Neil took Piper’s elbow and pulled her around the corner behind an eight-foot-tall electronic map of the terminal. This was it. His palms were damp, his mouth dry. He didn’t want it to be. But it was the only logical decision. Still, he couldn’t make himself say the words. He just stared into her cool green eyes.
“So you like Jim?” he asked as he leaned around the map to catch a glance at the bodyguard.
She shrugged. “You chose him. I trust you.”
Neil nodded. “And you’ll do as he advises while you’re in Sweden? No going off on your own?”
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I said I would.” She folded her arms and refused to look at him.
She’d been acting funny ever since he’d returned to her hotel last night. Not that there’d been a lot of conversation. But still, she’d been...withdrawn.
Although not in bed.
Maybe she’d felt the same sense of urgency that had driven him. She’d been ready the minute he walked through her door. Wearing a hot pink bra and panties set that had his pulse skyrocketing. As he’d kissed her, made love to her, held her after, he had kept thinking this was their last time. He’d never see her again.
Never sleep with her beside him all night. Never see that naughty smile directed only at him. Never hear her say his name.
Afterward, she’d been quiet. Distracted. Maybe she didn’t want their relationship to end, either.
But how would something like the two of them even work? He had to get back to Virginia. And her world was an ocean away. Literally and figuratively. He’d been an unlikely fling for her from the beginning.
He took her hand. It was so cold. He rubbed it between his. “Take care of yourself.” He winced. Might as well tell her to drive safely, or maybe have a nice life.
She placed her palm on his cheek. “It’s been brilliant fun these past few days, Neil.” Lifting up onto her toes, she gave him a quick peck on the lips.
Forget that. He grasped her shoulders and opened his mouth over hers, trying to tell her things he had no words for. He wasn’t ready for her to leave. Wasn’t ready to never see her again.
“How long will you be in Sweden?” He trailed kisses down her neck.
She clung to him. “About a week.”
“And after that?” He kissed her ear, her temple, her mouth.
“After that I have a SportsWorld swimsuit shoot in Belize.” Her fingers combed through the hair at the back of his neck.
“Could you get away for a couple days? I want to see you again.”
She pulled back. “What about your career?”
“What about it?” Stroking her long silky hair, he placed tiny kisses on the corners of her full lips.
“Won’t the navy mind you being in the public eye because of me?”
She was worried about him? He shook his head, pulling her forehead to his. “No, baby. As long as a mission isn’t compromised, I’m good.”
Still, she withdrew. Wouldn’t meet his gaze. He stilled. Was she looking for an easy way out? “What’s all this about?”
She didn’t answer.
“If you don’t want to see me again, just say so.”
Her gaze flew to his, eyes wide. “No! That’s not it.”
“Then, what is it?” In that moment he knew. “You got another note from him, didn’t you? What did it say this time?”
She studied the floor and his blood ran cold.
“Piper. Tell me what it said.”
“It said that being with me would ruin you. Your career.”
“My career? It specifically mentioned my career?”
“Yes.”
Why would Piper’s stalker care about that? He was obviously appealing to Piper’s conscience, but it almost sounded like the guy was military. Or ex-military. “You gave the letter to the police?”
She bit her lower lip. “I...tore it up.”
“Look, the jerk doesn’t know what he’s talking about. The only thing you have to worry about is, do you want to see me again?” He couldn’t believe how much her answer mattered.
The world seemed to light up as she flashed a smile. “I do.”
“Then, can you come to Virginia? I know a guy who—”
He felt her chuckle. “You sure know a lot of guys.” She gave him a blistering kiss.
When he came up for air, he finished. “So, this guy I know knows a guy who owns a little B and B out in the middle of nowhere.” He put his mouth on hers, sweeping in with his tongue.
She smiled and then nipped at his bottom lip. “Text me the name of this place your guy knows.”
He grinned against her mouth. “Text me when you can get away.” More kissing—deep, lingering kisses. I-don’t-want-you-to-leave kisses. I-miss-you-already kisses. It was going to be a long month on standby at Little Creek. If he got deployed he’d probably be gone even longer.
“If I can’t make it I’ll let you know, okay?” He framed her face and gritted his teeth. Just say goodbye, Barrow.
“Piper.” Ragi’s soft voice.
Neil looked past Piper. Her assistant was hovering, and clearly fretting. “Your flight is boarding.” The hulk was at her side, scowling.
Piper never took her eyes off Neil. “Yes, all right.”
Neil wrapped his arms around her and held her, squeezing her to him for one final moment. “Text me when you get in?”
She nodded against his shoulder, then pushed away and hurried off without looking back.
But damn if her eyes hadn’t been a little damp.
11
PIPER WAS SO nervous her hand shook as she knocked on the room door. The little bed-and-breakfast had probably been an old farmhouse at one time. Set in green rolling hills, with plenty of woods and a babbling creek, it was picturesque, but very out of the way. Even with Jim skulking around the premises, it would be more private than a hotel.
Neil had texted that he’d checked in under the name Smith. The lady at the registration desk was polite, giving Piper a conspiratorial smile and a room number.
As if he’d been waiting on the other side, Neil opened the door immediately. He swept her into his arms, devoured her mouth with his and unzipped her dress.
Closing the door behind her, she unbuttoned his jeans and tugged at his zipper.
“Careful.” He smiled against her lips. “Not a lot of extra room down there right now.”
His chest and feet were bare. His jaw was darkened with evening stubble. “Mmm,” she murmured and pressed her palm to his straining erection. “You’ve missed me?”
“It’s been nearly two months.” He lifted her dress over her head and then slipped her bra straps off her shoulders and groaned. “I’ve missed you more than I can ever say. I want to show you how much I’ve missed you.” He opened the front clasp of her bra and the silky material fell to the floor. He mouthed one sensitive nipple and then the other. His hands wandered down her back to cup her bottom and pull her against his hard length.
As he teased and suckled both breasts, Piper leaned against the door and curled one leg around his waist. His dog tags were cold against her skin.
“Well?” Neil raised his brows, waiting.
“Well, what?”
His fingers walked down the front of her knickers and stroked her through the silk. “Did you miss me, too?”
She shut her eyes and moaned his name, the pleasure scorching her. Much more of that and she’d be a goner.
“Tell me you missed me, too.”
“Yes,” she replied. Her moans were becoming louder, her control slipping.
“Yes, what?” he whispered in her ear.
She could barely think and he wanted words? “Yes, I missed you, too.”
He dropped to one knee, sliding her
knickers off before bringing his mouth to her hot, wet center.
She was so on edge it took his talented tongue only moments before he sent her flying over it. While she was still trying to catch her breath, Neil tugged off his clothes, rolled on protection and lifted her thigh over his hip. Then, as he held her gaze, he thrust inside her, confident and commanding.
Yes, this! She’d been missing this. Missing him. Not just his spicy cologne or his polite manners or even his powerful body. She missed how he looked at her, as if she was the only one who counted in his world.
He increased the intensity of his thrusts, bumping her against the door again and again. It didn’t take long before he was shuddering in her arms, his breathing ragged.
“Welcome to Virginia, ma’am.”
“Mmm, are all SEALs so hospitable?”
He grinned, still breathing hard. “We aim to please.”
She smiled, one hand caressing his pecs, the other squeezing his cute butt. “Well, you’ve succeeded.”
Her leg slid slowly off him and Neil pressed kisses to her neck. “I already don’t want this weekend to end,” he mumbled. “I have three more weeks of leave. Let’s hole up here.” He nipped at her earlobe.
“I can’t for that long.” Her body was limp, his weight against her. His hands cupping her butt were the only things holding her up.
“Where are you going to be? Maybe I could come there.”
She hesitated. Should she tell him what he’d inspired her to do? Her plan to build the orphanage in Delhi was still in its early stages, yet...he knew about Nandan. But unless one had experienced it, no one truly understood the desperate poverty she’d been exposed to. Especially someone like Neil, raised in such privilege.
“Hey, never mind.” Reaching for his briefs, Neil stepped away. “I don’t want to crowd you.”
“No.” She realized she’d been silent too long. “I’m going to Delhi.” She clasped his arms and played with his dog tags, staring at them. “I go back sometimes, whenever I can.”
He covered her hand with his and she looked up into warm, understanding copper-color eyes. “I can respect boundaries.”
“That’s not it.” She swallowed. She wanted to share that part of her life with him. “I’ll text you the date and address. Meet me there if you can get the leave, okay?”
“I’ll be there.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back. “Follow me.” With a nod of his head he directed her toward the bathroom.
Piper shed her bra and dropped it on the floor, then joined him. And her breath caught. Dozens of candles lit the bathroom, and the claw-footed tub was filled with steaming water.
“Thought you might want a bath after your long flight.” Neil stood in his black boxer-briefs holding a bottle of scented oil.
“Neil, that’s so sweet.” Her heart melted all over again. She’d been trying to tell herself for weeks now that she’d just been infatuated with a dream guy that existed only in fantasies. That the romantic island location and the stress of the whole situation down in Miami had caused her to be swept away in the moment.
But now all those glorious emotions came rushing back, overwhelming her.
“Climb in.” Neil gestured to the tub, skimmed off his briefs and joined her as she stepped in and sank down into the tempting water. With a sigh, she leaned back against him.
She felt him gently brush her hair off her back and pull it over her shoulder to the front and—heaven—he began to massage her nape. “So catch me up. Did you work things out with Cassandra?”
She smiled, amazed he even remembered her quarrel with one of the other Desiree’s Desire models, much less cared what had happened. “I did. Thanks to you.”
“Me?” His hands rested on her shoulders.
“Don’t sound so shocked. Your advice was spot-on. She just needed someone to listen and commiserate with her about the breakup.” She toyed with his hand on her shoulder and glanced back at him. “I have a friend now because of you.”
He softly kissed her temple. “You have two friends. Remember that.”
She closed her eyes and smiled. Yes. She did. She had a friend who made her so happy. A friend who made her a better person. For the first time, she had someone to talk to about anything and everything. Someone to confide in, someone to give her advice.
They’d been texting each other since they’d parted in Miami. Occasionally he’d call, saying he just wanted to hear her voice. The almost three weeks he’d been gone on a deployment, her chest had ached with missing him.
Those had been the longest, most nerve-racking weeks. Almost as bad as the month she’d spent in India right after she discovered Nandan was missing. Both times she’d had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. But Neil had returned.
If only...
“Any word from your PI?”
It was as if he could tell whenever she was thinking of her brother. She shook her head. “No.”
He resumed massaging her neck. And if his hands wandered down to play with her breasts, she wasn’t going to complain.
In the easy silence, Neil said, “I’ve been thinking.”
“Does it hurt?”
He tickled her ribs and she jerked away and shrieked.
“Behave.”
“Okay, okay. Thinking about what?”
“Well, I know this guy who—”
“Who knows a guy?” she interrupted.
“Don’t make me tickle you again, smart aleck. Yeah, a guy who works in intelligence.”
Piper sat up and twisted at the waist to look at him. “Intelligence?”
“Don’t get your hopes up, okay? But he said he’d look into your brother’s case for me. Do you have a picture of him?”
“Yes. Oh, Neil. I can’t believe this. That you would even ask someone...” She turned and straddled him, framed his face and gave him a kiss full of emotions she couldn’t begin to name.
“Of course I would ask.” He opened his mouth and returned the kiss—very sensual yet reverent. “I’ll need all the info you can give me.”
“Oh, yes, whatever you want.”
“His full name. The name and address of the family he was staying with.”
“Neil, this is amazing.” She hugged him and then pressed kisses to his rough jaw, his neck, his collarbone.
They stayed in the tub, kissing and touching, learning each other’s bodies until the water was cool and she was so aroused she sank onto his long, hard length.
He groaned, but then grasped her at the waist. “Piper, wait.”
She stopped.
“What about protection?”
“I’m on the pill.”
“You trust me, then?”
She grinned. She did trust him. “Absolutely.”
She rode him until he called out and rested his cheek against her soapy breasts.
Eyes closed, arms tight around her back, he murmured something and mouthed the curve of her breast.
“What?”
He lifted his head and looked deeply into her eyes. “I said, a year ago I wasn’t sure I would ever be this happy again.”
Funny. Piper wasn’t sure she’d ever imagined she would be this happy, period.
That pesky lump was back in her throat.
12
NEIL PAID THE DRIVER and stepped out of the auto-rickshaw, dying of curiosity. The address Piper had given him wasn’t some five-star hotel in downtown Delhi. In fact, it wasn’t a hotel, as far as he could see.
Glancing around at the crowded squalor, he judged this to be the slum she’d grown up in. He envisioned a young Piper—an orphan—hungry and begging, and closed his eyes. No wonder she’d been willing to leave behind everything she knew to live in a foreign country with a stranger. She’d be
en determined to make a better life for herself and her brother. Neil could only shake his head in awe at the courage that had taken.
The building he stood in front of was not much more than canvas siding with a corrugated metal roof. But this must be the right place. A sign beside the door read Nandan’s House. What was this place?
Neil knocked and waited. Eventually the door was opened by an Indian woman wearing a colorful sari and a warm smile. “Lieutenant! You are welcome. Come in.”
She ushered him forward and he was surprised to find the interior cool and clean. The foyer had wooden slats for a floor and was stacked high with plastic tubs. A staircase led to a second floor, and there was a doorway to his left where the woman directed him.
In what he would loosely term an office, Piper sat at a small desk quietly talking with an older man. She looked up and her face lit with a smile he’d missed more than he wanted to admit. “Neil!” Jumping up, she rounded the desk and ran straight into his arms.
Her soft body was draped in a traditional sari, colorful like the other woman’s and covering her hair, as well. She looked even more exotic, even more beautiful.
Conscious of the other people in the room, he only pecked her cheek and then stepped back, awaiting introductions.
Mr. Goswami was the business manager and Mrs. Goswami would oversee the place itself.
“It’s going to be a children’s home,” Piper explained. “I thought about what you said, how I ran a corporation. Employed people. And I thought maybe I could do this.”
Neil was amazed. Humbled.
“Would you like a tour?” Piper asked, beaming.
“Absolutely.” He took the hand she extended and she led him around the dilapidated building as if they were touring the Taj Mahal. The common area behind the staircase was strewn with toys, a TV blared in one corner and an air hockey table sat in the other. There was also a kitchen on the first floor. The second floor was a huge room lined with sleeping pallets, and a few baby beds at one end.
“We will provide school uniforms and supplies, and of course meals.” Neil could hear the pride oozing in Piper’s voice.
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