The Princess And The Mercenary

by Victoria Paige

  “Panties off.”

  Yara’s lips parted and their eyes locked for a heartbeat before Kade looked away. His throat bobbed. “I didn’t look for your go-bag. I was in a hurry to get to you and only grabbed my duffel and the emergency kit from the Patrol. I’ll go back for it when I get you warm.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “The scene as it is looked like our attackers were fighting each other.” He preoccupied himself with laying out a gray emergency blanket while Yara slipped off her panties. “I doubt the authorities will even bother dusting for prints inside the car. They’ll assume it’s only another faction war, but if they find your bag it may open up more questions.”

  “I dropped it somewhere in the field.”

  “Come on.” He held out his hand, still keeping his eyes anywhere but on her.

  “Let’s clean your wounds first,” she said.

  “I can take care of it, you’re cold.”

  “You’ll be worse off than I am if those cuts get infected.”

  Kade considered her words for a few beats, then as if coming to a decision, he stripped off his clothes, grimacing as he twisted his upper body to maneuver in the small space. “Let’s get some warmth into you, then I’ll let you have your way with me.”

  “But—” Her teeth clattered.

  He raised a brow. “It’s nonnegotiable.” Without saying another word, he sat against the wall, and spread his legs and Yara scooted over and parked her lower back against his groin. She leaned against his chest gingerly, but he clenched her to him, grabbed the mylar blanket and wrapped it around them both. It didn’t take long, maybe ten minutes and their shared heat stopped her shivering.

  She was becoming drowsy and would have loved to stay blanketed in with him, but Kade needed tending. “Now lie down.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  He handed her a dry flannel shirt from his bag and she donned it as he sprawled naked in front of her. “I’m all yours.”

  Her heart skipped a beat at his words and she tried not to look at his cock which was lying a little under half-mast at the moment. Yara forced herself into nurse mode, at times having Kade hold the light so she could address his cuts. She used a syringe with a big needle, loaded with the sterile isotonic solution in the emergency kit and irrigated the biggest wound first. Kade hissed a couple of times when she had to pick out specks of debris, but the rain had done a good job of cleaning his skin. All through this, she felt his eyes on her while she would snatch glimpses at him to smile reassuringly. On occasion, there was a look so intense in his eyes, she had to avert her gaze quickly. By the time Yara finished going through all his cuts, abrasions, and gashes, her cheeks were flushed.

  “All done,” she murmured and her eyes widened when she saw his cock fully erect and pointing at her.

  “He’s happy to see you,” Kade mumbled.

  “I guess we can—”

  “No sex. Get down here.” Yara noted, with pure prickly awareness, the tension rolling off him and the shiver that fluttered through her had nothing to do with the cold. She removed his flannel shirt and lay down beside him.

  When his hot-as-a-furnace body stretched beside her, she snuggled closer, his warmth addictive. He gave a choked groan, but she was too comfortable to care. Yara shamelessly tucked her left leg between his, wincing slightly when he caught her injured knee between his muscular thighs. But somehow, they adjusted and she relaxed into him, suddenly tired.

  “Thanks for playing nurse.” He kissed the top of her head.

  “My pleasure.”

  “I’m gonna have to wake you up every hour.”

  “Don’t have concussion.”

  “Just to be on the safe side, Tink.”

  “Whatever,” she mumbled.

  She alternated between wakefulness and sleep, warm and toasty. Sometimes she awakened without Kade, but the mylar shield was wrapped tightly around her. And other times he’d hug her close and she wouldn’t need a blanket at all and she’d fall back into a dreamless slumber.

  Her breasts pressed against solid muscle, rough hairs scraped against her sensitive nipples, and Yara couldn’t help rubbing herself, seeking that erotic stimulation. A rumbled sexy groan vibrated above her.

  “Tink, keep still.”

  A hardness was nestled against her pubis and shifting her hips incited a delicious throbbing deep within her core. Fingers of her left hand trailed down taut damp skin but before they could reach their intended target, Kade caught her wrist and put some distance between their bodies. She almost wept when she lost his warmth.

  “Stop,” he said, voice ragged. “I … you’re concussed, and I’m trying to leave you alone.”

  Empowered by her control over him, she glanced up. “What was it you said the last time, get dressed or get fucked?”

  “I’ve changed. I’m trying to be a good man for you, babe.”

  “I don’t want the good man. I want you,” she retorted. Breaking her wrist free from his hold, she turned her back on him, and scooted to the far side of the blanket. “But apparently you’re the one who’s concussed or had a lobotomy …”

  A hand clamped on her shoulder and she was wrenched back, Kade loomed over her, separating her legs with his knee, forcing them to cradle his hips, stroking his erection roughly against her naked cleft, the nylon of his athletic shorts was the sole barrier between them.

  “Oooh,” she whimpered, eyes flaring with the heat reflected in his.

  “Is this what you want?” he growled grinding his hardness against her throbbing clit almost making her come.

  “Depends,” she sassed.

  His eyes narrowed, jaw tensed, not saying a word and waiting for her to elaborate. The grouch was back. Yara’s smile curved up one corner. Men were sometimes right to complain about a woman’s contrariness.

  “Are you going to treat me like glass?” she asked.

  “No. Is your leg okay?”

  “It’s fine.” She bent and stretched it. It hurt a bit, but it was nothing compared to the ache between her legs, begging to be sated.

  “I see.” His eyes gleamed feral

  “Damn, babe, you’re soaking.” His knuckles grazed her pussy. Her eyes closed as two fingers entered her and started pumping. “This what you want, dirty girl?”

  “Yes, but I want more,” she breathed.

  “You ready to take all of me?”

  “Ahhh!” Her back came off the blanket as he crooked his knuckles and hit a particularly sensitive spot. He leaned over and lapped over her nipple with his tongue and sucked, all the while pumping his fingers inside her.

  Then he pulled out; her insides screamed.

  “Kade … I …”

  He silenced her with a long, unhurried kiss. “No fucking tonight,” he murmured.

  What?

  The corner of his eyes crinkled when her brows furrowed. “You still get me between your legs, Tink, but I’m worshiping this body of yours, slow and sweet.”

  He reached between them guiding his cock to her entrance and rimmed her folds. He slid inside her, inch, by delicious inch, the ripple of hard velvet tingled her sensitive flesh.

  Yara inhaled sharply at the sensation of fullness, but he distracted her mouth with a deep, savoring kiss.

  Guiding her thighs around his hips, he rocked into her, made love to her.

  He thrust in slow, going deep, filling her, stretching her. The pace was different from the first time they had sex. She tried to rush him, but he held her down, taking his time. He pressed kisses on her jaw, her cheeks, her lips. He kissed her hungry and sweet, controlled her body in an unhurried rhythm that lifted her higher and higher until the pinnacle broke and she erupted in a flash of pulses. Slowly, he increased his pace until he was pounding into her and he never eased up until two shallow pumps and three deep thrusts brought him his release. He grunted into her neck and planted deep, filling her with sensuous heat.

  He continued to move inside her, lingering, staying embedded.
“You’re mine. Only mine. Hear that, Tink?”

  Yara smiled, thoroughly sated, and fell into the sands of sleep.

  Rustling noises forced her heavy lids open. Kade’s silhouette emerged from the cluster of roots and branches at the mouth of their cave. The lamp had progressively faded, and purple light peeked through the natural curtain.

  Kade’s hair was wet, his body glistened with droplets of water. The shadows played on the muscles of his chest, the ridges of his abs.

  “It rained again?” she yawned.

  “Got your go-bag.” He nodded at the corner of the cave. “And took care of our friend at the bottom of the ravine. Got mud all over me so I showered at the fall.” He tossed a bar of soap into his bag.

  Yara noted that she was wearing his flannel shirt again with the addition of a pair of panties. Unlike the previous night when all she could think about was feeling warm and the primal need for sex, this morning she was thinking about how she’d survived two attacks. She should’ve been a head case, and yet she felt safe enough to have fallen into a peaceful sleep after phenomenal sex.

  “So, are we staying here for a while?”

  “Maybe a day or two,” Kade said. “The Patrol got looted, so there’s not much left of it.”

  “Guess no tow trucks around.” She looked around the cave. “Are we safe to stay here?”

  “Even if someone is looking for us right now, it’s well hidden from them. We couldn’t be luckier finding this cave to lie low.” His eyes searched her face. “You doing okay? After what happened yesterday?”

  “Which part?”

  “Everything.” He sat on the floor of the cave and leaned on the opposite wall. He tilted his head back and stretched his neck from side to side before returning his gaze to her.

  Yara pulled her knees close to her. “Well, we’re sure someone is after us now. Tumbling down a mountain is a treacherous affair and I don’t care to repeat it—”

  “I took you without a condom.”

  “I’m protected.”

  “Should’ve asked.”

  “And ruin the moment?” Her lips twitched. “I stopped you the last time.”

  “What’s different now?”

  “Trust and …” She bowed her head, a smile playing on her lips, but she was looking at him shyly. “Are we kinda sorta in a relationship?”

  An answering grin spread on his face and the relief in his eyes quelled her own uncertainty.

  “Guess so, Tink.”

  “You guess?” Her brow quirked. “What does that mean?”

  He crouched on all fours and crawled up to her. “That means you’ll be wearing my shirts to sleep in from now on. You kiss only me, you fuck only me and, when we get out of this shithole, I’m taking you out on a date.”

  Yara laughed. “Somehow I think you’ve never been on a date.”

  “You’d be right. But I figure it can’t be too hard. I take you out to dinner, just the two of us.”

  Her stomach grumbled. “Actually, we don’t have to wait. How about you get me some breakfast?”

  25

  “Hash browns and bacon coming right up!”

  Kade tore the MRE pouch and handed it to Yara. He swallowed a smile as she tentatively reached for it and lifted it to her nose.

  “Smells like bacon.”

  “These are some of the better ones. Max and I called dibs on them before the other guys got to them.” A strange emotion tugged at his chest as he thought of his business partner. Maybe they could salvage their friendship and business after this whole ordeal was over. And with the knowledge that Boustari was in bed with AQAP, there was a chance Max would trust Kade’s instincts more. Though it still bothered him that his friend couldn’t see past the twenty million dollars.

  Yara must have noticed his change of expression. “I’m sorry you and Max had a falling out.”

  “It happens.” Kade gave her a tight smile. Then, uncomfortable with talking about the subject much longer, he waved his hand around them. “So how do you like the venue of our first breakfast date?”

  Yara snickered. While he was away from their cave that morning, Kade found a fissure between the mountain that led into a deep crevice of rock formations and shrubs. In the middle was a pond being fed from ground water trickling from the mountain. It was a secluded area, far from the trail; accessible only by rappelling from the opening at the top and from a smaller secondary fissure that exited into a clump of bushes. It would be a beautiful camp ground if they had a tent.

  “I give you an A for effort,” Yara quipped. She dug the fork into the pouch and dug out a fried potato and popped it into her luscious mouth. She chewed consciously. Then using her fingers, picked out a strip of bacon and ate that as well. “Not bad.”

  Kade tore his own packet. “These MREs are more about calories than flavor.”

  Widened horrified eyes met his. “I don’t need to grow a bigger ass.”

  “Babe, I love your ass just fine and from my numerous treks up and down the hill, I can assure you you’ll need all those calories, so don’t hold back on the food.”

  “Whatever you say, Spear.”

  They continued in companionable silence, pretending to look at the surroundings, but sneaking glances at each other. Finally, Yara put down her food. “What?”

  Kade tipped his chin at her MRE. “Finish that.”

  “Stop being so bossy,” she groused. “This is a lot of food and it’s man-sized.” She looked at the back label. “Holy crap, it’s two thousand calories!”

  “And you’ll need it.”

  “And I’m okay right now. What’s wrong with rationing? Especially if we don’t know how long we’ll be on the run.”

  Scowling at her, he dug into his own meal. “Stubborn woman.”

  “Stop grumbling. You know I’m right.”

  “Thought you like the grumbling grouch,” he muttered.

  She smiled winsomely. “I do. You’re so fun to tease.”

  “Speaking of tease, you owe me a no-gag-reflex blow job.”

  Her suppressed laughter followed by a snort was too much for his self-control. He had to touch her, kiss her. Kade dropped his breakfast and pounced on her, knocking her out of her cross-legged slouch.

  She continued laughing as she evaded his kisses.

  “You are such a cock tease,” he murmured, still trying to capture her lips, but he was enjoying their light-hearted banter. It was something he’d never experienced with a woman. It was Yara. She wasn’t just any woman. He stopped chasing her lips and bracketed her face to lock their gazes. “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

  A delicate palm cupped his jaw. “That’s good.” Her eyes shimmered with elation. “Because I think I’m falling, too.”

  “I’m not good at this.” He rushed the words out, each syllable tightening the noose around his throat. “God, I’m such a fucked-up son of a bitch.” He pushed away from her and ran his hand down his face. “You deserve more.”

  A sigh sounded behind him. “I really do.”

  He glared at her over his shoulder. “I meant a man who could tell you how he feels. I’m not good with words or emotions. But don’t think I meant you deserve a better man, even if I know you do.” His tone turned sullen, just thinking about all those male celebrities he’d seen with her made him want to lock her in this place forever. “I’m all you’re getting, got me? It may take me some time to become the best man for you, but I’m going to do my damnedest to be that man.” He frowned at her. “I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

  Her face was happy. Why was she grinning like she’d won the lottery when all he did was threaten her with being stuck with him forever.

  “I’m not laughing at you.” Yara’s eyes danced and he couldn’t get over how gorgeous she looked. “Frankly, I’m amazed you managed to get that many words out declaring your intentions.” She smirked, picking up her fallen MRE, and picked a slice of bacon from its depth and munched.

  All Kade could think abou
t was what a lucky bastard he was that she’d even considered a relationship with him.

  And why not? his ego argued. You’re the only man capable of keeping her safe. None of those tux-wearing pricks or torn-jeans-strutting rock stars could neutralize all the threats against this amazing woman whose compassion for other people put her right in the middle of a civil war.

  No, Kade was the best man for her … or he would be.

  “Come here, Tink,” he murmured. He leaned over and kissed her.

  Who knew bacon-flavored kisses were so damned alluring?

  “Where the hell have you been?”

  He finally got hold of John Garrison. Kade had left Yara in their cave as he’d done every time he went looking for a signal to make contact with the two phone numbers on his burner.

  “Trying to avoid Boustari, just like you,” he responded. “I’m in Hudaydah.”

  “And?”

  “Got you and Yara on a cargo plane to Turkey. Leaves in two days. There’s a hostel near the port.” Garrison gave him the name of the establishment and the names it was reserved under. “Make sure Yara is wearing a burqa. Her picture is splashed all over Yemeni news. So far, we’re lucky no one has a description of either of us. Also, Yara’s parents are in Ankara.”

  “Shit.”

  “The Yemeni consulate in Ankara is denying them entry into the country saying that their presence is going to cause additional problems and their safety can’t be ensured.”

  “Makes sense.” They’d be prime targets for Al Qaeda. “Any news on Bob?”

  “No. He’s off the grid.”

  “Interesting. He said the same about you,” Kade commented and not without suspicion. “How about my men?”

  “You mean Stein?”

  “No. Roarke. Jed. Russo. I left them in Aden.”

  “No news about them. As for Stein and Brody, I hear they’ve fallen in with the Emiratis.”

  Fuck. What the hell was Max up to?

  “By the way, we’ve lost the Patrol,” Kade said. “Gonna need another mode of transport.”

  “You’re in Taiz, right?”

  Kade didn’t answer. They were in the Maqbanah area west of Taiz, but he didn’t fully trust Garrison. Hell, the only person he trusted right now was Yara. What did that say about the company he kept? Or the people he trusted to have his back? He had a lot of soul-searching to do once he got out of this hellhole.