Blake gasped. “Careful there. We don’t want this to be over before we really get started.” He took her by the wrist and removed her hand, releasing it to grab a condom.
When his eyes met hers again, Ryleigh slowly licked the length of her thumb then stuck it in her mouth. He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. Yeah, she was playing dirty.
“I’ve always liked your taste.”
His eyes flew open. “I didn’t think you liked oral sex.”
“You thought wrong.” She snatched the condom from his fingers and ripped open the package. “We never had time for much foreplay.” She shoved him onto his back and slowly rolled the protection over his cock. She gave him a little squeeze before straddling him and lowering herself down.
In this position, he filled her so deeply. Completely inside her, she sat for a moment allowing herself time to adjust.
Blake reached up and cupped her breasts with both hands. “I didn’t pay these enough attention, before.” He leaned up and took one nipple in his mouth and gently tugged on the other as he sucked, then switched sides. The heat ran all the way through her body to her very core. He touched places inside her that had lain dormant for years.
When he lifted his mouth, she immediately missed his touch. “Ry, you’re torturing me. Move.”
She giggled.
“That isn’t helping.” The muscles in his neck strained as though he was using all of his strength to hold back.
That only made her laugh harder.
Blake grabbed her hips and held her as he drove up into her then back down.
Damn, that felt good. Her body took over and rode him the way he liked it. The way she liked it.
“Come with me, Ryleigh. It’s always so much better that way.”
“Not quite there, yet,” she panted.
He leaned up on one elbow and pulled her body down, taking a breast into his mouth. He sucked and rolled her nipple against the roof of his mouth, his teeth touching the edge of her areola.
Her inner muscles clamped around his cock buried deep inside her. With a groan, Blake released her breast, throwing his arms around her as he pulled her tight to him. He thrust up in perfect timing with her downward motions. She held onto his shoulders, her fingertips digging in, and rode Blake out to the edge as they leaped together, falling mindlessly onto the bed.
What seemed like a long time later, her brain rose toward the surface as he rolled her to the side and slid out of her. She immediately missed his warm chest on hers, but he tucked the sheets around her to keep her warm.
She thought she heard him say, “Sleep, my love,” although she was already sinking back into sexually-satisfied blissful sleep. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, his use of the word love registered. Maybe that’s not what he actually said. She was too exhausted to care as much-needed sleep overtook her body and her mind.
Ryleigh rushed awake. As she’d been trained, she maintained a sleep breathing pattern. She had no idea where she was. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the minimal light as she glanced around the room.
Blake moved next to her and everything came back in a flash.
From the wonderful morning on the beach to the terrible day diving, saving Ella from the shark, to sleeping with Blake, the long day played out like a fast-forward video that ended with her straddled and screaming as both she and Blake came.
Two orgasms. Not a first for her and Blake, just a first in many years. Had he really said the word love? He’d certainly stirred up not only memories but feelings she’d had for him. She was sure she hadn’t loved him back then. She wasn’t even sure she’d ever really loved Michael, although while living with him and playing house, that was the name she had given her emotions towards him. After many sessions with the special operations psychologist, most likely what she had felt was a comfortable existence with acceptance of what they seemed to be in that pretend life. She had started to confuse pretend with reality, very dangerous for undercover operatives.
But her emotions had been a lie. Their background had been fabricated by military intelligence analysts. The home they shared had been obtained by the CIA, and Michael had been a liar. A traitor. And she had never seen it because he’d been a great actor. He had made her believe that she’d meant something to him, more than simply a partner with benefits.
Blake rolled and threw an arm over her stomach and inched in until they spooned. With a sigh, his breathing returned to a deep, contented sleep.
Wide awake, Ryleigh dug to find the exact words he’d used as she had succumbed to much-needed sleep. She was sure he’d said the word love.
She couldn’t do this to herself, not again. She couldn’t fall in love. Least of all with a man who would be her boss once they returned to New York City. She was the first female field agent Guardian Security had ever hired. She owed it to Alex and to Katlin to prove that women were as good as men in the field.
As the man behind her breathed moist air over her ear, she realized she had fucked this up. Sleeping with her boss was even worse than sleeping with her partner while under cover.
She owed more to all the women who would join Guardian Security in the future than a legacy of clichés. She had to make this right.
When they got back home, she would call Katlin and talk to her first, but asking Alex for a transfer to a different center would be the best thing she could do for everyone.
Leaving Blake this time would be even harder. He had wiggled his way into her heart even deeper than he had in the desert. Knowing what she had to do, she worked her way out from underneath his arm and slid off the bed. Quietly gathering her clothes and her weapon, she made her way back to her own room. Knowing she couldn’t sleep, and that she’d have to get up in two hours anyway, Ryleigh jumped in the shower. Part of her regretted washing away the scent of Blake and their lovemaking.
She had to leave him once again, but, damn it all, it hurt. Water streaked down her cheeks as she tipped her head back to wash her hair. Why was doing the right thing so painful?
Chapter 8
Blake rolled over and sleepily reached for Ryleigh. His internal clock said it wasn’t quite time to get ready for work yet. He was up for one more round with Ryleigh, though. He would have gone again last night, but she’d needed the sleep. He knew Ryleigh well enough that she hadn’t told him everything about the shark encounter. She’d been in firefights and come back to him less upset than she’d been last night.
As his hand wandered across the king-sized bed, the sheets were cool to the touch. Yeah, the beds in Afghanistan had been for a single man, but she liked to snuggle. So did he. He rolled so his arm reached the other edge. No Ryleigh. His eyes flew open as he glanced at the empty bed then toward the open bathroom door.
Rolling onto his back, he threw an arm over his eyes.
Damn it. She’s gone.
When had she left? In total contentment, he’d fallen asleep with the woman of his dreams in his arms once again. For the first time in too many months to count, Blake had slept deeply.
She’d said she needed him. Was it just for sex? He’d immediately thought she needed him, not just his body. He didn’t want to be Ryleigh’s fuck buddy. He wanted all of her, forever. But that was obviously not what she’d wanted.
He’d been an idiot.
Again.
Somewhere deep in his heart, he’d believed she had come back to him. He’d pinned his hopes on that more than he realized.
Feeling used, he threw the sheets off his naked body and stomped to the bathroom. Chastising himself, he twisted on the shower to hot, but didn’t step in. If he scrubbed hard enough, washed her scent from his body, maybe he could wash her from his soul.
For the past few years, he had held every woman up to her, comparing them as though she were the perfect woman for him. Not one came close, even though many were more beautiful, more passionate, probably even more compatible, he had dropped them after only a date or two. He’d finally given up.
And wasn’t
that the damn dumbest thing he’d ever done in his life. He could have had a lot of fun with some of those women for weeks, maybe even months. Who knew, maybe he would have even fallen in love with one of them eventually.
No. He stared at the man reflected in the mirror over the sink as steam billowed from the shower behind him.
He had fallen in love with Ryleigh. He wasn’t sure whether it had been in the heat of the desert, in the dark of the nights they’d spent in each other’s arms, or last night as he held her small, shaking form, allowing the tears to flow.
When, didn’t matter.
The fact he loved her was the only thing that counted from this point forward. She was his, whether she knew it or not, and he needed to make that point clear to her.
Right now.
Blake stormed out of the bathroom and through his dark, empty bedroom. He was going to tell her exactly how he felt.
He threw open the door to where Ryleigh slept…and froze. Scanning the rumpled sheets and darkened bathroom, he quickly concluded she was gone.
No! Not again.
Clamping down on the fist tightening around his heart, Blake had to be rational.
Had she left for good? He strode to the closet and peered inside. Her clothes were still there.
On a sigh of relief, he took his time to peruse the bedroom. Where had she gone at this hour? Checking the nightstand, he was thankful she’d taken her gun. He really didn’t want to call Garrett and Troy asking if she had relieved them of duty, so he hoped perhaps she’d simply gone for a walk on the beach.
With faith that she would return, the sooner the better, Blake walked straight back to his foggy bathroom and stepped into the hot shower.
Ten minutes later, he stood in the kitchen whipping up omelets when the ocean side door slid open and a wet, panting Ryleigh stepped in. Blake couldn’t hold back the grin as he remembered her all sweaty and breathless several hours before in his bed. Either way, she was sexy as hell. And his. A fact he planned on making very clear to her.
“Why weren’t you in my bed when I woke up?” Blake inwardly winced at the accusatory tone in his voice.
Ryleigh pinned him with a glare and tossed over her shoulder, “Last night should never have happened.” She disappeared into her bedroom closing the door behind her.
The verbal knife she’d thrown at him pierced his heart.
The click of the lock on her bedroom door twisted the blade.
Well, what the hell was that all about? She’d certainly wanted him last night. And he definitely wanted her. Forever. He’d have to get to the bottom of whatever it was that bothered her before he broached the subject of a future together.
Blake glanced at Ryleigh’s bedroom door. The paltry lock on it would never stop him from getting in there if he really wanted to…she knew that. Although the idea of joining her in the shower had its merits, he decided to give her this time alone.
As Blake finished chopping the colorful peppers for Western omelets, Ryleigh emerged in another sundress. Her rounded breasts peeked from the tight-fitting top that showed off her small waist. He wondered what she had on underneath the flowing skirt.
His cock leaped to life and stood at attention, ready to perform should he decide to find out. While Ryleigh had showered, Blake had decided he was going to try a different tack. He was just going to brush off anything negative she had to say. Last night was not a mistake, and he was going to prove that to her. He’d start with her favorite breakfast.
“Omelets will be ready in a minute,” he announced.
“No, thank you. I ate before I went for my morning run. Please don’t let me stop you, though.” She picked up a banana and peeled the skin halfway down before she took the top inch into her mouth.
His knees grew weak with memories of her taking him that way. Thank God he was facing the stove and she couldn’t see his erection. Blake carefully watched the cheese melt then skillfully flipped half the egg concoction over into a perfect omelet. He spooned salsa over the top before sliding it onto a plate and placing it in front of her at the breakfast bar.
“Eat,” he insisted. “You need to keep up your strength, especially after everything you went through yesterday. Stress burns calories.”
Ryleigh glanced toward the stove. “You’re making one for yourself, too, right?”
“Sweetheart, you know me. I’m big on breakfast.” Blake returned to the stove and prepared his own omelet, twice the size of hers. He also selected two biscuits from the basket of breads that had been delivered that morning along with the bowl of fresh fruit. Blake carried his plate around the counter and sat in the chair next to Ryleigh.
Not wanting to discuss their night together, Blake said, “So far, the Wainwright’s have been relatively easy to protect. Let’s hope that doesn’t change.”
Ryleigh’s eyebrows went up as she finished chewing quickly and swallowed. “Speak for yourself.” She laid down the fork and glared at him. “All you had to do was sit in a cushy living room while Nigel’s men patrolled the outside and Duke slept. I had to act as a decoy for a fucking shark’s lunch to be sure Ella got to safety.”
Blake narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you believe the shark attack yesterday wasn’t an accident? Somebody else could have been the target. You two weren’t the only ones in the water.”
“We were the only ones swimming in that area.” She cocked her head to one side. “The resort crew diving with us had taken the others to an area with turtle grass hoping to observe some of the giant sea turtles. Ella wanted to see coral so we went toward the reef.” She reached into the breadbasket and grabbed a croissant. She pulled the tip off and popped it into her mouth and chewed with a thoughtful expression on her face.
“Do you think the resort crew was in on it? Were there any other boats in the area?” Blake hoped Nigel had already looked into that possibility.
“No.” Ryleigh pulled off another piece of croissant and ate it slowly. When she swallowed she added, “But someone could have walked down the river to the shoreline under the cover of trees and slid into the water without anyone noticing. They would’ve had to carry the cut up fish that attracted the sharks, though.”
“Easy enough.” Blake nodded in agreement. “Someone hiking with a backpack and snorkeling gear wouldn’t get a second look from anyone on the island, especially employees. They could have emptied a plastic bag of chum easy enough and been out of the water before the first shark showed up.”
Pointing with a small piece of bread in her hand, Ryleigh added, “That’s what makes me think it was an Indulgences Resort employee. Whoever is trying to kill the Wainwrights, and after yesterday I’m firmly adding Ella on that hit list, not only knows the island well, but is able to react quickly and easily.”
“Agree.” Blake loved the way her analytical mind worked. Then again, he loved her. This was neither the time, nor the place, to tell her. For at least the next twelve hours they had to be working partners, showing no affection while on the job. Later, though, when they were back in this bungalow again and it was just the two of them, he’d do everything in his power to convince her of exactly what she meant to him.
Blake downed the last bite of his breakfast then grabbed both their plates and silverware and took them to the sink. Glancing at his watch, he suggested, “Let’s go see how the Wainwrights slept last night.”
As Blake and Ryleigh approached the cabana next door, Garrett handed out a large tray stacked high with breakfast dishes to a uniformed kitchen staff member.
“Looks like everyone is up and ready for the day,” Blake noted.
“Yes,” Garrett smiled at the two of them. “Mr. Wainwright is feeling much better and Mrs. Wainwright slept well. It was a quiet night from our standpoint.” Garrett closed the door to the house, leaving the three of them outside.
“Good to hear.” Blake glanced around looking for Nigel’s men. Not seeing any he proceeded, “What is it?”
“Wanted to give you a heads up,” Garrett
explained. “The Wainwrights have made plans for a private cruise around Aragon Island that includes lunch.”
“Nope,” Blake shook his head. “Definitely not a good idea.” He’d seen satellite photographs of the island as well as maps in Nigel’s office and knew there were way too many sniper hides. “I’ll talk to them about it.” From the look in Garrett’s eyes, there was more. “What else?”
“With the breakfast tray this morning, there was a personal invitation from Antonio for the dinner and show tonight at the Pabellon de Amor.” Garrett winced. “They’ve already RSVP’d that they would be attending.” This time Garrett grinned. “They reserved a table for four because their friends, the Seasnans, would be joining them. Did I tell you it’s formal?”
“Oh, hell.” Blake thought about the quickly fitted tuxedo that Jorge had insisted was essential to Blake’s wardrobe. At least it had been tailored to hide his shoulder holster.
Garrett shrugged. “They are the client, and Mrs. Wainwright seems pretty set on both of these outings. She wanted to get Mr. Wainwright out of the cabin, yet keep it non-stressful.”
Blake dragged in a slow breath then exhaled. “Non-stressful for them.” He looked at Ryleigh. “You think you can talk her out of this?”
She fisted her hands on her hips. “No, and I’m not going to try. This is their vacation, not imprisonment. If they want to go on a boat ride then out to dinner, they can go. It’s our job to protect them, and we’ll do it.”
Garrett’s gaze bounced between Blake and Ryleigh as the corners of his mouth quirked up. “Well, isn’t she the feisty one.”
Ryleigh turned to glare at Garrett. “I’m not some passive little woman who stands by and takes orders. I’m used to giving them. And, yes, if I disagree I’ll let you know.” She turned her attention back to Blake. “Just because it’s easier for us, doesn’t make it the right thing to do.”
Garrett opened the door and stuck his head in. “Troy, Blake and Ryleigh are ready to take over.” Turning to Blake, he declared with a gleam in his eyes, “There’s an ice-cold beer and a chaise next to the hotel pool with my name on it.” As he stepped past, he slapped Blake on the shoulder. “Good luck, brother. I’m afraid you’re gonna need it.”
Double Jeopardy Page 9