by Donna Fasano
She spread her legs for his pleasure. His cock stretched toward her.
He grasped her ankles, and she tossed and moaned as he licked and kissed his way up her legs, nipping at her calves and thighs. Her body felt alive with electricity, each touch of his tongue and hands delivering a luscious shock.
She whimpered, longing to feel them more intimately, pleasuring her in ways she knew only this man would ever be able to. "Please, Leif.”
He smiled as he spread her legs wider. And then his mouth was on her.
She gave herself up completely to him, drugged with need, unable to resist even if she wanted to.
She didn’t want to.
His tongue was incredible. He knew exactly where to put it, and how to use it. He licked and flicked, and she came apart in moments. Blinding pleasure claimed her body, racking it again and again as waves of her tumultuous climax ripped through her.
Before she had a chance to recover, he quickly removed the rest of his clothing, then parted her legs further still, and lowered himself between them.
"Wrap your legs around me, älskling," he ordered.
She obeyed. The sight of his fully engorged cock sent shivers of desire through her body.
He flashed her a devilish look. "You want me?”
The shivers deepened. "Oh, yes.”
"How much?”
She grasped his hand and guided it to her wet, swollen, still-thrumming core. "This much.”
He smiled.
Keeping his hand where she’d put it, he traced tortuous circles around her clit. She cried out, arching her whole body at the explosion of sensation when his fingers once again pushed her over the brink of oblivion.
"Oh, my God, Leif.”
Under her ravenous gaze, he reached for a packet from the night stand.
And then his scorching body came down on hers, covering her like a blanket of fire, taking her last breath as he entered her with a single, powerful stroke.
Together at last, she clung to him, her body trembling with emotion.
In and out, he moved over her, slowly at first, then thrusting and pounding harder and faster with each stroke. His voice entwined with hers when she sang out in ecstasy, body and soul seeking to join his as one, until at last, she shattered in a million overwhelming pleasures.
Chapter 49
From somewhere far, far away, Joanne heard the insistent chirp of a huge, prehistoric cricket. She opened one eye with sleepy satisfaction when she felt Leif's muscular shoulder stir under her arm and his hand stretch out to rid them of the nuisance. Her illusion crumbled into reality when she heard his sleep-roughened voice mumble a greeting.
He shifted against her breast as he reached for the alarm clock on the night stand, sending ribbons of desire through her whole body. She was amazed at the effect such a simple movement could have on her. Yet, nothing should surprise her after last night. The hunger and passion that Leif had released within her body had shocked her. Together, they had shared an incredible night of lovemaking, lasting until just a couple of hours ago...according to the luminous dial of the alarm. And still she felt the ache between her legs start all over again, just at the brush of his arm on her breast.
As he attempted to talk, she ran her hand lightly down his chest and drew her fingers around his slumbering cock. He swallowed a groan, hastily saying something into the phone as his body awoke to her touch. He was clearly torn between stopping her hand and throwing the phone across the room. For a moment he endured her torture, then he flipped them over, landing on top of her. He captured her hands above her head, and resumed his conversation, raking her twisting body with passion-filled eyes as he spoke.
He was inching his hardened length closer and closer to her, when suddenly his eyes shifted focus and he listened intently.
Damn. It had to be something serious if it had distracted him this much.
When he hung up the phone, he looked grim. "I have to go.”
"What's happened?” she asked apprehensively.
He kissed her temple. "Kauti's hurt."
She sat up straight, instantly alert. “Jarmo’s uncle?”
Leif nodded. "Yeah. The police are at his place now. He's been shot.”
She gasped. "Oh, my God! How bad?”
"He's still unconscious—about to go into surgery.”
Horror filled her at her next thought. “This isn’t because of my grandfather’s plane, is it?"
“I don't know. But I'm worried it might be. Why else would somebody want to shoot an old man?
She looked around for her clothes. "I'm coming with you.”
"Okay. Probably a good idea." He pulled her into a quick hug, and his body stirred a little. "I love smelling us on your skin, but I think we'd better shower first.”
She nodded. "Which way?”
He pointed to the small bathroom off the bedroom. "I'll get you some different clothes. I don't want you running around in that miniskirt in broad daylight." He gave her a wink. "Too distracting.”
Chapter 50
The drive north was long, but spectacular, as usual. Leif floored the Landcruiser and they sped across Arctic tundra, through ancient boreal forests, and up and down hills of moraine left by the massive glaciers of the last ice age. Joanne asked about the various areas of geological interest they passed, and he pointed out glimpses of the timid wildlife and delicate flora.
All the while, he surreptitiously studied her reactions to everything. Did she like the savage wilderness, or did she hate it?
She caught him watching her, and smiled. "The scenery is amazing.”
A knot of tension unraveled in his stomach.
“You should see it in winter,” he said, testing her. “When the new-fallen snow sparkles blue in the moonlight, and it's so cold your boots creak like an old door.”
"Sounds romantic," she said with a laugh, and another knot dissolved. "Do you ride around in sleighs drawn by reindeer?”
He grinned. "No, we drive around in Volvos, and any sleighs you see are pulled by snow scooters.”
She mocked a deep sigh. "So much for romance."
He held up a hand. "Not so fast. I'll bet somebody around has an old-fashioned sleigh we could borrow, and I'm sure one of my Sami friends would lend us a reindeer or two to pull it.”
Her smile widened. "I'd like that.”
His pulse quickened as he said casually, "Of course, that would mean you'd have to stay till it snows..." He didn't dare to look at her, afraid to see her reaction—the aversion she would surely feel at the idea of remaining here in Karesuomi.
When she was silent for several moments, he chanced a peek.
She was studying the view out the window with an indecipherable look. "Yes, I guess it would," she finally murmured.
Despite the chilly air of early morning and the seriousness of their destination, Leif found it impossible to ignore the electricity crackling in the air between them. Or to keep himself from thinking of the future...
Dare he hope she would ever find the wild northland as fascinating as he did? That she might even consider adopting it as her home?
Before the impossible fantasy ran away with him, he reined it in. Not in a million years would he actually ask her to stay. He’d made that mistake once already, and it had cost him dearly. He was no fool.
Sure, he—and their incredible lovemaking—might manage to keep her around for a while. But unless she learned to love this distinctive land and its quiet, loyal people as much as she loved him, it was inevitable that, sooner or later, she would leave.
Of course, if the chemistry they'd shared last night was any indication, it could take years...
He glanced over at her as she sipped her coffee, entranced with the view out the window, and his heart filled with longing.
On the other hand, it might just be worth the painful end to have her with him, if only for a little while.
Chapter 51
When they arrived at Kauti's cabin, Joanne and Leif were met by t
wo uniformed policemen at the flat circle of grass where Leif parked the Landcruiser.
She watched the men shake hands somberly, and it was clear to her they all knew each other well. If Leif’s friends were curious about what she was doing there, they showed no indication.
"What happened?" Leif asked them in English.
One of the constables said, "Kauti's nephew, Jarmo, lives just down the hill. He was out walking the dog and heard shots late last night, so he came up to investigate. He found Kauti lying on the ground." The policeman pointed to a couple of small wooden structures at the edge of the forest. "They’d shot him in the back and left him for dead over there.”
Leif's eyes narrowed angrily. "How’s he doing?”
"Luckily, the bullet missed his lung. He should be okay, thanks to Jarmo's quick work.”
"Thank God," Joanne murmured. If the old man had been hurt because of her...
Leif must have seen her distress, and put an arm around her shoulders. "Any apparent motive?” he asked.
The second constable jerked a thumb in the direction of the gaily painted red cottage. "It’s a bit strange. Someone went through his place pretty thoroughly, but Jarmo didn’t think anything was missing. It’s like they were searching for something. Maybe they shot the old guy when they couldn’t find whatever it was.”
Joanne’s heart sank. Like maybe a map to the crash site, or some other clue. It couldn’t be a coincidence that one of only three people who knew the location of her grandfather’s downed plane had been shot the night before she was going to question him about it.
She frowned. And there was something else... Something that nagged at the back of her mind. But she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
"Who's in charge of the investigation?" Leif asked.
The second constable pointed toward the cottage. "Pelle Nilsson. He's in there now.”
Leif nodded. "Good. We'll need to talk to him when he's done." He looked down at her and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Pelle’s a chief inspector out of Kiruna. He’s the one who tracked down the men in the Saab for us.” She must have looked surprised, because he added, "He's also my best friend.”
A few minutes later, a tall man emerged from the cottage and spotted them. "What a nice surprise." He and Leif shook hands heartily. He included her in his smile as his sharp eyes registered that she was wearing jeans and a T-shirt borrowed from Leif. Obviously, the man was good at his job. "Out taking in the sights?”
Leif grimaced. "Not exactly." He put his arm back around her shoulders. "Pelle, this is Joanne Fager, the woman I've been telling you about who’s searching for her grandfather’s remains.”
His friend’s focus snapped to attention. He gestured for them all to sit down at a nearby picnic table. "You think this shooting may have a connection with your search for Robert Grant?”
"I think it might." Leif related what he knew about Kauti and Harry seeing the crash back in 1956, and then how Jarmo had drawn them a map to the wreck the day before. “Coincidence? I don’t think so.”
Pelle sat silently for a few moments, then turned to Joanne. "Do you agree?”
She folded her hands unhappily in her lap, still struggling to remember the elusive detail that kept nagging at her. "I hate being the cause of this, but yeah. I do.”
Leif folded his arms across his chest. "What I can't figure out is how they knew about Kauti." He shook his head. "Joanne and I only found out about him yesterday, and we haven't talked to anyone else about him. I can't imagine Jarmo did, either, or he'd have put it together and told you by now.”
She straightened like a shot.
Omigod! Bill! Oh, no…
She groaned, knowing she had to fess up. "That's not strictly true." Her voice rasped and she cleared her throat. "I, uh… I mentioned it to Bill.”
Chapter 52
Leif whipped around and nailed Joanne with a glare. "You did what?”
She winced and backed away from him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. It just slipped out when Bill and I were talking last night.”
A flood of unpleasant memories from that infernal dance swamped over him.
Bill. Naturally.
Helvete.
Leif had happily forgotten about the bastard, what with everything that had happened since then. He’d originally thought the smug, self-satisfied look on McAndrew’s face as he strolled out of the restaurant last night was because Joanne had agreeing to leave with him. When it turned out that was not true, Leif had put his rival firmly out of mind.
Now it seemed the CIA man had a different reason to gloat.
Just great. Leif’s brilliant plan had backfired—over and above making both him and Joanne crazy with jealousy. Instead of getting information from Bill, Joanne had given him information, possibly resulting in this catastrophe.
Joanne covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry. I did say I wasn't sure if Kauti knew anything…." She looked up, regret filling her eyes.
Leif’s anger melted a little. "Jo—”
"God. I probably just made things worse by saying that. If I'd told Bill everything, maybe Kauti wouldn't be hurt." She shook her head. "It's just… After Bill told me what the Hungarians might be after, I guess I started to trust him.”
Pelle's head shot up. “What?”
Surprise and disbelief swept through Leif. "He told you what they’re after? Why didn't you say something?" He fought to contain his exasperation.
Her mouth dropped open. "It's not like there was any convenient time." She floundered, and a blush crept up her cheeks. "What with one thing and another."
Leif closed his eyes and silently cursed his raging libido.
He could practically hear the grin curling up the corners of his friend’s mouth. "Yes, rumor has it the dance was unusually entertaining last night.”
Leif opened his eyes and glared at him.
Pelle looked unrepentant. "You must have gotten...distracted...and didn't have a chance to talk...first.”
Leif gritted his teeth. "You’re a fucking riot, Pelle."
He and his best friend stared at each other for a moment, then they both cracked, and started to laugh. And laugh.
Joanne stared at them both aghast. "Seriously? That poor old man is in the hospital and all you two can think of is making jokes?"
"You're wrong," Leif said, still chuckling. "All I can think of"—he pulled her close and planted a kiss on her cheek—"is you. Now, for the love of God, tell us what McAndrew said.”
Joanne huffed for a moment, but relented. “He said there was a big anti-Soviet revolt in Hungary the same month as my grandfather’s mission.”
Leif and Pelle both nodded. “And?”
She continued, “And he also said our government required Russian defectors to bring something with them to prove they weren’t double-agents—something like important military plans, or lists of operatives. That sort of thing. Bill hinted that whatever my grandfather’s KGB defector had with him might have been related to the Hungarian Uprising.”
That made a lot of sense to Leif. “And, therefore, it could be what the Hungarian secret police are looking for now.”
“Obviously, the CIA, too,” Pelle mused.
“Yeah,” Leif agreed. "McAndrew—and the Hungarians—must think Kauti found and kept whatever the defector brought with him.”
Pelle leaned back and crossed his arms. "Which would explain why he was shot.”
“Well,” Joanne said, looking skeptical, “except for the part where it’s sixty years later. Why would anyone kill a harmless old man over something so freaking old?”
“Old doesn’t necessarily mean irrelevant,” Leif said. “They have long memories in those Eastern European countries. Feuds go on for centuries down there. The Hungarian Uprising in ‘56 failed. Imagine if it could have succeeded, using whatever information the defector was bringing to the West?”
Joanne was silent for a long moment. “Man. If that’s true, then that crash rea
lly sucked. For more than just my family.”
Leif nodded. “No lie.”
“Just a theory,” Pelle reminded them.
She pushed out a breath. "Right. Besides...Bill is American. And our memories are only about as long as the next news cycle.” They all studied each other as that sank in. “Is Hungary in the news right now?” she asked.
“They’re having elections,” Leif said after thinking for a moment.
“Next month,” said Pelle with a nod.
“Okay,” she said. “That works. So, now we just have to figure out the connection.”
“If there is one,” Pelle reminded them.
“Because Bill is American,” Leif said with a frown.
Joanne’s troubled gaze met his. “Yeah. And Bill was the only one besides you and me who knew about Kauti.”
"I take it," Pelle drawled, "that both of you have alibis for last night.”
Joanne rolled her eyes, but kept looking at Leif. “Could Bill be a double-agent? Working with the Hungarians?”
“God, I hope so,” Leif muttered uncharitably. Those whips and chains were looking even better.
Pelle’s mouth twitched. “Now, now. Let’s not jump to conclusions. All of this is just conjecture. What we need is proof.”
"What we need,” said Joanne, “is to check out that plane wreck. It might just tell us if they got anything out of Kauti before shooting him. Whoever it was.”
Leif exchanged an approving glance with his friend. "The lady has a point.”
Chapter 53
"I've got to tie up things here before I can leave,” Pelle said after he and Leif had lifted the ATV from the back of the Landcruiser. “You two go find the plane. If it looks like anyone's disturbed the site, don't touch anything. Come back and get me.”
Leif nodded, fired up the ATV, and beckoned to Joanne. “Hop on. Let’s go.”
