He pulled her dress over her head and dropped it on one of the chairs. “I don’t think anyone can see us up here.”
He cupped her breasts with his hands, pinching her nipples, and she wriggled her bottom against him, feeling the hard tip of his erection brushing against her.
His hands played across her body, smoothing, caressing, tweaking, until her knees were trembling and she had to hold on to the railing with both hands.
He placed a hand flat on her back. “Bend forward.”
She folded her arms on top of the wooden railing and gazed out at the deep blue of the water, the whitecaps drawing lines across the surface.
Josh parted her thighs and poked at her from behind, easing her open, filling her up, inch by inch. When he reached his hilt, his thighs pressing against the bare skin of her bottom, he pulled out almost all the way.
Just when she was missing him, he plunged into her again. Slow and fast he went, following some rhythm in his head, but it must’ve been her rhythm, too, because her passion grew with every thrust.
He slipped a hand in front of her, between her legs, and teased her again. It didn’t take more than a few flicks from his fingertips before she reached her peak. This time, Josh extended her ride at the top as he plowed into her.
Her moans soon turned to cries of release and unabashed euphoria. Could they hear her down there? She didn’t care. She felt alive and free for the first time in forever.
As she clenched around Josh, his thrusts grew more frenzied until he stopped and shuddered. When he was done, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest, still inside her.
He kissed the back of her head. “Was that uncomfortable for you? I gave you what you wanted.”
She pulled away from him and then turned in his arms. “You gave me more than I wanted. Was I...? Did you...?”
He put his finger to her lips. “You were everything I wanted.”
He traced the pad of his finger along the red line across her belly. “It’s a good thing I didn’t flip you over the balcony.”
“It would’ve been a heckuva way to go.” She smoothed her hands across his chest. “I’m ready to try that bed now.”
Josh wedged a finger beneath her chin and kissed her bruised lips. “After you.”
When he stepped aside, Gina pushed off the balcony. A commotion from the pool deck halted her next step and she tripped into Josh.
He took her hand and they peered over the balcony, side by side. A crowd of people had formed a semicircle around a man, wet from the sea, waving his arms and pointing back toward the water.
Josh whispered, “Looks like that dead body washed up after all.”
* * *
SHOWERED AND FULLY CLOTHED, Josh sat on the edge of the bed and gently prodded Gina. “Gina, it’s time to get up.”
It was past time, but he hadn’t the heart to wake her earlier. She’d had a restless night beside him, tossing and turning and twitching in her sleep.
They hadn’t made love again, although before some nighttime swimmer had discovered a dead body in the water, he’d had every intention of doing so. The reminder of what they were doing here and the high stakes involved had put a damper on their libidos.
And then the reality of what he’d succumbed to hit him full force. He was pretty sure his assignment didn’t include sleeping with the widow of the man he’d killed over a year ago.
He’d been saved from making this very mistake yesterday by the man in the boat. Looked like that same man in death hadn’t come along soon enough last night to prevent the same mistake.
He brushed his hand along the length of her smooth arm. How could he call what had happened between them a mistake? It had felt so natural, so right.
He’d been concerned once Gina found out he’d pulled the trigger on her husband, she’d reject him, push him away. Instead she’d turned to him in gratitude.
As much as she’d denied her motivation, he could sense it in the urgency of her touch. It made sense—for her. He didn’t have to go along for the ride. He traced the curve of her ear with his fingertip. But what a ride it had been.
No red-blooded American male would’ve been able to resist a hot-blooded Gina De Santos. He didn’t claim to have any willpower in that area.
Maybe Ariel and the folks pulling the strings already knew that and were counting on it. How much easier would it be to manipulate a woman once you’d gotten her into your bed?
Somehow he felt like the manipulated one. He’d been dreading tears and anger when he’d broken the news about his role in Ricky’s demise. When she’d responded with relief and understanding, he still felt he owed her something. If she preferred her payment in the currency of his kisses, who was he to deny her?
But it was back to business today.
“Gina?” He brushed the hair from her face and kissed her sweet mouth.
Like Sleeping Beauty, she roused, blinking her eyes and rubbing a hand across her mouth. “It’s morning?”
“The bank opens in thirty minutes.”
She bolted upright, the covers falling from her naked shoulders. “Thirty minutes? Why didn’t you get me up sooner?”
“The bank’s open for four hours. We have plenty of time.” His gaze lingered on her perfect breasts, so soft and full they made his mouth water all over again.
She yanked the sheet up to her chin. “I have to get ready.”
“The bathroom is all yours.” He flicked the collar of his white button-down shirt. “As you can see, I’m ready to roll.”
“We won’t have time for breakfast.”
“We’ll get some later. Our flight isn’t until late afternoon.”
She rolled from the bed, dragging the covers with her in a sudden attack of modesty.
He’d seen—and touched—it all last night. She wasn’t hiding anything from him now. Did she have regrets, too? Maybe she’d paid her debt and wanted to move on.
She rummaged in her suitcase, grabbed a few items and headed for the bathroom, calling over her shoulder, “I won’t be long.”
Josh shook out his jacket and draped it over the back of the chair. Isla Perdida might have its tourist and resort areas, but the island took its business very seriously.
He cranked on the air-conditioning and closed the door to the balcony, throwing a cursory glance at the pool. He’d meandered downstairs for coffee this morning and had picked up a few bits of info. A guest at the hotel had found a man floating in the sea, several yards from the beach. No immediate evidence of foul play had led to initial reports of a drowning.
Josh could live with that story for the rest of their stay on the island. The toxicology report would soon refute a simple drowning, but the authorities just might rule suicide—and they’d be correct.
If his followers preferred suicide to capture and questioning, Vlad must have some devoted minions—devoted or terrified.
The bathroom door banged open behind him and Gina squealed, “It’s freezing in here.”
“Wait until you put on your bank duds. I don’t want to melt out of the suit before I even leave the room.”
“You have a point.” She eyed the white dress hanging in the closet with something like trepidation in every muscle.
She dropped the towel she’d been hugging to her chest to reveal a snow-white set of bra and panties. She yanked the dress from the hanger and stepped into it, reaching around to her back to pull up the zipper.
“Let me.” He crossed the room and slid the dress closed over her smooth mocha skin.
Gina had needed just one day in the blistering, relentless sun to sport an even tan across her body. He’d enjoyed tracing her tan lines last night, and had enjoyed exploring beyond the tan lines even more.
“Thanks.” She stepped away from him and in
to a pair of beige high-heeled sandals. “At least I’m not expected to wear a suit.”
“Lucky.” He planted himself in front of the mirror and buttoned his top button. Then he reached for the tie hanging over the lid of his open suitcase.
“Do you need help with that?” She pointed at the blue tie hanging from his fingertips.
He raised his brows at the image he presented in the mirror, noticing the way his white shirt bunched around his shoulders and arms. Last time he wore this getup was for a buddy’s funeral. Thank God, he hadn’t needed it since, but he’d pumped up a bit more since then.
“Don’t I look like the suit-and-tie type?”
“You look...just fine.”
He held it out to her. “I could use some help.”
She looped the tie over his head and tucked it beneath the collar of his shirt. “I know just one knot, so I hope you like it.”
He dropped his gaze to hers. “I like everything you do.”
She pressed her lips together but they twitched at the corner. Then she lodged the tip of her tongue in that same corner as she fed one end of the tie through an opening and flipped it over the other end.
“I think I got this.” She turned him toward the mirror. “What do you think? Straighten it out a bit from your angle.”
“Looks great.” He tightened the knot. “Are you ready?”
“I need some makeup and I’m going to do my hair, so cool your heels for another fifteen minutes.”
“I can’t imagine how your face could look any more beautiful with fifteen minutes of makeup application.”
This time her lips turned down in a frown. “You’re very free and easy with the compliments this morning.”
He sucked in his bottom lip. He’d never been accused of that before. The flattery just seemed to spring to mind, but whatever was prompting him to sing her praises, Gina didn’t seem to like it.
Had Ricky Rojas laid it on thick? He’d probably wooed and schmoozed her as if his life depended on it. He’d seemed like a smooth SOB, just the kind of guy women would fall for—especially young and inexperienced ones like Gina had been.
“I’ll zip it if it makes you uncomfortable.” He held up his hands. “Wait. That didn’t come out right.”
She gave him a nervous giggle. “That’s okay. Who doesn’t like compliments?”
“Nobody likes them if they’re not sincere.” He drew a cross over his heart. “I swear, mine are completely spontaneous and sincere. Can’t you tell by how clunky they are?”
“They’re not.” She nudged him away from the mirror and pulled her hair back.
He retreated to a chair and sat on the edge, watching Gina as she wound her luxuriant dark hair into a severe bun at the back of her head. “Are you nervous?”
“A little, but I have all the valid qualifications to get into my father’s safe-deposit box.” She stuck a pin in her hair and smoothed her hands over the skirt of her dress. “We should be fine.”
She held up a small leopard-print bag. “Just some makeup and I’ll be ready to go.”
For this particular operation Gina went into the bathroom, and he stood up and lifted his jacket from the chair. They’d take a taxi for the ten-minute ride into town.
When Gina emerged from the bathroom with her war paint on, she did look ready to do battle—beautiful, sophisticated, just a little brittle.
“You look...ready.”
“Let’s do this.”
“If it all comes to nothing...”
“It won’t.” She sliced a hand in the air right in front of his nose. “I got to know my father pretty well in those last months of his life. I had to study him to figure out a way to escape my predicament. This is what he’d do. This is where he’d keep his secrets.”
“We’ll soon find out, one way or the other.” He draped his jacket over his arm, feeling for the gun in the pocket.
They made their way down to the lobby and as they traversed the gold-threaded marble, Josh made a detour to the front desk.
He ducked his head and asked the hotel clerk, “Is it true there was a dead body on the beach last night?”
Gina tensed beside him.
“Yes, sir, but no violence. No violence on the island. It looks to be a drowning.” He shrugged. “Some shouldn’t go out swimming at night in the dark.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He rapped on the counter. “Thank you.”
Gina let out a breath. “That’s the word, huh? A drowning?”
“It is until the coroner runs a toxicology report, but we’ll be long gone before those results come in.”
“They’re going to have a hard time finding his next of kin since he probably was using a fake name, unless the newlywed couple wants to claim him.”
“Not likely.”
The front doors of the hotel whisked open at their approach, and a bellhop jumped to attention. “Taxi, sir?”
“Yes, please.”
The bellhop whistled and waved, and a hybrid car rolled up to the curb.
Josh gave the bank name to the driver. No address was necessary.
The taxi silently sped along the main road that wended its way around the island. Unlike Robbie from the day before, this driver made no small talk. In a place like Isla Perdida, small talk with people heading to the Banco de Perdida could get you in trouble.
At the end of the short drive, the cabbie hopped out of his car and opened the back door. Josh paid him and added a generous tip—in case anyone came around later asking about their destination and conversation. It was standard practice on the island.
Josh kept his hands to himself as he followed Gina into the bank, just like any good bodyguard would do. Any good bodyguard would decline to sleep with his charge, too.
Guess he was a failure as a bodyguard.
Josh opened the door of the bank and the cold air blasted his face. Were they afraid all their money might melt in the island heat?
An armed security guard stepped forward. “Your business, please?”
Gina flashed the passbook, green leather embossed with gold, from her father. “I’m here to visit my safe-deposit box. This is my bodyguard.”
Josh placed his hand inside the pocket of his jacket just so there were no misunderstandings later.
The security guard nodded and gestured toward one of the small teller windows at the end of the row.
Gina’s heels clicked on the marble floor and echoed among the hush of soft whispers emanating from the edges of the room.
Josh inhaled the scent of what had to be pure money...or maybe it was the smell of gold bullion.
Gina parked herself in front of the window and he hovered to her right as she whipped out various forms of ID, including pressing her thumb to an electronic pad.
She must’ve had everything in order because the teller at the window told her to proceed to the gated entrance to the left of the windows.
Josh followed Gina to the locked doors and they both waited while someone on the other side released a series of locks and opened the door.
Gina jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “He’s my bodyguard.”
The bank official nodded and stepped aside. It was even more hushed on this side of the windows and more discreet. The black-suited official led them to the safe-deposit area and entered a code on the door. Gina then entered her code, which she’d memorized from a card in the taxi, and the door clicked open.
“Take your time, Ms. De Santos.” The clerk melted away instead of sticking around like most bankers did for safe-deposit boxes in the United States.
When the door swung shut behind them in the dimly lit room lined with boxes of various sizes, Josh said, “I suppose it’s better for the people who work here to be kept in the dark as to the contents of thes
e boxes.”
Gina released a breath as if she’d been holding it since they walked into the bank. “That’s why the rich and crooked bank here—total privacy.”
“I suppose your father didn’t have a box big enough to hold drugs and weapons.”
“I don’t think so.” She floated past the wall of boxes, trailing her fingers along their gleaming brass fronts. “I remember being in here with my father like it was yesterday. I was terrified then by the implications, but now I’m glad he entrusted all this to me.”
“You’re going to have to entrust this to the DEA when this is all over.”
She shrugged. “I’ll have to tell my mom first. She may lose everything.”
“It was never hers to lose, Gina. Does she want blood on her hands?”
“My mother wants cash in her hands, whether it has blood on it or not. Do you really think she didn’t know my father’s profession when she married him? She did.” She stopped about two-thirds of the way down the row. “Here it is.”
She wiped her palms against the skirt of her dress, and then punched in a code. The lock on the box clicked, and Gina pulled the box from its cavity.
She placed it on the table in the middle of the room and flipped up the felt lid.
Josh leaned over her shoulder as she picked up a folded batch of papers and dropped them on the table.
Whistling, he hooked his finger around a diamond necklace and two matching bracelets. “I’m no expert, but these look like they could fund a few small wars.”
“I have no idea why these are in here.” She picked up a stack of American bills. “Or these.”
“No secret tapes, computer disks, DVDs?” He dropped the necklace and bracelets on top of the papers and stirred his finger among a few other pieces of jewelry in the felt-lined box.
“Doesn’t look like it.”
“What about these?” Josh tapped the papers that had been on top.
Gina picked up the batch of papers, tipping them to the side, letting the diamonds slide to the table in a glittering pool. She unfolded them and flattened them on the table with her palms.
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