by Mia Dymond
Except, she had a different plan.
Just about the time he gathered a sense of control, she lowered her head and again took him into her mouth, all the way to the back of her throat.
“Gee-zus, Bailey,” he growled as her muscles taunted him. “I can’t hold back any longer.”
Undeterred, she moved her hand to the base of his cock and stroked while she continued to suck. The pleasure was suddenly too intense. He groaned and thrust his hips one last time and released his seed deep into her throat.
He lay helpless for a moment, held hostage by incredible satisfaction as she finally released him and lay back beside him.
He finally turned on one side to face her. “You are incredible.” He placed a soft kiss to her swollen lips. “Can you sleep now?”
“Yes, like a baby.”
He grinned and reached to return her straps to her shoulders. “Turn over.”
He waited until she lay with her back to him and then covered her with the sheet and pulled her back into the curve of his body.
“Sleep,” he said against her hair. “You’ll need your strength for next time.”
***
He paced from one end of the room to the other while he ran a hand across the top of his head. He hadn’t planned on this type of interference and now the situation was severely complicated. He had absolutely no idea about how to explain it, let alone deal with it, but he had no choice.
He stopped next to the window and gazed out into the clear, pitch black sky. Things were going so smoothly until these unexpected intrusions changed everything. Her intervention, however, surprised him. Resigned to the fact that he now had a major problem, he reached into his jacket pocket, retrieved his cell phone, and pressed buttons.
“I am ready to make another delivery,” the other voice on the other end said as soon as the call connected.
“Unfortunately, that won’t be possible at the current time.”
“That is not acceptable.”
“I’m hoping it is a temporary setback.”
“What is the issue?”
He hesitated to answer but knew he must. “Someone is questioning the appearance of the corpse.”
“Your decision haunts you.”
“Yes.”
“Who is this?”
“Bailey King, a travel agent from Hummingbird Bay.”
“Why is she interested?”
“Ninety percent of the resort’s clientele is referred by Ms. King.”
His associate’s response was immediate. “Persuade her.”
“She’s not one to be persuaded. Her reputation is valued.”
“Send her a subtle warning.”
“I don’t think I can do that without causing more suspicion.”
“Why are you so hesitant?” His accomplice’s disgust was evident.
“She is accompanied by a male companion, one that instinct tells me not to threaten.”
“Explain.”
“Physically, he is large and solid; he can’t be taken out easily. His demeanor portrays that of someone who wouldn’t think twice about making the first, fatal move.”
An evil chuckle crossed the line. “So, you are afraid.”
Terrified. “Cautious,” he answered.
“The delivery will proceed as planned. You will make sure nothing or no one interferes. Do I need to explain why?”
“No.”
“Good. I will contact you upon completion.”
CHAPTER FOUR
The next afternoon, Ice stood next to Bailey in the fitness center and mentally kicked himself in the ass for thinking that bargaining with her would be a good idea. Salsa for swimming. Right.
Dressed in a bright blue bikini and a pair of silver heels, she taunted him without saying a word. No, her firm, creamy breasts, slim hips, and heart-shaped ass said it all, leaving him absolutely tongue-tied. He had opted for jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers, a good choice, in his opinion. At least the denim would somewhat camouflage his hard-on.
Tianna Olander stood at the front of the room, not really helping matters at all. The tall, shapely blonde also wore a bikini – bright neon pink – with a pair of matching heels. In fact, from his first earlier glance around the room, there was a whole lot of tanned, female flesh on display. Even more irritating, Tianna’s husband, Gus, stood next to her with his gaze clearly directed at her, not the other women in the room. He groaned. He wasn’t a total hound, but he was a normal, hot-blooded male. At least the class only lasted an hour.
“Good morning!”
Much to his relief, Tianna finally opened the class. The sooner it started, the sooner it would end.
“I’m Tianna Olander and this is my husband, Gus. Welcome to Salsa dancing! Rather than using our time to learn a few basic steps, by the end of class today you will have learned how to dance a complete, basic Salsa routine.”
A shiver of anticipation climbed his spine. Fear of the unknown always made him edgy.
“Let’s begin by getting into position. For this particular routine, men will stand behind the ladies with both hands on her hips.”
Ice followed instructions and took his place behind Bailey with his eyes now glued to her ass. He knew absolutely nothing about Salsa, but if this was part of the lesson, he would pass with flying colors.
“Now,” Tianna continued, “as soon as I play the music, you will both take a step forward on your left foot and then back, and then take a step forward on your right foot and then back. Gentlemen, exert a slight push on her hip with each forward step.”
Tianna pressed a small remote and the music began to play. Gus took his place behind his wife.
“First us, then each of you,” she said over the music.
He peeled his eyes off Bailey’s backside long enough to watch the couple move. And actually, it didn’t look too complicated.
“Okay, now let’s do it together.”
Two steps later, he began to feel like he might actually pull this off.
“Excellent!” Tianna stopped the music. “Since Salsa is a very sensual dance, we’re going to throw in some hip action.”
Again, Tianna and Gus demonstrated the simple but extremely taunting moves and then gave the order for everyone else to follow along. As the class progressed, he tried unsuccessfully to ignore how extremely turned-on he was by holding Bailey in his arms while her hips brushed his groin and her breasts beckoned his touch every time she thrust them at him. Every flick of her wrist and wiggle of her hips made her naughty little tease damn near unbearable. His cock was severely pissed off for being excluded from the action and by the time they completed the routine, he was ready to throw her down and show her some very impressive horizontal moves.
“Let’s take a short break,” Tianna said finally, “and then we’ll put it all together.”
Ice nearly sprinted across the room to fall at the other woman’s feet in gratitude. Thank God, a break from the incredible sexually-charged activity.
He led Bailey and her scantily-clad body to one side of the room and braced himself on one hip against the wall. She mirrored his position in front of him.
“Having fun?”
He nodded as he bit back his honest response and issued one that was as close as he could get without being vulgar. “It’s not as bad as I thought.”
“You have some pretty smooth moves.”
Maybe. Or maybe she simply inspired him. Pure lust pushed him to answer honestly this time. “You were definitely built for this dance, Bailey.”
“Thank you.” She gave him a sexy smile. “But, I think it’s my partner.”
He glanced across the room at Tianna and Gus, who stood talking to guests in quiet conversation, and then back at her. “Were they married before the resort opened?”
“Tianna and Gus?”
He nodded.
“Yes. They worked on a cruise ship before coming to the Regency.”
“I see quite a few of the mail wait staff here this morning.”
<
br /> “Most of Tianna’s students are women and since men are usually reluctant, someone always needs a partner.”
He mentally grinned. This morning, he, too, had been reluctant. Not so much now.
She lowered her voice. “As far as I can tell, no one seems to be concerned about Jack’s murder.”
“Other than the staff, I doubt too many of these people know. The incident happened at twelve-thirty a.m. and the Deckers left immediately afterward. Add that to the fact that Santana is persistent about keeping it quiet, and it’s like it never happened.”
“Do you want to skip class so we can mingle somewhere else while we investigate?”
“Absolutely not. I just learned to Salsa and I’m not leaving until I practice my skills.”
Tianna must’ve read his mind when she summoned them back to the action. “Okay, everyone, let’s dance!”
He didn’t hesitate to grab Bailey’s hand and follow orders.
Bailey stood in front of Ice on the dance floor while the warmth of his hands on her hips caused delicious goosebumps to dance on her skin. Once the music began to play and she began to move her body in the way she’d been taught, the heat generated between them threatened to devour the room. Her hips moved seemingly on their own as if they sought direct contact with him, swiveling in an effort to brush against the part of him she wanted most.
He spun her to face him and her gaze met his, hot and hungry. Encouraged by his blatant desire, she issued another tease by dragging her tongue across her bottom lip while she lifted one side of her hair and rotated her hips.
His appearance was definitely one of severe concentration. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, his gaze still locked securely to hers. Tiny sweat droplets clung to his forehead and his fingers pressed tightly against her hipbones. She moved her gaze downward, desperate for temporary relief from the magnetic torture. His chest rose and fell rapidly with the tempo of his breathing while his abdominals tightened with the movement of his hips. And between his legs, evidence that he clearly wanted her only made the flames cackle louder. Wanton need tightened her breasts and caused her thighs to tingle.
Ice spun her again while she attempted to process the attraction between them. Was Salsa really that stimulating? Were they simply caught up in the sexy tease of the movement? She flicked her wrist in time to the music as instructed, the action also dismissing her thoughts. Salsa was definitely stimulating, but the chemistry between the two of them was not caused by the music or the motion – pure, unadulterated desire was to blame.
She nearly screamed when the music finally ended and her body pressed his – screamed because now she had no excuse to wallow in his arms and bake in the unmistakable heat between them, and because stripping him naked and seducing him in Salsa class was totally inappropriate.
Instead, she released a slow breath to quieten her raging hormones and stepped back.
“How about a drink?”
He smirked. “Sure, but it won’t help.”
“No?”
“No.” He stepped forward and tipped her chin with a finger. “You and I both know exactly what will extinguish this fire. Until that happens, we’ll burn alive.”
She opened her mouth to suggest they talk more about stoking the fire and then closed it when Tianna rushed over.
“Nice job, you two! I’m impressed!”
Her cheeks warmed. “You’re a wonderful teacher, Tianna.”
“No, that was all chemistry.” The other woman dismissed her with a wave of her hand. “I wondered, though, if I might ask you for a favor?”
“Sure.”
“I need to set up the ballroom for the dance tomorrow night. Would you mind teaching yoga on the beach this afternoon?”
“Do you think I’m qualified?”
“Of course! You have beautiful form. Besides, it’s a beginner’s class and you’re overly qualified.”
She glanced at Ice. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all. I’m going to hit the gym and the pool.” He leaned down and pecked her lips. “Go, have fun but watch your surroundings.”
She nodded. “I’ll meet you in the suite before dinner.”
***
In the evening twilight, Diesel sat behind the steering wheel of his truck, protected from detection by the severely-tinted windows, and waited for the sky to darken. He moved his gaze around the area, quiet and still at the evening hour, while he took mental inventory of the surroundings. The sidewalks were clear, the palm trees swayed with a light breeze, and light poured from the living room window of the house in front of which he parked. He reached for the binoculars on the seat beside him, lifted them to his eyes, and focused on the front bay window. Although she’d drawn the curtains, she had left them open enough to see inside.
From his position, he could see the female occupant stretched out on the sofa while the tv flickered in front of her. He moved the binoculars to the wall behind her, encouraged to see the solid red light of the alarm, indicating she was adequately secured for the night. He lowered the binoculars, inhaled, and then released a long breath. Everything and everyone appeared to be in place for the night. He smirked and shook his head. He felt like a voyeur, spying on her like this, but it was part of the job. He’d agreed to keep an eye on her and that’s what he intended to do.
With his naked eye, he watched as she left the sofa and approached the window. Although he knew she couldn’t see him in the dark confines of his vehicle, he couldn’t help but lean back against the seat and attempt to blend. Damn, she had an impressive silhouette.
Dressed in tight, dark pants and a tank top, her slender body boasted curves that went on for days, complete with nicely tight thighs that he sincerely appreciated. Her facial features appeared flawless, in his opinion, and he wondered why she’d chosen to put her designs in front of the camera instead of her body. He shook his head. Trista Anderson was an insanely attractive woman but he wasn’t here to ogle her, just check on her. He lifted his wrist to check his watch. Eight o’clock p.m. Surely she was in for the night.
She finally did as he expected and left the window, granting him a bird’s eye view of her nice, round ass in the process. He groaned. Since when had surveillance become so frustrating?
Now both annoyingly aroused and assured she was safe for the night, he pushed the ignition button to start the engine. There were plenty of reports waiting for him back at the compound to take his mind off Trista and her beautiful body. He purposely left the truck lights off as he placed his foot on the accelerator and prepared to leave the curb. He had just turned the wheel when flashing red and blue lights caught his attention in the sideview mirror.
Trista tucked herself deeply into Bailey’s living room coat closet while her whole body shook. She took several deep breaths in order to calm her nerves enough to relay information to the police operator on the other end of her cell phone.
“Yes, I see the lights now.”
“An officer will contact you as soon as he makes contact with the suspect. Please stay in the house with your doors secured,” the dispatcher told her.
“Okay, thank you very much.”
She disconnected the call, left the closet, and returned to the window, somewhat relaxed when the red and blue lights brightened the darkness. Although she didn’t know for sure that someone occupied the truck parked at the curb, she knew for absolute sure that the vehicle did not belong there and it hadn’t moved in the last thirty minutes.
A wave of anxiety rolled over her. She had planned the trip to Hummingbird Bay to give her anxiety a break. Maybe it was time to cut her vacation short and return to New York City; blending into a crowd was much easier there and it had worked this far.
The sound of the doorbell interrupted her thought process and brought it back around to the issue at hand. She reached for the door handle and then drew it back. Grinning, she turned to the alarm keypad and pushed buttons until the red light turned green. She opened the door to find a uniformed officer
on the welcome mat.
“Good evening, ma’am. We received a report of a disturbance.”
She nodded. “The black truck parked at the curb concerns me. It doesn’t belong there and it hasn’t moved for the last thirty minutes.”
“I’ve made contact with the driver. He says he’s been hired to provide personal security for you.”
She frowned. “I didn’t hire anyone. Did you get his name?”
“Yes, ma’am. I know him personally. His name is Cason Clark, but he says you know him as Diesel.”
Her eyes widened in both shock and relief. “Diesel is parked outside, scaring the holy living daylights out of me?”
“Uh, yes ma’am. Would you like to speak to him?”
“You bet I would.” And he better hope that speaking was all she did to him.
The policeman nodded. “I’ll send him inside.”
“That won’t be necessary, Cooper.”
Diesel stepped out of the shadows and into the light cast by the lamp mounted just over the door. “I can take it from here.”
“Will you be okay, ma’am?” The officer winced as he glanced at Diesel. “Sorry, I have to ask.”
Diesel shrugged as if he wasn’t bothered.
“I’ll be fine,” she answered.
The policeman nodded and left the porch.
“Are you crazy?” she hissed. “You scared the life out of me!”
He stepped toward her while he gestured at the door. “Inside.”
“What makes you so sure I’ll let you in?”
“You will.”
He barreled right past her, closed the door, turned to face her, and then crossed his arms over his chest.
“What’s got you so spooked?”
“You! Well, not you exactly, but I had no idea that you were the person inside the truck.”
“I came by to make sure you were locked down for the night.”
“And you couldn’t have called?”
