Playing for Keeps

by Cherry Adair

  There was a small flight of shallow marble steps leading off the grand entrance to the bowels of the palace. Vera’s shoes tapped out an imperative beat as he ran. Danica eyed the back of his shiny black head then launched herself off the landing, slamming into him. She clung like a monkey, arms and legs wrapped about him as he crashed to the floor face-first. They sprawled there, Danica on top as if the entire move had been choreographed, her thighs straddling his butt. Her knees stung like fire, and she’d bitten her tongue as they landed hard, but she punched the air with a fist and gave a rebel yell.

  Then, leaning close to the terrified man beneath her, Danica said, “Let’s see you blow me up now, asshole!”

  Jon jumped lightly down the stairs and held a nice, big, black gun to Vera’s temple. Then he roared with laughter.

  Raven wasn’t laughing an hour later as he paced outside Dani’s bedroom door. The musty-smelling corridor, with its funky-colored wallpaper, lined with useless antiques, was crowded with people, from el presidente’s weird-looking kid and members of his cabinet to a dozen dark-suited men from the FAA, the NTSB, Interpol, and other assorted agencies.

  Raven stormed the length of the corridor–194 paces–and back again-for the fifth time.

  What the hell was taking so long?

  The president of San Cristóbal had been in there, alone, with Dani, for thirty-four minutes. Thirty-five minutes. He sure as shit didn’t want to speak to the alphabet soups, all spit-and-polished in their official-issue suits, who kept trying to question him.

  He tilted his wrist to see the face of his watch in the gloom. Thirty-seven minutes.

  She could’ve borne the next freaking royal heir by now. Raven raked his fingers through his hair as he paused outside the door. Hell, no. If she was going to bear any heir, it would be— The door opened.

  The president shot him a smile as he emerged. Your wife, she is a remarkable woman, señor Raven.

  “Yeah, she sure as hell is. All done?” he asked, striving for polite, but pretty damn sure he sounded as surly as he felt. The man stepped back to let him into the room.

  Without a backward glance, Raven kicked the door shut behind him and moved to the high, canopied bed, his heart in his throat, on his sleeve, and in his mouth. That about covered its calisthenics. “Hey, look at you, all pink and clean.”

  And heartbreakingly beautiful as she lay there, sweet-smelling and sleepy-looking, watching him with shadows in her pretty eyes and a small smile on her luscious mouth. The white Band-Aid on her neck looked completely innocuous. Just seeing the damn thing made bile rise to the back of his throat.

  He could’ve lost her. Again.

  How many chances was God going to give him to make this right?

  He sat down carefully on the bed beside her, wanting to gather her close but mortally afraid to touch her. Afraid he’d blow this reprieve, this last chance to get it right. “How’re you feeling?”

  “Like someone stuck me in a bad action movie without a script,” Danica said wryly, watching the uncomfortable shift of his gaze and painfully aware of the awkward silence stretching between them.

  Apparently, they could communicate just fine when fists and bullets were flying, but stick them in a room and expect a meaningful conversation-that was apparently beyond their capabilities.

  The thought made her throat ache.

  “How’s your neck?” He started to reach for her, then clearly thought better of it and dropped his hand to the bedspread, curling his fingers into a fist.

  “You were in here the whole time they removed it,” she said, keeping the wobble out of her voice with an effort. “You know how I am.” He’d held her hand tightly as she received a local anesthetic to deaden the site. He’d talked to her, sung a bad rendition of “Margaritaville,” and distracted her from thinking her head was going to explode at any minute. He didn’t leave her side until the president’s personal physician successfully removed the device.

  “You had a shower, I see.” His hair was still damp at the ends, and he smelled of an unfamiliar soap. But beneath it he still smelled like Jon. He was warm, brave, and strong, and he loved her. She knew he did. Just as much as she loved him. All she had to do was wait him out and make him say it.

  “Yeah.” He pinched a corner of the lace-trimmed sheet between his fingers and started unraveling a thread. Danica, in all the years she’d known him, had never seen Jon Raven nervous. “Nice chat with the president?” he asked, not glancing up from untatting the probably priceless linen.

  Danica wanted him to look at her. Wanted him to see her. Instead, she could tell he was itching to get out of the room, already feeling stifled by the weight of what he would perceive as obligation. He would want to get back to his uncomplicated computers and fail-safe security systems. His “people” and his ordered life. She’d been too unpredictable for his well-structured world. Well, too damn bad.

  “He’s very grateful to both of us,” she said thickly.

  The doctor wanted her to rest for seventy-two hours before flying home. The president still wanted to award her keys to the city. Rigo wanted to introduce her to his dog. Barring the one itch that hadn’t been an insect bite after all, she still itched like crazy. And for once, her composure in the face of disaster was deserting her.

  How was it possible for a heart to break twice?

  Could she really just lie here and let him weasel out? Should she really let him leave? Pretend that they didn’t share the connection that was so strong between them?

  However, the other option was to force him to admit his love. Then what good would it be?

  “Jon, would you—” Just go before she started begging him? For what? Another shot at being ignored? Of feeling like the loneliest, neediest woman on the planet?

  Not true, she reminded herself. Okay, the loneliest part was accurate, but that was as much her fault as his. She sat in that house, expecting him to entertain her. Never seeking a life of her own, never cultivating other interests. No wonder he stayed at work all the time. When he did come home, she’d clung to him like a barnacle. But she wasn’t that woman anymore.

  Only he didn’t know that, she realized. Unless she told him, he never would.

  Dangerous.

  Necessary.

  There was an awkward moment of tension as Danica mustered her courage. “I need to say something.”

  “Me, first,” Jon interrupted. Small beads of perspiration formed on his forehead.

  He was sweating? Her heart leapt at the mere possibility. Reaching up she pressed her fingers against his lips. “Not this time.”

  His eyes rose from the unraveled lace to meet hers. “Danica, I—”

  “No.” She scrambled upward, meeting his intense gaze. “Me first. I got it wrong before,” she began on a rush of breath. “I was immature and stupid. I expected you to be my life instead of sharing my life. I—”

  “Had every reason to want that,” Jon insisted, gently cupping her face.

  “I want us to try again, Jon. I love you. I never stopped.”

  His thumbs brushed her cheek. “I was the one who screwed it all up. I took you for granted. Loving someone is work. Great work, but work. I neglected you, Dani. When I should have been treasuring you.” His gaze raked her face. “I loved you. Even then, when I was stump stupid, I loved you. I should have been thanking you every second of every day. Thanking you for being there. For loving me. You make me a better man, Dani. I still love you. I’ll always love you.”

  “I’ll always love you too. And just so you know, we make each other better, Jon,” Danica said, leaning into him and smiling at the feel of his arms sliding around her. She listened to the staccato beat of his heart and knew they’d found each other again. “We’re a great team.”

  “God, Dani.” He held her tight. So tight she wouldn’t have b
een surprised to feel her body melting right into his, becoming a part of him. “I love you so much. Be sure about this. Be sure that you want me as much as I want you.” He pulled back, stared down into her eyes, and grinned. “Because I swear to God, I’ll never let you get away from me again.”

  She kissed him to seal the deal.

  About The Author

  New York Times bestselling author Cherry Adair’s innovative action-adventure novels have appeared on numerous bestsellers lists, won dozens of awards and garnered praise from reviewers and fans alike. With the creation of her kick butt counterterrorist group, T-FLAC, years before action adventure romances were popular. Cherry has carved a niche for herself with her sexy, sassy, fast-paced novels. She loves to hear from readers.

  Visit Cherry on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or cherryadair.com.

  Go deeper into the steamy, thrilling world of Cherry Adair!

  Vortex

  The third book in Cherry Adair’s Cutter Cay series plunges into a Vortex of high-sea adventure and romance, where a long-lost treasure is a deadly lure—and love is the most dangerous current of all…

  “Thrilling and hazardous! When you add in the sensuous sizzle, you have the full Adair package.” —Romantic Times

  SWEPT AWAY

  Searching for a sunken ship off the coast of Peru, treasure hunter Logan Cutter manages to pull a very different kind of prize from the sea—beautiful gallery owner Daniela Rosada. Dani claims she was thrown overboard by ruthless pirates and begs for his protection. But Logan is no stranger to a woman’s lies, and something about her story doesn’t add up.

  IN TOO DEEP

  With her knowledge of Peruvian artifacts, Dani offers to help Logan translate an ancient map that will lead them to a shipwrecked treasure—and into a carefully laid trap. But the closer they get, the deeper she falls for him, not realizing that Logan is hiding a secret of his own. By the time she learns the truth about his boat, his brothers—and his blood feud with pirates—it’s too late. By falling in love, they’ve set a course for disaster…

  … The latest Cutter Cay romantic suspense (see two of Logan’s brothers’ adventures - Riptide and Undertow) is an exciting at sea and somewhat on land thriller. Fast-paced from the moment the hero rescues the damsel in distress and never slows down until the final unlikely but exhilarating confrontation, readers will enjoy action-packed Vortex while knowing sibling Jonah will steer the next story….Harriet Klausner

  Live life… On the…

  Edge of Danger,

  Edge of Fear, and

  Edge of Darkness

  follow the adventures and loves of the three Edge brothers who are each gifted with special powers and work as special operatives with the secret paranormal branch of T-FLAC.

  eBook trilogy byCHERRY ADAIR

  eBooks by Adair Digital.

  Available wherever eBooks are sold.

  Kiss and Tell

  On a peaceful day of soul-searching at her grandmother’s old cabin, Marnie Wright is swept away by a longhaired mountain man named Jake Dolan. After being stashed in his secret underground lair, Marnie realizes the guy is military, top secret military. Yet he also has the most beautiful mouth she has ever seen. As for Jake, the last thing he wants in his dangerous life is a woman. But a man would have to be dead not to fall for the sexy-as-sin Marnie Wright. But how could he have feelings for someone who may be killed just for being close to him? His days, after all, are numbered….

  Hide and Seek

  Posing as the spoiled girlfriend of an international crime lord, Delanie Eastman braves a remote mountain in South America to find her missing sister. The last person she expects to see is Kyle Wright, the man she had a torrid affair with four years ago. What is he doing so far from home? Though frightened and suspicious of this man who is not what he seems, Delanie cannot resist the dangerous attraction that draws her ever closer to him. For just one touch is all it takes to rekindle the intoxicating flame that still burns between them, igniting an arsenal of desire that could cost them their lives…

  A sassy, shameless romantic adventure about a man betrayed and the woman who rocks his untamed world….

  By Cherry Adair

  More T-Flac Series eBooks by Adair Digital Publishing:

  Night Fall

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  Night Shadow

  Out of Sight

  On Thin Ice

  White Heat

  Ice Cold