When he came back to bed she snuggled against him once more. Reaching between them, she cupped him, stroking him to hardness. “Mmm, see? Not old.”
He moaned and turned to lie half over her. “Two can play at that.” Holding her gaze, he found her again and caressed softly with his fingers. Then he kissed her longingly, slowly. “Tell me one thing about yourself nobody else knows,” he said as he nibbled her lips.
She blinked. “Why?”
“Why? Because I want to know you.”
“Neil.” Why should they get to know anything more about each other? This was supposed to be a quick fling. A rebellious getaway for a couple of days of mindless sex until they both had to return to the real world. She wiggled her hips and grinned. “I’d say you know me very well.”
“Just one—” he trailed kisses up her jaw “—little—” a lingering kiss on her mouth “—thing.”
She growled. “Okay, fine.” But what could she tell him? He wanted to know something that no one else knew? That left the field wide-open. Nobody knew anything about her at all except Ragi. And Ragi didn’t pry. No one really knew her...
“I...love chocolate.”
His brows shot up. “Really?” His tone was sarcastic. “Nobody else in the world knows that?”
She shrugged. “Your turn. Tell me something about you that no one else knows.”
He hesitated, frowning.
She encircled his cock. “Tell me.”
“Okay, okay.” He placed his hand over hers. “It’s been... I haven’t... It’s been a long while since...”
“Since you had sex? Hah!” She laughed. “Been a while, huh? What? A whole three days?”
His smile faded. “What makes you say that?”
She shrugged.
He moved off her and his jaw muscle ticked. “It’s been over a year.”
Right. Sure. Maybe he’d been stranded on a deserted island. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter.” She scooted closer to lean over him and placed her hand on his chest, raining kisses everywhere she touched.
“It matters to me. I don’t lie.”
Raising her head, she met his gaze. “Everybody lies sometimes. But I don’t mind. We both know what this is.”
He stared at her hard. “You’re awful cynical for twenty-three.”
“That’s not cynicism, that’s realism.”
“Wow. You’ve really been burned, huh?”
Burned? She’d been scorched to ashes. But not the way he thought. She sighed. “Well, that’s quite a mood killer.” She swung her legs to the side of the bed, grabbing up her dress. She had not come to the Keys to be psychoanalyzed.
Sitting up, he rearranged the sheet to cover himself from the waist down. His expression grew serious as he continued to stare at her. “What’s going on here? You’re angry with me?”
“Why should I be angry?” Wait. Was she angry? What did any of it matter?
He heaved a sigh and got up to find his boxers.
She slipped her dress back on, folded her arms over her chest and paced away.
As he stepped into his underwear, she pushed open the French doors and wandered down to the soft warm sand. The half-moon sparkled on the dark water, the waves rolled into the shore.
What had happened to having a simple mindless fling? How had things suddenly gotten so complicated? All she’d wanted was to take the orgasm train to oblivion, but he’d had to ruin it by pretending she was somebody special to him.
He couldn’t have it both ways. He’d either come down to Miami to have some fun, seen her and decided she was a sure thing, or he— He what? Tears stung her eyes. Or he actually cared for her? It hurt how much she wanted that to be true.
But knowing it could never be true hurt even more.
8
WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED?
Neil continued to stare after Piper’s retreating figure. He slipped on his shorts and followed her out to the beach. Somehow he’d even managed to mess this up. Whatever this was.
Piper was sitting on the edge of a wide hammock, rocking with her heels in the sand and her arms wrapped around her. More than ever, he got a sense of how vulnerable she really was.
He approached Piper cautiously. Too many ops went south from rushing into unknown territory without proper planning. But what would be the best strategy in a situation like this? He wasn’t even sure what the situation was. He sank to his haunches and looked up at her.
“Piper, sweetheart, what’s the matter?” He reached up to knuckle a tear off her cheek, but she slapped his hand away.
“I’m not your sweetheart.” She turned her face.
He was clueless what to do. But he held his position.
“You don’t have to pretend you care about me, okay? I’m a sure thing. Isn’t that why you asked me out?”
Huh? She thought he was a player, a guy looking to carve a notch on his bedpost? Neil shifted to one knee, sat back and settled in for an explanation. “Look, I didn’t know who you were before I asked you out. But I admit, before dinner that first night, my buddy told me and yeah, okay, I thought maybe I’d get lucky. Since then I’ve come to... I care about you.”
She lifted her chin and glared at him. “You don’t even know me.” Her tone held a bitter edge.
“I’ve been trying to get to know you. That’s why I asked you to tell me something about yourself.”
Still hugging herself, she hunched her shoulders and studied her feet, digging her toes into the sand. “But why would you bother to pretend?”
“Piper, I—” He stared out to sea and let out a frustrated breath. “It’s not an act, Piper. I’m attracted to you. And I genuinely like you.”
Silence.
Finally, she sniffed and looked at him. “Really?” She didn’t sound mad anymore, but he was pretty sure he preferred anger to the disbelief he heard in her tone.
“Yes, please believe me.” He wrapped his arms around her and stroked the length of her soft black hair. “Why is that so hard to believe? I don’t know many twenty-three year olds who could handle the life you lead. You’re obviously a hard worker, long hours, I bet. And you’re intelligent.”
She huffed, and glanced at him for a second. “How am I intelligent?”
He couldn’t help but stare at her luminescent green eyes, her full red lips. “You’re smart enough to successfully run your very own lucrative corporation.” When she made a face he refused to give up and kept going. “Agent, PR assistant. They’re all employees of Piper, Inc., right? That’s a business.”
She cocked her head, her brows drawing together. “I never thought of it like that. I always figured they were running me.”
“Well.” He swallowed. “That’s not really true.”
“Hmm.” She met his gaze. “Maybe you’re right.” She shifted closer till their mouths were almost touching. He was totally confused. He would never understand women. One minute she was furious, the next she acted as though she was going to—
She kissed him. Before he could react, she launched herself off the hammock, pushing him to his back on the soft sand. Her tongue swept into his mouth and his erection went from half-mast to mission ready.
Straddling his thighs, she unzipped his shorts, peeled down his underwear and enveloped him in her warm wet mouth.
Words of thanksgiving he usually reserved for the safe completion of a mission filled his mind as his whole body stiffened.
But he knew something still wasn’t right with her.
“Piper, wait.” In one motion he sat up, gripped her upper arms and lifted her off him.
“What?” She scowled at him.
“I just—” Why couldn’t he seem to get anything right with this woman?
“Isn’t this what we came here for?” she asked.
“What?” He yanked his shorts back up. “No. I—I mean yes, but...only if you want to.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “With me. Not because you think that’s what’s expected of you.”
“Oh.” She blinked and seemed to be thinking that through. A trembling smile curved her lips. “So it’d be okay with you if we just lie here and look at the stars?”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” She grinned and lay down on her back. With one hand she made trails in the sand with her fingers, her other arm tucked behind her head.
Cursing to himself for absolutely never understanding women, he did the same, putting one arm behind his head as a pillow. What was the matter with him? Neil stared at the stars and the swaying palm trees. He must be a secret masochist. This was not how he’d seen this night turning out.
“The air is so warm here.” Her voice was soft, reflective.
“It’s no French Riviera, but it’ll do.”
“You’ve been to the French Riviera?”
He chuckled. “Not exactly a hot spot for terrorism. But I figured you had.”
“Yes. But this is just as nice.”
“Yeah.” He wouldn’t dare disagree. “I’ll probably retire here someday. Buy a little fishing boat. Dive the reefs.”
Her stomach growled.
“You hungry?”
“Yes.”
He jumped up and extended his hand to help her to her feet. Within minutes he’d heated the thick sandwiches he’d ordered from the barbecue place down the road. Content, they sat on the deck while they ate and talked about all the places she’d modeled.
“The Desiree’s Desire catalogue shoots are at the studio in New York, but for our calendars we’ve shot in some quite exotic locales. Bora Bora, Fiji, the Maldives...”
“Man, what I wouldn’t give to dive at any of those places.”
She shrugged. “I never got to see much more than the beach and the inside of my hotel room.”
“That’s crazy. Why not?”
“I didn’t have time. But I wouldn’t have gone in the water in any case.”
“You don’t like the water?”
“I’m not a good swimmer.” She picked up her sandwich. “You should go to Fiji, though.”
He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe someday. I mostly go where I’m told nowadays.”
“And where is that?”
“Oh, you know. The usual hotbeds of insurrection and chaos. A lot of sand, not so many beaches.” He smirked.
She frowned. “You serve your country with honor. You constantly risk your life. Yet you can joke about it.”
“I chose this life. Got no reason to complain.”
She popped the last bite in her mouth and licked her lips. “Mmm. That was so good.”
He was keenly aware that she was naked under that dress. When he brought his gaze back to her eyes, she had one brow raised and was playing with the fork between her teeth. A jolt went from his gut to his cock.
Her chair scraped as she stood and came around the table to stand before him. “I want to have sex with you, Neil Barrow.”
He held her gaze as she slowly lifted her dress over her head, pulled it past her long hair and dropped it onto the deck.
Neil swallowed past the lump in his throat. Her words were like a balm to his soul. His own wife hadn’t wanted him. Had never looked at him the way that Piper was looking at him right now. He didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky to be thrown into the path of this gorgeous woman, but he needed this, needed her.
Adrenaline kicked in as if he was heading out for an op. Danger and excitement made his fingers tremble in anticipation. He stood and held her in his arms, walking her backward and then lifting her as he negotiated the steps toward the hammock. He set her down on the edge and kissed her beautiful lips, down her jaw to her neck. Her skin was like silk, and he was conscious of his callused hands as he caressed her arm, circled her waist.
He barely managed to grab a packet from his pocket before she fumbled with his button and zipper and tugged his shorts and briefs down. He’d wanted to go slow, pleasure her first, make it all last. But she hooked her ankles at the small of his back and murmured for him to hurry, that she needed him now.
His fingers shook as he rolled on protection. He wanted to say something. Tell her this felt like more than just sex. “Piper.” He framed her face and looked deeply into her eyes for a moment. What did he see in their depths? Fear? Pleading? She didn’t want this to mean anything more? Still not sure what to say exactly, he opened his mouth, but she captured it with hers and tightened her legs around his back.
As her heat surrounded him, he let it all go. All the worry, the complicated feelings, everything but how good it felt to be inside her.
Right where he wanted to be. He had a strange feeling he would never want to be anywhere else.
9
PIPER CRIED OUT when he entered her. She combed her fingers through the hair at his nape and held him to her. Her breasts were pressed up against his chest and she felt closer to this strong, gentle man than she’d ever felt to anyone.
Neil had said he cared for her. No one had ever told her that before. Oh, how she wanted to believe him. She kissed his temple, his ear, nibbled at his lobe.
He groaned into her neck, murmured her name over and over again. She was humbled yet proud at the same time that such a good man, an honorable man, wanted to be with her. He rocked his hips and began a steady rhythm. The hammock shook and Piper clung to him, pleasure building anew, but different. This time felt more intimate. She could be herself with him.
That meant a lot to her. It was already more than what any other man she’d been with had given to her. But could she really trust Neil? She wanted to.
One of his hands stroked her cheek, her lips and her jaw before tangling gently in her hair. She arched her back to encourage him and he quickly pressed kisses to her neck. “Come with me.”
His sweetly whispered words undid her. One more stroke, and another, and she came apart, clinging to him. As if her reaction gave him permission to follow, he stiffened in her arms and his head tilted back. His jaw clenched and a groan thundered from his chest. Drawing a shivering breath, he squeezed her to him.
Piper realized she wanted to stay this way forever. With him deep inside her she felt whole, part of something bigger. She rubbed his back and felt goose bumps on his flesh as he shuddered and sighed.
He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. “Do you know how beautiful you are to me right now?”
She gave a choking laugh. “Yeah, right.”
Piper couldn’t tell if Neil was only shocked or actually angry at her response. He had that grim, eyes narrowed, jaw-locked look she imagined he got during a dangerous mission.
“Why do you doubt me?”
She scoffed. “Well, look at me! Beautiful? Now?” Her eyes must be puffy and smudged with mascara, her nose was surely red and running and her hair was a tangled mess.
But Neil had said he didn’t lie.
“I wish you could see what I see. There’s a fire in your eyes that’s incredible. And your face...your face is so truthful. Every emotion, every feeling, it’s there.” He smiled wryly. “I’m glad I’ve made you so happy.” She swatted at him, but he quickly avoided her move. “You are beautiful, Piper, but not just because of your looks. You’re beautiful because you gave me everything, including your trust.”
Piper’s breath caught. Ever since Ms. H had discovered her and brought her to London, Piper had been told she was beautiful. But being valued for something she’d had no part in creating meant nothing.
Something took root in her chest at Neil’s words. A tiny spark. She buried her face in his neck so he wouldn’t see the truth of it in her eyes.
* * *
It was still dark. Waves crashed and a soft breeze blew in from the beach. There were the usual tankers and lit oil rigs out in the Gulf, but no bright lights flashed. No boat horns sounded, no animals called or birds screeched. He lay still, thinking maybe he’d dreamed about a mission. Then the mattress shook.
Piper.
Rubbing a hand over his eyes, he rolled to face her, but she had her back to him. She was curled into a tight ball, sleeping on the edge of her side of the bed. He scooted close against her spine, gently moving thick strands of hair off her wet face.
Crying in her sleep?
During an op, a guy caught sleep whenever he could. Even standing up, if he had to. And he always knew his platoon had his back. He’d seen a couple of guys jerk awake with a nightmare or two. Maybe even yell out. Hell, he probably had himself. But to actually cry while sleeping? What monsters haunted her dreams?
He lightly touched her shoulder. “Piper?”
As he stroked her arm, her body lost its tension, and eventually she uncurled a bit. When he heard her sigh softly, he slid his arm around her waist and snuggled in beside her.
The next time Neil opened his eyes, the sun shone dimly. But he was alone in bed. Looking through the open French doors, he found Piper standing at the edge of the surf. The Gulf sparkled like a sapphire beyond her, and the sun at her back illuminated her caramel-colored skin and black hair. She wore short white shorts and a lime-green tank top. After a moment she turned and shaded her eyes with her hand to watch a flock of pelicans soaring just above the ocean’s surface.
Throwing back the sheet, he climbed out of bed, his knees and ankles protesting as usual. He debated putting on some coffee, but the desire to be with Piper won out. So he slipped on his swim trunks and tromped out to the beach, encircling her in his arms from behind. “Good morning.”
She gripped his forearms and leaned her head into the crook of his neck. “It is. It’s beautiful here. Thank you for bringing me.”
Renewed guilt settled in for subjecting her to the boat ride. “I was thinking we’d rent a car and drive back to Miami. It’d only take a couple of hours, so we’d have more time here tomorrow before we have to head out.”
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