by Bella Juarez
Pulling into an empty parking lot, he looked at her again, and she hid the excitement that ran through her. The dash lights revealed that the spark of mischief had been replaced by smoldering desire in his midnight-black eyes. The need to call his bluff this time made Rio hold her ground. She wouldn’t allow him to influence her with his overwhelming sensuality. An intense wave of excitement made her pussy clench, and she inhaled in an attempt to rein herself in and keep her cool. He moved close to her.
“If I ask, you might say no. So, I’m kidnapping you.”
This wicked game they were playing kept getting more risky with every move, and now it was her turn. Her headstrong nature kicked in. He started this, but she made up her mind to finish it. This was no prank; the sly, sexy smile on his face told her he was hungry all right but not for anything on the menu at a restaurant in Bisbee. She wasn’t about to be bested. If he wanted to play, so be it.
“Kidnapping a federal agent is a felony. I’d have to arrest you,” she said.
Knowing her words would drive his dirty mind straight in for the kill, she waited for his countermove and planned her next step. Danny closed his eyes and groaned. The reaction took her by surprise because he seemed more enthralled than ever, and the smoldering look took on the faraway, glazed expression of an erotic trance.
“Does that mean putting me in handcuffs?”
He’d rendered her speechless. Did he actually want her to put him in cuffs? The image of cuffing him to her bed and exploring every inch of his hard body for as long as he could stand it sent a shudder through her. A second shiver shook her when she pictured mounting him and riding his cock for all she was worth while he lay there helpless to do anything but take it. She wiggled on the seat when her nipples beaded, and her pussy clenched. The vision of him handcuffed and naked had just given her a mini orgasm. She quivered again and caught her breath. She wrestled her control back and lifted her chin to meet his eyes. The steady stimulation of their lecherous banter and, the images he’d planted in her head had taken her over the edge without him touching her. She refused to let him have this kind of power over her.
Moving in as close to his lips as she could without touching, she whispered, “Is that what you want, Danny, a taste of my cuffs?”
With satisfaction, she saw his jaw drop slightly and the wanton trance deepened as he inhaled with a hiss. The breathy hiss screamed louder than any yes he could roar. She didn’t move and dared him to take the next step. This time he backed down, leaning back into the seat and facing forward.
“We’ll never make it to dinner if you keep talking dirty to me like that.”
Satisfied with her win, she relaxed into her seat. The ideas he’d seeded in her made her arousal level reach a new zenith and gave her a new dimension on her sexuality that she didn’t know existed until now. Why did it spur her to the point of combustion to think about doing whatever she wanted to him as he lay helpless?
Having almost the same reaction she’d experienced when she saw him down on his knees petting her dog, she tried to grasp what was happening to her when she thought about Danny compared to other men. What had changed? Or had it ever changed? It used to piss her off that his high school bimbo girlfriend could crook her finger and he’d go running like a hyper puppy chasing after a ball. She’d been through enough with men to know she’d end up with dogs as her companions because dogs accepted her as is and didn’t try to change her. She looked down at her grimy uniform to avoid thinking about what he’d just done to her because, on some level, it frightened her.
“I’d like to go home and change, and then I’ll go wherever you want,” she said.
“No,” he said with a sultry chuckle. “You’re perfect just the way you are.”
Chapter 6
Mall at Sierra Vista
Sierra Vista, Arizona
June 19, 2010/2119 Zulu
Friday and Dan took a short drive to the more affluent Sierra Vista to meet with the FBI agent attached to an anti-terrorism task force. Senior Chief Petty Officer Gavin “Badass” Walsh had just landed in Tucson and was on his way. Navy Special Warfare Group 5 had been designed to meet the ever-increasing threat of cyber terrorism and other unconventional methods of warfare being carried out by enemies of the United States. Much like the Navy Special Warfare Development Group known as DevGru or SEAL Team 6, they were comprised of best-in-class SEALs and support personnel to address threats that didn’t meet the specific criteria of Navy Special Operations. They also had a reserve unit that recruited members from federal agencies. Special Agent Walsh was the first in a long list of federal agents who could operate where the Navy couldn’t—US soil.
While Friday stuffed his face, Dan surfed his phone and thought about his impromptu date with Rio the night before. They’d gone to his favorite pizza place, and he’d behaved himself for the rest of the night while they were out. By the time he got home, he was sure he’d have permanent indentations of his zipper crisscrossed on his cock. Her offer to grant his wish and restrain him had kept his dick hard enough to drive railroad spikes for the rest of the night. He ended up taking a cold shower at two in the morning because visions of being tied down and at her mercy almost compelled him to get up and drive to her house. He’d push every button she had to goad her into following through with her threat.
When she backed him into a corner and demanded he tell her what he really wanted last night, it solidified his conviction that she was his perfect woman, and leaving her behind wasn’t an option this time. The decision to behave centered on what he’d seen in her eyes as he pulled back on the road—her dominant spark had given way to some fear. It had stayed there the rest of the night, but he’d also seen excitement and curiosity. She kept a little more distance between them, and he respected her need to think about how she felt. He was sure that no one other than the men or the dogs she worked with had ever experienced her assertive behavior, and for someone to encourage it had to be confusing her.
This would be a slow process. He had to be patient and let her wrap her mind around what she was and that it was everything he wanted. The first thing he’d noticed about her was the way she guarded herself and guessed it was from the years of being misunderstood. Her strong personality was what made her damn good at her job but kept her lonely when she got home at night. He’d struck the spark as he played his erotic game. Now he had to fan and carefully tend the dominant fire he’d started in her. As he’d painted the picture of her taking him in hand, the excitement and arousal in her eyes was irresistible, and he noticed the way it made her squirm. He’d bet the balance of his bank account that she’d been as wet as he’d been rock hard. When he looked up as Gavin took a seat, he knew he had to get his meeting over with as soon as possible.
“Hey, guys, what’s the latest?” Gavin asked.
“You’d better load up, Badass. Bisbee is out in the middle of nowhere, and you might not get to eat for days,” Friday suggested as he stuffed his face.
Gavin shot Dan a confused look and he shrugged. “He’s been weird the whole trip.”
“Anything new?” Gavin asked.
“No, they’re still in the hospital under guard.”
“Okay, I’ll get down there and see what’s happening.”
“Do you want us to go with you?” Friday asked, stuffing the last of his burrito into his mouth.
“It wouldn’t be a bad idea for you to come with me, Friday. Dan, why don’t you hang out until I need some technical assistance?”
“What capacity do you want me in?” Friday asked.
“Administrative support. While I’m talking to the commander of the station, I want you to go through whatever paperwork CBP has processed on these guys. Some of it we may need to classify until we know what we’re dealing with,” Gavin said.
“If you need me, I’ll be catching a movie and then heading back to my sister’s house.” Dan nodded in the direction of the theater in front of the food court.
They split up, and Dan stood in line fo
r a movie ticket. He had an ulterior motive. The opportunity he intended to make for himself presented itself in an unexpected way. He’d seen Rio walk to the window and purchase a ticket when Badass took his seat. As he stepped into the lobby, he spotted her immediately. She hadn’t changed. It was obvious to him she wanted to be alone and invisible. She’d duck and read movie posters that had one line over and over again to avoid eye contact with people.
Giving her space, he followed way behind as she walked through the theater. He smiled when he glanced at the small marquee because he’d bought a ticket for the same movie. As he watched her find her seat and settle in, he thought about all the times he’d wanted to ask her out to a movie or just hang out. He hung back and watched her relax into the seat and guessed this was one of the few times she truly had a quiet moment to herself.
As the lights dimmed, his mischievous intent grew, and he came up with several ways he could tease her again. He glanced down at his popcorn and smiled as a deliciously evil plan took shape. He knew exactly what he’d do to stoke the embers again. When the first preview flashed on the screen he made his move.
* * * *
Rio melted into the seat in complete relaxation. Her bliss was short-lived, however.
Son of a bitch! What the hell now?
When the previews started, damn it if someone didn’t take the seat right next to her! She gave the side-eye to the person who’d dared to invade her space. She’d purposely chosen to sit at the edge of the nearly empty theater in order to avoid people.
“What are you doing here?” Danny whispered.
“Watching a movie,” she replied.
Rio leaned back in her seat. Since last night, he’d been the center of every free thought. She’d gone to the station today to speak with the officer investigating her shooting incidents. He’d cleared her for duty on Monday, but she had one final interview before he filed his report. While she’d waited between interviews, she decided to do a little snooping on her own. The FBI agent who mysteriously knew they had suspected terrorists in custody had called the station again to inform them he’d just arrived. It had been hard to concentrate. All she could think about was Danny and what he did to her every time he looked at her. Her reaction to his nasty game last night had shaken her. Having an orgasm without being touched was new territory, and a little scary. She’d become accustomed to guarding herself and adjusting her behavior to avoid being judged. In less than forty-eight hours Danny had busted right through the wall she’d built around herself for the last eleven years.
Last night after she’d dropped him off, she sat and thought for a long time. In all those years, he hadn’t looked back. She recalled seeing her brother off and Danny with him, and it occurred to her what he’d said to her just before he walked out of her life. He was glad to be moving on and leaving home. With that single off-handed comment, he’d cut her heart out and never even knew. She’d never forgotten that life lesson, and since then, she proceeded with caution in any relationship. Seeing him again stirred feelings she’d tried to forget, and his constant stimulation brought back those feelings like a breaking wave pulling her under.
As she looked at him in the flickering light of the movie screen, she saw mischief dancing in his eyes—a good thing. She needed the familiar prankster to help her regain her equilibrium, not the sexy man who gave her wicked visions of her domination and his submission.
“Do you like horror flicks?” he asked.
“Yes, you know I do,” she said.
“Freak,” he said under his breath.
Rio giggled. “What are you doing here?”
“Watching a movie, eating popcorn.” He held up the container.
“Do you like horror flicks?”
She knew the answer to the question. He loved them as much a she did.
“Love ’em,” he whispered.
“Freak.”
Danny chuckled, and she marveled at how deep his voice had gotten and remembered when it had changed in middle school. She thought about last night again and the way he stood up to the town bully, and the profound change she’d noticed in him. Anyone could see how he had changed, but the more she thought about him, the more she noticed some subtle things hadn’t. He still had the same playful coal-black eyes that lit up when he was up to no good. His naturally tan skin reflected his mixed Native American and Latin heritage. When he smiled, he still had the same heart-melting dimples that his five o’clock shadow couldn’t hide.
When they were in school, he’d worn his hair short. It was even shorter now and spiked. She recalled how she ached to run her fingers through it when he’d been on his knees looking at her. To anyone who didn’t know what he really did, he looked like a young professional. It was odd to her that he didn’t have the typical military haircut; as a naval officer he should be setting an example. A lot of things that seemed odd about him now made sense.
Turing her attention back to the screen, she tried to focus on the previews flashing in front of them. It was hard to pay attention with him sitting so close to her. He leaned in closer, and her heart flip-flopped, something she’d come to accept as the norm whenever he’d get close. She shivered.
“Want some popcorn?” he offered.
Rio put her hand out for the container, but he pulled it away from her. The constant prankster, she wondered what kind of joke he was playing now. She gazed into his eyes in the dim theater and swallowed hard as a tremor of excitement ran through her. Her sexy demon had returned and started round two of his erotic game. He picked up a piece and held it close to her mouth, teasing her with the salty morsel. She had to make a decision. How far did she want to go with him for the short time he was here? It was a sure thing that she’d get left behind, but the images of him on his knees and in her handcuffs haunted and fascinated her. She had to find out why she reacted so strongly.
“Trust me,” he whispered.
Attraction and a little fear made her close her eyes to avoid the intensity of his stare. The seductive tone of his voice didn’t leave her guessing at his intent. Determined to call his bluff, she steeled herself as every nerve ending in her body tingled when he brushed the popcorn against her lips. She opened her mouth, and he placed the piece on her tongue making her heart race and her breathing quicken with anticipation. He traced her lips with the second piece, tempting her as he placed it in her mouth and brushed his finger over her closed lips.
The sweep of his finger sent a zing straight to her pussy. He could’ve been stroking her clit with the way it made her throb and gush. Her nipples beaded and she found it unbelievable that he could arouse her to the point of self-combustion with a piece of popcorn and his finger. If he kept this up, she’d come without him touching anything other than her lips. He paused, and she opened her eyes. He’d moved even closer. The beautifully dangerous tiger had returned and looked as if he’d devour her where she sat. Looking down into his lap, she saw the bulge in his jeans and licked her lips as her imagination went wild with thoughts of restraining him, pulling out his cock, and sucking it until he pleaded for her to stop. The raw sexual need he pulled from her without effort made her squeeze her legs together as her pussy clenched. She looked back at him and blushed because the smile that played on his lips told her he’d seen her look down. It almost annoyed her that he was proud of his hard-on and seemed to know the effect it had on her. He traced her lips with his finger again.
“Do you want more?” he asked.
Hell yeah, she wanted more, but the wicked images he conjured frightened her. Clearing her throat, she reevaluated her next move and forced a cool exterior as she said, “If I didn’t know you better, I’d swear you were flirting with me.”
As close as he was, she ached to kiss him but didn’t dare move. That didn’t stop him from moving as he leaned forward and gently rubbed his nose against hers.
“I guess we need to get reacquainted.”
The movie began, and she settled back into her seat and took a deep breath. A
t one point in the movie, she’d been so distracted with him sitting next to her and what it did to her, the sudden action in a scene startled her. He snaked his arm around her and pulled her close. She tensed, and he stroked her arm in reassurance. The tiger was in protection mode. There was no lustful intent this time when she glanced into his eyes. There was nothing but pure warmth and comfort. His touch was sincere, allowing her to relax into his hard chest. He rubbed his cheek against her hair, and she sank into the sanctuary of his arms. The sound of his beating heart convinced her that this was no fantasy. This was her Danny, and it was real this time.
“It’s all right, babe,” he murmured as he squeezed her closer to him.
After the movie was over, he walked her outside to her car and joked with her. He’d always known how to make her laugh, and when they got to her Jeep he did something she should’ve expected, but he’d disarmed her with his humor.
“Can I treat you to dinner again?”
His sudden mood changes were a new facet of his personality she’d need to figure out. She wanted to tell him no. After all, he’d only be here for a short time, and he wasn’t hers. She still wasn’t clear about his intent. Could she be a diversion while he was home on leave? She realized she knew nothing about him anymore other than what she’d been able to find out earlier. An evil, jealous thought crossed her mind. Could he be using her to mess around on another woman he had in San Antonio? Taking control, she decided to see what his plans were. By the way his coal-black eyes sparkled with mischief, she saw her devil was back, and round three had just commenced.
“I need to go home and take care of dogs,” she said.
“I know where you live,” he said with a sexy smile. The remark had been laden with innuendo. A sudden gust of hot desert wind blew through the parking lot where they were standing. The heat made her flushed body even hotter as he brushed her hair away from her face and tucked it behind her shoulders and ears. His slight touches throughout the movie had made her feverish and left her longing for more than just the brush of his hand. She had visions of lying back and letting him explore every inch of her. “Can I bring something over while you take care of dogs? Maybe we could watch another movie? I think I remember you saying you were off work for the next few days.”
