There was something happening between them that felt a lot deeper than simply lust.
The other night had felt different.
It hadn’t been just sex.
It hadn’t been two people fulfilling a need, scratching an itch.
The sex had felt more like...making love.
He didn’t believe in love at first sight—lust, sure. But falling head over heels in love with a virtual stranger was a fairy tale and he was much too old to believe in nonsense made for kids.
But if that were true, how was it that he wasn’t nailing down the details of his promised payment?
The fact that he couldn’t give a shit about the money was telling.
Fall in love with a brainiac like Hope? Sure. That made sense.
They had zero in common.
Aside from the insane chemistry between the sheets, but what about real-life stuff?
How did she feel about gun control? He owned an arsenal.
How did she feel about global warming? He couldn’t give a shit.
How did she feel about mustard or mayo on her sandwich? Mustard was appropriate for all sandwiches, at all times. Mayo was disgusting.
And more important, how the hell had she not considered the potential danger of her research if it fell into the wrong hands? Why hadn’t she cared?
But even as the questions lingered, he wasn’t ready to tackle them yet, so he deliberately switched tracks.
“So, what’s the plan now?”
Hope seemed relieved to talk about something other than what was sitting between them.
“Deirdre called me early this morning while you were still sleeping. Tessara hates bad press. They handled the situation quickly and quietly. Deirdre said the violence was due to local militia trying to get their hands on chemicals they could manufacture drugs with, which is why nothing was missing that truly could’ve been disastrous.”
“Dumb criminals, zero. Tessara, one.”
“Yeah, except for the scientists who were killed. I’d say they lost that round.”
“True enough.”
“But the good news is that no one suspects anything about why I was really there. I still have my job and I’m not going to face jail time. I call that a win-win,” she said with a heavy sigh that belied the sentiment. He understood her feelings on that score. It was hard to fully appreciate a victory when it came at such a heavy cost.
J.T. finished his burrito. “I’m glad,” he said, and he meant it. He didn’t want Hope getting in trouble when she’d worked so hard to make it right, but he was anxious to know what happened next, even if the answer scared him. “Where does that leave us?”
She paused, her gaze darting. “Us? You mean...?”
Here was his opportunity to jump in with both feet, but because she didn’t take point, he chickened out. “No, I mean about our business relationship. I’m still out one plane,” he reminded her, cursing himself for being a pussy.
“Oh! Of course,” Hope said, flustered. “Yes, Tessara will pay my expenses. I will explain to Deirdre what happened and she’ll have Accounting cut a check. That shouldn’t be a problem, especially when they want to keep this incident quiet.”
“Are you actually going to keep working for that company?” he asked, incredulous, channeling his frustration into something else. “I mean, c’mon, don’t you think you might want to start shopping your résumé around?”
“Tessara does good work,” she protested stiffly. “The innovations that come out of our labs are second to none. What if Tessara discovers a cure for cancer? Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that?”
“And what if they discover a way to turn people into half monkeys in some weird, unsanctioned, highly illegal experiment gone wrong? Tessara is dangerous.”
“One, that’s ridiculous, and two, I think that’s not your concern. I will pay for your plane and the agreed-upon fee. Tessara will pay for my return flight. You and your brother can return on your own, if you choose.”
“So that’s it? ‘Sayonara, babe—it’s been real’?”
“Not exactly, but you’re pushing it that way by maligning the company I work for.”
“I call ’em as I see ’em.”
“As do I. Your opinion was not asked for or appreciated.”
Well, that was just great. “This is the thanks I get for risking my neck. Have you forgotten that it was Tessara that put you in this mess?”
“It wasn’t Tessara,” she returned hotly. “It was Anso DeLeon.”
“Yeah? And who told DeLeon about your project? There’s still a missing link and you’re naive if you think it wasn’t an inside job, which also means that you’re still not safe with Tessara.”
That was pretty solid logic, but in his experience women rarely listened to logic when they were heated, and Hope was no exception, in spite of her brainpower.
“I appreciate everything you’ve done. I will make sure you are compensated generously for your services. I’ve called a cab. I just wanted to—” she hesitated, swallowing “—say goodbye properly.”
Properly? “Thanks,” he said. “Real considerate of you. Is the burrito my tip for saving your ass repeatedly?”
She blinked back sudden tears. “Why are you making this so difficult? I was trying to be nice. I thought you might be hungry.”
“And I was hungry, but I didn’t expect you to feed me bullshit alongside my chorizo.”
“It’s not bullshit.”
“It is.” He rose and stalked to her, crowding her space. He cupped her face, angry, but hurt, too. “It’s all bullshit to cover up what you don’t really want to talk about.”
“You’re wrong,” she tried saying, but J.T. was done with listening and sealed his mouth to hers, drinking in the taste of her, savoring the feel of her soft lips against his.
She groaned into his mouth as their tongues tangled. The heat between them intensified. Even pissed as hell, he wanted her. He pulled her close, his hands roaming her backside.
Within seconds he was erect and ready. As he pressed himself against her, she moaned in response, melting against him.
“I was hoping breakfast might soften the blow,” she gasped, as he lifted her dress and found her damp and hot core.
“The burrito wasn’t that good,” he growled, pinning her against the wall. His questing fingers pushed aside her panties to find her dewy folds. “Is this where you say, ‘It’s not you—it’s me’? Honey, I invented that speech.”
“J.T., I appreciate everything you’ve done for me and I know I owe you a plane—”
“Screw the plane,” he cut in, pushing his finger inside her willing heat as she shuddered at the sensual invasion. Was she breaking up with him? Well, technically they weren’t dating, so they couldn’t break up, but it felt the same when she was giving him the heave-ho.
And he wasn’t ready to let her go.
“You and I both know that this was a short-term thing.” She caught her breath on a groan, then continued in a breathy tone. “I think it’s best if we both admit that we know it’s not going to last and we ought to cut our losses now before things get messy.”
“I’d say things are already messy.” He removed his finger and sucked her juices off with a hungry grin.
She blushed a pretty shade of pink. “That’s not what I mean.”
“I know what you meant. Yeah, sure. I get where you’re coming from. I mean, you and me just doesn’t make sense in the big picture. There’s only so much sex a person can have, right?”
At the mention of their sexual chemistry, she inhaled a sharp breath and he secretly enjoyed that he had that effect on her. Sucked to be the only one with a dog in the fight.
But even as she was trying to bail on him, her fingers were impatiently plucking at his
buttons and he didn’t mind. Especially when her hot little hand circled around his cock, squeezing him tight.
“We shouldn’t...” she tried saying as he hoisted her on his lap, holding her against the wall.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” he agreed, but all he could focus on was that sweet spot between her thighs and how much he wanted to pin her to the wall with his cock.
He shoved himself deep inside her and she shuddered as she clung to him, her legs wrapped tightly around him.
“Oh, God, J.T.,” she moaned loudly, impaled on his length. He held her firmly as he thrust against her, loving the sound of her gasps and tiny cries of pleasure.
There was something so primal about taking her like this that he had little control over how quickly his body began to prime for his release.
With an animalistic grunt he poured into her, losing himself as he came. He dimly heard her cry out his name as she climaxed, too.
For a long moment he remained buried inside her and she clung to him, anchoring him in place. Their breathing harsh, their heartbeats one.
Slowly, he let her down and she fell to the bed while he tucked himself away and buttoned his jeans. Her hair was tousled and she looked deliciously screwed, and he had to remind himself to start thinking straight—with his head, not his dick.
She’d been giving him the boot.
He sat beside her with a sigh and she struggled to sit up, modestly fixing her dress with a chagrined smile.
“That seems to happen a lot between us,” she said with half a laugh.
True enough. But intense heat notwithstanding, he knew she was right. They didn’t have a future together and he should’ve been relieved that she’d come to that realization on her own. So why was he suffering with the very real sensation of being rejected?
“What’s really the deal?” he asked point-blank.
“What do you mean?”
“C’mon, we both know that something else is eating at you—just come out and say it. Don’t you think we’ve been through enough to at least be honest with each other?”
“I am trying to be honest,” she insisted with a distressed frown. “Don’t you see that it’s better this way?”
“Sure, on the surface I would agree with you. But have you forgotten that you’re not exactly safe just yet? If you think I risked my ass to save yours just to have you get killed Stateside, you’re crazy.”
Hope stiffened. “I can take care of myself.”
“That didn’t come out right. What I mean is, I don’t want anything to happen to you and I’m not saying we have to put labels on things, but I care about you and I’m not about to let anything happen to you.”
The fire went out of Hope’s eyes and she actually risked a small smile. “I know you care about me,” she said, her tone warming. “I care about you, too. I’m trying to lessen the hurt when whatever this is...ends.”
“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it. In the meantime, I say we find the son of a bitch who was truly behind all this so we can safely put this situation to bed without worrying that someone is still out there looking to kidnap or kill you, because you know those are the only options.”
Hope, aghast, said, “And why are those the only options?”
“Because if you’re not working for them, you’re working against them and that’s a risk they won’t take.”
She couldn’t argue with his logic and nodded. “I guess you’re right. I’m still in shock that any of this happened. Three weeks ago I was consumed with the biggest scientific breakthrough of the century... Now I’m looking behind my back for killers and sociopaths.”
“Have you considered going into a less dangerous line of work? I’ve heard there’s an opening on the bomb squad,” he offered, only half joking.
“Ha-ha.”
He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t quite resist. Pulling her into his arms, he ignored her halfhearted protest and kissed her long and deep. She melted against him, fitting against his body as if they were molded for each another, but she soon pulled away and stood when a horn sounded outside.
“That’s my cab. I have to go.”
“Wait... Come back with us,” he suggested, not ready to watch her leave.
“I can’t. I have to get back to work if I’m going to pull this off. There’s no reason I would return with you and my supervisor would question it.”
“Is that the only reason you’re returning on Tessara’s dime?”
She didn’t answer. “I’ll connect with you back in California. Thank you, J.T. For everything.”
He didn’t want her thanks—he wanted her.
22
THE FLIGHT HOME was uneventful. With J.T. broody and in a foul mood, the guys gave him a wide berth until they landed and were unloading the plane.
He knew he needed to snap out of it. His buddies had done something so selfless for him that words couldn’t convey how appreciative he truly was, and he hoped they knew that, in spite of his surly attitude.
The best part about that group was that words weren’t needed.
Kirk slapped J.T. on the back with a grin. “She’s hot.”
“No argument there,” he said, not bothering to hide anything.
Kirk, Ty and Harris filed into the house while Teagan hung back.
“You all right, man?”
“Worn-out,” J.T. answered, which was the truth, but it wasn’t only physical fatigue pulling at him. The entire ride home all he could think of was how easily Hope had been able to walk away. It sucked to be the one being left. Usually he was the one making tracks, not the other way around. “Thanks for saving my ass. Again.”
“What are brothers for?”
“Yeah, but something tells me most guys don’t have to fly to other countries to bail out their brothers.”
“True. I might look forward to a phone call where you’re just asking to borrow money.” He playfully punched J.T. in the arm. “Seriously, though, what the hell happened?”
“As soon as I figure it out, you’ll be the first to know.”
“I hope she’s worth it.”
“It’s not like we’re dating or anything. I’ll get over it.”
Teagan saw through his bluff. “You can tell yourself whatever you want, but the truth is...you have feelings for her. You wouldn’t have done all this for just some client.”
“A client working for a company with deep pockets,” he reminded his brother. “You’ll thank me later when that check arrives.”
“Speaking of, we need to talk about Blue Yonder,” Teagan said, then added with a wave, “Later.”
Yeah, funny thing, now that they would have the money to keep the charter going, he didn’t care.
He’d been hell-bent to keep the charter going only a week ago. Now? He could see how the charter was foundering. He’d selfishly wanted to hold on to it when his brother had been trying to tell him it was time to cut their losses.
Maybe he didn’t need Blue Yonder any longer.
Blue Yonder had been Teagan’s solution to J.T.’s unraveling after his time in the service. He’d been through the ringer during his last tour.
The memories had nearly eaten him alive.
Blue Yonder had given him something else to pour his focus into.
The charter’s failure hadn’t been something he could handle.
Now he saw it for what it was—a money pit.
And his brother would stick with him no matter what, even if he went down in flames trying to save it because that was what J.T. wanted.
Why hadn’t he seen what an ass he was being?
It still stung to think of letting Blue Yonder go, but after everything that’d happened, it didn’t seem as important to hold on to it.
He was
tired as hell, but he needed to think, and he wouldn’t be able to do that with Kirk and the rest of the guys at the house. They were good guys—but loud. When Harris started in on the whiskey, no one would be sleeping tonight.
Climbing into his truck, he realized the one place he wanted to go was the one place he wasn’t invited.
Not to mention he hadn’t a clue where Hope lived.
Suddenly, his cell phone chirped and he saw a text message from Teagan.
From Ty: 3212 Sutton Avenue, apt. 27. You’re welcome.
He grinned. “Bless your hacking little soul,” he murmured, returning his cell to his pocket. There were benefits to having friends who were smarter with computers than you were.
But even though he had her address and the urge to follow up was stronger than he wanted to admit...he held back.
What was he? Some kind of stalker? How would he feel if some woman he’d cut ties with suddenly showed up on his doorstep?
It would be uncomfortable as hell.
So there was his answer.
Don’t go there.
At least not tonight.
Give it some time to breathe.
Maybe he’d feel different in a few days’ time.
Hell, maybe whatever this was—this heart-pounding, desperate need to feel her in his arms—would fade and he could go back to feeling normal again.
Yeah. Maybe.
Or maybe it would get worse.
In the meantime, his affliction was nothing that a strong whiskey couldn’t fix.
Sweet oblivion, here I come.
* * *
HOPE SLID INTO the bath, sighing as the hot water soothed her troubled heart.
Leaving J.T. had been the most difficult thing she’d had to do, but she wasn’t about to encourage something that she knew had no future.
J.T. was a player, a man who liked to live a cavalier life. She was excruciatingly type A, a woman who liked to have all details planned out before she embarked on a task or project.
And that included the relationships in her life.
Although nothing had gone to plan from the moment she’d stepped onto Blue Yonder’s stretch of tarmac.
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