“What are your plans from here?” Daren asked Ethan.
“Bill wants to meet with me, Monday. He threatened to put me out of the group until I mentioned withdrawing my money. Apparently, Mr. Brown had paid him a handsome sum for Morgan.”
Justin sat up straight. “I’ll kill him.”
Daren raised his eyebrows. “Strange comment from a man who doesn’t like her.”
Red-faced, Justin sank back into his chair.
“I don’t like people talking about me behind my back.” Morgan stepped into the room, leaning heavily on Ellen.
All Ethan’s blood went straight down to his dick. She’d put on his dark blue silk robe and tied it tight around her small waist. The soft material hugged every curve, and then fell into a puddle around her feet. He wanted to pick her up and carry her away, lie down with her, and bury himself in her sweet, hot pussy. He tightened his hands around the arms of his chair to keep from striding across the room, throwing her over his shoulder, and disappearing into his bedroom. Ethan glanced at Justin and saw the same hunger reflected on his face.
“My question for you all is, can I trust you?” Morgan faced them, head held high. She looked at each one of them directly. “I know Sara does, but Justin’s behavior didn’t foster trust, and I hadn’t met Jack until today. David did rescue me.”
Her glance stopped briefly at Justin. She tipped her chin higher, frowned, and moved on. When she got to Ethan, she frowned again.
“Did you rescue me because you’re a good guy, or because you suspected I’m involved in something sinister and you could get information from me?”
“Perhaps a little of both,” Ethan acknowledged.
He saw her flinch, stiffen, and look away. Maybe it was best. They had a job to do. He needed distance between them. Internally, he focused his thoughts, pulled himself in, and tried to bury his emotion.
Chapter Three
Morgan saw the change in David’s expression. She forced her legs to move forward and sat beside Sara on the couch. Sara squeezed her hand.
Ellen still stood in the doorway, looking puzzled. “This seems to be a good time for me to leave. I believe you all have things to discuss, and I’m in the way.” She glanced at Morgan. “I’ll call later.”
Sara walked to the door with her and gave her a hug. “I’ll keep in touch.”
Ellen reached for the doorknob. Jack put his hand over hers.
“Thanks for the help. You won’t talk about anything you saw or heard here today.” It wasn’t a question, but a command.
“I came to check on my friend.” Ellen stiffened and frowned at him. “I saw her, and now I’m going home.”
“Good.” He stepped back and she opened the door. “We’ll meet again, Ellen.”
“I seriously doubt it.”
The group sat silent for several seconds after she left. Morgan had leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes.
She smelled his particular scent before he spoke.
“I’ll help you back to bed.” David hovered over her.
“No. I have something to say. Then I’ll have Sara drive me home.”
“I can’t allow you to be home alone.”
“You have no say in the matter.” She glared at David.
“Well, it’s either me or Justin. Take your pick.”
“Enough! Sit down,” Daren ordered. “We have serious problems with this job. Morgan, whether you like it or not, because David chose to rescue you, you are now part of this group.”
“I don’t understand any of this. One minute I’m thinking about telling Bill I was going to leave, and the next I’m sick and passed out.”
“What kind of business is Bill really in?” Daren asked.
“He deals in electronics.”
“Come on. You know there is more to his business than simple import and export.”
“I resent your tone, Daren.”
“Your boss is involved in an international spy ring, and we suspect is procuring arms for our enemies. If you don’t want to talk with us, we’ll let you talk to the CIA.”
“What?” Morgan’s face went pale.
Sara slid close beside her and put her arms around her friend. “Daren, you didn’t have to frighten her. You know she isn’t a part of their outfit.”
“No I don’t, Sara. She’s your friend, but you don’t know what’s been going on this past year.”
Sara turned and faced Daren. “I believe in her.”
“Listen,” Ethan interrupted. “Let me talk with Morgan alone. You all go away for a while, go eat or something.”
He locked eyes with Daren.
Daren took a breath. “All right. You have an hour. When we come back we’ll discuss where we go from here.”
They all started going out the door. Justin stopped for a second, started to say something, but went on out. Daren was the last to go. He glanced across at Morgan, pale and motionless on the couch. “Are you thinking with your dick or your brain?” he snapped.
“What do you think, boss?”
He chuckled, easing the tension. “A bit of both, I suspect. I noticed when you tried to settle down and cut out the emotion. This is too new for you. I should send you and Justin both back to the ranch.” He let the words hang in the air. “But, I won’t. I have faith you’ll do the right thing.”
“Thanks,” Ethan said.
Daren clicked the door shut and Ethan listened to hear the elevator door open and close. When he turned, he found Morgan had stretched out on the sofa and was sound asleep.
“Time to wake up, princess. We have one hour, and a lot to talk about.” He raised her to a sitting position, then picked her up in his arms. He carried her down the hall and into his bedroom, strode across to the open door to his bath, and sat Morgan on a padded stool by the sink. He held her upright.
“Wake up.”
She blinked her eyes open. “I’m still sleepy.”
“Sit right here. I have something that will help.” He reached around the glass block wall to the shower controls and turned on the cold with just a little warm. Standing her up, he took his robe off of her. He’d already removed her dress, before he had put her in bed. She swayed in front of him dressed in a tiny bra and matching lace panties.
Her rosy nipples taunted him through the thin fabric. He reached behind and unfastened the clip and drew the bra away. Her perfect, full breasts tempted him to touch and taste, but when he finally made love to her, she’d be fully awake and agreeable. Moving quickly, he removed her panties, sat her back down while he stripped, and then, carrying her, stepped into the cool water.
“That’s cold. Let me out of here,” Morgan yelled as soon as the water cascaded over her face and body.
“As soon as you get fully awake, I’ll let you get out.”
Morgan sputtered her protest. He let her stand, but held onto one arm in case she started to fall. The cool water ran over her hair and down her curvy body.
Ethan was so hard and hot he was surprised he didn’t spontaneously explode. Damn, he wanted her. His cock pulsed with the need to be inside her. His hands wanted to cup her breasts, and his mouth wanted to suck on her puckered nipples. It took all his strength to stop himself.
She wiped the water from her face and leaned back to really look at him for the first time. “You were at the office a few weeks ago. That’s where I saw you.”
“Right. What else do you remember?”
“About what, the party or Bill’s business? Can we talk in a warmer place?”
“Are you awake now?”
She nodded yes. Her eyes stared into his, and then she looked down, over his chest, to his abdomen where his unruly cock stood at attention.
“None of this makes sense. I don’t even know you, and we’re naked, in a shower together.”
“It was the quickest way to wake you.”
“Rather drastic,” she said, her lips pouting.
His will weakened. He cupped her face and, leaning down, kissed
her. Her lips were enticingly soft. He licked along her bottom lip. When she took a breath, he slipped his tongue inside to explore the warmth and honey sweetness. Groaning, he stepped back.
“I’ll get you a towel.” He turned the water off and handed her one. Grabbing another for himself, he put space between them. He watched her movements. She was stronger, not weaving at all. She stepped out with the white towel wrapped around her. “Sit, I’ll be right back.”
In a minute, he returned with an old pair of his sweats. “They’re too big, but they’re warm, and they’ll cover you.”
Morgan pulled the sweatshirt over her head. It went down to the top of her thighs. She rolled back the sleeves, and then put on the bottoms. Again, she had to wrap the legs several times over to keep from stumbling on them.
Ethan opened a drawer and handed her a large safety pin. “I knew this would come in handy. Use it to keep the sweatpants up.”
She glanced in the mirror. “I look ridiculous.”
“No. You have a natural beauty. You could wear a feed sack and look good. Come on, we’re wasting time. I’ll fix you some soup, and we’ll talk.”
* * * *
Morgan followed him back down the hallway. He’d dressed in black sweats. He moved with an uncommon grace for a large man. She enjoyed admiring his butt as he led her to the kitchen. Her head still didn’t feel completely normal, but she was much better. David, as they’d called him, motioned her to a chair by a small table set against the kitchen wall.
He moved around the kitchen with confidence. Obviously it was not his first time there. He put hot water in the teakettle, set it on the stove, and clicked the burner on. Next he opened a can of chicken noodle soup, poured it in a pot, and put it on to heat. Shortly afterwards, the teapot whistled. Without missing a step, he placed a tea bag in her cup and poured hot water over it.
Morgan sipped the tea. “Thank you for taking such good care of me. But why did you do it? We don’t know each other, and if I remember right, Bill was giving you a difficult time.”
“I didn’t like their plans for you. Since you were unable to help yourself, I couldn’t ignore the situation.”
“Some men would have.”
“I’m not some men. Tell me what you know about the guys at the party.” He went to the stove and poured the soup into a bowl, and placed the bowl and crackers in front of her. He sat on the opposite side, watching her intently.
At first, she ignored his question. She ate all the soup he’d prepared. Her stomach must be fully recovered. Finally, she leaned back and faced him.
“First tell me your real name. I don’t believe any of the men that come into Bill’s office anymore use their real name.”
“My first name is Ethan.”
“Ethan, I like it. The name fits you.” She swallowed and clenched her hands together. “I’ve tried this past year to think of someone to trust. Someone to talk to about things going on that I didn’t understand. Ellen would have said to go to the police, but I was frightened. What if they ignored what I told them, and word got back to Bill?”
“You can trust me.”
“I hope so.”
“What has frightened you? What did you find out that made Bill want you gone?”
Morgan’s heart jumped. “You mean Bill drugged me?”
“He not only had a hand in drugging you, but took money to give you to Brown.”
A wave of nausea swept across her upper body, and sweat broke out across her forehead. Her body shook.
Ethan hurried around the table. “Take a deep breath. Steady.”
His warm hand on the nape of her neck and soft words helped settle her nerves. The nausea lessened.
“Damn, I’m sorry for being so blunt, but we don’t have much time before the others get back.”
“I’ll be all right. Just the thought of that man having control of me is sickening. Bill has been my friend, besides being my boss. How could he do this to me?”
Ethan went back to his seat. “There must be something you know, and he fears you’ll tell the wrong person.”
Morgan wrinkled her forehead, got up, and began to pace across the small kitchen. “This past year has been difficult. First, Sara left, and Ellen and I drew further apart. I’ve been so alone.
“And at work things began to change. Bill had always introduced me to his customers before. He seldom does anymore. He has had lots of closed-door meetings. People come and go without appointments.”
“Who handles his finances? You?”
“I do the day-to-day minor things. He has an accountant. But that’s what alerted me to possible problems. The inventory going out didn’t seem any different than usual. But one day, about three weeks ago, I opened his monthly report from his accountant, as usual. I seldom study it. I just put it on the pile of mail and then on Bill’s desk.”
She stopped pacing and sank into her chair. Ethan made her a fresh cup of tea. “Go on.”
“The number at the bottom of the page caught my eye. It was a huge amount.”
“How huge?” He reached across and took hold of her hand.
His warmth seeped into her. She had an unreasonable urge to go around the table and curl on his lap, lean against his strength. Her breasts yearned for his touch. She stared at his long fingers and imagined them caressing her skin. She shook her head and raised her eyes to meet his. His light blue eyes had gone a dark grayish blue. He was as aware of her as she was of him.
“Tell me the rest.” His voice came out husky. A flicker of desire sparked deep inside her pussy.
“His total take for the past six months had been noted as two million dollars.” His hand tightened on hers.
“He saw you reading the financial report?”
“I’m not sure. I dropped it like a hot potato and put another piece of mail on top, but he came in right afterwards and looked at me strangely.” Cold shivers had raked across her skin at the way Bill stared at her that day.
“No. I am sure. He saw me, and he’s acted different ever since.”
“You’re smart. He must have realized what you saw would raise questions in your mind, and he feared who you might talk to.”
“I’ve been uneasy. But I convinced myself that I was overreacting. I decided to get out of the house and go to the party. I’d stay for a little while. If I wasn’t comfortable, I’d make an excuse and leave sooner. I never dreamed anyone might try to really hurt me. Things like this don’t happen in my world.” She laid her head on the table and started sobbing.
Strong, warm arms picked her up. She snuggled into his broad chest.
* * * *
Ethan placed her on his lap. “No one will harm you with me around.”
Her blue eyes were swimming in tears, and he knew he was lost. Lowering his head, he licked the salty tear from her cheek, then covered her lips with his mouth. She tasted of sweet cinnamon tea. His tongue teased with hers as his hand covered her full, soft breast. He rubbed his thumb across her tight nipple, and her moan had his cock so hard he hurt. He’d lost all sense of time. Picking her up, he headed to his bedroom. Halfway there the doorbell rang.
Ethan stopped in mid-stride, raised his head, took a deep breath, and let her body slide to the floor. He lowered his head to look directly into her eyes. “We’ll take this back up when they leave.” He motioned toward the door and waited for her nod before he strode across the living room to let them in.
When he turned, Morgan stood just inside the hallway. With her swollen, red lips, bemused look, and curls rioting around her small head, no one had any doubt about why he hadn’t immediately answered the door. His large sweats hung on her much smaller frame. Sheer willpower was all that kept him from picking her up and carrying her into his bedroom.
A chuckle brought Ethan’s head around. Justin stood by his side. “I warned you to be careful.”
Ethan shrugged. “Sometimes you have to take a risk.”
Daren and Sara had sat side by side on the sofa. Morgan joi
ned her friend. The other men found seats.
“David, do you have any suggestions of where we go from here?” Daren asked.
“You can call me Ethan. I told Morgan my real name.” Daren frowned but didn’t comment, so Ethan continued. “Later today, I’ll move Morgan to the penthouse. Tomorrow, when I meet with Bill, I’ll make sure he knows she and I are an item, and she’s under my protection. He’ll be annoyed, but he wants my money.”
“Wait a minute.” Morgan stood. “I do not intend to move out of my own apartment.”
“You have two choices,” Daren said. He motioned for her to sit. “Stay with Ethan, or David as he’s known here, and he’ll be your protection, or go with us to the ranch until this is all over. That may be necessary later, anyway. Ethan, are you planning to use her to tempt them to come after you?”
“They want her gone. I’m in the way. Mr. Brown is ready to blow. This might bring the big boy out, or lead us to him.”
“It’s too dangerous for her,” Justin snapped. Everyone turned to look at him. “It is. Look what happened before. Our untrained person”—he glanced at Sara—“was kidnapped. We were lucky that time.”
“We were trained, and knew what to do. Luck had little to do with it.” Daren had straightened in his seat, and the air sizzled with tension.
Morgan broke the silence. “I have some say in what happens with my life. You can cut through the testosterone in this room with a knife. Cool it.”
In unison, the men glared at her. Then a ripple of laughter started with Daren and ran around the room. “Gentlemen, the little lady has put us in our place. Morgan, what do you want to say about the plans discussed here today?”
“It pisses me off that Bill and Mr. Brown had the nerve to try and kidnap me. I don’t even want to think of what other plans they might have had. I am not going to hide somewhere while you all risk your lives, when I might be able to help. So, tell me what to do. I’m going to be involved.”
“We’ll give you information on a need-to-know basis,” Daren said. “Ethan, Justin, let’s go in the other room. We need to talk.
Cameron, Paige - Commando Cowboys Rescue Their Bride [Wyoming Warriors 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Polyromance) Page 3
