The air picked up around her, and Adria’s hair blew wild around their faces. Bryson reached up, tucking the stray strands behind her ear. “It’s not about you, beautiful. I just need a little time.”
His body moved to hers, and Adria felt the railing at her back as he pressed his naked chest against her, hands on both sides of her.
His face brushing against hers as he leaned down and whispered into her ear. “They’ll stay asleep if we are very quiet.”
Adria breathed in, the night air mingling with Bryson’s scent, and her body responded. She could not believe that each of them continued to have this effect on her.
Bryson’s lips left her cheek and traveled to the space where her jaw met her neck. Kissing her softly, his tongue traveled along her jaw until he kissed his way up to the edge of her lips.
Adria’s mouth parted, but he didn’t kiss her. His lips hovered just beyond hers and the two of them just stood there, inhaling the same air. Her body was on fire for him.
Adria wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him in closer. “You’re still a little banged up for all that.”
She saw the disappointment on his face, but Adria could tell by the way he held himself that he was hurting.
Wanting to erase all his pain, Adria leaned in and ran her tongue along his bottom lip.
He opened for her, and she kissed him.
CHAPTER 28
POLANCO
Eric couldn’t sleep.
Vega had allowed him to speak to the head of security, and there were guards all across the grounds, but even that did little to calm his nerves. Every time he closed his eyes, some strange sound would wake him up.
Eventually, he decided it just wasn’t in the cards tonight. He glanced at the clock and was irritated to see it was three in the morning. Pulling on a pair of sweats, he walked down the estate halls. A little way into the home, the walls gave way to a large open second-floor porch. Eric reasoned it was a good place to smoke another of Vega’s expensive cigars and lay down to watch the stars.
North Carolina didn’t have skies like this. The stars here blazed with a clarity he hadn’t seen since his deployment overseas. He missed his team. Under normal circumstances, Eric checked in with them regularly, but with the Nine hunting them, ditching his phone had been necessary. Security trumped sentiment.
Eric settled into a large recliner, struck a match, and with the cigar clenched between his teeth, murmured, “This one’s for you boys.”
Over twenty years out of the service, he was forty-five, and his teammates were all grown men. Some with families.
Except for the occasional Club Shale fling, Eric never dated. There wasn’t enough time. He needed most of his energy to focus on Adria.
Adria.
Eric’s gaze flickered a few windows over, noting he wasn’t far from her room. The boys could protect her. He didn’t need to watch over her as much as he used to. Hell, she could take care of herself.
Eric drew on the cigar, letting the smoke pool in his mouth. Rolling the flavor across his tongue—earthy and complex. Cedar and dark chocolate flavor hit him, and he savored it like a fine whiskey rather than drawing it into his lungs. Vega’s collection was exceptional, the kind of luxury that reminded him just how far he was from those deployment nights.
He wanted to enjoy the night sky, but his thoughts drifted to the future more lately than he liked to admit. With Adria getting closer to the Winters crew, Eric found himself routinely pondering if things worked out between them, what happens to him?
His friend Sage said that all dogs get put out to pasture sooner or later. But Eric wasn’t quite ready to hang up his hat and get off the ride.
Movement above him caught Eric’s eye. Instinctively, cigar still in his mouth, Eric put his hand on his gun. But as his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw two pink heels fall, clattering to the ground from the balcony above.
He relaxed his hand on his gun, put out his cigar, and moved his body so he was hidden in the shadows.
Two bare feet appeared, before a perfect little ass with lace pink underwear came over the railing.
Daniela.
She was wearing a much-too-tight skirt that rode up provocatively, especially as she was shimming down the railing. With her torso over the stone, her arms came up and wrapped around the ledge. Eric watched as she lowered herself down.
Arms above her, hands gripping the level above him, her shirt rode up, exposing the underside of her perky breasts and Eric had to adjust his stance.
