by Elle James
Sophia shrugged. “That means there’s nothing left to do but go to bed and hope we wake up in the morning.”
Blade nodded. “You go ahead. I need to make some phone calls.”
“This late at night?”
He nodded. “I really would like to have a gun.”
“Wouldn’t they throw you in jail if they catch you with one here in Mexico?”
“Have to catch me first. In the meantime, we need some protection.”
“Okay then.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize who Calderón was.”
“I think he was banking on that. A pretty, redheaded woman would sell high in the human trafficking market.”
Sophia entered the bedroom, gathered up some clothes and carried them into the bathroom. She stripped out of the pretty dress, sad that it had been ruined in the fall. In the shower, she washed her hair and cleaned the makeup off of her face, and then scrubbed the street grime from her body. After she rinsed thoroughly, she climbed out and towel dried. Rather than slipping into her nightgown, she pulled on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and exited the bathroom.
Blade had drawn the drapes over all the windows. He stood with his back to her, his body tense, his phone pressed to his ear. “Roger,” he said into the phone, “I’ll keep that in mind.”
He hung up and turned to face her.
“Keep what in mind?” she asked,
“A contact who might be able to get me a gun.”
Her brow furrowed. “If you’re that worried, we need to leave.”
“I’m just taking precautions.” He reached out and brushed a damp strand of hair behind Sophia’s ear. “We don’t know that Calderón senior will do anything in revenge for me breaking his son’s nose.”
She cupped his hand and pressed it to her cheek. “How can I sleep when I’m worried?”
He kissed her forehead. “Go to bed. Close your eyes and, eventually, you’ll go to sleep.”
“What about you? I told you I’d sleep on the couch.”
He shook his head. “I’m not having you sleep out here. I can sleep on the couch, and you in the bedroom. Leave the door open though.” When she hesitated, he kissed her forehead again. “Just do it, Sophia.”
She turned and entered the bedroom. Leaving the door open, she climbed into the bed. It didn’t feel right going to bed when it was her fault they’d gotten into their current situation.
She’d bet money that Blade would be up all night.
Sophia lay for a long time staring up at the ceiling. She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew she was in a dream being carried off by three men. She struggled and fought. Only this time, Blade wasn’t there to protect her. She cried out his name. No one was there to help. Deep down, she knew it was a dream, but it felt so real, and she couldn’t break free.
Then she felt strong arms wrap around her. For a moment she fought them until she heard a voice say, “It’s okay. Sophia. It’s me…Blade. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
Sophia woke from her dream and looked up to see Blade’s blue eyes staring down at her. “They had me again,” she whispered.
“They don’t have you now.” He smoothed a hand over her hair. “I’m going to take care of you. Go to sleep, Sophia.”
She rested her cheek against his chest and drifted back into a dreamless sleep. She was where she was meant to be.
Chapter 5
Blade woke before Sophia the next morning. For a few long moments, he lay with her snuggled in his arms, her hand draped across his chest and her leg flung over his thigh. Her warm breath swept across his chest stirring the hairs there and awakening so much more.
Blade had never been one to lie in bed with a woman and not make love to her. This had to be a first.
The fact that Sophia was his friend made it even more difficult. Friends didn’t make love to each other.
Yeah, right.
He’d heard of friends with benefits. But Sophia was better than that. She deserved a man who would treat her the right way. One who would love and protect her. Someone who would marry her and give her children.
Blade smiled as he imagined those children. Little redheaded hellions with the spunk and sass of their mother. Little girls with curly red locks, reaching up to their father with chubby little arms. “Pick me up, Daddy.”
For the first time ever, Blade felt a tug of longing for a life he had never expected to want. Deltas didn’t make good husband or father material, and he wasn’t ready to give up his life as a Delta.
He needed to stick to the plan. He was there to protect Sophia, not to bed her.
But hell. She smelled so good, and she was so soft against him.
Blade felt his resistance crumbling.
Before the walls crashed down around him, he slipped from beneath her and rolled out of bed onto his feet.
Sophia stirred but didn’t wake. Her freckled cheeks were flushed a pretty pale pink, and her lips were soft, full and begging to be kissed.
At least that’s how Blade saw it, and he wanted to. He’d always been aware of Sophia, but only in a friend sense, not as anything else. He had been so conditioned to loving and leaving women that he couldn’t see Sophia as a woman he would take to his bed.
Until now.
And it blew open a whole lot of doors that would be best left closed.
What would it be like to make love to Sophia? To have her pale skin lying naked on the bed next to his darker complexion? Her curly red hair spread out across a white pillow next to his, making a fan of coppery gold…?
He swallowed hard to keep a groan from rising up his throat. He wanted to crawl back into the bed with Sophia and awaken her with a kiss and more. Instead, he walked from the room and closed the door softly behind him. With every ounce of determination he could muster, he went to the small kitchenette where he brewed a cup of coffee, hoping that the caffeine and heat would quench the desire he felt for his friend and next-door neighbor. While the coffee brewed, Blade pulled back the curtains and let the morning sun into the bungalow.
He had to maintain focus. After what had happened the night before, he was afraid that Calderón’s father and minions would soon be looking for them. He and Sophia would have to lay low for a couple days to make sure. That didn’t mean that they couldn’t go out to the beach. They would just have to stick to the resort and limit their outings to daylight. Maintaining situational awareness at all times was key to staying alive. Cartels weren’t known to just strike at night. Some had gunned down people on the beach during the day. Hopefully, they could still enjoy their vacation just a little bit closer to the resort.
“Good morning,” came a gravelly voice from behind him.
He turned.
Sophia stood in her T-shirt and shorts, her hair a tousled mane hanging down around her shoulders. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and blinked at the morning sun shining through the window. If she had been beautiful sleeping, she was even more striking standing there in an oversized T-shirt and shorts that did nothing to hide her sexy legs.
Blade took a gulp of his coffee, burned his tongue and sputtered.
Her mouth twisted into a wry grin. “Sorry, did I startle you?”
“No. Coffee’s just a little hot,” he said. If anything, he’d startled himself with the sudden surge of desire he wasn’t quite able to tamp down. “You feel okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “After I finally got to sleep, I didn’t have any more of those dreams.” She gave him a weak smile. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “No, thank you. At least I got a little bit of sleep on a real bed.”
Her eyes narrowed. “And did you sleep?”
“I did.”
“With one eye opened?”
He snorted. “Somewhat. But I feel rested, so I’m okay. And it was a lot more comfortable in the bed than on the sofa, I have to admit. But don’t worry. I’m okay with sleeping on the sofa tonight.”
“We’ll see,” she said and padded bar
efoot toward the coffee pot. “Is there enough for me?”
“Plenty. As long as you like it hot, strong and black. If you want sugar and cream, we’ll have to pick some up today.”
She sniffed the air around the coffee pot and sighed. “No. I like it just this way.”
He fished a mug out of a cabinet and set it on the counter next to the coffeemaker. He brushed her hand aside and said, “Here, let me pour. You’re still sleepy.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Thank you.”
He filled her cup and set the carafe back in the coffeemaker.
She lifted the cup and leaned her back against the counter. “So, what have you decided?”
“About what?”
She captured his gaze over the rim of her cup. “Are we staying or going home?”
“I think we can stay and see how it plays out.” Blade lifted his mug. “I might have a talk with the resort security team and let them know to be on the lookout for Calderón’s thugs.”
“Should we report the incident to the Mexican police?”
Blade shook his head. “No. If anything, they might arrest me for having pummeled the local cartel leader’s son. It might be best to just lie low.”
Sophia frowned. “Does that mean we have to stay in this bungalow 24/7? Seems a shame to come all the way to Mexico to be stuck inside when the sun’s shining and the surf’s calling to us.” She waved toward the beach and the morning sun rising over the water.
Blade smiled. “If we keep our wits about us, I think we can go out to the beach and some of the resort restaurants.”
“That sounds good,” Sophia said. “I wanted to relax anyway. If things work out and nobody attacks us, maybe we can do some of the excursions later on this week.”
Blade nodded. “We’ll see.”
Her lips pressed together. “That almost sounds like a ‘hell no’.”
“Not so much a hell no as a probably not. But, like I said, we’ll see. In the meantime, how would you like to get dressed and go find some breakfast?”
Sophia took a cautious sip of her coffee. “Sounds good. I’ll only be a minute.” She carried her coffee into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.
While Sophia changed, Blade rummaged through his duffle bag, found a nice polo shirt and pulled it over his head. Then he slipped into a pair of khaki shorts and sandals. It wasn’t much of a bodyguard outfit, and he didn’t have a weapon to protect them, but it would have to do. He made a note to buy a hat from the gift shop for a disguise. Then he settled a pair of sunglasses on his face and hoped that he would blend in with the tourist crowd until he could find a hat.
Moments later, Sophia emerged from the bedroom wearing a white eyelet sundress, a big floppy straw hat with her hair tucked up beneath it, and sunglasses. She couldn’t hide her pale skin, but she’d done a good job of hiding her hair.
Blade grinned. “Good job.”
She reached up to touch her hat. “Yeah, I thought it might be a good idea to hide my red hair.”
He nodded. “You’d make a great spy.”
Sophia laughed and shook her head. “I can hide the hair more easily than I can hide the pale tone of my skin. Makeup could never cover all the freckles.”
“True. But from a distance, this will do.” He held out his elbow. “Shall we?”
She hooked her arm through his. They left the rooms, securing the door behind them.
The walk up the path to the hotel was spent in silence. Blade searched every shadow and every face as they passed the other bungalows along the way. He saw no one but service staff and other guests of the resort. No one stared at him with menacing looks. He’d have to make a point to talk with the staff in charge of cleaning the bungalow. Maybe if he tipped them enough, they would lean toward protecting Sophia and Blade, rather than giving up their location to the cartel. “When you were talking to Andrés, did you give him your full name?” Blade asked Sophia as they stepped into the hotel lobby.
She shook her head. “No, just my first name, Sophia.”
“Well, that should slow him down a little bit.”
“Do you really think he’ll come looking for us?”
“I don’t know. But it doesn’t hurt to keep our eyes open. Promise me you won’t go anywhere by yourself.”
Sophia laughed. “Trust me, I won’t.” She squeezed his arm. “Thank you for coming and being my protector. I didn’t realize I’d need you so much.”
He glanced down at her and patted her hand. “I’m glad I’m here. Last night could’ve ended a whole lot worse.”
Sophia nodded solemnly.
They found a small restaurant on the outskirts of the hotel with a view of the ocean. They settled beneath an umbrella that shaded them. Blade propped his menu in front of him and looked over the top, scanning the horizon and the people around them.
Sophia did the same, shooting a glance toward him. “See anybody we should be suspicious of?”
“Not so far.”
She shook her head and clapped her menu shut. “If we’re going to have to hide everywhere we go, maybe it is best if we just go home.”
“It’s your call,” he said. “But count on a hefty change fee for the flight.”
Sophia grimaced. “It really makes me mad that one person can ruin my entire vacation.”
“Vacation?” Blade’s eyes widened. “He could’ve ruined your entire life.”
Sophia nodded. “You’re right. I should be grateful, but I’m really mad that he almost ruined my entire life.” Her gaze connected with Blade’s. “Do you really think he was kidnapping me to sell me into human trafficking?”
Blade shrugged. “Even if he was only kidnapping you for his own use, it wouldn’t have been any better.”
Sophia shook her head. “No, it wouldn’t. I really hate to think that there are people in this world who do things like that. Why can’t everybody be nice?”
“Not everybody is like you, Sophia.”
“Wow, so you think I’m nice?” She grinned.
He winked. “For the most part.”
Sophia’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, for the most part?”
“I’ve seen you at work at the Salty Dog. You don’t take crap off of anyone who steps over the line.”
She tilted her head. “That’s a bad thing?”
“Not at all. A woman needs to know how to protect herself. You do a pretty good job of that.”
Her smile faded. “When it’s three to one, what woman can defend herself from that?”
He shook his head. “That’s why you never go any place like this by yourself, and even some places in the United States. Unfortunately, most women are smaller and weaker than men. It pays to be highly skilled in self-defense techniques. Otherwise, you’re an easy target.”
“Remind me to take self-defense classes when I get back.”
Blade nodded. “That would be a good idea. I suggest Israeli Krav Maga.”
Sophia nodded. “I’ve heard of that.”
“In the meantime, stay close to me.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
They ordered their food and ate, talking about their mutual friends and plans each of them had for their own houses.
“I’d like to get a dog someday,” Sophia said. “I’m thinking about building a fence in my backyard.”
“I can help you with that,” Blade offered.
She laughed. “When? You’re almost never home.”
Blade nodded. “Yeah, but when I am, I need something to keep me busy or I get into trouble.”
“You do?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“I know it’s hard to imagine.” Blade lifted his chin. “I was always in detention in high school. I made good grades, but I couldn’t stand the pace. It was too slow.”
“What about sports?”
“If I hadn’t played on the football team, I doubt that the administration would have been as lenient on me. I’m sure they would’ve suspended
my ass rather than give me detention, but they needed me because I was a pretty good receiver. They liked me because I scored.”
“And you continue to score,” she said with a smirk.
Blade nodded. “Touché. I deserve that. At least I always make sure the women I sleep with know, up front, that I’m not the marrying kind.”
“I bet some still hold out hope that you’ll change your mind.”
His lip quirked up on one side. “There have been a few.”
“I’m sure deep down, every one of those women you’ve slept with had high hopes of convincing you that they were the one.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m not marriage material. I like being a Delta, and it’s not conducive to long-term relationships.”
“What about your buddies who’ve just gotten engaged?”
“It’s extremely optimistic of them,” he said.
“But you don’t expect it to last, do you?” Sophia guessed.
“I don’t see how it can. Once those guys are deployed, the women are left behind. They have to handle everything. I mean, what if a pipe leaks?”
Sophia crossed her arms over her chest. “She can call a plumber.”
“What if she gets sick?”
“Those ladies have a network of friends,” Sophia said. “They’d come to her rescue.”
Blade frowned. “But that’s her partner’s job.”
“Those women know what they’re getting into.” Sophia shook her head. “It’s their choice. If they didn’t like the idea of their guys being deployed, they wouldn’t have made the choice to stay with them. They’re strong women. They can handle anything. After all, they were single before they met their guys.”
“Exactly, and they’ll be single again while their guys are deployed.”
“Not exactly. They’ll be really happy when their guys come home, and they can make up for lost time. Blade, you’re not looking at the right women if you think all of them are going to bail on you. You need a woman who is strong, who can stand on her own, alone, and who will be there for you when you come home.”
“Not all women are as strong as you are, Sophia.” He reached across the table for her hand.