Tall, Dark and Deadly

by Madeline Harper

  “So I’m adamant,” she admitted. “Does that mean you’re going to tell me about the documents or not?” she persisted.

  “I’ll tell you. In time,” he added. “I swear that you’ll know everything you have to know.”

  Her silence told him that she wasn’t satisfied; in fact, she didn’t believe him. Too bad. There was nothing he could do about that. Except get her off the subject of the damned “mission.” Alex smiled to himself. That wouldn’t be difficult, considering her state of mind about the jungle. She’d even nestled close to him when the birds called out. Now she was only inches away. The isolation of the jungle would work in his favor. She had no one but him.

  Still, Alex determined to go slowly, not alarm her. He ran his fingers along her shoulder, and when she didn’t move away, he leaned forward and touched the delicate ivory carving she wore around her neck. Beneath his fingers, against the warmth of her throat, he could feel her racing pulse.

  Her eyes held his for a long moment; there was wariness in them...and something else. He’d felt it when they were pressed together in the closet. And he felt it now. Could it be attraction? Excitement? There was no denying the spark that flickered between them, and time was on his side.

  “I hadn’t noticed the necklace,” he said softly.

  She shrugged, which allowed her to move away again. Alex withdrew his hand, reminding himself to go slow and easy. He needed her trust...and her help. “Were you wearing it before?”

  “No,” she admitted, wrapping her fingers around the talisman. “After the canoe capsized, I was relieved that it hadn’t been lost, so I decided to wear it from now on. My father gave me the necklace, and it means a lot to me. It comes from the Mgembe,” she added.

  “The Pygmies?” Alex’s surprise was apparent.

  “Yes, they carved the talisman and gave it to my father as a sign of friendship.”

  “Incredible,” he said, his lips curving in a pleased smile. “But very lucky for us.” The Lady had smiled one more time on her favorite son, he realized. “We need any edge we can get with the Pygmies.”

  “If we find them.”

  “Oh, we’ll find them—unless they find us first.” Alex expected that the moment they reached Mgembe territory, the Pygmies would know they were there. But he didn’t know whether they’d be friendly or hostile. That’s where Dana came in.

  In case things didn’t go well, he needed to keep her on his side—and by his side. They needed to think alike, move in unison, act as a perfect team. But how to accomplish that? She wasn’t like Giselle or Betty, eager for sexual adventure with a stranger. She had all kinds of defenses that would have to be broken down. Slowly, carefully.

  “Do you think that—”

  Alex raised his hand in a motion of protest. “No more, Dana. It’s my turn to ask the questions.”

  “What can I possibly tell you?”

  “The truth about yourself.”

  She laughed. “You’ve heard everything about me. Why I came here...my teaching job in Colorado and my father’s background with the Mgembe. I used to lead a perfectly normal life,” she said, almost bitterly. “I was a very normal person, a teacher. My only adventures took place on the pages of books.”

  Alex sat quietly, letting her go on, listening.

  “Nothing prepared me for being arrested for murder and trekking through the rain forest and getting pursued by maddened hippos—” She looked up, saw his grin and broke off.

  “There must have been some excitement in your life. Some romance. What about boyfriends, lovers? Maybe a white knight from America who will come charging to your rescue in the jungle?”

  “Only my brothers—if Millie ever gets through to them.”

  “Only your brothers? I can’t believe that. You’re much too beautiful not to have a cadre of men panting after you.”

  “Panting! I’m afraid not, Alex.”

  “No lovers at all?”

  “No. Not now.” She raised her chin defensively, a look he was beginning to recognize. “But there was—”

  She broke off and he waited silently.

  “I was engaged in college.”

  “What happened?” he asked bluntly, causing her to bristle.

  “Nothing happened.” She shook her head as if to rid herself of his questions. “I can’t imagine why I’m discussing this with you.”

  “Because I told you about Giselle, because we’re together here, alone in the jungle, and it’s time we got to know each other. But mostly because I’m curious. There’s nothing wrong with telling me about your life, your loves.” He ventured to touch her again, in a friendly way, on the arm. “Do you think you’ll shock me?” he teased.

  “You?” She cocked an eyebrow. “That would be impossible! And I don’t suppose there’s anything wrong with my telling you about my life and loves. But there was only one love. His name was Roger.”

  “And?”

  She gave in. “Okay. We were engaged during my senior year. We planned to marry after graduation, but put it off. Roger went to grad school in New York State, and I got a fellowship at the University of Colorado. We soon found that long-distance relationships don’t work.”

  “I guess you’re the kind of woman who likes closeness. Being together. Sharing everything.”

  Dana thought she heard condescension in his voice and she reacted defensively. “Yes, I do, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “Of course not,” he agreed. “I’m all for it. We have it going right here. Closeness. Being together—”

  “It’s not the same,” she protested, her eyes wary again.

  “I was joking, Dana.”

  “I know that.” Some of the tension left her face, and her expression softened.

  Alex steered the conversation back to her. “I’ll bet neither you nor your boyfriend wanted to compromise.”

  “No, we didn’t. Besides, I had my goals. Important ones,” she added.

  “I’m sure you did,” he said, with as much understanding as possible.

  But she still looked sharply at him. Alex kept his face expressionless. A picture of Dana was coming together for him. Bright. Hardworking. Goal-oriented. And also stubborn and inquisitive. A little touchy, but what the hell? She was the kind of woman he liked, the kind who would make a perfect partner on their journey because her attributes could be translated into good survival skills. Maybe they would balance each other and make it to safety. If he handled her correctly.

  He leaned closer so that their shoulders touched. By turning his head slightly, he could catch a glimpse of her as she looked away from him, out into the night. The sweep of her lashes. Her finely etched nose. And her mouth. Sweet, generous, sensual.

  “Come on,” he urged, “tell me more about yourself.” He spoke easily, casually, all the while thinking about her mouth. About kissing her. That had been on his mind since the first time he’d seen her.

  “Well, I became a teacher, like my father,” she offered.

  “So his advice was important in your career decision?”

  “Yes,” she replied, “but I’ll never be as brilliant as he was.”

  “What about his other opinions? Did he approve of Roger, who wanted to take you away from the world of ancient languages?”

  “My parents both died before I finished college,” she answered.

  “Sorry. I didn’t know.” He waited a moment before continuing. “Did your big brothers like Roger?”

  Dana shrugged.

  “That means no, doesn’t it? I bet no one is good enough for little sister.”

  Dana shot him a nasty look. “That’s not true. If my brothers are a little protective, it’s because they have my best interests at heart. They did point out the advantages of staying in Colorado where my family is known, and they were right. It certainly worked for them. Andy is a successful city planner and Kurt’s a brilliant lawyer. If he’d been in Porte Ivoire, things would have turned out differently.”

  Alex chuc
kled at her impassioned defense. “I’d hate to be the man who tried to get past your brothers to get to you.”

  “You’ll never have to worry about that,” she snapped. “And anyway, I live my own life.”

  She was getting angry, and Alex was sorry he’d pushed the questions about her brothers. She was touchy about their protectiveness, but he couldn’t help liking the passionate way she defended them even though it made him strangely jealous.

  “I apologize for being nosy,” he said quickly, easily. “Your family life is none of my business.” Things had been going so well, he didn’t want to antagonize her now.

  “You’re right about that,” she said coolly. Dana picked up a stick and poked at the dwindling embers.

  Alex let out a low whistle. “Mon Dieu—your hands. They’re blistered.”

  Dana drew her hands back quickly. “They’re not that bad.”

  “Let me see,” he ordered.

  “That’s not necessary.” She tucked her hands behind her back for a moment before realizing that she had no reason to be ashamed of blisters. Especially since they were caused by his insistence that they keep on paddling in spite of her exhaustion! She held out her hands.

  Alex took them in his. The blisters had broken open and were oozing and painful. “I’ll take care of these,” he said. She was about to change her view of Alex and conclude that there could be a trace of kindness in him, after all, when he added, “Otherwise, you’ll be no good for paddling tomorrow.”

  “We certainly can’t have that,” she said sarcastically.

  He still held her hands, but his voice softened. “I don’t mean to make light of the pain you’re feeling, Dana. I’ll try to take care of that. But we have to move on. That’s most important. We both need to be in good shape. Agreed?”

  “Agreed,” she said, somewhat chastised.

  Alex got up and rummaged in his knapsack until he found the salve. “Give me your hands.”

  She hesitated a moment.

  “Try to think of me less as the big bad wolf and more as a healer.” He knelt in front of her, and she held out her hands.

  Even though his touch was gentle, his fingers gliding softly across her abused palms, Dana decided he was more wolf than healer. His face was only inches from hers and she could study every line and nuance. His dark lashes couldn’t hide the green fire of his eyes, and his strongly shaped lips were sensual in their masculinity. Firelight flickered provocatively along the planes of his cheekbones. She felt an unexpected prickle of tension skitter along her spine at the pressure of his fingers. Was it anxiety or anticipation?

  He continued to work on her hands, smoothing the salve along her palms and down her fingers. His motions were caressing, sensuous; heat radiated from his fingers and rippled along her skin. She thought of asking him to stop, but she knew he wouldn’t. There was danger in being so close to him, but there was also pleasure...and need. His fingers were long and lean, and she wondered what it would be like if he touched her in other places, intimate, sensitive areas. Dana gave a little shiver as the fantasy played out in her head.

  Alex, carefully rubbing the salve, glanced at her. She’d caught her bottom lip between her teeth and closed her eyes. He’d felt her shiver, wondered if he’d hurt her, but instinct told him something else was going on. A tension emanated from her that was almost palpable. He smiled and ran his fingers along her palms. Her very kissable lips gave out a little sigh.

  Her mouth was close, so close.... And he was going to kiss her. Not in the moonlight of the Stanley Hotel’s garden or in the cloying dark of the closet, but here, now, in the hot African night, with firelight flickering and the moon above.

  She opened her eyes and smiled at him, withdrawing her hands. “Thanks.”

  He realized it was the first genuine smile she’d given him.

  “My hands feel better already.” She lightly rubbed them together.

  He didn’t move from his place in front of her. “So I’m a good medicine man.”

  She nodded.

  “And not a wolf?” He raised a dark eyebrow.

  “That’s still up for debate.” Her laugh was nervous, but her eyes met his directly.

  “Okay, I’m something of a wolf, but only around a beautiful...” There was no way he could stop himself. He leaned forward, and his lips grazed hers. “Desirable woman...”

  It was meant to be a light, teasing kiss, but when he tasted her lips, everything changed. He realized how much he wanted her—and wanted her to want him. She tried to turn her head, but he wouldn’t let her. He tilted her face toward him, held her chin firmly with his hand and kissed her.

  Her mouth opened softly under his, and he tasted her fully. Their tongues touched, slick, hot, and he felt her shiver, strain toward him, slide her arms around his neck. Alex drew her closer, heard her tremulous sigh, felt her breasts firm and full, pressing against him. His blood pounded with need and longing. He wanted to discover more of her. So much more...

  Dana felt herself melting against him, giving herself to the kiss and to his taste and touch. His tongue skated across her teeth, probed the deep recesses of her mouth, thrust, withdrew. His mouth moved upon hers, hungry, seeking, and she kissed him back eagerly, taking his tongue in her mouth, mating it with hers, drinking in his kisses.

  She felt suspended, awash with sensation. She knew she should pull away, stop the madness of the kiss, but how could she? Her body betrayed her with each breath. Her nipples tingled, swelled. A warm sweetness swept over her, and she could feel that same warmth between her legs, hotter, becoming a flame of tension and excitement as it built dangerously fast.

  She was losing control as she became caught up completely in the kiss, the feel of his arms, the taste of his lips and the dizziness of desire. She felt his hand slide between their bodies, cup her breast. She was open to him, vulnerable. His fingers brushed her aching nipple, fumbled for the button on her shirt. Was this what she wanted? She didn’t know. His demanding lips left hers for an instant, and in that moment she struggled for an answer and fought for control.

  With a little moan, Dana tore her mouth from his and struggled to her feet, legs shaky and uncertain. She’d been vulnerable, but she didn’t want to admit to herself how much; she certainly didn’t want him to know how much. “Not a good idea,” she managed to blurt through ragged breath.

  Alex stood up beside her. “Seemed like a great idea to me. And admit it, Dana, you enjoyed it, too.” He was breathing as hard as she, and his voice was edged with need.

  “Blame it on the circumstances,” she said. “We’ve been thrown together in an intimate situation, and so, naturally—” Her voice was as shaky as her legs.

  “Naturally,” he repeated. “But it’s more than the circumstances.”

  He ran his fingers lightly along her cheek. Her skin tingled under his touch. He held her chin in his hand, his green eyes locked on hers. His gaze was hypnotic, drawing her toward him. It mesmerized her. If he pulled her close, tried to kiss her again—

  She had to break the spell, to distance herself. She managed to take one step backward, and that was enough. He dropped his hand, but he held her with his voice and with his seductive words.

  “Admit it, Dana. You secretly crave excitement, adventure, the unknown. That’s why you’re really here in the Congo, away from school, Colorado, your brothers. It may even be why you’re here in my arms.”

  “I’m not in your arms,” she shot back.

  “That can be easily remedied. Reach out for what you want, Dana. Reach out and try it.”

  She looked into his green, unfathomable eyes. It was easy to be drawn toward him, to be pulled by his sensual power. But she wasn’t going to be seduced. “No,” she said sharply. “There’re too many complications for us to make love.”

  “Make love?” He grinned at her. “Is that what you thought I meant?” He feigned a look of surprise. “And all this time, I thought we were just sharing a friendly kiss. I didn’t know—” />
  “Damn you, Alex.” She turned and stalked away from him—and his cocky smile and teasing words—stopping in front of the bright orange tent. “Only one tent for us to share,” she said angrily. “You probably let the other one float away on purpose.”

  “Let me remind you who was responsible for overturning the canoe, Dana.”

  There was no winning with this man, she thought as she pulled open the flap and stepped into the tent. She could have suggested he sleep outside, but she knew that wouldn’t wash, and she wasn’t about to leave herself open to more abuse from him. The only choice was to get to sleep quickly, before he followed her into the tent.

  Dana checked her sleeping bag for scorpions, snakes and spiders. Then she took off her shoes and zipped herself in. She lay there, tense, listening to Alex move around outside, trying to will herself to sleep.

  But she was still wide awake when he came into the tent and crawled into his sleeping bag beside her.

  “I’d rather you sleep outside the tent,” she said tersely.

  “Ma chérie,” he said softly, “voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?”

  Dana understood the suggestive French phrase, do you want to go to bed with me tonight?

  “No!” she said adamantly.

  “Ah, so you speak French,” Alex said.

  “I’m a linguist, remember? But it certainly doesn’t take one to translate that.”

  “Well, don’t worry,” he said softly. “I won’t accost you in your sleeping bag. You know why?” He smiled and answered his own question. “Because it wouldn’t be any fun. Remember, I only want to make love when you want to.” After a beat he added, “And I know you want to.”

  Slapping him would be pointless—and hell on her already painful hands. Any other kind of response would be equally pointless against his cleverness. She opted for silence.

  Then, in the dark night, came a loud coughing noise. Dana sat up like a shot. It sounded human. Could it possibly be Kantana so soon? “Who is it?” she asked Alex.

  His voice was sleepy. “Not who, Dana. Last time it was a bird, now it’s a leopard.”