By
By Trista Ann Michaels
Social Prey
Copyright © 2013 by Trista Ann Michaels
Thank you for purchasing this ebook. This book is the copyrighted property of the author and many not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed for any commercial or non-commercial use without expressed written permission by the author. Quotes used in reviews are the exception.
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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales are purely coincidental.
Adult Reading Material: Story contains violence, graphic language, sexual toys, spanking, and bondage.
Author Note
First off, I want to thank all the wonderful Beta readers who helped me with this story. You guys are the best.
Second, I want to let the readers know the Paula in this story is based on a real person. A friend of ours met up with a man on Facebook who turned out to be someone other than he claimed.
She’ll probably spend the rest of her life in a Turkish prison, all because she believed a man she’d never met in person loved her. And she believed it strong enough that she turned her back on everyone who tried to help her.
The danger is still out there. The threat is very real, and despite all our best efforts, James and his cartel are still in business. Be careful, ladies, because you just never know who’s really on the other side of that keyboard.
The story begins with a young woman, Paula, who falls in love with a man online. But, James is not the man he claims to be. All her friends try to warn her, Kiley being the most vocal. Unfortunately, the young woman doesn’t listen and ends up shutting out all her friends over a man she’s never met in person.
He proposes marriage, but first she must fly to Peru to sign papers for him and cash in some bonds—a marriage gift given to them by James’ grandfather. James, who supposedly works in military intelligence, plans to meet her in London where they will marry. Paula leaves, excited about her new life.
Unfortunately, she tells no one, including Kiley.
While in Peru, Paula is given a new laptop and case—a wedding gift from her fiancé’s uncle. She was also informed that there had been a change of plans. She was no longer going to London. Now she was going to meet James in Istanbul.
Paula expresses concern with this and states she wishes to meet up with James at another location. His uncle assures her that things will be fine, but a new location isn’t possible…it’s James’ job that’s insisting on the new assignment.
Once she has expressed her reservations, her flight is moved up, and she’s never left alone. She now feels as though something is up—that maybe she was foolish for not telling Kiley—for not listening to her.
Sneaking her international phone with her to the bathroom, she shoots off a quick email to Kiley telling her about the situation, the changes to her itinerary, naming names, giving descriptions, and anything else she can think of that might help Kiley if anything were to happen to her.
All the warning bells Kiley had tried to make her see were suddenly ringing loud in her ears.
Paula is escorted to the airport and introduced to her traveling companion—a man there for what she is told is her safety, but Paula believes otherwise. She tries twice to leave the new laptop behind, although truthfully, she can’t explain why—just a sixth sense that something wasn’t right. Both times it was given back to her, nicely, but no doubt firmly.
“You don’t want to leave this behind, Paula,” he said with a smile, but his eyes narrowed in warning.
Once she arrives in Istanbul, the authorities find the well hidden drugs inside the new laptop James’
uncle had given her. She was arrested and taken immediately to prison. She now understands fully what has happened.
She’d been played. Paula knew how much Turkey hates drug traffickers. They show no mercy. What’s worse they hated Americans even more. Also bring in questioning tactics Paula believed didn’t come anywhere close to following the Geneva Convention and her fears increased tenfold.
Paula had no doubt…her life was now over.
Chapter One
Kiley Tipton was going to kill Paula…If she made it out of this nightmare alive that is. She’d been concerned ever since she hadn’t been able to reach Paula on the phone for several days.
She thought maybe her friend was just ignoring her; that maybe Paula was still angry with her for not trusting James, for believing her friend was walking into a scam. She never imagined Paula would up and leave the country without telling anyone.
Paula knew how stupid and dangerous it was to meet up with someone in a foreign country she’d never met in person.
Kiley rushed into her brother’s office without knocking. She didn’t have time to knock. Keith looked up from the map spread out before him. He sat back in the chair and narrowed his brown eyes. The look that normally sent everyone else running didn’t faze her in the least. Her brother might come across to other people as a scary, hard core alpha, but Kiley knew him as the big loveable bear.
Speaking of alpha bears…next to Keith stood Scott Devo, her brother’s right hand and commanding officer of their band of mercenaries for hire. She’d known Scott since they were kids, but that didn’t stop the flutter in her stomach every time he looked at her with those gorgeous baby blues.
She tried to ignore the very amused look on his rugged, whisker covered face as she stomped over to her brother’s desk. “You really need to shave, Scott,” she grumbled.
Scott rubbed his hand over his jaw. “It’s not as bad as it usually is.”
Kiley rolled her eyes and turned her attention to her brother. “You’re not going to believe this.”
“After everything I’ve seen, there’s not a whole lot I don’t believe.”
Kiley slammed the printout down on top of the map covering her brother’s desk. “Paula left the country, despite everything I told her and got herself arrested.”
“Well, you tried to warn her there was something off about James,” Keith said as he reached for the paperwork. “Let me guess. Trafficking? London will let her out--“Keith stared at the paper, and Kiley waited for the blowup. “Son of a bitch! Turkey?” He dropped the paper and stared up at Kiley in surprise. “How the hell did she end up in Turkey? What the hell was she thinking?”
Scott quickly grabbed the paper and scanned the printout. “Looks like she’s being held as a remanded prisoner. In Turkey the minimum for trafficking is ten years and that’s only once she’s been convicted.” He looked at Kiley with an apologetic tilt to his mouth. “She’s American, Kiley. She won’t get bail and it will probably be years before this actually goes to trial.”
“That’s provided she survives the questioning. You know how they are over there,” Keith added quietly to Scott.
Scott nodded sadly.
Kiley crossed her arms angrily over her chest. “Thanks so much for that.”
“Come on, Kiley. You’ve got to be realistic,” Keith cautioned. “Has the Consulate been contacted yet?”
Letting out a calming breath, Kiley nodded. “I shot them an email before I came in here. I ran across the alert when I was trying to research some of the stuff she sent me. I know it’s the Duty Officer’s job to contact them when an American citizen is taken into custody, I just didn’t trust them.”
Scott snorted. “What did she send you? And why? I thought she’d pretty much disowned all of you.”
“Something happened in Peru that made her panic. I can forward all the stuff to you if you want to see it.”
Scott’s lips twisted as he set the paper back down on Keith’s desk. “Paperwork and research is your forte, gorgeous. Not mine.”
Kiley’s heart always skipped a beat whenever Scott called her gorgeous. She knew he mostly did it to push her buttons, like a brother to a younger sister, but it still didn’t stop the little thrill of excitement from traveling up her spine.
Scott was gorgeous, muscular, tall, but he was also an arrogant ass. Had been ever since Kiley knew him but that asshole side had seemed to increase about the time she turned eighteen.
Unable to stop herself, Kiley snorted. “Yeah. We all know what your forte is.”
Keith sighed and raised a hand. “Let’s not get into a squabble in the middle of my office. Kiley, what is you want us to do? We can find her an attorney, but—“
“I want you to go get her.”
Keith and Scott both stared at her in shock. “Excuse me?” Keith murmured.
“She’s in Silivri Penitentiaries Campus,” Scott began. “That’s the largest, most modern prison in Istanbul. That would be like trying to infiltrate a military base.”
Kiley shrugged one shoulder in indifference. “A task you guys have pulled off three times now.”
Scott stepped around the desk and walked toward Kiley. As always, her heart sped up as he got closer, but she’d become very good at masking her emotions where Scott was concerned. She crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground. She wasn’t about to let them talk her out of this. She wanted Paula out of there and the sooner the better.
“Kiley, there’s a big difference between pulling someone from a terrorist group, or rescuing someone from a third world military camp, and trying to extract someone from a highly sophisticated prison. Something like this would take weeks, possibly even months to plan. We would need blueprints, history, personnel, watch schedules.”
Kiley pulled a jump drive from her pocket and held it out to Scott.
Scott raised an eyebrow. “Please tell me that’s not what I think it is.”
“It’s everything you asked for plus a little more.”
Scott sighed and took the jump drive from her hand. “Keith, you trained your sister way too damn well.”
“This is what people pay you guys hundreds of thousands of dollars to pull off. If I were a paying customer would you voice the same objections?”
Keith stood to his full six foot three height and frowned. “Come on, Kiley. That’s not fair. We always turn down jobs that are impossible to pull off successfully. This is one of them.”
Scott leaned his hips on the desk with his back to Keith and leveled his gaze onto Kiley. “He’s right, sweetheart, and you know it.”
Kiley scowled. “I know no such thing. I do know what you guys are capable of.”
Scott sighed and turned his head to look at Keith. “How about we do this?” He turned back to Kiley. “We’ll take a look at what you’ve got; see if it’s even possible. Do you know where she is inside the prison?”
“Based on my research, I know where she will probably be, but I’ll have to wait until she’s processed to find her exact location.”
Keith nodded. “We’ll need that before we can proceed.”
“You’ll have it.” Kiley turned to leave, but then stopped. She spun back around. The tears she’d been fighting since reading that report threatened to spill over. “I can’t believe she did this. If I had known she was going, I would’ve stopped her before she even got on the plane.”
“She’s an adult,” Keith replied. “You can’t stop her from doing stupid things. She would’ve hated you forever and left anyway when your back was turned. At that point, she wouldn’t have even contacted you about any of this. At least she sent you this intel so we can work towards getting the men responsible.”
Kiley’s whole body deflated in disappointment as she thought about all the stuff her friend had sent and how, unfortunately, none of it would help.
“They paid for everything in cash, so there is no way to trace them. Hotel room, airline tickets, everything. Even the travel agent they used was fake. I checked with the hotel she stayed at. It’s an older hotel. No video cameras or surveillance, which is probably why they used it. Other than actually going down there and trying to bribe the desk clerk to give us a description, I’ve got nothing. The only other alternative is to hack James’ Facebook page and see where that leads us.”
Keith shrugged. “You don’t need my okay to hack anything. What are you waiting for?”
“I’m waiting for you to say you’ll go get her,” Kiley countered sarcastically.
Scott moved toward her, a look of sympathy on his handsome face that Kiley couldn’t take right now. She knew the second he touched her, she’d be in his arms, crying her eyes out. And that was the last thing she wanted to do. It was hard enough to keep her hands off her brother’s best friend and business partner. As part owner of the company he was her business partner as well.
Business and personal did not mix, especially not with their history. Scott had been around her family since both he and her brother were six years old. They’d gone to college together, joined the military together and became Navy Seals together. They did everything together. She would never come between them by starting a relationship that had no chance of going anywhere.
Scott was too much of a player. Not to mention the fact her brother would tan her hide.
“I need to get to work,” Kiley mumbled just as Scott reached for her.
As quickly as possible, without appearing to run like a scared rabbit, she left the office and headed to her own.
Scott watched her go and sighed heavily. He hated to see Kiley upset. He wanted to run to her, hold her, tell her everything would be okay even if it wouldn’t.
“Are you insane?” Keith snapped.
Scott spun around to glare at his best friend. “Are you seriously going to leave her there? We know this girl. We can’t abandon her.”
Keith picked up his cup and headed to the coffee pot they kept in the office. They both drank more of that crap than they really should, but Keith lived on the stuff.
“The only reason you want to do this is because of Kiley, admit it,” Keith said.
“Hey, I’m not denying I care for Kiley. Hell, she’s been part of my life since I was six, but she can’t talk me into doing something that could get me killed. It’s not going to hurt to check things out. See if it’s doable. It might be. Besides, you and I both know if we leave her there, even if she makes it back to the states at some point, that girl will never be the same.”
Keith’s brow creased in worry and memories of his own torturous three days in Istanbul. Of all of them, Keith knew exactly how bad Turkey could be for Americans. “I know,” he said softly.
“So let’s check it out.”
Keith sighed. “Fine.”
Kiley sat in her home office staring at the computer screen. It had been easy to hack into James’
Facebook account and follow his i.p. address to other accounts. The more she dug, the more she found. She uncovered four more email accounts and ten more Facebook accounts, all under different names.
She broke so many laws doing this it wasn’t even funny. The amount of time she could spend in jail was probably more than this James jerk would get for his crimes — which was incredibly sad when one chose to spend much time thinking about it.
How was she going to be able to watch all this? She needed to know when these women left town to join up with their online fiancés. Paula didn’t post on Facebook when she left. Would the other women? Were they told not to? There were so many questions she wouldn’t have the answer to until she was able to speak to Paula and that didn’t look like it would happen anytime soon.
How did families handle this stuff? She would go nuts if her brother was over there, and she couldn’t speak to him; didn’t know how he was. Worry over Paula was bad enough.
Maybe she could create a program that would alert her to any of these women getting an airline ticket. Then maybe they could follow the women to Peru or whatever country just in case Peru wasn’t the only country they worked out of. That could work.
The front door opened and she froze, listening. She’d locked the door. Who had come in? As silently as possible, she opened the drawer to her right and rested her hand against the pistol she kept there. One of many she kept hidden throughout the house. Working in the type of business she did, she’d learned to be vigilant and always prepared.
“It’s me,” Scott called out.
Kiley breathed a sigh of relief, but then tensed for a different reason. He always made her feel edgy and slightly off kilter whenever he was around. But her brother’s friends were off limits.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“In my office,” she replied as she quietly the desk drawer.
Scott stuck his arm into the office with a bag of Chinese food dangling from his hand. Kiley’s brow creased into a frown.
“What now?” she demanded. “You never bring over Chinese unless you want something.”
Scott lowered the bag and then peered around the door jam. He wore a blue corduroy shirt that deepened the blue in his eyes. The white t-shirt beneath it made his tan look darker and the gray in his black hair more prominent. She loved that look on him—jeans, shirt open down the front, t-shirt beneath. He looked casual, carefree and so damn good looking she could hardly stop staring.
“It’s a peace offering,” he said.
Kiley sighed in disappointment. “Let me guess. You’re not going to Istanbul.”
“No. I’m not.”
Kiley shook her head in disgust and pushed her chair back. “Then you and your Chinese food can—“
“You didn’t let me finish.” Scott walked into the room and set the bag on the desk.
Kiley stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine. Finish.”
Scott opened the bag. He pursed his lips and pouted. Kiley would normally find that look adorable, but right now she was too mad. She hated it when Scott teased her by pretending to pout.
All she wanted to know was how they could allow Paula to stay there? Especially knowing what would happen to her.
“I don’t know, now. You’re so moody,” he murmured.
“Moody?” she cried. “I do have a gun in my desk drawer, asshole, so keep it up. Give me a reason to use it.”
He grinned and glanced at her out of the tops of his eyes. “I’m sure I’ve given you numerous reasons over the years and you haven’t shot me yet.”
Her whole body heated, but she rolled her eyes more at herself than him. “I wasn’t this pissed off. How could you—“
“Again, Kiley. You haven’t let me finish.”
“Well, would you hurry up?” she snapped.
Scott closed the bag and picked it up before turning to leave. “If you’re going to have that attitude…”
“Damn it, Scott,” Kiley growled as she rushed forward and grabbed his shirt sleeve. She tugged, making him stop. “Stop playing around.” She took a deep breath, calming her anger. “Please, finish.”
“Since you said please,” he said over his shoulder and inclined his head toward the kitchen.
“Let’s go get some plates and eat before it gets cold. We’ll talk once we’re settled.”
Kiley had a feeling she wasn’t going to like this. Not at all. Scott watched in silence as Kiley reached up to pull two plates down from the cabinet. His eyes strayed to her firm ass, and he couldn’t help but admire how good she looked. Damn, she’d grown up fine. All that chestnut brown hair cascading down her back made him want to tug on it, pull her head back so he could kiss her good and thorough.
Kiley worked out a lot and it showed in her toned body, her high, firm boobs, and her flat, hard stomach. Damn, what he wouldn’t give to explore every inch of that lithe body with his mouth, his hands, his tongue.
He’d been lusting after Kiley for a long time, but he’d never made a move. For one, out of respect for her brother and his best friend and for two, he knew Keith would beat the hell out of him. One thing Keith took more serious than anything else was the protection of his sister - and that included protecting her from him. Keith believed his sister deserved better than a Mercenary. And truth be told, so did Scott.
“Do you want some wine or a beer?” she asked, pulling Scott from the naughty images running through his mind.
“Beer would be great,” he murmured.
Kiley pulled one from the fridge and tossed it to him. He caught it easily and set it on the table.
He really needed to get his mind off Kiley’s ass. Determined to keep his thoughts on what he had to tell her, he grabbed the bag of food and began to pull out the cartons while Kiley set the plates, silverware and a glass of wine for herself on the table.
They fixed their plates in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Scott was just about to take a bite of sweet and sour chicken when Kiley asked, “So what’s the bad news? Other than you’re not going to do this?”
Scott set his fork down. “I’m not going to Turkey but your brother and six other guys are.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously?” Then they narrowed. “Wait. Why aren’t you going?”
He leaned on his elbows. “You and I are to stay here.”
“No! Paula will—“
“Kiley,” Scott growled in a tone usually reserved for the men beneath him when they wouldn’t listen or when he was pissed. He pointed his fork at her, and she immediately bristled. Scott knew she wouldn’t take well to this. “We are staying here. Your brother made me stay behind so I could keep an eye on you and make sure you didn’t do something stupid. Like follow them.” Scott lowered his fork and sat back. “It’s going to be tough enough getting her out of there. Let them go do what they do and trust them to get her home.”
Kiley’s shoulders sagged. “Fine. Fair enough. When are they leaving?”
“Sometime after midnight. They’ll be over there about two to three weeks. What you had was great, but they need to do some surveillance, get a lay of the land. One of the other guys thinks he might be able to get us in through a contact that works in that prison. It’s someone he’s used before.”
“That would be great.”
Scott nodded. “Yeah, it would.”
“Are you sure you can trust him?”
Scott nodded. “It’s the same guy who helped us when Scott was held captive over there. He’s good at what he does, but if the guy ever gets caught, he’s a dead man.”
She pursed her lips and pushed the food around her plate with her fork. “So we’re just supposed to sit here and twiddle our thumbs?”
Scott snorted before taking a bite of his chicken. He chewed, ignoring Kiley’s curious green-eyed stare.
“Are you going to explain that snort or not?” she asked.
Scott tried to hide his grin. God, he loved her bluntness. She was never dull, that was for damn sure.
“I’m going to help you track these guys down.”
Kiley’s lips softened as they spread into a small smile. “You’re going to help me do research?”
He shrugged. “Can’t be all that hard. Right?” He took another bite of food and waited for her to answer.
“No,” she said sarcastically. “It’s not hard at all. It’s so easy even you can do it.”
He gave her a tight lipped grin, but inside he was definitely amused. No doubt about it; Kiley was a pistol. “So, I’m not just a pretty face?”
Her lips twitched. “Who said you were a pretty face?”
“Ah, come on, gorgeous. The way you stare at me when you think I’m not looking speaks volumes. I’m pretty, and you know it.”
The blush that instantly covered her cheeks caught him by surprise. He’d only been teasing her.
He’d never caught her looking at him. If anything, he’d always believed Kiley was indifferent to his charms. Had he been wrong?
She averted her eyes and focused on her food. “I do not stare at you, thank you very much.” She took a bite of food but kept her gaze on her plate. “So, how exactly are you supposed to help me? Most of the time when it comes to research, you’re just in my way.”
“Ouch,” Scott said with a chuckle.
Kiley lifted her gaze to his. “Well, it’s true.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Scott began as he reached for his beer. “I’m at your disposal. Whatever you need. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”
In the back of his mind he was hoping she’d tell him to strip down naked and take her on this table. Legs spread wide, thighs wrapped around his hips, and his cock buried deep in her pussy. Just thinking about it made him sweat.
He was such an ass lusting after his best friend’s sister. Kiley was his friend. They fought like brother and sister. They each knew the other like the back of their hand. Sex would ruin that for them.
Kiley turned her attention back to her food, but she wasn’t eating. Instead, she pushed the food around with her fork. That was odd behavior for Kiley, especially when it came to Chinese food. It was her favorite. Scott had never met a woman who could eat as much as Kiley and still stay slim.
“Is something bothering you?” Scott asked after several seconds of silence.
“You mean other than Paula being in a Turkish prison?”
“Yeah, other than that,” Scott replied.
“I don’t know,” she sighed, then dropped her fork. She grabbed her glass of wine and downed two sips before continuing. “I know these missions take time, it’s just…I want her out of there.”
Kiley set her glass down and frowned. “How could she have been so stupid? Why couldn’t I convince her that guy was no good? Why didn’t she listen?”
“She thought she loved him,” Scott said.
“That’s a good enough reason to turn your back on everyone that cares about you?”
“For some people.”
Kiley sighed and twirled her glass, staring at the red liquid inside.
“Have you ever been in love, Kiley?”
Kiley nodded sadly. “Once,” she replied softly.
Scott frowned. “When?”
She didn’t meet his startled gaze. Scott had no idea she’d ever been in love. She or Keith had never said a word about it.
“It doesn’t matter. He never returned those feelings.”
“Well then, he’s an idiot,” Scott growled.
Kiley looked at him at first in surprise, then her eyes softened and her lips spread into a slightly amused grin. “Yeah, I would agree that he’s sometimes an idiot.”
“Do you still see the guy?” Scott asked, surprised at the sharp ping of jealousy hitting his heart like someone flipping it with their finger.
“What about you?” Kiley asked without answering his question. “Have you ever been in love?”
Scott snorted. “No.”
“Of course not.”
“I don’t…I can’t…,” Scott sighed. “I don’t have the right job for that kind of relationship. How can I ask a woman to be okay with me risking my life like I do? It would never work.”
“We know several Seals that have successful marriages. That excuse is a crutch, and you know it.”
“I’m not a Seal anymore. What I do is different.”
“No, it’s not,” Kiley scoffed. “You do the same thing. The only difference is one is funded by the military and the other is privately funded. Come on, Scott. Out of all those women that you’ve slept with, not one of them got under your skin?”
Scott pointed his beer bottle at her. “You know me well enough to know the answer to that. Not one.” He sat back and took a sip of beer. “Love em’ and get the hell out, that’s my motto.” His lips twitched. “From what I understand, that’s yours as well. Perhaps you and I should team up.”
She smiled just a little, and Scott’s heart skipped a beat at the mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
“I don’t sleep with co-workers or friends of my brother’s. Not only that, but God knows where that penis of yours has been.”
Scott snickered as he watched Kiley carry her still full plate to the sink and begin to scrape the food into the garbage disposal. “I’m very careful. I always use a condom and get checked regularly.”
She glanced at him over her shoulder, her eyebrow raised adorably. “Really? I’m impressed.”
“I’ll always use a condom. I’m saving my skin to pussy virginity until I can convince the right girl she’s meant to be mine, you know when I’m old and gray and can no longer play with the big boys.”
Kiley giggled and shook her head. “Good luck with that.”
She set the plate down and turned to lean the small of her back against the counter. She reached down and gripped the edge of the granite countertop as she stared across the room at him with amusement, but there was a glint of something else in her eyes that made Scott’s pulse race.
“Don’t think I could convince her?” he asked.
“What I think is that this is a conversation better left for one of your male cronies. Right now, I need to get in the shower and get to bed.”
Scott grinned. “Want some company?”
Kiley walked past him and pushed at his forehead with her index finger, forcing his head back slightly. “You wish,” she mumbled.
Scott did wish. But he also knew wishing was all it could be. Kiley was off limits. He would never ruin the friendship they had over a night of sex, despite how incredible he knew it would be.
Kiley’s hands shook as she stared at Scott. It was one of the reasons she’d grabbed hold of the counter. She didn’t want him to see what kind of effect he had on her, especially when he was making sexual comments she really didn’t think he meant.
He looked so handsome, so incredibly sexy with that devilish twinkle in his eye. He always had that look when he was teasing her, even when they were kids. She placed trembling fingers on his head as she walked past, letting the short hair rub against her fingers as she ran her hand across them.
“You know the way out,” she said.
Her hand dropped from his head but Scott grabbed it. His fingers felt warm around hers, and she resisted the urge to pull her hand away. Instead, she turned to face him.
He stared up at her with concern and a hint of understanding. “Paula’s going to be okay, Kiley.
They’ll get her out.”
She nodded. “I know. Still doesn’t stop me from worrying.”
Scott brought her hand to his mouth. His lips were moist and soft as they touched the back of her fingers. Every inch of her arm tingled as he held her fingers against his lips for several seconds. He lifted his eyelids and met her gaze. Kiley swallowed, hoping the feelings she had for Scott didn’t show in her eyes.
She’d loved him since she was a teenager, but she’d never told anyone, although Paula had guessed. It’s why she’d never dated anyone seriously. It’s why her sexual encounters were just one night stands. It was because no one would ever measure up to Scott. No one would ever hold her heart the way Scott did.
Scott removed his lips from her hand and stood. Kiley’s heart raced as he leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. It wasn’t the first time he’d ever kissed her like that. He’d done it numerous times. He’d even kissed her chastely on the mouth, so she shouldn’t be surprised he would do it now, especially if he thought she was worried or upset. Unfortunately, when he was this close to her the butterflies in her stomach always went insane.
“I’ll see you at the office in the morning at eight?”
Kiley licked her lips. “Make it eight-thirty.”
Scott’s lips twitched slightly. “Deal.”
He started walking away, and she breathed a sigh of relief she hadn’t jumped him. Again. “And bring some coffee from the shop that’s on the corner.”
“Don’t like the office coffee?” he asked, although Kiley had no doubt he already knew the answer.
“Keith’s gone. Office coffee always sucks when Keith’s gone.”
Scott nodded and continued toward the front door. “Ain’t that the truth?”
Kiley stood in the kitchen for several minutes after the front door closed. Part of her wanted to run after him; call him back. Scott always made her feel better. Now that he was gone, that his tall, muscular presence was no longer filling her kitchen, the space felt overly big and lonely.
Sighing, she glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was only seven-thirty. Too early for bed.
Especially when it was an empty bed. She decided to hit the computers again and get that program running to track those women that James had friended on Facebook. She needed to keep an eye on them and hopefully be able to follow them if they left the country.
* * * *
Scott let the door of the office slam behind him, alerting Kiley to his arrival. He knew she was there. Her convertible Camero was parked out front. He couldn’t miss the damn thing—bright yellow with black interior. A stand out car for a stand out girl. Made perfect sense to him.He grinned to himself as he headed down the hall to Kiley’s office carefully balancing the three coffees he carried in his hands. He could still remember the argument she and Keith had over that car. Keith hated it. He thought she drove too crazy for a convertible, that she’d get herself killed. Keith had always been an overprotective brother, but after the death of their parents, he’d become even more so.
Scott chalked it up to fear of losing the only family he had left. Scott could understand that. He could also understand Kiley’s frustration with it. She was an adult, and Keith should treat her as such. Unfortunately, Keith never listened to reason when it came to Kiley.
As Scott made his way down the hall, he stuck his head into Keith’s office and nodded at his assistant, Miranda. “Mornin’, doll. Kiley in her office?”
Miranda smiled slightly and turned her attention back to the computer in front of her. “Where else? That girl’s going to work herself into an early grave alongside her brother. See what you can do about that.”
Scott snorted and set one of the coffees he carried on her desk. “I’m tryin’.”
He heard Miranda mumble something under her breath that sounded like ‘yeah, I bet’, but he chose to ignore it and headed on to Kiley’s office. Sometimes he wondered if the forty-something, gorgeous brunette that took care of Keith’s office duties knew about his feelings for Kiley. He’d tried to hide it as best he could but she’d still caught him watching Kiley. Miranda would give him an amused grin, but never said anything. At least loud enough that he could hear it.
He used his hip to push open Kiley’s door.
“Oh, thank God, you brought coffee,” she said as she held her hand out.
Scott stopped and raised an eyebrow. “You expect me to bring it to ya? You can’t get up and come get it?”
“You’re at my disposal, remember?” she countered, still holding her hand out. She wiggled her fingers, and he resisted the urge to laugh out loud.
Scott relented and placed the cup in her outstretched hand.
“Thank you,” she said, taking a big sip.
She winced and hunched her shoulders. “Crap,” she gasped and wiped at a drop of coffee clinging to her lower lip.
Scott licked his own, wondering what it would be like to lick that coffee from her lips himself.
“It’s hot,” he said.
“No kidding,” she murmured as she set the cup aside. “You made good time.”
“I came in the back way. Not as much traffic.”
Kiley nodded and returned her attention to the computer. She had her hair up today, small pearl earrings dangled from her lobes. Kiley wore very little jewelry, but when her hair was up, she always had in earrings. He flicked one of the pearls with the tip of his finger as he leaned over her shoulder to see what had her attention.
“What are you working on?” he asked.
“I’m putting the final touches on a program that will alert me to someone buying an airline ticket.”
“Do you have any idea how many laws you’re breaking?”
“Do you have any idea how many laws you break every time you take a job?” she replied.
“Touche’. Good thing we have friends in high places.” He looked closer at the screen. “Who are we watching?”
“James is flirting with three other women. I’m watching for any of them to leave the country.”
“Smart move.”
“Well, let’s hope it is.”
She spun her chair around before Scott realized her intent and had a chance to move. Still bent over slightly, he found himself inches from her face. They both froze. Scott stared into her beautiful eyes, and his pulse pounded loudly in his ears. Those full lips, still moist from the coffee called to him, begged him to take them.
Kiley hadn’t moved either. She sat forward slightly, her hands on the arms of the chair, her startled gaze glued to his. He needed to move. Why wasn’t he moving? Why wasn’t she
moving?
He tried to read her emotions, tried to gauge what she was thinking. Whatever it might be, she hid it well. She gave no indication she might want what he did. If he made a move, and she didn’t feel the same, then it could eventually turn into a problem. Not to mention what Keith would do to him.
Scott wasn’t afraid of Keith. He could certainly hold his own with her brother, but he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to ruin their friendship and he certainly didn’t want to ruin what he had with Kiley. He would rather have her as a friend than to not have her in his life at all.
He quickly pushed upright before he did something stupid like kiss her.
“Need any help with anything?” he asked.
Kiley shook her head and pushed herself out of the chair. Scott stepped back, allowing her room to move around him.
“For now, we just wait,” she replied.
He lowered his stare to her ass as she walked across the room to grab a file from the table a few feet away. Today, she wore tan slacks, a white sweater, and on her feet were leopard print three inch heels. Scott grinned, but quickly forced the smile away as she turned to face him.
She had the file open in her hands, silently studying what was inside. She looked at him through her lashes, then frowned. “Why are you still here?”
“I told you. I’m at your disposal.” He leaned his hip against her desk and lifted his cup to take a sip of coffee.
Kiley lowered the file and sighed. “Surely you have something else you could be doing.”
Scott raised an eyebrow in interest. Why was she so determined to see him leave? “You got a guy coming over or something? Why do you want me out of here so bad?”
Her frown deepened. “Why do you want to stay here so bad?”
Lowering her gaze, she walked around him to sit behind her desk again.
“Maybe I like watching you,” he drawled in his most sexy voice, but Kiley didn’t seem to notice.
She swatted at his hip with her file. “You’re on my paperwork. Move.”
He lifted his hip slightly, allowing her to pull the file from beneath him. She hid it well, but he could see the grin she fought to keep at bay.
“Scott…I swear to God…”
“What?” he teased, unable to resist. She scowled at him as she opened the file she’d retrieved.
“Have you looked into the women he’s flirting with?” he asked.
“You’re kidding, right?” she replied, without looking at him.
Scott should’ve known better. Nothing got past Kiley. That was probably one of the first things she’d done.
“What did you find out?” he pried.
She replaced the file onto her desk with a sigh. She seemed to do that often whenever he was around, but Scott had a feeling it had more to do with aggravation than anything sexual. Kiley wasn’t used to him questioning her like this.
“Same as Paula. Single, no discernible family, educated, early thirties to late-forties. My guess is they’re all lonely and very gullible.”
Scott nodded. “Probably—“His cell phone dinged, and he pulled it from the clip he had attached to his jeans and read the text from her brother. “Keith and the guys are in the air. They should be in Istanbul in a few hours.”
Scott quickly answered Keith’s question about Kiley before hitting send and placing it back in his clip.
“Did you tell him I’m safely in the office, guard dog on high alert?” she asked with just a hint of sarcasm.
“I’m not a guard dog,” Scott replied as though offended, then grinned wickedly. “I’m a predator.”
“You’re delusional,” she countered.
“I may be, but I definitely like my delusions better than most people’s realities.” He stood to leave. “In my mind, I’m a God. In reality, I’m just a mercenary.”
Kiley’s lips twitched as he turned to leave.
“I’ll be in my office. I have some emails I need to answer. Call out if you need me.” He glanced over his shoulder and winked. “Or if you just want me.”
Kiley shook her head and smiled as Scott left her office. The room seemed bigger when his presence wasn’t filling it. She resisted the urge to call out, to tell him that she did want him—
that she did need him. More than he could or would ever know.
She would rather have him as a teasing big brother than not at all. Scott would never go against her brother, and she would never ask him to.
Her smile faded as she stared at the computer screen. She really loved her job, but in reality, she needed to get away from Scott. She needed to find someone else to fall in love with. The longer she stayed around, the harder it would be to ever get over him. And God help her if he found someone he wanted to marry. That would kill her.
Yep, she definitely needed to get away from here and the sooner the better.
Maybe once her brother got back with Paula and they wrapped up this case, she would
seriously look into that C.I.A. job offer.
She opened her desk drawer and pulled out a business card. She stared at it for several seconds, thinking, wondering. She tapped at the desk with the edge of the card as indecision tugged at her chest. Would it hurt to hear him out? See what the C.I.A. had to offer?
She stopped tapping and reached for the phone.
Scott sat in his office only half paying attention to his computer screen. It was the first time he’d ever been on the sidelines during an operation. He didn’t like it, although he could understand Keith’s concern that Kiley might follow them. She would want to be there for her friend, and Scott could understand that.
He wanted to be there for Keith, but he also knew Keith needed him here to keep an eye on Kiley. She listened to him, and he could get through to her when no one else could.
His door opened, and he spun his chair to see who entered his office. Kiley stuck her head around the door and smiled. “Hey, I’m heading out to meet a friend for lunch. I’ll be back shortly.”
“A date?” he asked, even though the very idea made him sick to his stomach. “Anybody I know?”
She shook her head. “You really need to get some friends.”
“Hey, I have friends. They’re just all out taking care of your friend.”
She waved her hand at him in dismissal. “I’ll be back later.”
Scott frowned. She never answered his question. Kiley always told them who she was meeting.
Why no names this time? It was probably nothing, but the little green-eyed monster had taken up residence when it came to Kiley and other men.
He knew it was irrational, but whoever said the way you acted when you cared for someone was rational?
“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.” He squeezed his temple between his thumb and forefinger. “It doesn’t matter.”
He heard the purr of her car’s engine, and his whole body tensed. Who was he kidding? It did matter. He jumped up and headed to the parking lot. He could use this as surveillance practice.
Or at least that’s what he told himself.
The real reason was he wanted to know.
“Where are you going in such a hurry?” Miranda asked as he jogged by her office.
“Lunch,” he called back.
“You’re not following Kiley, are you?”
Scott came to a stop and turned to face Miranda. She stepped into the hallway. All of about five feet and not even a hundred pounds soaking wet, Miranda could stare someone down almost as good as Keith could.
She was like a mother figure to all of them and the way she stood there now, staring him down like a mother would a naughty child, Scott felt all of about fourteen.
“No,” he replied. He shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. “She didn’t by chance tell you who she was going to lunch with, did she?”
Miranda’s lips lifted in an amused half smile. “No, but does it matter?”
Scott frowned. Yes, it mattered. They always told each other when they were leaving, where they were going and who they were going with. It was a habit they’d gotten into. They didn’t have the safest jobs, so Keith thought it would be a good idea if they made a habit of checking in.
But this time Kiley didn’t say, which made Scott think she didn’t want him to know, which bothered him more than he wanted to admit. Not because of the safety issue, but because he didn’t want to think of her with another man.
“Aren’t you taking Keith’s keep-an-eye-on-Kiley thing a little too seriously? I don’t think she’s going to go jump a plane and head to the Middle East today. She trusts her brother to get Paula.
She’s also too wrapped up in the James surveillance to leave so I think you can ease off her.”
Scott sighed and put his hands on his hips.
“Or is this something else?” she asked.
“I’m just keeping an eye on her, Miranda. That’s all.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen the way you keep your eyes on her.”
Scott leveled a startled gaze at Miranda.
She grinned wickedly. “It’s okay. I won’t say anything.”
Scott rubbed at his chin as he took a step toward Miranda. “Does Keith know?”
“That you lust after his sister?” She shook her head. “No. The tension that’s building between the two of you is going to give you away though, if you don’t do something about it.”
Scott scowled. “What tension?”
Now it was Miranda’s turn to send him a look of disbelief. “Playing stupid doesn’t suit you.
Open your eyes, Scott.”
“Open my eyes to what? The fact that Kiley sees me as an annoying older brother? If there’s tension, it’s because all I seem to do lately is piss her off.”
“The two of you really need to talk,” Miranda said before she turned to head back to her office.
“Go get some lunch.”
“Lunch,” Scott grumbled; then he remembered Kiley. “Damn it, lunch.”
He rushed out the door and headed toward his truck, pushing Miranda’s lecture from his mind.
He could use the GPS attached to Kiley’s phone to track her down. She’d kill him if she knew he did that, but at the moment he didn’t care. He wanted to know who she was meeting.
Scott parked his truck across the street from the restaurant Kiley entered. From this vantage point, he had a clear view of the dining room of the expensive Italian restaurant.
He lifted his binoculars and focused in on Kiley. He watched her make her way across the room; the soft sway of her ass in the slacks she wore, the way her pearl earrings dangled from her ears. He wanted so bad to kiss that long, graceful neck.
He licked his lips, imagining what she might taste like. He knew how she smelled. Lavender.
She always smelled of lavender. As she got close to her table, a smile lit up her delicate features as she took the hand of her lunch date. Scott pulled back a little with the binoculars so he could see her companion.
His lips thinned in anger as he recognized the older man. Kevin Becker, head of computer intelligence with the C.I.A. Damn son of a bitch. What the hell was she doing talking to him?
He lowered the binoculars. “What are you doing, Kiley?”
* * * *
Kiley stepped into her living room and immediately kicked her shoes off her tired feet as she tossed her many purchases in the leather chair closest to the door.After lunch, she’d headed to the mall. She’d needed to think. Kevin had made an impressive offer; much better than the first two. It was a tough offer to pass up. But, did she really want to leave the company she and her brother built? Did she really want to leave Scott?
If she stayed with the company she would at least see Scott most every day. But then wasn’t that part of the problem? Seeing a man she was in love with who didn’t return those feelings?
Who only looked at her as a little sister?
“Where the hell have you been all day? It’s almost nine.”
Kiley screamed at the sound of Scott’s voice coming from her office door. She turned to glare at him, her face heating with embarrassment and anger.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she snapped. She placed a hand over her chest to try to slow her racing heart. “You scared the hell out of me.”
Scott didn’t apologize. Matter of fact, he looked angry. She frowned and took a step back.
“What’s your problem?”
“What were you doing eating lunch with Kevin Becker?”
Her mouth dropped open in shock. “Were you following me?”
“No. It just so happens we went to the same restaurant.”
Kiley’s mouth tightened as her anger grew. “You don’t like that place, Scott, so I know good and well you didn’t go there to eat. What were you doing following me?”
“I’m keeping an eye on you like Keith said.”
“I cannot believe you,” she snapped. Grabbing a pillow from the chair she threw it at him, hitting him square in his broad, muscular chest. He caught it in his hand and his eyes narrowed into hard slits of warning.
“Where the hell do you get off?” she yelled.
“You haven’t answered my question, Kiley.”
“He offered me a job…not that it’s any of your business.”
“A job?” Scott bellowed.
Kiley frowned, wondering what had him so riled. Why would he be so mad about this?
“Is that such a stretch?” Kiley asked.
Scott tossed the pillow back to the couch and started walking toward her. Kiley stepped behind the chair, putting it between her and a very angry, very sexy looking Scott.
“You’re a hell of a hacker. I get why the C.I.A. wants you. What I don’t get is why you want them. How can you leave the company you helped start? How can you leave Keith?”
“My God,” she said in shock. “You’re acting like I cheated on you or something.”
“You are cheating!” Scott yelled.
“I am not! It’s a company, not a marriage.”
“It’s about trust, Kiley. Have you even talked to your brother about this? Does he have any idea the C.I.A. is courting you?”
Kiley licked her lower lip, suddenly feeling very guilty. She’d considered the offer in order to get away from Scott. She hadn’t even once thought about Keith.
She sighed. “No.”
“Why are you even considering it?” Scott demanded.
She bristled and sent him her own narrowed stare of warning. “What I do with my life is my business.”
Scott stepped forward and put his hands on the back of the chair. Leaning forward, he brought his face very close to hers. She could feel every beat of her heart rush the blood through her body. He locked his deep blue eyes with hers and Kiley wondered how he could not see how much she loved him. How could he not see what working with him every day was doing to her?
“Why are you considering it, Kiley?”
“Because of you, okay?” she shouted, then gasped in shock at what she’d revealed.
The anger left Scott’s face so fast he appeared to almost go pale. “What do you mean ‘because of me’?”
Kiley sighed and stepped back away from the chair, putting some distance between her and Scott. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did,” Scott countered.
He was right. She did. Now, how did she take it back?
Her iPad beeped and for a brief second she was thankful for the interruption—at least until she saw it was her brother calling.
Scott picked up the iPad and opened the Skype program. “Hey, land safely?”
“Yeah.” There was a brief pause. “I thought I called Kiley’s Skype address.”
“You did. I’m at Kiley’s.”
“Oh. We landed safely and we’re setting up at the safe house now. We plan to head straight to the prison in about an hour or so to check things out. How are things there?”
Kiley shook her head, silently begging him not to say anything. Unfortunately, Scott didn’t pay her any attention.
“Did you know the C.I.A. is courting your sister?”
“What?” Her brother asked in surprise, and Kiley sighed. “Where’s Kiley?”
Scott turned the iPad to face Kiley. She sent him a scathing look before glancing at her brother on the screen. “Hey, Keith.”
“You gonna explain?” he asked. Keith never beat around the bush.
Kiley lifted one hand, then slapped at her thigh in agitation. “It’s nothing. I just met with him at lunch. I’m not taking the job. I just wanted to hear what he had to offer.” She glared at Scott.
“Your pal here is just making a big deal out of it.”
“I know he can’t match what you’re making now money wise. What’s going on, Kiley? Why would you even consider it?”
“Can we talk about this when you get home?” She sent her brother a pleading look she hoped he understood. “Please?”
Keith nodded. “Yeah, okay. Scott, turn me back around.”
Scott turned the pad so it faced him. “How do things look over there?” he asked.
“John’s contact is going to get me into the prison so I can see her. I’m going in as an attorney. I just hope they don’t look too closely at the forged credentials, or my discomfort in a suit.”
Scott’s lips twitched. “You in a tie? Man, I miss all the good stuff.”
“I just hope I pass for a new, first day on the job Turkish lawyer. Half American on my mother’s side. Kiley, do you have any messages for me to take to her?”
Kiley walked over and stood next to Scott. She could feel his heat, feel his dominating presence, even smell his woodsy, masculine scent. God, she really needed to put some distance between them, and soon, before she completely gave in to the lust she felt for him.
“Just tell her I’m thinking about her. She’s going to recognize you, you know.”
“I know, but I’m hoping she’s smart enough not to say anything.”
She studied her brother’s lined brow and the bags beneath his eyes. Being back in Turkey was affecting him more than he would admit.
“How are you?” she asked. “You look tired.”
“I tried to get some sleep on the plane, but we had so much crap to go over, I didn’t get much.”
Kiley nodded. “Make sure you get some. It’s not good to go into a situation like this if you’re tired.”
“I will. And will the two of you please stop fighting?”
Kiley’s eyes widened. “We’re not fighting,” they both replied at the same time.
Keith snorted. “The two of you have been bickering non-stop for weeks.” He eyed them suspiciously before turning a firm gaze to Scott. “Lay off her about the C.I.A., Scott.”
“Fine,” Scott growled, then hit the end button, cutting off the connection.
“Hey,” she snapped. “I wasn’t finished talking to him.”
“And I’m not finished talking to you.”
Kiley grabbed the iPad and headed into her office. “Keith said to lay off me about that.”
“That’s not what I want to talk to you about.”
She set the pad on her desk, but didn’t dare look up at him. He would want to know what she meant by her comment. How was she going to get out of this? What was she going to say?
“What have I done to make you want to leave?”
The softness of his voice caught her off guard. She jerked her head up and realized her mistake instantly. She found herself held captive by his insistent, sexy, and completely irresistible stare.
For a few seconds, she couldn’t speak.
“Well?” he asked as he leaned his palms on the desk.
“I just…We’ve been arguing a lot lately. The tension is…”
“Tension?” he asked, staring at her intently.
She glanced down at the desk and began to tug at the corner of a file. “Maybe tension isn’t the right word.”
“What is the right word?”
Love. Lust. Passion. All of it unrequited.
“Are you really not taking the job or did you just tell Keith that?”
She looked up at him. “Why does it matter?”
He shrugged. “The office wouldn’t be the same without you. Who would I get to do my ground work?”
Kiley rolled her eyes. Ground work. Of course.
“Kiley,” Scott said.
Kiley shifted her gaze back to his.
He watched her for a few seconds. Neither said anything. It was as though he was waiting for her to say something…do something. She knew she was waiting—waiting for him to say he loved her, that he wanted her, that he couldn’t see his life without her.
He didn’t say any of those things, and Kiley’s heart sank. “I have a headache. Do you mind leaving so I can get some sleep?”
After a moment of silence, Scott nodded. “I’ll see you at the office.”
He turned to leave, and Kiley felt the sting of tears as they burned the backs of her eyes.
Please, whatever you do don’t turn around and see me cry.
He didn’t, and Kiley wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed.
* * * *
Keith stared in surprise at the black screen. Did Scott just hang up on him? What the hell was going on with those two? Sighing, he squeezed his temples between his thumb and forefinger.Something he seemed to be doing more and more lately.
“The kiddies fighting again?” John asked as he walked into the main room of the safe house.
“What?” Keith asked.
“Scott and Kiley. Are they fighting again?”
“What’s with them lately?” Keith asked in exasperation. “It’s like working with a couple of teenagers.” Keith sat back in the chair and looked at John. “Do you know anything about the C.I.A. courting Kiley?”
“Are they trying again?” John asked with a snicker. “Those boys don’t give up, do they?”
“Again?”
“Yeah.” John frowned. “You didn’t know?”
Keith shook his head.
“Well, cat’s out of the bag now, I guess. It’s not the first time they’ve tried.”
Keith frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not?”
“Nah. Kiley always tells them no. That she’s not interested. Then a few months later they’ll up the ante and try again. This has been going on for a couple of years now. She’s a hell of a hacker, Keith. Surely you’re not surprised.”
“I’m not surprised they want her, I’m just surprised she never told me.”
John shrugged as he pulled a tie from one of the suitcases. “Didn’t want to upset you, I guess.”
“How did you know?”
“Miranda and I ran into her and Kevin Becker at a restaurant. Miranda cornered her later.”
Keith grinned at the idea of Miranda cornering Kiley. “Ah.”
John tossed the tie to him with a grin. “Time to get all gussied up.”
“Joy,” Keith drawled as he stood and began to lift his black t-shirt over his head.
Paula sat on her lumpy bed and sighed toward the ceiling. What had she been thinking? Why hadn’t she seen the signs? She took a deep breath and winced at the pain that sliced through her bruised ribs.
She was so tired, but sleep eluded her. All she could think about were the things she would miss. Summers at the beach. Skiing in the winter. A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she angrily wiped it away.
What good did it do to cry?
She thought back to how she had gotten into this mess. She’d broken up with yet another boyfriend. Her relationships never lasted. For a long time she thought it was because of her.
Now that she’d had time to think about it, she knew that wasn’t it. It was because every man she dated failed against Keith.
Keith was her best friend’s brother. He was gorgeous. He was everything she wanted in her husband—kind, funny, strong. Keith had never been interested in her, but then she’d also never really tried to get him either. She’d always felt he was too far out of her league, too much of a workaholic.
So, she’d looked for him in other men, but none of them ever came close. After her last breakup, she’d decided to give up. That’s when she’d met James. He’d been safe. He couldn’t possibly hurt her or disappoint her, he was overseas.
But, the more they talked, the more she liked him.
The more she liked him, the more they talked.
Somehow, she’d convinced herself James was for her. That they could be happy together. That she’d finally found her Keith double.
Another tear slipped free from behind her eyes. God, she’d been so wrong.
“I should’ve just continued to admire Keith from afar.”
A knock sounded at her door just before it was slung open. Paula jumped and pushed herself further back against the wall as two guards walked into her tiny room. She always hated when they came to get her. She never knew what they had in mind and constantly lived in fear.
“You have a visitor,” one of them snarled in broken English.
Paula frowned, wondering who it could possibly be. She stood slowly and walked between them to the visitor’s area. The one in front of her opened the door, then the one behind shoved her through it hard.
She stumbled into the tiny room and grabbed the corner of the small table in the center to keep from falling. She winced at the pain in her ribs as she steadied herself against the cold metal of the tabletop.
Pushing up slowly, she took in what little there was of her surroundings. It was basically empty except for a small table and two chairs. The concrete floor was cold; the gray stone walls bland and devoid of warmth. Just like everywhere else in this God forsaken place.
They hadn’t questioned her yet, which was something she didn’t understand. Is this where it would happen? Is this where they would ‘question’ her? Is that what her visitor was here to do?
Who else would be coming here to talk to her?
She swallowed the bile that quickly rose up her throat. She’d eaten very little over the last couple of days. She couldn’t. She was too scared. She remembered what kind of condition Keith had been in when they got him out of Turkey. They’d beaten the hell out of him—gleefully.
Back then he’d been a Seal. He’d sacrificed himself so the rest of his team could get out, but his team refused to leave him behind. Scott led the unsanctioned mission to rescue him, a mission that had gotten them all booted out of the Navy. But thanks to the questionable circumstances of the original mission, as well as the bad intel from the government, they’d been able to get honorable discharges minus any retirement or pension—provided of course they never talked about it in public.
Paula wasn’t military. Maybe that’s why they hadn’t done anything. So far, all they’d done to her was just be rough, which is how she’d gotten the bruised ribs and hip.
The door to the room opened and one of the guards stuck his head inside. “Your visitor is here,” he told her in broken English.
Paula turned, still holding tight to the edge of the table as a tall, handsome man in a suit walked in. His green eyes met hers, and it was all she could do to not run into his arms, bawling like a baby.
Keith.
Her legs shook as Keith walked toward her, a look of concern on his handsome, clean-shaven face.
“Are you all right, Miss Shanks?”
She nodded calmly, but inside she was crying out. Please get me out of here!
“Who are you?” she croaked.
“I’m your attorney. I was sent over by your cousin, Kiley.”
Paula closed her eyes briefly to try and compose herself. Kiley had gotten her message. She had been so afraid Kiley would ignore her; that her friend would’ve been so angry she wouldn’t help. Paula should’ve known better. Kiley would never abandon her, despite how Paula had turned her back on her friend.
Over a man. A man that once Paula began to look back on things, she could see he’d been a sham. She’d been stupid and gullible, and she felt so ashamed of her behavior.
The guard shut the door, leaving them alone in the room. Keith stepped closer and lifted her chin. “Paula,” he whispered.
She opened her eyes, but couldn’t meet his gaze. The heat of a blush filled her cheeks, and all she wanted to do was hide.
“How could I have been so stupid?” she mumbled.
“Look at me,” Keith commanded softly, and she did without hesitation. Keith had that effect on people. He was so dominant but at the same time so nice. “Don’t worry about that right now.
Are you hurt?”
“Just some bruises.”
“Are you sure?”
She licked her lips and nodded. “I think so.”
“Where?”
She lifted her hand to her right side.
Keith glanced down at her hand, then looked back to her face. “I’m going to take a look, okay?”
Paula nodded. His hands were gentle as he lifted her shirt and probed at the bruised spot on her side. She winced when he pressed in, and his questioning gaze shot to hers. “I don’t think any of them are broken, but they’re badly bruised. How did this happen?”
“They uh…” She swallowed and tried again. “They shoved me into the room, and I hit the bedframe.”
He frowned. “You fell against the bedframe?”
“When they noticed I had hurt myself they found it amusing to find ways to hit me in that same spot or force me to injure myself over and over again.”
Keith cursed under his breath as he stood.
“I tried twice in Peru to get away, once I realized something was up.”
Keith looked at her, but anger still darkened his eyes making her shiver. She felt she needed to explain. That hopefully, he would understand what had happened—that she hadn’t had a choice.
“I thought once I got on the plane I could just leave the computer they’d given me somewhere and get away, but one of his cronies boarded the plane with me. They wanted to make sure I left the plane with that computer.”
Some of Keith’s anger faded as he moved closer and rubbed his hand up and down her arm.
She held tighter to the table, resisting the urge to throw herself into his strong arms.
“Your being arrested was probably a good thing, although I know it might not appear that way.”
“Why would you say that?” she asked.
Keith leveled his stare at her. “Because if you’d made it through customs with that computer, you would’ve been killed. That’s what they do.”
Paula shook her head. “I’m not so sure this is much better. What’s going to happen to me?”
A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye to slide down her cheek. Keith cupped her face and wiped the tear away with his thumb. “I’m going to get you out,” he whispered.
Her breath caught at the determined look in his eyes. Paula knew what he meant. She knew Keith and his team would be coming for her and the beating of her heart increased tenfold with excitement. She knew what Keith did. She knew how good he was at it. If anyone could get her out, it was him.
“Your trial will be coming up soon,” Keith said just a little louder.
They had no idea if anyone was listening in on them. They had to keep up the rouse. For all they knew, Keith’s declaration to get her out could be through the courts.
Paula nodded, playing along.
“I need you to be ready and to be strong. The trial may be a little rough and frightening.”
“I can handle anything if it means I get to go home.”
Keith’s lips twitched slightly as he dropped his hands and stepped back. Paula instantly missed his heat, his closeness. She was sure what she felt had to do with her situation. He was her rescuer—her prince charming.
She’d known Keith for a while. She wasn’t immune to his good looks, his charm, or his purely alpha demeanor. He was everything any woman would want in a man. Tall, dark hair,
muscular body, confidence in abundance, unfortunately Keith was also one of those men that the job would probably always come first. He was a workaholic. Even Kiley said so.
Keith turned and banged his fist against the door, making Paula jump. “Open up.”
The door opened and two guards stepped into the room. They grabbed her hands pulling her from the table toward the door.
“Tell your superiors if I see another bruise on my client I’ll report them for abusing an American citizen,” Keith said firmly.
Both guards stopped and glared at him.
“I really don’t think you want the U.N. involved, now do you?” Keith added in a deadly voice that sent chills up Paula’s spine. Wow, Keith could be scary.
The guards snorted and continued hauling her from the room. She glanced over her shoulder at Keith. He winked at her, making her stomach flip. She turned back to the front, trying to suppress the thrill of excitement over the fact she might actually get out of here.
* * * *
Kiley’s iPad beeped, and she jerked awake instantly. She blinked, surprised to find she’d fallen asleep on the couch. The pad beeped again, and she quickly reached for it, recognizing the signal. As she opened it, she glanced at the clock. Five a.m. That meant it was twelve noon in Istanbul.She opened the secure program and smiled at Keith’s face on the screen. “Hey, brother. Did you get in to see Paula?”
Keith nodded as he loosened the tie around his neck. Kiley knew just how much he hated those things. He always felt like they were choking him, even when he was a kid.
“How is she?” Kiley asked.
“Scared…embarrassed.”
“I can understand that.”
“Yeah, me too. Scott take the C.I.A. thing pretty hard?”
Kiley sighed. “He went ballistic.”
Keith snickered. “He’ll get over it. He’s just worried about you, I think. If you stay with us, we can keep an eye on you. If you go with them…well, we couldn’t. You’re like a baby sister to him, so he freaks out.”
Great, a baby sister. Perfect.
“He went a little over board this time,” she grumbled.
“What’s going on with you two lately, Kiley? All you do is fight.”
“I don’t know,” she mumbled, then shrugged as she drew her legs beneath her and settled back on the couch. “He just gets on my nerves.”
“I think there’s something you’re not telling me, but I figure you’ll get around to it at some point, right?”
“Right,” Kiley agreed with a nod, but mentally she was crossing her fingers. Kiley really didn’t want to have to admit to her brother she was in love with Scott.
“So you wanna talk about this C.I.A. thing?” he asked.
“No.”
“Are you considering it?”
“Would you hate me if I took it?” she asked.
Keith frowned. “So you are considering it.”
“I don’t know.”
“Kiley, talk to me. What’s going on?”
“I just think I need a change.”
“From what? From us? Does this have anything to do with Scott and the tension between you two?”
“No,” Kiley answered.
The second she saw her brother’s face she knew she’d answered a little too quickly.
“Okay, maybe.”
“Has Scott done something?”
“No.”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it?”
When she didn’t answer, Keith let out a tired sigh. “I knew you had a crush on him years ago, but I thought that was over.”
“It is over.”
“Kiley, Scott isn’t right for—“
“I don’t want to get into this with you, Keith. Please. I know where you stand when it comes to Scott. I also know Scott isn’t right for me, but I just can’t…I need to get away for a while.”
“Then go on a trip. You and Paula can go somewhere when we get back, but don’t go with the C.I.A. The damn place is a death trap.”
“Surely it’s not that bad.”
“Kiley, it was the C.I.A.’s screw up with intelligence that got me and my team trapped in Turkey. They’re screw ups, plain and simple.”
“Gee, not holding a grudge, are you?”
Keith sent her a scowl over the screen, and Kiley grinned.
“Damn right, I’m holding a grudge. If I could get my hands on the agent that sent me the wrong intel, I’d slit his throat.”
Kiley’s grin widened. “Right there with ya.”
“Mmm,” Keith replied. “Try to work things out with Scott, please. I can’t afford to lose either one of you.”
“I will,” she relented.
“I’ll keep you informed on our progress here. She won’t have passports, so we’re going to swing by the safe-house in London so we can get her paperwork back in order before coming home.”
“How long do you think you’ll be?”
“Actually, I don’t think it’s going to take as long as we initially thought. We’re going for the extraction tomorrow.”
Kiley raised an eyebrow. “Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. We have a window we can’t pass up. John got wind of one of the terrorists groups here have a bombing planned and you’ll never guess where?”
“The prison?” she asked.
“Next door in the abandoned building. Some sort of warning toward the prison warden”
Kiley frowned. “Are you sure that’s accurate? And that it’s a good idea to go in with all that going on?”
“The guy’s never let us down before with his intel and it’s the perfect time. We could use the diversion. Keep your fingers crossed.”
“Be safe.”
Keith smiled softly. “Always.”
Scott sat outside the office debating on whether or not to go in. Kiley had arrived about five minutes ago. If he didn’t go in soon, the coffee he’d bought them would be cold.
He took a sip of his own and winced as the hot fluid hit his tongue. He barely slept last night for thinking about Kiley. She drove him crazy. Why did she want to leave the company? And more importantly, why did she blame him?
Yeah, they’d been fighting a lot lately, but…Why were they fighting so much? Scott frowned as he thought about it. He wanted Kiley. He knew that. He was frustrated because he couldn’t have her. Was he taking that frustration out on her somehow without realizing it?
An incoming text pulled him from his thoughts. He flipped his phone over so he could see the screen.
Stop brooding and come inside. I need to talk to you.
It was from Kiley. Scott snorted and hit the close button, not bothering to send a reply. She must’ve seen him out the window.
“Might as well get this over with,” he said to himself as he grabbed the coffees.
He found Kiley in the computer room at the back of the office complex. The room was cold and dark, something Kiley insisted on for the equipment. Even in the dim lighting, she was easy to find perched behind one of the computer screens.
She must not have heard him enter since she didn’t look at him right away. She was bent over typing something on the keyboard. Unable to stop himself, Scott let his gaze wander over her backside. The jeans she wore hugged her hips perfectly, and his fingers flexed with the desire to grab that firm ass and give it a good squeeze.
She stood up and turned to face him. He moved his gaze quickly back to her face so she wouldn’t know where he’d been staring. She jumped in surprise before relaxing and giving him an uncertain smile.
“Hey,” she said.
Scott handed her one of the coffee cups. “I’m sorry I was an ass, Kiley. Peace offering?”
Kiley nodded and took the cup from his hand. “I’m sorry I yelled at you, too.”
Scott made a face. “I deserved it.” He glanced around her shoulder to the screen. “What are you working on?”
“It’s the same program I was working on the other night. I just tweaked it a bit. Scott?”
Kiley lowered her head and stared at her cup. Scott could tell she was more than a little uncomfortable and wondered why. What was it that had suddenly come between them? Or had it always been there and he’d just been too blind to notice?
He moved to lean his hips against the desk and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for her to continue. “What is it, Kiley?”
She bit at her lower lip briefly before saying anything, and Scott had the sudden desire to replace her teeth with his. He wanted to nip at that full lower lip, to taste her as he slid his tongue inside her mouth, to feel her moan as it—
“Scott,” she said loudly.
He blinked in confusion. Damn, she’d been talking, and he hadn’t heard a word she’d said.
“God, I’m sorry, Kiley. I…” He sighed and dragged his hand through his hair. “My mind was somewhere else.”
“Where?” she asked.
On your mouth, your sighs, your taste.
“I was just hoping Keith is handling Istanbul okay, considering what happened the last time he was there.”
Kiley nodded sadly. “I talked to him earlier. He seemed fine.”
“Yeah, I talked to him too. I promised him I would make a massive effort to get along better with you.”
Kiley smiled slightly. “Yeah? I made the same promise.”
“Good, then we’re on the same page.”
Scott watched Kiley carefully. Why did she get so aggravated with him lately? Was she as frustrated as he was with the whole hands off policy from Keith?
“I guess if we get along better, you won’t feel the need to rush off to the C.I.A.”
Kiley rolled her eyes and turned to leave. “You just had to go there.”
She made it all the way to the door before Scott caught up with her. He reached over her shoulder and shut the door just as she was about to walk through it.
She spun around and her eyes narrowed into tiny slits. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m sorry.”
He was sorry for acting like such an ass because all he really wanted to do was grab her to him and kiss her.
She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it. “I’m not taking the job,” she said softly.
“And it’s not the first time he’s offered it to me.” She shrugged and looked at something over his shoulder. “I go hear him out, but then…” She brought her gaze back to his and the sadness he could see hit him in the gut with the force of a sledgehammer. “I always end up telling him no. Eventually he’ll get tired of it and give up…I’m guessing.”
Scott smiled slightly and touched her cheek with the pad of his thumb. Kiley’s lips parted and it was all he could do to not touch his mouth to hers.
He sighed and dropped his hand. “I promise from today on no more following you around, no more grilling you about the shit hole,” he said, grinning. “I’m here to help you, so whatever you need just say it, even if it’s get the hell out of my way.”
“Okay,” she said, then grinned. “Get the hell out of my way.”
He nodded and chuckled. “All right.”
She moved away from the door allowing him to leave, but then stopped him. “Oh, wait.”
He turned to look at her questioningly. “You change your mind?”
“Actually, I need your help. One of the women James is talking to is local.”
Scott shook his head. “Kiley, no.”
“Why?”
“If you go talk to her, which is what I’m thinking you want to do, you could screw this whole thing up. If she’s in love with him, whatever you say, she’ll try to confirm. It could alert him that we’re onto him.”
Her shoulders sagged in defeat. “You’re probably right. I just can’t stand the thought of another woman being played.”
“That’s why you have this program running. If she takes off to Peru, we’ll be right behind her. I promise.”
“Have you talked to the authorities in Peru?”
“We don’t know the authorities aren’t in on this as well.”
“We can’t go down there and take out their cartels without giving them some sort of warning.”
“Yeah, we can.”
“Scott—“
He smiled and chucked her under the chin. “Trust me. I have all the necessary cards in play.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You went to the D.E.A.”
He shifted and leaned against the doorjamb while holding the door open with his free hand. “Is that a bad thing? They want them. We can get them.”
“So when it’s finished we just hand them over? That will never work. They didn’t get them through legal channels.”
“They’re our way in without having to go through the locals,” he said. “We’re not just rescuing someone this time. We’re bringing in the bad guys. We need someone to bring them to.”
Kiley glanced toward the ceiling in frustration.
“Did you think we were just going to go round them up and drop them off at the local jail?”
“To be honest, I didn’t know what we were going to do with them.”
“The D.E.A has been watching this group for a while. So far they’ve had two undercover agents killed trying to infiltrate the cartel. The D.E.A wants them bad, Kiley. Bad enough to give us free reign, while at the same time backing us up.”
“Which means if anything goes wrong, it’s your fault not theirs and they deny ever being involved.”
“It’s not the first time we’ve played this game with them, Kiley, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
Kiley bit at her lower lip again. Scott reached for her hand and wrapped his fingers around hers. When he tugged her forward she didn’t resist. She moved to stand in front of him, her hand in his, her beautiful gaze locked on his own.
“We know what we’re doing.”
“I know.”
“Then trust me,” he whispered.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth. He absently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, enjoying the feel of her skin beneath his touch. He wondered what the rest of her would feel like. Would she be as soft everywhere?
Her lips twisted slightly. “You’re real big on this trust thing, aren’t you?”
“Trust is important in any relationship.” He dropped her hand and turned to leave. “Especially in our line of work.”
“Touche,” he heard her say just before the door closed behind him.
Kiley walked into her house and flipped the light switch by the door, bathing the living room in light. She sighed and set her purse and keys in the chair by the door. Some people had a coffee table or kitchen table they set things on. Kiley used the chair. It was something her brother always teased her about.
Even when they were kids, she was so anxious to be rid of all the crap she carried home from school, she would drop it into the first available spot. That was usually the chair by the door and the habit stuck.
The ringing of her cell phone cut through the silent house and she quickly retrieved it from her purse.
“Hello,” she said without looking at the caller ID.
“Hey, girlfriend,” Sharon said cheerfully from the other end. “Got any plans for tonight?”
Kiley grinned at her outrageous friend. “Nope. Are you calling to give me some by chance?”
“Yep. A bunch of us are getting together and heading over to The Den. Up for it?”
“Of course. What time?”
“One hour.”
Kiley glanced at her watch. “That gives me just enough time to shower and change. Meet you there.”
One hour later, Kiley was dressed and ready to party. This was just the thing she needed to get her mind off Scott. Maybe she could drown her lust in alcohol, and if she was lucky, some gorgeous hunk she would never see again.
Kiley slid from behind the steering wheel of her car and stood. As she did, she swept her gaze over the crowd, looking for her friend. Sharon spotted her and waved from across the parking lot. Waving back, Kiley quickly made her way over to join her and three other girls gathered on the sidewalk just outside their favorite club.
Her friend looked incredible in a deep green mini-dress and three inch black stilettos that showed off her long legs and accentuated the muscular tone of a runner. Her long, brown hair was down around her shoulders and her brown eyes sparkled with mischief. Sharon was a great friend. Kiley could always count on her to be there for her, but Kiley also knew that trouble followed Sharon.
Not because she welcomed it or looked for it, but just because she seemed to have some of the worst bad luck in the world.
“There you are,” Sharon said as she embraced her in a hug. As she pulled away, she waved her hand toward the other three. “You remember these girls from the party planning business, right?”
Kiley looked at them and nodded. “Yeah. Hi, guys.”
Lydia, Theresa, and Angela. They were Sharon’s employees and had started tagging along to some of their nighttime haunts.
They all said their hellos and headed to the door. Inside, the club’s low lighting cast the room in a reddish hue. Designed to look like an old, eighteenth century bordello, the club had a very unusual vibe.
They grabbed one of the corner tables and quickly ordered a round of drinks. Kiley needed this.
She needed the numbing effect to help her not think about Scott. Hopefully, if she drank enough, maybe she wouldn’t think about anything at all.
Just as she was about to lift the glass to her lips the waiter had set in front of her, she spotted the last person in the world she wanted to see over by the bar.
Scott.
He stood with two other guys, drinking beer and talking about God knows what. As she stared, several women walked past him, giving him looks that very clearly said what they wanted.
Kiley frowned as Scott began to talk to one of those women.
Why should she care, right? She took a huge sip of her drink then started to set her glass down but changed her mind. Lifting it, she started to take another.
“Hey, is that Scott?” Sharon asked as she raised her hand to wave.
Kiley grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand back down. “No!”
Sharon gave her a confused look. “Why not?”
Kiley shook her head. “Just—“
She saw Scott walking toward them and inwardly groaned. Too late. He’d already spotted them. “Damn.”
Sharon frowned at Scott, then her. “What’s going on, Kiley? Are you mad at him or
something?”
“Or something,” she mumbled and gulped down another huge sip of her drink.
God, he looked good—jeans, t-shirt, wide shoulders, narrow hips, beer in hand, smile on his handsome face. Sighing, she lifted her glass to down the remaining contents.
Lydia grabbed her elbow and whispered, “Slow down, hon.”
Kiley could already feel the effects. Warmth spread through her limbs. Fog penetrated her brain to leave her feeling slightly disoriented and way too loose with her tongue.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she snapped as Scott came to stand by their table.
Scott raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Someone’s a mean drunk.”
“I’m not drunk,” Kiley argued as heat flooded her cheeks. “I’m just surprised to see you here.”
“I came with the guys,” he waved toward the bar. “The dark haired guy, Shawn, wanted to know if I would introduce him to the platinum blonde…” He gave Lydia a pointed look.
Lydia smiled slightly and replied, “Married.”
Scott’s scrunched his nose into a pained expression. “Shawn will be disappointed to hear that.”
“Well,” Lydia said with a chuckle. “Tell him I appreciate the interest.” She looked at Kiley and her grin widened. “Makes me feel good to know I can still attract a cute guy.”
Kiley returned her smile but when she turned her gaze back to Scott, her smile faded. “I guess you can go back to your friends now.”
Scott lifted his lips into the devilish grin Kiley recognized. She doubted he was going anywhere.
Matter of fact, he proved her right by grabbing a chair and turning it around. He straddled his thick thighs over the chair, then sat down.
“Sounds like you’re trying to get rid of me,” he purred.
“Then I guess it’s exactly as it sounds.”
Sharon moved her gaze between the two of them, her intelligent brown eyes not missing anything. Kiley knew after this little performance, Sharon would be all over her for what was behind it.
“We hang out all day together,” Kiley reasoned. “Do we have to hang out at night together, too?”
“I don’t know,” Scott replied as he studied her so intently she felt the urge to squirm. “Might be kinda fun to hang out at night. Besides, if I recall, we had dinner together at night recently.”
“That was a peace offering and if you don’t leave, you’re going to need to bring me another one.”
“Maybe I’ll stay so I have a reason to.”
Kiley sighed and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “You are such a-“
“Relax, sunshine. I’m leaving.” Scott stood and turned the chair back around, then pushed it under the table. “If I didn’t know you as well as I do, I would get a complex.” He pouted, making Sharon and the other women feel sorry for him. “See how bad she treats me.”
“Ah,” Sharon said. “Poor baby.”
“I know. It’s awful.” He turned and began walking away, but as he left he threw over his shoulder. “Just awful.”
Sharon and the other girls chuckled, but Kiley frowned. The more time she spent with him, the more she wanted him—the more she loved him. What the hell was she going to do?
“Okay, now that he’s gone…” Sharon began as she spun in her chair to face Kiley. “You want to talk about what the hell all that tension is about?”
Kiley waved and got the waiter’s attention. Holding up her glass, she indicated she would like another drink. He nodded and headed to the bar. “Do I have to?”
“Well, we can just make up our own minds about how you have the hots for Scott and use a surly demeanor to cover it up, albeit it badly.”
Kiley dropped her head in her hands. “Oh, God.” If she was that obvious to them was she that obvious to Scott? “Is it that obvious?”
“To me,” Sharon replied.
“Us, too,” Lydia added as she put her arm around Kiley’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
“It’s not so bad. He’s gorgeous. I would have the hots for him too if I were you.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Is Keith still trying to run your life with that whole stay away from Scott thing?” Sharon asked.
Kiley lifted her head and nodded. “I understand why. I do. Scott and I work together. If it didn’t work out, which it probably wouldn’t since he’s such a womanizing prick, then things at work would be rough.”
“Oh, and the way things are now is so much better?” Sharon argued.
Kiley snorted. “Most days I can avoid him or hide things. Most days Keith is there so it’s easier.
Now that Keith is in Istanbul and Scott’s bored because all the guys are gone, he’s been spending more time with me.” Kiley squeezed her temple tiredly. “And, it’s getting so very hard to keep my hands off him.”
“I don’t think getting drunk is going to help that situation any,” Theresa said with amusement.
“Your drink, hon,” the waiter said.
Kiley smiled her thanks and took the glass from his extended hand. “I think the not getting drunk thing is a matter of opinion,” Kiley said as she took a big sip of her drink.
Scott sat at the bar, watching Kiley on the dance floor. Kiley’s toned, tan body swayed and moved to the music; the hot pink mini dress emphasizing every luscious curve to perfection.
Her brown hair had begun to curl from the moist air created by the fog machines stationed at the four corners of the dance floor. Several men gathered around her, dancing along with her.
She seemed oblivious to their presence, lost in her own world—in the almost tribal beat of the music.
He loved watching her dance. She was good. She knew exactly how to move her hips to attract a man. Scott frowned as one of the men dancing with her got a little too close. He stood and started to intervene, but Kiley seemed to have things well in hand.
Without even looking at the guy, she shifted positions, putting more space between them.
Maybe she wasn’t quite as drunk as he’d initially thought. She seemed actually pretty observant for someone who’d downed four drinks that he knew of.
There was a slight change in the tempo of the music, and Kiley stumbled. She caught hold of Sharon’s arm and laughed at her own clumsiness. Nope, Kiley was drunk. It really showed as she slowly and quite wobbly left the dance floor with Sharon following her.
Scott set his drink down and started over to their table. As he got closer, he heard Kiley say, “I need to get home. I have to be at work tomorrow.”
“You’re part owner. You can stay home if you want. Besides,” Sharon said firmly as she reached for Kiley’s keys. “You’re in no condition to drive home.”
Kiley jerked her hand back with surprising speed for someone under the influence. “Then how am I supposed to get there?”
“I’m driving you.”
“What about my car?”
Sharon put her hands on her hips. “One of the other girls will drive it.”
Scott stood back and let Sharon handle it. Kiley appeared to be thinking it over, then handed her keys to Sharon. “Fine.”
“Good,” Sharon said with a nod. “Let me go get one of the girls, then we’ll head out.”
Kiley nodded and dropped into the chair facing the dance floor. Scott caught up with Sharon as she headed toward Lydia, who stood at the far side of the bar talking with another group of girls that had come in.
“Sharon,” he called.
She stopped and turned to look at him. “You still here?”
Scott shrugged good-naturedly. “Nowhere else to go. I can take Kiley’s car home.”
“What about your car?” she asked over the loud music.
“I didn’t drive here. I came with one of the other guys, but I think he’s got some girl he wants to take home. They don’t need me as a third wheel, so taking Kiley’s car works out great. I’ll follow you back to her place, then sleep on her couch.”
“Kiley will have a cow,” Sharon said, grinning.
Scott returned her grin. “That I drove her car or that I’ll sleep on her couch?”
“Both.”
“Well, it wouldn’t be the first time for either one of them.”
Sharon pursed her lips and studied him much too closely. “What’s your thing with Kiley?”
“My thing?” he asked.
She crossed her arms. “You know what I mean.”
Scott sighed. “She’s my best friend’s little sister. Keith would kill me if anything happened to her. He’d also kill me if he knew I was here and didn’t stop her from getting that drunk,” he added as he pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. “What brought that on, anyway?”
Sharon rolled her eyes. “If you don’t already know, I’m not about to explain it to you.” She handed him the keys. “I’m in the maroon Pacifica.”
Scott nodded and watched as Sharon made her way back to Kiley. What in the hell had she meant by that? What was it he was supposed to already know?
Keith strolled carefully through the halls of the prison complex. They’d used the two door key cards their contact had given them to get in. Two of his men were with him, the others placed in strategic areas around the exit just in case they ran into trouble. They just needed to wait for the explosion that was scheduled. Nothing like a convenient diversion.
So far, so good, but Keith refused to breathe a sigh of relief just yet. He knew getting out of here would be more difficult than getting in. He fingered one of the guns he had hidden under his jacket. He knew at some point they would have to shoot their way out, he just hoped they were close to the exit before the shooting started.
All the way to the exit would be the best scenario. That way his men could offer cover. If they got caught inside, it would just be the three of them and their chances of success would be more limited. Not impossible, but certainly in question.
They kept their heads down and their faces hidden from the cameras. Dressed as prison guards, the only thing that would give them away was their lighter coloring. Especially Keith, but he wanted to be there for Paula. This would be terrifying for her, especially if they had to shoot their way out.
Keith and his men turned to the right at the end of the hall. Paula’s door was the third on the left. He glanced at his watch and waited. Right on time, an explosion rocked the building. John glanced at him as the walls around them shook from the blast.
“That was close,” John said.
Keith nodded as he reached into his pocket for the key his escort had given him. As quickly as possible, but also not trying to raise suspicion, he unlocked Paula’s door.
He pushed it open and stepped into the tiny room that Paula had called home for the last several days. She stood quickly and stared at him, at first with fear in her eyes, then relief as she realized who he was.
He held his hand out. “We need to move fast.”
Paula nodded and put her hand in his. Keith put Paula between himself and John and walked her down the hall as though escorting her to a new location.
“What was that noise?” she asked. “Did something exploded?”
“Yes. Keep your head down,” Keith murmured as they walked through the halls.
Paula lowered her head and kept her hands clasped in front of her. He could tell by how stiffly she walked she was scared to death, but she did everything he said without question.
Several guards rushed past them, heading to the other side of the building, no doubt in response to the explosion. Keith swept his gaze over the hallway, then turned to check behind him.
So far, so good. He just hoped their luck held.
* * * *
Scott opened the passenger side of Sharon’s door, surprising Kiley. She glanced up at him with wide, startled eyes, then shook her head in denial.“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I brought your car home.”
He held his hand out to her, but instead of taking it, she stared at it blankly.
“You can go home now,” she murmured.
“Not until I see you inside.”
She climbed from the car, ignoring his hand. “I can see myself inside, thank you very much.”
Sharon snorted, and Scott gave her a sideways grin, silently agreeing with her sentiment.
The second Kiley stood straight she wobbled dangerously on her high heels. Scott grabbed her around the waist as she fell, full force into his chest. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Kiley this drunk.
“Yeah, I see how well you can get yourself inside,” he mumbled with amusement.
She stared up into his eyes and Scott swallowed at the lust shining in her gaze. Was that lust for him? Or in her drunken state, would any man do?
“Come on, baby. Let’s get you into bed.”
Kiley nodded and allowed him to put his arm around her shoulders, supporting her as she stumbled along her sidewalk. He turned and waved to Sharon as she backed out of the
driveway. Through the front windshield, Scott didn’t miss the firm stare she sent his way as if to say, “don’t you dare take advantage of my friend.”
Scott smiled slightly. As much as he would love to have sex with Kiley, he would turn her down if she came onto him now. He wouldn’t want what he believed would be an amazing encounter ruined by the fact she was drunk.
At the door, Kiley fumbled with her keys. Scott took them from her hands and pushed the key into the keyhole.
“I could’ve done it,” she mumbled adorably.
“I know,” Scott replied. “But I’m kinda in a hurry.”
He pushed the door open and helped her over the threshold.
“Why? Do you have a date?” she grumbled.
He looked down at her, startled at her sudden animosity. Was she jealous? “Would that bother you, Kiley? If I had a date?”
Her lower lip stuck out in a pout, and Scott resisted the urge to swipe his thumb across it.
“No,” she said.
She turned too quickly and almost fell over. With a squeal, she grabbed the back of the chair to keep from falling. Scott reached out to help her, but she slapped his hand away.
“Go on your date,” she snapped, sounding hurt and sad.
Scott’s heart ached to tell her she was the only date he wanted. He watched with regret as she made her way down the hall toward her bedroom.
“I don’t have a date, Kiley,” he whispered. “I just want to get out of here before I do something stupid.”
She stopped and turned to look at him in confusion. “What do you mean…something stupid?”
She leaned heavily against the wall. Scott walked toward her and grabbed her arm. Turning her around, he helped her get to her bedroom.
“The something stupid would be kissing you,” he admitted.
Why not tell her? She was so drunk she wouldn’t remember it in the morning anyway. Maybe it would make him feel better to get it off his chest.
Once in the bedroom, she spun around to look at him. Moving too fast, she again lost her balance and fell backward toward the bed with a squeal. Scott snaked his arm out and caught her around the waist. He pulled her toward him much harder than he’d meant, making her land against his chest with an ‘oomph’.
Laughing, she reached out to grasp his shirt. She was so beautiful when she laughed. Her eyes sparkled, the dimples in her cheeks deepened, her face flushed.
She looked up at him and tilted her head, her brow creasing into a small frown. “What did you say?” she asked.
Scott smiled slightly and smoothed the frown lines from her forehead with the tip of his finger.
“I said I wanted to kiss you.”
“Really?” she breathed, just barely above a whisper. “Why?”
His smile widened. “Does the why matter?”
She slapped at his chest and tried to push out of his arms. “You shouldn’t tease me. You’re just drunk and want to have sex.”
Splaying his fingers at the base of her spine, he pulled her flush against him. The beat of her heart thumped against his chest, the heat of her body seeped into his and her scent roused the lust that always seemed to be simmering just below the surface whenever he was around her.
Her hands flattened against his chest as she looked up at him with wide, sparkling eyes. He cupped her face, letting his thumb brush across her cheek. Her skin was so soft, her body so perfectly molded to his.
This is a mistake. Once you taste her, you won’t be able to stop.
He lowered his head, bringing his mouth close to hers. Her lips parted in anticipation of his kiss, but he held back, watching the emotions play across her face.
“I have to be dreaming,” she whispered.
“No,” he replied and shook his head. As he did, their noses rubbed against each other.
“I’m not dreaming?”
His lips twitched. God, she was so cute like this. “No.”
His lips touched hers, and he knew instantly he was lost. Her taste, her feel, was everything he knew it would be. She drew in a sharp breath, and Scott tightened his arms around her, not wanting her to pull away from him. He pressed his lips more firmly against hers, moving downward slightly to force her lips farther apart.
She opened for him, and Scott slid his tongue inside, exploring her mouth, her lips. Her tongue flicked against his, and he moaned his encouragement for her to continue. He never expected Kiley to be timid, but that’s almost how she seemed.
At least at first.
She quickly jerked back and looked at him with surprise. He expected her to slap him, to shove him away. Instead, she fisted her hand in his shirt and tugged him to her. Her mouth slanted across his, taking control of the kiss and nearly sending him to his knees.
His fingers tightened in the material of her dress, making it bunch at the small of her back. He slid his palms lower and cupped her firm, warm ass in his hands.
God, was she not wearing any underwear? Scott moved his hand upward until his thumbs felt the edges of her thong. Kiley moaned and pressed her stomach into his rock hard cock. If he didn’t stop this soon, he’d end up taking her despite his best intentions. He’d never wanted anyone as bad as he wanted her right now.
And the way she wiggled against him wasn’t helping a damn thing.
“Kiley,” he murmured against her lips.
He wanted to stop. He needed to stop, but his fingers had a mind of their own and continued massaging her behind.
She lowered her hands from his chest to the waistband of his jeans. When the button popped free sanity came back to him. He quickly reached for her hands and removed them from his pants.
“Kiley,” he repeated, this time more firmly.
She swallowed and looked up at him in a foggy confusion. This was so wrong. She was so damn drunk. Why did she have to be so damn drunk?
“We have to stop.”
“No,” she whispered and tried to kiss him again.
Scott turned his head and her lips landed against his neck. As she nibbled along the sensitive side of his throat, he could feel his eyes rolling back in pleasure. God, if she didn’t stop this…
“I need you,” she murmured against his neck. “I want you. I’ve wanted you for so long.”
Scott’s eyes widened at her admission. She wanted him? He had to stop this.
With determination, he pushed her away from him. Leaning down slightly so he could meet her eye to eye, he gave her a firm look.
“I can’t do this, Kiley. You’re drunk off your ass.”
She pouted. “I’m not that drunk.”
Scott shook his head and his lips twitched with amusement. “Baby, you’re so far beyond that drunk it’s not even funny.”
“Don’t you want me?”
“Oh, God, do I want you,” he growled.
“Well, I’m just dreaming anyway, so my being drunk doesn’t…” Her words slurred badly, and Scott resisted the urge to chuckle at her. “It doesn’t matter because it’s not real.”
“Oh, this is very real, Kiley.”
“How can it be real?” she asked as she stumbled out of his arms. “How can it be real when you—? “ The rest of her words were lost in the material of her dress as she pulled it over her head.
Scott’s mouth went dry at the sight of her in a matching pink thong and bra. “Son of a bitch.”
She smiled as she reached behind her and fumbled with the clasp of her bra. She thought she was dreaming? That he wasn’t really here?
“Kiley, please,” he said as he watched the bra fall to the floor, exposing her firm, perfectly rounded breasts to his hungry gaze. Scott shook his head in doomed resignation. “I am so fucking going to hell.”
Kiley giggled and hooked her thumbs into the edges of her thong. Scott could do nothing but stare as she slid that thong down her long legs. She kicked her underwear aside and weaved back to a standing position. He raised his gaze slowly along her thighs, her flared hips, her shaven pussy.
He swallowed and ran his hand down his face. “Oh, yeah. I’m definitely going to hell. And if you remember this, you’ll be the one to put me there.”
Kiley reached out with surprising clarity that shocked Scott and grabbed the waistband of his jeans. For a brief second, he thought she might be more sober than he first imagined, but when he gazed into her eyes, he knew she wasn’t. She was still way too drunk.
With a hard tug, she pulled him toward her. “Take those damn clothes off and do me,” she snarled.
With a growl of aggravation and lust, Scott shoved her backward. She landed on the bed with a bounce and a giggling squeal that otherwise would’ve made him smile. But, not this time.
He crawled over the top of her and settled himself between her splayed thighs. Kiley moaned and lifted her hips, rubbing her damp pussy along his hard cock. Even through his jeans, he could feel her heat, and he gritted his teeth as he pressed himself against her.
“You’re still dressed,” she whined.
She again reached for his jeans, but he grasped her hands and pinned them over her head with one of his own.
“No fucking, Kiley,” he said firmly.
“But I wanna fuck,” she whined drunkenly.
“Trust me, so do I.”
Scott sighed and pressed himself into her again. She moaned loudly and it was all he could do to keep his self-control. She made him crazy. She made him want her so bad he would be willing to risk her ire to have her. But not like this. He wanted her sober and able to remember every second of it.
He lowered his lips to hers and gently kissed her. “Just rub against me, gorgeous. Make yourself cum against my cock.”
She lifted her hips against him, and he groaned low in his throat. The way she moved made him nuts. His balls ached he needed release so bad. What he wanted more was to slide inside her, feel her heat surround him, her walls squeeze him.
He closed his eyes and kissed her nose. “That’s it, baby. Pretend I’m inside you…filling you.”
She moved against him harder, and he pressed back, grinding his groin against her clit.
“Damn, I bet you feel so good,” he murmured against her mouth.
“Scott,” she sighed.
He let go of her wrists with one hand and lowered it to her breasts. She gasped and arched her back, putting herself more firmly in his palm. He used the pad of his thumb to tease her nipple, making it hard beneath his touch.
The movement of her hips became more frantic, matching the beat of his own heart.
“Scott,” she groaned. “I need you inside me. Please. Oh, God. I need you so bad.”
Scott closed his eyes against her pleas. He would not take her this drunk. He would not…but God, it was so hard. He was so hard, and she felt so damn good.
“Kiley,” he whispered in her ear, straining to keep his control, to not lose it and take her.
“Oh, God. I’m gonna come,” she said with surprise, and Scott smiled.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me,” he commanded.
Grinding himself harder, he gave her no mercy. She arched her back, pushing against him as though to get him inside her through the material of his jeans. She screamed, and Scott closed his eyes, enjoying the sound of her cries as her release moved through her.
“I love you,” she sighed just as her body relaxed.
Scott rose up and looked at her. His heart raced at the three words he never expected to hear from her.
“Kiley,” he said.
When she didn’t answer, he gripped her chin and turned her face toward his.
“Kiley?”
He sighed at her closed eyes and peaceful expression. She was out like a light.
“Did you mean that?” he asked, knowing she wouldn’t answer. “Or was it just drunk talk?”
He wasn’t sure. He had no clue how she really felt about him. If he made a move, and she hadn’t meant that…well, he didn’t want to think about the ramifications of losing her as a friend. Hell, if she remembered this, he’d probably lose her as a friend anyway. She’d be pissed as hell, and he wouldn’t blame her.
“What the hell am I supposed to do now, gorgeous? Huh?” He snorted and placed a soft kiss against her brow. “Why the hell couldn’t you tell me you loved me sober? Then I would know what to do.”
This was so complicated.
* * * *
Paula shook all over. Not from cold, but from pure adrenaline. She’d take a gun and shoot her way out of here herself if that’s what it took to get home. She followed close to John, keeping her eyes at his back. Keith was right behind her, another one of his men she didn’t recognize behind him. She felt safe between them knowing they were the best. If anyone could get her out, it was them.Feelings of anxiety awakened the butterflies in her stomach as they made their way through the practically deserted halls. Everyone had run to the other side to handle the explosion. Paula refused to give into fear. She would get out of here or die trying. She’d already decided she would rather be dead than to live out decades in this hell hole.
Someone yelled at them from the other end of the hall. John stopped and turned just as Keith shoved her behind John. Three shots were fired, but Paula couldn’t see around John to fully tell what was happening.
The smell of gunpowder filled the air as two more shots went off. She hunched her shoulders and covered her ears, protecting them against the loud bangs. She looked around frantically as Keith grabbed her elbow and pulled her with him down the hall at a run. She struggled to keep up with his long legs, but didn’t dare complain. She wanted to go home, and she would keep up the best she could.
John used the card his friend had given him and unlocked the electronic gate separating them from the back door. Over Keith’s shoulder, she saw one of the guards try to sneak around the corner at the far end of the hall.
Paula stiffened and shouted, “Keith. Two o’clock.”
Keith turned as if he knew exactly what and where she’d meant. Raising his pistol, he fired off a shot and hit the guy in the head. He fell to the ground silently just as Keith shoved her through the gate and out the back door.
“Nice job,” he said as he ushered her through the yard toward the van waiting a few feet away.
Several shots exploded around her, and she ducked her head, covering her ears as though that alone would ward off bullets. Her heart raced in her chest as the van and her escape came within reach. This was it. She would be going home.
John pushed her into the van first, then he, Keith and the other man came in behind her. Keith slid the door closed and shouted, “Get us the hell out of here!”
The driver, a man she didn’t recognize, slammed down the accelerator and the van raced down the road. A bullet hit the back window, shattering it. She screamed in surprise as glass rained down on her.
“Get down,” Keith commanded.
With a hand on the back of her head, he shoved her forward. Paula did as he said. The less she was in the way, the more he could concentrate on getting them out of this mess.
He released the pressure on her head, allowing her to sit back up. Glancing behind her, she glared at the prison, now growing smaller in the distance as the van raced toward the…
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Airport,” Keith replied.
Paula nodded and shifted in her seat. Pain sliced through her ribs, and she winced before raising her hand to cover her side. She’d been so nervous, so focused on their escape, she hadn’t noticed the pain before now.
Keith frowned before dropping his gaze to her hand. “Are you hit?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s my ribs. They’re still really sore.”
“I can give you something for that. Make the ride easier on you.”
Just as he said those words, they hit a bump in the road. Paula moaned at the pain that moved through her torso. “No,” she argued. She actually welcomed the pain right now. “I want to be wide awake. I want to know for sure we’re leaving Turkey far behind.”
Keith snorted softly as he turned to watch behind them. So far, so good, but they still needed to ditch the van. “I completely understand,” he said as he placed a hand on Paula’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. He turned to the driver. “How far is the other car?”
“Just around the corner. We should be able to ditch this one pretty quick.”
Keith nodded and returned his attention out the back window. He could hear the sirens in the distance, but so far, they hadn’t caught up.
His hand was still on Paula’s shoulder and without even realizing it, he began to rub his thumb over the tight muscles of her neck. She surprised him, impressed him even, with the way she’d handled herself during the evacuation.
In the past, some women had been hysterical, especially when shots were fired. Paula had not only remained calm, but coherent enough to warn him of impending danger. She was strong.
Keith had known Paula for a while, but not really paid attention to her. She was either dating someone, or he was too focused on his business to pay attention. He looked across the seat and met her gaze. She had eyes so light gray, they reminded him of wolf eyes. Black hair hung limp around her shoulders, but Keith could remember how full and soft it usually looked. How her eyes often sparkled with humor and devilment.
Some of that was gone now, replaced with a knowledge and distrust usually reserved for men in his line of work. She’d seen more of the world than she ever should have. She had the eyes of a Seal, and she shouldn’t.
He used the tip of his finger to push her hair behind her ear. An adorable pink hue covered her cheeks as she looked away to gaze out the front window. She squinted her eyes as the noonday sun moved from behind the clouds. Long black lashes shaded the tops of her cheeks and full, rosy pink lips pursed in agitation, making him smile slightly.
Their driver pulled up behind a white van and put theirs in park. Her eyes widened in fear.
“What are we doing? Why are we stopping?” Paula asked.
It was the first sign of any kind of panic he’d seen in her.
“It’s fine. We’re just changing cars.”
The sirens in the distance grew louder, and Paula’s hands began to shake. “Do we have time?”
she asked as Keith slid open the side door.
“It’ll be fine,” he said, trying to assure her.
He helped her out of the van and moved quickly to get her in the other one. John and his driver right behind them. The other three members of their team pulled up seconds later and rushed to climb into the white van as well. By ditching the cars, they hoped to keep the search contained to this area.
“We need to move,” William said as he shut the van door. “They’re not far behind us.
The driver nodded and quickly pulled out of the parking spot. At the end of the street he made a left and headed toward the airport. They could hear the sirens had come to a stop behind them, apparently focusing on the vans they’d left behind.
“How much further?” Paula asked.
Keith studied her tired, pale face and felt a ping of sympathy for the young woman. “Driver?”
Keith asked.
“About ten minutes,” he replied in a heavy Turkish accent.
It wasn’t the first time they’d used a local driver. The natives knew the area better than they did and could get them where they needed to go much faster. Finding a citizen that wouldn’t double cross them was sometimes hard, but they’d used this one before, so they knew him well.
Paula rubbed her hands down her legs nervously. Keith reached out and put his hand over hers, hoping it would comfort her.
She glanced sideways at him with a slight apologetic smile. “Sorry. I’m just ready to be out of here.”
“I know,” he said as he wrapped his fingers around hers. Even with the summer heat, her fingers were cold.
He wasn’t sure why he wanted to comfort her. There was something about her that intrigued him, captivated him—something he’d never noticed in her before.
She stared at their hands briefly before returning her stare out the front window. As the airport came into view, she seemed to relax a little.
The van pulled as close to the plane as possible. A beige Learjet 60. It was small enough to get them into the more isolated airports such as this private one, but large enough to carry his men, plus equipment over the ocean. They wouldn’t dare use the main one. Too much security.
“Nice ride,” Paula said as she climbed from the van and headed to the plane.
Keith grinned. “It’ll do in a pinch.”
Paula snorted and rushed up the stairs and into the cabin of the plane. Keith didn’t miss the way her hand covered her ribs.
“I’m flyin’,” John called gleefully as he headed to the cockpit.
“Shotgun,” William yelled as he took off after him.
Keith grinned and shook his head. At least he didn’t have to fly. He stopped and called to the cockpit. “Hey! Did you take care of the driver?”
“Yep. Shot him right between the eyes.”
“What?” Paula snapped as she stopped just before sitting down in one of the white leather chairs.
“I was joking,” John said, his voice full of amusement. “He was well compensated.”
“Oh, my God,” Paula sighed as she dropped into the chair, then winced at the pain in her side.
Keith turned to one of the other men who stood close to the galley. “Mike, hand me one of those syringes from the drawer. Would ya?”
“Sure.”
Mike grabbed one of the needles and tossed it to Keith. After catching it, Keith took the chair opposite Paula and turned it to face her. The engines roared to life, and the plane began to work its way down the runway.
“This will help,” Keith said as he removed the cap from the syringe.
“What is it?”
“It’s just something to help with the pain.”
She frowned. “I don’t handle pain meds well. They make me sick.”
“This won’t. It’s what we use when one of us is hurt in the field. It takes the pain away, but still allows us to be a little coherent.”
She nodded. “I guess it would be kind of hard to drag a non-responding body, huh? Especially when you’re being shot at.”
Keith’s lips twitched. “Oh, no. I’ve done that, too.”
“I would probably have nightmares about what you’ve done,” she said softly.
Keith nodded. She probably would. Sometimes he did.
“Where do I take it?” she asked.
He grinned at her devilishly, trying to lighten the mood. “Where do you want it?”
“Wherever it will hurt the least?”
“Lean forward.”
She did as he requested, and he quickly pricked her upper arm. She hissed as the shot went in.
Keith remembered from experience that it burned as it entered the body.
“I should’ve warned you about that.”
“Everybody take your seats. We’re about to get the hell out of Dodge.”
Keith snickered at John’s comment over the loudspeaker. Everyone grabbed a seat as the plane began gaining speed down the runway. It’s a good thing these smaller jets didn’t need as much room to take off. It made them much more flexible than a larger jet.
He glanced over at Paula, who still had her chair turned facing him. He tilted his head in question at the flushed look on her face.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she breathed. “I just never noticed how pretty your eyes were.”
Keith raised an eyebrow. The guys behind him chuckled, and he shot them a firm glare over the back of the seat. “Knock it off. She’s drugged.”
She shook her head and giggled. “I feel really good.” Dropping her head back against the seat, she swung it around to face the front and smiled up at the ceiling. “Wow. I feel really good.”
Her smile faded. “And weird. Where are we going? Are we going home?”
“Not yet. We have to swing by London and get your papers. We couldn’t chance getting them before we got you out. It might’ve tipped someone off.”
She smiled as a dreamy expression covered her face. “I’ve never been to London.”
“Close your eyes, Paula. You’ll feel better once you’ve had a nap.”
“Okay,” she replied in a drunken kitten voice that made Keith smile.
He watched as the nose of the plane lifted off the ground, and Paula’s eyes shut. Within seconds she’d drifted off to sleep.
Kiley groaned as pain sliced behind her eyes. Something somewhere was ringing and every sound made the pain in her head worse. What was it? Where was it?
She groaned and blindly reached her hand out. Pushing the button down on her alarm clock, she frowned when the ringing continued.
“Damn it,” she snarled as she sat up slightly.
As she did, the pain in her head intensified. She threw a hand over her eyes in frustration as the sunlight from her open bedroom window poured across her face.
What time was it?
She peeked through her fingers at the clock. It was way too early on a Saturday to be up, especially with this hangover. Finally realizing it was her cellphone that was ringing, she quickly grabbed it.
“Hello?” she mumbled sleepily.
“Kiley?” Keith asked. “Are you okay? You sound like shit.”
“I feel like shit. Thanks,” she grumbled dryly.
“What’s going on?” Keith asked. “Are you sick?”
“No. Just had too much to drink last night when I went out with Sharon.”
“You didn’t drive, did you?” Keith asked sternly.
“No, I…” Kiley frowned, unsure how she’d gotten home. “At least I don’t think I did.”
“That’s not funny, Kiley. What the hell were you doing getting that drunk?”
“Look, if you just called to fuss at me—“
“I didn’t. I’m sorry. We have Paula.”
Kiley sat up immediately and the sheet fell to her waist. “Is she okay? Is she there with you?
Can I talk to her?”
“Yes, yes, and no. We’re on the plane headed to London. Paula’s out. I thought initially her ribs were just bruised, but I think at least one of them is cracked. We’ll get her looked at when we get to London.”
“Did it happen during the extraction?” Kiley asked.
“No. Before.”
“Is she okay otherwise?”
“She’s fine. She’s strong. She did good.”
Kiley nodded and sighed in relief. “That’s good. I’m glad you got her. How’s everybody else?”
“We’re all fine and anxious to get home.”
“How much longer do you think?”
“A few days. Things any better between you and Scott or is that why you got so drunk?”
“To be honest, I don’t remember why. Can we not talk about this please? At least until I can talk without it causing a sledgehammer to vibrate inside my head.”
Keith’s chuckle on the other end made her smile just a little. She was relieved to know they were all okay. Every time they went off on one of these missions, she was a basket case inside.
“All right,” Keith replied. “I’ll talk to you again soon.”
“Bye,” Kiley said just before hitting the end button on her screen.
Frowning down at herself, she tried to remember how she’d gotten undressed, or even home.
Had Sharon brought her? And if she had, where was her car?
Her eyes widened. Oh, God. Had she come home with someone else?
She looked to the other side of the bed, then leaned over to see on the floor. No one else appeared to have slept on that side and there weren’t any strange clothes on the floor. So how did she get home?
A noise coming from the kitchen startled her, and she froze. Leaning over a bit, she tried to see through the crack in the bedroom door, but all she could see was the wall in the hallway. Who was in her kitchen?
She grabbed her robe off the bed post and slung the covers off. She stood and slid her arms into the satin robe. As she tied the belt, she padded barefoot down the hall toward the kitchen. As quietly as possible, she peeked around the corner, then gasped as she spotted Scott rummaging through her refrigerator.
“Scott? What the hell are you doing?” she asked as she rounded the corner.
Scott stood and stared at her over the door of the fridge. “Fixing breakfast. I drove your car here last night so I had to wait until you got up so you could take me back home.”
Kiley frowned. “You drove me home?”
“No. Sharon drove you home. I followed in your car. I didn’t want to leave it in the parking lot.”
An image flashed through her mind of Scott covering her body with his and every inch of her flesh heated. Had they done something?
She shook her head in confusion. “Why didn’t you get Sharon to take you home?”
Scott shut the refrigerator door and set the bacon on the counter. Her stomach rumbled despite the pounding behind her eyes.
“Because I didn’t want to leave you here by yourself. You were pretty drunk.”
“I wasn’t that drunk.”
“Right. Do you remember coming home?”
Kiley shook her head sadly. “No.”
“Do you remember taking off your clothes?”
“No.” She shot her gaze quickly to his. “Did I undress in front of you?”
Scott leaned one hand on the counter. “Yep.”
Kiley swallowed. “Are you serious? Please tell me you’re not serious.”
Scott poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her. “Here. You look like you need this.”
She took it within shaking fingers and brought the steaming cup to her lips. After swallowing a couple of sips, she stared warily at Scott. He looked incredible this morning, even if he did appear as though he’d slept in his clothes. That was a good thing though, right? If he slept in his clothes, then he hadn’t slept with her.
Although she wished he had. She would give anything if he’d sleep with her. She would also die if she’d told him that last night while drunk.
Kiley bit her lower lip. “What happened last night? Did we…did we, uh…?”
“We didn’t have sex, but you did dry hump my dick.”
Kiley dropped the cup of coffee and it shattered on the tile floor, sending hot coffee across the room. She didn’t even notice. All she could do was stare in shock at Scott. Images of her doing just that ran through her mind. He’d settled over her, kissed her, and she’d come rubbing against him until she’d exploded into a million blissful pieces. There was nothing after that.
“We need to talk, Kiley,” Scott said very seriously.
Kiley swallowed, suddenly feeling very nervous and exposed. She couldn’t. Not now. Feeling like she might throw up, Kiley turned and put her hand on her stomach. Heat flooded her face and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to look at him.
“I’m not feeling very well. Can this wait until I at least have a shower?” she asked, barely recognizing her own shaky voice.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said softly. “I’ll work on breakfast.”
Kiley nodded and made her way to the bedroom. She stumbled into the bathroom and turned on the water. Tears streamed down her face as she sank to her knees by the shower and leaned against the wall.
What did she do now? Come clean? Tell him she loved him? Try to lie her way out of it? Blame it on being drunk? She glanced up at the ceiling and squinted through misty eyes at the bright light over her head. What had she said last night? Or was it just her actions that had Scott all weird this morning?
He looked intense, determined, almost angry. Would he give her the same speech as Keith; that he wasn’t good for her? He’d only hurt her? She was better off with someone else?
“But I don’t want anyone else.” she whispered. “I’m such a masochist. Why can’t I move on from him?”
Sighing, she wiped away her tears and prepared to climb into the shower.
* * * *
Thirty minutes later Kiley felt a little better physically, but mentally she was still a wreck. There wasn’t much she was afraid of, but right now she was terrified of what Scott might say.Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, she made her way down the hall. The heavenly scent of bacon and sausage assaulted her nose. She inhaled and her stomach growled in response.
“That smells great,” she said as she rounded the corner into the kitchen.
Scott glanced sideways at her from his position at the stove and smiled in welcome. “You look better.”
“I feel better. Did I look that bad before?”
He snorted. “I probably shouldn’t say. You’ll hit me.”
“I wouldn’t hit you,” she mumbled as she took a seat at the small table by the bay window that overlooked her backyard.
Scott set a plate before her loaded with bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, and fruit. She knew it would be good. Out of all of them, Scott was the best cook. She picked up her fork and began to dig in. As anxious as she was to know what he wanted to talk about, she was just as nervous to hear it.
“You always hit me,” Scott said as he took the seat across from her. “Ever since you were a kid.
I have scars to prove it.”
She stopped chewing and stared at him. “You do not…Do you?”
Scott grinned as he took a bite of egg. “Maybe later I’ll show you,” he murmured around his bite.
“I don’t know,” she replied with just a hint of hesitation. “Where is it?”
The wicked grin on his face made her cheeks flush with dirty thoughts.
“You’re lying,” she said just before taking another bite of her breakfast.
“Maybe,” he drawled. “Maybe not.”
“I heard from Keith,” she said, changing the subject. “They got Paula.”
“Yeah, I know. I talked to him, too. He called from the phone on the plane.”
“Do you regret not going?” she asked.
Scott stared at her briefly before answering. “No. Especially not after last night.”
She took a deep breath and set her fork down. “About last night. I was drunk—“
“You said you loved me. Do you?”
His blunt question caught her off guard and for a few seconds all she could do was stare at him blankly.
“I don’t want any excuses about being drunk. I don’t want any attempts to change the subject. I want the truth.”
Kiley swallowed, unsure she could say the truth sober. “Why? Just so you can give me the same speech Keith does about how bad you would be for me?”
Scott frowned. “What?”
“Are you trying to bully a confession out of me? That will get you the truth,” she added in a snarky tone.
She stood and carried her plate to the sink, careful to keep her back to Scott so he wouldn’t see her shaking hands.
“Damn it, Kiley! That’s not what I’m doing. I just want the truth. You’re so damn hard to read.
If you care for me like that I never knew it. And believe me, I’ve been looking for signs. Any signs at all.”
Kiley’s heart stopped, but she didn’t dare turn around and look at him. If she did, she would fall apart. What was he saying? Was he saying what she’d wanted to hear since she was fifteen years old?
“I’ve always wanted you. For a long time, I’ve wanted you. But it wasn’t until I heard those words from you last night I realized I was in love with you.”
Kiley’s shoulders began to shake with silent sobs as tears fell unchecked from her eyes.
“Kiley?” Scott scooted his chair back and walked over. Grasping her shoulders, he turned her to face him. When she wouldn’t meet his gaze, he put his finger under her chin and forced it up.
“Look at me.”
Using the pad of his thumbs, he wiped away the tears.
“Say it again,” she whispered.
Scott’s lips twitched. “Say what again?”
“Say you love me.”
He smiled softly and cupped her face in his hands. “I love you.”
Kiley stood on her tiptoes and slanted her mouth over his. The groan of approval that rose from his chest vibrated against her own and sent a current of need screaming through her body.
Scott lowered his hands and wrapped them around her waist, pulling her tight against his warm, hard body. She slid her palms up his back. The muscles flexed and bunched under her fingers as his tongue slid between her parted lips and deepened the kiss even further.
She couldn’t get close enough. With trembling fingers she tugged his shirt up and ran her hands along the taut skin of his back.
“Hold onto me,” he murmured against her lips.
He cupped her ass, hauling her up and her arms lifted to snake around his neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to walk them toward her bedroom. Their lips were still locked, their tongues battling for control and every step he took rubbed his cock enticingly against her aching mound. Moaning, she tried to fit herself more tightly against him.
Once in the bedroom, Scott dumped her onto the bed where she landed with a soft squeal.
Looking up, she couldn’t take her eyes off him as he lifted his shirt over his head, exposing his muscular chest to her hungry gaze.
Every part of her body screamed for him to take her. Just looking at him sent her into a frenzy of lust so strong, she could hardly contain herself. Had he really said he loved her? She moved to her knees and pulled her shirt off as well. She matched him move for move; clothes for clothes, until they both were naked from head to toe.
Kiley dropped her gaze to his erect shaft and her breath caught. He was huge. Thick and long, it came practically to his naval. He was gorgeous with that big cock, those thick thighs and washboard stomach, as well as the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she’d ever seen. And for the first time, those eyes were looking at her with unmistakable love. How had she not seen it before? Why had they wasted so much time?
She reached out and touched the tip of her finger to the head of his shaft. She ran it slowly down to the base, then back up, never taking her eyes off the lust burning in his.
“Your brother is so going to kick my ass for this,” he growled.
Kiley grinned. “Mine, too. But I think it will be worth it.”
“Oh, yeah,” he purred as he leaned forward. “Most definitely worth it.”
Kiley fell to her back and uncurled her legs. Scott braced himself by placing his palms on the mattress next to her shoulders. He still had his feet on the floor and much to Kiley’s frustration, several inches separated their bodies.
She placed her hands at his waist before slowly feathering them up his ribs. Scott grinned as he lowered his mouth to hers. “I hope you’re not in a hurry,” he teased, then brushed his lips over hers.
Kiley sucked in a breath as she parted her lips, wanting so much more. Unfortunately, Scott seemed determined to make her beg.
“I plan on taking my time. Matter of fact,” he whispered. “I plan on making love to you all day long.”
* * * *
Keith carried Paula into the two bedroom hotel suite and placed her gently on the bed. The military doctor they often called upon when in London, Lieutenant Commander Joshua Lloyd, followed behind him.“She’s been out a while now,” Keith said as he stood back and let the doctor examine her ribs.
Josh probed gently, but Paula never budged. She was out like a light, and Keith’s chest tightened with worry.
“How much did you give her?” Josh asked as he lifted one eye lid and shined a light at her pupil before quickly moving it aside.
“Same amount we always use.”
“She’s pretty small. May have been a bit much, but she should be fine and sleep it off. She may also be sick when she wakes up.” Josh stood and turned to face him. “I think at least two ribs are cracked. I’d really like to get them x-rayed. Mind bringing her by the base when she comes to?”
Keith nodded. “I also need to send one of the guys out for some clothes. Looks like what she’s wearing is hand-me-downs from someone else.”
Josh looked down at Paula and grinned slightly at the baggy clothes that covered her small frame. “How did she handle things?”
Keith’s lips quirked just a bit. “She was a trooper. Handled it a lot better than some have.” Josh studied him closely, making Keith squirm. “What?”
“You just sounded impressed. Not many people impress you, so I’m shocked.”
Keith frowned as he turned to leave the room. “It’s not that big a deal.”
“What’s her story?” Josh asked as he followed Keith out of the room and into the parlor that separated the two bedrooms.
“She got involved with someone she shouldn’t have and found herself in prison in Turkey for drug trafficking.”
“Jeez,” Josh replied as he took the cup of coffee John offered him. “Thanks.”
John nodded once, then turned to Keith. “The guys and I thought we might head out for a while, since we’re just mostly waiting around for her paperwork. Need anything?”
Keith inclined his head toward the bedroom. “Something for her to wear.”
“Anything in particular?”
“Nah, just something…I don’t know…casual.”
John snorted. “That helps. This is when we need Kiley. Do you have any idea about a size?”
Keith looked to Josh for help. Josh snickered before replying, “I would say a size six. As for shoes, we need to look.”
“Hang on a sec,” Keith said as he walked to Paula’s bedroom.
She’d moved to her side, and he briefly let his gaze wander down her small frame. God, he would break someone that little if he tried to have sex with them. Surprised at the direction his thoughts were taking, he shook his head to try and clear it. Gently, so as not to wake her, he slid her shoe off her foot. He looked inside to find the size, then set it on the floor by the bed. He started to leave, but then decided to take the other one off as well, setting it on the floor by the first one.
He straightened and made his way to the other room. “She’s a seven in shoes.”
John wiggled two fingers at the other guys. “Got it. Let’s go.” He turned to grin at Keith. “Be back soon. Don’t wait up.”
“Wonder what he’ll come back with,” Josh mumbled dryly, but with a hint of amusement.
Keith shrugged. “He’ll either call Kiley or my assistant for suggestions. John isn’t any better at women’s fashions than I am.”
Josh chuckled. “You need a wife.”
“Oh, God no,” Keith said with a shudder.
“Being married isn’t so bad.”
“For you, maybe. How long have you been married now? Ten years?” Keith asked as he sat on the sofa.
Josh took the chair and smiled as he answered Keith’s question. “Twelve. Lots of Seals are happily married.”
“I’m not a Seal anymore. And I know just as many Seals who are unhappily divorced. Women don’t go well with a Mercenary lifestyle. Wives are even worse.”
Josh lifted his cup to take a sip of coffee. “Makes for a lonely life.”
“I’m not lonely. I have my pick of women. I can have sex pretty much anytime I want.” His lips twitched. “Can you say the same?”
Josh snorted. “Kind of hard to have sex when your wife is stateside. I get where you’re coming from. I do. But I still say there’s a woman out there that can love you despite who you are.”
“You sound like Kiley now.”
“Hey, I like Kiley. I consider that a compliment.” Josh and Keith shared a smile as Josh leaned forward and placed his cup on the table. With a sigh, Josh stood to leave. “I need to get back to base. I think she’s for the most part fine, but bring her by tomorrow, let me get a more thorough look at her.”
“I will.”
Keith watched Josh leave and his thoughts turned back to the young woman lying on the bed.
He’d known her for years. He’d always thought she was a pretty, little thing. She was smart, too. So, how the hell did she get mixed up with someone like James? She should’ve known better.
With a sigh, he stood and walked over to the window. From the twentieth floor, he had a wonderful view of London all lit up with lights. Was Josh right? Was there a woman out there that could accept him as a Mercenary? That wouldn’t try to get him to quit because it was too dangerous?
He loved what he did. He also loved his single life. But would that single life become too much at some point? Would he become lonely? Sometimes he did, but most of the time he was fine with the way things were.
A soft cry came from Paula’s room, pulling Keith from his thoughts. He rushed into the room to make sure she was okay. He found her on the bed, glancing around in drunken confusion.
“Where am I?” she whispered.
The frightened look in her eyes tugged at Keith’s heart. He went forward and sat on the edge of the bed. She jumped and tried to scoot away from him.
“Hey,” he cooed as he reached out to touch her arm. “It’s okay. It’s Keith.”
She swallowed and looked in his direction, but she seemed to look through him as opposed to at him. The drug was still in her system, still affecting the way she saw things.
“Paula,” he said softly.
“I thought I heard them coming to get me,” she swallowed as a shadow passed over her eyes.
“Stay with me so I know I’m not alone.”
Keith frowned with concern but slowly climbed onto the bed. Had something happened to her there she hadn’t told him about? He would have to remember to ask her about it tomorrow.
Scooting up against her back, he gently wrapped his arm around her waist so not to hurt her ribs. Her body curled into his as she settled back down to sleep. She fit up against him perfectly, her back against his chest, her butt against his groin, his knees behind hers.
He groaned inwardly at the feel of her hips rubbing his cock as she tried to find a more comfortable position. He knew she wasn’t doing it deliberately, but he still couldn’t seem to stop his body’s reaction.
Resting his palm on the side of her hip, he held her still and whispered, “Shh. You’re safe, baby.”
She drew in a slow, deep breath and stilled. Keith let out a sigh of relief. He doubted she would appreciate waking to find his rock hard cock poking her in the ass.
* * * *
The second Scott’s tongue slipped past her lips to touch hers, Kiley groaned. She’d waited so long for this. Flashes of memory from last night ran through her mind, but Kiley pushed them aside, choosing instead to live for now. She was sober. She could feel clearly every touch, smell his musky scent, and feel the heat off his body as it hovered just above hers.His palm slid up her side, making her squirm as he slowly moved his touch along her flesh. He cupped her breast, and she moaned, arching her back, fitting her mound more firmly into his hand.
With a growl, he broke the kiss and moved his mouth to her breast. His tongue stroked her nipple, making it hard and erect. Kiley buried her fingers in his short hair, trying to tug him closer. He resisted and moved his kiss to the other breast, teasing the underside with his lips.
Kiley could hardly breathe she wanted him so bad. He slid his kisses lower along her stomach, inching his way closer to that place between her legs that literally ached for him. She’d never been with anyone that made her this hot; this crazy.
Dropping her hands to her sides, she fisted her fingers into the bedspread.
“Spread those legs, beautiful,” Scott murmured as he kissed the top of her mound.
Kiley lifted her knees, exposing herself to his hot gaze. “Mmm, yeah,” he whispered just before he slid his tongue up along her slit.
She hissed and lifted her hips, seeking a more firm touch. Scott moved the flat of his palm over her mound just using it to push her back down. The fit of his warm palm against her labia made her moan, and she pressed against him. Scott pressed back then quickly pulled his hand away.
Using his thumbs, he separated her labia. “This is what I wanted to do so bad last night,” he murmured.
As he spoke, he placed soft, nibbling kisses along her labia lips, making Kiley wiggle in desperation. His breath was hot against her clit, his tongue smooth and wicked as he gently stroked her folds.
“So sweet,” he purred before licking his tongue over her swollen bud.
God, he was good at this. Kiley didn’t know how much more she could take of his teasing kisses and licks. When he thrust his tongue into her channel, she cried out in pleasure and lifted her hips off the bed. She was so close.
Scott feathered his tongue back along her pussy to circle her clit, and Kiley thought she would lose her mind.
“Scott,” she whispered.
She worked her hips along with his teasing licks, seeking more. Tightening her fingers in the blankets by her bottom, she fought her every growing need. Pleasure built deep in her core and radiated outward with alarming speed.
Using the flat of his hands, he pressed against the inside of her thighs, holding her down as well as spreading her legs wider. The position gave him even better access to her clit, which he tormented relentlessly with the flat of his tongue.
He moved lower to lap at her opening before going back up and sucking on her clit. Kiley cried out as strong tingles of lust traveled up her spine. Her release exploded without warning, and she gasped as wave after wave of intense pleasure washed over her.
Scott released his hold on her legs, allowing them to fall as he worked his kisses back up her body. Kiley could hardly move as he settled between her thighs and pressed his hard cock against her mound.
“This is exactly how I like you,” Scott whispered as he gently kissed her neck.
“Weak and sated?” she teased.
Scott snickered, then sucked at her lower lip. “Flushed, sexy.” He kissed her mouth and smiled.
“All wet and ready for me.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled as she lifted one leg to hook over his hip.
“I’m definitely ready for you.”
Scott rotated his hips, teasing her mound, and Kiley moaned as white hot lust cursed through her veins. She wanted him so bad she could hardly think straight, much less speak coherently.
“Just you and me,” he whispered against her lips.
At first Kiley wasn’t sure what he was talking about.
“No condoms,” he said.
Kiley then understood. Nodding, she lifted her hips, inviting him to slide his cock inside her.
She knew him. He knew her. He also knew she was on birth control. She wasn’t worried about anything with him and the thought of sex with nothing between them felt so right.
“God, I want you,” Scott growled.
He put his hand beneath her ass and lifted her just as he slid his cock deep into her channel.
Kiley moaned as his girth stretched and filled her. He pulled back slightly, then thrust in again, this time going to the hilt. Kiley gasped as the full length of his cock buried deep inside her.
“Oh, God,” she groaned as he began to move.
Slowly at first, then harder, then slower again. Kiley dug her nails into his back, lifting her hips to meet every glorious thrust of his shaft. As he pressed deep, he would grind his hips against her clit. With every touch, sharp tingles of pure rapture would tighten her womb.
He felt so good. They were so incredible together. She liked sex, but had no idea it could feel like this.
“Scott,” she sighed as she worked her hips with his.
“Feel good?” he purred in her ear as he gently nibbled on her lobe.
“Oh, yes!”
Lifting onto his elbows, he cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at him. He stopped his hips, holding them deep as he gazed into her eyes. Kiley groaned and rotated her hips, trying to get him moving again.
Scott closed his eyes and the muscles in his cheek flexed. He was holding back, but why?
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded. “Please.”
With a growl of pure animal lust, Scott covered her mouth with his. He thrust his tongue between her lips, taking her mouth in a kiss that very nearly stole her breath. He pulled his hips back before shoving forward and taking her hard. Kiley’s moans of pleasure became lost in his kiss as he pounded into her over and over, harder and deeper.
It felt so good, so incredibly good. Every inch of her body tensed with her oncoming release.
Scott showed no mercy. He kept coming at her, filling her, taking her until every part of her exploded with blinding light and heat.
Screaming, Kiley came. Her pussy clenched and sucked at Scott’s length, refusing to let him go, keeping him inside her until every throb of release abated. Seconds later, Scott came as well, sighing her name into her mouth as his body erupted with the same blissful pleasure that had gripped her.
Sighing, he dropped his forehead to hers. “Damn,” he said. “I love you, Kiley.”
She smiled and cupped his cheeks. It felt so incredible hearing him say those three little words she’d waited so long for him to say.
“I love you,” she whispered.
As their breathing slowed, Scott kissed the tip of her nose. “We really need to talk.”
“Do we have to?” she asked in a sexy voice.
She feathered her hand down to his ass. Cupping it, she forced his hips forward, which pushed his still partially hard cock further inside her. She lifted her hips to meet him and they both moaned at the sensation. His pulse beat in his cock, throbbing against her walls enticingly.
“We really need to, baby,” he murmured against her lips, despite the thickening of his shaft.
“But this feels so good,” she whined as she rotated her hips.
“Oh, hell yeah it does. Your pussy is so tight,” he whispered as he placed soft kisses along her jaw.
He pulled back, then pressed back in slowly. The move caused them both to moan.
“I love how your walls tighten when I move inside you. How they suck at my dick just like a popsicle.”
Kiley giggled at the analogy, and Scott smiled down at her.
Deciding to give him a little of his own medicine, Kiley began to kiss along his jaw. “We can talk while we do this.”
“You think I’m going to be able to talk, huh?” he said as he pulled out, then pushed in, inch by slow, excruciating inch.
“Oh, wow,” Kiley breathed. “Talking is way overrated.”
“Especially when I’m buried dick deep in this hot little pussy of yours. Damn, Kiley,” he growled as he repeated his slow thrust. “How the hell did you do this to me?”
“I don’t know. But I’m not sure I want you to stop.”
Scott chuckled as he kissed her forehead. “We have to stop. We need to talk.”
Kiley let out a dramatic sigh and dropped her hands to the mattress. “You keep saying that.”
“Yeah, and I’m gonna keep saying it until you listen,” he said with a playful swipe of his nose across hers.
“I don’t wanna listen. I wanna have sex.” She stuck her lower lip out in a pout.
“You insatiable little minx,” he growled it in such a sexy, deep timber it sent chills of excitement up Kiley’s back.
“Just what the hell have I gotten myself into?” he wondered aloud. “Say you love me. I want to hear it from you sober.”
Kiley blinked at the sudden seriousness in his eyes.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“Louder.”
Kiley’s lips twitched in amusement. “I love you.”
“Yell it,” he said softly, smiling.
Kiley giggled, then yelled, “I love you.”
Scott laughed as well as he rolled to his side, tugging her with him. He wrapped his arms around her in a protective, loving embrace, and Kiley couldn’t help but to snuggle closer.
“We’re going to have to tell your brother. You know that, right?”
“No, we don’t,” she argued as she rested her cheek against his chest.
She could feel his heart beating, the warmth of his body as it wrapped around hers like a warm blanket. She’d always imagined what it would be like to lay with him this way. The reality was so much better than her imagination.
“He’s gonna find out,” Scott said, pulling her from her thoughts.
“Not if we’re careful.”
“Kiley…”
“I know,” she said tiredly.
He tightened his arms around her shoulders. Kiley had never felt more loved and secure. She’d always felt safe with Scott. Always.
Unfortunately, even Scott couldn’t protect her from the anger that would come her way once Keith found out about them. He would be livid and that was an understatement.
“It will probably come to blows, so I want you to stay out of it.”
Pushing out of his arms, she rose up on her elbow and stared down at him in shock. “No!”
Scott put his finger over her lips, silencing her. “Your brother takes his protection of you very seriously and that includes protecting you from me. He’s always said you were off limits. I broke the rules so he’s gonna hit me. And you’re gonna let him.”
Kiley shook her head, but Scott grabbed her chin, holding her still. “Yes, Kiley. He’s gonna be pissed. Let him get it out of his system. He will come around.”
“How do you know?” Kiley asked, unsure of that herself.
“Because he loves you.”
Kiley rolled her eyes and dropped back down into his arms. “He could sometimes love me a little less.”
Scott chuckled and the sound vibrated enticingly against her chest. “You’re lucky, you know. I don’t have any family. You and Keith are it.”
Kiley snaked her arm around his ribs, holding him close. Scott lost his parents several years ago.
He was in the Seals and overseas on a mission at the time. Their death hit him hard. They’d both died instantly in a car crash caused by a drunk driver. Since he was an only child, he had no brothers or sisters to help him through things, so Kiley had been there for him.
She’d helped him with the funeral arrangements. She’d been by his side at the burial. Keith hadn’t been able to get leave since Scott’s family wasn’t his, so Kiley had been support enough for both of them.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Scott said softly.
“I was just thinking about your parents.”
Scott’s arms tightened around her. “Did I ever thank you for everything you did for me when they died?”
She smiled slightly. “Yes. You did.”
“I should’ve said something then,” he murmured. “I’m not sure when it was I fell in love with you, but when I heard you say that last night, I knew what I felt for you was more than just brotherly love. Especially since I’ve wanted to fuck you for years,” he added dryly.
Kiley rose up and looked down at him. “Really?”
“And you parading around in those tight jeans and skimpy workout clothes at the gym didn’t help either. You made it damn hard to keep my hands off you.”
“Apparently not hard enough. Why didn’t you ever say anything?”
He reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. “We were good friends. I could tell you most anything. We joked. We had fun, at least when we weren’t fighting, which we seemed to be doing a lot of lately. I was afraid if I said something and you didn’t return those feelings I would lose you as a friend.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t see it. I just knew everything I felt for you was showing.”
She leaned down and kissed his collarbone. Scott let out a slow breath as he curled his fingers in her hair.
“Sometimes I would think I caught a glimpse of lust or…adoration.”
Kiley lifted up and snorted. “Adoration, huh?”
His lips titled up on one side in the most adorable, cocky grin she’d ever seen on his face and her heart skipped a beat.
“Well, I’m nothing if not confident.”
“Arrogant,” she mumbled as she lowered her mouth close to his.
“Yeah, but,” he drawled as he slowly slid his hand down to her hip. “You’re gonna have sex with me again anyway.”
“Oh, I am?”
Scott rolled her to her back and settled his hips between her thighs. “Yes. You are,” he replied firmly and confidently.
Kiley smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “And if I don’t want to?”
He dipped his head and kissed the sensitive spot on her neck, just below her ear. “You’ll want to by the time I’m done with you.”
A tingle of hot desire worked its way through every limb. “I’m thinking maybe I should’ve gotten drunk a whole lot sooner.”
Scott chuckled softly as he brought his mouth to hers. “Definitely,” he whispered just before covering her mouth in a kiss she felt clear to her toes.