“Would it be okay if I took a shower?” Ava asked.
“Of course.”
“I was on my way, earlier, after my run, when I met your sister and nieces.”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to ask, Avarie.”
“Thanks.”
He watched her walk to his bedroom door, where she turned back around.
“Coming?” she asked.
“You know it. I’ll be right there.”
Ava nodded.
“Any news?” he asked Monk.
“The last update I received, Gunner hadn’t made contact with Ivashov yet.”
“Keep me posted.”
Razor hadn’t thought to ask Gunner where Raketa was traveling from, earlier, when he said she was on her way to Seattle. It could be hours before they connected if she was coming from Russia. Although, that wouldn’t make sense. No agent in their right mind would risk divulging what she’d told Gunner if she were still in her country.
Gunner had a shit-ton of backup, not that he couldn’t handle Raketa on his own, but if she was setting a trap, at least he wasn’t alone.
He slipped inside the bedroom door, and could see Ava in the bathroom, undressing. He would’ve preferred peeling those clothes off her gorgeous body himself, but watching was pretty nice too.
She seemed lost in thought. Was she thinking about Aine? As much as he hoped she wasn’t, how could she not be? There was a very real possibility that her sister had been abducted in her place. How could she not feel the burden that knowledge brought with it?
Razor took off his clothes where he stood, and walked into the bathroom.
“Oh,” she gasped. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
When she looked him up and down, Razor couldn’t tell if she was admiring what she saw, or wondering what the hell he was doing.
She opened the glass door of the shower, but didn’t close it behind her, so he followed her in.
“Tabon,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Have I told you how much I love that name?”
“I always hated it until I heard it from your sweet lips.”
Razor picked up the body wash and drizzled some on his hands, rubbing them together to make a lather.
He started with her neck, massaging her tense muscles with his soapy hands. Ava closed her eyes and leaned back against the tile.
“That feels so good.”
He made his way down the front of her body, taking one of her heavy breasts in his hands, and giving it all of his attention.
When the first was rosy pink from the pressure of his hands and the warm water, he moved to the other, lavishing it with the same attention.
Slowly, he moved over her stomach, and then knelt in front of her. He drizzled more body wash on his hands and rested them near the top of her thighs.
“Open, baby,” he breathed.
Slowly and gently, he caressed her folds with his fingertips, until he heard her whimper. “Tabon, please,” she begged.
“Tell me what you want, Avarie.”
“Your fingers, inside me.”
He held her still with one hand on the cheek of her bottom while he sunk into her heat with two fingers of the other.
“Is this what you want, baby?”
Her hands landed on his shoulders, and she leaned forward, supporting her weight on him.
“God, yes,” she mewled.
“Come for me,” he told her, thrusting harder into her softness, and circling her bud of nerves with his thumb.
He felt her clamp down on his fingers at the same time as she dug her nails into the skin of his shoulders. He held her still, as her body pulsed against his hand.
She tried to get him to stand when she straightened up, but he wasn’t finished.
He slowly moved his fingers back to her folds, gently caressing them again.
“Lean against the wall, Avarie,” he told her as he poured more body wash into his hands.
He massaged her legs, one by one, working his fingers into the tight muscles. Tomorrow he needed to make sure she was able to get a long run in before she got any tighter. It would also help her burn off some of the debilitating stress she was under.
“Turn around and rest your forearms against the tile.”
She did as she was told, and he continued massaging her legs, up to her delectable bottom. He couldn’t resist leaning forward and nibbling her sweet butt cheek. Again, she whimpered, sending all the blood to his groin.
He stood and massaged the muscles of her back until both hands rested on her shoulders.
“Oh my God, Tabon. I can’t even…”
“Let’s wash your hair. Turn around for me.”
When she did, her eyes met his. “Why are you being so sweet to me?” she whispered. “I was horrible to you today.”
Razor shook his head. “I told you I’d take care of you, Avarie, and I meant it. That doesn’t mean only when you’re nice to me; it means whenever you need it. Sometimes you need it more when the world isn’t giving you any reason to be sweet.”
“Tabon…I…I…”
He covered her lips with his, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and taking the words she wasn’t ready to say inside his body.
He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.
“Sweet Avarie,” he murmured. “I do too.”
—:—
She’d come so close to telling him she loved him earlier. But she hadn’t been able to bring herself to say the words. She meant them, though.
If anyone had ever asked if she believed in love at first sight, Ava would’ve scoffed at the idea.
Now, she knew better. She’d loved Tabon Sharp since she first laid eyes on him. She didn’t care if no one believed her—except him, when, one day, she finally got the nerve to tell him.
They sat and watched the sun as it set on the water, and counted the number of times they spotted whales. Soon her eyes were drifting closed.
“Come on, baby,” he said, taking her hand. “Let’s get you into bed.”
She let him lead her into the bedroom, and stood still as he unzipped her jeans, pulled them off with her panties, and then pulled the sweatshirt over her head. Next, he unfastened her bra. He pulled back the covers, and she crawled between sheets that felt so soft against her skin.
“I like your bed, Tabon.”
He smiled. “My bed likes you too. Almost as much as I do.”
He crawled in and wrapped his arm around her, drawing her close so her head rested on his chest.
“Sleep, baby,” he whispered, stroking the skin on her back.
Could she? A few minutes ago, she doubted sleep would come. Now, she couldn’t keep her eyes open.
“Tabon?”
“Yes, Avarie?”
“Will Gunner get my sister back? Pen and Tara too?”
“Yes, he will. I promise.”
For a moment Ava considered cautioning him not to make promises he couldn’t keep, but this one, she really needed him to.
—:—
Razor couldn’t toss or turn, or even get up to get a glass of milk. He could, but he wouldn’t, not with Ava asleep in his arms.
He’d probably be asleep too if he hadn’t made her a promise that Gunner would rescue Aine, Penelope, and Tara. Yes, he believed he would. Razor had complete faith in him and the rest of the team they’d assembled. He’d just feel a hell of a lot better if he heard something.
When his phone pinged and also vibrated on the bedside table, Razor almost jumped out of the bed, trying to silence it before it woke Ava.
Thankfully, when he’d moved, she had too, rolling over to the other side of the bed. He’d roll with her, and spoon her from behind, once he checked his messages.
Intel indicates Petrov on the move.
To?
Unknown.
Fuck. Razor slipped out of the bed and closed the bedroom door behind him.
“I was hoping you’d respond sometime tonight,” said Doc when he ans
wered Razor’s call.
“It was less than five minutes, asshole.”
“How’s Ava?”
“Shaky at best. Thankfully, asleep.”
“Merrigan got the intel from MI6. Shiv is also on his way.”
Marquess Thornton “Shiver” Whittaker was one of the best operatives, not just in MI6, but in all of the UK. After Dutch, he’d be the second person Razor would want to partner with K19.
“What have you heard from Seattle?”
“My understanding is Gunner is meeting with Raketa now.”
“Alone?”
“That was her condition.”
If this was a trap and anything happened to Gunner, Razor would personally hunt down Raketa Ivashov and kill her with his bare hands.
“Anything else I should know?”
“I’d get ready to move again.”
Razor had already begun thinking about it. Without knowing where Petrov was headed, it would be best if they didn’t stay in one place very long.
16
When she rolled over and reached for Razor, Ava found the other side of the bed empty and cold, which meant he had to have been gone for some time.
She looked around for something to put on and realized she’d left her suitcase in the other room. It only took two tries before she found the dresser drawer where Tabon kept his t-shirts. Grabbing the one on top, she thought about looking for the panties she’d taken off before her shower, but since Razor’s shirt came almost to her knees, she didn’t bother.
Padding out to the main room of the house, she didn’t see or hear him. Guessing he was downstairs in his office, Ava pulled one of the kitchen barstools over near the windows and looked out at the moonlight’s reflection on the water.
“What are you thinking about?” Tabon asked, coming up behind her and resting his hands on her shoulders.
“My sister. I just feel so…too many things to put into words. I feel guilty, and I’m terrified for her, especially knowing that I was who they were after, but they got her instead. I’m so scared, Tabon.”
“I know, sweetheart. I wish I had more to tell you, but at this point, all I know is that Gunner and the rest of the team are doing everything they can to get her and your two friends back safe and sound.”
“She and I have never really been apart. I mean, there were times when we were, but there’s never been a time when I couldn’t talk to her if I wanted to, and vice versa.”
“You can still talk to her, and if you stop and listen, I bet you’ll hear her answer.”
“Is that what you did with Doc?”
“Every day. He and I served together for years before we retired to start K19. He’s like a brother to me.”
Ava leaned back into Tabon’s arms, loving how they felt around her. There hadn’t been another time in her life when she felt as safe as she did with him. Not that she’d ever thought much about her safety.
“Quinn told me this is how Mercer makes her feel.”
She felt Tabon nod his head.
“Let’s go back to bed, Avarie.” Tabon kissed her neck and down to her shoulder.
“Make me forget, Tabon. Even for just a little while.”
“Avarie…”
“Please, Tabon.”
He held her hand in his, led her back to his bedroom, and closed the door behind them.
There was enough light in the room that she could see his eyes as he backed her up until her knees touched the edge of the mattress.
He grasped the hem of his shirt, pulled it over her head, and then ran his hands down her nakedness.
—:—
Razor looked into the deep pools of Ava’s blue eyes, and then at her soft pink lips. When she raised her hand to touch him, he grasped it, brought it to his mouth, and kissed the center of her palm. She shuddered when he pressed the tip of his tongue where his lips had been.
He dropped her hand and cupped her cheek, lowering his mouth to hers, tracing her lips with his tongue. When he nipped her bottom lip, she opened to him, and his tongue swept inside.
“Stay where you are,” he said when he felt her leaning back toward the bed. “I’m exploring.” He ran his hands over the softness of her plush curves, kissing and nibbling as he went.
He smiled when her nipples hardened into tight red buds that his mouth couldn’t resist. She arched her chest forward for more, but Razor was ready to move on. He eased her onto the bed.
“Lie back, put your feet on the bed, and open your knees for me.”
He knelt down and spread her legs open wider, but it wasn’t enough.
“Put your legs over my shoulders, Ava,” he told her, guiding first one leg and then the other, until she was fully exposed to him. He ran his tongue through her wetness and sunk his fingers inside her warmth.
“Tabon,” she whimpered, rolling her head from side to side.
“I need to be inside you,” he groaned, pulling back and thrusting hard into her.
When he did, his sweet Ava went off like a firecracker. Her whimpers and mewls as she tightened around him, sent him soaring right along with her.
Razor wasn’t done, though. He started again, slowly building his pace until he was thrusting so hard he could feel her body tremble and her fingernails dig into his skin.
Ava broke apart, spasming around him until another climax engulfed him. With a roar of pleasure, he stilled and shuddered, suddenly realizing why she felt so warm and wet. For the first time in his life, Razor had had unprotected sex. He slid out of her and pulled her close to him.
“Ava?”
“Mmm. God, Tabon. What you do to me.” Her skin glowed with her sweet scent of sweat, making him want to lick the moisture away.
“Sweetheart, we…I…didn’t use a condom.”
Her eyes met his, but he didn’t see panic in them.
“I’m on the pill, Tabon.”
“I’ve never…”
“I’ve never either.”
Mixed with his sense of relief, Razor felt a tinge of regret when she told him she was on the pill. What in the hell was that about?
“Are you okay?” she asked when he started to pull away from her.
“I’m sorry,” he said, cuddling her close again. “I’m fine. Way better than fine.” He kissed her forehead.
An hour later, Ava was asleep, but he was still wide awake as he processed through his feelings. He rested his hand on her warm tummy and closed his eyes, imagining how it would feel to know his child grew inside of her. With that simple dream, Razor let himself go to sleep.
—:—
Ava groaned, remembering how Tabon had woken her up a second time last night, and wrung every ounce of pleasure he could from her body.
She looked at the time, shocked that it was after ten. The t-shirt she’d worn the night before was on the floor near the bed. She put it on and padded out, in search of the man who not only rocked her world, but was also quickly taking command of her heart.
“There she is.” Tabon smiled when he looked up from his laptop. He opened his arms, and she walked into them.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, cupping her cheek with his palm and bringing his lips to hers.
“How long have you been up?”
“Only about an hour.” He pointed over to a plate covered with foil on the counter. “That’s yours. I couldn’t wait. Monk made pancakes and bacon. The smell woke me up.”
Ava took the foil off the plate; the food was still warm. “I’m going to need another run after this.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Coffee?” he asked.
“I’d love some.”
As hard as she tried not to think about her sister every minute of the day, every time she felt happy, guilt reared its ugly head.
“Everything okay?” he asked, setting the cup in front of her.
“I know we talked about this last night, but whenever I start to feel happy, I can’t help feeling guilty about Aine, Pen, and Tara.”
“For every
smile, there are ten tears,” he said. “I get it. Better than most.”
Ava stretched and rubbed her tummy. “I’m soooo full.”
“Ready to run?” Tabon put his hands on her waist and lifted her off the barstool. “Let’s work off our pancakes so we have room for whatever Monk makes for dinner.”
“We can go as soon as I clean up.”
“Doing dishes relaxes Monk, remember?”
—:—
This time, Razor didn’t stop and suggest they turn around until Ava did, and by then, they’d gone more than seven miles.
While they ran, they talked about Yachats, and how much he’d loved growing up in the small coastal town.
“I really like it here, too,” she told him.
“Most people complain about how cloudy and cold it is.”
Ava shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me. There are too many other things about it that make it special.”
Razor smiled. “Having you here with me, makes it more special.”
When they stopped to stretch before heading back, Razor saw he’d missed a call from Monk and stepped a few feet away from Ava to return the call.
“What’s up? We were just about to head back.”
“Someone got to Dash Finnegan last night. He’s dead.”
“Fuck,” Razor spat under his breath. He looked up, and something caught his eye—an SUV parked in one of the scenic overlooks.
“Shit. We need cover. There’s a four-wheeler in the garage.”
“Roger that,” said Monk. “I’ve got your coordinates and am on my way.”
Razor looked up again and spotted a drone.
“This way,” he said, walking inland, toward the cliffs where there was a trail that would lead them through the sea caves. “Monk is on his way to meet us.”
“Why?” Ava asked.
“Just keep moving, sweetheart.”
They rounded a corner, and Ava gasped when a woman stepped in front of them.
“Jesus.” Razor jumped. “What in the hell are you doing here?” he asked Alegria.
“Doc.”
Razor nodded. “We’re being tracked. I spotted a drone and an SUV.”
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