“Sounds kinky if you ask me.”
“If that works for you.” He arched his brow while he munched the chocolate. “Sure as hell works for me.”
She glanced down. Evidence of his claim tented the bed sheet. “It would seem so.”
He trailed his tongue to the next candy, just below her breast. His intense attention brought a moan from her, desire pooling low in her body. How could she want him again already? Weren’t three orgasms enough for one evening?
“Aw, to hell with it.” He rolled on top of her, a fresh condom already in place.
Reaching for him, she wrapped her legs around his waist. He plunged inside her, taking her body and mouth at the same moment. The sweet taste of milk chocolate danced from his tongue to hers, the thought of how he’d wickedly licked them from her skin causing her to want more of him. Levering her hip up, she rolled over on top of him, straddling his hips. The remaining M&Ms fell from her body onto his chest.
She eyed the colored orbs and grinned. Dipping her head, she attempted to reenact his naughty kisses on him.
“Oh, God.” He groaned and thrust up into her, causing her to dig her fingers into his biceps.
When she chewed the delectable candy, she understood what he’d meant. She licked up a second, letting her tongue slip over his tight male nipple.
He sucked in a breath. “Damn, Kaci.” His hips moved beneath her, spiraling her higher, closer to release. “How can I want you so badly when I just had you?”
She slurped up another candy, chewing it while biting back a moan. Will I ever get enough of this man? The ride was fast and hard—perfect for the moment. Perfect for them. From the second she’d seen him, everything had been fast and hard. And she liked it.
The glorious man beneath her tossed her over the edge and into bliss. Wave after wave of hot, riveting pleasure streaked along her nerves. Slamming her lips to his, she yelled her release into his mouth, and he consumed every last sound while continuing to move inside her.
As the sparks dancing along her limbs dimmed, his body tensed. His arms came around her in a viselike hold. After driving up into her several more times, he jerked beneath her. A deep shudder ripped through him, and his face contorted into a mask of desperate pleasure.
“Kaci.” Her name seemed to rumble in his chest.
“Yes.” A deep sense of possession consumed her. Has he ever murmured anyone else’s name like that?
He looked up at her with a wide-eyed stare, the last tendrils of his release swirling in his dark gaze. When the final pulses of his climax tapered off, he held her to him, skimming his palms up and down her back. “You are amazing.”
“Funny.” She smiled. “I was thinking the same about you.” She eased off him and waited while he cleaned up.
When he returned from the bathroom, he glanced toward the window. “It’s getting late. How about a swim before dinner?”
She peered down at the sheet draped over her body. “But I didn’t bring a suit.”
Lust filled his face, and he clenched his hands at his sides as though he were trying not to touch her. Again. But his nakedness couldn’t hide his reaction.
Heat rushed through her. “Um, I—”
Turning, he yanked open a drawer and pulled out a dark green mass of fabric and strings with one hand and a pair of navy shorts with the other. “It seems Madame Eve has all the bases covered.”
He tossed the suit to her, and she smiled to herself. He’s keeping his distance.
Stepping into the bikini bottoms, she pulled them to her hips, risking a glance at the guy next to her who looked mildly stressed over the stiffy tenting his bathing suit. Happiness suffused her chest, swirling with an intensity that almost took her breath. I never thought I’d see him again. And here he is—here we are together about to go swimming. Nightmarish memories slammed through her, eclipsing her momentary joy. Twisting away, she fought to keep her ragged emotions at bay. She arranged the bikini top and struggled to tie it in place.
Zeke came to her aid behind her. After making quick work of the strings, he set his large hands on her shoulders, the warmth of his touch heating her skin. “You’re trembling.”
She shrugged. “It’s nothing.”
“Talk to me.”
She took a deep breath. “It’s just…just….”
Turning her toward him, he set his finger under her chin and brought her gaze up to his. “What?”
“The last time I went swimming in the ocean….” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Ah.” Pulling her against his hard chest, he held her in his warm embrace. “Well. We don’t have to.”
She shook her head. “I need to.” Time to face the demons that had chased her ever since the most horrific day of her life. With Zeke, she thought she might be able to do it. “I want to.”
He tightened his arms around her. “Tell me about that last time.”
She bit her lower lip. No one had really asked about the fateful trip. Everyone tiptoed around the subject. “Dad and Danny were rigging up their fishing poles, so, um…Mom and I decided to go swimming before they cast out their lines. It was…nice. She was happy. Smiling. But….”
“What?”
She frowned. “I don’t know. I could tell something wasn’t right. She seemed…worried.”
He stepped back and took her hand. “Let’s go topside. Soak up the last of the sun.”
She followed him onto the deck. The ocean stretched out in a blue sheet of crystal, the pink-orange hues of sunset kissing the horizon. A soft breeze brushed over her skin, easing her tension. She squeezed his fingers.
He stood next to her, a bronzed god of tanned skin and muscles. “I was there with you.”
“Where?”
“On the boat.” A muscle in his jaw twitched. “I heard what you said to her. To your mother.”
“Oh.” She looked away, focusing on the horizon again, trying to think of something to say.
“What did you promise to find?” He pulled her around, forcing her to face him. “I can’t help but think it has something to do with what happened.”
She stared up at him. If she couldn’t trust him, who could she trust? “She had a…a flash drive.”
“And?”
“She kept all the stories she investigated on it. All the information she’d gathered. Parts of what she’d written. Contact information.”
He nodded. “So, some pretty high-level stuff.”
Sharing her burden seemed to lift a huge weight from her shoulders. She stepped closer to him. “I told her I’d find it.”
“But you haven’t yet?”
“No.” Gritting her teeth, she released his hand and moved to the railing. “I searched her desk at the paper. Took all her belongings home and tore through them. I even broke a ceramic elephant she’d kept beside her computer, thinking she might’ve hidden it inside.”
He stood so close, his hip brushed against hers. “Any idea where else she might’ve stashed it?”
“I’ve searched everywhere I can think of, except….” She gave him a sideways glance. “We have a cabin. Mom…she really loved that place.”
“I could go with you if you wanted.” He reached up and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Keep you company. Help you search.”
Her heart did a little flip. He wants to see me again. “I’d like that.”
His hand drifted over her shoulder blades and down her spine, stopping at the small of her back. The gesture was warm, comfortable. “Since you’re being so upfront about this, I have to tell you something.”
Her chest tightened in anticipation of what he might say.
“I think whatever is on that drive is why your family was…attacked.” He grimaced. “Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying your mom caused it to happen. God, no. But people in high positions sometimes go to extremes to keep their secrets. I think your mom uncovered something big.”
“I think so, too.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “A
t first, I thought it might be one of Dad’s corporate clients. But if they’d done…what happened, then they’d have to start from scratch with another lawyer. Besides, he already knew so much about them. What would one more piece of information matter? Mom’s digging up people’s secrets is the only thing that makes sense.”
“So, I’ll help you.” He caressed her lower back. “The sooner we find that drive, the sooner we can put the assholes behind bars.”
Relief filled her heart. She was no longer alone, slogging blindly through her nightmare. Zeke had come to her rescue again.
“I’m going to check with the captain about dinner, make sure we have time to take a swim before we eat.” Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “Back in a sec, darlin’.”
Kaci inhaled deep, letting the salty air fill her lungs. Amazing how his simple offer had changed her view of life. Staring at the horizon, she released the breath, noting the amber sliver cutting through a line of dark clouds.
“Hands up,” a gruff voice commanded from behind her. “Now.”
The hairs on her neck prickled. That wasn’t the captain’s voice. And not Zeke’s.
She lifted her hands above her shoulders and turned around. Her gaze shot to the huge black rifle in the man’s hands aimed at her.
The guy’s gaze raked over her, and he licked his lips. Fear consumed her as she stood helpless in nothing but a tiny green bikini. A shiver skipped down her spine. He could shoot her where she stood…or worse.
But then the dread dissolved, replaced with something that had taken root inside her since her family’s murder. Standing tall and throwing her shoulders back, she glared at the man—no, the animal who’d killed her mother, father, and brother, who’d tried to kill her. If he came back to finish the job, she wouldn’t make it easy for him.
“You son of a bitch!” She rushed him, heedless of the bullet that would no doubt rip through her stomach.
The asshole flinched, obviously shocked at her outrageous move. With a growl, she leapt, knocking the rifle aside. She reached toward his face, intent on clawing out his eyes.
“Bitch!” The murderer caught her with little effort, twisting her arm behind her back.
She cried out. When he picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder, he laughed. The asshole actually laughed.
Anger roared through her. She slapped at his back and rammed her knees against his chest. But nothing slowed him as he strode across the deck to the railing.
All of a sudden, she was freefalling off the ship. The bastard had tossed her overboard. But then a rough set of hands caught her, and her heels hit the deck of a smaller boat. She glanced around. A speedboat. She stared in horror. The same boat the murderers had used in the attack on her family’s yacht.
The second guy yanked her arms behind her back and tied them.
“Zeke!” She struggled against him. “Zeke!”
The man chuckled and cinched the knot. The first guy leaped the larger vessel’s railing, landing next to her.
“Help, Zeke!”
The man who’d saved her life appeared above her, peering down from the other boat. “Kaci!”
Heavy gunfire ripped the air. Bullets splintered the 1Night Sail’s railing, punched holes in the hull. Zeke dove for cover, and she screamed, terrified he’d been hit.
The speedboat’s engines revved, moving her farther from the man she loved. Twisting her hands, she fought to free herself so she could reach him. But the vessel picked up speed, and in seconds the ship dwindled in the distance.
“Zeke!”
The second guy held a small box in his hand, aimed it toward the ship, and jammed down his thumb.
The 1Night Sail erupted in a ball of flames. Pieces of wood and metal spewed into the air. Smoke bellowed upward in an immense, surreal mushroom cloud.
“No.” Shock propelled her to her feet. “Zeke!”
The animal who’d kidnapped her rounded on her, the butt of his rifle sending sparks of light jamming into her brain. Pain.
Darkness.
Chapter Nine
Zeke held his breath, treading water to keep himself far below the burning debris spearing the surface. He’d been speaking with the captain who’d mentioned something about Hurricane George when Kaci’s scream reached him. Bolting to the deck where he’d left her, he discovered two men with assault rifles had abducted her in a speedboat. No way the huge yacht could catch them, so he’d headed for the Zodiac he’d tethered to the swim platform aft of the ship.
An all-too-familiar gray rectangle had stopped him in his tracks. Shit. A C4 block had been mounted on the rear deck—near the engines. He’d rounded in the opposite direction and spotted its twin on the cabin’s entrance.
A flashing light announced the damn thing had been armed. They took Kaci, wanting to be clear of impact. Probably a remote detonator. He’d pivoted toward the receding boat. Far enough already. Fuck!
Three leaping strides, a gulp of air, and he dove over the railing. The yacht exploded, the burst of hellish energy shoving his legs back over his head. But somehow, he’d managed to swim down.
Above him, the last remnants of burning fragments winked out. Kicking his feet, he crawled to the surface and gasped for air. Wreckage bobbed in the water, charred pieces of what once had been a luxury vessel.
“Captain!” Zeke coughed and turned in the cold ocean, searching for any sign the shipmaster had survived.
But no answer came.
Swimming toward a large chunk of hull, he climbed on top. From his elevated position, he stared. Evidence of destruction lay all around him. Nothing remained. No radio. No personal floatation devices. And worst, no food or water.
The Zodiac—his only recourse for escape—was toast. Bits of the neoprene hull bobbed on the undulating sea.
He twisted to look in the direction the speedboat had gone. The darkening horizon lay clear. Damn it.
All he could do now was wait. And survive until he could catch the bastards who’d kidnapped Kaci. Her vivid green eyes filled his mind.
The woman who’d haunted his dreams for months had turned out to be so much more than he’d ever imagined. She was smart. Her passion for the ocean and its creatures spoke volumes not only about her intelligence but her compassion as well. And strong? The girl had a fighter’s instinct for sure. With a snort, he grinned. Given the opportunity, he had no doubt his feisty redhead would try to kick their ass. But she sure as hell wouldn’t go it alone if he had any say about it. Now that he’d found her, he wasn’t about to lose her again.
Zeke blinked. Oh man. I love her. His brain conjured an image of Kaci’s soft smile, and his chest tightened. The need to find her and share his feelings consumed him. He slapped the water. Why the hell didn’t I tell her before all this happened?
Beneath him, the mass of wreckage rocked over the ocean’s surface. In the distance, lightning flashed, illuminating the sky. A deep growl of thunder shook the air. He turned his gaze skyward. Ominous clouds rode the horizon, flickers of light popping within the nimbus wall. Last reports had predicted Hurricane George would head off across the Gulf of Mexico and hit land somewhere along the Yucatan Peninsula. Seemed the weather had outwitted the meteorologists’ predictions again and veered straight up to the Florida Panhandle.
The sky flashed, and another rumble rolled. Fat, icy drops slapped Zeke’s head and shoulders. He shivered. Even though he’d trained extensively for such an event, it sure as hell didn’t mean he would enjoy it.
He gritted his teeth. Think, man. Where would they take her?
The wind whipped around him. The once smooth water became choppy. The loud roar of rain pounding the ocean filled his ears.
Zeke gripped the rough edges of the yacht’s hull, the first wave rolling toward him. Leaning into the swell, he managed to cut through the water with one charred side of the debris to which he clung. But the next wave revealed a frothy whitecap.
I should’ve told her how I felt.
The winds tugged at
him, attempting to dislodge his tenuous hold. Rain pelted his skin. The sea shoved from both above and below, creating swells well over ten feet. How he managed to keep hold of the chunk of fiberglass and wood, he had no clue.
When I get out of here, I’m going to find Kaci and tell her I love her. He shook salty water from his head, gasping for air as another wave washed over him. Then I’m going to kill those assholes.
He sucked in another breath. Damn, he would have to update the trainers on ocean survival. Hurricane George was a bastard.
The ocean sucked down to its murky depths, and Zeke rode the bit of hull, descending into the deep trough.
Down. Down.
His skin prickled, and he looked up just as lightning spiked across the sky. A huge ass wall of water arced toward him. The peak crested. Thunder exploded around him.
“Aw, fu—”
Chapter Ten
Kaci woke at the bone-jarring jolt. Moaning, she opened her eyes but couldn’t see a thing. Her head pounded, and the putrid odor of rotting fish mixing with the scent of damp musky walls danced around her nostrils, causing the contents of her stomach to rush up her throat. Unable to force the bile back down, she rolled to her side and vomited. Warm liquid spewed from her mouth but not far enough away to avoid having it run back along her cheek. Oh, crap. I hate throwing up.
“Oh, shit! The bitch hurled chunks on my foot.”
Kaci stilled. Not alone.
“She must be awake. Time for some grillin’.”
This second voice sounded much more menacing than the first whiny one. She remembered it from somewh—
The boat, Zeke! Regret pierced her heart. He was dead because of her. Oh, God, Zeke. I’m so sorry.
Sharp pain exploded in her side, traveled up her sore shoulder to burst out her throbbing head. She winced. What little bile remained in her stomach threatened to erupt once again as the cloth blindfold was ripped away.
Explosive Conditions Page 4