Free Clarity (The Admiral's Elite Book 3) by HK Savage

stand seeing him like this. She’s just so cold, I don’t get it.” Mind going fuzzy, she tried to hold onto her train of thought. “She couldn’t always have been like this. Didn’t you say she used to be a nurse?”
     
    Michael eased toward her, lips brushing lightly against hers. She closed her eyes, letting his whispered kisses draw her in as her head began to spin. A warm puff of air against her jaw warned her a heartbeat before his tongue slid along her neck. Becca moaned. A soft chuckle sent a shiver through her body, her nipples tightening under her shirt. Michael continued to touch her only with his mouth, the one hand holding hers continued to stroke the back of her hand, unchanged in its pace. Slow and steady, he touched her, tongue slipping down the gentle curve of her throat, teeth scraping lightly on flesh. Goosebumps rose on her arms. The sensitive places he had yet to touch ached for his attention and she shifted on her seat bones, giving herself some friction a bit lower. Tipping further and tossing her hair out of the way with a flick of her head, Becca offered yet more of herself and felt her breasts rub against his shirt. A small sound escaped her parted lips and Becca reached a hand out to touch his flat stomach. Slipping it down, she let her fingers spread out until they found what she sought through the fabric currently stretched to capacity. His growl rumbled against her chest.
     
    Becca shuddered. She stroked him through his pants. “Michael.”
     
    That one whimpered request was his undoing. Moving shifted, looming over her. His sheer presence pressed her to her back and her eyes opened. Blue irises were barely visible, outlines growing black as his natures fought for control. Becca’s hand slid up his abdomen to his chest, glorying in the strength she felt there. Power Michael could use to kill one-handed or hold himself poised above her while he loved her so completely. Wanting both hands on her, teasing and touching to match his mouth’s tormenting efforts, Becca reached out to guide the non weight-bearing arm to ease her discomfort. Her fingers touched his elbow and slid up, wrapping around the back of his arm. Michael’s body stilled but Becca, too lost in their heat to stop and analyze, pulled.
     
    A cool breeze against her skin emphasized the fact that she was suddenly alone and Michael was now standing by the foot of the bed. One hand was wrapped protectively over the arm she’d touched and fangs distorted his upper lip, several crimson drops stood out on his chin. Her hand automatically went to her lip and came away red. So distracted was she with what he was doing to her elsewhere, she hadn’t felt the bite. Her eyes rose to meet his, pausing at the way he protected the arm, remembering how he’d been guarding it since he’d come to her.
     
    “What happened?” She was panting, her words soft though the anger already building behind them was anything but. “Did you and Ryan get into it again?” Her eyes narrowed. “Di d h e do this to you?” They both knew wh o h e was.
     
    “I’ll be fine by this time tomorrow.” He squeezed out through gritted teeth, his struggle obvious. The physical pain he was in was compounded by the anguish he clearly felt at having accidentally nipped her.
     
    Protectiveness wasn’t strictly a vampire thing. Becca stood, clenching her fists at her sides. She struggled to keep her voice down. No one here could know what she did about the admiral’s hold over Michael’s tongue. “What won’t you tell him? What won’t you let him ask of me? Please Michael, whatever it is he wants, I’ll do it.” Tears blurred her vision and choked her words. “I can’t watch him hurt you anymore.”
     
    Michael remained motionless by her door, his eyes holding her in place. For an eternity they faced off, each making their own decision about what had to be done.
     
    He gave first. “You’ve heard us talk about Kenneth.”
     
    She nodded