Dangerous Choice

by Barbara Freethy

  "Sounds like a very talented group of people."

  "Yes."

  "What about you, Diego? Are you on vacation? Did you take leave to search for your brother? Where would you be right now if you weren't here?"

  "I had just finished an assignment when I got the lead from Tracy. I'm supposed to be in DC Wednesday. I told my boss I needed a few days off. I did not tell him I was going to Colombia. He would not be happy with this situation. He'd be afraid I'd do something to trigger an international incident."

  "Like stealing a plane and crashing it in the jungle?"

  "Exactly like that. But I still think it was the right move—the only move, in fact."

  "I do, too, now that we're safely on the ground." She let out a breath. "Do you want to go back to the hotel and wait for Wyatt to get in touch?"

  He wanted to go back to the hotel, but sharing the room with Tara tonight was going to be a lot different than the last two nights. There was no denying the attraction between them. He needed to make sure he was a lot more tired than he was now, before they entered that room. If he was exhausted, he could maybe stop thinking about kissing her again.

  "Let's dance," he said.

  Her eyebrows arched in surprise. "You want to dance?"

  "There's nothing else we can do to find anyone tonight, Tara. I like the music. Don't you?"

  "I do, but…are we safe? Will they look for us here? It's a bar that Bethany used to come to."

  She was probably right to be cautious but at the moment, he couldn't bring himself to worry. "There are a lot of people here; I don't think we're in any danger, and I'm feeling restless. I'd like to burn off some energy. What about you?"

  "I could dance."

  "Good."

  She smiled. "Let's see what you've got."

  Thirteen

  What Diego had…was a smooth, sexy style of dancing. Tara shouldn't have been surprised he was good at dancing, because he was good at so many things. But she should have thought a little harder before moving into his arms, because the pulsating beat of the music, the sultry voice of the female singer, the crowded dance floor, and the sparkling stars overhead completely transported her into a world that was only her and Diego, their bodies moving together, the heated desire flowing between them.

  Diego didn't try to kiss her, but every move, every touch sent her blood pressure skyrocketing. He'd said he wanted to work off some restless energy, but the dancing wasn't doing that for her. Instead, it was making her feel vibrant and alive, reckless and impulsive. She was in Colombia, far from her normal life. She was in the arms of an incredibly attractive man, one she wasn't just physically attracted to, but one she liked very, very much.

  They probably had no future, but they had tonight.

  Did she really have the courage to live in the moment?

  Or would she choose to retreat the way she normally did?

  The music moved into a slower beat, and Diego pulled her even closer. His hard body and her soft curves seemed made for each other.

  She told herself to stop thinking and just enjoy, let the music take her away, but it was really Diego who was sweeping her off her feet. His hands moved up and down her back as they spun around and around until she was dizzy with delight, and one song blended into the next. She thought she might never want to leave this dance floor. She hadn't felt this happy in…maybe ever?

  But then the band ended their set, announcing that the next group would be starting shortly.

  "Do you want a drink, or shall we leave?" Diego asked, his arms still around her.

  She looked into his handsome face, his dark, compelling eyes, and knew exactly what she wanted. "Let's go back to the hotel."

  "Good idea." He took her hand. "I don't want to lose you in this crowd."

  She didn't want to lose him, either, and she wasn't just talking about in the crowd.

  After leaving the club, they flagged down a taxi, and within a few minutes were walking back into the hotel. Their room was exactly as they'd left it, a good sign that no one had found them in Cartagena.

  Diego took off his coat and tossed it on the nearest bed. Then they exchanged a long, hot stare.

  "Nothing has to happen," he said.

  "I know. But what if I want something to happen? Would you turn me down again? Like you did in the plane?"

  "I don't think I have it in me to say no twice, so you need to be sure, Tara. Adrenaline and danger can color your thinking."

  "My thinking is perfectly clear." She took a few purposeful steps forward. "I know this is not my real life, Diego. You and I would probably have never met in my real life or in yours. But we're here now. Neither of us knows what tomorrow will bring, or if we'll even have tomorrow." She licked her lips, and his gaze immediately followed her action. She liked his response, liked the power she seemed to have over him, even though he had as much power over her. Every time he smiled, her stomach clenched, and tingles jangled her nerves. She drew in a deep breath and let it out. "I want you, Diego. I want us to be together tonight."

  He breached the distance between them, resting his hands on her hips. "I want that, too. You've been driving me crazy all night. Actually, you've been driving me crazy since we met. It wasn't an accident that I stood behind you in the church. After I saw you talking to the priest, I was more than a little intrigued. And it wasn't just that you were upset, that I was curious about you. I thought you were stunning. I was drawn to you. I looked for you when I went into the church. I was going to talk to you after the service. But you know what happened."

  "Do you think we were fated to meet in our mutual quests?"

  "Do you?"

  "Sometimes I think so. You've saved my life four times already."

  A grin parted his lips. "You're giving me credit for the hard landing?"

  "Yes, because I'm alive."

  "I'm really glad you're alive." He pulled her into his arms, his breath a warm whisper on her cheeks. "By the way, you're an incredible dancer."

  "It's the only place I've ever felt comfortable letting go. I'm a bit of a control freak in the rest of my life. But when the music starts, something comes over me."

  "I like it when you let go. Think you can do that now—without any music?"

  She smiled at the question. "I haven't been able to control anything since I got on a plane for Colombia. And I don't want to control you. I like the way you move, the way you touch me, the way you kiss." She caught her breath as his mouth covered hers.

  A delicious warmth spread through her, and she closed her eyes, sinking into the kiss, savoring the taste of Diego's mouth, loving the way he was taking charge.

  He was wrong about there being no music. She was hearing their song—the beat of their hearts, the swoosh of their breath between kisses, the rustle of their clothes as they got closer and closer.

  Diego ran his hands through her hair, trapping her face for another kiss, and then he reached around her back and pulled down the zip of her dress. As the cool air hit her back, she had one sudden thought.

  "Protection," she said shortly. "I—I don't have anything. Do you?"

  "Yes. I got condoms earlier when you were trying on sexy dresses."

  "Thinking ahead," she teased.

  He gave her a sexy grin. "Hoping. Now let's get rid of some clothes."

  She shimmied out of her dress, letting it fall to the floor. She'd picked up some new lingerie, too—silky black lace. She felt a momentary shyness under Diego's intense, appreciative gaze, but then she got busy working on the buttons of his shirt. She wanted to see him, too. And when she got his shirt off, she was more than a little turned on by the flat abs and rippling muscles. She'd seen evidence of Diego's physicality before, but this was even better.

  "Nice," she said approvingly. "I was wondering what you were hiding."

  "All you had to do was ask me to take off my shirt. I would have been happy to do so."

  She liked how easy everything felt. It wasn't awkward at all. It was right…pe
rfectly right.

  She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss. And then they stripped off the rest of their clothes in happy abandon.

  "I want to explore every inch of you," Diego said, pushing her onto the soft mattress.

  "I feel the same way. I want to go slow and fast…at the same time."

  "Or we could make love twice—three times." He slid his mouth down her neck as his hands teased her sensitive breasts and his hard body bore down on hers. Passion, desire, reckless need ran through her. She wanted to be wild. She wanted to be free. Every touch felt like Diego was releasing a weight that had been holding her down. Why had she ever been so afraid of being herself?

  Heat ran through her as he tasted her breasts, as he slipped his fingers between her legs. She gasped with pleasure at his touch, his kiss, his…everything.

  And that was the last clear thought she had for a very long time.

  * * *

  Diego woke up to the buzz of his phone and the sunlight streaming through the part in the curtains. He had to slide out from under Tara, who was snuggled up against him, in order to grab his phone off the bedside table.

  "Who's calling?" she asked, blinking her sleepy but beautiful blue eyes.

  "It's a text from Wyatt. He's working on getting the security video from the Panama City Airport. He'll get back to us as soon as he has anything. He's also going to see what he can find on Michael Winters."

  She sat up in bed, drawing the sheet over her breasts with a shyness that made him grin.

  "I did see everything, you know," he told her.

  "Oh, I know, believe me." She smiled back at him, as their remembered intimacy flowed between them. "Last night was…spectacular."

  "That sounds right." His phone buzzed again, and he looked back at the screen, surprised to see another text from Wyatt.

  "What does he say now?" Tara asked.

  "Tracy got in touch with him last night. She's been trying to reach me. She has some information, and she wanted to know if I'd been in contact with him. He said he hadn't heard from me but wanted to let me know in case I decide I need whatever info Tracy might have."

  "Do you want to call her back?"

  "Not from this phone."

  "You really don't trust her?"

  "I'm not sure why, but I don't."

  "What if she does have important information?"

  He considered that possibility. "I can check in with her when we get back to the States. Right now, I'm more focused on Bethany's trail and what Wyatt can find out. I'll let him know to keep my whereabouts a secret for the time being."

  "While you're doing all that, I'm going to take a shower."

  As Tara left the room, he turned his attention back to his phone. He texted Wyatt his concerns about Tracy, and Wyatt agreed that keeping her out of the loop for the time being was a good decision. They exchanged a few more texts and then signed off.

  Putting his phone down, he considered joining Tara in the shower.

  Then he thought about giving her some privacy, some space.

  Then he decided to get up and knock on the bathroom door.

  "What took you so long?" she called out.

  He opened the door and moved under the hot steamy spray of water, planting his hands on her gorgeous curves. "I wasn't sure if I was pressing my luck," he said. "The night is over. It's back to reality."

  "Not quite yet." She put her palms against his chest as she took her time with a long, sweet kiss that made his gut ache with desire for her.

  He didn't know how Tara had gotten under his skin so fast, but she was there. And he didn't know what he was going to do about it long term, but short term…that was another story.

  * * *

  An hour later, the blood was finally getting back into Diego's brain. After sharing an incredible shower with Tara, they'd dressed and gone downstairs to eat breakfast. As they were finishing up their meal, he got another text from Wyatt.

  "What is it?" Tara asked.

  "Bethany got on a nonstop flight out of Panama City to Los Angeles last Sunday at one p.m. She arrived at LAX at ten p.m. but that's where the trail ends. They need to check additional cameras around the airport to see if they can determine whether she left in a private car, a taxi, a ride share, or a bus."

  "I can't believe she's in Los Angeles. And she got there last Sunday. I didn't leave for Colombia until Monday. We were in the same city, and I was calling her nonstop. Why didn't she text me or call me back or reach out on social media? She could have come by my apartment or gone to the school where I teach. I went to her apartment on Sunday. Her mail was piled up on the floor. She definitely hadn't been there. Unless, I missed her by a few hours or something. You said she didn't get in until ten. I was there around five."

  He waited until she ran out of breath. "The good news is she's not in Colombia anymore, and LA has to be safer than here."

  "Maybe not, since she's still missing. Or maybe she's not missing." Tara blew out a breath. "What is going on?"

  "I don't know. Perhaps, she's hiding. She didn't contact you because she didn't want to put you in danger."

  "Was she alone at the airport?"

  He glanced back at his phone. "Wyatt said she was carrying a duffel-sized bag and did appear to be on her own. He hopes to have more later."

  "We need to get to Los Angeles."

  "I agree." He paused as another long text came in. "He also has info on Michael. Apparently, my brother went to the University of Southern California and got a degree in economics. After graduation, he went to work for a wine distributor. Two years later, he opened his own wine bar in Beverly Hills, servicing a wealthy, celebrity clientele. It was so successful that he opened a second location in Newport Beach six months ago. He owns a condo in a luxury building in Century City."

  "He's very successful for being how old?"

  "Twenty-six," he muttered. "He had to have come up with a lot of cash to open two businesses." He paused, reading the next text. "Wyatt is digging into the financials. On first glance, everything looks legit, but it's doubtful that it really is."

  "But it could be," she said.

  "Now who's the optimistic one?" he asked, a bad feeling in his gut. He wanted to believe his brother was an honest businessman and not in league with the Salazars, but that would be stupid. "Where would a twenty-six-year-old get the money to do what he's done?"

  "He could have a business partner."

  "Well, we'll find out."

  "It doesn't sound like he's hiding."

  "No, it doesn't. He's living a very public life, according to Wyatt." He looked back at her. "All roads lead to LA."

  "Is there any evidence of Michael and Bethany possibly being involved with each other?"

  "I forgot to ask." He sent another quick text. "I'm sure he would have let me know if he'd seen a link."

  "Shall we go to the airport?"

  He frowned at her question. "I think we need to be as careful getting out of here as Bethany was."

  "You want to call Rosa's cousin again?"

  "I don't think he'd want to help us, but I will try Lucas. He might be able to find a pilot who can take us to Panama City." He saw the uncertainty in her eyes. "It won't be like the last time."

  "I'm still not thrilled about getting onto another small plane or even going to a small airfield."

  "I know, but we do what must be done, right?"

  She made a little face at him. "Yes, we do."

  He smiled. "It's all forward progress, Tara."

  "I agree. We know both Bethany and Michael are in Los Angeles. And Michael should be particularly easy to find. But what if…" Her voice fell away. "Never mind." She tucked her hair behind her ear, not looking him straight in the eye. "We should get our check."

  "I know what you were going to say, Tara."

  She gazed back at him. "No, you don't."

  "I do. You were going to say what if he sees me, and he wants to kill me."

  "Well, I wasn't going to
put it exactly like that, but if he is working for the Salazars, and you end up on opposite sides of the law, what happens then? You will be his enemy, and he will be yours. Do you really want to face him, face that moment where each of you might have to make a terrible choice?"

  "I'm still hoping for a different outcome than brother against brother." He paused, searching for the right words. "I need Mateo to know that I didn't forget about him, that I missed him, loved him, searched for him. I need him to know that there's a difference between my father and me. I didn't abandon him."

  "Don't you think he knows that already?"

  "I'm not sure. I was thirteen. He was eight. He looked up to me. I was his protector, but I didn't protect him that night. I didn't stay with him. I'd always promised him that I'd be there if he ever needed me. I didn't keep that promise."

  "You were a kid yourself."

  "It's not an excuse."

  "No, it's not an excuse; it's a fact."

  "I hear you, Tara. I don't even think you're wrong. I just have to play this out." He texted Lucas, requesting what he hoped would be his last favor, and then he called the waitress over and asked for their check.

  While they were waiting for a reply, they went back to their room and packed the one suitcase they'd bought the day before to hold their new clothes.

  Lucas got back to them a half hour later with the details. They needed to travel by bus to a small airfield near the village of Monteria. It would take approximately one hour. A pilot would be waiting to fly them to Panama City. They would be booked on a commercial flight from there.

  Diego put his phone back in his pocket and looked at Tara. She'd put on new jeans and a knit top under her tan jacket, her hair swept up in a ponytail. "Ready to get out of Colombia?"

  She got to her feet. "More than ready. But I must admit I'm going to miss this hotel room."

  "There are other rooms," he told her, knowing exactly what she was going to miss. "We may be done with this country, but we're not done with each other."