“Attention emergency crew members, we have a Code Oscar. Repeat, Code Oscar, Starboard.”
The blood drained from Maddie’s face like sand from an hourglass.
“What the hell?” Carlos turned in his seat and craned his neck around the room. Maddie’s breath came out in low, haggard puffs. She lifted her lids and met Ashley’s gaze. She gave one slight nod before turning her attention to the crew member who had taken the stage.
“No need to worry, everyone. We’re turning the ship and will be back on track shortly.”
“Are we sinking?” a frantic woman called behind Maddie. Her hand shook violently next to her plate, and her fork clanked against the smooth china. She lowered her fork to the napkin and frowned at the speaker. Carlos’s hot gaze burned the side of her cheek.
“No, of course not. There is absolutely no damage to the ship. This code is regarding a passenger injury. Everyone, please remain in your seats and enjoy your meal until further notice.”
Carlos’s phone dinged and he rested his cutlery next to his plate and pulled his phone out. Maddie’s face warmed as his fingers moved over the screen. He cursed and dropped the device on the table.
Maddie flexed her fingers, lifted her fork and knife, and cut into the tender meat. “What’s the matter?” Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. God, if she didn’t get her nerves under control she may as well jump off the ship with Nate.
“Tony’s gone.” He stiffened in his seat and turned toward her. Heat crept across her cheekbones, but the icy cold chill hadn’t left her flesh. “Did you see him while you were outside?”
She shook her head. “No. I had poor reception and was moving around a lot though.” She forced a weight of concern into her voice. “Is he all right?”
“Hector just texted and told me Tony left about fifteen minutes ago. He’s tried calling him, but there’s no answer.” Carlos’s sharp eyes moved over her face. Her pulse rose with the speed of a rocket. If there was anything out of place, a splatter of blood, a tear in her dress… he would catch it.
“That’s so strange. I’m sure he’s fine.”
Carlos shook his head as if removing the thought. “Yeah, he probably went up to the room or met some woman. He’s been chasing a few since we’ve been here.”
Maddie snorted. That was an understatement. Carlos lifted his fork and dug into his meal. Nate had to be okay… but what about Tony? If he survived, they’d be screwed. And if he’d died… there was no telling what lengths Carlos would go to find out what had happened. Tony and Hector were his most trusted men and were closer to Carlos than his family. If Carlos had the captain pull the security cameras, she wouldn’t be able to backtrack out of her lies.
Sweat collected at the base of her neck and she forced herself to chew a roasted red pepper. The minutes ticked by and dessert came out. Another announcement came over the P.A. system, removing the code restrictions. Maddie shifted her eyes to Ashley and she winked.
Nate was okay.
She needed to see Nate with her own eyes... to feel and touch him. Until then, she wouldn’t be at ease. Maddie scooped a dollop of chocolate mousse and the rich cream melted over her tongue. Carlos moaned next to her.
“That was amazing.” He looked at his watch. “It’s been an hour, Maddie. Are you going upstairs?”
She straightened in her seat and set her spoon in the empty dish. Anticipation coursed through her. “Yeah, I’d better. I’m glad you suggested I eat, but I’m so worried about my dad.” Her hand curled around her stomach as if the worry were eating through her.
Carlos’s fingers brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “If you feel up to it, come back down to watch the show. It’s supposed to be one of the best this week.”
“I’ll text you in a bit and let you know.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Will you be late tonight?” Her fingers laced with his and his thumb moved over her knuckles.
“I have a game of poker planned,” he chuckled. “Though I feel like a crook taking the sonofabitch’s money. If you need me to come up early, I can.”
She slid her chair back and let go of his hand. “Enjoy your game honey, I’ll check in with you in a bit.” She smiled, got to her feet, and wriggled her fingers at him.
Her eyes locked on Hector’s large form as he came toward her, his gaze on Carlos. Her pulse slowed to a dull roar in her ears. Hector zeroed in on her face and his lip curled. She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth and nodded at him. He didn’t acknowledge her, but his eyes stayed trained on her like the hot, red dot of a sniper.
She detoured around a table and he passed her, his stride determined on Carlos. Her hands slammed hard against the metal of the door and she breezed into the hall. She leaned forward, gathered the excess material at her thighs, and ran for the elevators… and for Nate.
Chapter 11
Steam billowed out of the glassed in shower as he stepped out and snagged a towel off the rack. He wiped the water off his face and let out a low breath as he dried off. Damn, it had taken a fifteen-minute scorching hot shower to get his blood moving again. He tied the towel around his hips and rested his hands against the vanity counter. Anxiety curled in his stomach like a ball of yarn. His legs shook beneath his weight, his muscles weak from treading water against the strength of the waves.
Tony was dead. Dammit, he shouldn’t be bothered by it, but it would complicate the hell out of things. His legs had burned and his eyes had stung with saltwater when the ship had finally turned. At first, he’d thought he was hallucinating. But it had come back for him. The loud whirring of a motorboat had split the gentle roar of the tide and he’d been dragged onto a bright orange raft. Dylan had been waiting for him on deck, an amused smile on his stupid face. Thank god for the prick.
They’d taken him to the first aid office and checked him over, but he’d insisted he just needed a shower and rest.
After this case, he would never step foot on a fucking boat again.
Bang, bang, bang.
He straightened from the counter and his muscles rippled. It couldn’t be Dylan, he’d just seen him. Maybe it was Ashley. He opened the bathroom door and a wall of cool air blasted him. His nipples puckered against the cold. Well, hell. He’d have to have another hot shower now. He pressed his fingers against the smooth wooden door and lowered his eye to the peephole.
Maddie stood in the hallway, her face white and her eyes glued to the door in front of her. She pounded again, this time more frantically.
Shit. He yanked the door open and pulled her into his room.
“Dammit, someone could have seen–”
Her body slammed against his, her arms curling around his waist and her face pressed against his throat.
“Oh my god. You’re okay.” Her voice broke and a warm tear trickled onto his neck. He shut the door firmly behind her, locked it, and then slid his arms around her. He dipped his face into her hair and closed his eyes. Every emotion he’d pushed down the last nine months washed over him with the force of the ocean he’d just fought. His heart expanded in his chest. Life was short. He’d wasted too much damn time avoiding Maddie. There had been a hundred women before, and a hundred women after that night, but not one compared.
Ethan could go fuck himself.
His hands coasted down the silky skin over her spine, committing the gentle curve to memory. God, it would take him forever to explore every inch of her—and there was nothing else he’d rather do.
Maddie lifted her head and her palm rested on his cheek. The slim lines of her eyebrows came down low over her eyes. “Don’t ever do that again. I thought you were dead.” Her blue eyes turned fiery. From a distance, her eyes had always struck him as similar to Ethan’s—too similar. But now, up close, they were so different. Deeper. Bluer. And so damn beautiful. His hands flexed on her cold skin.
“Seeing you
suspended over the railing was the scariest moment of my life. And I’ve seen a lot of shit.” He brushed a thick piece of hair behind her ear and stroked his fingers over the smooth line of her shoulder.
“Maddie, I’ve been so stupid—”
“Shh.” She moved both hands behind his neck and brought her mouth to his. Heat spread through him with the force of a flash fire. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her hips in line with his. Her tongue pushed through his teeth, taking him. His tongue slid over hers in a slow, gentle rhythm. The soft thump of her heart against his ribs matched his pulse.
His fingers tightened on her skin and his dick strained against the restraint of the towel, connecting with her belly. Every reason he’d ever resisted fell away from him like a heavy, black cloak dropping to the floor. The soft, flowery scent of her perfume invaded his senses, blinding him and rendering him deaf to anything but her. Damn, he’d been stupid. Stupid and lost.
He opened his palm on the back of her neck and deepened the kiss. Her spine bent over his forearm at the small of her back, and her mouth opened, allowing him to take over. Her mouth was hot and wet. The sweet taste of champagne touched his tongue. Her fingernails dug into his hair, sending goosebumps over his skin. Her lashes fluttered against her creamy cheeks and she straightened in his arms.
He frowned and pressed his forehead to hers. His breath came out in rough, ragged puffs. Good god, kissing Maddie had made him more breathless than swimming in the deepest, roughest part of the ocean.
“Everything okay?”
She nodded and her tongue slipped over her bottom lip, and then her teeth sunk into it, piercing the soft flesh. The urge to replace her teeth with his rushed through him, but he moved his gaze to her eyes. She stepped out of his hold and backed up to the long dining room table. She moved the chair out of the way and hooked her thumbs in the straps at her shoulders. His breath stopped.
She shimmied the sparkly gown over her breasts and down the gentle swell of her hips, and then dropped it to the floor. She stepped out of it, and kicked the material aside with the toe of her staggering silver high-heels.
Air wheezed out of his lungs and pain exploded where his heart lay. Every manly instinct told him to tear his feet from the floor and go to her, but he couldn’t move, couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her milky, high breasts stood naked and pert. The soft, pale pink of her nipples matched the tint that had crept across her cheeks. His eyes trailed down the smooth, toned lines of her body. The gentle indent of her belly button stood inches above a scant, black thong.
She leaned back against the table, her hands resting on either side of her. He dragged his gaze from the contrast of her panties against her pale skin, and met her stare. The corners of her mouth lifted and her eyes sparked at him mischievously. She lifted herself up, and dropped her ass on the smooth wooden tabletop.
His hands opened and closed at his sides. The towel that hung around him tented over his erection.
Maddie leaned back on her hands, her chest thrust forward. Her feet dangled off the table, swaying casually. Tilting her head back, she pulled the pins out of her hair. The strands fell in waves over her shoulders and curled around the sides of her breasts. His fingers tingled with the need to touch her, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. He wet his lips and his chest ached as he sucked in a breath.
Her hand rose to the top of her breast and her fingertips trailed lazily down. She drew circles around her nipple, bringing it into a tight, hard nub. Desire spread through him and his nerve endings throbbed. She was so fucking sexy, so damn tempting, he couldn’t even muster the strength to go to her.
“You’re not saying no this time, Nate.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and shook her head. “Not this time,” she repeated, her tone hard with affirmation.
He grunted and closed the distance between them. His steps were slow and deliberate. Her eyes dropped to his chest and then lowered down to his towel. Her knees swayed open and she caught her nipple between her fingers.
“As if I could,” he breathed.
One delicate eyebrow arched. “You have before.”
“Not like this…” His eyes dropped to her breasts, over her flat stomach and back up. She was his. He didn’t care about the details—not right now. Right now, he needed to lose every inch of himself inside her.
He opened his hands on her naked back and lowered his mouth to the base of her neck. The slender column arched to the side and he flicked his tongue over her flesh.
“So all I had to do this whole time was touch myself?” Her deep throaty laugh made him chuckle.
“Mmm…. I want to see more of that.” That image seared into his brain and he closed his eyes. Damn. The things they could do… there wouldn’t be enough hours in a day.
She burst out laughing. She covered her mouth with her hand and a deep red stain colored her cheeks. He straightened away and frowned down at her.
“Did I say something funny?”
“No, I’m sorry.” She shook her head and drifted her fingernails down his chest, stopping at the top of the towel. “It’s just… that night you came to my house while I was in the shower?”
He swallowed and his pulse kicked up. “Yeah,” he said, encouraging her to continue.
“Well… you would have gotten an eyeful had you been interested then.”
“Jesus.” His breath whooshed out of his lungs. “You mean I missed that? Dammit.” He rubbed his hands over his face. They’d have to reenact that.
The corners of her eyes creased and she pursed her lips. “Not exactly. You interrupted, actually.”
A fist knotted in his stomach and his jaw went slack.
She laughed and swatted him. “It’s okay, you’re about to make it up to me.” She freed the towel at his waist and it dropped to the ground. The length of his shaft jutted out and skimmed the satiny skin at her thigh. Her hand moved to the small of his back and she urged him closer. He smiled and nipped her bottom lip. Her back arched sharply and she moaned against him. His hands dropped to her luscious ass, and then settled on the outsides of her thighs. Her ankles locked around the back of his knees, dragging him down to her.
He lowered her back to the table, and her heavy lids fluttered open to land on him. His heart knocked against his ribcage. The bright light from the chandelier above them illuminated every smooth plane of her. Her knees spread wider and her sex pulsed against him. A deep guttural groan echoed in his chest. Goddamn, she was so wet for him. So damn perfect.
“Now, Nate. Please,” she gasped. His muscles spasmed as he fought the urge to give her exactly what she asked for. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her, but he didn’t want this to be over.
“Hang on, baby. There’s some things I need to do first.” He smoothed the hair away from the sides of her face and she pouted. He chuckled. “You’re going to like it. Trust me.” Heat rushed to burn his face, and he lowered his mouth to her nipple. She gasped and her hips jumped beneath his.
“Oh, god, Nate.” Her breath came out fast and sharp. He hid his smile and trailed his tongue over her ribs, leaving a wet, glimmering path in its wake. Her fingernails locked sharply on his shoulders.
He stopped at the lacy top to her panties and dragged his thumb over the smooth silk. He found the little nub between her folds and the gentle throb of her sex. She panted wildly on the table and he glanced up at her. Her lips parted loosely, and her eyes squeezed tight. Her dark lashes rested against her rosy cheeks.
He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her panties and slid them down her legs. The muscles in his throat contracted at the sight of her lush, smooth sex, wet and ready for him.
Jesus Christ.
How had he ever denied himself this? How had he ever thought he could get his fill from someone else? All this time, he’d been fucking away his feelings until he’d been left numb and unsatisf
ied. When everything he’d ever been searching for had been right in front of his damn face.
He traced his fingers around her folds, caressing with the tips of his fingers. She shook beneath him and arched her back. His dick throbbed with need, but he tamped down his carnal instinct to get on top of her. He dipped his head and nestled his face between her thighs, and pressed her legs open further with his hands. She fisted her hands in his hair and her torment brought a smile to his lips.
Her scent filled him, intoxicating every cell in his body with desire. He pressed small kisses to the insides of her thighs, and then to her pink nub. He slid his tongue over her and she cried out. Her fingers curled into his hair and he licked inside her. Her breath came out in rough, haggard moans.
“God, baby. You taste so good,” he murmured against her. A cry tore through her lips and her hips thrusted forward. He rested his hands on top of her belly to steady her. “Easy, honey. We’re not done yet.”
“Nate, I can’t take it…” She gasped.
“Shh. Just relax, babe.” He brought his thumbs to either side of her folds, opening her wider for him. He touched his tongue to her pulsing clitoris, and she whimpered. He closed his mouth over her, surrounding her with his heat and she convulsed beneath his hands. Her cries echoed through the room. Satisfaction filled him as her arms slid to the tabletop, and her tense legs went lax.
She was so fucking sexual, so raw and unabashed. He climbed on top of her and took her mouth in his. Her hands rested limply on his back and her legs bent open at the knees, cradling him.
“Oh my god, you’re incredible.” She laughed through his kisses as her blue eyes sparked with pleasure. He rocked against her. Her eyes grew dark and she sucked in her breath.
“No, babe. You are.” She smiled and her hand wriggled between them. She grasped his shaft with her fingers and guided him to her. He propped himself up on his forearms and entered her in a long, slow stroke.
Her eyes fluttered open and her breath sucked in. He closed his eyes on a groan and dropped his face to her neck. Her hot, slick sex tightened around him and he ground his teeth together as he went deeper.
Exposed Page 10
