by Zara Keane
He kissed her knuckles. “Let’s not worry about the details tonight. Just know I want to be with you, however and wherever we swing it.”
“We barely know one another,” she said, tracing the lines of his sea goddess tattoo. “At least, I barely know the real you.”
Liam propped himself up on an elbow and winced in pain.
Jill touched his bandages. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine. Just a little sore after all that movement.” He smiled down at her and the power of his gaze warmed her from her scalp to her toes. “Now what would you like to know about the real me?”
She bit her lip as a myriad of questions tumbled through her mind. “What was it like being undercover? Did you enjoy living a—” She paused, searching for a neutral phrase.
“Did I enjoy living a lie?” He flashed her a rueful grin. “It was fun for the first couple of weeks, but pretending to be someone else wore me down. I liked the cooking part of being a chef, and the guys on the island are good people. I can’t say we became friends, though. I had to keep up my grumpy chef act and speak in broken English. Didn’t exactly lend itself to forging friendships.”
“Sounds difficult. I don’t think I could keep up a pretense for so long. Did you train for undercover work as a SEAL?”
He shook his head. “That’s not what SEALs do. The undercover business was pure chance.”
“Really?” She gazed at him curiously. “How did you fall into it?”
“A friend who’d left the Navy started his own private security company. When I said I was thinking of getting out of the military, Cash offered me a job. He had a guy lined up for the Inish Glas mission, but the man’s mother died the day before he was due to leave. I was a last-minute replacement.”
“Because you could cook and speak French?”
“Exactly.” He leaned back against his pillow and pulled her close. “The worst part was being away from Meggie. The job was never meant to drag on for months. At the time I met you, I honestly thought I’d be leaving in a couple of weeks, and you made it clear you weren’t after a relationship.”
“I wasn’t,” she admitted. “I’d just broken up with my on-off boyfriend. But after our one-night stand turned into several weekends, I did feel I deserved more from you than a vanishing act.”
“I know, Jill. I tried to talk to you after my sister left, and you brushed me off each and every time. I didn’t want to stalk you, and I couldn’t have told you the whole truth even if you had agreed to talk to me. The job I was on only wrapped up last week.”
She exhaled a sigh. “I’m sorry, but this is a lot to take in. Between the bomb at the hotel and you suddenly being someone else…”
“I’m the same person you met last summer,” he said softly, “just with a different name and accent.”
She opened her mouth to argue the point but was interrupted by the insistent vibration of her phone. Olivia’s name flashed on the display. Jill glanced at her bedside clock and frowned. “If Olivia is calling me at one o’clock in the morning, it has to be important.”
Jill hit connect and pressed the phone to her ear. “Hey, Olivia.”
Her friend got straight to the point. “Have you seen the news? Your face and Liam’s are splashed all over the media.”
Jill leaped off the bed and fired up her laptop. Sure enough, the website of the Daily Echo featured a photo of her and Liam outside the Sheldon Hotel under the lurid headline, “Navy SEAL Saves Sex Toy Seller from Crazed Christmas Bomber.” The story named both of them and mentioned that Jill lived in Ballybeg.
“Motherfucking journalist,” Liam swore, reading the story over her shoulder. “Does he not realize he’s just put both of us in danger? What if The Ghost sees that story and decides to make his insane agenda personal?”
“Thanks for letting me know, Olivia,” Jill said in a shaky voice. “I’ll call you in the morning.”
“Take care of yourself,” her friend said. “Contact the police and demand protection.”
Jill hit disconnect and sagged onto the bed. An icy fear spread over her body, leaving her limbs cold and numb.
“We’re moving you to a hotel,” Liam said and placed a finger against her lips. “No arguments. I’ll call Inspector Tobin on the way. Now pack a case and let’s go.”
7
An hour later, they’d driven to Cork and checked into the hotel Inspector Tobin had booked for them. The hotel was a four-star establishment on the outskirts of the city. Easily accessible for emergency services, and not far for Jill to travel to work in the morning. She nodded to the two plain-clothes policemen who had been placed outside the room for the night and opened the door with her key card.
Liam carried in her case, phone pressed to his ear. “Any problems, I’ll be in touch. Thanks, Tobin.”
“Anything I need to know?” Jill asked, extracting her nightclothes from her case.
“He still doesn’t think you’re in danger,” Liam said with a grimace, “but he agrees with me that it’s wise to be cautious.”
She raised an eyebrow. “What about you? Aren’t you in danger, too? Your name and face are also plastered over the Internet.”
“An element of danger is a job prerequisite. I’ll be okay.” His cheeky grin melted her insides and turned her knees to jelly.
“All that bravado, Liam. You need to watch your back.”
His expression grew serious. “Don’t worry about me. I can look after myself. It’s you I’m concerned for.”
She closed the space between them and rubbed her palm across his stubbled jaw. “I’m tougher than you think. Now do you want to tell me why we’re posing as newlyweds?”
Jill gestured to the bed strewn with rose petals.
Liam laughed. “Apparently, the bathroom has a hot tub. I don’t know what tale Tobin spun the hotel manager, but we’re booked in as Mr. and Mrs. Richards from Chicago.”
“Won’t the hotel staff find the guards posted outside our door strange?”
He gave a one-shouldered shrug that reminded her of his French persona, Jean-Baptiste. “Apparently, we’re traveling with bodyguards and have booked the entire floor. Let’s just say the hotel manager owes Tobin a favor.”
“Right,” she said and rolled her eyes. “What did they do with the guests on this floor?”
“No clue. That’s the hotel’s problem.” Liam began to massage her shoulders, easing the knots of tension out of them with surprising skill. “I didn’t expect to spend the rest of the night with you in a luxurious hotel, but since we’re here, why not make the best of it?”
She leaned back and looked him in the eye. “Are you thinking of the hot tub?”
A wolfish grin suffused his face. “Of course. I can’t get in with my wound, but you sure can. And then I can play with you.”
“It’s the middle of the night,” she said, trying to be sensible but growing hot at the mere thought of getting naked again with Liam.
“Are you going to be able to sleep?”
She shook her head. “Probably not. Unwinding in warm water sounds like pure bliss.”
“Then that’s what you’ll do.”
Ten minutes later, Jill sank into deep, rose-scented bubbles and sighed. “Bliss doesn’t even begin to cover it.”
Liam sat at the side of the tub, dangling his legs into the warm water. He handed her a glass of the red wine he’d located in the minibar and clinked glasses. “Cheers.”
“Sláinte.” Jill took a sip of wine. “You chose well.”
“The minibar had an impressive collection. I guess they go all out for the honeymoon suite.”
She inhaled the sweet scent of the bubble bath and stretched her legs. “It’s weird to be relaxing in a hot tub while there’s a lunatic killer on the loose.”
“Don’t think about it,” Liam said, his expression grave. “The police are posted outside, and I won’t leave you alone tonight.”
She shivered, reminded of all the people whose families were gr
ieving tonight. The situation seemed surreal. But the all too real memory of the explosion and glass showering down on the crowd was etched onto her memory. Jill squeezed Liam’s hand. “I want you to distract me.”
“With pleasure.” He leaned down and nipped her ear playfully.
She put her arms around his legs and snuggled against him, feeling his toes tickle her back. “I’m sorry it took an explosion and a crazy terrorist to bring us back together.”
“So am I. But now that we are together, I want to make the most of the night.” He placed his wine glass at the side of the hot tub and slipped his hand down between her legs. “You’re wet.”
“You don’t say,” she replied in a dry tone.
He laughed. “You know what I mean.”
Oh, she knew all too well. The sensation of him stroking her sensitive flesh soon sent shivers of anticipation through Jill’s body. She arched her back, and her breasts peeked out of the water.
Liam slid a hand upward and massaged her nipples, turning them hard. Between her legs, she was hot, wet, and achy with need. Turning, she took the tip of his shaft into her mouth and teased it with her tongue. When she gripped him with her fist and began to pump and suck simultaneously, he groaned.
“You’re killing me, Jill. I want you so damn much.”
“So take me,” she whispered. “Take me now.” She pulled herself out of the tub and straddled him, feeling the tip of his erection tickle her belly.
He nuzzled her neck, trailing kisses down to the pulse at the base of her throat and teasing her skin with his stubble. “Just as well I came prepared.” He reached behind him and grabbed a foil package.
“I also came prepared.” Jill grinned and grabbed a box from the side of the tub. “You get to try out Blush Shoppe’s one and only waterproof couples’ toy.”
“You guys make underwater sex toys?” His voice was hoarse with desire, his eyes reflecting the lust she felt for him.
“Blush Shoppe is prepared for all sexual eventualities.” Jill extracted the bright blue toy from its box. Once Liam had rolled on the condom, she slipped the rubber ring over his shaft. “Once you’re inside me, the clitoral stimulator will be in the perfect position.”
“Uh…okay.” He didn’t sound convinced but allowed her to guide him inside her and flip the switch on the vibrator. “Whoa,” he said, eyes widening. “It’s vibrating me, too.”
She grinned. “That’s the whole idea. Do you like it?”
“Oh yeah. I like anything that involves having sex with you.”
When he deepened his movements, Jill gasped and rode him harder. “This is so good. You are so good.”
“Right back atcha, baby. I could stay inside you forever.”
Jill upped the speed on the toy and gave a low laugh. “You wish.”
Liam groaned. “You’re an evil woman.”
Feeling him struggle not to come and knowing that she was in charge of their pleasure was a major aphrodisiac. Jill controlled the speed and depth of his thrusts, gradually gaining momentum. The twin sensations of him being inside her and the buzz of the vibrator almost broke her restraint. Her bud was raw from use earlier and it didn’t take long for him to bring her close to the edge again.
With each movement, her breasts rubbed against his chest. When he lowered his head to capture a nipple with his mouth, she groaned. Oh God, she wanted this. She wanted him. And she did not intend to let him go this time.
She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his arms, marveling at his muscles. While she kneaded his buttocks, he kissed her neck, her throat, her breasts. Each kiss was part torture, part bliss. The sensation of his lips on her skin, of his fingers skimming over her breasts and buttocks, made her feel like the sexiest woman alive.
And then he took control and began to thrust in earnest. Jill angled her pelvis to allow him deeper penetration. He pounded into her, rubbing the vibrator against her clit with each movement. The tension inside her mounted until she could bear it no more.
When she came, she cried out, one wave of pleasure rolling into another. “More,” she moaned. “I want more.”
Liam complied. One orgasm rolled into another. Jill cried out, not caring if the police guarding the door heard.
“I’m going to come,” Liam said with a gasp. And then he did, pounding harder and faster until he was thoroughly spent.
After they both came back to Earth, they collapsed together against the side of the tub, gasping.
Liam caught her mouth in a kiss. “That was amazing. Even better than earlier and I didn’t think that was possible.”
She put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He tasted of wine and dark chocolate—two of her favorite flavors rolled into one.
When they broke the kiss, Liam stared into her eyes, melting her from the inside out. His look was intense, the levity of earlier put on hold. “I don’t think you should go to work tomorrow.”
“Don’t you mean today? It’s nearly four o’clock in the morning.”
“Today, tomorrow, whenever. I’m due to liaise with Tobin and his team at eight. I’d feel a lot happier knowing you were here with guards outside the door.”
“I know you would, but I’ve had time to think. I don’t intend to be intimidated by a terrorist. I’m grateful for the police protection tonight, but the Blush Shoppe CEO is insisting that all the stores stay open, including ours. How can I expect my staff to show up for work if I don’t?”
“Their faces weren’t published in the media.”
“You said Tobin’s team have guards outside the shop, right?”
Liam nodded.
“So there’s no reason why I can’t go to work. I’ll go crazy if I’m cooped up in the hotel room all day, worrying about the store.”
He shook his head and sighed. “I can’t stop you from going to work, Jill. I’m just saying I think it’s a bad idea.”
“No offense, but are you sure the guy you saw entering the Sheldon was The Ghost? Maybe you thought it was because he was on your mind. You said you didn’t see his face.”
“I saw his tattoo. And if it wasn’t him, a bomb exploding a few minutes later was one hell of a coincidence.”
“But The Ghost can’t have shown up in person in the other cities he attacked. Why Ireland? Does he have Irish connections?”
Liam shook his head. “We don’t know. It’s possible. He’s a blue-eyed Caucasian, average height, brown hair. No distinguishing facial features. An average guy with an average appearance. The only noticeable mark is a vine tattoo on his left hand.”
“He obviously knows his way around explosives. Could he have had army training or something similar?”
“We suspect he’s had military training, either as part of the official armed forces or as a paramilitary. As far as we know, this is the first time he’s hit Ireland. There’s no particular reason to link him to the country except for the fact that I saw him in Cork. And I did see him, Jill. One thing I learned in the Navy was to hone my instincts and trust my gut.”
“Why did he go to the Sheldon in person? Why not one of the other cities?”
Again he shook his head. “You’re asking me questions I can’t answer. The bombs in the other cities were planted in advance and used timers. The one in the Sheldon was detonated by a cell phone.”
Jill ran a hand through her hair. “I can’t believe they printed our names. Do you really think The Ghost will make his mission personal? Has he ever done so before?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m concerned about your safety.” Liam’s expression was grave. “I can’t give you many details about my previous encounter with him, but it was during a hostage rescue attempt. The Ghost had taken umbrage at an influential individual’s use of prostitutes and took him hostage.”
“Did you rescue the guy?”
“No.” He averted his gaze, and a muscle in his jaw tensed. “It was my one failed mission during my time as a SEAL. And now the media handed you to him on a platter. I do
n’t want you to become a target.”
A tremor coursed through Jill’s body. She wrapped her arms around herself to stop the shaking. “If that arse of a photographer hadn’t been so greedy, neither of us would have been put at risk.”
Liam sighed. “He was doing his job. Under normal circumstances, naming us wouldn’t have done any harm, but we’re not dealing with normal here. The Ghost has an agenda and a tendency to home in on individuals who personify everything he stands against. You’ll go nowhere without police protection, understood?”
“Understood.”
“If the police tell you to duck, you do it without question. If they tell you to stay put, you do your best statue impression. Got it?”
“Yes. I’m going to the store. I need this job, and I’m not letting a terrorist intimidate me.”
Liam focused on her face as if memorizing each detail. “I can’t decide if you’re incredibly brave or totally stupid.”
“I prefer brave.”
He drew her into his embrace and kissed her. She clung to him, not wanting it to end, dreading having to let him go. When they broke apart, he smoothed back her hair. “We should try to get some sleep, even if it’s only a couple of hours.”
As if on cue, Jill yawned, making them both laugh. “If I’m snuggled up with you, I think I can manage a snooze.” She ran her palms over his chest and down between his legs. Her smile widened. “Or maybe not.”
8
A couple of hours later, Liam was thankful for his military training in dealing with sleep deprivation. He’d still need coffee to deal with the day ahead, but he was bearing up better than Jill.
“Ugh,” she moaned as she pulled her red Toyota Yaris into the space she rented near Blush Shoppe. “I feel like my eyes have been sandpapered,”
“Yeah. I’m not doing too good myself. Do you have a coffee machine at work?”
Her pretty face lit up with amusement. “Allegedly. It specializes in brown sludge.”
