He handed her the blouse to the disguise Ashley had created for Lani to Rock’s specifications. Fortunately, he’d still had her measurements on file. As if he hadn’t committed them to memory.
Although recovering, her motor skills were still off and clumsy. She couldn’t get the blouse over her head and time was ticking dangerously away. Rock grabbed her hand. Helped her get it into the sleeve. Pulled the garment over her head. Got her other arm in. Still from behind her, he reached in front of her to pull the blouse down and got an accidental feel of her budded breasts.
His breath caught. Damn.
He expected her to slap him. Stomp on his foot. At the very least upbraid him. Instead, she relaxed into him, leaning her head back against his shoulder. “You’re my hero, Rock.”
“You won’t think so if RIOT gets us.” Rock had to tug to get the top over her breasts. She was bustier than she had been, and yet she looked no heavier otherwise.
He didn’t have time to worry about it. From behind, he kneeled and held the tight red skirt out for her to step into. As she put a foot into it, she had to brace one hand on his shoulder to keep her balance. She laughed as she stumbled.
This wasn’t funny. She’d had a close call.
She released his shoulder. He stood as she bent to tug the skirt up, struggling once she reached her hips. She lost her balance and fell back into him, pressing herself against the rising bulge in his crotch.
This was no time to be aroused, yet Rock couldn’t help himself. However magical, love and lust were involuntary reactions. The threat of danger and discovery only heightened them.
He reached behind her, grabbed the skirt, and yanked it up, struggling to get it over her hips, too. He mumbled, “This was supposed to be a quick-change operation.”
Somehow he got the skirt in place. But not before he copped a feel of Lani’s firm sexy stomach. He smoothed the skirt into place, running his hands over the curve of her hips, balling his fists against temptation. Finally, he kneeled before her like Prince Charming and helped her slide into the flats. He scooped up her clothes, grabbed her hand, and ran.
“There’s a limo waiting for us in the driveway. Very good car service. They provide security detail and excellent drivers. And the glass is bulletproof.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
Rock ditched Lani’s clothes in the first laundry cart they came to. He pulled her along until they came to the door that let them into the end of the lobby nearest the exit.
Rock took a deep breath. “Showtime. Make it look like we’re trying to sneak out unnoticed.”
Rock slid the door open. The two of them slipped out.
A crowd of reporters, paparazzi, and hotel guests milled around the lobby and spilled out into the driveway and into the night.
As Rock led Lani toward the car, a bright young blonde turned in their direction. It took a second for recognition to dawn on her. “It’s them—Rock and his reappeared wife!” She waved and squealed and bounced up on her toes.
They were immediately bombarded with flashing lights from paparazzi and a swirl of questions from reporters and fans alike.
A thousand mics, or so it seemed, were thrust in their faces.
Lani’s head buzzed. A crash was coming. The lights hurt her eyes. She held her hand up to shield them. This may have been a brilliant plan, but she didn’t like feeling so exposed. A well-trained sniper like her fellow agent Jack Pierce could have taken her out without hitting anyone else and disappeared into the night like the spook he was. A RIOT agent could do the same.
Someone stuck a mic nearly up her nose. “Why’d you come back, Lani? Where have you been?”
Rock shoved the mic away and took command. He was grinning like an idiot in the same way he had during their wedding ceremony. “I’m thrilled, thrilled to have Lani back. Many thanks to my old friend Sol for returning her in his typical showy fashion.” Rock laughed. “But watch out, Sol. You owe me a prestige. If one of your girls turns up in my act, it’s only fair play.”
“Rock, you’ve maintained your innocence all along. Do you feel vindicated now?”
Rock was still grinning. “I have and I do. I think this clears my name now.” He grinned for the cameras and stepped aside just enough to show Lani off. “Doesn’t she look gorgeous?” His voice broke.
The man was a true showman.
“As you can all see, she’s perfect. Not a hair harmed.” Rock squeezed Lani to him. “I’m a damned awesome magician. And so is Sol. But neither of us can resurrect someone from the grave.”
More flashes went off in their faces. The lights hurt Lani’s eyes and she felt weak. She leaned on Rock for support.
More rapid-fire questions: “What’s the full story, Rock?” “How did this happen?” “Where has Lani been?” “Did you plan this all along?”
“If I had planned this all along I would have reappeared her myself.” He tried to guide Lani through the crush. “We promise we’ll have a press release soon and explain everything we can. For now, please allow us a little privacy and time to get reacquainted. This is all very new to us, too.”
“Lani! Lani!” someone yelled. “Are you glad to be back?”
The crowd wanted a showstopper. A brilliant sound bite, a delicious video clip. She slid her hand along Rock’s cheek, turned his head toward her, and looked up into his eyes with all the longing and emotion she’d been keeping pent up for two very long years. She smiled at him, a genuine smile, a sappy almost hero-worship smile, and leaned up for a kiss, trying to keep the adrenaline flowing.
Her lips met his softly, delicately. This was just supposed to be a sweet kiss, nothing too vulgar, no over-the-top public display of affection. Just a tentative, romantic reunion between two people separated too long. And wasn’t that the truth?
Rock seemed to sense it and kissed her back gently. And then, before she could react, he scooped her into his arms.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, my wife and I have a long-overdue honeymoon to take.” Rock winked at the crowd.
Magically, like everything Rock did, the crowd parted for them and broke into simultaneous applause. The young woman, Rock’s social media magician, disappeared.
At the limo, the driver opened the door. Rock gently placed Lani on the seat and slid in next to her, slipping his arm around her waist. He was still waving as the driver closed the door on the crowd.
The instant the privacy shield was up and the tinted bulletproof glass was between them and any RIOT thugs with murderous intent, Rock took Lani’s face in his hands and stared into her eyes. “That was close.”
He grabbed her wrist, felt her pulse, and relaxed. “Nice and strong.”
And rapid because he was so near and she wanted him so badly.
“You’ve turned doctor on me now?” She shook her head, teasing him, flirting. The heat of his hand around her wrist and his confident, reassuring grip turned her on. An escape from death always gave her a high, and this one had been a close call.
“I know a thing or two about addicts and the signs of overdose.” He slid his other arm around her and pulled her closer. “Your skin is flushed and hot again. Your eyes are dilated in the dark. All in all, you’re responding well to treatment.”
And his touch. He was describing a woman who was turned on, and from the look in his eyes, he knew it.
A cluster of paparazzi pulled out behind the limo, chasing and pulling up next to them, trying to get the picture of the moment. The limo driver took a quick right turn, trying to lose them. But they weren’t fooled and quickly caught up. Though she couldn’t see them, Lani imagined dozens of cameras were pointed at her and Rock.
Lani ignored them and took Rock’s face in her hands. “You saved my life. There aren’t words, but thank you.”
He held her gaze. “You won’t thank me when the naloxone wears off and your mood crashes.”
“There are antidotes for that, too. Any good doctor knows an endorphin rush quells depression and w
ithdrawal symptoms.” She leaned into him until her lips were only inches from his.
“Damn, that’s too bad. I don’t have any dark chocolate on me. Isn’t that a woman’s endorphin drug of choice?” He tightened his grip around her waist. “Maybe back at the mansion.”
“By the time we arrive, the adrenaline rush from our little adventure will be wearing off. Everyone knows thrill seekers like us get a huge endorphin boost from adventure, especially after a narrow escape like this one.
“A double endorphin rush completely cures a post-high depression.” She inched her lips closer to his. “And the next best thing to chocolate is sex. So…” She brushed his lips tantalizingly lightly and traced his chest with one finger. “We can either stop at a convenience store for chocolate and let the paparazzi harass us and snap pictures of us buying candy bars. I can just see the headlines on that one. Or you can make love to me now. Your choice.”
But she wasn’t really giving him a choice. She needed Rock now. Needed the comfort and love of holding him and making love with him. As she slid off her ballet flats and slid into Rock’s lap, straddling him, her tiny red skirt slid up around her hips.
His breath caught as she settled herself on the straining bulge in his lap.
“I’ve missed you, Rock. Missed you so much, baby.”
Very lightly, very softly, very slowly, she lowered her slightly parted lips to his until they just barely met. She knew Rock—he was a crazy romantic. He liked to be teased, tantalized, and eased slowly into passion.
His lips were slightly parted, too, warm, relaxed, and soft. Lani lightly touched the tip of her tongue to his through their parted lips.
Rock shuddered. She ran her tongue over his lips with the whisper-soft touch of a butterfly, ran her fingers through his hair with one hand, unbuttoned his shirt, pulled it open, and stroked his chest.
Next to them, a motorcycle pulled up.
He held her close, pressing her against his naked chest and kissing her neck. “Lani, Lani…”
Lani slid off him just enough to reach his fly where he was hard and wonderful and ready for her.
Rock grabbed her wrist and pulled her chin up to look her in the eye. “Not like this. Not in the backseat. Not after two years.”
“Exactly like this,” she whispered back and nibbled his ear. “In the dark. In the heat of passion. I want you desperately.” She twisted her wrist to free it.
He clamped it tighter, so tightly she felt her pulse pounding through his grip.
“Do you love me?” he whispered back.
She held his gaze, unable to lie to him. So she told a half-truth. “In this moment, yes.”
He let go of her wrist.
She leaned her forehead against his, looking him in the eye.
“Not with the paparazzi watching and ready to snap a picture with their night-vision lenses,” he said. “The right lens can take a picture through tinted glass.”
The neon lights from the strip filtered through the bulletproof glass, lighting the car in bursts of blue, green, red, pink, and violet.
“What do we do, then, Rock?” she whispered as she rubbed her palm against his nipple and imagined Rock sucking on hers. “I’m so desperate for you.”
“Still have that fantasy where I disappear you in a puff of smoke on stage and we make love in the two minutes before the smoke dissipates?” His voice was ragged with desire. “Does the thrill of being caught still turn you on? Night cameras can’t shoot through smoke.”
She hadn’t thought it was possible to get even hotter, but just the thought of acting out her fantasy made her wetter. “Don’t tell me that magic pocket of yours holds even more tricks?”
He grinned. “The tricks I can do are endless. The smoke will be thick for only a few minutes. You’ll have to hold your breath through the thick of it.”
“I can hold my breath for three minutes.” She traced his jawline. “Are you up to it?”
“I once held my breath for seven minutes during an illusion.”
“But you weren’t making love to me, baby,” she cooed.
“I think I can make it for two. Ready?”
She kissed him lightly and unzipped his fly on the sly. “I’m wearing thong panties. They shouldn’t be much of a barrier to entry for you.”
His breath was shallow and rapid. “On the count of three. One.”
Anticipation made her tingle.
Two.”
She took a deep breath.
“Three. Disappear with me, Lani.” Rock tossed a handful of vanishing powder onto the floor.
As smoke filled the limo, and the neon lights caught the sparkles, lighting the cab with glittering bursts of fireworks, Lani pulled Rock’s wonderfully full and hard erection out of his pants and stroked him.
There was no time to linger. This was breath-holding, hard-on, fast-paced sex.
He caught her hand and removed it from his hard desire, kissed her fingers, and thrust up, past her panties, catching her off guard with the force and urgency of his entry. He felt so hard and wonderful, she almost lost her breath as the sparkles from the flash died out. Sheer force of will kept her from gasping or crying out as waves of pleasure built.
She wrapped her legs around Rock, clamped him tightly and rode him mercilessly in the thinning smoke. Only touch mattered. Neither of them made a sound, not even heavy breathing.
As Rock bucked beneath her, she dug her heels into his back and pulled him deep into her, shutting out everything but the feel of him and the joy of being with him. With each thrust, he pushed her closer to the edge of climax.
With each thrust, the smoke became gauzier and thinner and her excitement at being caught built.
Their veil was rapidly lifting. But Lani held back, savoring the intimacy and pleasure until the last minute before she ran out of breath and smoke.
Rock thrust again and again, more insistent, more determined, more powerful. She gave him a breathless kiss and arched back as the most exquisite climax crashed over her, so powerful, she involuntarily gasped for breath and moaned.
Hearing her, Rock lost control, grunted, stiffened, and climaxed with her.
Breathing hard, Lani leaned her forehead against Rock’s. “You really can hold your breath.”
He grinned. “I’m breathing hard now.” He stroked her hair and kissed the tip of her nose. Sweat beaded on his forehead and chest.
Her legs trembled around him. She kissed him again and slid off him, coughing on the last wisps of smoke as she adjusted her clothing.
Rock opened the window and clasped her tightly against him. He kissed the top of her head. “That was close.”
“No, that was perfection,” she said as half a dozen cameras flashed at them through the window.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Tate beat them back to the mansion. The rented Audi sat in the curved drive in front of the house.
Having expertly evaded the paparazzi at the gate, the driver stopped the limo and came around to open the door. Lani was exhausted and almost asleep. Rock scooped her into his arms and carried her inside. He liked it when she was like this, needing his help, letting him baby her. She was usually so alpha, take-charge. He would have spoiled her so much more, shown her so many more good things, taken care of her if only she’d let him.
Ty looked up from a tablet notebook he was reading and arched a brow.
Tate set down a glass of what looked like whiskey on the bar. “The kids made it back safe and sound. We were beginning to wonder about you two.”
“The paparazzi slowed us down,” Rock said.
Even Tal was there, popping in from out of nowhere after days of absence. “Welcome home.”
“Where the hell have you been?” Rock asked him.
“Handling my other charges.” Tal laughed. “You think you’re my only one?”
Lani leaned her head into Rock’s chest. “That’s the way handlers operate. They pop in and out at will.” She spoke softly and yawned.
“We need to talk,” Tal said.
“After I put Lani to bed.”
“Rock saved my life,” she said and looked up and winked at him intimately. “With a shot of naloxone.”
“I’m relieved to hear it,” Tate said. “Good job.”
Rock nodded. “I told you he’d try something.”
“How are you feeling now?” Ty asked Lani. “Do you want us to send for a doctor?”
“I feel…” She looked at Rock again. “Fine. Tired. I’ve lived through worse. No need for a doc. I just need some rest.”
Rock walked past them and carried her up the curved staircase to the master bedroom. No one made a move to stop him. Good thing, too, because he was pretty sure they could all outshoot him and his thumb gun.
As he carried Lani across the room, she slipped off her shoes. He managed to pull the covers back with one hand, barely disturbing the pillows on top. Those tablecloth-removing skills came in handy now and again.
As he slid her onto the sheets and pulled the covers up, she sighed and snuggled in. She looked young and relaxed, with none of the tough edges she had when she was awake and in secret agent mode.
He supposed he should have undressed her. But she looked so comfortable and happy, he simply pulled the covers up. He smoothed her hair back from her face, kissed her lightly on the cheek, and walked across the room preparing to face the secret agent inquisition from the guys in the room below. Rock paused at the door to look back at Lani. If she can love me in a moment, she can love me forever.
He knew he’d been right to search for her all this time. He hadn’t been mistaken. She may have been on a mission then, as now, but she loved him despite orders not to. Now he just had to figure out a way to convince her she was better off with him than without him.
He stepped out of the room and closed the door softly behind him.
Downstairs the three agents were exactly where he’d left them. They all looked up and gave him matching looks to those he’d received upon his first arrival. These guys needed to add some variety to their act. Maybe he’d suggest it.
License to Love (An Agent Ex Novel) Page 19