Take the Money and Run

by Samantha Cole

  Moriah threw herself into the lessons and not only amazed KC and herself with her accuracy, but also Al, who spent some time observing their practices. He loved to tease and joke with her. “I hope I never run into you in a dark alley.”

  Moriah giggled. “That’s exactly what I thought about you the first time I met you. But now that I know you better, I think you’re a pussy cat.”

  Both men had snorted loudly in amusement over her comment.

  While she was grateful KC was teaching her how to defend herself, she was also thankful she was so exhausted by the end of each day. She’d managed to sleep seven straight hours the past two nights without any nightmares, which had shocked her when she awakened feeling refreshed and energetic.

  As busy as their days were, the evenings were slow and pleasant. They took turns cooking and cleaning, and enjoyed some lively conversations during and after dinner. She was growing comfortable having KC around and, oddly enough, felt as if they had become a couple. Well, at least a couple who had never kissed or even touched each other. Not that she would mind. Shit no!

  No matter how much she fought her attraction to him, she would love for him to drag her into his arms and kiss her for hours until they both had their fill. She yearned to peel off his clothing, piece by piece, slowly driving him insane for her touch. The more time they spent together, the more she felt her body respond to him. While she couldn’t deny she was physically attracted to him, she was pretty confident the attraction was one-sided. KC hadn’t made a pass at her or even hinted at the fact that he found her desirable. She had known other women who wouldn’t have let the fact deter them and would have shrewdly made their interest known. But Moriah had always been shy when it came to men and sex. Although she had lost her virginity long ago to her high school sweetheart, she had never been the aggressor in any of the few relationships she’d had over the years. Most of them hadn’t lasted long. Her boyfriends seemed to tire of always being the ones to initiate sex with her and often left her for a bolder type of woman. One such boyfriend had thrown that fact at her while breaking up with her, and she had felt utterly humiliated.

  The problem was she didn’t know how to seduce a man and initiate sex, and she was too embarrassed to make any clumsy attempts. Hell, she didn’t even know what an orgasm felt like—at least, she didn’t think she did. She needed to find a man who would be willing to teach her things, to help her find out what pleased her, and show her what pleased him. What would please KC? Would he be a patient lover? Would he be willing to show her some moves in bed the way he was showing her when they were training?

  Moriah sighed, probably not. KC was an adventurous type, who almost certainly wanted the same from his lovers, and she didn’t know how to respond in a seductive way. And it made her feel ashamed at her involuntary faults.

  * * *

  Thursday evening was warmer than it had been for the past week. Dinner consisted of a delicious linguine primavera, which KC had made from scratch. When Moriah complimented him on his culinary artistry, she was surprised to see the macho-looking man blush slightly. He might have been self-conscious, but she thought it was sweet.

  Coughing, KC changed the subject. “It’s a beautiful night. Are you up for a walk on the beach after dinner? I always feel the need to move around after I eat pasta for some reason. The carbs, I guess.”

  Not wanting the evening to end, she nodded as she swallowed the food she’d been chewing and then dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Sure. That sounds nice.”

  After they had completed the meal, KC cleared the table as Moriah tackled the pots and dishes. Silently she marveled at how quickly they had fallen into a domestic rhythm. She had never lived with any of her boyfriends before and hadn’t had a man in the house since her father had left when she was young. It felt odd, yet comfortable, to be living under the same roof as this strong, handsome man who constantly had testosterone-charged vibes emanating from his solid frame. Not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to caress his sinewy arms, chest, and back. Would he moan at her touch? Would his muscles quiver as he begged for more?

  “Are you going to scrub the Teflon off that pan?”

  Moriah started at the deep voice just over her right shoulder. Mortified at being caught in a daydream about the man, she quickly rinsed off the sauté pan and placed it on the drying rack. “Sorry, I just zoned out there for a second. Must be the carbs.”

  Chuckling, he tossed the sponge he’d used to wipe the table into the sink. “Well, now that everything is clean, are you ready for a walk?”

  “I think so. Just let me grab a sweatshirt in case it gets too cool before we get back.”

  Five minutes later, they were strolling down the beach on the edge of where the waves peaked on the sand, propelled by the low tide. The sky was dark, but a faint orange and yellow ribbon from the last of the setting sun still lingered in the west. The moon hung high overhead, giving them enough light to avoid stepping on shells or the occasional dead crab that had washed ashore. They were both barefoot and had rolled their pant legs up a few times to prevent them from getting soaked in the gentle surf. While not frigid, the water was cool, but it was easier to trod on the packed wet sand than further inland where the sea rarely reached.

  They traveled in a peaceful silence for about a half mile before KC suddenly stopped and grabbed Moriah’s arm, forcing her to a standstill.

  “Wha—”

  “Look! A shooting star,” he exclaimed.

  Following his pointed finger over the dark blue ocean, Moriah was excited to see a celestial light speeding across the night sky. They both stood in awe at the sight until it disappeared into the horizon. Moriah exhaled a breath she didn’t notice she’d been holding. “Oh, my God. I’ve never seen a shooting star before. It was incredible!”

  KC grinned. “I’ve seen a bunch of them, but I still find it really cool to spot one.”

  They began to make their way down the beach again, yet Moriah continued to glance up, hoping to see a repeat of the phenomenon. “Does that happen here often? I’ve lived most of my life in the city where you’re lucky just to see the stars through the smog.”

  “I’ve seen a few here. Mostly I’ve seen them when the team’s been on ops overseas.”

  It was then she realized this was the furthest she’d ever been from Chicago while he’d been all over the world. “What’s it like?”

  KC turned his head toward her with a furrowed brow. “What’s what like?”

  “Being in a strange land. Fighting the bad guys and risking your life for your country.”

  His broad shoulders shrugged, briefly drawing her attention. “I don’t know. I never really thought about it that way before. It’s just my job. Someone’s got to do it, right?”

  “I guess so.” Moriah got the impression he wasn’t too keen on the subject so she changed it. “We’ve gone quite a bit. Should we turn around and start back?”

  Without answering her, KC lightly took her elbow and did an about-face toward the direction of the cottage. Moriah’s heart raced at the gentle, innocent touch. She wondered if he felt the electricity that seemed to spark down her arm to her fingertips. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or relieved when his hand dropped back down to his side. She silently chastised herself. Get a grip. The last thing you need is an attraction to this man. By the time they reached the cottage, she almost had herself convinced.

  

  The next morning, Moriah was sitting on the couch, tying her sneakers, when she heard KC emerge from his bedroom. He wore his usual training-on-the-beach wear, black sweatpants, and a military green T-shirt, yet he was as sexy as ever. His hair looked as if he’d just run his hands through it after his shower, following his routine morning run. He had shaved, and his face was so smooth, she ached to reach out and touch him to see how soft his skin really was. He approached her and seemed oblivious to her wayward thoughts. “All ready?”

  “Yup.”

&nb
sp; “I thought maybe tonight, instead of having dinner here, we could meet my uncle at Sassy’s. It’s a great little restaurant in town. We’ve been going there since I was a kid. Sassy’s real name is Sara Parnell—a very nice lady. Her daughter and son-in-law took over after Sara retired. Tonight is their famous ‘Friday Fish Fry Night’ and I try not to miss it when I’m in town. And, no, I don’t suggest you try to say that ten times fast.”

  The laughter he was able to bring forth from her often these days filled the room. “I’ll take your advice, and that sounds great, especially since tonight is my night to cook.”

  He let out a little snort. “Well, truthfully, I wasn’t looking forward to doing the dishes either.”

  Feeling more carefree than she had in months, she followed him out the door and down the steps to the patio. A short wooden pathway threaded its way through the dunes and out to the beach. Striding halfway to the water before he turned around to face her, KC explained that he was going to approach her from behind and grab her as if he were an assailant. He wanted her to use everything she had been taught in the past few days to escape from him.

  He glanced up and down the beach. “Just making sure no one is around. I wouldn’t want anyone calling the police, thinking that I’m attacking you for real.”

  Her smile fell briefly before she could recover. Thankfully, he didn’t notice. “No, that would definitely not be a good thing.” More than he could possibly know.

  C

  HAPTER 10

  I t was beautiful out, and KC was feeling more relaxed than he had in a very, long time. With each passing day, he was more convinced the reason for it was the woman in front of him. Positioning himself behind Maura, he wrapped his right arm around her neck and his left around her waist, pulling her against his chest. Her ponytail was just below his chin, and he could smell the floral-scented shampoo she used. He still didn’t know what the name of it was, but every time she was near, the aroma tantalized his nose and warmed his blood, driving him halfway to insanity. She felt so soft against his hard body. He wished he could grind his pelvis into her ass and nuzzle her neck. Would she let him or push him away?

  KC didn’t know how badly she’d been affected by the mistreatment she received at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. He did know many women had a difficult time being intimate with another man after leaving an abusive relationship, depending on how much physical and emotional damage had been done. A lawyer he’d dated for a few weeks, several years ago, had volunteered part-time at a woman’s shelter and told him a few horror stories of the anonymous clients she saw there.

  Pulling out of his daydream, he realized they were still standing there, facing the ocean, with his arms draped around her. Was she breathing as fast as he was? Was her heart racing double-time like his? He couldn’t be sure. He did know he wanted to stay this way for a while and just drink her in, but it was undoubtedly asking for trouble.

  “Uh, Maura?” he asked, trying to control his body’s response to being so close to her.

  “Yes?”

  Was her voice huskier than it had been a few moments ago? He knew his was and cleared his throat. “Are you waiting for something, or is there a reason why we’re just standing here?”

  “I, um, was waiting for you to tell me to start fighting you.”

  A sarcastic grin spread across his face. “Do you think an attacker is going to tell you when it’s okay to start resisting?”

  “Well, when you put it that way . . . ”

  She never finished the sentence as she began using her hands, elbows, feet, and even the back of her head to get away from him. Caught almost entirely off-guard KC nearly had his nose broken as she reared up in his arms and threw her head back toward his face. She employed every trick and technique he had taught her over the past few days. As he tried to avoid getting hit by her flying limbs, he took a step backward and tripped over a piece of driftwood that had escaped his notice. Losing his balance, he started to fall backward, and because his arms were still around Maura, she was pulled down with him. He shifted his body so she wouldn’t get injured and she landed on top of him as he hit the sand.

  She quickly turned over to face him but remained draped across his upper body. His eyes were closed, but he heard the panic in her voice. “Oh, my God, KC! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

  He made a strangled noise which was a mix of laughing and moaning. “Just my ego. Listen. Do me a favor, will you? Do not, under any circumstances, do not tell my team or my family I was taken down by a woman who is barely half my size, or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

  He opened his eyes and found her face a mere six inches from his. She was smiling, but her eyes were still filled with concern for his well-being. He inhaled sharply as he gazed at her soft, pink mouth. Her body stilled. His eyes flickered toward hers, then returned to her mouth as her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. Slowly lifting his head toward hers, he paused. When she didn’t retreat, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and crushed his mouth to hers. It took a moment or two, but then her tense body softened against his hard one. He kissed her as if his life depended on it and let out a growl when her lips parted, granting his tongue entry.

  Moving one hand to the back of her head to hold her in place, he skimmed his other hand down her neck to her back, and then even lower. Wriggling her torso, Maura tried to get closer to him, and KC felt his cock harden immediately. He wanted to strip her naked and take her right here, but it was the middle of the morning, and anyone could walk by any minute now. Knowing they should stop didn’t mean he did because the kiss seemed to take on a life of its own. She matched every sweep of his tongue with one of her own. Her taste was like sunshine—crisp, clean, with just a hint of spice—and it was as close to heaven as he had ever been.

  He rolled, taking her with him until their positions were reversed. Her hands stroked down his torso and delved under his shirt. He groaned at the contact as electricity coursed through his body, making him harder than he’d ever been in his life. His hips bucked almost involuntarily into hers, and she gasped, then moaned. Clutching her hips, he ground his erection against her mound. The woman was burning him alive, and he wasn’t sure if he would survive.

  A dog’s bark in the distance broke through KC’s consciousness, and he slowed his exploration of her mouth until he finally pulled away. He stared at her through heavy eyelids. Her eyes were dilated, uncontrolled passion raging in them. Her lips were red and swollen, her ponytail in disarray. He knew he had never seen a woman as beautiful and seductive as this one before him now.

  The dog barked again and both their heads turned toward the noise. Further down the beach, was a family of four and an exuberant Collie, strolling in their direction. KC didn’t think the parents of the two young children would appreciate a sex education display on the beach and he rolled to his left. Laying on his side, so his back was to the approaching family, he faced Maura. She was still out of breath from their brief encounter, and he could see she was as disappointed as he was that it had reached an incomplete end so hastily.

  He hoped she would want to continue what they had started later in the day. But for now, he glanced down to his tented sweatpants and then back at her with a devilish grin. “I think I better take a quick swim. Otherwise, I’m going to look really funny walking around like this.”

  Her feverish blush was adorable. “I . . . I think that would be a good idea.”

  Grasping her hand, he brought her palm to his lips. Giving it a quick kiss and a swipe of his tongue, he let it go, then jumped up and ran to the ocean. Not bothering to remove his clothes, he barely paused to toe off his sneakers, before diving into the cold surf, allowing it to temper his raging desire and throbbing cock. All the while, wishing he could have done it a more pleasurable and satisfying way.

  * * *

  On the way home from Big Al’s that afternoon, they made a stop in town to invite Dan Malone to dinner. While KC strode toward the hardware store, Moriah veered off to the
little boutique a few doors down. At the shooting range, she realized all the clothes she had were sweats, jeans, T-shirts, and sneakers—none of which were decent enough to wear out to dinner. They were just the basic necessities for a frightened woman on the run, but with KC’s help, she was beginning to feel stronger and safer with each passing day.

  There was no way anyone could ever trace her to this little town, which most, if not all, of Chicago had never even heard of. Maybe she could settle here for a while and find a job that paid off the books—it would be too risky to use her real name and social security number. Unfortunately, that also meant she couldn’t finish her degree under an assumed name.

  Stepping into Petals Boutique, she decided to find something dressy and fun, as long as it wasn’t too expensive. While her duffel bag held a significant amount of money, she couldn’t spend it on a bunch of frivolous purchases in case she needed it for an emergency. But even though they weren’t exactly going on a date, she wanted to find something KC would be pleased to see her in. Something that would turn his head. Neither one of them had mentioned the fiery kiss they’d shared on the beach, but she had been hyper-aware of him for the rest of the day—more so than usual. Every innocent or deliberate touch had sent an electrical current surging through her veins. And then there were the little looks they kept giving each other. She felt like she was back in high-school, and she and the cute new boy were trying to work up the nerve to talk to each other. She always thought of herself as a poor flirt, but her body had a mind of its own when it came to KC. It began to automatically move in a mating dance she had never known the steps to. She wanted to stoke the fire they had ignited on the beach and prayed he wanted the same.

  She was lost in her erotic thoughts when a striking older woman emerged from the rear of the store. In her late fifties, she had the brightest eyes and most beautiful, flawless skin Moriah had ever seen on another woman. “Hi there. I’m Bonnie Whitman. Can I help you with anything?”