Out of Time

by Samantha Graves

  He was Mexican, about twenty-five years old, with a heavy mustache and thick black hair. He grabbed at the hand that was around his throat while Simon riffled through his shirt for a gun or a knife. It was his lucky night. He found neither. He let go of the man’s throat and punched him in the stomach.

  The man doubled over with a groan. Simon pulled him up by his shirt and pinned him to the wall.

  “Where is Celina?” Simon asked.

  The man’s eyes widened like he recognized the name, but he shook his head.

  You bastard, Simon thought. You know.

  Simon yanked him back and slammed him to the wall harder. His head bounced, and his eyes rolled back for a moment.

  “I don’t know about you, but I could do this all night,” Simon whispered, his anger growing. “You can tell me who you work for and where Celina is, or you can have the world’s biggest headache tomorrow.”

  The man’s eyes rolled down again, and he shook his head. “No, gringo. No.”

  It would be so simple. Just a few fucking words and all this would end—for him, for Jillian, and for Celina. A location, that’s all he needed. Rage pumped through his body, clouding his mind. Simon was about to slam him again when he heard Jillian’s voice.

  “That’s enough, Simon.”

  He snapped his head around to find her standing a few feet away, silhouetted in the hotel’s neon lights.

  “Go back to the room, Jillian.”

  “You have to stop.”

  He tightened his grip on the Mexican. “You handle the old stuff. Let me handle the interrogations.”

  “Let him go.”

  That was when Simon noticed the Glock in her hand at her side. He swore aloud.

  “He’s been following us, Jillian. He’s working for the man who kidnapped Celina. He knows something.”

  She didn’t seem moved. “Are you going to kill him for that?”

  He narrowed his eyes at her, and then back at the man, who looked far more scared than bright. He was as much a pawn in this mess as Simon was. But that didn’t mean he was getting away without a little pain.

  Simon leaned into him and said softly, “You tell your boss to back off, or he’ll never get what he wants. Because if Celina doesn’t make it through this, I’m coming after him. If I see you again, one of us is going to die.”

  The man’s eyes widened, and then he nodded emphatically. Simon shoved him toward the street, and he stumbled to his pickup truck, got inside, and peeled out.

  Simon watched his taillights disappear around the corner. His head seemed to clear, but his body was still wound tight from frustration and adrenaline. “Don’t say it.”

  “I wasn’t going to,” Jillian replied as she stepped up and handed him the gun. “I just came out because I thought you might need this.”

  The safety was off. He eyed her. Her expression was hooded in the darkness. “Were you planning on shooting him or me?”

  She turned and answered over her shoulder as she walked away. “I hadn’t made up my mind.”

  Simon woke from a restless sleep to find himself lying on the hard floor of a hotel room. Not the first time, but still, it took him a moment to figure out where he was. Sweat covered his body in the humid, still air. He sat up and rolled his shoulders. He was getting too damn old to sleep on the floor.

  Then he noticed that the bed was empty. He got to his feet and checked the bathroom. No sign of her. The room was still locked from the inside. The panic building in his belly subsided when he saw her on the balcony.

  He was powerless to fight the relief that poured through him. She’d gotten to him, and there was nothing he could do to change that. He pushed the double doors open and joined her behind the wrought-iron railing. Sultry heat blanketed his skin. Jillian didn’t seem to notice as the breeze molded her camisole and shorts to her body. And she didn’t notice him noticing.

  She just stood stock-still and stared at the mountaintops to the south. In fact, she looked a lot like she had back in Tres Zapotes. A chill came over him despite the heat.

  “Jillian?”

  “Do you see it?” she asked him.

  He followed her gaze but saw only a sleeping city dotted with streetlights and neon signs. “See what?”

  “The blue light coming from behind those mountains.”

  He shook his head as he watched her. “No, sorry.”

  Her voice wavered. “Did you hear the old woman talk to me in English?”

  He stilled. “Must have missed that.”

  “You couldn’t have. You were right there.”

  Slowly, she turned her head to face him. A tear rolled down her face. “I think I’m losing my mind, Simon.”

  His chest tightened at the heartfelt confession. He didn’t usually hear those. “It’s just stress—”

  “I can’t tell the present from the past anymore,” she continued, rubbing her bare arms even though it was sweltering. “That woman talked to me, clear as day. In perfect English. But it didn’t happen. I only imagined it. What else am I imagining? What’s real? What’s not?”

  She looked so scared, and so very alone inside her mind. Simon reached out and pulled her to him. Her body was rigid and trembling as she buried her head in his chest. He closed his eyes and whispered into her hair, “This is real.”

  A shudder racked her, and he held her tighter. He inhaled her scent, felt the silky weight of her hair as he wrapped his fingers around the nape of her neck and rubbed the tense muscles.

  “This is real,” he whispered.

  She relented ever so slightly. He was becoming very aware of the steamy heat building where their bare skin touched. His fingers caressed her slender neck. With his other hand, he explored the hollow of her back through the fabric.

  He felt her arms wrap around him, palms spread across his back, and inhaled at the surge of blood through his veins. His cock thickened against her belly, and he didn’t have the willpower to fight it. Hell, he didn’t have the willpower to stop touching her, period. He should step away now, before he took advantage of her any more than he already had.

  She raised her head, eyes hooded and glazed, and kissed his bare shoulder. A shock wave rippled through every fiber of his being, and he knew he was in major trouble.

  He closed his eyes and felt more kisses across his shoulder and neck. When she reached his jawline, he bent to capture her lips. She moaned a little, sending shivers across his muscles. He delved between her lips, tasting forbidden fruit.

  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should warn her that he’d been out of the country for the last few months. That his reservoir of self-control was just about dry. That he wanted her more than he had ever wanted another woman before.

  “I need this to be real,” she murmured against his lips.

  His cock ached. This was as real as it got.

  She rocked against him, pressing her stomach into the hard ridge between them and drawing a low growl from his throat. Her fingers traced the muscles of his back, exploring every inch. She had no idea what she was playing with. No idea how sexy and desirable she was, or how hungry he was. Another minute of this and she’d be very disappointed in reality.

  He gathered his control and kissed her deeply. Her skin was smooth under his hands, so soft he could hardly tell where the silk ended and she began. Under the camisole, he bridged her stomach with his hands and moved up to cup two perfect breasts.

  She inhaled and her head fell back, eyes closed at the sensations he was stirring. The look of peace and ecstasy on her face nearly eclipsed the weight of her breasts in his palms and the tight nipples that cried out for attention. He lowered his head and wrapped his lips around one nipple through the fabric.

  “Simon,” she breathed.

  The sound of his name on her lips shattered what was left of his best intentions for foreplay. With a single move, he picked her up in his arms and carried her into the room. She had her camisole over her head before her feet touched the floor. T
he bed creaked under their weight as he laid her down and settled on top of her.

  Her bare breasts pressed against his bare chest, her fingers explored his chest and arms, her lips kissed every part of him. He wrapped her face in his hands and lowered his lips to hers. His knee slid between her legs, and she opened for him. The sweet invitation was more than he could have dreamed, more than he deserved.

  She burned under him, giving as hard and fast as he did. Her calf skimmed the back of his thigh. Her fingers gripped and caressed and burned a trail across his skin.

  If she was losing her mind, then so was he. He didn’t remember shedding his shorts or stripping off hers. He couldn’t recall the few seconds it took to find a condom. All that registered was how tight and right she felt when he eased into her. Heat and passion consumed every inch of his body and soul. Her voice and her name filled his mind as they rocked together for an eternity.

  He didn’t want to stop, didn’t want to lose the wonder, softness and magic he’d found. Sharp little nails dug into his back as she threw her head back and tightened beneath him in orgasm.

  And then he lost himself in her and to her, in a frenzy of passion that built until he thought he’d burst into flames. The climax roared through him, ripping him apart.

  Simon collapsed on the bed beside her, both of them soaked and breathing hard. Despite his pounding heart, he closed his eyes, on the verge of peaceful slumber.

  “That was real,” Jillian whispered.

  He roused a moment to kiss her damp hair. That was real.

  CHAPTER

  16

  After Bonner had carried Jillian inside, Kesel set the night-vision binoculars down on the seat next to him.

  This was an interesting development. Bonner had found himself a woman, which in itself was not surprising. But for a man who was careful not to get too close to anyone, it was an advantage Kesel would use when the time was right. Sooner or later, he and Bonner would meet again, and when they did, the outcome would be different.

  Kesel flipped open his cell phone and placed a call. A sleepy voice answered in Spanish, saying, “I should have known it was you, Kesel. What do you want?”

  “Is that any way to talk to the man doing all your dirty work?”

  Carlos yawned loudly. “Don’t give me that. You live for dirty work. So why are you calling me in the middle of the night?”

  Kesel eyed Bonner’s Jeep sitting half a block away. “Just checking to see if you double-crossed me.”

  There was a long pause before Carlos came back. “That’s bullshit. We’re in this together. Why would I screw you?”

  “For a priceless treasure?”

  Carlos gave a short laugh. “I don’t need you to find it. There are plenty of other raiders I could have called. Besides, you will get there first. I’m trusting you. If anyone is going to get screwed, it’s me.”

  Greed drove Carlos’s every move. He wouldn’t jeopardize the operation for anything. But Kesel didn’t give a damn about treasure. The earth was full of it. Like fear, money could be earned. Pride couldn’t.

  “Keep that in mind,” Kesel replied. “I don’t want anyone getting in my way.” He opened the man’s wallet and read the name on his license. “Including Raul Vega.”

  “Who the fuck is that?”

  An honest response. The man Kesel had caught following Bonner wasn’t working for Carlos. Kesel wouldn’t worry so much if his wallet hadn’t contained so much money, more than enough for your average local. Other than that, though, Raul was clean. If Kesel wanted more on him or who he’d been working for, he was going to have to dig.

  “He’s a man who got in my way. I’m going to send his information to you. Find out what you can about him.”

  “Trouble?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  Carlos sighed. “What’s the status?”

  Kesel scanned the street. “They’re moving, and they seem to have a plan. That’s all I can tell you. But I did give them a little incentive to speed things up. A dead body has a way of making one contemplate his own mortality.”

  “I don’t want to know,” Carlos said. “But you better call me in when things get interesting. We had a deal. I put you on their trail, you get Celina and your precious lens back, I get treasure.”

  That was the deal. Didn’t necessarily mean it was going to happen exactly that way. “Of course.”

  Then Kesel disconnected and tossed the phone next to the binoculars. He pushed the back of the seat down so he could sleep. He didn’t want to miss all the excitement tomorrow morning.

  Jillian awoke from a deep sleep with the slow realization that someone was breathing in her ear. She opened her eyes. She was facing a wall awash in sunlight. Simon’s big, hot body pressed against her back, his arm draped over her waist, hand curled around her breast like he owned it.

  Which, actually, he did.

  Oh, God. She was in so much trouble. How could she let this happen? A tomb raider, of all people. A man who had defiled everything she held dear.

  And she couldn’t even blame him. She was the one who’d seduced him. She reached up and touched her tender lips, which still held the memory of his. Kisses so sweet. Hands so talented. A body hard and strong. A lover like no other, who could pull a passion from her that she didn’t know she possessed, with a shamelessness that scared the crap out of her. She’d been wild last night, fearless in her conviction and wanton in her desire for him.

  Her fingers settled on the gold necklace around her neck. She lifted the crystal and turned it slowly. Colors shifted inside, sometimes clear, sometimes cloudy. Her heart beat in turn.

  Was this how her mother felt when her father would steal and she knew about it? When he’d lie to her to cover up his compulsion? When he told her he loved her, and meant it?

  Clear and cloudy.

  She swore she’d never live like that again. Looking the other way while her heart broke bit by bit. Living a life between love and hurt. Knowing she could never save him from himself.

  The crystal caught the light, and a rainbow of color flashed brilliantly for a fraction of a second and then was gone. How could something be so beautiful yet so elusive at the same time? Keeping you enthralled waiting for those magic, breathtaking moments of color?

  Jillian pressed the crystal to her lips. I will always remember you.

  Simon shifted, and she felt his morning erection pressed against her lower back. A moan escaped her lips as she reacted to his warm skin and hard body.

  She really needed to work on her self-control. But she had a feeling that it was a lost cause with Simon. Every time he touched her, every time he looked at her, was like the first time.

  Panic built in her throat. What if she wasn’t strong enough to walk away? Would she be caught in the same net as her mother? Would she be doomed to the same fate? Held in place as she waited for those moments of color? Twisting between clear and cloudy?

  No. She was stronger than her mother. Love was a dangerous thing. It caused people to make terrible mistakes, and she’d spent her life avoiding that trap. Playing it safe, like with Lance. He’d been perfect because she never really loved him.

  But with Simon . . . She was in trouble.

  Carefully, Jillian eased away from him. He groaned a little and then settled on his belly. She looked back at him as she stood up. A shadow of a beard hugged his face, his hair was tousled, and he looked completely relaxed sprawled naked across the bed.

  Don’t do it, she told herself. Don’t make that mistake. He’s not the right man for you.

  She grabbed her bag on the way to the bathroom.

  Simon opened one eye as the bathroom door closed. He could just imagine what was going through Jillian’s mind right about now. Probably a shitload of regret.

  He rolled over onto his back and let out a long, slow sigh of contentment. Damn, what a night of mind-blowing sex could do for a man. Although a morning of mind-blowing sex would have been nice, too, especially since c
hances were very good that Jillian had already made up her mind that last night was one big mistake. As true as that may be, he planned on making that mistake as many times as possible.

  The minute she turned on the shower, he reached for his cell phone. Simon sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed the back of his neck while the number rang.

  It took Paulie only two rings to answer. “It’s about time you called. It’s already nine a.m.”

  Simon raised an eyebrow. “How many cups of coffee have you had this morning?”

  “Five, not that it matters. I’d still be pissy. Is Jillian okay?”

  More than okay, Simon thought. “She’s fine. Did you make any progress on that last call to Jackson’s phone?”

  “All I can tell you is that the call was made from inside Mexico.”

  “That really narrows it down, Paulie. Thanks.”

  “Hey, I’m working on it. Mexico isn’t exactly the easiest place to track phone activity in. Besides, I want to make damn sure to cover up my trail. Don’t want to run into the local authorities.”

  “No, you don’t,” Simon agreed ruefully. “But if you could even get it down to a state, that would help.”

  Paulie huffed. “Shit, I’ll do better than that. I’ve almost cracked the call number. If the call came from a landline, I can give the exact location. If it came from a cell phone, that’s gonna take some more time.”

  Time. It was the one thing Celina didn’t have on her side.

  “I did have something interesting happen yesterday after you left,” Paulie said. “I went into town for a cable and a woman tried to pick me up. Wanted me to take her back to my place.”

  “Let me guess,” Simon told him. “Long legs, thick black hair, enough perfume to create her own smog, and built for speed.”

  “How’d you know?”

  “That would be Alexis,” Simon told him. “Did you tell her anything?”

  “Do I look like an idiot? Women like that wouldn’t pick up a geek like me unless I owned the world’s largest software company.”

  Alexis would do just about anything for the right money, even spying. “Maybe she wants you for your computer skills.”