by Zara Keane
She frowned, weighing his words. “So whoever is targeting me doesn’t have military training?”
“I doubt it. The shots were fired randomly, like he had a powerful weapon he wasn’t used to using. I’m saying ‘he’, but it could be a ‘she’.”
“Inspector Tobin said the car bomb was rudimentary and wouldn’t have been hard for an amateur to make,” Mindy said. “But knowing our personal terrorist isn’t ex-military doesn’t exactly narrow down the list of suspects.”
After she finished tending to his injury, Inspector Tobin arrived to supervise the search. Cash spoke briefly to him in the corner, out of Mindy’s range of hearing.
When he came over to her, Cash’s face was grave. “Change of plans. Instead of waiting until the morning, we’re leaving the hotel now. We’ll get a police escort to a police station in Cork, and then switch to a bulletproof vehicle Inspector Tobin has arranged for us to use for the next few days.”
“Thus making anyone watching assume we’re staying overnight at the station.”
“Exactly.”
She nodded. “Okay. I’m nearly packed anyway. Give me a few minutes to finish and I’ll be ready to go.”
TEN MINUTES LATER, Cash ushered Mindy down the stairs of the hotel and into the waiting police car. In Cork, they made the switch from the police car to an armored vehicle, and reached the motorway shortly after eleven at night.
Mindy slept for most of the drive to Wicklow, allowing Cash time to think. Letting her seduce him had been a dumb move on his part. He shouldn’t have given in to temptation. But she’d always had a strong effect on him, even when the fighting was at its worst.
Why had their marriage failed? A number of reasons, and they weren’t all down to her. She was right on that score. He’d placed the blame on her, plus a portion of the responsibility on her overbearing mother. That wasn’t fair. It took two to make a marriage, and two to break it. When he’d returned from his last mission, he’d been burned out. He’d been in hairy situations before, but he’d always achieved his mission. On this particular run, the situation had turned to crap in a millisecond.
He glanced at Mindy, sleeping in the passenger seat. She wore no makeup and a dark wig to disguise her appearance. Although the color didn’t suit her pale complexion, she still managed to be breathtakingly gorgeous.
As if sensing his scrutiny, her eyes fluttered open. She yawned and stretched. “What time is it?”
“Almost two in the morning. We’ll be at our new hotel soon.”
She reached for her water bottle and took a sip. “Yesterday, you said you’d tell me about what happened to you in Iraq. This is the perfect opportunity. I’d much rather talk about that than our mystery shooter.”
His stomach twisted. No opportunity would ever be perfect to tell that tale, but it was time to get it over with. “Like I said before, I can’t say exactly what happened because it’s classified. I can only give you a rough outline.”
“That’s all I need.”
“Okay. First, the mission I was injured on didn’t occur in Iraq. I can’t say which country, but it wasn’t one the U.S. was at war with. That was part of the problem. Everything had to be kept top secret to avoid an international incident. Tensions were already high between our government and theirs, although that information was kept out of the media.”
Memories of that fateful day crowded his mind, bringing forth the shortness of breath and tingling limbs that were the telltale first signs of an anxiety attack. He took a deep breath and continued. “A terrorist organization operating in this particular country wanted to fuel the existing anti-Western sentiment among the population. They kidnapped a group of diplomats’ children from an international school. The hostages were from several Western countries, including America.”
“Your team was sent to rescue the kids?”
“Yeah. At first, it looked like a routine rescue operation. We knew where the kids were being held and we knew the number of men guarding the compound—or so we thought. We walked straight into a trap and found ourselves outnumbered and fired on from all sides.”
Her eyes widened. “Do you know who set you up?”
“We were never sure. Maybe a spy got wind of our plans and tipped off the enemy. While we were being attacked, I managed to penetrate the building and locate the kids. We had a chopper standing by. I found the kids no problem—they were locked in a dingy room on the top floor. I carried the smallest two, and the other four followed me. We were almost at the chopper when the enemy opened fire. I took a hit but I was fit enough to crawl with the kids to the chopper. While I was helping them on board, I took another hit. Everything is blurry after that. One of my team members hauled me on board, and we took off. We were airborne by the time I registered we were missing a kid. I wanted to go back, but the pilot refused. He was right. We had to focus on the safety of the five children on board and hope one of our men still on the ground would reach the boy in time. A second chopper was on its way, accompanied by a backup team.”
“But they couldn’t save the kid?”
Tears stung his eyes and he blinked them away. “No. By the time backup arrived, the two members of my team left on the ground were dead…and so was the boy.”
She reached over and squeezed his arm. “I am so sorry, Cash. That’s awful.”
“Yeah. So you can see why I’m not all that thrilled about receiving a Medal of Honor. The Navy was keen to declare the mission a success, and the heavily edited version that made it into the press painted me as a hero.”
“You were a hero. You saved the lives of five children.”
“I fucked up, Mindy. The kid who died was lagging behind from the start. He had asthma, but no one told me that. I should have noticed he was having trouble breathing and carried him instead of one of the littler kids.”
“If you’d done that, maybe the kid you put down would have died.”
“Maybe.” He sighed and loosened his viselike grip on the steering wheel. “I can’t travel back in time and do it all over again, so we’ll never know.”
Her blue eyes were filled with tears. “Thank you for telling me about it.”
“Guess I should have done so sooner.”
She squeezed his arm. “Guess I should have insisted.”
“What do you want to do tomorrow?” Cash asked, eager to steer the conversation onto happier topics. “You could book a massage, or hang out in the thermal baths.”
“It’s already tomorrow,” she replied with a smile. “Could we do something touristy outside of our hotel? I don’t want to stay holed up inside all day.”
“I’m not sure about that, Mindy.”
“We can ask Inspector Tobin what he thinks,” she pressed, “if it would make you feel better. He said I should visit the hotel spa and act normally. I don’t see why we can’t go outside if I’m in disguise.”
He sighed. “If Tobin okays it, I’ll roll with it. But I wish you’d just stay put for a day or two.”
“I’ve been in Ireland for days and I haven’t seen beyond the locations where we’re filming. I’d love to take the opportunity to see more of the country.”
“We’re fleeing from a nutcase,” Cash reminded her, “not going on a road trip for the hell of it.”
“I know, but surely it can’t do any harm to visit a couple of tourist attractions. If you think about it, it’s the last thing the stalker would expect us to do. And I have no intention of allowing a murdering psychopath to wreck my life.”
He cast her a sideways glance, noting how the stubborn jut of her jaw contrasted with her trembling hands. Despite her pampered lifestyle, she was a tough cookie.
A few minutes later, they pulled up at their new hotel. It was a five-star country spa hotel, set in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains. Under other circumstances, Cash would have been delighted to check into a hotel with a beautiful woman. Tonight, he was just grateful to the late night receptionist who checked them in and asked no questions.
Their room was even more luxurious than Mindy’s suite at the Clonmore Castle Hotel. She flopped onto the bed and kicked off her shoes, giving him an excellent view of her sexy toes. She caught him staring at her and the sultry smile she gave him sent a shot of awareness coursing through his veins. “Do you want to kiss me?”
“Oh, yeah.”
He leaned down and claimed her pink lips. The kiss was soft, hot, and flavored with promise. Mindy moaned, slipped her arms around his back, and pulled him closer. His tongue found hers. Cash increased the pressure, intensifying the kiss. His breathing shifted from labored to short, sharp bursts. This felt so good. Too damn good. His hardening erection strained the front of his pants. He ran his hands through her curly blond hair, marveling at its color as it slipped through his fingers. Against his chest, her heart beat in rhythm with his own.
When he nibbled her earlobe, she gave a groan. “Not good?” he asked, then trailed angel kisses down her neck to the base of her throat.
“Oh, very good,” she gasped, and her head fell back to allow him easier access to the rapidly beating pulse in her throat. “Bite me again.”
“With pleasure.” He retraced the route from her throat to her ear, nipped the lobe, and toyed with her loop earrings. She tugged his shirt free from his pants and smoothed her palms up his bare torso.
It was his turn to gasp when her fingertips performed an erotic dance across his skin, slowly at first, then gathering pace. She moved her hands up, toward his nipples. She tugged hard on his nipples, and his groan turned into a growl. “You like?” she asked with a sly smile.
“Hell yeah. As you very well know.” He slid his hands beneath her T-shirt, and his heart skipped a beat when he reached her lacy bra. He toyed with the strap. “Given what I saw earlier, I have a hunch I’m going to like your underwear.”
7
He might be interested in her underwear, but she was interested in getting him naked. Mindy shivered under Cash’s caress. He’d always possessed the ability to reduce her to a quivering mass at the merest touch. Five years and a lot of water under the proverbial bridge had done nothing to diminish his effect on her. Her mouth curved into a smile. “Are we going to follow on from where we were so rudely interrupted earlier?”
“If you mean you on your knees with my dick in your mouth, I’m all for it—just without the added ambience of bullets and shattered glass. However,” he whispered against her ear, “I don’t want you to do it right now. It’s my turn to pleasure you.”
She shivered at the promise held in his words and traced the shape of his muscular back with her fingers. “In that case, did you see the sign downstairs about the spa facilities being open twenty-four hours a day?”
“I…might have.”
His low growl made her laugh. “Of course you noticed. You miss nothing, Cash Kincaid.”
His mouth stretched into a wide smile. “Are you suggesting what I hope you’re suggesting?”
“That we go downstairs and check out the sauna and hot tubs?” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Oh, yeah. Does that idea meet with your approval?”
“My body is all for it, but I’m not sure it’s a smart move.”
“If you’re worried about my safety, the hotel is locked for the night and surrounded by security. Most of the guests will be asleep. In all likelihood, we’ll be the only people crazy enough to go down to the sauna area at two in the morning.”
His frown lines relaxed and his mouth spread into a wolfish grin. “You have a point, but I’m bringing my gun all the same.”
Mindy erupted into giggles at the image of Cash, buck naked but for a holster and a sidearm. “How will it fare in a sauna? Or in the hot tub?”
This gave him pause and she could see the wheels turning in his sharp mind. Finally, he relented. “I’ll put it in a locker and beat the crap out of anyone stupid enough to tackle us.”
“Sounds like an excellent plan.” She swatted him playfully on the behind. “Now let’s get moving.”
Armed with towels and wearing matching hotel bathrobes, they rode the elevator down to the basement. Unlike the pools on the first floor, this level was a clothing-free zone. It had been decorated in the style of a Roman bathhouse with a domed ceiling, decorative columns, and elaborate mosaics. Four thermal baths were located to their right, and, to the left of the elevator, lay the sauna area. There were three regular saunas, all heated to different temperatures, and one herbal sauna. Two large steam rooms occupied one wall, opposite an ice-cold plunge pool.
Cash put his stuff in a locker and gestured for Mindy to do likewise. “Where do you want to start?” he asked. “Sauna, steam room, or thermal bath?”
“Sauna,” Mindy said decisively. “I want to start with dry heat.”
Cash’s smile made her ache in all the right places. “Why did I hear ‘dry hump’ from that statement?”
“Because you have a dirty mind.” She glanced at his bandaged ear, a reminder of their reason for leaving the Clonmore Castle Hotel. “This won’t hurt your ear, will it?”
“Nah,” he said. “It was just a graze. I can barely feel it now.”
“In that case, come on.” Catching his hand, she tugged him in the direction of the herbal sauna and yanked open the door.
“Oh, my…” she stammered, transfixed by the sight of the couple making love on the sauna bench. The woman was reclining on the bench, her legs wrapped around her partner’s hips while his ass jiggled rhythmically. They were so absorbed in each other that they didn’t appear to notice they had company.
“Excuse us,” Cash said, pulling Mindy back and closing the door.
She felt her cheeks burn. “Oops.”
“I guess we weren’t the only guests with a hankering for a middle of the night sauna after all.” Cash stroked one of her flushed cheeks. “You’re adorable when you blush. So much for the sophisticated, worldly actress. Haven’t you ever walked in on your costars before?”
This made her laugh. “Once or twice. Any sophistication I have is thanks to professional stylists. And I definitely wouldn’t describe myself as worldly. I don’t even like the spotlight, but it’s a necessary evil if I want to succeed.”
His expression grew serious. “You underestimate yourself, Mindy. You have an innate sense of style, an aura, that no professional can fake for you.”
She swallowed hard, suddenly and inexplicably shy in his presence. “Want to check out another sauna?”
His grin returned. “Hoping to witness another X-rated scene?”
“Actually,” she said, taking his hand, “I was hoping to make one of our own.”
Cash’s pupils dilated with desire. “I’d like that very much.”
The next sauna they tried was empty. Mindy hung her bathrobe on the peg outside and stepped into the heated wooden chamber. Cash followed her. They spread their towels over the lowest bench.
“Feeling brave?” he asked, water ladle in hand.
“Go for it,” she said.
The water hit the rocks with a satisfying hiss. A trickle of sweat ran down Mindy’s back and it wasn’t only from the heat. She burned for him.
“Want to move up to the top bench?” Cash asked, as if reading her mind. “I remember you preferring it hot.”
“I do.” She danced her fingertips across his shoulders, pausing to caress the pulse at the base of his throat. “Care to join me?”
“Try and stop me,” he said with a growl.
Mindy spread her towel on the top bench and lay on her side. The bench was just wide enough to accommodate both of them. Cash lay beside her and stroked a stray curl back from her face. “You are so beautiful,” he whispered.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she teased, marveling at his muscled torso and strong arms. Actually, Cash was an extremely good-looking man. Maybe not movie-star handsome in the chiseled Hollywood sense, but his rugged good looks exuded a masculinity and sex appeal that needed no camera to enhance their effect. Mindy wrapped her arms around
him and nestled into his embrace. She’d always loved snuggling up to Cash, with or without the promise of sex. Being held by him felt like coming home.
He nuzzled her with his nose and then claimed her mouth with his own. The kiss was determined and intense. Mindy gave herself up to the moment, determined to enjoy every instant of their time together, and to banish all fears and thoughts of the future from her mind.
Cash slid a hand down her side, cupping one of her buttocks. She mumbled into his neck. “We’re going to have to make this fast before we expire from the heat.”
His erection pressed against her stomach and sent a wave of awareness through her veins.
“I won’t need any help making this fast, sweetheart,” he said. “And after, I’m taking you back upstairs and worshipping you all night long.”
“That’s a plan I can get behind.” It wasn’t as if she’d be able to sleep, so she might as well make the most of her time with Cash. After this was over, he’d go home and back to his real life, and she’d stay in Ireland and finish shooting Warrior’s Creed.
Cash turned his attention to her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and index finger until they were rock hard. He suckled each one in turn, and then trailed a meandering path of kisses to her navel. Mindy’s breathing grew shallow as the aching need built inside of her. He stroked her inner thighs, making her wet with desire.
His trail of kisses continued southward. When his tongue touched her clit, she arched her back and moaned. “I want you inside me, Cash. I want you now.”
“About to faint from the heat?” he teased, enjoying making her squirm.
“Yes, but that’s not the only thing making me hot. Do I have to beg?”
“Begging,” he said between kisses, “would do nicely.”
“Please, Cash,” she demanded. “I want you to fuck me. Do it now.”
His laughter tickled her thighs. “Whatever the lady wants.”
A moment later, Mindy heard the rip of a condom wrapper. When he came to lie on top of her again, she spread her thighs wide and arched her hips. He eased himself inside her and waited a moment for her to adjust to his presence. Then he claimed her lips in a devastating kiss and began to thrust.