What would it take to make him lose control? What kind of woman would it take to make a man like him forget everything but raw, primitive need? Did such a woman exist? Was she stupid to even speculate? Probably. She’d never been the type to stir men to unbridled passion.
Deciding her backside had been exposed long enough, Rianna turned to offer her front to the sun. Tremont had fussed about her staying on deck too long, but it felt as close to heaven as she’d ever known.
Gregory, Sullivan, the agency and its moles were far, far away while she basked on her tiny island of freedom. She tilted a visor over her eyes, but managed to keep Tremont in full view. She loved watching the play of muscles in his arms and shoulders as he swung the fishing pole to cast out his line. His subdued but obvious strength fascinated her.
The midday sun soon had every inch of her skin tingling from prolonged exposure. Flesh that had been cooled by the water was now sizzling. Heat penetrated her bikini top to tighten her nipples, spreading the nerve-titillating sensation throughout her body. Watching her hunky companion increased her arousal, so she shut her eyes and tried to get a rein on her wayward libido.
Dozing and unaware of the passing time, she continued to rest until a shadow fell over her body. At the same time, she felt the gentle splash of something cool on her neck. It sizzled on her overheated flesh. Peeking from beneath the visor, she glared at Tremont. He stood beside her chaise, dribbling bottled water on her sun-drenched skin.
It felt like a liquid caress against her bare flesh, so cool and sensual that her breasts grew full and tight. For that reason only, she gasped and glared at him. He returned her gaze with an unrepentant and totally wicked grin.
“Time’s up.”
“Uh-uh, I’m not on a schedule.”
“Oh, yeah, you are. You’ve had enough sun and enough exposure for one day. It’s not safe to stay out here too long.”
“Go away. You’re just mad because you can’t catch any fish.”
“What makes you think that?”
She couldn’t confess to having watched his every move, so she improvised. “I haven’t heard any of those triumphant male whoops,” she drawled. “I think they’re a must for you macho types.”
“Macho, huh? What if I’m just a kind, sensitive guy who throws the fish back in the water?”
Rianna rolled her eyes in disbelief, and then she returned his grin. In that instant of teasing, something hot and electric flashed between them. So hot that her muscles tensed and her breath got caught in her throat.
Tremont’s eyes grew hooded, his features a taut mask as he stared down at her. She licked her lips, feeling wary, yet wildly excited by the fierce hunger throbbing between them. She needed to diffuse the situation before it erupted into passion, yet the look in his eyes held her mesmerized.
“If you’re going to waste your water, dribble some into my mouth,” she said, never imagining that the simple action could take on the impetus of sexual foreplay.
He did as she asked, watching her with an unblinking concentration as she swallowed, then lapped the excess off her lips. The unbridled flash of excitement in his eyes caused her breathing to grow shallow. Her heart banged against her chest as every nerve ending in her body quivered with excitement.
Closing her eyes against the ferocity of desire in his, she struggled to regain control of her rampaging pulse. Counting to ten and practicing her deep-breathing technique seemed the most practical course of action. At least, until he began to paint her body with the remaining water.
She felt the cooling stream of liquid start at her fingertips, run up her arms, across her chest and then down the other arm. Her skin sizzled, the cool water on her hot flesh causing a potent reaction in every cell of her body.
Next, he bathed her left foot, letting the water tickle over her toes and then zigzag its way up her calf to her thigh. She felt its pooling coolness on her stomach, where he painted a slow, leisurely pattern of water that caused her breathing to falter and her muscles to contract.
Her right leg got equal treatment, from toes to thigh, then the water settled in her naval. Rianna was coming apart at the seams. The erotic bath made her breasts swell against the confines of the bikini top, her nipples aching for attention.
She didn’t think she could get any more aroused, until Tremont aimed the water directly onto those rigid peaks. He slowly and painstakingly saturated each nipple through the cloth until her nerves sung with tension and she felt like launching herself off the chaise.
Her sharply indrawn breath signaled the devastating impact his caresses were having on her self-control.
“Kyle!” The exclamation was a tangle of shock, reprimand and excitement. His first name slipped out, inadvertently destroying another small barrier between them.
“I’m cooling you off.”
The words were simple, but his husky tone conveyed a more primitive message. His voice was thick with wanting. He wanted her. Maybe as much as she wanted him. Rianna dragged in a breath and opened her eyes, leveling her gaze at his body. He stood so close that his arousal was directly in her line of view. It bulged beneath the thin fabric of his shorts, signaling his own undeniable hunger.
She knew she should close her eyes and block out the sight, but her body wasn’t obeying the frantic mental commands. This man had the power to make her forget all her carefully formed plans. Feeling suddenly overwhelmed and out of her league, her panicked brain searched for a way to shatter the escalating tension.
“I think I’ll take a swim. That should cool me.” She intended to make a firm announcement, but the words came out all low and shaky. Clearing her throat, she tried again. “Maybe we both better take a dip.”
Kyle took a step backward and offered her his hand, his gaze never wavering from hers. The blue in his eyes had gone dark and hazy with need, but he allowed her some space. She slipped her hand in his and let him draw her to her feet. The touch of skin on skin lit more fires along her nerves. Another minute of contact and she’d disintegrate into a pile of ashes.
“Race you?” Her challenge lacked spirit, coming out all confused and breathy.
“Not until I get a drink of that water,” he said on a low growl, pulling her tight against him and taking her mouth with savage hunger.
He tossed the empty water bottle aside and clutched her head with both hands as he ground his mouth onto hers. The force of his kiss left Rianna helpless to respond or withdraw, until he gradually eased the pressure. Then she opened her mouth and welcomed his tongue with abandon, stroking and sucking until she drew a moan from deep in his throat.
Her hands clutched at his waist, the feel of the taut, warm skin making her eager for closer contact. He continued to cradle her head, devouring her mouth, while she strained to fit their bodies more snugly together. The rigid pressure of his arousal against her lower body made her insides quiver. Her legs began to tremble, and soon his strength was all that kept her upright.
Kyle finally lifted his mouth, allowing them to gulp in air, and then he nibbled at her lips while she fought to regain some control. Her desire for him was too strong, frighteningly so. She’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted him, and that scared the hell out of her.
Desire warred with common sense, but then he captured her mouth for another long, deep kiss. He coaxed her tongue into his mouth and sucked deeply. She felt the pull of it deep in the pit of her stomach. Moaning and rocking against him, she felt herself falling off a dangerous precipice and fought to pull herself back from the edge.
“Kyle, please!” she whispered against his hard mouth, unclear of what she begged for most.
“Tell me you’re protected,” he insisted gruffly, grasping her hips, lifting her and pulling her legs around his waist.
The action brought his arousal to the juncture of her thighs, and she gasped at the exquisite feel. So close. The satisfaction she craved was so close, his body straining and throbbing against her. She rocked herself against him and then swallowe
d his groan in another ravishing kiss.
“Protection,” he repeated, while his fingers dug into her flesh and pulled her still closer.
She took birth control pills. A female agent in a potentially dangerous situation had to protect herself against the possibility of sexual assault. But she couldn’t get the words past the lump in her throat. She wanted him, ached for him, yet something kept her from making the final commitment.
“No!” She almost screamed the word.
Kyle jerked his head back as though she’d slapped him. She felt every one of his long fingers pressing into her skin as his features underwent a frightening transformation. Rianna watched in horror as contempt replaced the passion in his eyes.
“Forget yourself for a while?” he snarled in a soft, dangerous tone that sent a shiver over her. “Or are you as skilled at teasing as you are at everything else? Another day, another conquest? Is that how you operate?”
For just an instant, she felt a shiver of fear. Kyle’s demeanor had changed in the space of a heartbeat. The drastic change shook her, and then it made her sick with shame.
She shouldn’t have screamed, but her instinct had been to protect them both. He believed her capable of selling herself, body and soul. It only proved how little they really knew each other. Succumbing to passion would satisfy a temporary urge, but ultimately make their situation worse.
She tried to pull out of his grasp, but he wouldn’t let her go. Instead, he swung her into his arms. Stifling the desire to scream, she clung as he moved across the deck.
“Hold your breath,” he commanded harshly.
The next thing she knew, they were catapulting down the sliding board. They hit the water hard and sank so deep that she nearly panicked. Quickly disentangling herself from his arms, she fought her way to the surface and dragged in a much-needed breath of air.
He swiftly put some distance between them, swimming toward the shore with strong, sure strokes. Rianna watched him, her heart heavy. What must he think of her? And why did it matter so much? He’d been equally guilty in the explosion of passion, but she felt like a fool and a phony.
After dragging in a few long breaths, she floated in the water until she’d recovered her composure. When he started swimming back toward the boat, she climbed from the water and headed straight for the shower.
Once she’d finished, Kyle took a turn, and she made them a light lunch. They ate in silence, each having withdrawn into a protective shell. Then he spent the next couple of hours boating around the lake while she watched a movie on the VCR. Despite their separate pastimes, each was acutely aware of the other’s proximity.
Toward late afternoon, Kyle realized the fuel tank was getting low. He turned to Rianna, allowing himself to study her for the first time since he’d had her in his arms. His muscles tightened at the memory, but he determinedly ignored the reaction.
Once his hormones were under control, he had gotten over the anger at her rejection. She’d prevented them from committing a major act of stupidity. Pregnancy might not be a concern, but he didn’t have any condoms with him. It shook him to think he would have engaged in unprotected sex with a woman who’d shared her body with scum like Haroldson.
The thought both disgusted and infuriated him. The disgust was normal, the anger wasn’t, and that worried him. He had no business getting more deeply involved.
Aside from Margie, there hadn’t been many serious relationships in his life. In his early years, he’d been too focused on his career to think about long-term commitments. Since Margie, he’d been too wary. Anytime he got involved, it was with the clear understanding that he wasn’t looking for permanency.
He should be thanking Rianna for calling a halt to an explosive situation, but he couldn’t find the words.
She’d put on a pair of pink shorts with a white, cropped top that partially bared her midriff. Her hair looked clean, soft and shiny. Her arms and legs already looked a shade darker and just a little sunburned.
He’d been aware of her activity ever since the movie ended, but now he realized she’d been baking. The scent of cookies filled the galley, making his mouth water. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had freshly baked cookies.
“We need to refuel,” he said, capturing her attention.
She looked directly at him, but her expression remained guarded.
“According to this map, there’s a huge dock called Burnside at the other end of the lake. I’m heading there now.”
Rianna nodded. “It might be better to steer clear of the dock where we left the car. That way none of the staff will get too familiar with the sight of us.”
“We need to call Sullivan,” he added, “but we can’t use a local pay phone. Do you have a cellular?”
“Yes, but it’s probably of no use out here. It should work once we get to a little higher elevation.”
“Okay, then, we’ll dock, refuel and take a hike until we can get a signal.”
Rianna merely nodded, looking more subdued than he’d ever seen her. It made him feel guilty, yet irritated by the guilt. He searched for a way to ease the disturbing tension between them.
“You sharing any of those cookies? They sure smell good,” he said, his tone light as he offered an olive branch.
The innocent pleasure that lit her features made a knot in his gut. She offered him a tentative smile along with the cookies, and the knot tightened, a sure sign that he was beginning to care too much. He knew better than to get emotionally involved, yet she made it hard to maintain an impersonal distance.
“They’re just the packaged kind you slice and bake,” she warned, easing more of the strained atmosphere.
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” he said, taking a handful. He thanked her and turned back to the wheel.
The refueling didn’t take much time. After they’d finished, Kyle steered them into an empty birth where he secured the boat. Rianna grabbed her oversize bag and they started climbing the winding path toward the highway.
People and cars came and went, but no one paid them much attention. They were just another couple of strangers in an area swarming with vacationers. They walked steadily uphill for half an hour, and then settled onto a wooden bench while Rianna called Sullivan.
“The call’s being forwarded,” she said. “He’s probably not home from the office yet.”
Kyle leaned his head closer so that he could hear any conversation, but the move brought his face disturbingly close to hers. Close enough that he could smell the flowery scent of her shampoo. His pulse reacted, and then he heard the click of a connection.
“Sullivan.”
“It’s Phantom,” said Rianna.
“You and Tremont okay?”
“We’re fine,” said Kyle. “How’s everything on your end? Is Gregory behind bars?”
Sullivan’s tone was grim. “Not yet.”
“Why not?” they demanded in unison.
“The district attorney got the indictment, but we’re waiting on a search warrant for his estate. As soon as we have it, we’ll arrest him. I don’t want to give him an opportunity to have evidence destroyed. We want to take him and his cohorts by surprise, or they’ll go into hiding behind a bunch of high-priced lawyers.”
“Sounds like a solid plan,” said Tremont.
“Is there anything I should look for besides his business records?”
“My suite of rooms is on the northeast corner of the house,” explained Rianna. “The closet has a circular clothes rack with a center section portioned off for shoes. That’s where you’ll find the videotapes I couldn’t smuggle out with me. There should be five. It’s important that you keep the one labeled ‘Party.’ The rest can be turned in to the agency.”
“Why should I keep any of them? You know it won’t be valid evidence unless it’s legally confiscated during the search.”
“It’s not part of the evidence,” she insisted. “It’s personal and so important, Donald. You have to get all the tapes and keep that
one for me. Don’t trust another soul with it.”
“Whatever you say. I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Promise?”
“On my life,” he assured her, then added, “We’re going to get him.”
Kyle felt Rianna relax, only then realizing how tense she’d been during the conversation. His curiosity about her just went up a couple more notches. What kind of tape had she hidden? Was it personally incriminating? Maybe an x-rated video of the two of them? The thought made his gut clench.
He supposed it could be some kind of weird or deviant game Haroldson played. Maybe he’d taped her without her knowledge, or in a compromising situation. She wouldn’t want it to fall into the wrong hands. The idea made him furious.
His voice held a low throb of anger as he spoke to Sullivan. “We’ve got to go. What next?”
“Stay low and call again tomorrow about the same time. I should have good news by then.”
“Is Haroldson still proclaiming that his fiancée’s been kidnapped?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t have to disclose Rianna’s identity. Someone tipped the press off to another possibility.”
“What possibility?”
“That Haroldson’s fiancée wasn’t kidnapped, but ran off with her lover. A much younger man.”
Kyle tilted his head enough to lock gazes with Rianna. He watched her eyes darken at the suggestion, and then she lowered her lashes to hide her reaction.
The ploy amused him, easing some of the tightness in his chest. “You wouldn’t have been responsible for that bit of gossip, would you?”
Sullivan’s response was all innocence. “I’m just doing my part to keep my FBI buddies in North Carolina informed. And you know how the media always jumps on every new angle.”
Kyle smiled and glanced at Rianna again. She looked equally pleased by Sullivan’s tactics.
“Sounds like you’ve got everything under control. We’ll get back to you tomorrow.”
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