Payback by Vanessa Kier

sculpted male chest. “Who knew you hid such perfection under those stuffy shirts?” she blurted.
    My God, was that a tinge of red on his cheeks? She’d made super spy Mark Tonelli blush?
    “Let’s see what you’re concealing, Faith.” His hands slipped under her short-sleeved, silk blouse and in one swift move lifted it over her head and tossed it aside. “Ah. Beautiful.”
    Now it was her turn to blush. She wasn’t exactly model thin or in as good shape as she’d been when trotting all over the world, either running toward danger in pursuit of a story or running away from those who wanted to stop her from exposing the truth. But the heat in Mark’s eyes made her feel sexy all the way to her core. And when he reached out and reverently stroked his finger along the lace edge of her bra over first her left and then her right breast, she shivered.
    Reaching behind to unfasten the back clasp of her bra, she shrugged her shoulders so that the straps loosened and the bra fell off in his hand.
    “Perfection,” Mark whispered. He lowered his head and traced a line of kisses from her throat down to her left nipple. Then he sucked the tight bud into his mouth. Lightning shot to her center and she gasped.
    How on earth did he manage to rev her so fast?
    Her fists tangled in his hair, pulling him closer. Heat spiraled through her, filling her up until it pressed against her skin and she thought she’d explode if she couldn’t relieve the pressure. “Mark! I need you. Now.” She tugged at his hair, trying to get him to move up so she could press her hips against him. But his only response was to nip at the sensitive skin of her areola, then move on to the other breast.
    “Mark,” she whimpered. “You’re killing me.”
    “Good.” He finally raised his head and the heat in his eyes nearly incinerated her. “Because no one has ever driven me so crazy in my life.” He took her mouth in a fierce kiss.
    Faith finally got her hands around his back, slid them down to cup his buttocks, and pulled him tightly against her. While their mouths dueled, Faith rubbed herself against the hard length pressing against her belly and felt her tension ratchet toward a small orgasm.
    “Oh no, you don’t,” Mark growled. “Not without me.” He scooped her into his arms so quickly that she squeaked in alarm and threw her arm around his neck for balance as he strode for the stairs.
    “Is there anything sexier than being carried to bed by a gorgeous man,” she murmured, kicking her feet for the sheer pleasure of it. Joy bubbled up inside her, as if she’d drunk too much champagne. Another side effect of too much stress. Sometimes the release came in the form of inappropriate humor. Sometimes arousal.
    Apparently Mark tapped into both her need for sex and for a lightening of her mood.
    “Enjoy it while it lasts,” he shot back.
    Startled at how his comment mirrored her thoughts, she glanced up at him.
    Mark smiled down at her, but there was no acknowledgment in his eyes that he’d understood her train of thought. Just bemusement over his behavior. “I’m not usually the caveman type. In fact, I pride myself on being a considerate, deliberate, civilized lover.”
    “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.” Faith patted his chest with her free hand. “Sex shouldn’t be quiet and polite. It should be noisy and enthusiastic and primal. You’ve been missing out.”
    She let her fingers find his nipple and gave it a little pinch.
    Mark made a sound that was half surprise and half pleasure. “So teach me, witch.”
    She raised her brows and gave him a look. “Witch?”
    “Of course. Who else but a witch could have enchanted me so thoroughly?”
    Faith decided that she liked having put that combination of confusion and desire in his eyes. “Hmm…if you’re under my spell, then you must follow my orders.”
    Mark ducked his head and nipped her top lip. “Enchanted, yes. Enslaved, no.”
    Faith let out an exaggerated sigh. “You’re no