by Mia Dymond
“I can’t wait to see it.” Marnie smiled at her friend. “Seashells were a nice addition.”
“It’s going to be absolutely beautiful,” Julia agreed. “I’ll bring it and the remainder of the flowers with me to the ceremony. The preacher, photographer and I will meet you on the island. We’ll snap a few pictures prior to the ceremony but the majority will be taken during and after.”
Marnie almost laughed out load. Julia was almost as obsessive as Ryker. Almost.
“Would you like me to make reservations for dinner afterwards?”
“That’s not necessary, Julia,” Bri said with a grin. “I’m not exactly sure what time we plan on eating.”
“I understand.” Julia patted Bri’s hand and then stood. “Leave everything to me and just enjoy yourself the next few days.”
“Thanks,” Bri told her. “I’ll be in touch.”
“I’ll get us a refill.” Alex stood and walked toward the opposite side of the room.
Marnie wasn’t surprised when both Jake and Jackson stood beside their table.
Jackson frowned. “Where is she going?”
“Relax,” she told him, “she’s only going to the bar to refresh our drinks. You can see her from here.”
She had just begun to take her own advice when the next turn of events changed her mind. It was like watching a film in slow motion. Balancing four wine glasses on a circular serving tray, the waitress rounded the bar when a passing waiter inadvertently bumped her in transit.
The glass vessels flew in one direction. Champagne and orange juice sloshed in the other. The two men who sat at the bar, their white shirts now soaked, jumped off their stools and turned to face the waitress.
Alex’s eyes widened at the same time Marnie grabbed Jake’s arm. Jackson made a beeline across the room.
“It’s them!” Nausea churned her stomach as she turned to face Jake. “Those are the men who grabbed me from the boutique.”
Without a word, Jake pulled his phone from his pocket and aimed it at the action. A familiar click only seconds before the men ran from the café gave her hope that they now had a chance of identity.
Although she knew it was much longer, it seemed like only minutes before she sat back inside Ryker’s sports utility vehicle, pushing panic from her brain while Mace drove back to the house. Neither Jake nor Jackson had said too much since the incident, but she knew each of them well enough to know they were concerned.
Jake turned to look at her from the passenger seat. “I need to advise Ryker. Do you want to talk to him first?”
“Yes.” Might as well get it over with. No sense putting off the inevitable - she’d never leave the house now.
Jake punched a button on his phone and handed it to her.
“Adams,” his voice barked in her ear.
“Carpenter,” she answered.
A faint snicker sounded across the line. “Why are you calling me on Jake’s phone?”
“We had two unexpected familiar guests at our meeting.”
“Details.”
She gave him the full story, stopping only once to take a breath. “Do you need to confirm it with Jake?”
“Negative. Are you hurt?”
“No, they didn’t come anywhere near.”
“Luck was on our side today.” He released a hard breath. “Tell Rawlings to send me the picture.”
***
As soon as Mace parked the SUV in the driveway, Ryker stood in the front doorway and stepped to one side as the girls passed him with looks of sheer determination.
“We’re going upstairs to relax,” Bri said over her shoulder.
He shook his head. Relax, my ass. He knew perfectly well what they would do up there and relaxing had nothing to do with it. Intelligent female minds were a dangerous thing in numbers.
He led his teammates into the kitchen and waited for them to give him the rundown.
He grinned as Mace tossed him the car keys. “Get your shopping done?”
“Yes.” His friend smirked. “Maybe it’ll take her mind off this mess.”
Ryker agreed. This whole situation was a disaster waiting to happen. “Were the perps there the whole time?”
Jackson nodded. “I think so. They were seated at the bar with their backs to us. Didn’t move until the waitress made a mess.”
“Strange that they didn’t try anything.”
“The place was fairly populated.” Jake ran a hand across his brow. “I don’t even know if they realized the girls were present.”
Jackson cocked his head to one side. “Coincidence? You said it yourself, Ryker, it’s a relatively small place.”
Ryker folded his arms over his chest. “Almost has to be. Unless they followed you.” He looked at Mace. “Did you notice a tail?”
“No. The traffic was just as busy as usual. I had a string of cars behind me and a string in front of me.”
“Was the picture clear?” Jake asked. “I only had a matter of seconds to snap the picture.”
“Affirmative. I sent it to Storm and I’m waiting on a phone call.” Ryker rubbed the back of his neck. “I know you are anxious to make sure your women are settled. I’ll brief you as soon as I know something.”
“What about Marnie?” Mace had balls enough to smirk.
“She needs some space. I’ll check on her in a little while.”
Ryker moved his eyes from monitor to monitor while he waited for Storm to answer the phone, fighting the urge to leave the cameras and find Marnie. He knew she was safe as long as she stayed behind the wrought iron gate, but he didn’t like being separated from her. The mere thought of it made him itchy.
“Come on, Storm,” he muttered into the mouthpiece, “pick up, dammit!”
“Hello to you too. I see the tropical sun hasn’t mellowed you out any.”
“On the contrary. It’s making me worse.”
“You’re supposed to be on vacation, man.”
“Yeah, well, that didn’t work out so well.” He stood to pace. “Did you get the picture I sent?”
“Printing it as we speak.”
“I need an ID on both. What about the vandalism report from Primrose PD?”
“Nothing spectacular. Just a broken window due to penetration by a pigskin bullet.”
“Any witnesses?”
“Not reported.”
“I doubt they investigated. Marnie can be very convincing.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.” He frowned at the amusement in the other man’s voice and refused to elaborate. “There’s something else.” He summarized the latest excitement, almost spitting the words in frustration.
“Do you think one has anything to do with the other?”
“Hell if I know. I can’t come up with any viable reason for anyone to grab her.”
“She’s easy on the eyes, Adams.”
The proverbial green monster grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. “Your point?”
“You’ve been in the business a long time. You know why.”
“I don’t think so.” Mainly because he didn’t want to think about the sinister possibilities behind kidnapping. “Go by the school and take another look around.”
“Will do.”
“How’s everything going there?”
“Not much activity. Do you need some relief?”
“Storm, man, you have no idea what trouble you’re asking for.” He ran a hand over the top of his head. “Thanks, but no. I’ll take care of it.”
“I’ll check back as soon as I have Intel.”
“Affirmative.” Ryker disconnected, walked back into the game area, and then grabbed a beer from the refrigerator beneath the bar, tossing around Storm’s offer to trade places. He’d been absolutely honest when he turned him down. With Marnie’s blatant disregard for following orders, she’d have him by the balls in no time.
No, he wouldn’t leave Marnie’s safety up to anyone but himself, for her benefit or anyone else’s for that matter. Besi
des, he couldn’t pay anyone enough anyway.
He re-entered the alcove and sat back behind the camera, steering the electronic eye to view the beach beyond the gated perimeter. There, a certain sunbathing beauty lay on her back in a lounger, her body clad only in a hot pink bikini that left a whole lot of nothing to his imagination. His mouth watered at the sight of her full breasts, the creamy globes only halfway covered by her top, her nipples peeking from the sides. He licked his lips, imagining her soft sighs if he opened his mouth over the rigid peaks.
She bent one leg at the knee, an action that moved his attention off her breasts and down her body. The fabric of her very skimpy bottoms gathered in the vee of her legs, making him wonder if her ass was now bare. He found himself extremely envious of the material, tempted to march right down there and simply rip it from her body.
He muttered a silent curse. Voyeurism had never really been his thing but this – this picture made him think some very dirty, voyeuristic thoughts. Guilt pushed him to reposition the camera as his cock lengthened.
He stood and inhaled a deep breath. Maybe a swim would do him some good.
As soon as a dark shadow covered her upper body, Marnie knew she had a visitor – a very tall visitor with a long shadow.
“You’re blocking the rays,” she said from behind closed eyes.
“Why are you down here alone?”
Ryker’s deep, smooth voice caused goosebumps to dance on her skin, and even though she heard his question, she almost pretended she didn’t just to hear him speak again.
“I needed some time to process.”
She opened one eye and watched him set his lounger next to hers and then pull his t-shirt over his head. His defined back muscles worked in tandem as he removed the clothing, the sheer strength of his motion enough to make her drool. In fact, if she hadn’t already been lying down, she would’ve fainted.
“Have you come to any conclusions?”
She waited for him to climb onto the lounger so those pesky muscles didn’t distract her. Except his long, muscled legs picked up where they left off.
“Actually, I’ve been thinking.” She squinted in the bright sunlight, attempting to get a fix on his mood.
He remained solidly in one place with his darkened shades over his eyes while the hard slabs of his pectorals and the firm ridges of his washboard abs glistened like a shiny new sports car. A model built for supersonic speed and ultimate comfort, one she could drive for miles and miles. Lord, he made a girl think wicked thoughts.
“I can pretty much guarantee I won’t like whatever it is you’re thinking,” he drawled.
So you say. She bit her bottom lip to prevent a giggle from escaping. The absolute last thing she needed was for him to discover how he affected her. It was bad enough he watched her constantly: those knowing bedroom eyes analyzed her every move, anticipated her reaction before she even had the opportunity to act. Not to mention how his big body crowded hers, not more than a hair’s width between them. She couldn’t move without creating so much friction that she was sure a fire would spark. The man was a mountain and no one moved a mountain.
“I need a night out.”
“No.”
She fully expected his disagreement, she just didn’t think it would take exactly half a second for him to voice it. Not yet deterred, she tried again.
“I’ll even let you come along.”
He didn’t immediately respond and she mentally crossed her fingers and toes that he would at least consider her request. Several more seconds passed and still he lay silent, his magnificent body soaking up the sunrays. Waves moved the water closer to the shore as she tried her best to wait him out. A classroom full of twelve-year-olds prepared her for confrontation; she could hold her ground in an earthquake if need be. Yet, the six foot plus giant refused to move and although it make take brute strength, she practiced great restraint from dumping him from the lounger and burying him in the sand.
Finally, impatience pushed her to reach the short distance between them to poke his rump roast of an arm with one finger.
“Hello? Are you even alive?”
His lips split into a panty-dampening smirk and he released a low chuckle. She gave an involuntary shudder and reminded herself she was annoyed.
“My answer stands. Especially after today.”
“I don’t need your permission.”
“No, you don’t.” He peered over the top of his lenses, his expression still shaped by that intimidating air of breath-stealing sexy male. “But mark my words, if you even attempt to cross me you won’t like the consequences.”
Her temper flared and urged her to cross him, partly to show him she wouldn’t allow his control, but mostly to discover those consequences.
She let a slow grin separate her lips. “What would you do, Ryker? Handcuff me to your side?” She moved her finger in lazy circles on his skin. “Or lock me in the house? You forget I deal with mischievous children daily. I can take you, soldier.”
Before she could bask in the confidence of her own ultimatum, one large heavy arm shot from his side, pulled her from the lounger, and rolled her on top of his solid, muscled body. She fought to breathe past the shock, her breasts pressing against the hot, hard wall of his chest with each labored movement.
“Now,” he said as he moved his hands to her hips, “let’s get something straight. If I cuff you anywhere, it won’t be to my body and I damn sure won’t lock you in the house.” He lifted his hips and the hard length of him settled between her legs. “No, I’ll lock the whole world outside, cuff you to my bed, and show you just how mischievous I am.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“I would.” He gave his hips a gentle thrust. “And you’d like it.”
“Sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely. Your skin is flushed, the heartbeat at your neck is pulsing ninety to nothing, and your nipples are as hard as diamonds.”
She swallowed hard. Bad, bad, bad nipples.
“No sense denying it,” he said as he lifted a hand and urged her head lower until warm breath cascaded down the side of her neck. Then a kiss, a brush of lips, a sting of teeth before he lifted his mouth and turned his heated gaze back into hers. “You’re pure sin, Miss Carpenter.”
Fire raced through her body from the tips of her toes to the top of her head, finally settling in the vee of her legs. Too aroused to think a coherent thought, she groaned and lowered her head, seeking the touch of his skilled lips once again.
He answered her silent plea with another nip to the nape of her neck. Her breath caught when his tongue caressed the sensitive skin until his lips were once again poised against the shell of her ear.
“Promise you’ll behave.”
Her body screamed a blood oath. Her nipples tightened impossibly harder and her stomach tensed at the thought of giving in.
“Do it.” His tongue continued to play in her newfound erogenous zone.
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Okay, what?”
“I’ll behave.”
“Good girl,” he murmured into her ear.
“You don’t play fair.”
“I told you before, I have an arsenal of secrets.”
“Yes, you did,” she mumbled as she separated their slick skin and stood. “I’m going back inside. Maybe we’ll just have Bri’s bachelorette party on the deck.”
His lips split into a wide grin. “There’s wine in the refrigerator.”
Not willing to let him see her frazzled, she left the beach and marched double time into the house. Determined not to let him beat her, she headed straight to the upstairs deck where she knew her friends had congregated earlier. Surely someone had an idea.
She looked around her circle of friends, all three of them stretched out on loungers, baking in the sun in tropical paradise. Pity that they were bored to tears.
She plopped down on an empty lounger. “Bri needs a bachelorette party,” she said over a sigh, “but Ryker squ
ashed that idea like a bug.”
Dara lifted an eyebrow. “Did he?”
“We’re pretty much on lockdown.” Her mind flashed back to Ryker’s beachside ultimatum, again very tempted to test the water. “Any ideas?”
“There’s a local bar just up the hill. I searched the area on the internet.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but how is it we usually end up in a bar?”
“Good question.” Bri shrugged. “And what’s even more questionable is why we end up there when we know we’ll most likely be discovered.”
Dara giggled. “It’s the thrill of the chase.”
Marnie narrowed her eyes. “Are you plotting again?”
“Me? Of course. You guys make for great entertainment.”
Although Dara’s confession made her a tiny bit nervous, she couldn’t shake the urge to escape. Might as well go with it.
“Do you think it’s safe after all the excitement?”
“We’ll stick together like glue.” Alex swung her legs over the side of her chair. “Besides, I think it’s obvious by now that we travel with some pretty heavy muscle.”
“How do you suggest we get out of here undetected?”
“We’ll shimmy down the trellis.” Alex shrugged. “Easy peasy.”
Marnie smirked as she remembered the last time they attempted to sneak Alex out of protective custody, disguise and all. “Without your blonde wig?”
“I can do many things in that wig.”
“TMI. Do you really think we can pull this off?”
“We’ll have to move quickly.” Bri sat forward, obviously running the idea through her brain. “Just throw on a t-shirt, a pair of shorts, and sneakers. As long as we keep our eyes and ears open, we should be okay.”
“What about the cameras?” Marnie still wasn’t entirely convinced they could escape Ryker’s grip.
“The guys are downstairs watching television.” Bri dismissed her concern with the wave of a hand. “They’ve probably swallowed so much beer by now, they’re not focused on the cameras.”
“Ryker doesn’t get too excited until the alarm rings, anyway,” Dara pointed out.