He had to smile at her logic. Trust Jamie to give her own interpretation of the events. “I shouldn’t have acted that way.”
“And I shouldn’t have let you get away with it. When I first arrived here, you told me I was too easy. You’re right, I am too easy. In more ways than I want to even contemplate right now.” And with that mysterious double entendre, she walked out the door.
eleven
Jamie closed the door behind her before she said something else she would probably regret. She had no right to be hurt. Getting Dylan to open up and talk to her just because they’d had sex was ridiculous. He was a handsome, virile man who probably had sex quite frequently. She was the only woman around for miles. Maybe it only made sense that he’d eventually want sex with her. Reading more into it than that would only invite more pain and heartache. Still, no matter the reason, she refused to regret that it had happened.
She stopped at the entrance to the kitchen and leaned against the doorjamb. Okay, so what if her throat had a giant lump she couldn’t seem to swallow around. When the man you’re quite sure you’re in love with makes love to you like he has to have you or he’ll die and then when it’s over, treats you like you just shared a delicious meal and nothing more, what woman wouldn’t be a tad hurt?
Dylan wasn’t going to open up with her and tell her his secrets. She had known that when she’d gone into his arms. That hadn’t mattered at the time, but now that the passion had subsided, it did matter. She wanted to know him, but if he wasn’t willing to share himself after what had happened today, expecting him to open up at any other time was a lost cause. The man wanted to keep himself at a distance. That was an attitude she needed to take, too.
Straightening her shoulders, Jamie set to work making a meal. After running the obstacle course, taking an icy dunk in the pond, and making love, she was famished and more than a little weak in the knees.
She felt Dylan’s warmth behind her before she heard him. Strong, muscular arms encircled her and pressed her back against him. “Easy? No, sweetheart, there’s nothing easy about you.”
The heart that only a few seconds ago was set to be hard and unyielding went mushy again. Turning in his arms, Jamie pulled his head down and let him devour her mouth once more. Sweetly, insistently, he plumbed the depths, drawing a new passion from her. This was the kiss they should have shared after they’d made love. This was what she’d wanted and needed.
He pulled away slightly. “Want to play a game for the rest of the day?”
Surprised at the almost teasing glint in his eyes, she looked at him warily. “What kind of a game?”
“We’re just two people, alone in a snowbound cabin, enjoying each other’s company. There’re no bad guys out there. Nothing and no one exists but the two of us.”
Dylan wanted to play make-believe? This last year, her life had been all about fear, recovery, or retribution. The thought of allowing herself to forget for a few hours that nothing existed beyond this cabin was too enticing to refuse. And that Dylan had come up with the suggestion made it even more appealing. No way would she say no.
“Sounds wonderful.”
“Good. So, what are we making for dinner?”
“I was thinking something quick and easy, like spaghetti.”
“I’ll brown the meat, you boil the pasta.”
And with that, he released her. Lighthearted for the first time in forever, Jamie set to work. Usually when one of them cooked, the other one stayed out of the kitchen. She’d rarely cooked with anyone before; the short time she’d been married, her husband had come into the kitchen only to see what she was making for him.
Dylan’s presence was both comforting and exciting. Jamie watched him out of the corner of her eye, enjoying how at ease he appeared. Since he was single and in his early thirties, it made sense that he’d cooked more than a few meals for himself.
She put on the water to boil and then dug into the back of the cabinet to find the bottle of red wine she’d discovered weeks ago. “Do we have a corkscrew?”
Instead of rummaging around in a drawer, looking for one, he worked his hand into his pocket and produced something. “Give it here.”
Jamie handed him the bottle and watched him uncork the wine in seconds. “Wow, that’s a handy little tool.”
He handed the open bottle back to her. “The only thing my former wife gave me that I kept.”
Her stomach dipped and she felt as if a huge hole had appeared beneath her feet. Dylan had been married? Would he tell her more? They had agreed on no talk of past events, but Dylan was too deliberate to make that kind of mistake, wasn’t he? Testing him, she said, “You’ve been married?”
“Yeah, a long time ago.”
“What was her name?”
“Sheila.”
“Does she live in the U.S.?”
“Not anymore. She’s dead.”
Gasping, she turned around. “What happened?”
He shrugged. “An old boyfriend.”
“I’m sorry.”
“The marriage wasn’t a good one, but she didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
Wanting to get the grim look off his face again, she handed him a glass of wine. “Sip on this while I get the pasta sauce. What do you think about brownies for dessert?”
He took a swallow of the wine and nodded. “With ice cream and chocolate sauce?”
“Sounds wonderful.”
“Jamie, it doesn’t bother me to talk about her. Okay?”
Disturbed that he’d read her so well, but relieved that talking about his ex-wife didn’t bother him, she asked, “How long were you married?”
“Almost two years.”
As she began to mix the batter for the brownies, she said, “My marriage lasted barely a year.”
“Where’s your ex now?”
She shook her head. “Probably sleeping off a hangover somewhere, or maybe in jail again. After the judge gave him another month in jail, I left. Figured if he didn’t know where I was, it was better for both of us.”
“Sounds like a sleaze. How’d you meet him?”
She shoved the brownie pan into the oven and turned. “My senior year of college, he was in one of my classes. He was a good-looking guy who said all the right things.” She grimaced. “Well, at least until after we were married.”
Dylan handed her a glass of wine. “How about we not talk about former spouses?”
She took a sip of the fruity merlot and smiled. “Deal.”
While finishing the dinner preparations, they skirted any personal or intimate topics. She learned that Dylan lived in an apartment in Paris, had a flat-screen television, and was an avid Atlanta Braves fan. Jamie knew almost nothing about sports. She had played a little softball in high school and remembered how much her dad had loved his Monday night football. Watching Dylan’s expression when he talked about his favorite sport made Jamie wish she knew more so she could carry on an intelligent conversation about something he obviously enjoyed.
Once the food was set on the table, they grew quiet as they dug in. Jamie had always had a healthy appetite; tonight she was famished. Several minutes into the meal she looked up from her plate to see Dylan staring at her with a hot, hungry expression—as if he’d rather be devouring her than his dinner. Though the look thrilled her, setting off all sorts of heat sensors throughout her body, it also made her self-conscious and nervous. And, as usual, when she was nervous, she blurted out her thoughts: “Sex makes me hungry.” Blushing to the roots of her hair, she backtracked and added, “I mean, I used up a lot of energy today.”
His mouth curved slightly, but his eyes grew a dark forest green as they settled on her mouth. “I know what you mean.”
Her meal no longer important, she said, “Want to go sit by the fire?”
He had to recognize the invitation … one she thought he’d jump on. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and took a swallow of his wine. “Finish your spaghetti. You might need the nourishment.”
<
br /> She hadn’t thought she could get any hotter. Refusing to let nerves get in the way of a fantasy come true, Jamie attacked her plate with delicate savagery. Tomorrow the world would intrude once again. She would come down from this cloud of make-believe and remember what she was here for and the challenges ahead. For right now, she wanted to hold on to the magic just a little longer.
Dylan tried to ignore the loud voice blasting inside him, asking him if he’d lost his freaking mind. He’d been skating on the edge since they’d begun their training. Today, he’d plummeted into an abyss, and he had no idea if there was a way to return. Kissing her had been crazy wrong; what had happened next was so off the charts he had no words to describe it. And just now, his words had been of unmistakable intent.
The smart thing to do would be to get up from the table, apologize for being such a prick, and walk out the door. Let someone else finish her training. He could concentrate on finding Reddington. Putting the man behind bars would give Jamie the peace she needed. Staying here, making love to her, being with her like this—as if they were a normal couple—was insane.
Still, as he saw the contentment on her glowing face, watched her mouth tilt up in that sweet smile with her eyes gleaming like a satisfied cat’s, he couldn’t make himself do the smart or wise thing.
A future for them wasn’t possible, but the future was tomorrow, and that was hours away. Dylan was human enough to want to stretch out a fantasy as long as possible. Standing, he took her hand and pulled her up and into his arms. “Why don’t you go sit by the fire. I’ll take care of the few dishes here and then bring you dessert.”
She gave him a sweetly teasing smile. “A handsome man bringing me my favorite dessert in front of a roaring fire? Sounds like one of my fantasies.”
Unable to let her go without tasting her again, he whispered against her lips, “Let’s see how many fantasies we can accomplish tonight.” And then, giving in to one of his own, he let his mouth come over hers, devouring and savoring the sweetness.
Tonight was all about pushing reality away. With that in mind, Dylan lifted Jamie into his arms and carried her to the living room. His mouth still connected to hers, he lowered her to the rug, in front of the fireplace.
Lifting his mouth, he whispered, “Be right back.”
When he would have let her go, her slender arms tightened around his shoulders. “Wait.”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
He jerked at the words. “For what?”
“For this. I’ve never been romanced before.”
If there was anyone who deserved to be romanced, it was this woman. And the truth was, he’d never romanced anyone before—he was going on instinct alone. Pressing a quick kiss to her mouth, he got to his feet. About to ask if she wanted ice cream with her brownie, he swallowed his words. He’d never seen anyone more beautiful. Her hair, no longer damp, had dried in a mass of golden waves and was spread out on the rug like ripples in a pond. Eyes, usually a clear blue-gray, were gleaming pools of midnight blue, and the mouth he’d just tasted, glistened from their kiss.
He held himself still as desire pounded through him … it was all he could do not to forget about dessert and devour her instead. The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that if he went back for another taste, he wouldn’t get up before he had tasted all of her again. Her body had already been through too much today. Damned if he’d increase her discomfort by taking her on the floor.
“Be right back.” Before she could say something to tempt him even more, he hurriedly stacked the dishes in the dishwasher and then prepared a decadent dessert of warm brownie, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate sauce. Dessert in one hand, the bottle of chocolate sauce in the other, Dylan returned to the living room. He halted in mid-step, immediately putting his plans on indefinite hold.
Jamie had succumbed to the exhaustion of the day. She lay the way he’d left her, her expression one of soft, sleeping innocence. How the hell was he going to let her go?
The dessert in his hands no longer appealing, he returned to the kitchen and dumped it into the garbage. Returning to the den, he scooped Jamie up and carried her to her room. Not wanting to wake her, he eased her onto the bed, slipped off her shoes, and covered her with a blanket. He was about to leave when she whispered, “Dylan? Stay with me?”
Unable to deny himself this, Dylan settled onto the bed beside her. Tomorrow was soon enough to face reality. Tonight was still theirs.
Jamie woke the next morning with a small throbbing in her head, an ache in every muscle, and a smile on her face. Even though she’d fallen asleep and missed out on the dessert, she’d slept all night in Dylan’s arms. And just before dawn, he’d woken her with a kiss and they’d made love. Tenderly, sweetly, beautifully, Dylan had held himself back, giving her immense pleasure again and again.
The question he’d asked yesterday came back to her. He’d wanted to know if she’d had any dark moments. She had told the truth; there had been none. She trusted Dylan more than she’d ever trusted any man. Yes, he could infuriate her, and yes, he had the power to wound her emotionally, but physically, she knew he would never hurt her. They’d trained for weeks and not once, even during their fiercest bouts, had he caused one bruise. The man would deny it, but she had never known anyone as gentle.
So what now? She didn’t know where Dylan stood. Yesterday, they’d avoided all things related to the past, but today that wouldn’t be possible. She still had a goal she had to achieve. And if there was one thing she was absolutely certain about, it was that Dylan would never approve of her plan.
After they’d made love, he’d said something that gave her an idea of what today held. He’d kissed her forehead and said, “Back to reality in a few hours.”
Did that mean they would pretend this had never happened? He’d given her no promises. Told her nothing of his feelings. She had no idea if he wanted a future with her or if this was what she’d feared, just a one-night fling.
Jamie had no ambivalence about her own feelings. From the moment he’d held her in his arms, she’d felt a connection with Dylan she’d never felt with anyone. Maybe in the beginning it had been hero worship, but no longer.
Once everything was over with and finished, was there a future for them? She wanted one … but what did Dylan want?
Jumping out of bed, she grabbed her sweats and pulled them on. There was only one way to find out what he wanted—she would ask him.
twelve
Dylan turned when Jamie stepped onto the porch. He’d been out here for over an hour, trying to come to terms with what he knew he had to do.
“Oh, wow, it’s a beautiful day. Looks like spring is finally here.”
Funny, he hadn’t even noticed that the sun was out or that the temperature was probably already in the forties. Warmer weather meant more training time outdoors. It also meant that time was running out and the training was going to get even tougher. Was she ready for it?
“Let’s have a light breakfast and head out to the obstacle course. You need to run it at least half a dozen times today.”
Instead of arguing with him, challenging him, or giving him one of her smart-ass responses, she did something completely unexpected. She reached up and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. “Sounds good. I’ll go make us some oatmeal and toast.”
He should have stopped her right there, told her that today couldn’t be a repeat of yesterday. Instead, he stood mute as she turned and went back inside. Yesterday, she’d been beautiful. Today, she was something more. Not only was she glowing, she looked relaxed and confident … happy. How the hell could he take that away?
Once they were on the course and she had a successful day behind her, then he would talk with her. She needed to know that the next few weeks would be the toughest yet and that there was no way in hell they could continue as lovers. He refused to regret yesterday, but damned if he’d have cause to regret today.
The cellphone vibrated in his pocket. Che
cking to make sure she’d gone back inside, he looked at the display before he answered and was puzzled. McCall’s normal check-in day was tomorrow. “What’s up?”
“Just got the word. He’s scheduled his first market day.”
“When?”
“Three weeks from Tuesday.”
“How do we know?”
“He put the word out to his contacts.”
“You got a plan yet?”
“Yeah, I’ll need you to come here for a briefing.”
“When?”
“Next Tuesday.”
“And then?”
“Then you’re on the op.”
Dylan closed his eyes. “So that gives me seven days.”
“Seven days to find out what she’s hiding. I can send Aidan to complete her training.”
An unexpected and off-the-wall surge of jealousy went through Dylan. Aidan Thorne was as capable as any LCR operative, and Dylan trusted him with his life; but the thought of the man coming here to train Jamie slammed him hard. He’d heard more than one female LCR employee sigh over Thorne’s golden-blond good looks and the charm that went with them.
In the next instant, he silently cursed himself. He had no hold on Jamie’s life, and having her prepared for any threat in the future was his main concern. When the hell had he gotten so selfish?
“Thorne’s a good trainer,” Dylan said flatly.
McCall didn’t even try to hide his amusement. “Or I could send Livingston instead.”
At the thought of the no-holds-barred daredevil Jared Livingston having anything to do with Jamie’s training, Dylan snapped out a “Hell no.” The last thing he wanted was for Jamie to start believing she was invincible, which was apparently how Livingston saw himself.
“Send Thorne. She’ll feel easier around him. Besides, she’s almost ready … two, three weeks tops should round out her training.”
“You think you can get what you need before you leave?”
Sweet Revenge Page 14
