holding on to his temper. “Is this about what happened the other day?” She opened her mouth to reply, but he went on, “Because if it is, I can recommend another operative.”

  He said it so dispassionately. She searched his eyes, but found nothing there. Sierra’s heart sank. He was willing to palm her off to another operative. She felt the sharp sting of tears and forced them down, grateful when she felt anger take over and overshadow the despair.

  “Look, it’s nothing personal. My funds are running out and I can’t afford you anymore.”

  She saw anger flare in his eyes. He walked slowly to where she was standing, dropping his mug on the island, coming to a halt just a few feet from her. “You can’t afford Silver Shield or is it just me you have a problem with?”

  “I do not have a problem with you.”

  He nodded once and then his mouth turned up in amusement. “You are such a coward.”

  Sierra could not believe her ears. She was so mad she could feel herself quivering with rage. “I don’t know who the hell you think you are, Ace, but you don’t know a damn thing about me.”

  He cocked his head to the side and studied her. “Maybe, but I do know the important stuff.” He took a few steps closer till their bodies were almost touching. “I know that you smell like lavender and rose. Even when I’m not close to you, you scent is always with me.” Sierra’s legs suddenly turned to noodles, and not sure they would hold her up, she leaned against the sink. “I know that when you are near me, I can’t think straight and I
know it’s the same for you. But most importantly, I know that you are just like me. Oh yes.” He touched a finger to the open part of her throat, where her pulse was beating a riot. “I don’t believe in love, you say you do, yet you run from it? At least I’m honest. Can’t say the same for you.”

  She lifted up her chin, refusing to back down. “I have no problem with love, Sailor.” She tried to push against his bulk, but he didn’t budge. “My problem is with you! This…” She flung her hand in the air. She needed some distance from him and he was crowding her space. “Step back, Ace.”

  She had waited every day for him to come to her. He had been the one to reject her. Given her a mind-blowing orgasm and then stepped back as though it hadn’t meant anything. And now he was calling her a coward? Where on earth did he get off?

  “Sierra…”

  “What? What, Ace? I don’t want this. I don’t want you. So please back the hell off!”

  At her words, something flashed in his eyes. She could have sworn that he was hurt, but then it was gone so quickly, she probably imagined it.

  He raised both hands in the air and took a few steps back. “Is this what you want, Sierra?”

  The deepest part of Sierra cried out that it was not what she wanted. But she took a deep breath and let it out slowly, shutting out that voice. Ace could not give her what she wanted and that was just heartbreaking.

  At first he had hidden behind his professionalism and she got that, even though it had made no sense to her. She’d respected it. Then when he had noticed that she was falling in love with him, he pulled away so fast, anyone would think she was a cobra out to attack him. Well, it was time she focused on the man responsible for the death of half her family. She was not going to let emotions sidetrack or derail her quest.

  “Yes.”

  Ace nodded calmly and walked away. He stopped at the door leading out of the kitchen and stared at it. Suddenly he raised his hand and his fist went smashing through.