Doubt moved through her at his words, even though his arm was still around her. It’s about me. I’m the mission.
Before she had a chance to speak, Drew said, “I’m good, Sara. I got some shut-eye while we were waiting for the two of you to get to us. I’m good either way.”
She offered a small smile. “Then I think I’d like for us to go on. I don’t think I’ll feel truly safe until I’m back in the United States.” From the look of the other men’s grins, it appeared they felt the same as she.
Drew clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Then let’s grab some grub.”
They went to a small eatery in the private airport, and as they were getting sandwiches, chips, and drinks, Blake leaned over and whispered, “Don’t worry about money. All this is on LSI.”
Looking over her shoulder, she laughed. “Normally, I would feel bad about that. But I’m so hungry, I don’t care who pays!”
The four of them sat and quickly finished their food before making a last trip to the bathroom. Feeling full and refreshed, Sara looked once more in the mirror. Excited to be heading home, she refused to think of when she would need to say goodbye to Blake.
Walking out of the ladies' room, she observed his eyes light and his smile widen when his gaze landed on her. Grinning, she walked straight into his arms, accepted his hug, then linked fingers and followed Tate and Drew back out to the plane.
19
Miami. The United States had never looked so good. Clear skies. Blue water. Lots of homes dotting the ground below. Skyscrapers in the background. It looked like a…sanctuary.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Sara looked out the window as Drew touched down. Feeling her fingers squeezed, she looked over and smiled at Blake. Earlier, the three men had been discussing the next step of the trip. Everyone needed to rest, and Drew informed them, “Babs says she’s got reservations for us at the Hilton Blue Lagoon Hotel near the airport.”
Curious, she looked at Blake. “Babs?”
“She works with us. Babs is short for Barbara.”
Before Sara had a chance to wonder about Babs, Drew added, “And, you forgot to mention, my fiancée extraordinaire!”
Laughing, Blake nodded. “Yes, the intrepid Babs is also engaged to Drew. How the hell she puts up with him we’ve never been able to figure out!”
Drew flipped him off, then had the good grace to look over his shoulder and apologize to Sara. “Sorry, that was not very professional.”
She laughed, enjoying the repartee. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just glad she’s got good taste in hotels. Right now, I’d settle for a bed in a cheap hotel!”
“Want three?”
Drew, seeming to understand Blake’s question, replied, “Probably. Maybe four.” After a moment’s pause, he asked, “You’re sure about three?”
“Absolutely.”
Completely lost in their cryptic conversation, she decided not to ask, assuming they had business to discuss that did not involve her. Drew taxied to a private terminal, and they made their way through customs and immigration.
Climbing into the hotel shuttle van, Sara’s excitement grew. She finally felt as though she could breathe for the first time in days. As they entered the lobby of the hotel, Blake nodded toward the sofas in the lounge. “Have a seat, babe. We’ll take care of getting everyone checked in.”
Too tired to argue, she walked to one of the cream-colored sofas, sinking down onto the soft cushions overlooking the palm trees and swimming pool. A few people in the lobby glanced her way, and she reached her hand up to an attempt to smooth her hair back from her face.
A few minutes later, Blake, Drew, and Tate walked over, and she stood. Leaning forward, she whispered, “I’m afraid I look like a homeless person that’s just come in to crash on their comfortable furniture!”
She expected Drew and Tate to have luggage but was surprised to see Blake carrying overnight bags as well.
He lifted one hand and grinned. “They took care of me, and it seems that Babs took care of you.”
She would have asked more questions, but they all hustled to the elevator, going up to the fourth floor. Drew stopped at one door, then turned and moved over to Sara. He bent and kissed the top of her head. “What you did back there saved our lives. It’ll fuck with your head, but you talk to Blake if it gets too much. Just know that you’ve got my gratitude, sweetheart.” He then fired off a two-finger salute toward Tate and Blake. “See you tomorrow. I’m ordering room service and sleeping.”
Tate’s room was next, and he approached Sara also. Bending to hold her gaze, he said, “Been shooting a long time, and I’m impressed as fuck with what you did. Like Drew said, just keep in mind that it was him or us...and you made the right decision.” With a chin lift toward Blake, he added, “I’m headin’ to the bar for a drink and then grabbing some sleep. See you at checkout.”
Standing in the hall, she sucked in a ragged breath and looked up at Blake, seeing concern in his eyes. “I’m okay. Really. They’re right...it was the only choice I had.”
Nodding, he walked her two doors down, then stopped and slipped his room card into the door and threw it open. She peeked inside. “Is this for me?”
With his hand on her lower back, he guided her inside. “This is for us.”
“Us?” she asked, staring at the sleek, modern furniture with the wide, king-sized bed in the middle of the room. Whirling around, her gaze sought his.
He hesitated, and doubt moved through his eyes. “Is that okay? Did I read the signals wrong?”
She raised up on her tiptoes and grabbed onto his shoulders, her fingers digging in as she shook her head. “Yes, it’s fine, and no, you didn’t read the signals wrong. I just, well, I just didn’t know. I mean, I know I was a mission, but I didn’t know...um...well, I was unsure…”
He reached out and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her in closely, peering down into her eyes. “Then let me make you sure. Sara, you were never just a mission. I figured the night we spent together was going to be the only time I’d ever be with you, and I sure as fuck hate that you were kidnapped, but I don’t regret one moment being the one to bring you back. I’m sorry for how I got to spend more time with you, but not for the fact that I did get to spend more time with you.”
She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled in tightly, resting her head just beneath his chin. He felt solid, strong. She wanted to be with him but hated how disgusting she felt at the moment. Leaning her head back she said, “Would you consider it horrible of me to want to take a shower before we spend even more time together?”
“Would you consider it horrible of me to want to take a shower with you?”
Her lips curved in a slow smile. Instead of answering, she stepped back, linked her fingers with his, and led him into the bathroom.
Sara had attempted shower sex with a previous boyfriend who had neither the skill nor the brawn that Blake possessed, and it was an act she never tried to repeat. She had no doubt that shower sex with Blake would be memorable.
He adjusted the water while she stripped, allowing her to enter first. The shower was huge, with a rain faucet overhead and multi-head faucets from the sides. For a moment, she stood under the rain faucet, her face tilted back, allowing the water to sluice over her hair and down her body.
He quickly joined her and took great care to wash her thoroughly, including her long, thick hair. He turned the jets of the shower to massage and positioned her so they pounded gently against her back and neck.
While she luxuriated in the steamy hot water, he quickly washed his own body and hair. He reached over to turn the water off, and her hand snapped out to stop him. Without saying a word, she stepped closer, pressing her naked body against his.
“Sara, we don’t have to do anything. I know you’re exhausted—”
She shushed him with her fingertips against his mouth, then stood on her tiptoes so that her lips could replace her fingers. Kissing him deeply, her tongue traced ov
er the water droplets on his lips.
He grinned and reached out of the shower, bending to grab his pants lying on the floor of the bathroom. From his pocket, he pulled out a condom and deftly rolled it on. His arms banded tightly around her, and as though she weighed nothing, he lifted her into the air and pressed her back against the now-warm tile. She wrapped her legs around his waist, her hands still clinging about his neck. His mouth moved between her lips, the tender place between her neck and shoulder, and down to her breasts.
Just as his cock was placed at her entrance, he stilled and pulled back slightly, holding her gaze with a questioning look in his eye.
Clutching his jaws with her hands, she said, “Yes, Blake. I’ve never been so sure of anything. Us. Here. Now.”
With a swift thrust upward, he impaled his cock deep into her slick channel and began moving his hips in and out of her warmth. Her breasts were right at the level of his face, and he took advantage, suckling one nipple deeply into his mouth before moving to the other.
She could tell she would not last long, and as he moved his hand between their bodies, pressing against her clit, her fingers dug into his shoulder as she cried out her release. With only a few more thrusts, he followed her as his own orgasm rushed through him.
Continuing to thrust slowly until every drop was drained, he held her steadily as she lowered her legs back to the floor of the shower. She looked up at him, her hands still on his shoulders and smiled. “That was amazing.”
Nuzzling her nose, he grinned. Turning off the water, he assisted her out, and she luxuriated in the thick, fluffy towels as they dried every inch of each other’s bodies. Combing out her long hair, she used the hotel's hairdryer, not worrying about hair care products or what it would look like when fully dry.
When she walked out of the bathroom, her feet stumbled at the sight of Blake reclining on the bed wearing nothing but boxers, his arms behind his head, showing off his chest muscles to perfection. Sunlight was pouring through the window, illuminating every delectable inch. He was grinning at her and nodded to one of his T-shirts lying on the end of the bed.
“Babs and Sylvie were able to order some clothes for you from the hotel shop, but I’d rather you sleep in my shirt.”
“Sylvie?” That was a name she had not heard before.
“She’s married to our boss and works for LSI as well. She and Babs work to keep the rest of us in line.”
She could not help but wonder about the women who worked with men like Blake, Tate, and Drew. There was no doubt the men were eye candy but had no trouble imagining their office being filled with testosterone.
Stifling a yawn, she pulled off the hotel robe, letting it pool about her feet on the floor. She loved seeing the flare in his eyes as his gaze swept over her body. Reaching into the bag, she delighted at the satin panties, sliding them on. Eschewing anything else in the bag, she pulled his T-shirt over her head, letting it settle about her thighs.
She hesitated, and he climbed from the bed, walking over to the window. Pulling the room-darkening curtains closed, he plunged the room into deep shadows. He looked over his shoulder and said, “I know we need to sleep. I called for room service and ordered food to come in several hours. I figured that would give us a chance to take a nap and then have food delivered when we woke up.”
“That sounds perfect.” She thought sleep then food was exactly what they needed. “I have no doubt that I’ll be able to sleep for hours.”
Walking over, he linked fingers with her and gently pulled her toward the bed. She climbed onto the soft sheets, immediately enveloped in comfort.
He followed and pulled her into his arms, where they both settled, she on her side, her head on his shoulder, her arm draped across his trim waist. With his arms banded around her, they tangled legs, breathing each other in.
It only took a few minutes, and they were both sound asleep.
20
The next morning, Blake sat in the hotel restaurant with Sara. They had slept the previous afternoon for several hours, waking when room service brought hamburgers, french fries, fruit, and milkshakes. After eating their fill, they lounged in the room watching a baseball game on TV before falling back asleep.
He knew she was exhausted but still wondered if nightmares would plague her. He woke several times during the night to check on her but each time found her snuggled close to his side, her steady breathing indicating she was asleep.
Earlier this morning, he had woken her with his cock nudging her from behind. She lifted her leg in silent invitation, and he rolled on a condom. She reached over and brought his hand to her breast. He was already so hard, he knew he would not last long in her tight sex. With one hand tugging on a nipple and the other hand moving to pinch her clit, he was glad when she cried out her release, his name on her lips, just before he roared through his own.
Now, they were having breakfast, and he looked up as Drew and Tate walked over, their plates full from the breakfast buffet.
“Good morning,” Sara greeted the two Keepers as they sat down.
Soon the four of them were laughing and talking, and he watched as she was completely at ease with his friends. When Tate asked how she got into translating, she talked about her parents’ work with the Peace Corps. Sharing funny anecdotes and laughing at theirs, she fit right in.
“So, we’ll be landing at John F. Kennedy airport just after noon,” Drew said.
Nodding, Sara smiled. “That will be perfect. I can Uber to my apartment—”
“No,” Blake interrupted. “I’ll go with you.”
Her braid shifted over her shoulder as her head swung around to stare at him. “You will?”
Trying to ignore Drew and Tate’s grins, he shifted in his seat. “If that’s all right. I can catch a flight back to Maine the next day. My SUV is at the airport anyway.”
He held his breath, wondering if he should have been so presumptuous, especially with an audience, but her lips curved into a beautiful smile. An hour later, the four piled into the back of the hotel shuttle to take them to the airport. Sliding onto the bench seat next to her, he threw his arm around her shoulders and whispered, “I’m sorry if I put you on the spot. If you’d rather me not stay with you for a day in New York, I won’t.”
She scooted so that their legs were touching from hip to knee and reached over to clasp his hands. “Blake, I can’t think of anything I’d rather have more than another day with you. Especially when we’re not running for our lives!”
Grinning, he was glad that she was able to joke about her ordeal. “I don’t know where we’re going, babe, I just know that I’m not ready to say goodbye to you yet.”
She touched her lips to his and whispered, “I feel the same.”
Hours later, after Drew expertly flew them from Miami to New York, they stood outside of his plane, saying goodbye. She hugged Drew, saying, “There’s no way I can ever thank you enough.” Moving to Tate, she threw her arms around him as well.
“Remember, if you’re ever in Maine, come see us,” Drew said. “My Babs would love to meet you.”
She nodded, her warm smile beaming toward them. Blake stood back and watched, relaxing as he observed his friends’ gentleness with her.
Leaving the airport, they grabbed a taxi and headed off to her apartment. Pulling up outside a brick townhouse in an older neighborhood, she led him up the front steps and pushed the security button. She grimaced. “I’m going to have to replace everything that was in my purse...my credit cards, my driver's license, and, obviously, my keys. I called one of my roommates so she knows what’s going on, and she said she’d be here to let us in.”
The door buzzed open, and they walked up another set of stairs and down a short hall. Entering, they were met by one of her roommates on her way out. With quick introductions offered, Blake stepped inside and looked around. He was surprised at the small size of the kitchen and living room but also at the mess.
Another grimace crossed her face, and she look
ed over her shoulder. “There are three of us living here, and the other two are nice but rather messy.” Shrugging, she added, “But it’s the only way to afford to live in New York City.”
“Do you have to live here?”
She laughed. “Do you mean here in this apartment?”
“No, goof,” he said, smiling and reaching up to tuck a wayward tendril of hair behind her ear. “I mean do you have to live in New York City to do your job?”
Scrunching her nose, she considered his question. “Yes and no. There are certainly translator jobs everywhere, and it’s even becoming more prevalent to work from home and do translating remotely. But the company I work for often sends me to businesses or government offices here in New York. I’ve even done temporary work for the United Nations. I don’t get paid as highly as I would if I worked for the UN full-time, but I like that my employer does a lot of translating work with the Peace Corps.”
He nodded, understanding her answer but not really liking it. He selfishly wished she had a job like Sylvie’s, or Rank’s wife, Helena, or Walker’s wife, Julie, where they were easily able to move to Maine.
Before he had time to ponder that more, she linked fingers with him and led him down a short hall and into a small, perfectly neat bedroom that was decorated in blues and peach. She turned around, held his gaze, and nibbled on her bottom lip. Shrugging, she said, “It’s not much, but it’s home. At least for now.”
Her last sentence snagged his attention. “For now?”
She sat on the edge of her bed and patted the space next to her. Not needing to be asked twice, he dropped his bag and moved to her, sitting closely.
“When I graduated from college, I was excited to come to the big city, knowing it would be full of opportunities for me.” She sighed as she looked around her room. “Now? I’d love to have a place that doesn’t have roommates, but when you’re single and living in New York City, roommates are pretty much the way you have to go. But one day, I’d love to live in a house.” Laughing, she said, “I guess that sounds dumb, doesn’t it?”
Blake (Lighthouse Security Investigations Book 5) Page 16