by Avery Gale
Flashing her the smile Tally always swore made women’s panties spontaneously combust, Landon leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Besides, my mother would have a stroke if I made you walk behind me. You’re going to love her, Princess. You are both smart and beautiful.” Savannah wouldn’t have missed the implication she’d be meeting his mother, but she didn’t comment on what sounded a lot like the Freudian slip.
His dad had always told him, “When you find yourself in a hole, for God’s sake, stop digging.” Over the years, Landon had learned how valuable the advice was. And right now, it seemed priceless.
Chapter Twelve
Marco looked across the elegantly set table into eyes the most unique color he’d ever seen. Amaryllis had laughed when he’d called them blue-green. “They’re teal. It’s ironic because, in nature, there is no such thing as a teal amaryllis.” Her lilting laughter filled the small, private space on the terrace. Tall hedges bordered two sides, and the brick wall of his home’s exterior was directly behind him. Marco never sat with his back to anything other than a solid wall during a meal. He’d seen too many men taken by surprise, the error costing them their lives.
The dress he’d had delivered to her room molded to her delicate curves and shimmered as the soft candlelight danced across the fabric’s surface. They’d eaten dinner together the past several evenings, and Marco was quickly falling under the young woman’s spell. Each evening, she’d relaxed a bit more, opening herself up slowly like the beautiful flower she’d been named for. They’d talked about everything but the reason she’d been kidnapped off the street. He wasn’t sure she fully understood what the future held for her if he decided against keeping her for himself.
He was delaying the difficult discussion he’d have to have with his father about pulling her out of the auction. It should be his decision, but like any other son who took over the family business, he knew his father would never fully retire.
“Did you see the rainbow over the mountain this afternoon?” Her soft voice brought him back to the moment. The innocent question contrasted with the concern reflected in her eyes.
“No, but I’m sorry I missed it. I always think of my late mother when I see rainbows. She was a woman of faith and taught me Bible stories when I was a child. Noah’s ark and the flood always frightened me. But she reminded me to be patient. To wait for the story’s end, because that’s where the rainbow was.”
“Because they mean hope. A promise from God to never flood the world again.”
“Yes. I didn’t understand the real reason the story was so significant to her—that she was fighting cancer. She held out hope until the end. She was convinced the doctors would find a way to cure her and she wouldn’t have to leave me.”
Marco hadn’t realized his fingers were tightening around the stem of his wine glass until it snapped, piercing his skin. Amaryllis was out of her chair before he’d seen her move. She set the broken pieces aside, and gently blotted the blood from his fingers with a napkin. “I’m sorry you lost your mother so young. It had to be very difficult to let her go.” The small puncture hadn’t bled much, but she still held his hand between her much smaller ones. The loving touch was so foreign he held perfectly still for long moments, simply absorbing the joy of being nurtured. When was the last time anyone had taken care of him because they cared? Sure, he’d been given plenty of attention as a child. But his nannies had been paid to take care of him. This was something else entirely, and he wanted to soak up every moment.
Marco always enjoyed their conversations, but he hadn’t made any sexual demands of her. Each night after dinner, he’d walked her through the beautiful gardens behind the resort then escorted her back to her room. At the door, he’d kissed her on the cheek before promising to see her again the next evening. He was planning to take her walking on the beach tonight. The moon would be full tomorrow night, but the light tonight was softer, and he wanted to see her fair skin luminescent in the moon light.
When she slowly pulled his hand to her lips and pressed a gentle kiss against his injured finger, Marco’s control evaporated into a fine mist. Growling her name, he pulled her to him, slanting his lips over hers. The heated kiss spiraled out of control, and Marco wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to let her go. Eventually, the need for air forced him to pull back. “I should apologize, mi hermosa flor.” She was most certainly a beautiful flower, but she wasn’t his—at least not yet.
Landon listened as Nate assured him everything was in place for Savannah’s first scene at the club. He hadn’t doubted his friends’ ability to see to the details, but he wasn’t leaving anything to chance, either. “Have you talked to Kyle today?” Nate’s voice was filled with concern, and Landon wasn’t surprised. He had his own concerns with the way things were shaping up.
“Yes. What’s your take?”
“Fuck if I have a clue. I know the Agency thinks you’re going to be dealing with a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome, but something about that doesn’t seem right to me. Have you talked to Savannah? She’s in a great position to assess the situation since she’s had all the training and has the added advantage of knowing the victim personally.”
“I agree she’s in a unique position.” He didn’t intend to explain exactly how unique her position was at the moment. After fifteen laps, he’d pulled her from the pool and directed her to repeat her evening yoga routine on the private sun deck just outside the pool area. She was drenched in sunshine, but sheltered from everyone’s view except his. As he watched Savannah perform her final stretches, he noted the fine muscle trembling he hadn’t noticed when she started. The damned woman didn’t seem to know when to quit. She would push her body past all reasonable limits if he didn’t intercede. She’d told him a few days ago how much she regretted not having time to work out as often as she wanted to. He suspected working out was a way for her to cope with life’s frustrations.
Savannah’s agency file was a treasure trove of information about the family dynamics of the entire Fitzgerald family. The agent who’d done her background investigation made one note Landon found particularly interesting for a couple of reasons. Not long before she was set to move home, Savannah’s parents built a large gym with an attached apartment at the back of their expansive property. The structure was still inside the secured perimeter, but wasn’t visible from the main house. When questioned, most of their friends weren’t even aware the smaller building was there.
Savannah graduated and moved directly into the detached structure. The gym was well-outfitted, but the investigator noted it was the small workout bag favored by boxers that Savannah utilized most often. After seeing her in action this morning, Landon was betting the petite bundle of dynamite currently wrapping up her yoga workout used the bag to vent all that pent up passion.
“Fucking hell, Nix. Tone down the broadcasting, would you?” Landon blinked several times, trying to refocus his attention on the conversation.
“God dammit, Taz, when did you join in?” Taz Ledek’s empathetic gifts had always been stronger than Nate’s, but unpredictable. After Kodi entered their lives, both men mentioned they’d gained some measure of control over their ability to sense what another person was feeling and often he could hear what they were thinking. Evidently, Taz’s gifts now included seeing what someone was seeing. Just fucking dandy.
Landon shook his head and admonished his friend, “Watch it, man, or I’ll tell Kodi you’ve become a peeping Tom.”
“Fuck you, Nix. A year ago, I wouldn’t have even bothered to tell you. I’d have just enjoyed the show.” Landon laughed because he didn’t doubt Taz was dead serious.
He heard Nate’s soft chuckle at their banter. Then there was nothing but silence before Landon heard the elder Ledek brother sigh. “Is she the one, Nix? If so, maybe you should reconsider this mission.” Landon started to deny his friend’s observation, but it was pointless. Nate knew him better than anyone else did, and Taz was probably already more tuned in to Landon’
s feeling than he was himself.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say there is definitely something between us. Walking away from her two years ago was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Now? Hell, I’m not sure I’m strong enough to do it again.” He smiled at Savannah as she reentered the pool area and nodded when she cast a questioning glance at the pool. She dove cleanly into the flat water and began measured strokes toward the far end.
“I’m not pulling her out of the mission. It wouldn’t be fair to her, and even with the new information, I don’t want to risk leaving Amaryllis in Marco Alvarez’s possession any longer than necessary.” The man might be treating Savannah’s niece like an honored guest, but he was notoriously unpredictable, and his father was one ruthless son of a bitch. Rumors were swirling that the older man had turned over the business to his son, but he was never far from Marco’s side.
“Be prepared, because I can guarantee you Kyle West is going to ask these same questions. Kent will be much more subtle, but he’s going to have the same concerns.” Landon wasn’t as well acquainted with the Wests as Taz was, but he’d spent enough time in Kyle’s company to appreciate his forthright communication style. Landon wasn’t fooled by their good cop, bad cop routine. Both men were ruthless operatives and shrewd businessmen. Their MOs were the only difference, and God only knew their methods of operation were polar opposites.
“Understood. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.” And hopefully I’ll have a clear sense of where things with Savannah are headed before then.
Savannah was on her last lap when she realized Landon was standing at the end of the pool waiting. She was using the breaststroke as a cool down, and as a bonus, she got to enjoy looking at him. At some point, he’d changed into a pair of well-worn cutoff jeans complete with frayed hem and holes tempting her with a clear view of his long, tanned legs. For her, the teasing peeks were almost as sexy as nude…almost.
Her fingers had barely touched the edge when large hands slid under her arms, lifting her from the water. “Up you go, Princess.” She felt her breath catch in surprise. When he lifted her higher than necessary, she wondered what he planned, but before she could ask, his tongue drew circles around first one nipple and then the other. “Damn, you are a delight, pet. All that physical strength wrapped in such a delightfully feminine package. I’ve got big plans for you this afternoon.”
By the time he set her on her feet, her knees threatened to fold out from under her, and it didn’t have a thing to do with all the exercise she’d gotten this morning. The heat from the tongue lashing he’d given her nipples arced directly to her sex, and Savannah groaned as it clenched around nothing but empty space. Unfulfilled need triggered her body’s responses to bypass her brain. She arched her back, trying to push closer.
“So delicious and so eager. I think there is a very wanton woman buried deep inside, and I’m looking forward to setting her free.” His words sparked something in the depths of Savannah’s soul, a need to please she hadn’t even known existed. She wanted nothing more than to hear his words of praise, feel the soothing touch of his calloused palm as it pressed gently at the base of her spine.
“You’ve earned a reward, my petite temptation. Come.” Taking her hand, he led her into the large changing room. There were several stalls along one wall and a long marble counter topped with a well-lit mirror. “The showers and restrooms are through that door.” He’d nodded to an open door at the other side of the room, but didn’t let go of her hand so she could explore. Instead, he grasped her waist and lifted her up onto the counter. She gasped when her warm skin touched the cool marble, and he chuckled.
“Don’t worry, pet. I’m going to make you forget all about that minor discomfort.” Oh, she bet he could melt her into a puddle without breaking a sweat. “Turn around and face the mirror. There you go. Now open those lovely legs. I want to see what belongs to me.” Seeing herself displayed so openly should have embarrassed her. But when her eyes met his in the mirror, the heat and desire she saw reflected in the blue-green depths took her breath away. She was pulled in so quickly all thoughts of embarrassment evaporated under his heated gaze.
“Place your palms on the counter. Keep your eyes open.” Unclenching her hands, she realized nails had been biting into her palms. The cool marble soothed the sting. “We are both going to enjoy your reward, Princess. You get to fly, and I get to watch.” Her body responded to the deeper pitch of his voice; the command dripped with sexual promise.
His dark tan fingers contrasted with her fair skin, emphasizing the difference in their sexual skill. Landon Nixon was much more experienced…so much more intense than any man she’d ever been with it was like comparing apples and oranges. Her previous lovers were all men, just as apples and oranges are both fruit, but that’s where the similarities ended. Long, and thick, his fingers spread open the lips of her labia, exposing her entrance and giving her a naughty view of the jeweled plug he’d seated in her ass before her swim.
“Let’s see what you like, shall we? There are hundreds of ways to pleasure a woman, and I’m going to enjoy exploring each and every one of them with you. Before we leave for Texas, I’ll have uncovered all of your secrets and will know exactly how to send you soaring into the heights of heaven. I’ll also know precisely when to pull back, leaving you desperate for release.” His words alone were pushing her quickly toward orgasm. His heated chest warmed her bare back; his muscled arms encircled her, anchoring her against his much larger body. When he tightened his hold on her, the unmistakable edge of bondage ramped up her desire, and she saw the evidence of her arousal glistening in the light.
“Watch how my fingers tease your clit, drawing it farther and farther out from under its hood. The bundle of nerves concentrated there is only one of a woman’s most sensitive spots. We’re going to spend the afternoon in my playroom exploring your body’s mysteries, my lovely pet. I suggest you eat a hearty lunch. You’re going to need it.”
Savannah felt herself sliding further and further under Landon’s spell. A small part of her hoped it was the lifestyle and not the man, but the whispering voice of her soul assured her no other man would ever measure up to the one wrapped around her. The tips of his fingers slid easily through her cream. Hot, slick, and devilishly accurate in their teasing.
“See how the petals of your sex flower open as the blood flows into the delicate tissues, making them swell? The ancients had it right when they referred to a woman’s sex as a rose. The deeper shades of red paint your sex as your body prepares itself for a man’s possession. That’s why you find deep red roses painted on the armor of knights. What man wouldn’t want to remember the vision of such beauty waiting for him at home?”
Savannah felt the warning trembles in her muscles, her body racing away without waiting for her brain to catch up. “Please. I…Sir…please.” The words stuttered out unbidden. She wasn’t even sure what she was asking for.
“Although I do love hearing you ask so sweetly, we’re working on my timeline, not yours, Princess. Your body is mine to play with and command. You do not have permission to come, pet.” And he would play it like a finely tuned instrument. Savannah didn’t doubt his ability to give her pleasure beyond anything she’d ever dared to imagine. What worried her was whether or not she was going to be able to walk away with her heart intact.
Landon plunged his middle finger into her empty sheath, curling it and pressing against her G-spot with accuracy born of more experience than a man should possess. She started shaking in his arms and was sure her heart was going to beat right out of her chest. The pounding was so fast and loud she was beginning for feel light headed when Landon’s voice cut through her confusion. “Eyes on me, pet.” She lifted her lashes and locked gazes with him. The intensity of his stare was so strong it was almost its own form of bondage.
He gave her an almost imperceptible nod she knew was an acknowledgement of her compliance. “Come for me, Princess.” Her body responded before her mind reg
istered his words. Every muscle seized, and she heard a scream bounce off the marble and tile surfaces. The burning in her throat told her she’d been the source of the shrill sound, but she hadn’t even remembered opening her mouth. What she did remember was the explosion of light behind her eyelids and Landon’s palm slapping her pulsing sex. “Open your eyes, Savannah. Don’t you dare hide from me. Your pleasure belongs to me, and I want to see it.”
Wave after wave of blinding pleasure assailed her, but she kept her eyes focused on his. Landon’s sharp commands ramped up her response despite the fierce expression on his face. She was sure he wouldn’t ever hurt her, but his intensity amplified her desire. When honey poured from her sex, Landon’s nostrils flared, and she saw him shift his gaze down to her fully exposed pussy as he growled something unintelligible. She sagged in his arms and heard him whisper “Mine” just before her eyes closed and she let herself sink into the darkness.
Chapter Thirteen
Landon remained perfectly still for long moments, willing his body to stand down. For the first torturous seconds, he’d been fighting to not embarrass himself like a hormone crazed teen. But then the urge to fuck Savannah on the damned dressing room counter had almost trumped the promise he made to ensure their first time together a sweet memory for her to cherish. It was entirely possible she’d walk away after they returned from Costa Rica, and he was determined to make certain it wasn’t easy.