Page 83 of Hot Intent

“No, but it is made up of human beings subject to human flaws and weaknesses,” she retorted.

He knew he had become a source of controversy in the agency after his training had finished. Some people saw him as a threat, and others saw him as an exciting weapon. Was all of this the two factions infighting over him?

He mumbled under his breath, “How in hell am I supposed to know who’s my friend and who’s my enemy?”

“I am not the enemy, Alex.” His zipper slid down and his fly opened under her clever fingers.

He ought to stop her.

“I’m not out to hurt you in any way,” she murmured. “I only want to help you. I’m loyal to you. Only you.”

If only. At least she was a known enemy. He could deal with that.

Her hand dipped inside the waistband of his underwear, and she grasped his member in a warm fist. Blood rushed to the site and his hips flexed of their own volition. Dammit.

“Do you hear me?” she demanded. “I’m on your side.”

He had to keep his head clear. He couldn’t afford to get lost in her body or sucked into the emotional vortex she always managed to create around him when they had sex.

“They gave you drugs to make you suspicious of me. But you know, in your heart of hearts, that I would never hurt you.”

Her fingers tightened around his rapidly hardening erection, and a groan escaped his throat before he could pull it back. His mental swearing grew more violent as her fist slid up and down his shaft. Damn, that felt good.

“Say it, Alex. Tell me you know I would never hurt you.”

He surged up beneath her, capturing her around the waist with his arm while he used his free hand to yank her hand off him. He ground out, “You think you can use sex as a weapon againstme?”

“Go ahead, Alex. Show me how you really feel.”

God, she was courageous to taunt him like that. With a growl, he sprawled on his back, carrying her with him, and rolling over in the direction that would keep her weight off her injured shoulder, until she splayed beneath him.

He pinned her to the mattress with his bigger, stronger body, and she didn’t struggle. He shoved the t-shirt up her naked body, not stopping until the cotton completely covered her face. She wouldn’t have any trouble breathing through it, but he had to shut her up. She was pushing him beyond his ability to control himself.

He ought to kill her. Any spy worth his salt would eliminate the threat she posed without a second thought.

He kicked partially free of his jeans before he rammed into her. She bucked against him, driving him deeper inside her. He groaned in spite of himself, and just like that, her body softened and opened, welcoming him home. Dammit, she made it impossible to use sex as a weapon against her when she surrendered unconditionally to him like this!

Swearing violently inside his head, he withdrew from her to strip off his clothes. And then he sank into her again. As always, her complete welcome and acceptance undid him, unraveling hisrage as easily as a piece of knitting with a loose end that she tugged on.

The probability that this was the last time he would ever have sex with her slammed into his awareness and he involuntarily slowed down to savor the moment and imprint it upon his memory forever.

He couldn’t look her in the face. It would be too painful for him to see the deceit there. This one last time, lost in the depths of his desperation, he needed to pretend she really loved him.

He planted his hands on either side of the t-shirt fabric, pinning it lightly in place in hopes that it would help distance her from him, but it didn’t. Everything he loved about her—her generosity, honesty, innocence, and joy in life wrapped around him—embracing his heart and bathing him in love until he couldn’t fight it off any more.

She was better at her job than he could have ever imagined any sparrow being. Was it possible she was telling the truth?—

--No. Impossible. She was in on the conspiracy. Shehadto be.

As an orgasm built fast inside him, a mirroring explosion of emotion built in his chest. She arched up into him, her body sucking him down effortlessly into the whirlpool of everything he’d tried so hard to avoid.

Feelings broke over him, drowning him in gratitude and regret, affection and reluctant acceptance. Of being lovable and loved by this woman.

For just an instant, no more than a breath of time, he didn’t care if she was working against him or not. She owned his heart.

He could not believe he was going to have to turn his back on this. On her. It was going to feel like ripping his heart out of his chest to leave her behind, forever.

Their lovemaking reached an exquisite peak and his body clenched around his release. He couldn’t hold back a muffledshout as the orgasm tore free of his control and exploded from the depth of his being.