There weren’t many rules when it came to the high seas—a powered vessel always gives way to a sailing vessel; two powered vessels always pass each other port-side to port-side—but one standing, inviolable principle was that you never ignore a Mayday or call for assistance.
It was gutsy, this plan of his. And maybe a little crazy too. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. And if hedidsomehow manage to pull it off, justthinkof what that would mean to his story. He could see the headlines now: MASTERMIND BEHIND TERROR ATTACK PULLED OFF AMAZING HEIST TO RE-SECURE CHEMICALS AFTER INITIAL LOSS. And perhaps this had been Allah’s plan for him all along. A road map to even greater glory.
He turned to Ahmed who lifted a brow at the smile splitting his face. His tone was gleeful when he said, “I have an idea.”
* * *
6:42 p.m.…
“Hey, now,” Leo said. “Where are you goin’? We’re not finished here.”
Olivia stepped out of the shower and grabbed one of the navy-blue towels hanging over a rod, wrapping it around her body. Warm. It was so soft and warm.Aheatedtowelrod. Some people really know how to live.
Looking down at his semi-flaccid cock—even wilted it was still impressive—she lifted a brow, donning a saucy smile so he wouldn’t see what she was truly feeling: heartbreak.
She’d been an idiot to think she’d be fine as long as she stopped things short of full-on sex. Or maybe Bill Clinton was the idiot. Because when two people shared intimacy like that, giving pleasure and taking pleasure, it forged a bond between them. A bond that, when welded together with the love she felt, became unassailable.Unbreakable.She was going to remember what they’d done for the rest of her life. Remember the way he’d loved her with hands and mouth. So tenderly. So precisely. Remember the way he’d given himself over to her. So unhesitatingly. So unquestioningly.
In that moment, she’d known what it was to be trusted, to be cherished, to…belong. To him. She’dbelongedto him. And him to her. And now she was doomed to mourn the loss of that belonging for the rest of her life.
But she couldn’t let him know.Keepitcasual. Keep it fun. Don’t let him see you’re hurting. Keep that CIA-agent cap screwed on tight, Mortier.
“Not finished?” She winked at him, gesturing with her chin toward his manhood. “I’d say we are. At least for a while.” Her voice was rough with unshed tears, but she hoped he mistook her tone for that of spent passion.
When he wiggled his eyebrows, she breathed a sigh of relief. He turned off the shower, and the resulting silence pressed in on her, seeping into the hollowness in her chest until she wanted to scream. She needed to get out of there. Get some air. Get some perspective. Get—
“Never underestimate the regenerative powers of a man who has finally gotten his hands on the woman he’s been fantasizin’ about for almost two years,” he told her, grabbing a towel and rubbing it over his wet hair.
He gave himself a few good scrubs, then held out the terrycloth, one sandy-brown eyebrow raised. “This thing’s hotter than burnt toast.”
“I know, right?” His hair was standing out every which way, making him look…adorable. Still big and tough, but a little bit boyish too. And,ow. Her heart hurt. Like, seriouslyhurt. It took everything she had to maintain her smile. When she couldn’t quite manage it, she swiped another towel off the rack and bent at the waist. Flipping her hair upside down, she twisted the towel around it turban-style.Breathe, Olivia. Just breathe. Keep it casual. Keep it fun. Keep that CIA-agent cap screwed on tight.And that had become her new mantra, apparently. “What wonders will we discover next, do you think? I’m half expecting Jeeves to come in and offer to help us don our dinner attire.”
She straightened to find him applying the towel to his chest and shoulders, then down his legs. The way he moved was poetry. Each flex of his muscles in rhythm and rhyme with the whole of him. “If he does, I’ll be forced to punch him in the face.”
“Huh?” She frowned.
“I’m feelin’ pretty territorial right about now,” he admitted, grinning unabashedly. “And I’d like to keep the number of eyes who get to seethis”—before she knew what he was about, he hooked a finger in her towel and whipped it off—“to a bare minimum.”
“Leo!” she squeaked. “Good grief.” Without thinking, she covered her breasts with one hand and cupped her privates with the other.
He bit the inside of his cheek, eyeing her protective stance. “I hate to say it, darlin’, but the cat’s out of the bag. There’s no need to hide what I’ve already seen, touched, andtasted.”
She dropped her hands with a huff. It caused her breasts to bounce, and he tilted his head, groaning like a dying man. Movement in her peripheral vision had her glancing down. And sure enough, he hadn’t been lying about those regenerative powers. His penis was twitching and swelling, the skin growing turgid, the heavy veins standing out in harsh relief. An answering rush of liquid heat gathered at her core.
She should have been satisfied after the shower.Heshould have been satisfied. Her orgasm had been explosive, transcendent. And all evidence suggested his had been the same. But obviously, neither of them was completely appeased. She bit her lip, wondering if they wouldeverbe completely—
A shushing sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts. When she turned toward the door, she saw a white piece of paper lying on the gray slate tiles. Lifting a brow at Leo, she wondered aloud, “What the heck is that about?”
“Only one way to find out.” He tilted his head toward the paper. Shrugging, she bent to grab the missive only to hear him growl, low and guttural, like a wild animal warning its prey of its presence. “That might just be the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.”
When she realized he was staring at her bare ass poking up into the air, she straightened so quickly she felt dizzy and the towel fell off her head, landing in a navy-blue heap on the floor. “You meant for that to happen,” she accused, turning to find him clutching his heart.
“Meant for it to happen? Hey!” He held his hands up. “I’m not the one who slipped a letter under the door.” She narrowed her eyes. He chuckled, shrugging those massive shoulders of his. He needed new butterfly bandages, she noted absently. The old ones were starting to curl loose around the edges. “All right, so maybe I took advantage of the situation when it presented itself. Can you blame me?”
“Hmph.” She pursed her lips, easily falling into their familiar banter. The truth of the matter was, when she was with Leo like this, teasing and tormenting, she was the happiest she’d ever been.And, Jesus, that just makes it hurt worse!“No, I suppose I can’t. Once a pervert, always a pervert, right?”
“As it ever was and ever shall be, darlin’.” He winked. Then, “What’s it say?”
She unfolded the note and read aloud, “‘Congratulations on the ax waxing.’” She looked up at him and he shook his head, making a face that said,Youdon’t want to know. “‘I gave the package to the contractors and they’re well on their way to Key West. Romeo is still a ways out, so take your time.’” When she read further, her cheeks ignited. “It’s signed ‘Jeeves.’”
