“Tawnee?”
“Yeah?”
“You should be running right now.”
I squeal and take off toward the bedroom. It’s only when I cross the threshold that I realize this is exactly where he wanted me to go. Too late—he’s already right on my heels and blocking the exit.
“I suppose I’ll just have to settle for pre-ocean sex to hold me over.” He waggles his eyebrows at me before stalking toward me with that damn sexy swagger and irresistible smirk.
Putty. I’m putty in the man’s hands.
Chapter 15
Roman
“What types of sharks are in the Persian Gulf again?”
“The only shark you have to worry about is me, Tawnee. Now get your ass in this water with me right now.”
She wades in, coming toward me with a sly smile on her face. “The water feels good.”
“Yes, it does. I know how to make it feel better.”
“No, Roman. I mean it. The answer is no, no, no.”
“Spoilsport. Taking away all my fun.” She rolls her eyes at me, but the smile on her face is genuine. I’ve missed seeing it and missed being the reason behind it even more. “Let’s grab the masks and fins so we can snorkel over by the rocks.”
After we put on our gear, we swim the short distance to a retaining wall that has large rocks piled against it, creating a man-made reef. We spend hours swimming back and forth, watching the small, colorful fish dart in and out of the rocks. When she reaches for my hand to get my attention, I don’t let go. We move in tandem with our fingers laced together. I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks about it—I’ll hold my girl’s hand whenever I want.
“I think we’ve worked off all the food we ate earlier. I’m starving.” Tawnee looks up at me from her seat in the sand. She’s removing her fins, beads of water drip down her face, and her smile is brighter than the desert’s setting sun. “It’s time to go inside, finish off the leftovers, and make something sweet for dessert.”
“Yes, ma’am. Your wish is my command. Thrice-heated tacos and one homemade buttermilk pie coming up. Though I suppose it would be called laban pie here. Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, does it?”
“Those don’t really sound like they go together.” She scrunches up her nose and grimaces at the same time.
“Trust me. You’ll change your mind after your first bite of pie.” I extend my arm and offer her my hand to help her up.
“If you say so. I guess I should trust you—everything else you made was delicious.” She cups my cheek with her soft hand. “Thank you for doing that.”
“My pleasure, sweets. Now it’s time for you to eat and build up your energy again.”
Her jaw drops open, and my only response is to wink at her. The nervous expression on her face is adorable. She turns to walk in front of me, but I hear her mumble under her breath, “I’m going to buy a chastity belt and hide the key for at least a week.”
“That’s fine by me, sweets. I know how to pick locks.”
The house phone rings when we enter through the back door. I hesitate for a moment then decide to answer just in case.
“Roman, it’s Shadow. We won’t be back by the house for two or three more days. We can’t leave our posts for the time being. Do either of you need anything urgently before then?”
“No, man, we’re good. Thanks for checking, though. We’ll be here when you’re ready. Don’t hurry on our account.” Literally—I don’t want them to hurry at all. We’re good. We’re so good here.
We disconnect, and I relay the message to Tawnee. “Looks like you’re all mine for at least two more days. There’s no way for you to escape from me. Isn’t that great news?”
“On the one hand, yes. On the other, it makes me wonder what they’re up to and what’s coming next. Did he tell you and you’re just withholding information from me?”
“Nope. I wouldn’t do that, sweets. You know as much as I know.”
“Then I suppose we’ll just have to find ways to entertain ourselves while we’re held hostage in this house.” She shrugs her shoulders and lifts her hands with her palms up. But I do love that grin on her face. “I’m going to shower and wash all the salt and sand out of my hair. I’ll help you make that pie when I get out if you want an extra pair of hands.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it. Enjoy your hot shower in that enormous master bathroom. I’ll take my shower while it’s baking, then we can relax for the rest of the night.”
She walks over to me, raises up onto her toes, and softly kisses my lips. “Thank you. You’re spoiling me, and I’m loving every minute of it.”
“It’s about time I returned the favor. You spoiled me for a long time, only I was too thickheaded to realize what I had until you were gone. I don’t want to lose you again, Tawnee. I’ve been miserable without you—just ask Blake. He caught the brunt of it.”
She giggles, picturing the two of us going at it like brothers. “Remind me to send him a gift basket as a thank you for putting up with you in my absence. You know, after we’re rescued.”
“Hell, he’ll be so happy to get rid of me, he’ll send you a gift basket for taking me off his hands.”
After we finish dinner and scarf down half the dessert, we settle on the spacious couch with a fresh bottle of wine. I sit at the end with my legs stretched out on the ottoman, and she snuggles against me in the crook of my shoulder. The familiar scent of her shampoo lingers in the air around me, and I inhale a deep breath, trying to remember the last time we took a moment just to chill and enjoy each other.
Not a single time comes to mind.
Did we never do this as a couple?
What the fuck was wrong with me?
We find an English-speaking channel and let the movie playing transport us to other worlds. We chat about the plot and laugh off the inconsistencies, unconcerned with reality versus fantasy in our choice of entertainment. We have so much in common in some ways, but we’re polar opposites in others. But we can use all of that to our advantage if we simply focus on what’s most important this time around.
Before long, I know she’s fallen asleep by her rhythmic breathing and lax limbs. Watching her rest comfortably in my arms makes me feel ten feet tall. She feels safe and protected with me. She knows she can trust me and that I’m a man of my word. I’d die before I’d hurt her again… and anyone else who hurts her will be the proud owner of a shallow, unmarked grave in the middle of the desert.
The credits end on the movie we were watching, and another one begins, before Tawnee stirs. She lifts her head from my chest and glances around the room, momentarily confused, until her eyes land on mine.
“Hello, sleepyhead.”
Cue the sheepish grin. “Hush. You’re so warm and comfortable, I couldn’t help but fall asleep. What time is it?”
“Not too late yet. We’ve just had a very long day. You can go back to sleep if you want, I don’t mind. I’ll stay right here and hold you.”
“If we turn off all the lights in here, it’s dark enough outside that no one could see us…” She lets her voice trail off, raises her eyebrows, and bites her bottom lip.
“No one could see us, huh? And what would we be doing that no one needs to see?” I like this adventurous side of her.
“Skinny-dipping in the pool.”
Correction. I love this adventurous Tawnee.
“I will go turn off every light and night-light in the house right now. Are you wearing anything under that little silky robe?”
“Nope.”
“Perfect. I’ll grab a couple towels and meet you in the backyard in two seconds.”
“Okay. Don’t make any noise when you come out. I’ll be the naked one in the pool waiting for you.”
“You’re killing me, sweets.”
She slips out the door while I rush to grab the towels. If that thin, silky robe she’s wearing gets wet, she may as well be completely naked. We’re trying to avoid any jail time, if pos
sible. I can’t guarantee the neighbors won’t hear her moans and cries after I catch a glimpse of the moonlight shimmering off her wet, naked body.
When I step outside, I drop the towels on the lounge chair beside the pool, kick off my shorts, and ease down the steps where Tawnee sits. I step in front of her, push her knees apart, and settle between her thighs. The warm water acts as a natural lubricant, and her body is a natural aphrodisiac.
She pulls my face toward hers and lightly brushes her tongue against the part of my lips before taking full control of our kiss.
Then she wraps her legs around my waist, pushing the warmth of her pussy against my cock, and all bets are off. With a slight adjustment, I’m poised and ready at her entrance. I drive inside her with full force, and her back curves from the intense pleasure. Her sexy moans only make me thrust harder. The water sloshes around us as her bare chest arches out of the water, and I slide my hand from her stomach to her throat.
“You feel so fucking good. I can’t get enough of you.”
We twist and change places, with me sitting on the step and Tawnee straddling me. The grinding of her hips combined with her inner muscles tightly gripping me nearly pushes me over the edge first. With the first peep of her uncontrollable scream, I cover her mouth with mine and meet her stroke for stroke. In perfect sync, we reach the peak together and tumble over the other side in unison.
She collapses against me, and I lean back against the top step, holding her close with one hand and drawing lazy circles on her wet skin with the other.
“I didn’t mean to attack you like that as soon as you got in the pool with me. I thought we’d have a few minutes to swim first.” She giggles against my chest.
“You already know you can pounce on me anytime you want without permission or explanation. I truly do not mind one bit.” I feel her smile against my skin. “We can swim now if you want. Wear you out a little more so you’ll sleep like a rock tonight.”
“I’m a little too comfortable lying on top of you to move just yet.”
I pick her up and glide through the shallow end, semi-swimming but mostly letting the water flow over us. “How’s this?”
“Perfect. Everything here is perfect. Feels like we’re on an exotic vacation and makes me never want to go back to the real world.”
A nagging doubt starts at the back of my mind. Like one tiny seed, just a fleeting thought, but it’s taking root in my mind and growing faster than the speed of light. I’ve mentioned our future several times… over the last twenty-four hours… but she hasn’t. Does she see this as a vacation fling? Having fun while we’re here, but leaving it all behind when the fairy-tale escape ends?
But that’s not Tawnee’s nature. It never has been. She wouldn’t use me like that. She wouldn’t listen to my professions of love only to rip my heart out with pure spite. I push those thoughts out of my mind and refocus my energies on the beauty who’s stuck on my body like a tattoo.
“Roman?”
“Yeah, sweets?”
“I think it’s time to take me to bed, snuggle with me all night, and make sure I have sweet dreams.”
“My pleasure.” We exit the pool, and I wrap her towel around her. She peeks up at me from under her eyelashes, then places a soft kiss on my lips.
“If I’m already dreaming, don’t wake me.”
“You’re not dreaming. This is all real, and it only gets better from here.”
We head back inside and straight to the master bedroom. So much has happened over such a short time, all the other days start to blur into one. But not today. From now on, my hard-line stance is firmly in place—I’m not leaving here without her by my side. I won’t lose her again.
We crawl into the middle of the king-size bed, our arms and legs wrapped around each other, and wait for sleep to overtake us. Tawnee is out like a light first, and I watch her sleeping soundly for a few minutes… captured by her beauty, captivated by her heart, and addicted to her love.
The next three days follow much of the same pattern as the first one. Shadow said they’d be back in a couple of days, but at this point, I don’t care if he takes a couple of weeks. Or months. Years would be acceptable too. I’ve spent hours upon hours of making love to her, cooking meals together, swimming in the ocean and the pool, and enjoying a few days of having no responsibilities at all. We couldn’t have planned a better vacation, or a more deserved break from reality.
Every day, I’ve considered pressuring her for information. What was in that file? Who was she threatening to kill? Why can’t I know about it? But I haven’t been able to bring myself to broach the subject. The mere mention of work or anything about our real lives may burst the bubble we’re living in. Something tells me I’ll need every possible minute to convince her we are real, what’s happening between us is meant to be, and we can overcome anything together. I never gave her a reason to believe in me before, so I have to give her every reason to take a leap of faith now.
On the fourth morning of our captivity, Tawnee and I are at the table having breakfast together, joking about not knowing what we’ll do today. Then we hear the garage door open, and a truck pulls into the empty space.
They turn the engine off, and we rest our forks on our plates.
Our eyes meet as the large door slides shut.
The knob jiggles just before the interior door swings open.
Shadow, Reaper, and Silas all file into the kitchen with their solemn, grim expressions in place.
Our small slice of heaven is about to turn into a pit of pure hell.
“Well, if it isn’t the three horsemen of the apocalypse. To what do we owe the pleasure?” I lean back in my chair, preparing for the worst.
The three men glance at one another nervously, uncertain of who should be the one to share the bad news they’re harboring. That truly makes me feel worse, because I’ve never seen any of these men hesitate to say what’s on his mind. Silas steps forward, maintaining eye contact with me the entire time to keep my attention focused on him.
“Roman, there’s something I need to tell you. It’s about your dad.”
Chapter 16
Tawnee
My hands fly to my face, covering my gaping mouth, and my heart drops to my feet. If someone killed Gerald because I didn’t tell Roman what I know, I’ll never forgive myself.
Neither will Roman.
Roman flies up from his seat, and Silas puts his hands up in front of him, signaling for Roman to sit back down.
“He’s okay now. He—”
“Now? What do you mean now? So that means he wasn’t okay at some point in the last few days?”
“Roman. This behavior is exactly why we’ve kept you out of the loop. You fly off the handle without having all the details. I know for a fact that you’ve been trained better than that.” Silas straightens his spine, pulling up to his full height, and looks down at Roman with the stern expression of a displeased superior.
It works. Roman’s demeanor changes immediately, and he nods in agreement. “You’re right. When it comes to the people I love, my reactions may be a tad bit heated.”
One side of Silas’s mouth lifts briefly. It only lasts a split second, but it’s enough to make me relieved to have seen it. “That’s better. No more talking until I’ve finished briefing you. I promise to answer any remaining questions afterward. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“As I said, he’s okay now. He was attacked just after his speech at the oil and energy conference. There were quite a few people who didn’t share his enthusiasm over his project. We were there, but a crowd surrounded him when he left the stage. Most of the people were peaceful and professional. They only wanted to ask more questions about his research after the panel said they had to move on to the next speaker.
“As the crowd dispersed, two men used that opening to move closer to him. One stabbed him and the other grabbed him, trying to drag him outside, very similar to the way we had you and Tawnee taken. Only they were stupi
d, because they didn’t make sure he was alone before they made their move. Shadow and I immediately took him to the hospital, while Reaper and Bull cornered the two assailants. We have them in custody now and have been putting them through the wringer to squeeze every last bit of intel out of them.
“His injuries were not life threatening, but that doesn’t mean he enjoyed it. They kept him overnight for IV antibiotics in case of infection. We arranged a privately chartered flight to get him out of the country and to Noah’s house in Miami. Brianna is taking care of him now, and he’s perfectly safe. She even took him in for a second opinion, against his will, but she managed it anyway. I received a message this morning from him. He sends his love to you both and said to tell you—and I quote—‘Work your shit out so I can have grandkids before I die.’ It seems he’s fallen in love with all the kids coming and going at the house of Steele and wants his son to start contributing.”
“Oh great, a new crusade for my dad to take an interest in. This one only involves my reproductive status. Do parents not realize they’re encouraging their kids to have sex when they say shit like that? It just has the opposite effect. That’s not uncomfortable at all.” Roman’s reaction makes me smile and stifle a laugh, but now that’s exactly what I’ll think about the next time I’m around Gerald.
“Our two idiot guests have confirmed our original suspicions that the three of you were not here by coincidence, but their boss only told them their part of the plan. We’re confident they’re not withholding information from us about that. The reason your dad was here is obvious. His name has been listed as a speaker on the agenda for months. But why the group behind this needed Tawnee and you here with him isn’t clear to me yet.
“Now it’s your turn to talk. What did I leave out?”
“Give me a second to process everything, man.” Roman props his elbows on the table and rests his forehead on his hands.
Though I can’t see his face, I can feel the full range of emotions flowing through him. I want to reach across the table and hold his hand, to show he has all my support, but I don’t want to interrupt the moment he needs to collect his thoughts.
HARD LINE Page 14
