by Tawny Weber
It might have been a few seconds that passed, or it might have been a few decades when, with the brush of one more kiss over her swollen lips, Travis lifted his head. His eyes were slumberous and heavy, the expression in them hot enough to melt Lila’s insides.
“There,” he said. “That’s my smart move. Now let’s talk.”
“It’s a very persuasive move,” Lila acknowledged, swiping her tongue over her lower lip in hopes of tasting him again. Even as the need grabbed at her, reason whispered that this was a mistake.
Then he skimmed his knuckles over her jawline. And that little voice drowned in a heavy wave of desire.
“Persuasive enough?”
Instead of answering, Lila leaned in to kiss him.
A slow, soft kiss that teased and tempted.
His answer was to skim his hands under her shirt, teasing a fiery trail up her torso to cup her breasts. The heat singed her nipples into aching peaks through the satin of her bra.
He shifted the angle of his mouth so he was above her and took the kiss to another level. Their tongues danced, teeth scraped, lips slid together in an intense mating heat.
Lila’s hands raced over his body, scraping, squeezing. Reveling. The man was a work of art. She felt like she could spend a lifetime appreciating it.
His fingers skimmed under her bra, knuckles teasing her nipples. When Lila moaned her approval, he stripped the fabric away, his hands slid up her waist until his pinkies teased the sides of her breasts, making her yearn. Need curled in her belly as he released her mouth long enough to pull her shirt over her head.
In the spirit of fair play, she shoved at his tee, wanting nothing between her hands and that flesh but air. She had to stop a second and catch her breath at the sight of that chest because it was so freaking amazing.
Cupping both breasts in his hands, Travis leaned down to suck one aching nipple into his mouth. She arched her back when he swirled his tongue, wanting more. Needing all of him.
With the same intense concentration he showed everything else, his teeth scraped one turgid bud, fingers working the other until she was squirming, panting and ready to beg for more.
He made quick work of her pants, freeing her legs. Before she could wrap them around his waist, he shifted to kick off his own pants, stopping only long enough to pull a condom from his wallet.
Then he was back. Excitement arced between their bodies like electricity, zapping, energizing and teasing all at the same time. Lila rubbed her hands over his chest, gripped his biceps, scraped her nails down his rock hard abs until she reached the straining satin of his erection.
Oh, God. He was so big.
So hard.
So beautiful.
And for right now, so hers.
* * *
He wanted her.
He needed her.
“Up,” he growled.
“So gallant,” she breathed, shifting to straddle him. The moonlight kissed her naked body with a delicate glow, forming a glinting halo on the gold of her hair.
Gallant?
If he had any breath, he would have laughed. He was good enough to avoid that and make sure they still had the ride of their lives.
No, it wasn’t gallantry.
He just didn’t want his knee going out midthrust.
With that in mind, he eased into her, his eyes locked on her face as her wet heat surrounded him.
Heaven.
Sliding into Lila was like finding his own personal heaven. So good. So damned good.
He grabbed her hips, easing her up, then down.
In, almost out of her wet heat.
It took only two thrusts before she caught onto and took over his rhythm. Sliding, slow and easy. Twisting with a little grind.
Oh yeah. Travis was damned sure this was heaven. Each thrust into the welcoming pleasure of Lila’s body took him higher, closer.
Wanting more, he reached up to cup those silken breasts, reveling in their weight. Moonlight glinted off that golden skin as he rubbed cherry-red nipples between his fingers.
She stiffened, arching her back to press her breasts harder into his hands. Travis cupped them. Squeezed, the nipples stabbing his palms.
Lila let out a mewling cry, her moves jerky now, her breath coming in hard, hot pants.
He released her breasts, grabbing her hips to keep her moving. Up. Down. In. Out. His vision blurred. His breath shortened.
She came with a scream. Her body clenched his erection, gripping so tight he followed her over the cliff with a grunt of his own. The orgasm went on and on as her body milked him for all he was worth.
Amazing.
The woman was so damned amazing.
Travis’s head hit the deck with a thunk, his blurred gaze staring at the starry sky as he tried to catch his breath. He was still inside her. Still felt the aftershocks of her orgasm trembling through her delicate body.
And he already wanted her again.
Bracing himself in case the aftershocks sent him falling somewhere he didn’t want to go, Travis gripped Lila’s waist and firmly lifted her off his still throbbing body. He started to set her aside, but she gave a low purr and just curled into his side. She angled one knee across his thighs and tucked her head under his chin so all that silky hair floated like a soft blanket over his chest.
His heart rate smoothed out as he breathed in Lila’s perfume. It mixed with his favorite scent, the fresh balminess of the sea.
It’d been good. She’d been good.
That’s why he already wanted her again.
Because it’d been a long time—maybe a lifetime—since he’d had sex like that. It had nothing to do with messy emotions that screwed with a guy’s head.
A few more bouts, and he’d burn her out of his system.
Except the way he felt right now, he’d want her in the morning, and tomorrow, and every day after that.
Travis closed his eyes and grimaced as reality set in.
Damn.
He was in trouble.
Chapter 12
Day four of Operation Stakeout, as Lila had laughingly dubbed it, and Travis was going quietly insane.
Sure, three days plus this morning of mind-blowing sex had him feeling pretty damned awesome. Thank God Lila had a stash of condoms in her suitcase. She very well might be one of the most entertaining women he’d ever known out of—and in—bed. The hints of danger and intrigue were more intense than he was used to in a relationship, but there was plenty of fun conversation, interesting communication and great sex to distract him from that.
“So what are you in the mood for next?”
After a long, intense look that brought a gratifying wash of color to Lila’s cheeks, Travis tapped his beer bottle.
“I’m thinking another drink,” he said. “How about you?”
As was their habit, they’d switched stakeout locations and sat in the restaurant today. Instead of across the table like a few days back, Lila sat next to him. Close enough that her scent teased out a reminder of whispered pleasure every time she turned her head.
They’d spent every minute of the last five days together, but he was still fascinated. They’d spent hours in each other’s arms, but he still couldn’t get enough of her. They’d explored every inch of each other’s bodies, but he still craved her with a hunger he didn’t think would ever abate.
“Another round?” the waitress asked, frowning as she gave them both the once-over.
“A beer and a water,” Travis said.
“More food?” The question wasn’t unreasonable since they tended to take a table for a few hours at a time. And it made Travis happy, since it meant people were noticing.
Might as well keep their attention. “Nope. We’ll take our time finishing what we’ve got here.”
“The ceviche was a lot better
last week,” Lila told the waitress with a challenging smile. “Too bad Chef Rodriguez isn’t still working the kitchen.”
“Right. Too bad he quit,” the woman said, biting off that last word before turning on her heel and heading to share a whispered discussion with the bartender. Dory Parker glared their way, jaw clenched tight enough that it had to hurt, and she grabbed the phone.
“Do you think it’s her? Dory?” Lila asked, leaning close enough to whisper the question in his ear. When she straightened she gave him an impatient look. “We should talk to her. Push a little.”
Watching Dory flay a rag over the bar with enough force to lift varnish, Travis considered that.
“Well?” Lila asked.
“Risky,” was all he said before biting into his last taco.
“Maybe it’s time for risks? We’re not seeing much progress with the eating and drinking the truth out of them plan.”
He didn’t blame her for pushing. They were making people nervous. That was clear from the sidelong looks and sudden silences sent their way. A few more weeks of this and someone would break. But it wasn’t enough.
He’d do better on his own, he knew. He could meet with more people—the kind of people he didn’t want Lila around. He could ask questions that’d get reactions—the kind of reactions he didn’t want Lila subjected to. Without Lila, he could push buttons, kick asses.
But he couldn’t risk her.
Despite her assurance that she could take care of herself, he wouldn’t leave her on her own. He’d assigned himself as her protective detail first and foremost, and he never shirked a duty.
Still, this could go on for only so long. As soon as her papers came through, they had to break this open. Lila had a life to get back to. A career, an apartment. People who cared about her. He had a hammock.
Life was simpler there.
No future. No wishes. No heart-wrenching desire for an amazing woman. Nope. In the hammock, he had regrets and doubts and loss.
Somehow, that was easier to handle.
He watched Lila do another of her deliberately obviously looks around the room, her sea-green eyes blatantly narrowed and those full lips pursed in consideration.
And knew he’d have plenty more loss to contemplate just as soon as she was gone from his life. Unlike his career, which’d left him with no choices when it’d been ripped from him with one bad jump, he might have options here.
“What?” Lila asked with a laugh, pushing her hair behind her ears and giving him a look of curious demand. “Why are you staring?”
“Just thinking.”
“About the operation?”
It was risky. But he lived for risks. So Travis leaned closer, rubbed his thumb along her jawline and smiled. “No. About you.”
“Oh,” Lila said, exhaling a puff of breath.
He liked seeing her like this. Those wide eyes drenched with desire and her pulse beating in her throat. His gaze dropped to her full, glossy lips. Pursed in consideration, they were worth a second and third look.
Before he could see if they tasted as good as they looked, there was a commotion at the door.
Like a minispecter, in walked Montoya with Garcia, his ghostly deputy a gray shadow. Not even bothering to hide why they were there, they made a beeline for the table.
“Senor Hawkins, senorita,” he greeted in that quiet voice just this side of menacing. His dark eyes shifted between them before settling on Travis. “What are you doing?”
“Eating.” Travis leaned back, wrapping one arm around the back of the chair as he gave the policeman a direct look. “How about you? Found any murdered chefs lately?”
He reached under the table to pat Lila on the knee when she gave a choking sort of laugh, then left his hand there. Because it felt good.
“You’re stirring up trouble,” Garcia said, his furious whisper giving color to a man who otherwise faded into the woodwork. “You are trouble. The both of you.”
Travis didn’t catch enough of Montoya’s mutter to know more than it was said in Spanish. But whatever he said put a plug in Garcia’s complaints. It didn’t shut the guy down, though. Travis watched with interest as the stick pole of a man gritted his teeth and clenched his fists like he wanted to take a swing.
Interesting.
“What, may I ask, do you think to accomplish by this harassment?”
“Harassment?”
“No laws broken here,” Travis said at the same time as Lila’s exclamation. “We’re patronizing a public establishment, paying for our meals and drinks. What’s the problem?”
“You’re upsetting people. You’re asking questions. You’re pushing your nose in where it doesn’t belong,” Garcia snapped, leaning down to get in Travis’s face. “That’s the problem.”
“Good,” Travis said with a slow smile, satisfaction filling him as he stared into the deputy’s eyes. “That’s exactly what I want to be doing.”
“Enough,” Montoya said quietly, laying one hand on his deputy’s shoulder and squeezing with enough pressure that Travis could see the indentations. He had to credit Garcia. For a long second, it looked like the guy was going to ignore the order—and the pain.
Finally, the skinny man straightened. He still crossed his arms over his chest and tried an intimidating glare. But Travis had cut his teeth on terrorists. One skinny deputy was child’s play.
“Did you track down that dead chef yet?” Travis asked, directing his question at Garcia. “How about that guy who abducted Ms. Adrian? Do you have any details or are you still pretending none of this exists?”
“You’re questioning us? We’re the police in this town. We don’t need some hotshot jerk who couldn’t hack the SEALs trying to tell us how to do our job.”
Other than giving Lila’s hand a squeeze when she gasped, Travis ignored Garcia’s taunt. No, he decided, ignoring was too good for the guy.
So he tilted his chair back. And smiled.
Garcia’s face turned tomato red, and those watery eyes bulged. Travis’s smile widened.
“You’re all washed up, you cocky son of a bitch. A has-been,” Garcia ground out through clenched teeth. “You don’t know jack about police work. Or any work. All you’re good at is lying on the beach.”
This time Travis laughed out loud. Because, damn, the guy was reaching.
“Actually, he doesn’t lie on the beach, he swings in a hammock,” Lila corrected in cheerful tone. “It’s a tiny difference, but I think it counts, don’t you?”
God. He might be falling in love.
Before he could decide, Garcia lunged. Montoya grabbed him before he made contact.
“That’s enough,” Montoya snapped, finally losing his cool. Going toe to toe with Garcia, he issued a sharp order.
Enjoying himself now, Travis wrapped his fingers over Lila’s to stop her from nervously flexing them and settled back to watch the show.
“What’s going on?” she asked, leaning into him close enough that the whispered question tickled his ear and her breast warmed his arm.
“Montoya’s ordering Garcia to go back to the station house, shuffle some papers and get out of our faces,” Travis told her, not bothering to keep his voice down as Garcia started to argue. He liked watching the cop’s reaction. It was telling enough to give him a solid handle on where to focus next.
“My apologies,” Montoya said when his deputy finally turned heel and stormed from the restaurant, shoving and cussing the whole way. “May I sit?”
Travis gestured to the empty chair.
“Your deputy has some issues.”
“The internal workings of my department are my responsibility, and I’ll handle them, thank you.” The unspoken back off was clear in Montoya’s voice as he took a seat and tidily folded his hands on the table. “What concerns me right now is your actions.”
“
Lunch is concerning?” Travis crunched down on a salsa loaded tortilla chip.
After a long, cold stare, Montoya turned his attention—and his body—toward Lila.
“Senorita, you have a family who must be concerned about you.”
Instead of tossing around more attitude, Travis held his breath and waited for her reaction. She’d used her laptop and Paulo’s satellite server to send one email, two days ago. Letting her roommate know not to worry, she’d explained. She’d blown him off when he’d told her that Paulo wouldn’t mind her using it a little longer, to let her family know she was okay.
They’d talked about plenty of things over the last few days. But her family and his career had both been off-limits. He knew his reasons, but the more time he spent with her, the more he really wanted to know hers.
But it looked like his curiosity—and Montoya’s—were going to go unanswered, because Lila only offered a disinterested shrug.
“You are a career woman, which means you have responsibilities,” the cop said, taking a different tack now. “Those responsibilities cannot be met here in Puerto Viejo. You’d do well to let this go and return to your home. To your life there.”
“You’re the one who told me to stick around,” Lila said, outrage clear on her face.
“Perhaps that was my mistake. To rectify it, I will help you acquire the necessary documents to leave our town and return to your own country.”
“Sounds like a bribe to me.” Travis arched one brow at Lila. “Sound like a bribe to you?”
Unlike Garcia, Montoya had a solid handle on his reactions. So he just smiled.
“No bribery intended, senor. I’m simply doing my duty as an officer of the law to help an unfortunate victim. My superiors would agree.”
Uh-huh. So it might be a bribe, but it wouldn’t get Montoya into any trouble.
“Just out of curiosity, did you bother looking for Rodriguez?”
