Jed laughed. She stood there in amazement as she watched him throw back his head and real, teeth-baring, amusement-filled male laughter echoed around her. It was a low, attractive sound, the kind that made a woman feel all glowy and appreciated inside. That murderous glint in his eyes had disappeared, replaced by an intent that was pretty blatant in its meaning, at least, from where she wasstanding. She realized he had dropped that mantle of aloofness behind which he always hid.
“Would you like to spend today with me?” he asked, with a smile that made her toes curl in her boots and made her notice the deep dimple in his chin. Her gaze moved up and was captured by the look in his eyes—so very arrogantly sure. “It’s just you and me. No virtual reality, Elena. No simulated scenery. No one monitoring our vitals. We won’t be in the ether or playing mind games today. If you like, our date starts right here, right now.”
Dammit. How could a girl refuse that? He had deliberately engineered a free day in his busy schedule to be with her. He had backed away from doing his job because he didn’t want to start their date with a death. He had, once again, managed to take her by surprise.
“Okay,” she said, and put her hand in his. “But only because you asked so nicely, instead of ordering me around.”
She knew that the commandos were trained seducers. Lord, if he used that smile as part of his seduction repertoire, the women had no hope.
“So now we’ll start it right,” he said, pulling her into the circle of his arms.
His dark head descended and his lips parted hers. He kissed with a thoroughness that had her clinging to him, pulling his head lower. His heat took away all the chill in the air.
He had kissed her before, but not like this. His tongue danced across hers, a possessive entanglement that he controlled, pulling away and making her mindlessly chase after, wanting more, needing more. He tilted her head back for better access, his thumb stroking her quickening pulse, as his tongue lazily invaded and explored.
She was heady with his scent, a delicious mix of man, cologne and lust. She felt his hand under her jacket, seeking and pulling at her sweater, and then she was lost in the feel of his hand cupping her breast.
When he lifted his lips from her, she gave a soft mewl of protest. Not yet. She wanted more.
“Was that real enough for you?” he asked.
As if her ragged breathing wasn’t indicative enough? She closed her eyes as teasing fingers massaged and caressed sensitive flesh. “It seems real,” she said, feigning a nonchalance that was betrayed by a moan. “But then, you can turn me on without VR, remember?”
That he’d planted a sexual trigger inside her head would always be between them. She wasn’t stupid. The man was just going to embed it deeper in her consciousness, especially if she was willing. And she was pitifully aware she was very willing indeed at the moment.
His hand stilled, but he continued to cup her breast possessively. “That’s why we’re going to do a bit of sightseeing today,” he mocked. “Just so you know it’s not all about sex.”
“Oh yeah? And what do you propose we do this early? Hiking is so unromantic, Jed.”
“We can take a boat out on the lake. Check out the dam. Talk.”
She considered for a few moments. A date with Jed McNeil. She had wanted to get to know the man better, hadn’t she? No file in any agency could give her a better insight than the real thing. She grinned and pulled his hand from under her sweater.
“Okay,” she agreed. “Bet you can’t keep up with me.”
She was sure he’d been there before, but he let her set the pace, following her down the steep path toward the dam. The canyon was just breathtaking to look at and she stopped to take a picture. There was a mountain hut near the gorge and they ate a simple breakfast there before hiring a row boat.
The sun, the lake, the quiet bobbing of the boat set the mood. She felt absolutely comfortable with him, just talking, exchanging jokes. This was a side of him she doubted many people saw, and she wondered privately why he was allowing her in.
They crossed the lake and explored the seventeenth century church built on the plateau. At one point, he held her hand as they examined the faded frescos, his fingers lightly playing with the fleshy mound under her thumb, while he pointed out little details of the painted scene. He compared them with other similar frescos he’d seen in other cathedrals. Again, he surprised her with his knowledge about art. That he was well traveled didn’t come as a surprise, but she hadn’t thought he would be the artsy-fartsy type. She found herself enjoying this man very much.
They drove to Lake Ohrid in the afternoon. Feeling the effects of jetlag, Helen nodded off. When she opened her eyes, they were outside a hotel.
“We’re Mr. and Mrs. Jones, if you need to sign anything to the room,” Jed said.
He was giving her that look again and her heart was waking up before she did. “Can’t you be a bit more imaginative?” she complained. “Mr. and Mrs. Jones?”
He looked more relaxed than she’d ever seen as he pulled out a small travel bag from the trunk. His hair was tousled. He had tied a scarf loosely around his neck. She suddenly wanted to kiss him again. Except for holding hands, he hadn’t touched her all day, making a point, and building a slow fire inside her with his long looks and smiles.
“American tourists, Elena, unless you prefer Frau and Herr Schnitzel.”
Helen laughed, following him inside. It didn’t take long before they were alone in a beautiful and tastefully decorated little room. She was glad it wasn’t impersonal, like most luxury hotel rooms. Jed had certainly planned this to the last detail, making everything memorable.
“Hungry?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Later.”
She backed away teasingly, wagging a finger at him. He followed leisurely.
