Heroes In Uniform (6 page)

“Were you and he lovers?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Is that part of what you want to know?”

“No.”

“So this is just to satisfy your curiosity?”

“I’d rather know before kissing you again.”

She arched her eyebrows. “Confident you’ll get a second shot, aren’t you? Very presumptuous that I’d welcome it.”

He leaned forward then, his lips inches from her, his big body covering but not touching hers. “Oh yeah.”

“Kiss me again and I’ll hurt you.”

“Self-preservation not my strongest suit,” he murmured, his breath hot against her lips.

She breathed in his scent. This attraction between them was so potent, if he touched her, she was sure the bed was going to combust into flames. She’d resisted for over half a year, keeping her distance, but here, practically in bed, she could feel her rule of no involvement slowly melting away.

Those masculine lips that had given her more fantasies that she’d care to admit were so temptingly near. She wanted to trace their outline with her tongue. The heated moment hung between them, dangerously hot.

“Drei and I are just friends,” she finally said. “He was very helpful with certain problems of mine.”

“Are those problems connected with your sudden appearance in this part of the world? I mean, you disappeared from a chicken farming internship to—what—play cloak-and-daggers games?”

“Maybe I needed excitement in my life. Maybe chicken farming wasn’t my thing.”

“Or maybe you needed information you couldn’t get unless you’re back in the muck, and I don’t mean chicken shit.”

The man was far too witty for his own good. Who was he to Drei, anyway?

“He’s also a friend of mine,” he continued, “and I’ve been looking for him.”

So had she, actually. “I haven’t seen him since that same meeting in the picture. I suggest you ask the person who gave you those printouts where he or she found the info.”

Luke regarded her for a second. His gaze, intense and intimate, made her shift uncomfortably.

“I will,” he said. “A meeting? That one picture gives the impression it was a date.”

Nina smiled. “It was a date. We had dinner, talked and laughed. Such a nice flirtation.” She gazed at him enquiringly. “Surely I’m allowed to date a friend. You’re being nosy for no reason.”

He frowned. “I do have a reason. You were one of the last people he saw. I’m trying to figure out what he was working on to give me an idea what could have happened to him.”

“He could have just gone dark, you know,” she pointed out. “Our kind just disappears for a while.”

“He’d have left me a message.”

Nina looked at him speculatively. Drei had told her he didn’t have many friends and if he were to go dark, nobody here would notice. But Luke St. James wasn’t from here. Had, in fact, only shown up around these parts
after
Drei’s disappearance. Could he be telling the truth?

“Why would he? Is he a good friend of yours?” she asked.

“Yes. He’s like a brother to me.”

That good a friendship, huh? But still, Drei couldn’t have told him about her. But perhaps Luke could be an asset. Her father had taught her, one couldn’t sacrifice all one’s rooks in a war. She made an offering.

“Drei and I exchange information sometimes,” she said. “It’s normal for fixers like us to do that.”

“But La Niina has a reputation of being untouchable,” he pointed out, watching her with those incredible eyes.

She shrugged. “It’s a reputation. You have one too. Are you really a walking, talking cowboy?”

His answering smile was downright too damn sexy. “I am. Can you tell me what information you two shared?”

Nina frowned. “You’re kidding me, right? Like I would tell you.”

It was his turn to shrug. “Can’t hurt to ask. Drei was looking for information about some political big wig going down—who, time, place, that sort of thing. I thought I’d help him because I have my own sources too.”

She kept her expression bland, but her heart skipped a little at what the Cowboy had revealed. No wonder they’d been bumping into each other so much. He’d been seeking the same things too. Political parties, soirees, cryptic messages about some head-of-state. That had been why she and Drei had gotten together. He’d needed to put some puzzle pieces together and she was helping him gather the parts. In return, he’d help get that information to her father through his contacts and perhaps, she’d get to hug her father again instead of talking in code via a computer screen.

“Look,” she said. “I can’t help you any more because I have no further information. You asked and I answered your questions. I’m kind of looking for Drei myself. I could work harder and check around with some sources of mine, but you’ll have to free me. My people will be looking for me soon if I don’t make contact.”

She needed to get out of here and find out more about Luke St. James. A fixer looking for a missing person was unsurprising, but looking and asking for a missing Drei was sending warning signals in her head. Without her ally, she had to be extra careful.

He looked at her thoughtfully for a second. “All right. I’m taking you back to the car, but you have to put the hood back on. Where do you want to be let off?”

His quick capitulation surprised and, sort of disappointed, her. She couldn’t help a parting shot. “That’s it? However do you ever get your information? There are so many things you haven’t tried yet. I’m surprised you lasted this long in this business.”

He gave her one of those dark stares that made her hot all over. His hands hesitated on her cuffs, as if he was reconsidering. Then he smiled, a slow curve of his lips.

“I last as long as needed,” he told her, and added, “You’re right. I should try something before releasing you.”

Something in his tone of voice told Nina he wasn’t talking about business.

* * *

Luke knew he should let her go. A missing operative could bring stuff down on his head. The sight of Miss Litchenko cuffed to a bed was giving him images that had nothing to do with getting information. He wanted to take her clothes off piece by piece. He wanted to take off his own clothes and then slide between those long luscious legs. Lots of images of sweaty sheets followed. He smiled.

It must be Kotya’s damn vodka. He was usually more reserved. But La Niina up close and personal was very potent. Her challenging stare spurred him on.

“Would you like to try the theory out?” His invitation came out before he could stop himself. “I know I would.”

She sat very still as he ran his finger on the metal cuff and around her wrist, resting on her pulse. Her heart was racing. He gently massaged the area, his gaze meeting hers. Slowly, he brought her cuffed hand up while he bent down, still looking at her. Her lips opened a fraction. He ran his tongue along the inside of her wrist. Her teeth caught her lower lip. Not taking his eyes off hers, he pushed the sleeve up and licked his way along the soft flesh and nibbled the inside of her elbow. Her head fell back against the pillows, her eyes closed to half-slits. Her sultry expression made already tight places feel even tighter. Hotter.

“Are you going to make me tell you?” she whispered.

“I thought you said you’ve nothing else to tell,” he whispered back, giving her another little nibble.

“If you keep doing that, I’ll think of something.”

She was temptation personified. He’d wanted her for so long. All these months, he’d wanted and resisted, and now, they were alone together. It looked like the lady wanted him too, unless she was trying to trick him.

Maybe it was time to go a little further.

He reached down and boldly touched the front of her pants. She went very still but didn’t voice any protest. Her big, dark eyes, so beautiful and expressive, stared into his challengingly. Not taking his eyes away, he cupped her. Her lower body reared up, pressing against his hand.

“You’re in bed, tied up. You’re right, I don’t think I should pass up the chance to seduce you,” he told her.

“Maybe I’m seducing you,” she countered, then gasped.

He looked down at her, his hand moving deliberately between her legs. “You think?” He pulled at the zipper in the way. “May I?”

“What if I say no?”

“If you aren’t wet down there already, I’ll zip your pants back up,” he promised. She was undulating against his hand, so he was fairly confident he’d win this bet. He slowly pulled at the zipper, giving her a chance to tell him to stop. When she didn’t, he slipped his hand inside. A tight fit there, just like his pants was right now. His triumph was tempered with his need. “So wet, baby.”

There was hardly any room to move but the sight of her skinny black thong and all that was revealed sent hot currents of anticipation down his spine. Slowly, gently, he let one finger explore, looking for the right spot. Another small gasp escaped her lips. Found it. He leaned forward over her pliant body, resting one hand on the headboard, so that the tip of his finger could reach lower into her wet heat. Then he drew a long glide upwards and then down again, repeating it a few times. Her eyes closed. The lady was very, very wet.

“Can I take your pants off now?” He teased, feeling both tense and exhilarated at the same time. All his usual caution had long flown out the proverbial window. “If you don’t come in the next five minutes, I’ll put them back on.”

Her eyes flickered open. She made to say something and he slid his finger inside her, interrupting whatever she had in mind. Instead, a half-formed word came out and her neck arched up. He wanted to nibble there too, but first things first. He didn’t let up, making circles with his thumb as he pushed his finger deeper into that incredibly tight heat. God, he wanted to push something else inside her.

He’d never been one to wait too long to pick up his advantage. His rodeo experience came in handy again. He could pull at and folded limbs and legs, and in mere seconds, do whatever needed to get his quarry. Jerking her pants down and off with her soft black shoes were easy. Pulling her legs apart and over his shoulders took only a second. Damp pink flesh, beckoning for a taste. The scent of female desire hit his nostrils. He went a little crazy. Placing his mouth where he wanted, he worked his tongue over her clitoris, making sure to stroke it the same way his finger had been. Savoring her with his tongue. Kissing her deeply.

This time there was room to slide in two fingers as he lapped at Nina’s clit, working that wetness to his advantage, finding sensitive nerve endings until her moans told him she was close. Her squirming body froze as she neared her orgasm and he pressed down firmly with tongue and fingers. The taste of her filled his mouth as she came, sexy whimpers coming from her throat.

Not letting up, he moved up from between her thighs and climbed over her, giving her a hard kiss on her mouth.

“Can I take off my pants now?” He murmured against her lips, moving her cuffed hands over his bulge. “Can I fuck you? I promise if you don’t like it, I’ll stop and put my pants back on.”

“Did you take me prisoner…to…only make promises and ask dumb questions?”

He smiled at her husky sassiness. “But you’re answering them so well, being tied up and all. When my prisoner gives me what I want, I reward them. Do you want your reward now?”

Her answer was her hand clenching on the front of his pants, squeezing non-too-lightly. “Show me this reward,” she invited.

* * *

Nina’s heart raced as she watched the pair of male hands slowly unbuttoning his fly. Apparently, the wild and loud thumping she kept hearing in her head had knocked her brain senseless.

She was supposed to be pissed-off. She should be lying any way she could to get herself out of here. She should be planning ways to make this man pay for taking her prisoner. So many shoulds that were taking their places way down the list of ‘important things to do immediately.’

The Cowboy was seducing her and she was allowing it to happen. Okay, that was a laughable choice of word. Allowing? She was tied up and enjoying the whole thing. His fingers, his tongue—holy cow, that tongue. Had all these months of built-up sexual tension between them paid off. One intimate kiss from him and she had the best orgasm she could remember. And she didn’t want him to stop.

He shucked his pants off, underwear and all. She stared at his erection.

No, she definitely didn’t want him to stop. She cleared her throat as she watched him take a few moments to quickly sheathe a condom.

“It’s not going to be easy with both our pants tying up our legs like this,” she told him. Why was her voice so damn husky? She hadn’t moaned that loudly.

“Not easy,” he agreed, “but not impossible. I can’t wait, sweetheart. I want to be inside you right now.”

She wanted to have him inside her too. In fact, she badly wanted to hold that beautiful penis in her hands and do her own exploration.

He was on top of her before she could take another look, and she gasped at the intimate contact between her legs. Nothing tentative about this man at all. In her current world of constant negotiations and deliberate counter moves, she liked how he did things. So damn American.

Her breath came out in a soft gush as he pushed against her tender and willing flesh. Her legs parted on their own to accommodate him. He felt big and hot, the long slow stroke as he entered her rubbed already sensitive nerves, making her shiver. His face was close to hers and he stared into her eyes as he slowly and surely entered her inch by hard inch.

He was all the way in her now. Then he started grinding against her with tiny strokes, rocking against her clitoris. The sensation was deliciously tortuous.

“So can I start interrogating you now?” He asked, his voice a husky murmur.

She laughed as the heat down there escalated. He was so deliciously evil too.

“You think I’d capitulate so easily?”

He rocked harder and she bit down on her lower lip to stop from moaning.

“I count on your resistance,” he told her. “This interrogation could go on for hours and hours. We barely have our clothes off. I’ll make you come again and again until you give me what I want.”