Riley grabbed the box of condoms from the top dresser drawer and ripped it open. She’d purchased the box with wishful thinking in mind, and now she was glad she’d taken the initiative. She did always believe in being a prepared woman though she couldn’t have anticipated Riley.
He tore the packet open and turned, not completely around, but just enough so she could see him roll the condom on. She swallowed, remembering the feel of him, how he’d twitched in her palm.
Riley glanced at her, one side of his mouth hitched up.
He was doing this on purpose, treating her to a show.
She crooked her finger at him.
This wasn’t just sex or lust, it was fun. Because of Riley, how he made her focus on these micro moments.
“You ready for this sixty seconds?” he asked.
“Get over here,” she said.
He walked toward her, his cock bobbing with each step. There was a glint in his eye she didn’t quite trust. He was up to something.
She wasn’t going to forget tonight. It was going to stick with her, sixty seconds of satisfaction or no. The sex didn’t matter, it all boiled down to Riley and her. That was what set this apart.
He stopped next to the lounge and bent, kissing her mouth. He dug his hand into her hair, grabbing a handful. She pushed up, wanting more. He tugged on her hair, so she got on her knees, splaying her hands on his abs.
“Turn around,” he said.
A shiver went through her. She wasn’t the only one with needs or ideas. She grinned and turned, bracing her forearms on the back of the lounge.
“Like this?” She peered over her shoulder at him.
“Yeah.” Riley twisted her hair around his hand.
Her breath caught in her throat and she closed her eyes.
“Is that too hard?” He kissed her shoulder, across to the base of her neck.
“I’ll tell you when,” she said.
“Got your timer ready?”
“Shut up.”
“What if I last longer? Do I get a prize?”
“This isn’t good enough?” She pressed her hips back against him.
He chuckled. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep from joining him. This is what she really wanted. The connection, the mutual desire. She liked who she was with Riley. He understood her, the drive that pushed her to come here, to do what she’d thought was best.
His fingers slid along her folds, bringing her back to the moment.
The pleasure would be a bonus. The real treat was being here with him.
“Fuck, you’re wet.” He pressed his forehead to her shoulder as his fingers slid inside her.
She rocked back until she felt his knuckles against her.
“Sixty seconds,” he whispered.
“Shut up.” God, she was going to regret those words.
Erin leaned forward and his fingers slid out of her. She dropped her head forward and listened to the cushions as he shifted, felt the press of his thighs against hers.
Riley tugged on her hair. She rocked back, meeting the head of his erection. His hand closed on her hip and he thrust. She dug her nails into the cushions, sucking in breath as he filled her.
“Oh, God.” She dropped her forehead to the cushion.
“Put in a good word for me?” Despite the humorous question, his voice was strained.
Erin laughed, caught off guard.
He leaned over her, gripping the cushion next to her arm, covering her body with his. He kissed the back of her neck, a tender gesture she wasn’t prepared for. Her insides quivered, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Timer’s running.” He was breathless, and they’d barely begun.
She opened her eyes just enough to see his hand, all the tendons sticking out in stark relief. He eased out of her, the grip on her hair relaxing. She squeezed the cushions, holding on tight, but it didn’t prepare her. He pulled on her hair, her scalp prickling. At the same moment he thrust, rocking her forward. Quakes of pleasure shook her, and she knew she was in over her head.
Riley wrapped more of her hair around his hand. She rocked forward, unwilling to wait for him. His cock slid from within her. Without warning he tugged sharply on her hair, rocking into her. His hips pressed against her ass.
She swallowed, but it was difficult. Her whole body vibrated with the sensation of fullness, being alive.
“Oh, yes,” she whispered.
Riley gripped her hip, pushing her forward. She turned her head. The image of him behind her, his gaze focused on the point where their bodies joined, would be burned into her mind forever. There was something about the intensity, how every fiber was focused on that one point, that resounded within her.
He glanced at her, their gazes locking.
Did he know she was a hopeless romantic? Had she guarded her secret well enough?
He pulled on her hair. She pushed back against him, their bodies joining harder this time. She whimpered and buried her face in the cushions.
This time he didn’t guide her. He kept a tight hold on her hair and drove into her again and again. She rocked back, but he was in control. He fucked her with long hard strokes, thrusts that left her gasping for air. Her body hummed with the pleasure of it.
Riley groaned and leaned forward. He gently bit her shoulder, and she shivered. She loved his contradictions, funny and demanding. Strong and gentle. This world hadn’t ruined him.
He let go of her hair and reached around, his fingers stroking her mound. She flexed her hips, rocking forward then back. There wasn’t much distance to play with, but it was something. He found her clitoris by feel. She shivered the moment he pressed his finger to it. He massaged it in a little circle, short-circuiting the rest of her rational thought.
She moaned and rocked against him in time to his stroking, the coil of desire tightening inside her. As much as she wanted to go on like this, her body could only take so much.
Riley dug his hand into her hair and pulled her head to the side. His mouth kissed hers and her desire spiraled out of control. Her vision blurred, and she whimpered as the pleasure branded this moment onto her soul forever.
“Fuck yes,” Riley groaned.
He eased off her clit and rocked into her. His motions were jerky, uneven, out of control. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her limp body to his with a shout.
They stilled, sucking down oxygen. Her face was mostly buried in the cushion while Riley’s chest pressed her further down.
Erin was totally wrecked. Whatever control of her choices and this thing between her and Riley she’d thought she had, it was gone now. She couldn’t keep lying to herself, telling her poor heart that moments like these were enough. They weren’t. She wanted to keep tallies with Riley. She wanted to find a damn stopwatch for the hell of it. She wanted more. She deserved more.
“I lost count around eighty,” he said between breaths. He sat up, clearly more in control of himself than she was at the moment.
“And there goes the moment.” She hid her smile.
“I hate to break it to you, but I’m human and male. I can only do one thing at a time.” He braced his hand on her hip and eased their bodies apart.
“You did pretty well.” More like fucking fantastic, but she couldn’t say that.
“Was that a compliment?” Riley pulled her back until she sat on his lap again.
“Don’t let it go to your head.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled.
“That was a compliment.” He closed one eye and did another imaginary slash on his invisible tally board.
She shook her head and kissed his cheek, allowing herself this much.
He turned, kissing her back.
“If we didn’t need sleep, you’d be in trouble,” he said.
“Who needs sleep?”
“You do. And, I’m afraid I don’t run on batteries.”
He stood with her cradled to his chest.
These moments were numbered, and she had to enjoy them.
<
br /> He carried her to the bed and set her down, then crawled in behind her.
“Just for a moment,” he whispered.
He wrapped his arms around her, spooning her.
She squeezed her eyes shut, her throat tightening with panic. They’d known each other for a day. She shouldn’t be in this much danger after a little more than twenty-four hours, but she was. In that much time, with a little kindness, Riley had driven home every reason why this job wasn’t working out. And he’d done it all before they had sex. The fooling around didn’t count. She’d fallen for him before that, when he sat up drinking tea and eating biscuits with her. Maybe she was too sad, pathetic and lonely, or maybe it was him. She couldn’t tell anymore, but she did know that when her heart broke, it would shatter her.
SATURDAY. ERBIL, KURDISTAN.
Mark tossed his helmet down into the floor board. Hours of driving aimlessly were doing nothing but burning fuel. He needed a solution. The bitch couldn’t have vanished. People didn’t teleport. She was in Erbil somewhere and he’d find her.
He glanced at the time.
It could be worth trying again.
He pulled into a parking lot and scrolled back down through his contacts. Over the years he’d cultivated favors from a lot of people for a variety of reasons. Even if it was to just have someone in his debt. Out here, a favor could go a long way at the right moment.
Kurdistan was different from the world surrounding it. It was heavily guarded, and the military took even the most routine check-point sweep seriously. Which meant there was a real-time record of when people crossed the city and where they were going. Getting access to that data was near impossible. Without the right connection.
Mark pressed dial once more and listened to the phone ring.
He’d done a minor favor for one of the chief technical officers working with the checkpoint guards. If anyone could track a person across the city, it was him.
“What?” the man on the other end of the line snapped.
“Good evening,” Mark drawled.
“You’ve called me five fucking times. Why?” The man sounded more tired than angry.
“I’m looking for someone. She’s in trouble and I need help locating her. Please? I don’t want to have to call her family and tell them I don’t know where she is.” Mark put his own desperation in his voice to sell the story.
“What the hell are you involved with now?” The man sighed. “Who is she?”
“Erin Lopez. She works for NexGen. Last time anyone saw her, she was in a dark SUV with an American man. I don’t know what they have on her, but she’s not with them willingly. Please, I know this isn’t the way things are done, but I’ve got to find her before they make her disappear. You know how the Americans can be.”
“How long has she been missing?”
“Couple of days.”
The man blew out a breath. “Hold on.”
Success.
Mark wasn’t a praying man, but he thanked whatever god was listening to him.
“I’ve got her going through a check point around nine. I’m texting you the details, but you did not get this from me, understand?”
“Yes.”
“Lose my number. I can’t help with every sob story, okay?”
“You’re doing the right thing.” Mark hung up and slumped in his seat.
A break. Finally. It was exactly what he needed.
9.
SUNDAY, ERBIL ROTANA, Erbil, Kurdistan.
Riley glanced at the bathroom door, listening to the sounds of Erin’s shower.
When this was over, he was going to miss her. She was a special kind of woman. It was too bad they’d met like this. In another time or place, maybe they could be more for each other. She’d made it clear from the beginning this was nothing more than sex, and he’d honor her wishes. She had enough on her plate. She didn’t need his baggage.
He checked the time once more.
Zain had given them a fifteen-minute warning before calling. Whatever it was, he doubted they were sticking to their simple plan of swinging by Erin’s office then heading to the airport. Last night had changed everything.
Why was it all the jobs lately weren’t the usual get in, get the asset and leave kind of gigs? Was there some cosmic reason? Or was it because the Aegis teams had pulled off the impossible enough times that people were taking notice?
It wasn’t Riley’s job to figure it out.
He finished gathering their things and stacking the room service for easy pickup.
The shower turned off. She’d be out momentarily. He wanted to be ready to leave when she was.
“How much time do I have?” she called out.
“Couple of minutes.” He glanced at the clock again.
She muttered to herself, words he couldn’t make out, but after this much time together he had a good idea what she meant.
“When this is all over, I’m spending a week in Florida at the beach,” she said, her voice reverberating off the tile walls.
“That sounds nice.” Riley, on the other hand, would probably head north to see his family and help wrap up baling.
“Okay.” The bathroom door opened and Erin stepped out. She pushed a hand through her wet hair. It was already beginning to curl and poof out after only a few moments. “I look like a fucking flower.”
Riley chuckled. Despite her protests, she’d had to take one of the flowing, flower print tops from the shop downstairs. Even the bright pink pants were a nice touch. It was by no means something that fit her personality, but the draping white fabric and bright colors brought out her feminine side. The one she tried to hide. He’d known enough women like her to guess at her motivations.
“You look nice. Come over here.” He sat at the small table where they’d shared a quiet breakfast instead of the lounge chair.
“Has Zain said anything yet?”
“Nope. He’ll wait till we’re all on, so he doesn’t have to repeat himself.” Riley couldn’t begin to imagine the hours Zain and the rest of the behind-the-scenes team between the two offices were putting in. Grant might not like hearing it, but having Melody part of that loop was probably going to save their ass someday.
Erin speared him with a look that almost cut. “I’m going to the office today, with or without you.”
“Where you go, I go, baby doll.” Those last two words popped out without conscious thought.
“Baby doll?” Erin’s nose wrinkled, and she made such a disgusted face that Riley laughed outright. “Just because I’m wearing something that looks like a muumuu designed to show my ass does not mean I’m anyone’s baby doll.”
“I’m just pulling your leg.” Pet names were a no go. Note made. A few more hours, and with any luck, they’d be at the airport and headed home to end this job soon.
The screen lit up with the main Aegis Group Seattle number.
“There they are.” Riley tapped the phone icon and flipped it to speaker phone. “Morning. Hope everyone got some sleep.”
“Is Erin still with you?” Grant asked. His tone was all business.
“Present and accounted for,” Erin said.
“Oh, thank God,” Melody muttered in the background.
“We need to keep this brief, so if everyone could please mute themselves and keep an eye on your phones?” Zain’s tone was weary. There was no telling how long it’d been since he’d slept.
Riley tapped the mic.
“Thanks, everyone.” Zain blew out a breath. “First, Grant and Melody—are either of you on speaker?”
“No,” Grant and Melody answered in unison.
“Good. Keep it that way,” Zain said.
Erin glanced at him, the lines around her mouth betraying her attempt at calmness.
“Second, is Thomas still with your team?”
“He is. Vaughn is sticking with him,” Grant replied.
“Erin, two years ago you were working on a project where there was an accident, and due to your report, the c
urrent defense contractor handling NexGen’s security got fired, correct?” Zain’s tone was building to something. Something Riley didn’t like.
He tapped the mic button.
“That’s true. Allied Security.” She glanced at him, the lines deeper now.
“Our buddy Thomas worked for Allied back before that incident,” Zain said.
“Shit,” Erin muttered.
Zain sighed before continuing. “It was a brief gig, but the guy has next to no on-the-books employment information, and he’s been in this region for the better part of five years. That tells me that Thomas has been working for someone before he got hired by your current security provider.”
“You think Thomas wasn’t there when the attack happened intentionally? I was a target.” Erin sat back in her chair.
“It’s pretty damn coincidental that a guy who worked for the company you campaigned to let go is now your personal bodyguard and never mentioned a damn thing about it,” Zain said.
“Erin got dragged through the mud for that, and we think the people holding her were related to the victims.” Riley stared at Erin’s face. He could read the lines of worry.
“Exactly,” Zain said. “If Thomas is in contact with Allied, then he’d be able to tell them where we were at all times and coordinate their attack on the safe house. We’re all lucky Riley and Erin went for a joy ride when they did.”
Erin winced and Riley glanced away even though Zain and Grant couldn’t see him. They all knew it wasn’t just a turn around the block, but this time breaking the rules might have saved their lives.
“NexGen hired us to bring Erin home. That’s it,” Zain said.
Erin opened her mouth. Riley shook his head.
There was a note in Zain’s voice, the kind that said he was about to go off the rails and do whatever the fuck he wanted to do. The thing that had brought Riley to Aegis was their dedication to doing the right thing. If they were on an op and they could help people, they did it. When they could bring people home safe and do the right thing, they got the job done. It was what set them apart.
“I am making NexGen aware of Thomas’ connection in the next half hour, but all that will do is get him fired. It won’t account for the danger he’s put our team, our asset, and the people around us in.” Zain was on a roll now. Whatever he’d uncovered and wasn’t sharing had him hot under the collar. “Melody?”
Dangerously Taken (Aegis Group Lepta Team, #1) Page 10