“What I do to him?” she thought incredulously.
She spent the rest of the night thinking of Noah. The man had just taken her to a new high, and they hadn’t even removed their clothes. Her rational mind immediately went to the fact that this could never work. A long distance relationship rarely works under normal circumstances. But this was far from normal. This was a man who was stationed half a world away. He was on a little known, top-secret base, and carried out top-secret missions.
She decided this wasn’t the time for rational thinking. She wanted whatever this was between them to run its course. She didn’t want rhyme or reason to take over and complicate things. She would enjoy his company while she could. If they weren’t meant to be once she returned home, she would at least still have this time and these memories. And she would never regret them.
Chapter 5
When the team wasn’t out on an assignment, Brianna spent as much time with them as possible. She passed the time taking notes and getting to know the men behind the mask, so to speak, and genuinely enjoyed their company. One night, the guys were kidding with Brianna about her lack of security clearance and the need to blindfold her before she could visit their base.
She still had the black cloth they had tied around her eyes before bringing her to the base. She told the guys that she viewed that cloth as her commitment to them. That no matter what anyone did to her, she would never give them up, and she would never betray them.
The bond between them changed after that night. They took her under their wing and taught her a few self-defense moves. The guys had adopted her as their little sister and wanted to make sure she could fend for herself. She was touched that a bunch of battle-hardened men, in the middle of a war on terror, would be concerned for her safety when she returned to the States. She had even earned the trust of Bull over the last few weeks.
Many nights, after everyone else was asleep, Noah would slip out of his barracks and into her tent. He would lay on the uncomfortable cot with his arm over her, both protectively and possessively. Even now, she could still feel his warmth, his kisses, and nibbles along the back of her neck, sending goose bumps through her entire body, and she could feel his reluctance to leave her bed before anyone woke up.
If anyone in his team knew what was happening between Reaper and Brianna, they never let on. She knew damn well they knew. It was their job to know, and it wasn’t like she could even hide her feelings for him. But at least they were good-natured enough towards her to not bring it up.
She knew without a doubt she fell hard for Noah. In all the nights he snuck into her bed with her, he never once tried to go farther than what her grandmother had called “heavy petting.” She laughed at that term when her grandmother first used it.
Now, this petting was making her crazy. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him when he was around and fantasized about him when he wasn’t. Right or wrong, she had decided this definitely was not a one-night stand, and she was ready to take it to the next level. She would be leaving for the US in a week, and she planned to make the most of it while she could.
As she got ready for bed that night, she hoped he wouldn’t be called out for a mission. That would ruin all her plans. She washed her face and brushed her teeth as usual, then sprayed her body with her favorite perfume. The mixture of jasmine, rose, orchid and freesia was inherently feminine and unforgettable to the senses. There hadn’t been a call to use it in this God-forsaken place before now. She knew the sweat from the sweltering heat during the day would have rinsed it all off her anyway. But the cooler desert night air would help keep it in place, at least until he joined her.
She climbed into her bed, without her pajamas this time, and waited for him to join her. Within an hour of lights out, he opened the tent door silently and slid into bed next to her. She was lying on her side, and he slid his arm around her. He suddenly jerked his head up when his hand met her cool, bare skin. She turned into him, looked into his eyes, and saw the chocolate brown turn to black with passion and desire. She reached up and kissed him, softly at first, then ran her fingers through his short black hair.
She ran her tongue around the outline of his lips, then seductively licked in the middle to urge him to open his mouth to her. When he did, a deep rumble rolled through his chest, and the kiss suddenly turned urgent and demanding. Her hands never left his body, as she felt the muscles in his shoulders tense, then across his chest, down his stomach to the hem of his shirt. She started to slowly pull it up over his head when he caught it with one hand and flung it to the floor.
Rolling her to her back, he moved to cover her entire body with his. Through his jogging pants, she felt his erection pressed against her lower abdomen. She raked her fingernails down his back, moved her hands to his sides, and slid her fingers under the elastic waistband. He grabbed her hands and pushed them above her head, holding them both in one hand. She must have had a puzzled look on her face, because he gave her the sexiest half-grin she’d ever seen and whispered, “I plan on taking my time.”
Noah rose up on his forearms, cupped her face in his hands and looked deep in her eyes, for just a moment. His eyes raked over her face, taking in the slight blush he knew this intimacy caused. Her lips were still swollen from their last kiss, and her breasts heaved as they rose and fell with her increased breathing. He kept his eyes on hers, as he dipped his mouth to hers again, licking, teasing, and pulling away. She tried to raise her head to capture his mouth again and he pulled farther away, still watching. Realizing what he was doing, Brianna lowered her head back to the cot.
His kisses along her cheek, to her jawline, and finally to her earlobe sent shivers through her entire body. He licked and sucked on her ear before finally pulling on it seductively with his teeth. Then he worked his way down her neck with open-mouthed kisses, licking and biting as he went. She tried to pull her hands loose to touch him, but his grip tightened just enough to keep her hands in place, and he continued his assault on all her senses.
Breathing in his musky, masculine scent, she let out a long sigh, and he continued moving lower on her body. She didn’t even realize the moment when he freed her hands, since his mouth had found the sensitive, hardened buds of her breasts. Noah licked and bit, teased and tempted her, until she grabbed his head in her hands and pulled him back to her breast. She felt the rumble of his low chuckle reverberate through her. As he started again, her back arched in response to his touch, as his hand found her other breast. Slowly, painfully slow, his mouth followed his hands, as he tasted every inch of her.
Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own, as they moved all across his body. She was in complete awe and appreciation of every muscle in his chest, shoulders, back, and arms. He moved lower down her torso, still kissing and licking along her stomach. In hushed moans, she heard him whisper, “So beautiful.”
His hands moved lower still, cupping her heated mound possessively before his thumb found the small nub of nerves that could send her soaring. His thumb moved over it slightly, making her body beg for more and more until he began to move in small circles while applying more pressure.
Instinctively, her hips rose slightly to meet his touch. His fingers found her soft, wet folds, moving his finger along the folds, just barely touching her where she so desperately wanted to feel him. “Noah, please, now!” But he didn’t relent at all, swirling his finger around her wet heat before finally pushing all the way in. Out. In. Out. His rhythm was such sweet torture.
“Oh, baby, you’re so wet for me.”
“Noah…” his name was all she could mutter before his second finger found her wet desire and plunged in. He moved faster, watching her face, watching how responsive her beautiful body was to his touch and bringing her closer and closer to climax. Then he suddenly stopped.
“Uhhh, no! Don’t stop!”
He picked her legs up, bent her knees, and put them over his shoulders. Then she felt his hot, wet tongue pressed against her clitoris, and his two fingers
danced and played in her wetness again. He increased and decreased the pressure and rhythm in a maddening pace, bringing her closer and closer to the edge and then taking it away. When he was satisfied she could take no more, his tongue and fingers again began to work their magic.
“Bri – look at me. Look at me.”
She opened her eyes and watched him, running her fingers through his hair, until she could no longer hold it. “Come for me, baby.” And then he felt her inner walls tighten around his fingers, felt them shudder and quiver, as she tumbled over the edge.
Noah reached for his wallet, pulled out a condom wrapper and was sheathed and back on top of her before she could even move. He placed his forearms on either side of her head, their faces only a fraction of an inch apart, and he pushed his long, hard length into her. He felt her body mold and accept him. With a sharp intake of breath, her back arched and her hips rose to accept him
“God, you’re so tight. You feel so good,” he moaned.
Their bodies, now joined as one, found the perfect rhythm as they performed this most intimate dance. He lowered his head to catch her moan in his mouth. He sucked on her bottom lip, playfully pulling on it with his teeth, then his tongue delved into her mouth again. She held on tight to his shoulders, then moved her hands down to his back. Her fingernails dug in, as he brought her closer and closer. He pushed up on his hands to drive deeper into her and find her sweet spot.
“Let go, Bri, go over the edge. Let me feel you.”
“Come with me. I’m not going over without you.”
Thrusting harder, he felt her clinch around him, felt the quiver of her sensitive flesh, and watched her face change, as she tumbled over the edge of passion, and then he joined her. He let his arms go limp and just lay on her beautiful, sweat-soaked body for a moment before pulling out of her. He heard her groan of disappointment and had to chuckle.
“I know exactly how you feel, baby.”
He rolled up on his side, quickly discarded the condom, as she turned on her side, and then he molded his body to fit against hers. It was not military regulation for him to sleep naked, but she definitely wasn’t complaining.
She was so completely sated, worn out and happy, she slipped into the deepest sleep she’d had, since arriving on the base. At some point during the night, he got up, dressed, and went back to his bed, because he was gone when she woke up at dawn.
She showered, dressed, and walked to the mess hall for breakfast. She was devastated to learn that his team was sent out on a mission and had left about an hour before. She spent the next several days watching for them to return and waiting to hear of any word of their mission. The team didn’t return before her flight back to the States.
The convoy arrived to escort her back to the airfield. Taking the same black cloth they had used before, she was blindfolded and put in the Humvee for the long ride. She didn’t mind it so much on the way in, but now she wondered if they passed Noah along the way. She needed just one last look, a wave goodbye, any sign that he was still all right. Leaving that base without getting another chance to talk to him was the hardest thing she’d ever done, up until that point of her life, anyway.
She woke from her nap and heard the flight attendants giving instructions for landing. She shifted in her seat and tried to focus on her plans and what she needed to accomplish. She had to break into Noah’s house to get the proof she had on Richard.
When she was first given the documents, she had to question whether Noah had actually known and been involved. She thought she knew him better than that. She felt guilty for doubting, but the evidence definitely painted a different picture.
As she poured through the documents, she found more and more names, traced offshore bank account numbers, and kept coming back to the same conclusion. Richard was definitely the ringleader and the one who arranged the illegal weapon shipments. The others involved seemed to be more involved with making it easier for Richard to avoid being caught. Those people would still lose everything if they were exposed and that made them loyal to Richard. They wouldn’t blink an eye at letting Noah take the fall.
Richard had knowingly involved his friend in his illegal scheme, but set it up so only Noah would be blamed. Richard’s name wasn’t actually on any of the paperwork. He had made sure all the official names and notary seals were in place. He wasn’t authorized to arrange security details for anyone. He had signed other people’s names to the contracts with Steele Security and the DoD had paid the bills. That put more money in Richard’s pocket, on top of the weapons deals.
She had wondered if Noah knew any of the illegal business was happening. It was only by chance that she found out. On one of her last flights to the Middle East on a military aircraft, she was just making casual conversation with another DoD employee and asked how they determine whom to use for their security details. The man politely informed her all security for international travel could only be provided by governmental agencies. No outside firms could be used.
She investigated and confirmed the information the man provided was accurate. More digging, researching and questioning others led to more lies, more disturbing revelations, and to a story that was bigger than she was. She couldn’t break this story and expect no repercussions. What scared her most was what would happen to Noah and his business. She knew she had been different towards him. That amount of worry and stress does that to a person.
She tried to approach the subject by asking Noah different questions. She tried to get him to start thinking and be more open to hearing what she had found. She realized now she handled it all wrong. Hindsight. She had three years to gain some perspective. At the time, she was so freaked out she didn’t know what to do.
By the time she went to really talk to Noah, he had become so distant. She thought he was planning to end their relationship. Unable to confront that scenario, along with everything else at the time, she took the coward’s way out and left his office.
I just left with unfinished business….in more ways than one.
Chapter 6
The Miami heat hit her like a brick wall when Brianna stepped out of the airport. Three years away from the heat and humidity seemed like an eternity now. She hailed a taxi and gave an address that she knew was a few blocks from Noah’s neighborhood. She didn’t see anyone who appeared to be following her, but she wasn’t taking any chances.
Once the taxi dropped her off, she walked for about an hour, crossing streets, doubling back, and changing her route. Convinced she was not being watched, she found a small, clean hotel and paid cash for her room for two nights. She also ordered the maids be kept away. She stowed her backpack in the closet and made her way through the affluent subdivision toward Noah’s house.
His house was really more like an estate, set behind a stone and stucco six-foot wall with a state of the art security system. Convenient, since he owns the security firm that installs and monitors the systems, as well as provides individual security details. The wrought-iron gate across the cobblestone driveway was automatic and opened by a keypad entry. Once inside the house, the alarm had to be disabled within 20 seconds, or the alarm would sound and automatically notify the police. Brianna hoped he hadn’t changed the codes since she was last there, or she would never be able to pull this off.
There were many trees on his property, but she could see the circular drive where it approached the front door. She watched five black SUVs pull into the drive, punch in the key code and drive through the gate. One man after another exited the vehicles. All were dressed in tuxedos, and all had the security earpieces in place.
She watched Noah walk to the waiting limousine and climb in the back. He was dressed to the nines in his tuxedo and looked even better than she had remembered. She was still in her disguise, but she turned her head to hide her face, as the vehicles left his estate.
Brianna overheard a patron at one of the sidewalk tables mention the streets around the banquet hall were closed, due to all the visiting government offi
cials. She decided a change in plans was in order.
****************
The Premiere Banquet Hall was immaculately decorated to welcome most of the foreign dignitaries and business leaders of modern civilization. Noah was dressed in his Armani tuxedo and had Alexa, glittering in her form-fitting white ball gown, on his arm. But his main concern was always security. He had dozens of fully capable men stationed throughout the building. Some appeared to be guests and others were obviously security personnel. He mingled through the crowd with Alexa, as she attempted to introduce him to new people every few minutes.
“And Noah, this is Ambassador Bachar of Turkey,” Alexa purred, pouring on the charm. Noah smiled, nodded, and started to introduce himself when he caught a glimpse of someone who looked vaguely familiar.
He walked a few steps away from Alexa, and he heard her make excuses for him “always working.” He kept moving through the crowd, trying to locate the woman he had seen. She was dressed as one of the servers, but there was something about her he instinctively recognized.
Brianna had made her way to the banquet hall, after she figured out that’s where Noah would be. She knew she could have – should have -- taken that time to get in his house. He would be preoccupied with the security detail, and the police would be preoccupied with directing traffic and avoiding international incidents. But she knew Richard would be there, and she had an overwhelming desire to see Noah again.
She was dressed in the standard server outfit for these types of events, an elegant black dress, heels and perfect hair and expert makeup. She completely lucked out in finding an outfit that fit her, and it didn’t hurt that the event coordinator was so busy with seeing to every guests’ needs that he didn’t have time to double check her credentials. She made her way through the multitudes of people, carrying trays of hors d'oeuvres or flutes of champagne, careful to keep her face turned away from anyone she knew.
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