by Desiree Holt
He laughed. “Don’t tempt me.”
“Let’s take off our shoes. Look, there’s this nice big flat rock here that we can set them on and they won’t get wet or knocked into the pool. As if it was made for this. Maybe nature created our own special place for us,” she teased.
“Maybe.” He grinned. “Anything is possible.” He set both pairs of shoes on the rock then pulled her into his arms. “I think we should put our clothes there, too.”
“Are we going to take a shower in the waterfall? I’ve never done that before.”
“Good. I want you to have a lot of firsts with me.”
She studied the look on his face. “What are we doing, Rocket?”
“We’re going to shower in a waterfall, near as I can tell.”
“No, I mean, what are we doing? We don’t see each other for five years, not even a text or phone call. Then life throws us together again and it’s like we have this major thing going.”
He brushed his mouth over hers. “Major thing, huh? Well, I’ll tell you this. The dumbest thing I did was staying away from you all this time. And I can’t even give you a really good reason why I did it.”
“You were busy being a SEAL,” she reminded him. “Then getting ready to do…whatever it is you do now. I understand. I wasn’t much better. When my first couple of books unexpectedly became such hits, I was like an addict with a stash of coke waiting for me.”
“Not to mention being an adrenaline junkie,” he teased.
“I could say the same for you.” She nipped his chin. “You didn’t exactly settle for a nine-to-five job when you left the SEALs.”
“So we both ignored the possibility that something good might be waiting for us.” His eyes burned into hers. “I think most of the blame for that falls on me. Isn’t the guy supposed to do the pursuing?”
“Only if you believe in antiquated practices.” She brushed her mouth against his. “We have so much to catch up on. Let’s not waste any time with regrets.”
“I can buy into that. I’m sorry I’ve been such a stupid shithead and wasted so much time. We have a lot to make up for.”
“Then we should probably get started.”
She wanted to hear about every one of those five years. Wanted to ask him how he and his friends had come to form Galaxy. Did he like what he was doing? Like living in Tampa? Was he involved with another woman?
No!
No, she could answer that question herself. If he were, he wouldn’t be involving himself with her. That was not who he was.
They placed their guns in their holsters on top of their shoes on the flat rock, which was dry and easily accessible. Then Rocket added the satellite phone he’d brought with him, placing it next to his gun. Before Mallory could think any more, she tugged her T-shirt over her head and dropped it to the side on top of the shoes. No bra. She’d left that in the hut, along with her panties. Next came the shorts, which she tossed onto the pile.
“I think you’re overdressed, mister,” she teased.
“First let me say one thing.” He cradled her head in his palms, the look in his eyes both heated and serious. “I’ll be kicking myself forever for letting five years go by because I refused to admit that I’d let the best thing that happened to me walk out of my life.”
“But you’re admitting it now, and so am I. My crazy streak of getting into dangerous situations worked in my favor for once, because it brought us together again.” She searched his eyes, trying to read his expression. “Just tell me we’re not going to walk away again and I’m good.”
“We’re not. Neither of us. Maybe it was good things happened this way, because I got to see two of my partners fall in love and settle into relationships. I saw first-hand that it can work. And as soon as we get you out of here, you and I are going to make some plans. Sound good to you?”
“Yes. It does. But you’re still overdressed.”
Then he got rid of the jeans he’d tugged on, having left his shirt and shorts in the hut, then pulled her against his body. She could feel every muscle and ridge, including the thick, swollen length of his cock that pressed hard against her stomach.
“Let’s get into the waterfall. I’ve never stood in a waterfall with a naked woman.”
She grinned and held out her hand to him. “Lead on.”
They picked their way around the heavy curtain of water as it thundered down to the ground until they reached a level spot behind the cascade itself. Mallory felt as if they were enclosed in a glass dome, a private cocoon, with all the world locked out. When Rocket turned and pulled her against him, she tipped up her head, ready for him, and greedily fell into the kiss.
His tongue was wild in her mouth, sweeping everywhere, tasting everything. Licking every surface. She dueled her own tongue with his, loving the slick taste of him, every nerve ending in her body firing. He slid his hand down her back, stroking her spine, and when he came to her ass, he cupped one cheek and pressed her body hard against his. She could feel the long, solid length of his swollen cock against her mound and rubbed herself back and forth against it.
He lifted his head, his breathing uneven.
“I don’t have any condoms with me and I…”
“I’m safe,” she told him, breathless. “And I haven’t been with anyone since—”
She shut her mouth. How could she even tell him that?
He stared at her. “Are you telling me you haven’t been with anyone since Afghanistan?”
She looked down at her bare feet, standing on the slick granite with the cool water running over them. Would he look at her differently? Maybe lose his desire at the thought no man had wanted her for five years? But that wasn’t the truth. She hadn’t wanted them. It had been her choice, just as it was now. She rested her head on his shoulder, still looking down at her feet, while she waited for him to say something.
He wound the length of her damp hair around his hand and gently tipped her head back.
“Look at me,” he commanded.
She opened her eyes to stare at him and saw so many emotions swimming in his that it stole her breath.
“I am.”
“Are you telling me for real you haven’t been with anyone in the past five years? Not even once?”
She managed a little smile. “Well, there’s Henry.”
“Henry?” He almost shouted the name. “Who the fuck is Henry?”
She bit her lower lip to keep from smiling.
“Well, he’s eight inches long, dark purple and runs on two batteries.”
For a moment she thought he was going to step away from her. Then he threw back his head and laughed so hard that his shoulders shook.
“Well,” he said at last when he could catch his breath, “my ego has certainly expanded if you’re telling me our time together spoiled you for other men.”
“It was you that spoiled me,” she told him. “Every other man I met seemed so…shallow. And after a while, it hardly seemed worth the trouble.”
“Jesus, Mallory.” He blew out a breath. “If you’d told me that, I would have made an effort to do much better last night.”
“You did just fine. So fine, in fact, that I’d like a repeat performance.”
“If you want it here, it’s gonna be a lot quicker and with a lot less finesse,” he warned her.
“That suits me. In fact, it’ll suit me a lot better if you get to it.”
He laughed again, but then the laughter was replaced by the heat in his eyes. He skimmed his hand between her thighs and slid two fingers into her hot, waiting sex.
“Jesus, Mallory. You are so ready. Just from touching each other?”
She nodded. “So get to it.”
He knelt on the granite between the fall of water and the wall of stone, spread her lips with his fingers and proceeded to lick every inch of her sex. She dug her fingers into his shoulders to steady herself while he ate at her core, the flick of his tongue sending shivers racing through her body. She rocked against the pres
sure of his mouth, moaning with the pleasure of it. Then—
“Stop.” She had trouble getting the word out.
He froze and looked up at her. “What the fuck, Mallory? What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong is this is the second time you’ve given me so much to me and I haven’t returned the favor.”
She was shivering as pleasure still coursed through her and her body demanded release.
Rocket cupped her face in his palms.
“Listen to me. This isn’t a tit-for-tat kind of thing. I get just as much pleasure from using my mouth on you as I do from being on the receiving end. I love that I can make you tremble with pleasure just by using my tongue, not to mention that you taste incredible.”
“But…”
“No buts. Plus I’m not shy about asking, But, Mallory? There will be no more walking away from each other. We’re going to have a lot of years together, to enjoy every single thing together. Besides, I’m so fucking hard right now that even one sweep of your tongue could finish me off.” He grinned. “So shut up and let me enjoy myself.”
“Okay. Yes. Okay.”
Then get back to it, she wanted to shout.
But it was obvious he needed no urging. He knelt again, thrust two fingers into her slick flesh and began to work her clit with his tongue. As aroused as she was, it took only seconds before an orgasm rushed up through her body. Throwing her head back, she braced herself and gave in to the spasms.
Her body was still quaking when he lifted her, turned so her back was against the wall of rock and thrust his cock deep inside her in one swift, hard movement.
His thickness filling every inch of her—his naked thickness—set off her body again, and the orgasm that had never quite finished demanded to be let loose again.
He clutched her ass with both hands, digging his fingers into the soft flesh, and began to pump into her as if his life depended on it. She grabbed his biceps, riding the length of his cock as he drove in and out of her with ferocity, as if he’d never be able to do this again.
“Hope you’re ready,” he said through gritted teeth, “because I can’t hold out much longer.
“I am,” she gasped, hardly getting the words out, digging her heels into the small of his back. “Do it.”
The words had barely left her mouth before he gave one last thrust into her and the orgasm grabbed both of them. She closed her eyes as his cock spasmed and her inner walls pulsed. She had no idea how long it went on, just let herself fall into the incredible pleasure. Finally it slowed and at last halted. The walls of her sex squeezed his dick, wringing the last drop from it.
Rocket dipped his head and leaned it on her shoulder for a moment. The heavy beat of his heart pounded in time with hers. They stayed in that same position until she lowered her legs and leaned her body into his for support.
Rocket brushed a soft kiss over her mouth.
“Wow. Just wow.”
She managed a grin. “Sometimes short is best, you know?”
“After that, how can I argue?”
“Shouldn’t we feel guilty doing this while everyone else is out there trying to save our asses?”
“Yeah.” But he grinned. “I’ll feel guilty as soon as we’re done here.”
Just as he cupped her cheeks and tilted her head up for another kiss, the sat phone rang. He walked over to where he’d set it in his shoe and picked it up.
“I hope you have good news.” He paused. “Uh-huh. Uh-huh.” There came another pause. “Okay, we’re good for the time being, but we gotta get the fuck out of here. Yeah. Okay. Thanks.”
“Well?” She was anxious to hear what was said.
“The team had a couple of options to get us away from here. They’re working on it and will keep in touch. Meanwhile, we’re to stay put.”
“I trust your guys,” she told him. “Meanwhile, we can shut out the world for a while.”
“How about a nice cool shower?” Rocket asked. “Then a walk back to our deluxe accommodations and some breakfast.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“And, Mal?”
“Yes?”
“We will get out of here and start a life together. I’m not making the same idiotic mistake twice.”
She hooked her arm through his.
“If you say so, I believe it.”
“Good. Keep believing.”
Chapter Ten
Felix Barrera lowered himself into the big chair in his office and leaned back, momentarily closing his eyes. It had been a long night, although a profitable one. Gerard Moreau had been impressed with his operation, including the checkpoints he had set up looking for what he called, “those who would commit crimes against the government.”
“I see you have established tight control,” Moreau had told him. “Good, good. That gives me confidence that no one from the outside can come in and disrupt your operation.”
“That’s why we have so many satisfied customers,” Barrera had preened. “We own this island and everyone on it. If a stranger arrives, we make sure they can’t be a troublesome force.”
“I know many cartels control parts of the country where they are located, but here?” Moreau had laughed. “You own the country. I look forward to a long and profitable relationship.”
The deal they’d struck tonight was even larger than he’d hoped for, with the hint at more customers to come. Visions of the area his cartel could control expanded in his brain. He was glad they had product available to fill the order. But he realized he would need to ‘acquire’ more land to plant additional crops. Well, no problem there. The people of Santa Marita did exactly as he told them or they disappeared.
Now he would turn his attention back to the Melinda Clayton puta. Once she was dead, he’d take a full breath again. He’d tried telling himself she was just an annoying bitch, one of many he’d met. A little fish that he was paying too much attention to. But there was something about her that set off his warning sensors. He secretly admitted he wasn’t the smartest of men, but he had good instincts. That was what had helped get him where he was. And his instincts were telling him that there was something off about this woman. That she could be a danger to him.
He glanced at his watch. Marta, the computer whiz, had been working on the project for several hours now. Either there was nothing to find about Melinda Clayton or it was hidden so well it couldn’t be found. Neither answer appealed to him. The first one told him he was losing his edge and becoming paranoid. The second said she was fucking smart enough to bury who she really was. And who the hell knew who she was connected to?
Ruben had left after they’d driven Moreau back to his boat and was probably asleep by now. Still, Barrera was tempted to call him and see if his crack computer female had been able to find anything. He reached to pull his cell phone out of his pocket, but before he could punch the speed dial number for his top dog, it gave off Ruben’s ring tone.
He hit Accept. “Yes? Tell me you have good news for me.”
“Si. That is, after a fashion.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means Marta finally dug deep enough to find out who this woman really is. But you won’t like it.”
Barrera heaved himself out of the chair and, cradling the phone between his chin and his shoulder, he poured a brandy for himself. He took a hefty swallow before sitting down again. He was sure he wasn’t going to like what Ruben was about to tell him.
“All right. Let’s have it.” He took another swallow of brandy.
Slow down, slow down. You don’t want to get drunk if there’s a bigger problem to deal with.
“To begin with, her real name is Mallory Kane. She used to be a news reporter but now she writes books about places like Afghanistan and Santa Marita and they become bestsellers.”
Shit! Fucking shit!
Barrera knew about people like that. Always sticking their nose in where it wasn’t wanted and bringing publicity to people who didn’t need it.
<
br /> “Jefe?” Ruben’s voice penetrated his brain. “Did you hear what I said?”
“I did. Fucking damn. God fucking damn. Why can’t people mind their own business?”
“I hear you. But that’s not the worst of it. Marta dug around and learned she was rescued five years ago on a secret mission to get her out of Afghanistan.”
“If it was so secret, how did anyone find out about it?”
The sound of Ruben’s snort was plain. “Nothing is a secret on the dark web. There are people who can dig into the best-kept secrets. And this was one of them. At least until now.”
“Let me think.” He tossed back the last of the brandy and refrained from pouring another. “How are the checkpoints working? If anyone arrived at Santa Marita that even smelled like a SEAL or other black ops idiots, we’d know about it. The reason I like ruling an island is because we can contain what goes on here. Get rid of people who end up being in the way.”
“We’re getting ready to change out the checkpoints,” Ruben said. “I’ll do it myself and personally question every guard being relieved. Someone has to have seen something, even if they don’t realize it right now.”
“Your instincts are good,” Barrera agreed. “Perhaps we need to put vehicles in action cruising the streets, to see what they can find.”
“Let’s hold off a bit,” Ruben cautioned. “As you say, we’re on an island. They have no place to go without us seeing them. And the raid we have planned for tonight at the Albados’ house may bring them out of hiding if they are here. Then we can kill many birds with few stones. But I want you to tell all the new shifts to be on the lookout. These guys don’t work out in the open, but they could be walking around in some kind of disguise. Do you have anyone who can work with you on that?”
He frowned as another thought popped into his head. “You haven’t slept, either. If you’re drowsy, you’ll hardly be on the alert.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Ruben assured him. “I’m used to going without sleep and relying on power naps.”
“Be sure to let me know every single thing. Don’t leave anything out. And send someone to the warehouses to make sure we’re not falling behind on our production schedule.”