Secure Desire Read online

  The sensation scared and excited her at once. His fingers pressing against her hardening bundle of nerves made butterflies take flight in her gut. The hot intensity she felt was too much. “Ian,” she cried out. He stopped. “No, don’t stop.”

  “Keep looking at me.” Ian nipped her bottom lip to hold her attention while he eased one finger into her damp opening.

  When Cassie lifted her hips to take more of his finger inside her, Ian’s eyes crinkled with his soft smile. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes growing heavy. As he pressed deeper into her core and added a second finger, Cassie felt a gush of her fluid cover his hand. Circling harder on her nub with his thumb, his other fingers curled inside and thrust to the rhythm of her desire, in and out of her tight sheath. Cassie met each finger thrust with an unconscious tilt of her hips, her breaths becoming little clouds of air.

  In between kisses, he nuzzled her cheek. “Let go, Cassie. You’re right there. Come for me, sweetheart.” One more gentle touch of his thumb, and her breath caught, her body shuddering.

  “Ian!” Cassie cried out in a choked sob, her hands gripping his forearms. The sensation of floating filled her soul.

  Ian slowed his touches, withdrawing his fingers and lifting her back into his arms. She felt his lips rest on the hammering pulse at the base of her throat. Her heartrate and breathing slowed. Her smile was dreamy as she pulled his head down to press a kiss to his lips. She inhaled, “Thank you.”

  “For what, my sweet?”

  “For you. Um, that. I’ve never felt this way before.” Cassie blushed.

  Ian’s lips turned upward into a roguish smile. “Well, then, we will have to remedy that situation. Often.”

  Cassie chuckled and rested her head on his chest. “What happens now?” She interlocked her fingers with his.

  “With us or the situation?”

  “Both.”

  “I will make a very public display about your horrible death. The media is going to work for us for a change. And you, my little vixen, are going to keep doing what you need to. Martin is your security chief, so you two need to get to know each other. And you need to stop making my medical personnel crazy, including yanking out that feeding tube.” Ian tapped her nose.

  Her eyes darkened. “I put all of you in danger. Two good people died tonight. My family, your family. Kieran. My god, Monique is pregnant.” She shook her head. “Oh God, Ian, it’s a secret.”

  Ian smiled. “Wow, a baby. I won’t break your confidence.”

  “Tuck, Eric, and Martin could have died in the blast. And you—look what they did to you.”

  Ian paled. “Sweetheart, they almost killed you.”

  Cassie silenced him with a kiss. “You can’t know that; hindsight is always twenty-twenty. You are in no way responsible.”

  Ian rolled her beneath him, his arms flexing to keep him from crushing her. “Cassie, I love you.” His mouth trailed kisses along her jaw.

  A soft moan of pleasure escaped from her swollen lips. He continued the erotic kisses across her chest while playing with her exquisite breasts, and her body grew relaxed and pliable under his touch. One hand caressed her belly, and his mouth followed, providing wet, open-mouthed kisses down her body. Resting in the vee of her thighs, he used his thumbs to open her folds. A half-sigh, half-cry of pleasure echoed when Ian made first contact, his tongue surging along her feminine length. There was no panic. Instead, she pressed up against him.

  “Oh, my, Ian!”

  Using his pointer to stimulate her bud, his tongue probed and lapped her sweet nectar. When he slipped his ring finger inside her, Cassie panted, her body instinctively rocking against his tongue as the sensation intensified. She begged, “Make love to me.” Her hips ground against him, sliding against his hardness, her damp heat penetrating his silk boxers.

  He nuzzled his way up her body. “Cassie, you’re in control. Anything you want.”

  “I want you, Ian.” She reached for the edge of his boxers.

  “Are you sure? We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready.”

  “I’m ready. I’m not afraid.”

  He lifted his hips and eased down his boxers. His cock, freed from its confinement, was long and thick. Cassie had trouble wrapping her small hand around him.

  Sensing her concern, Ian wrapped his hand around hers, guiding it. “I won’t hurt you. Ever. We’ll go slow.” He suckled her earlobe.

  Cassie inhaled sharply as her eyes took on a dreamy haze. His mouth caressed the tender skin behind her ear, followed by kisses to her cheeks. Together, their fingers continued to explore him. He encouraged her thumb to spread the drops of his escaping essence.

  Ian needed to be sure she was ready. He didn’t want her to have morning-after regrets or discomfort. He used his other hand to stimulate her warm, wet lower lips, stretching her tunnel to make room for him.

  “Please, Ian.” The words came in a hoarse cry.

  He reached across the bed to his night table drawer. “Are you sure?”

  Cassie squeezed him tighter.

  Ian chuckled. “Easy, sweetheart, or this will be over before we start.” He tore the foil wrapper open with his teeth and slid the covering down his length. In a slow, gentle roll, he sat her on his thighs. “You’re in charge.”

  Cassie adjusted her legs and raised her body above his. Rubbing herself over his silky, hard cock, she lowered herself.

  “You feel so good, sweetheart.” Ian used his iron will to resist the urge to lunge up into her. “Am I hurting you?”

  The look of pleasure on her face and a shake of her head answered his question. After her body slowly accepted his, she cuddled against his chest. “You feel so good.” Her nipples brushed against his skin, making him quake with desire.

  His eyes lost focus, and he held his breath, waiting for her body to stretch and settle. Seated to the hilt, he helped Cassie move. Together, they rocked in a slow, sensuous dance. Heat radiated off her skin and sweat soaked his body. Ian tilted his hips, and she cried out, her head falling back, her hair touching his legs. When he repeated the motion, she screamed his name.

  At her climax, Ian felt a primal need to make her his—he belonged buried inside her. He let go of his control—with two more hard thrusts—his own orgasm tore through him. “Cassie!”

  They fell asleep sweaty and spent in each other’s arms.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Ian startled awake at ten-thirty to find Cassie lying fast asleep on top of him, her hair forming a curtain around them. Their bodies remained intimately connected. His fingers brushed the long, luscious strands aside, waking her with kisses. “Good morning.” Sleepy eyes opened. “How are you feeling?”

  “Mmm, okay.” Cassie nipped at his stubble-covered chin.

  “Sweetheart, as much as I want to spend a lifetime in this bed with you, I need to put the plan into motion. And you need to get cleaned up and follow your routine. That includes the feeding tube.”

  Cassie stuck out her tongue, and he grabbed it between his lips. Their kiss turned passionate. Against every male instinct, Ian released her.

  “You think this is going to work?” she asked.

  Ian broke their internal connection, despite growing aroused again. “I do, for us and the other situation.”

  Cassie gazed around Ian’s bedroom. The oversized king frame held a luxurious mattress made for cuddling. Its ornately carved bedposts towered to the twelve-foot ceilings. The L-shaped room also contained an enormous gentleman’s dresser with an oval mirror and an armoire. In front of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Potomac was a matching ornate writer’s desk. Two regal club chairs were placed on either side of a marble fireplace decorated with carved inlays, with a large painting of Titian’s Venus of Urbino hanging above it. Another door led to a second bedroom.

  “Ian, your suite is beautiful.” She stood on the bed to explore one of the posts, then ran her hand along the headboard. “This is an original Charles I bedstead.”

  “Mmmhmm
, yes, it is. And you are an original too.” Naked, Ian lifted and carried her to the master bathroom, his eyes darkening with arousal. “We need to clean you up.” A large soaking tub dominated the white marble room. “I can’t wait for you to play in the tub with me.”

  Dual sinks stood in its entry—each sided by a walk-in closet. The luxurious shower had two rain heads and two marble benches with twenty body jets. Seating Cassie on the bench, he carefully wrapped her thigh in a protective covering. “Were you a Boy Scout? You’re always prepared.”

  Ian’s eyes darkened. “Sweetheart, I’m no Boy Scout.”

  He placed a new condom on the shower’s soap dish. With one hand, he adjusted the temperature and brought her under the spray. She leaned her head back to feel the warm water’s caress. Turning Cassie to face the wall, he poured shampoo into his palm and rubbed the vanilla-scented liquid into her scalp and through her thick hair. “Mmm, Ian, you don’t know how good this feels.”

  “I do.” She was so sexy. His kiss raked the base of her neck as suds streamed down her back. His fingers followed the trail of bubbles until his hands landed upon her bottom. Dropping to his knees, he planted kisses on each curvaceous cheek and worshipped each scar like he had the night before.

  Cassie gasped when his fingers slipped inside her warm, wet heat. “Ian!” She steadied her forehead against the cold tiles.

  His restraint was waning. “Are you ready for me? I can’t stay away from you.” She groaned while he kissed the length of her spine and enveloped her body with his.

  “Hmm, ready.” Cassie’s head fell back against his chest.

  Ian pushed his sheathed shaft inside her in one slow, continuous thrust, then she spread her feet and pressed back to meet him. He wrapped her hair around his hand and nibbled her left shoulder. “You are mine forever. I love you, Cassie!”

  Her eyes drifted closed. “Ian, I never…” Tears of happiness fell from her eyes.

  His fingers moved against her pearl as he withdrew to his tip and filled her again. He maintained his rhythm until pleasure brought them over the edge.

  Wrapped in a white fluffy body towel, Cassie stepped from the shower a few minutes after Ian.

  “If I didn’t get out of the shower, we were never getting out of here.” Ian looked up from shaving. “What’s wrong?”

  “My clothes! Everything was in my room.” He smiled. “This is not funny. I can’t wear a towel or one of your T-shirts. It’s bad enough that Sophie, Monique, and Aunt Rachel—and probably everyone else—will know what we were doing in here.” Her cheeks turned reddish pink as he laughed. “Ian!” She stomped her tiny foot.

  “All right. I can’t do this to you anymore. Open the drawer in front of you.” It was stocked with her favorite toiletries and makeup. The next one was filled with new lingerie in her size—all with tags attached. She pursed her lips. “Now open that closet.” The closet was filled with clothing from her favorite shops.

  “Eeee.” Cassie saw the shelves covered with a treasure trove of shoes. “You were very sure of yourself, Mr. Chase.” The entire suite was illuminated by her smile. She waggled her finger at him.

  Ian grabbed her hand and sucked that finger between his lips. “I’m sure of us, Cassie.”

  Ian, shaved, showered, and, sporting a green polo shirt and khaki pants, joined them at the table. “Good morning, everyone. I know none of you got much sleep. If possible, after breakfast, I want everyone to catch at least four hours. I’m sure Fairfax PD will be back. Luke, thanks for running herd on this.”

  Luke nodded. “FBI Director Samuels will be joining us in a couple of hours to formalize the announcement of Cassie’s death.”

  Ellen prepared a huge breakfast for everyone. Despite the miserable weather, the atmosphere in the dining room was bright. Fresh biscuits, pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and fresh fruit loaded the table and a fifty-cup coffee urn was filled. Most of the Paulsen family joined Kieran in indulging in big mugs of the hot brew.

  Kieran, working on two hours of sleep, spent the early morning making sure their dead employees’ families were taken care of. Not new to loss, the company was prepared.

  Tucker said to Pete and Eric, “Lil can handle Cassie, but she pulled her feeding tube again last night.” Pete shook his head. “Didn’t mean to leave it for you again. On the high note of the evening, Ian got dinner into her.”

  Pete laughed. “Both of you need to hit the rack. I’ll replace the tube again.”

  “You’re the one with the soft touch,” Eric teased.

  The conversation stopped, and all eyes turned toward a radiant Cassie as she entered the room, leaning against Noah. She was dressed in white capris and a lime green blouse, her hair pulled into a high ponytail. “Good morning.”

  “Hey, doll. You look pretty good for a dead girl,” Monique said.

  Her funny comment was met with a little snort. Cassie walked over to Pete and hugged him. “I’m sorry, I know you’re tired of doing this, but would you put my feeding tube back in after breakfast?”

  Pete hugged her back. “Sure thing, honey.” He looked at Ian over her shoulder with questioning eyes. Ian smiled and shrugged.

  Monique offered the seat next to her. No one said a word while Cassie enjoyed her meal with some plain yogurt and granola to mix with the fresh fruit.

  “Six men armed with automatic weapons, two Chase Security employees, and a woman were killed overnight in an apparent home invasion at the McLean estate of billionaires Ian and Kieran Chase, owners of the international conglomerate, the Chase Group. Seven additional Chase Security personnel and Ian Chase were wounded during the incident. Four remain hospitalized at this time. What we know is, shortly after midnight, six unidentified men breached the compound. While engaging the estate’s armed security guards in a fierce gun battle, multiple explosions and fire rocked the estate’s pool house. Fairfax County Fire Marshalls, Fairfax County Police, and the FBI are investigating. An unnamed law enforcement source indicated this and the recent bombing of the Chase Group buildings in DC are connected and believe the target was Ian Chase. A news conference from the scene is scheduled for four o’clock.”

  FBI Director Don Samuels viewed the breaking news with Martin, Cassie, and Ian. “You were damn lucky. Being at the main house saved you, Cassie. Ian, I think Kieran should give the statement. There will be no mention of her working for us. The dead woman will be identified as Dr. Ellis. Ian needs to play the beleaguered, distraught, injured boyfriend. Ian, look like you’re blind with grief.”

  Ian reached for Cassie’s hand. She kissed his cheek and whispered, “I’m here.”

  Samuels continued, “If the Whitman family is involved, they will circle like sharks in the water. Criminals often return to the scene of the crime. You will be hearing from them. Anonymous sources may try to point fingers in all directions. Those responsible for hiring the men to destroy the infant and murder Cassie think their loose ends are tied up. It’s my hope they’ll get sloppy, making it easier for us to identify and catch them.”

  Cassie frowned. “I still don’t understand any of this. Why would they do it?” Her pulse pounded.

  “Sweetheart, we will get those answers, I promise,” Ian said.

  The pouring rain didn’t prevent news cameras from setting up at the estate’s front gate long before the press conference, but the lousy weather did accomplish one thing: it kept the helicopters from flying. The pool house, covered by an enormous blue tarp, was swarming with investigators from the FBI and the fire marshal’s office. The FBI evidence team searched for any clues that might indicate who was responsible. During the process, they shared fabricated evidence of a bullet fueling a gas-and-oxygen-sparked explosion. No local investigator would find evidence of the RPGs.

  Hiding explosive rocket residue from experienced technicians was difficult—but not impossible. The FBI agents assigned from Quantico were the best in the country. The last thing the director wanted was for the public to know Russian weapons we
re used on American soil. The last thing Ian wanted was for anyone to find Cassie alive.

  At precisely 1600 hours, Kieran and the Fairfax County deputy police chief stepped behind the canopy-protected podium. “Good afternoon. Last night at 12:13 a.m., six heavily armed men invaded the McLean, Virginia, estate belonging to brothers Ian and Kieran Chase. In the course of a gun battle with legally armed security personnel, the pool house, which is approximately four hundred yards from the main house, exploded. We can confirm the six unidentified gunmen; two security officers, employees of Chase Security: Marshall Pitman, age thirty-eight, single, and Trevor Holland, age thirty-four, a divorced father of two; and a twenty-eight-year-old female guest of the Chase family perished in the attack. Eight other men, including Ian Chase, were injured, and four remain hospitalized. Word on their condition is not available. From witness accounts, we believe the woman to be Dr. Cassiopeia Ellis of Georgetown. The motive and cause of the explosion are still under investigation at this time.”

  Questions flew from the group of reporters. “Chief, is there any truth to the story that Kieran Chase is waging a hostile takeover of Chase Group?”

  The chief stared out into the crowd. “That’s why it’s a story. It’s a fairytale.”

  Kieran, looking very somber, stepped up. “It is with deep sorrow that the Chase Group announces the deaths of two highly trained and dedicated members of our family. Marshall and Trevor will be missed. Our heartfelt sympathy is with their families and friends. In addition, we commend the actions of all our personnel—seven of whom were injured. Cassie Ellis was taken from this world too soon. She was a dear and treasured friend to all who knew and loved her. My brother Ian lost the love of his life. In a desperate attempt to reach her, Ian sustained minor injuries.

  “We ask the media to respect our privacy at this difficult time. Any information about the funeral services that becomes available will be posted on the Chase Group website. Also, information about where charitable contributions can be made in honor of our dearly departed will also be made available. Finally, a hotline is being set up. Chase Group is offering a large monetary award for information leading to the capture, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this attack. Thank you for your concern and prayers.” Kieran stepped down and moved away from the gate.