Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Okay.” He released me and gestured to the room.
Thank God. I scrambled around the corner to put the key in the lock and open the door. I didn’t turn on the lights, but when he came in behind me, there was a click and the room filled with soft light. I made a face, knowing I’d have to turn them off again before we got naked.
Assuming that happened.
I gave him a look that I hoped was brimming with impatience and desire. His shoulders lifted with a deep breath when I sauntered toward him. Then I gripped his head and pulled his lips down against mine roughly, igniting the fire again.
His kiss was powerful and commanding, but it was gone a second later. “I should get going.”
My head spun, disoriented by this turn of events. “Wait, what?”
“You’re safe in your room now, and I need to get back.” The emotionless mask returned and he stood out of reach, as if he wanted to keep his distance. Like he was wary of me. “You have my jacket.”
The bitchy teenager I’d once been wanted to scream Mine now. His reversal had sent me into a nosedive, and I couldn’t level off nearly this quick. “What the hell just happened?”
“Nothing happened,” he said, his dark eyes pinning mine, “and we need to keep it that way. Jacket. Please.”
He didn’t want to get too close. Why was that? Was he worried I might distract him again? “Okay, Nathan. Come and get it.”
Oh, he both did and didn’t like that challenge. All it took was one large stride and he was right there, hauling me up against him, my breasts crushing into his hard chest. He lowered his mouth to mine, dominating and aggressive.
My legs turned to jelly under the power of his kiss.
He pushed the fleece off my shoulders, but he didn’t try to strip it off, which was what I was prepared for. Instead, he closed his hands over my breasts and squeezed. He used teeth on his kiss, nipping at my bottom lip.
I groaned with pleasure against his mouth.
Whatever he wanted, as long as he didn’t freaking stop. I couldn’t put my hands on him with the jacket bunched around my elbows, so I shook it off.
Yet when I reached up to trap his head, it wasn’t there. He’d backed up. The discarded fleece was in his hands, and he was already working to pull it on.
He’d fucking played me. Gotten me to basically hand it over. Fire burned in my belly now, not just between my legs.
“Good night.” He ducked out the door like he’d been shot through it.
I stood stock-still, staring at the door for a long time in disbelief and unsatisfied anger that built and built until there was no other thought in my head. What the hell was his problem?
5
ETHAN
The sun grew hot as I waited beside the plane, and I was annoyed I’d been assigned this routine security task. Giovanni liked the plane ready at his whim. Who knew when the day might turn south and he’d have to hightail it back to Rome?
The fuel truck was late, but that was expected. Every country had their own way of doing things and operated on their own time. South Africa had a leisurely pace, similar to Italy’s.
What would have happened if Olivia hadn’t said my cover’s name? I’d stumbled from her room last night and made my way to my own, barely catching my breath before Giovanni found me there. I’d assured him I had escorted Olivia back to her room where she must have immediately fallen asleep. That explained why she hadn’t heard her employer knock on her door minutes later when he’d come looking to hook up.
Once again, the idea of him going after her gave me a sharp, odd feeling of possessiveness.
The word repeated over and over again. Disaster. That was what my director would call this, and that was exactly what it was. Despite everything, no matter the risk to my mission, the real man inside me wanted her.
I’d never, ever had a reaction to a woman during an op. It was hazardous and unprecedented. She clouded my head and left me disoriented. Made me slow and stupid, which was a great way for me to end up blowing my cover.
Or dead.
She came on strong. So strong that I’d spent time against that wall wondering if she had ulterior motives, but there was genuine hurt when I’d backed away. She wanted me, which made no sense.
I shouldn’t have been surprised to see her making her way toward me now, but I cursed under my breath. It was her plane, and she’d told me it was her job to know what happened on it. The brim of her faded Detroit Lions hat shielded her green eyes from the sun, but not the rest of her gorgeous body.