Before she could move, he pushed back his seat and rose from the table, his gaze locked onto her face.She held her breath as he leaned over her, their noses mere inches apart, and said in a low voice, “Don’t underestimate the power you have over me, Natalie.”
What?Her stomach swooped and flew like an acrobat.What did he mean?Was heaskingher to influence his decision to help her?
No, he wasn’t that cowardly.He was far too principled to take the easy way out or blame someone else for his choices.If anything, he went too far to the other extreme, taking on responsibility for things that weren’t—at least, not fully—his fault.Like allowing Tim Marinelli to get within striking distance, and probably for whatever had happened with his brother.
She took a deep breath to fortify herself, inhaling his familiar scent.“Oh, yeah?”she asked, unable to think of anything more clever as Ford pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingertips creating a cascade of sensation across her skin.“How much power, exactly?”
Suddenly very wide awake, and needing to feel more like the potent woman he claimed she was, she lightly scraped her fingernails along the nape of his neck.
With a growl, he palmed her cheeks and kissed her.Hard.But also soft, reverent, curious.Like an explorer sent to map every erogenous zone on her face, brushing, pressing, tasting, biting, working hard to elicit the little moans she couldn’t hold back.
Her fingers twitched with the desire to touch more of him, and she wished she had full use of both hands.Settling for one, she caressed his powerful neck and shoulders, dipping her fingers beneath the collar of his shirt.Annoyed by the cloth barrier, she changed tack, slipping beneath the hem.Touching him only made her want more, and she found herself eager to explore the smooth skin, hard muscles, and soft hair that dusted his abs.
Beneath her roving touch, his body tensed and their kisses turned deeper, faster, less finessed.He groaned into her mouth and palmed her breast through her shirt, his thumb stroking her nipple to a peak.She arched into his hand, moaning her approval and seeking more…everything.
If she had any power over him—and the current evidence was strong—it was an even trade, because he could ask her for just about anything right now and she’d happily deliver.Dangerous as that was, she couldn’t summon an iota of concern.Not with him using his foot to slide her chair back from the table, lifting her into his arms so her legs wrapped around his waist, and walking backwards with her until he sat hard on the couch, bouncing her on his lap.
Not when he managed to divest her of her pants, pushed his own down just far enough, produced a condom from somewhere—sheer force of desire, maybe—and lowered her carefully, until he filled her completely and they both gasped for air.
Not when he reached between them, never breaking his rhythm and stroked her clit, the stark ecstasy on his gorgeous face pulling her over the edge just seconds behind him.
Even as she lay spent against his chest, catching her breath while her body floated, she knew being with Ford like this meant trouble.Their time together had a deadline, unknown but very real.
And, yet,lifehad a deadline, didn’t it?They both understood that the future held no guarantees.What was the point of living if all one did was dwell on pain and misery, and fear of what may come?
Pleasure was fleeting.She’d rather grasp its tail and hold on for as long as possible, enjoying every second of the ride.
Ford woke later than usual on Tuesday morning—nearly eight—Blitz’s wet nose nudging his hand.Bright sunlight streamed in through the small window in the sloped ceiling of the bedroom, bathing the bed he and Natalie shared in a golden glow.
Natalie.
Patting Blitz’s head, Ford rolled to his side and found Nat lying on her back, breath coming heavy and slow, looking almost angelic with her eyes closed.
What would it be like to wake to her like this every day of his life?To see her gorgeous smile each morning.To anticipate the joy she would find in some random moment.To learn the truth of her layer by layer for the next fifty years.Incredible.
Impossible.Jesus, what the hell was he thinking?The wall around his heart was there for a reason, and he wouldn’t tear it down for anyone.Not even Natalie.
Angry with himself, he ignored his desire to stare at her peaceful face or kiss her softly, instead rolling out of bed and slipping on his clothes in a rush.Five minutes later, he and Blitz headed down the stairs and out the building toward the long park that divided the quaint alleys of Vieux Nice from Nice proper.
Humidity made the air thick, and the remnants of an early morning rain gilded the cobbled streets.Blitz tried to drink out of a puddle and Ford tugged the leash sharply to distract her.
Being recognized didn’t worry him much.With the possible exception of government agencies, it was unlikely anyone could locate him via street cams without first knowing where to look.
Even then.
Blitz wasn’t a noteworthy breed like a Great Dane or a Saint Bernard.And Deschamps wasn’t superhuman.He’d need an army to find Ford here, even with the presence of a dog to narrow the search.
News stories were the bigger threat.He or Natalie might be recognized from a photo, but again, odds were low unless someone already knew to look in Nice, especially with the changes to her appearance.Besides, walking a dog made him look like a local.Nobody should suspect he was in hiding.
Car traffic clogged the main road, and commuters and tourists filled the tram, but once he entered the park, he found a grassy spot without anyone around and dialed his sister on her secure line.
“What’s wrong?”Amber whispered.
“Nothing.”
“It’s after eleven here, asshole.”Her voice came through low and muffled.“Something better be wrong.”Grumpy wasn’t her natural state, but she was not a night owl, and he’d forgotten how late it was in San Francisco.
“Sorry if I woke you.”Ford tugged Blitz away from the spot she’d been sniffing for the last two minutes and resumed a leisurely stroll.“Everyone is alive and uninjured.”At least everyone Amber knew or cared about.He hesitated, the words coming harder than they should have.Not because he thought Amber would turn him down, but because he didn’t have a lot of experience asking for help, even from his own family.“But I need a favor.”
