by Tawny Weber
Belowdecks consisted of a two-burner stove and compact refrigerator, which she supposed was the galley. The bathroom was so small, if she lifted both arms she’d bump her elbows from any angle. The rest was what she supposed was the bedroom, or cabin, since this was a boat.
A very cozy cabin, she realized. Her belly tightened at the sight of the single bed, wide enough to span the aft wall and comfortably sleep three strangers without touching.
Or for two lovers to easily roll around in any variety of adventurous positions. She’d just bet Travis had all sorts of adventurous ideas. She’d heard stories of those sailor guys. A ménage à trois in every port, a skill for under-sheet maneuvers. And with hands like Travis’s—wide palmed, long fingered, oh so skilled—she’d bet he knew just how to do all those adventurous things he’d learned on his travels.
The only thing she wondered was if his tongue was as talented as his hands.
Nope, she told herself with a little shake. Not thinking about it. She was going to put all thoughts of Travis, sex and pleasure out of her mind.
Instead, she found a corner to claim as her own and dug into her tote bag. She hadn’t packed much in the way of cool weather wear, but she managed to layer a tank, a tee and her favorite oversize bat-wing sweater with jeans and felt the chill dissipate a little.
Then, even though she knew it was stupid, she took her toiletries into the tiny excuse for a bathroom. Checking her reflection in the tarnished mirror, she added a hint of smudgy gray to her eyes, a dash of bronzer to her cheeks and a slick of color to her lips.
She brushed and tousled her hair, bending at the waist to give it a good shake. There, she decided. It looked artfully tousled. Natural, yet seductive.
Bad idea, she realized, giving herself a horrified look before tossing her makeup bag into her tote and dropping onto the bed. She shoved her fingers through her hair, taking satisfaction in mussing away the allure.
What was she doing?
Yes, she was attracted to Travis.
Who wouldn’t be? The man was gorgeous. Sexy, strong, funny and protective.
But not in an arrogant, take over her life way that she’d come to associate that with a guy looking out for her.
And his kiss?
Oh, God. That kiss. Lila hummed as the memory worked its way through her body.
He gave her the tingles.
The kind that promised all sorts of delights and orgasms galore. These sort of tingles were almost a guarantee to amazing climaxes, if only because the tingles themselves were a turn on. Because she knew, after tasting his lips on hers, that all it’d take was a single kiss, one sweeping caress, to send her careening into a puddle of delight.
Oh, she knew better than to believe promises and guarantees when it came to sex. She wasn’t that naive.
But it would be pretty cynical to dismiss them out of hand. Without even giving them a chance? That just seemed rude.
And none of this was helping, she lectured herself, pushing off the rough mattress to pace the room until she got herself under control.
Or at least until she’d shook off the allure of those tingles.
Because Travis had done enough for her already. The last thing she was going to ask after the guy had his place trashed and his vacation ruined was that he do her right.
A guy like Travis? One with all those heroic qualities, grumpiness and rocking body? He was the kind of guy she could fall hard for.
Which would be the stupidest thing she’d ever done in her life, she reminded herself firmly. He was too much like her father, too much like her brother, for feelings like that to be anything but heartache in the end.
By the time she joined Travis on the deck, she had a firm handle on her emotions, even if a few thoughts still careened around her head. The sight of him, shadowed in the moonlight with one hand on the wheel as he stared out at infinity, stirred a few other thoughts—most of them naked.
But she firmly squashed them.
“Hungry?” he asked as soon as he saw her.
“Sure,” she said as she realized she was. “The groceries I got this afternoon are below. I’ll put something together.”
Awesome. A distraction that’d keep her away from him a little longer.
“No need. The boat came with dinner.” He gestured to what looked like a small lockbox. “Go ahead and get it set up. I’m going to drop the anchor.”
Crossing to the lockbox, Lila noted that instead of open sea, he’d tucked them into a quiet cove, with trees blanketing three sides of the bottleneck.
It was fairy-tale pretty and, more importantly, it felt safe. Some of the tension that’d threaded tight across her shoulders easing, she smiled as she opened the silver box. It was an insulated food warmer, she realized. Stacked on top of three covered dishes were paper plates and plastic utensils, a roll of paper towels and a foil-wrapped cylinder that she figured contained tortillas.
“Drinks? Dessert?”
“Small cooler.”
She found it behind the bench, set a pair of ice-cold beers next to the food then, priorities being priorities, went back to see what was for dessert.
“Cupcakes?”
“You said you liked chocolate,” Travis said over her shoulder.
Lila started. She hadn’t heard him move, and yowza, the shadow was even huger than the man. And that was saying something.
“There’s bottled water, too,” she said after clearing the surprise from her throat. She wasn’t going to touch that chocolate comment with a ten-foot pole. “In case you don’t drink on duty.”
“I don’t.” He snagged both beers in one hand, twisting off their caps in a single move, then handed one back to her. “But we’re not on duty tonight.”
Not sure what that meant they were on, Lila looked around to find somewhere to set up dinner. She didn’t want to eat belowdecks. Safety reasons aside, she didn’t think eating on a bed was going to help keep her mind off of sex with Travis.
As if reading at least part of her mind, he reached between two benches to pull out a three foot square of plywood. After dropping it flat on the benches to create a table, he began unloading the food warmer.
Lila had to take a second to acclimate to the fact that he didn’t expect her—the little woman—to handle setting the table and putting out food, before she dived in to help.
Ten minutes later, they were cozied up around the impromptu table enjoying a surprisingly delicious meal. Seated cross-legged between the table and the bulkhead, Lila was impressed at how comfortable Travis was to be with.
In the short time since sitting, they’d discussed world politics, the latest blockbuster film and the spiritual merits of the Rolling Stones.
Finally, as much because it was driving her crazy not to know as because she thought all this common ground was getting just a little too intimate, she returned to their reason for being together.
“Could you fill me in again on this mission plan of yours?” she asked, swirling designs in the verde sauce with her fork. “Everything this time. After all, I’m trusting you with my life.”
She added a flutter of her lashes to that last part.
“Trust well placed.” With a half laugh, he shot a finger her way before scooping out a second helping of chili verde. “So, the plan. We’re in a holding pattern until your documents arrive. I’ve called in a few favors, but I don’t know when they’ll pay off. So until they do, we spend our days being visible, scoping Casa de Rico and making people nervous.”
“Nervous people tend to get nasty,” Lila pointed out.
“They make mistakes, too. If they figure we know what they’re doing, they’re either going to screw up or they’re going to confront. Either one gives us answers.”
Lila shuddered. She’d already experienced confrontation and wasn’t eager for another round.
“Did you get anything out of that little recon?” Despite her feelings about her brother, she was loving using military terms. There was something strong and sexy about them.
“Other than the fact that Montoya is anti-tourist and feels threatened by your presence in Puerto Viejo, that Garcia is unquestionably dirty and that whatever the crime, Casa de Rico is the hub?” Travis shrugged, scooping up another helping of rice. “Nope. I didn’t get anything.”
“Slacker,” she teased before digging into her beans and rice. The food was delicious. “Who cooked you dinner? Let me guess. Manny’s wife’s second cousin, right?”
“Nah. Alberto doesn’t cook. From the taste of it, this is Glory’s doing. You met her. Manny’s wife,” he added at her questioning look. “We’ll have a variety of boats, and meals, available over the next week. After that, we might have to make new arrangements.”
“Do you think it will take that long?” Unable to swallow, Lila switched her fork for her beer, then traded that for a napkin. Shredding the paper into tiny, even strips, she tried to think it through. Clients, bills, Corinne’s worries, bills. They kept circling.
“We’ll touch base with the States first thing in the morning,” he said, his words coated in reassurance. “You can check in, offer assurances, make arrangements.”
“I emailed Corinne from the hotel this afternoon after our visit with Montoya.” Had it been only that afternoon that she’d been kidnapped, rescued and walked into a trashed house? “She does work for my company, At Your Service, and she’s my roommate.”
“Did you fill her in?”
“About all of this?” Wide-eyed, Lila waved her hand to encompass the boat, the cove, the island and the countryside. “No way. Look, I’d already told her about the murder, so I gave her Montoya’s name and yours. That’s enough for now. If you think I’m a drama queen, you should see her crown.”
She barely resisted rolling her eyes at his impatient look. She wasn’t about to explain that her father already knew where she was. One hint that she was in trouble, he’d sweep in and handle everything. From the cops to her documents to ending her career and hauling her away from Travis with nary a goodbye.
It wasn’t that she wanted to be in trouble.
It was just that she didn’t want her father getting her out of it.
“You must have other people. Don’t you want to contact them?”
“People?”
“Family. Friends.” He waited a beat. “Lover.”
Oh.
Lila wet her lips with another sip of beer and tried to be smart. To remember all of the reasons getting involved with Travis would be a bad idea.
But looking across the dimly lit table at the man, his shoulders so broad they seemed to fade into the darkness, his face scruffy from a couple of days of not shaving and those eyes—oh, those eyes—filled with concern, she couldn’t recall a single one.
“I’m not with someone. I mean, nobody is waiting for me. That way, that is.” God, she sounded like an idiot. Lila blew out a long breath, reminded herself that she’d had sex before and dug up a flirtatious smile. “I don’t have a lover.”
And after that show of grace, she wouldn’t. Especially not when he pushed his plate away and leaned back with his beer, giving her that look of amused interest.
“And family?”
Lila rolled her eyes. He was like a dog with a bone. Here she was thinking about getting naked with him and all he wanted was intel.
“The email I sent my friend, Corinne, is enough for the next day or so. If she doesn’t hear from me then, she’ll contact my family.”
“Wouldn’t they prefer to hear from you directly?”
“So when you touch base in the morning, is that with your SEAL friends?” she asked, desperate to change the subject. “How long are you on leave? Do you have to report back soon?”
It was too dark to see Travis’s expression in any detail, but Lila felt a sudden chill. She swallowed the last of her beer to wet her suddenly dry throat.
Okay. So like her family, Travis’s SEAL career was an off-limits topic. Only his off-limits sign was surrounded by barbed wire. And landmines.
“Cupcakes?” she offered, desperately pushing to her feet to grab dessert. Since the sum total of doing dishes was to dump all the containers in a trash bag, she cleared the table and put down the chocolate-frosted chocolate answer to peace in a single move.
“Are half of those cupcakes going to be enough chocolate to bring your stress levels down, or are you going to need them all?”
Was he interested in her or not? Starting to feel like an emotional yo-yo wondering, Lila decided it was time to find out once and for all.
“Well, it has been a rough day.” She swiped a finger through one frosting swirl. Her eyes locked on his, she licked it clean, then swiped again.
“How’s it taste?”
“Mmm, delicious.”
Her grin faded as he slowly stood until he loomed over her. The man was huge.
“You shouldn’t be stressed.” He moved around the table.
“Is that an order?” She took an unobtrusive step toward the wheelhouse.
“Are you under my command?”
“I’ve been told I’m too insubordinate to command.”
“The trick to being a good commander is knowing how to motivate.”
Eyes wide, Lila stared up into the dark depths of his teasing eyes. How had he gotten so close? Why did he smell so good? She cleared her throat.
“So what’s your favorite motivation technique?”
He looked at her mouth for a long moment. Her heart jumped a couple beats, then started beating faster. He shifted his gaze to hers again. Then, damn him, he smiled. And sent her stomach diving into her toes.
“I prefer to tailor the motivation to the individual.”
“Is that so?”
“It is. Interested in the knowing what I’d do to motivate you?”
Oh, God, yes.
But Lila wasn’t sure she could handle finding out. That the man was out of her league was glaringly obvious.
“I think I might be pretty good at motivating myself,” she confessed.
“Everybody should know how to motivate themselves,” he agreed with a wicked smile. “Aren’t you going to ask about my stress levels?”
“Are you stressed?” she asked, taking one step backward.
“That depends.”
“Depends on what?”
“On if you’re interested in doing something about it.” His smile sexy enough to make her light-headed, he moved forward one step.
Since his legs were longer than hers, his step brought him close enough to touch. To feel. To taste.
She held her breath when he reached out. He shifted his gaze to his fingers as they combed through her hair, swirling one long strand around and around. His gaze met hers again and he gave a tug.
“So?” he asked quietly. “Interested?”
“I shouldn’t be. This would probably be a mistake,” she murmured, her eyes locked on his mouth. His lips looked so soft, a contrast against those dark whiskers. Were they soft, too? How would they feel against her skin?
Desire wrapped around her like a silk ribbon, pretty and tight.
“Let’s see what it feels like making a mistake together.”
With that, his mouth took hers.
The kiss was whisper soft. The lightest teasing touch of his lips to hers. Pressing, sliding, enticing. Then his tongue slid along her bottom lip in a way that made Lila want to purr. She straight up melted, the trembling in her knees spreading through her entire body.
Unable to resist, desperate for more, she opened for his tongue, welcoming it with a sweep of her own. He tasted like chocolate and something headier. Something Lila was deathly afraid she could easily be addicted to. He pushed her
sweater down her arms, the fabric a whisper as it hit the deck. Before she could acknowledge the cold, his hands were there, warming.
When she hummed her appreciation, Travis pulled his mouth away and took a small step away.
Wanting more, not ready to stop, she gave a tiny sound of protest. But when he took her hand, pulling her along toward the stairs, she realized he wasn’t ending this. He was moving to somewhere more comfortable.
“We can’t leave the boat unguarded,” he said, grabbing a sleeping bag from one of the topside bulkhead cabinets. With a quick jerk of his wrist, unrolling it so it floated, a flat fluffy pillow, on the deck.
In the same economical move, he dropped down and pulled her with him, acting as a cushion so she didn’t hit the deck. Their bodies aligned, hard against soft. Anticipation tightened in her belly like a wound rubber band, ready to snap at any second.
“Is this one of those adrenaline things?” she asked, watching her hand as she caressed small circles over his chest. “You know, coming down off a danger rush with physical intimacy.”
“Physical intimacy” sounded so much classier than hot sex.
“I’ve served on a lot of missions and been in dozens of dangerous situations. None of them ended in physical intimacy,” he promised with a half laugh. “But we can talk about what’s going on here between the two of us if you want.”
He slid her hair over her shoulder, baring her throat for kisses while waiting for her answer.
“Okay.” Lila shivered as his words danced like a warm caress over the bare skin of her throat, teasing her breasts. Her nipples tightened, budding with need.
“Okay,” she agreed as she skimmed her hands along the waistband of his jeans, then under the denim to get ahold of that sweet butt. Rigid muscles under satin skin warmed her palms. “Do you mean like dirty talk? Or safe sex talk?”
His laugh rumbled through her, the vibration as much a turn on as his hands cruising down her back to tease the gentle slope where her back met her butt.
“The is-this-a-smart-move talk.”
“How can I say it’s smart if I haven’t seen your moves?” But Lila knew he was right, so she rested her hands on his waist and leaned back just enough to focus on his face.