* * *
Risk ignored the drum-solo ring of his cell phone as he rolled Addie onto her back in the hay. Even on call, no way was he going to answer when he was buried in the sweet heaven that was Addie. Even the world’s ending could wait another few minutes. He caught his breath as he braced his weight on his arms and hovered over her. He lowered his head toward hers. “Your. Mouth. Is. Irresistible,” he said between kisses.
She grinned as he backed up to take her in. “Mm, you’ve definitely added an intriguing angle to the evening feeding schedule.” She reached up and brushed her fingers across his hair. “Can we make this a daily regimen?”
Something swelled in his heart at her words and the sight of her below him, her blond waves spread out on the blanket. Especially at the lack of panic on her face at making a statement that spoke of the future. A long future.
“I’m up for that, doll. I will never again smell hay and think of being alone with the cows in the barn. I have better memories to go with the scent.”
She touched his face. “Being alone is overrated.”
Now her phone went off, with its song. They were definitely a little bit closer. Hell, they couldn’t get any closer. He was still buried inside her, and he could feel her throbbing around his cock. And she felt perfectly right. Damn, he was in love with this woman.
“I’d give you twenty dollars for your thoughts right now,” she said, mirroring his words at dinner.
“They’re not for sale.” He gave her a soft kiss. “But I’ll give you one for free.” He kissed her nose. “You’ve added an intriguing angle to my life.”
“I like that. Any more?”
“I didn’t want to scare you—”
“You won’t scare me.”
He shook his head, tsking. “You. Have. To. Stop. Interrupting. Me.” Again kissing her between words.
She gave him a playful punch in the arm. “You have a lot of room to talk.” Then she tilted her head. “If that’s my punishment, I may interrupt you all the time. But go on. You didn’t want to scare me …”
“I talked to Chase about his preference that his operatives live in Miami. Seeing as how there’s an airport not too awfully far from here, he said it was workable.” He let those words settle in.
She didn’t look panicked, but she definitely looked surprised. “You’re going to live here?”
“I could get an apartment nearby. I mean, we haven’t known each other that long, so you might not—”
She uttered “Yes” on a breath. Her hands tightened where they held his back.
“There you go, interrupting—”
She kissed him now, fast and hard. “Yes, I want you to move in with me. I know it’s only been a few days, but nothing has ever felt so right. You are the one impulsive, crazy move I know I won’t regret.”
There went that swelling feeling again. It was like diving off a cliff but knowing he would make a nice soft landing. With Addie.
His phone rang again. “I’d better get that. There are only so many people who have this number, and every one of them is important.”
“We should probably get dressed anyway. It’s already dark.”
He regretfully eased out, jerked on his jeans, and pulled out his phone. “It’s Julian,” he told her before answering: “Yo, dude. What’s up?”
“You back in Miami? I’m heading there in the morning to start my orientation.”
Risk glanced at Addie, who, despite her words, hadn’t started dressing yet. “I’m making my home base here in Virginia with Addie. But I’m sure I’ll see you on my trips down there, if not on a mission. You with Rath?”
“We’re gassing up at a station somewhere in Texas, about to hit our last bar. He’s intent on heading down to Mexico after he settles his affairs in Tennessee. I tried to get him to join Justiss, even suggested that we could find out the truth through the Alliance. ‘It’s my ass on the line,’ he says. ‘Y’all put on your capes and go save mankind.’ ”
Risk would have laughed, picturing Rath saying that in his accent, if he hadn’t been so worried about his brother getting killed. “Rath’s going to do what he sets his mind to. Maybe he’ll go down and find nothing, which is what I think is going to happen. Once he loses that last mission, he’ll feel the itch like we did. He’ll cave.” Risk could hear a car’s engine in the background, and then it stopped.
“I hope so.” Julian’s voice changed. “Whoa. Hot-chick alert. Not my type but interesting. Light red hair, all wavy and down to the middle of her back. Skin like cream. Getting out to pump gas.”
Risk winked at Addie, who was trying to make sense of the conversation. “Ten bucks she thinks you’re a biker thug and gets right back in the car if you say word one to her.”
Julian chuckled. “She’s already eyeing me like I’m going to run over and offer to wash her windshield or something. And she’s got a guy with her. Skinny weasel’s going inside while she pumps gas. What a bicho.”
Risk remembered that meant bug in Spanish but was slang for penis. “Go on, offer to pump her gas for her.”
“She does not look like she would welcome that at all. Chick’s uptight, no doubt about it. Look, I’ll check in when I hit Miami. So, things are going well with your querida, eh?”
Risk brushed his fingers down his querida’s neck, then lower. He knew that meant something like dear or beloved, and both fit. “Very well. Ride safe, man. I’ll talk to you later.”
He disconnected, and Addie drew his hand farther down, filling his palm with one of her perfect breasts. Maybe they didn’t need to get back to the house just yet. He pulled her closer, rubbing his thumb over her nipple.
“Addie!”
Nothing like hearing the general’s voice booming down the center of the barn to shatter the moment. Addie yelped as she lunged for her clothing, and Risk threw on his shirt and stepped out of the stall to delay him. “Hello, sir. Nice evening, isn’t it?”
General Wunder narrowed his eyes. “Son, you still don’t have a poker face. Addie, get dressed and come on out.”
She wasn’t covering her sheepishness much as she stepped out. “Hi, Daddy. What a surprise.”
“It wouldn’t be if you’d answered your phone.” He gave them a once-over. “I suppose you were too busy.”
“Feeding the animals,” she said with that guileless smile Risk knew too well.
The general grumbled. “Is that what they’re calling it nowadays? So, the two of you, are you a thing? Or a fling?”
Risk pulled Addie up next to him, kissing the top of her hair. “Sir, we are definitely a thing. I’m on permanent assignment to keep your daughter safe.”
“And happy.” A smile crept onto the man’s face as he looked at his daughter. “You’re keeping her happy.” He held out his hand to Risk and gave him that bone-crunching shake. “Welcome to the family, son.”
Man, Risk’s heart was going to swell right out of his chest at this rate. “Thank you, sir. You have an amazing daughter.”
Addie squeezed his waist, giving him a soft smile.
The general shifted his gaze to her. “I was going to give you hell for putting yourself in a dangerous position. But you two escaped in one piece, and you shut down a nasty son of a bitch. I got to understanding something on the way over. You didn’t only inherit your mother’s compassion. You inherited my strength, courage, and smarts. A wise young man helped me to see that.”
Addie’s chin trembled. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“I’m proud of you.” He shifted his gaze to Risk. “I thought you’d be a disastrous match, but I was wrong. If anyone can handle my spitfire daughter, you can.”
Risk traded a smile with Addie. They certainly fed off each other’s fire. “I’ll keep her safe and happy, sir, but I won’t try to douse her spirit.”
The general surprised him by laughing out loud. “Oh, son, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Acknowledgments
I want to thank everyone who helped me get th
is book from idea to completion. It takes a village, as they say, and I have a wonderful group of people in mine:
My dear friend John Case, thanks for your help on all things gun-related. You’re my favorite gunsmith!
Antonio “Tony” Sanchez, MSM, CLET, Captain, Biscayne Park Police Department, for all of your expertise as well as your friendship.
My agent, Nicole Resciniti, friend, champion, and sounding board. You know you’re my guardian literary angel, right?
To my husband, Dave, my daughter, Zoe, and my parents, who help not only when deadlines loom but are supportive and encouraging always.
I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Jen Dinh, but I’m very grateful for my angel helper.
A special thanks to Big Al for your insights and information, as well as your service. It’s a pleasure to “meet” you!
My respect to Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, the animal rescue organization that upholds great standards for cat care and rescue (but does not participate in the crazy antics that Addie does!).
Hugs to my street team, the Rushkies! You all rock my world.
And big kudos to my fabulous Random House peeps: Sue Grimshaw, Gina Wachtel, Kim Cowser, April Flores, and Matt Schwartz—you all have the greatest energy! Also thanks to Allison Dobson for everything that you do in making this wonderful team work so well!
Photo: © Kelly MacDonald Photography
Tina Wainscott has always loved the combination of suspenseful chills and romantic thrills. She’s published fifteen romantic suspense novels, as well as ten paranormal romances as Jaime Rush. Losing her nephew, a Marine, in the war made her realize that our military men are the perfect heroes—not only during the war but once they’re home, as they try to stitch together their lives and souls. And so was born The Justiss Alliance, an agency where these men can find purpose, honor, and love outside the war zone.
For contests, sneak peeks, and more, visit www.TinaWainscott.com. For more on her paranormal romances, go to www.JaimeRush.com.
Read on for a sneak peek at
Ruined
by Tracy Wolff
Available from Loveswept
Chapter One
No one told me that the reason my brand-new pair of Christian Louboutins are called killer is because they are actually going to kill me before the day is over.
Oh, I know what you’re thinking. What else should I expect from a pair of five-inch ruby-red stilettos? Even ones that come with the promise of comfort? After all, every woman knows that after a few hours and a few miles, even the most comfortable heels become instruments of torture.
Even I know that, and that’s saying something considering I spend most of my life in old jeans and older T-shirts. And ballet flats. I’m a big fan of ballet flats. Right now I’d pretty much sell my soul for a pair of them.
Which is why I’d planned to wear a totally sensible pair of shoes today. Navy, open-toed pumps with a two-inch heel that perfectly match the five-hundred-dollar suit I’m wearing. It’s the same suit I scrimped and saved for for the better part of last semester, and it’s the same suit that helped get me the position I started this morning. My dream job. Technically, I suppose it isn’t actually a job, as I’m not getting paid for it—a salary is the defining quality of being employed, after all—but it is an internship. In the intellectual property department of the most innovative and fastest-growing biomedical corporation in the country. The world, even. If that isn’t a job and a damn good one, I don’t know what is.
But when I laid the whole outfit out on my bed last night, checking the individual pieces for any stains or tears or wrinkles or scuffs—anything that might give me away as the poor college student I am instead of the ambitious and hardworking future lawyer I intend to be—my best friend and roommate was horrified by my choice of footwear. She’d insisted that a suit as kick-ass as this one deserved shoes just as kick-ass. That’s when she’d pulled out the Loubies with a drumroll and a flourish, her gift to me on the first day of the rest of my life.
I couldn’t say no, not when Tori had gone through so much trouble to make this day special for me. And not when she’d insisted on me crashing in her guest room, rent free, for the summer just so I could actually afford to take this internship. Just so I could start the journey that would turn my dreams into reality.
So now here I am, tottering around on these skyscraper heels and doing my best not to look like my blisters are growing blisters. And it’s only lunchtime. I still have five more hours of this torture to endure.
Things probably wouldn’t have been so bad if I’d been able to stay at my desk, or even on the two floors that were devoted to intellectual property law at Frost Industries’ main headquarters. But since it was my first day on the job, my mentor—another intern who seems really nice and who’s been here awhile—had thought it’d be a great idea to show me around the property. A property that includes five main buildings and a number of smaller labs and encompasses several acres of prime beachfront realty here in sunny La Jolla, California. It had been a great tour of a great company, and I probably would have had to pinch myself if my shoes hadn’t been doing it for me.
But the tour is finally over, I remind myself as I walk into the huge cafeteria that overlooks one of the prettiest beaches in San Diego. There’s nothing on the agenda for this afternoon except lunch and a four-hour meeting with the other interns, all of whom have been here a lot longer than I. They’re supposed to bring me up to speed on the various patents and contracts we’ll be doing research on this summer. I know that probably sounds wicked boring to most people, but I can’t wait. This is the only thing I’ve wanted to do since I found out being the Pink Power Ranger was not actually a viable career choice.
Doing my best not to limp, I try not to look as overwhelmed as I feel in this huge, cavernous room with its 842 seats (that number came directly from my mentor, who is as proud of this place as Ethan Frost himself probably is—maybe more).
Like Google before it, Frost Industries is known for its state-of-the-art cafeteria. With two gourmet chefs and twelve different food stations that change their type of cuisine on a weekly basis—not to mention the salad, juice, and dessert bars—it boasts something for everyone. And they do mean everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re a janitor or an executive VP; as long as you have your employee badge, you eat free. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon snack. They’re all on the house for Frost Industries employees—another reason I’ve been able to take this internship. With no rent and no food bills to speak of, my meager savings should get me through until my scholarship and work study come in to offset the cost of my senior year.
Though it’s one o’clock, I’m still not very hungry—residual nervousness from my first day still has my stomach flipping a little—so I head over to the juice bar. A smoothie sounds about right for lunch today. It’s not too heavy, but it is substantial enough to get me through until dinner. Besides, the juice bar is the closest thing to me, and at this point, every step counts.
When I get there, there’s no line—everyone seems to be hanging at the pizza and Indian food stations today. There are two guys behind the counter, neither of whom seems in that big a rush to take my order. Which is fine, since I don’t know what I want yet anyway.
But the menu’s not that extensive—eight different smoothies, and six different juices, including wheatgrass and beet, neither of which is high on my list of things to try—so it doesn’t take me long to make up my mind. And still neither guy tries to wait on me. I’m more intrigued than annoyed, though, especially since it looks like I’m not the only one who is new today. One of the guys is definitely instructing the other on the fine art of smoothie making, and he’s being very particular, talking about things like the proper juice-to-fruit ratio and how important it is to make sure that the frozen yogurt is just the right temperature. He even goes so far as to instruct him on exactly how many blueberries should go into the smoothie he’s making. It turns out thirty-eight is the r
ight number. Not thirty-seven. Not thirty-nine. But thirty-eight.
Coming from another guy, the whole speech probably would have sounded jerky. But this guy is so passionate about smoothie making, so determined that it be exactly right, that he doesn’t sound jerky at all. Instead, he comes off like the Dalai Lama of blended-drink making. Patient, wise, omnipotent.
And the guy he’s talking to is hanging on his every syllable, like the words that fall from his lips are actually directions on how to reach nirvana. I’m amused despite myself, and am almost sorry to see the lesson end when the smoothie finally gets poured into two cups. Or I would be if the minutes of my lunch hour weren’t ticking rapidly away.
“Excuse me,” I say when it eventually becomes obvious that they’re both more than happy to stand around staring at the reddish blue smoothie in front of them for many moons to come. It’s like they’re both completely entranced by the drink, and I can’t help thinking that maybe Frost Industries doesn’t take their no-illegal-substance policy all that seriously. Because these guys have to be high on something, right? Otherwise a simple smoothie just wouldn’t be all that interesting. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m ready to order now.”
The trainer looks up at the sound of my voice, his dark blue eyes immediately zeroing in on mine. That’s when I realize he wasn’t as oblivious to my presence as I’d thought. He’d been testing me as surely as he’d been testing the other employee, waiting to see how each of us would handle the situation.
The knowledge gets my back up. It’s just a stupid drink, just a stupid little power play, but I don’t enjoy being manipulated. Even over something as ridiculous as a drink.
“No need to order,” he says, pressing a lid down onto one of the cups before sliding it across the counter at me. “You can have this one. It’s the Ethan Special.”
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