Damaged Goods

The click of the door brought Zoe out of sleep. The even tread of footfalls made her heart pound. Holding her breath she pressed deeper into the dark, her shoulders digging into the wire grid overhead. Polished black boots paused before her wide, pale-green eyes. Time seemed to stand still. She clamped her eyes shut as he dropped to one knee. Her lungs threatened to explode. She felt lightheaded.

"Zo?"

A rush of breath escaped her, his soft baritone tearing her from dreams of the past. Inching from under the bed, Zoe pressed into Boss's comforting embrace. His lips grazed her temple, his murmured reassurance little more than a soothing rumble in her ear. Resting her cheek against the solid warmth of his chest, her body shook in an effort to shed the nightmares of her past. Nearing the two year mark since the Human Trafficking Unit had rescued her from a lifetime of sexual slavery, she still had her good nights and her bad.

"Is the team okay?"

Samuel Boss nodded against the top of her head, silently kicking himself for waking her. He had needed to see her, needed a reminder of even one success. Thirty-two women, most still in their teens, were dead. The traffickers had cleaned up their mess with a single bullet to the skull of each chained victim. Intentional or not, it had been merciful. As remote as the location was, it had been pure luck a Border Patrol plane had spotted the overturned semi trailer. Their accusing stares haunted the back of his eyelids, the smell of decomposition still hung heavy in his nostrils. Tension hummed through his lean muscled body and he consciously forced his hold on Zoe to relax.

Slipping from his arms, Zoe drew him to his feet. He quirked a silver brow in question as she tugged lightly, but followed. Lighting a candle in the bathroom, she turned and eased his t-shirt from the waistband of his fatigues. He captured her wrist, but the look in her pale-aspen eyes and a long finger pressed to his lips gained her release, stilling any further protest.

Her movements were slow and seductive as she artfully removed his clothing. The brush of her fingers against his skin tingled with electric charge. She stepped back to shed her clothes and his pale-gray gaze ran over her lithe form. Stunning. The candle light caught the silvery thread of scar tissue in places along her five-nine form, but nothing detracted from her spirit or physical beauty. Fluid and feminine, every action was designed to please the male that watched. It was ingrained.

Wrong or not, a proprietary sense of pride laced with desire coursed through his veins. He didn't bother to lie to himself; it was different than the protectiveness he felt over his team. With Zoe, it was possession. She wasn't just one of his; she was his natural mate.

Wry amusement crooked the corner of his lips. If the shrink could read his thoughts she would have a coronary. She had voiced her concerns regarding Zoe's "unhealthy fixation and dependence on her rescuer" on more than one occasion. Boss felt twenty years as the plaything to a sadistic bastard entitled Zoe to a bit of dependence if it made her feel safe. In the same vein, the good Doctor felt Zoe no more capable of consenting to a sexual relationship than a child. She was wrong. It wasn't the sexual dynamic that Zoe would struggle with, but rather the everyday equality aspects of a twenty-first century relationship that would be a stumbling block for the submissive young woman. She would need to learn the word no.

Steam enveloped them as they stepped into the shower. Zoe's soapy hands stroked over his chest and down the ridges of his abdominals, teasing the light fur at his navel. He searched her face for a clue to her thoughts. Dominant or not, he wanted Zoe to come to him on her own terms. Their relationship had been completely above board until now. She responded instinctively to him, but Boss wanted to be sure the desire he caught in her eyes from time to time was real. His breath caught in his throat as her fingers wrapped around his shaft. Things were no longer above board.

A moan rumbled from his lips as Zoe laved a nipple, flicking across the nub until it hardened under the sweet torture. Boss shuddered as she slid to her knees, dragging her mouth down his body. His throbbing cock jumped at the scalding pant of her breath. Threading his fingers through her blue-black mane, his stance instinctually widened. Green eyes sparkled up at him through long lashes as she teased the weeping slit with the tip of her tongue, a tiny sense of power seeping in for the first time.

Stroking the pulsing vein on the underside with a thumb, Zoe swirled her tongue over the purpled head until Boss's breathing was erratic and his fingers tightened at her nape. Slowly engulfing his length, she fondled his balls. Determined to please this man, every trick learned came into play. Varying the suction and humming softly, she swallowed his shaft to the hilt. A tingling between her thighs was a surprise. Discreetly sliding a hand between her legs, she rubbed at the new feeling. The fire grew, and she sucked harder, confused by her shortness of breath. It didn't take him long to succumb to her talents. A strangled growl heralded Boss's release, his powerful body shuddering before he slid to the shower floor with her.

Always the protector, he drew her to the comfort of his chest, stroking calloused hands down her back. Cuddling close, she puzzled over the new feelings as his thundering heartbeat slowed and her own fell into rhythm. The cooling water finally forced their hand and Boss stood, pulling her up into his arms. She grabbed for a towel as he stepped clear, embarrassed that he would wait on her. Her efforts to dry him as he walked drew a low chuckle. Standing her next to the bed he took the towel from nervous fingers and whisked it over her before patting her bottom.

"Into bed with you, before you get cold."

Running the damp towel down his legs, Boss tossed it in the hamper. Stepping back to the bathroom, he cupped a hand around the candle and extinguished it with a gentle huff. Zoe held her breath in the blackness, trying to track his movements. The bed dipped and strong arms wrapped around her, tugging her back to his chest. Barely daring to breathe, she waited for his next move. Tucking her under his chin, he kissed the top of her head. Fingers idly combing through her long hair, his breathing slowed to a steady rhythm. It took her much longer to believe he slept, but in the end exhaustion and the intoxicating heat of his body lulled her to sleep.



Heel resting on the back of the sink basin, toe pointed with the grace of a ballerina, Zoe dragged the razor up the length of shapely leg. Candlelight flickered over delicate features highlighting her focus. Sinewy muscles rippled under pale skin. Each movement was smooth, performed with ritualistic precision. There was a surreal beauty to her meticulous morning rite. Samuel felt like a voyeur watching. He didn't turn away.

He caught his breath as she slid the propped leg to the far edge of the counter, widening her stance and turning attention to her bikini line. The sheet at his waist tented a little more. There was no longer a question. Zoe was meant to be his. Waking this morning with her in his arms had felt right. He couldn't recall the last time he had slept for more than four hours at a time, but knew seven hours straight was a number right out of childhood. Even now, he had no urge to leave the meager comfort of her twin bed. Work called, and for once he didn't answer.

Rubbing the last bit of lotion in, Zoe moved back to the bedroom. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she approached the lounging Boss. His eyes had been on her since she had left the bed, burning and tangible. She welcomed the warmth, her body and soul long cold. Sleeping in a man's arms had been a new experience. The heat and strength of his body was magnified in this vulnerable position. As always with Boss, she felt safe.

He crooked a finger at her and she crawled up the bed. The sheet stirred where it had dipped down about his waist. Oddly, his arousal held no threat. Something in her longed to explore the desire banked in those intense grey eyes, ignoring the warnings of the past. Though undeniably pure dominant male, Samuel Boss had an aura of calm about him which made Zoe feel protected, almost cherished. Despite the shrink's vehement mumbo-jumbo, Zoe knew it was more than a white knight fixation.

Her nipples hardened at his gaze. It was unnerving how her body reacted in his presence without even a touch. He lifted the sheet in invitation, perhaps misinterpreting her shiver. Slipping beneath the cover she pressed close, strangely confident of his welcome. The backs of his fingers trailed over her shoulder and down her arm.

"So soft, yet strong," Boss murmured. "You're stunning."

Zoe lowered her gaze, uncertain the direction of his thoughts. Her breath caught as nimble fingers stroked over her freshly shaven mound. Instinctually she parted her legs, but was surprised at the gentle touch. The sheet slid down with him as he positioned himself between her legs, urging her knees up over his shoulders. Strong hands cupped her buttocks, lifting her hips. Biting the inside of her cheek she prepared for penetration, forcing her body to relax.

A startled cry escaped her as he drug his hot tongue up her slit in a languorous lap. His eyes sparkled over the soft curve of her mound, the tip of his tongue parting her, searching. She stiffened, knowing the button he sought and the intense pain that would come with it. A shudder rippled through her as he flicked the bundle of nerves, his gentle caress a shock. Heat assailed her body, spiraling in her belly like the night before. Her heel hooked his nape, hips jerking in surprise as his rolled tongue plunged into her. Body trembling violently, Zoe struggled to comprehend his game. She had never felt anything like what Boss was doing.

A growl of need rumbled from him, his lips sealing over the little nub and suckling in time with the thrust of his tongue. Brain screaming for stillness, Zoe's hips desperately humped against his mouth. Fisting the sheets, she fought the desire to push him away. This wasn't right. Waves of sensation crashed over her helpless body, overruling years of experience and training. A scream rose in her throat, tearing its way towards release, spilling as only a high pitched whine when her body shattered.

Boss's voice was soft in her ear, but she couldn't make out the words. The caress of his calloused hand brushed dark hair from her face, stroking tears from high cheek bones. Trembles wracked her slender body and her teeth chattered. She sought his eyes, finding nothing but understanding in their depths. Her mind spun. Twenty years and never had she felt so helpless, so out of control, and yet he had done nothing to hurt her. Nuzzling into Boss's chest, she tried to pull it together.

"It's a fine line between pleasure and pain. It will take your body some time," Boss whispered. "You are safe. You are mine."

The last three words echoed in her mind tangling with hope.



Draining the dregs of his coffee, Boss stretched and rubbed at gritty eyes. A quick inventory of his team showed agents dead on their feet ... or asses as was the case. Desk work was the bane of the modern day investigator's existence. Thirty-two young women were dead. Driving his team into the ground wasn't going to bring them back.

"Get some shut eye."

Keller glanced at him, a half-hearted protest on his lips. Boss squashed it.

"The trail was cold when we picked it up. Get some sleep and we will go back at it with fresh eyes."

Nods and mumbled agreement met his edict, and the team headed down the hall to find a bunk. A drive home just cut into the few precious hours Boss would give them before the fire in his gut drove him back at the case.

The monitor's glow highlighted the intensity on Zoe's striking features as her fingers flew over the keyboard. Another search started, those long fingers closed around a purple stress ball. The pressure twisted the ball's smiley face into a pained grimace. The bloated faces had stamped the inside of his eyelids when he tried to sleep. How difficult must it be for Zoe to relive the horror of her life with every case? Pain, suffering, death...they were all part of life. As a Marine he had seen plenty of all three. Thought to have been snatched at the tender age of two, it was all Zoe knew.

He remembered the look of terror and resignation in her green eyes when he pulled the tarp off the small kennel. She admitted hearing the search of the house, but had never thought to call out. Even when he had opened the trap door and identified himself as a Federal Agent, she had not made a peep. The thought that she could have been left there to die haunted him. Her life had come down to small scratches on the hardwood floor where the bastard had slid the armoire to cover the trap door. If he had not noticed them...

Looking at the beautiful young woman in front of him he found it difficult to imagine there weren't parents somewhere that still lay awake at night wondering. They had scoured every agency for a report of a missing child matching her age and description. There had been a few moments of hope, but nothing had panned out. She still searched every free moment she had, but had given in to the pressure of the present, choosing a last name so she could obtain a legal identity. Though he had discouraged her initial choice of his surname, he hadn't had the heart to deny her his birth name. Legally, she was now Zoe Samuel. He wondered now why he had bothered deluding himself. She had known.

"That means you too, princess."

"I slept a couple hours while the team was out."

Boss smothered a smile. Questioning orders from anyone was a big step for her. He purposely kept his voice soft.

"It wasn't a request Zo."

Her eyes flew to his in surprise even as her fingers initiated the lock sequence on the computer.

"Sorry Boss. It won't happen again," she whispered, lashes sweeping high cheekbones submissively.

"Sure it will. I'm counting on it."

Her head tilted in question and he could see her mind whirling.

"I expect my people to think for themselves, Zoe. You will know when something isn't open for discussion."

A wink softened his words and though her cheeks still colored, she dropped a kiss on his cheek as she passed. Leaning back in his chair, he watched her disappear down the hall, bracing for the confrontation to come. Life was too short not to grab what little bit of happiness could be had.



Tension crackled in the air. Zoe's fingers worried the band of hunter-green leather studded with silver shamrocks that encircled her slender throat. The collar had been a gift from Boss to help cover the scars and just another in the long list of things he and her psychiatrist disagreed on. Right now Dr. Sharon was furious with his decision to move Zoe out of the HTU compound and into his private residence. She had ranted for nearly thirty minutes while Boss remained silent and unfazed. Now they just sat and stared.

"Zoe has agreed," Boss said flatly.

"There is a big difference between agree and obey, Agent Boss."

Zoe lowered her gaze from the battle gone silent again. Her stomach churned. Her cheeks burned with humiliation. Snippets of the Doctor's rant seared into her brain. VICTIM ... CHILD ... BROKEN ... INCAPABLE OF LOVE ... CONTROL ... ABUSER ... WHORE ... NO BETTER THAN HER RAPIST ... OBEY. Dr. Sharon flung the words out from behind a wall of superiority and moral outrage, but to the doctor they were just ... words, labels. Anger built in Zoe. The HTU had rescued hundreds of men, women, and children, in the past two years that had now returned to their families, and Zoe assumed, normal life. What was so different about her? She knew Boss deserved better, but if he was willing to give her a chance ..., who was Dr. Sharon to deny her?

She flinched at the touch of Boss's fingers on her own. Peeking at him through the dark veil of her hair she could see the concern. Unballing her fist, she nestled her hand into his, returning the gentle squeeze he gave her. The warmth of his touch and the reassurance conveyed in the simple gesture were exactly the reasons she was drawn to Boss. She would never forget the gentleness with which he had helped her from her kennel or the soft assurance of his voice as he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders, the material still warm from his body and smelling of him.

"I forbid it."

Fury and frustration flowed through Zoe's veins at the doctor's words.

"You don't control me," she hissed.

Dr. Sharon's head snapped around. Her mouth opened and closed without a word.

Boss didn't say a word, standing and drawing Zoe with him.

Dr. Sharon found her voice as they reached the door.

"Go through with this, and I will have your job."

Boss never looked back.



Arms wrapped around herself, Zoe surveyed Boss's loft from the obscurity of her veiled hair. The sprawling industrial space was sparse, yet beautiful with the exposed brick and hardwood floors. The light pouring through floor to ceiling windows spanning one wall, unnerved her. Easing back into the shadowed foyer, she tensed as her back connected with Boss's chest. His breath was warm against her neck.

"You're safe here."

Giving in to impulse, she turned, burrowing her nose into the crook of his neck. Strong arms encircled her, one hand stroking her hair.

"Dr. Sharon ..."

A finger pressed to her lips silenced her.

"I'll deal with the good doctor's threats. For now, we are together and you need to relax before you settle in."



The caress of the bubbling water eased the tension from her body until she felt boneless. Leaning back against Boss's chest, she lazily pressed her big toe against a jet, enjoying the hot tub's power. Her mind still whirled. She wanted to make Boss happy, proud, above all else she wanted a chance at a normal life, but she had no idea how to make that happen. He was offering her a chance at so much. What did she have to offer in return?

"... of course with four of a kind he was all in and the Jack of spades comes up on the flop. I won the loft with a royal flush, proving once again it is better to be good AND lucky," Boss murmured, kissing her earlobe.

The gentle caress pulled her from thought and back to the amusing story he had been telling about how a simple Federal employee had gained such a prestigious address.

"I was stakes in a poker game once," she whispered.

"A real man only plays with what he can afford to lose. You are priceless."

The way he said it, she believed him.

"The good doctor said that people can't be stakes. I like your answer better."

Boss chuckled in her ear, teasing her bobbing breasts. She caught her breath at the strum of his thumbs over her nipples. Soft lips behind her ear made gooseflesh erupt despite the heat of the water. Kissing was uncharted territory. Sliding back a little, Zoe rubbed her bottom against Boss's straining erection. He growled in pleasure, one arm dropping down to secure her waist. His hard cock rode the channel between her cheeks and thighs flirting with her puffy lips. It felt divine and that unfamiliar ache grew in her lower belly.

She shifted, opening her legs further in invitation. She wasn't sure what he was waiting on. Though she resented the doctor's insinuation that moving in with Boss made her a whore, he had to know she would never deny him a thing. The head of his cock nudged the tight ring of muscle between her ass cheeks and she tensed. Leaning forward, she gripped the tub edge, forcing her body to relax. His body followed, leaning over her to kiss the back of her neck and cup her breasts, but he only humped against her, cock sliding over her wet slit.

Hearing the harsh pant of his breath, Zoe knew he was close. Sliding from his arms she urged him to sit up on the edge of the hot tub. Kneeling on the seat between his feet she leaned down and engulfed his cock. Bobbing over him a couple times she took him deep into her throat. Humming softly she ran the pad of her thumb over the throbbing vein on the underside, increasing his pleasure. His release was explosive, a cry ripping from him as his hips lurched up off the counter. His fingers tangled demandingly in her hair, holding her steady as he rode it out.

Letting him slide from her mouth with a soft plop, Zoe fastidiously licked him clean, kissing on the inside of his hair-roughened thighs. Finished, she laid her head in his lap. The doctor's words whispered in her mind. What DID Boss expect from her beyond sex? The doctor had warned that she had no domestic skills. That had never been her place in her Master's household. Sex and pain were all she knew. Maybe the doctor was right.



The rising sun filtered through the blinds, bathing Zoe's curves in a soft glow. Stretched out on her stomach, one slender arm over her head, the morning rays danced over her skin. Her features relaxed, the faint silvery web of scars were the only reminder of the hell she had survived. His fingers itched to trace their delicate lines, wondering at her strength. Everything in him decried the sadism she had suffered, and yet the mental image of Zoe arching into his flogger, her face twisted in the throes of pain and pleasure taunted him. Cock twitching, Boss shifted. The slight movement brought Zoe awake. Fear darkened her eyes before time and place kicked in. Stroking her hair, Boss opened his arms in invitation. She moved immediately, pressing close.

Tilting her chin up, he traced her full bottom lip with his thumb before ducking his head to kiss her thoroughly. Her response was hesitant at first, but warmed as he took his time. Her tongue flickered timidly as he savored the taste of her mouth. Rolling to his back, he pulled her over the top of him. She froze at the unfamiliar position. Soothing warm hands down her back, he nuzzled her ear, the low rumble of his voice reassuring her more than any words. Cupping the swell of her ass, he ground her against him. Catching on, she rotated her hips, drawing a moan and lecherous eyebrow waggle.

Her smile shy, Zoe sat up a bit, continuing to roll. His strong hands spanned her waist, fingers parting her lips, teasing the tiny pearl there. Hips jumped and her body twitched like an electric current ran through her. Gaze uncertain, her knees tightened against his ribcage. Eyes locking, he circled the nub, wishing for the patience to draw her to his mouth, but wise enough to know it wouldn't last that long. Her first juices dampened his cock and he ached to be inside her.

Warming a bit of lube between his fingers, he urged Zoe up on her knees. Working fingers into her snug feminine tunnel, he let the warming gel do its thing. Her mouth opened in surprise and she moved against the new feelings, muscles tightening around him. Finding her hand, Boss placed it on his throbbing cock. Eyes questioning, her fingers stroked, tightening in a maddening caress.

"It's your call," Boss whispered.

Emotions flashed too fast to identify as Zoe processed his words. He waited. The choice needed to be hers. Her thighs trembled. He held his breath. Positioning him, she lowered herself until she was impaled. They were both still, neither daring to breathe. He pulsed within her. Licking her lips, she started to post. The velvet grip of her body nearly sent him over the edge. Fighting for control, Boss moved his hands to cradle her ass, encouraging yet letting Zoe set the pace. Her movements were languorous, torturous. He ached to grab her hips and drive up into her. Desperate, he strummed her clit with the rough pad of his thumb. Rhythm lost, she plunged up and down on his shaft, her hands splayed on his stomach. Her broken cries filled the room. Their climax rattled the windows.



The phone's incessant ring filtered through the roar in his ears. Reaching over his head, Boss fumbled for it, squinting at the number before answering with a curt, "Boss."

The conversation one-sided, he flipped the phone shut.



"I warned you. You're done," Doctor Sharon whispered as they entered the office together.

"If so, Zoe's worth it."

Stomach churning despite Boss's calm response, Zoe took the seat indicated. The smirk on Doctor Sharon's lips was far from comforting.

"Doctor Sharon has concerns about the propriety of your relationship with Zoe," the HTU Director said carefully.

"It's none of her business."

"I have been counseling Zoe for almost two years. Her welfare is very much my business."

"She deserves a chance at a real life."

"She's not ready," the doctor snapped."When she is, a swaggering, alpha male used to barking orders and being obeyed is the LAST thing she needs."

"The choice is hers."

"She's a child."

"She's a twenty-three year old woman with an IQ over 170," Boss said, tired of that argument.

"Intelligence is not a replacement for experience, Agent Boss. There are so many things that she doesn't know. She doesn't know how to drive. She has never gone shopping or cooked a meal. Even her clothing is nothing more than feminized version of your own paramilitary wardrobe."

Boss glanced at Zoe's hip hugging cargo pants and layered t-shirts with a grimace of disbelief.

"She's comfortable."

"She is a WOMAN!"

"You don't need to tell me that."

"You're no different than the animal that raped her!" The doctor screamed.

"You don't know anything!" Zoe choked. "Human trafficking, being a sex slave, it isn't about sex. It's about power, pain, and humiliation. I was starved, beaten, tortured. I lived or died at his whim for twenty years! Do you really think I'm going to break now if a man smacks my ass or pulls my hair?"

"You're emotionally damaged, incapable of mature love."

"Boss makes me feel safe, beautiful, wanted and ... and ... warm," Zoe whispered, her struggle evident, voice cracking with emotion.

"He's just using you and you are too damn naïve to know it! You are trading one master for another. "

"That's enough," the Director snapped, holding up a staying hand to Boss.

Cords standing out in his neck, Boss dropped back into his chair. His tension eased as Zoe stroked his bicep, and he covered her hand, intertwining their fingers to give a reassuring squeeze.

"I find this morally and professionally abhorrent."

"Your objections are duly noted," the Director said with a sigh. "Boss, your leave request is granted. Miss Samuel, the HTU hopes that you will continue your work here. Your insight has been invaluable."

"He is no better than the men this agency puts behind bars," Dr. Sharon hissed bitterly. "And you are going to give him paid leave to rape that girl. Time to get her house trained before he comes back to work. A real honeymoon I'm sure."

"That is enough, Doctor! You have made your objections, and I believe prejudices, all too clear here today. I don't believe you capable of the professional objectivity needed for this job any longer," the Director said tightly.

Dr. Sharon's gaze bore into Boss, her face pinched and boney body shaking with her outrage, but she wisely held her tongue.

Tightly controlled fury evident in every line of his body, Boss stood, pulling Zoe with him, and they left the room. Fingers still laced, he lead her through the halls of HTU and out into the sunlight before coming to an abrupt halt and turning to face her. Cupping her cheek he tilted her face up and whispered,

"You're mine."





"For someone who doesn't cook, that was an amazing dinner," Boss murmured, wrapping his arms around Zoe at the sink.

"I follow directions well."

Boss chuckled at the teasing sparkle in her eye, giving her a squeeze before turning to stow the last plate in the dishwasher.

"We make a good team, baby."

Nibbling her bottom lip, Zoe wiped the counter. Doubt swirled still. The Doctor's roadblock cleared, eternity loomed. Boss had fought for her, but could cookbooks and whore's tricks make a relationship work?

"A penny for your thoughts."

Zoe was silent for a long moment, searching for the right words to explain her doubts to him. How could she make him see the doubt was in her and not him?

"I don't know if I can be who you need me to be," she whispered.

He turned her to face him.

"I don't need you to be anyone other than you, same as you wouldn't ask me to change. We are survivors, two of a kind. Even our kinks match," he said with a wink.

Zoe smiled, recalling the suede flogger she had discovered in a bedside drawer. The thudding caress of the falls had been like a massage, and when swirled in sensitive places ... she blushed. Who knew a weapon could bring such pleasure in the right hand. He understood her body better than she did.

"Innuendos aside, I love your spirit. You bend, but never break, the perfect combination of submissive and strength. You are a worthy mate. You honor me."

Fighting the lump in her throat and the soar of her heart at the beautiful formality of his words, Zoe nodded, whispering, "The honor is mine."

Lacing her fingers through his, Zoe lead Boss to the couch in front of the fireplace. Pushing him down into the cushions, she lowered herself over him. Bodies molding together, her lips possessed his, taking control for the first time in her life. Nuzzling a nipple through his t-shirt, she drew a moan. Her laugh was throaty as she pushed the shirt up his ribcage, trailing lips over the warm skin. Feeling his hands slipping up her back, she raised her arms. Skin to skin, she enveloped a stiff nipple in her warm mouth, sucking and nipping.

Trailing her tongue over his ridged abs, Zoe let splayed fingers caress down his sides. His low moans and shudders at her touch sent a rush of power through her. The stroke of his hands was encouraging, doing nothing to restrain her exploration. Tonguing his navel, brought a chuckle from him, making him squirm. Sliding lower, she let out a puff of hot breath against the strain behind his zipper. His hips humped against her lips and she playfully raked her teeth over the fabric. He caught his breath with a laugh.

Zoe's green eyes danced as she slid up to straddle his hips. Bodies straining, she rode the ridge of Boss's arousal, grinding their zippers together until their breath rasped in a harsh pant. Twisting, Boss pinned her between him and the back of the couch. Fingers working in tandem, they both struggled to remove stubborn jeans. Finally damp denim fell discarded to the floor. A fine sheen of sweat slicked their bodies as they ground together in a primitive dance, lips clashing. Digging nails into his taut buttocks, Zoe arched, begging to be filled. Gripping the backs of her thighs, Boss opened her wide, thrusting into her.

Their gaze locked. Stroking slowly, Boss pulled almost all the way out before burying his cock to the hilt in her snug sheath time and again. Wonder lit her face and she arched into his thrusts. Pressure built within her. Heart hammering, she fought to control the feelings that crashed over her in waves. The intensity of Boss's gaze and the tenderness of his touch made her feel treasured. She screamed as he strummed her clit with the rough pad of his thumb. Hips jerking uncontrollably, orgasm ripped through her body, shattering all control. His thrusts coming harder, Boss sought his own release. Her name tumbled from his lips like a fervent prayer until he roared his pleasure to the rafters.

Drawing his body down over her, Zoe held him close, their foreheads pressed together. They lay entwined for the longest time while breathing returned to normal and their sweat slicked skin cooled despite the fire. Shivering, Zoe burrowed further under Boss seeking his heat.

Rolling to his feet, Boss scooped her up and climbed the stairs to the master loft. Peeling back the covers, he slid beneath the comforter and sheets, cuddling her close, big hands rubbing warmth back into her slender body. He reached over her and a moment later the feathery soft fleece of her USMC blanket brushed her cheek. He had wrapped her in the blanket from his truck that fateful day. The blanket had become her most prized possession. Zoe smiled into his chest, remembering his promise that she need never be cold again. Unrealistic though it may have been, she had loved Boss from that first promise.

Secure in the fold of his arms, she couldn't imagine anywhere else she would ever want to be. Cuddling the blanket between them, Zoe nuzzled his ear and whispered in wonder, "You're mine."



~ WC ~ 5766

© Mara Mc Bain ~ 2010

HSP: Sustaining the Sizzle Finale Prompt/Assignment:This week, I want you to copy and paste your other stories into a new item, chronologically, and then write transitional scenes between the stories to keep the narrative smooth and fluid and revise anything you'd like to fix. There are no minimum or maximum requirements for what you write as long as it successfully blends the stories you've already written.