He listened to her every word, and his blunt attitude softened from teasing to a sober gaze of interest. “That had to be a bad situation for a little girl.” He placed a macadamia cookie on a saucer and pushed it next to her plate. “I had no right to ask. Your reasons for doing anything are your business.”
She bit a nut off the cookie and chewed in silence. “You can’t imagine. It meant becoming two people. I tried to please both of them.”
“Did you succeed?” Sam stacked his dishes neatly on the silver tray the food had arrived on.
“No, I failed miserably.” She hadn’t faced that memory for years. “Mother and Dad didn’t understand that I couldn’t just turn the key and change into a saintly spendthrift from a wicked, rebellious spend-a-holic over night.”
“What do you call wicked?” Sam grinned. “I earned that title with much joy.”
“I couldn’t wait to leave for college. I did nothing but party there for the first two years, cheated on exams, and lied to my parents about everything.” She wasn’t proud of her raunchy conduct. “All that changed after my mother died.”
“I’m sorry. Losing a parent is painful.” His words were a warm hug.
“After that, my father informed me he would no longer provide money for my spending habits.” She shrugged, pushing her plate away. “That would teach me the value of a dollar. And it did. I kept my nose in the books and ended up with a degree that did me no good without money to set up my business.”
Sam rubbed his chin, appearing confused. “Your father’s wealthy. Most parents, money or not, help out when their kids have a real desire to make it in this world.”
“You’re confusing my family with yours.” Lana recalled the embarrassing and useless request for a loan from her tight-lipped father. “I never asked for or accepted another thing from him. After I passed the bar, I applied to the FBI, and to my father’s amazement and mine, they took me on.”
“You’re a hell of a woman, Pearly.” He rose and pushed the serving cart to the door. “So, what about that law firm?”
“That’s what I’m saving for. I’ve done all the paperwork, and in five years, I’ll have enough saved to open my office.” The shopping bag on the chair drew her attention. “Enough about my sordid past, Sam. Let’s go mingle.”
Lana changed into the white bathing suit and pulled her hair back in a loose braid. She grabbed the pretty scarf Sam had insisted she buy and tied it around her hips. She put on the sophisticated sunglasses, admitting he had great taste.
Her confidence ran high as she walked back into the small living room.
Until she caught sight of Sam standing in the open doorway of the adjoining sitting room. Buck naked.
The man was strictly
GQ
. He hadn’t noticed her eyeballing him and stood with his hands on his trim hips. He looked perplexed. She knew decency would be to let him know she watched him.
Not yet. Not when he was being his completely uninhibited self, lean muscles flexing under his bronze skin while he turned over everything in his luggage. She weaved a little in her state of hunger, craving the flex of his thighs and biceps against her skin. Even his feet were sexy.
Okay, okay. Enough now
.
“Ahem.” He wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable in his bare assed state. “Lose something?”
He held his arms out to his sides and grinned. “Can’t find my trunks.”
Try as she might, Lana couldn’t keep her eyes off his cock. Her gaze touched him with growing pleasure building in her body. She knew full well how that hefty appendage filled her and became part of her. She pulled her attention to his face, trying to appear untouched by what she saw.
“I hope it’s not a Speedo.”
He grinned and rubbed the back of his head. “Those things are for kids. I don’t need chicks falling all over me.” He took a step toward her. “Unless it’s you.”
“Find your trunks and let’s get moving.” She’d sounded nervous, even to herself. “Check your carry on again. Do you want me to look?”
“You already did.” He put on his sunglasses and smiled at her.
* * * *
Sam was proud of himself for keeping his dick at low tide, but it had been a hell of a struggle. Pearly just naturally made him think of sex. She’d watched him a while before she made that prissy noise to let him know she had taken inventory of his goods.
He’d come close to kissing her. Damn, he wanted her. She’d been his for a short few hours and afterwards he’d gone crazy thinking about her. But this wasn’t the time. It was strictly duty, and she’d made that clear.
He waited until she had settled into a deck chair, stretched out with a bottle of sunscreen in her hand.
Okay, Horn. Get to it
.
“I’ll grease you up, babe.” Her gaze revealed a hard warning. “Don’t worry. I won’t touch anything I haven’t before.”
He pooled a palm full of the fragrant oil and rubbed his hands together to warm it. Lord, his hands were shaking. She turned onto her stomach and he rubbed the oil over her back and shoulders, the feel of her firm flesh under his hands arousing him.
“Want your legs oiled?” Sam grinned at her silent direction. She waved her pretty fingers toward her ass. “That’s a yes?”
She lifted to her elbows, looking over her shoulder. “Get it over with, Horn. I can do the front.”
He took a good long look at the sweet buns in her suit, remembering the feel of the firmness in his hands. Her back looked strong and her waist slender, tempting him to go places he shouldn’t. Suddenly parched, he cleared his throat.
“How about something to drink?” Sam looked around, locating the Antigua party across the pool. “Looks like a stag party and Antigua’s the only stag present.”
Lana sat up to gaze around. “Look how he expects those women to kiss his ass.”
“Pearly. I’m shocked by your coarse talk.” Sam pushed her down on the deck chair. “Different cultures. Different ways.”
She allowed him to oil her arms. He liked the hat she plopped onto her head, all the time keeping an eye on where he put his hands. He knew it was for others’ benefit, but she giggled when his hands gripped her calves.
“Thank you, Ms. Pearly. Now start taking pictures.”
Sam had gotten a jolt from her giggle, but several new hired guns joining Antigua erased his lusty thoughts. Where the hell had they come from?
He pretended to put lotion on Lana’s face, leaning close to her. “I recognize those two from file photos. They’re probably tailing Antigua to see if he brought the cash.”
She looked every bit the wide-eyed tourist, snapping pictures of him and the entourage. She laughed happily when several seabirds flapped over the ship, taking pictures and chattering happily.
“Better do something romantic, Sam.” She put her arms around his neck to pull him forward. “Don’t get shy now. Act like you like me.”
He loosened her grip and teased her. “Do you mean it, or is this a new brand of torture?”
“Get busy, Horn.” She closed her eyes. “Antigua has been watching us. Don’t mess this up.”
He held his animal instincts on a tight leash, brushing a quick kiss on her lips. Her look of disappointment threw him. “That’s enough for now.” Damn. Why did he have to sound like a drill sergeant? “Want to take a dip? I’ll mess with you in the water.”
“Kiss my rear, agent man.” She pulled her hat down to shade her eyes.
While he sat pondering her attitude, one of the loudest, almost naked chicks on the cruise hurried up to grab his arm. “Hey, now lady.” He laughed and pulled his arm free. “I’m with this beautiful lady.”
The woman didn’t seem to give a shit about ethics. “Aw, she won’t care if I borrow you.” The caps on her teeth glistened in the sun. “I want to win the best looking couple contest.”
Lana peered at him from under the brim of her hat. “Oh, go on. I’m sure you’ll wow them.”
Sam wanted to tell the woman to bugger off, but he decided to go on with the buffoon act. “Okay, as long as my lady doesn’t mind.”
Walking behind the hippy woman with four-inch heels, Sam figured it would be another chance to make Antigua see him as an inept ass, short on brains and experience.
He put his arm around his contest partner and grinned until his face hurt. She giggled like a teen and rubbed his ass. He noticed the other guys posed and smiled for the judges. Hell with that.
“Say, honey.” She looked up at him with the most open invitation he’d ever seen. “How long does this last?”
She seemed to think he’d asked for time in the sack. “My name’s Nita. And it will be over soon.” She rubbed his belly. “Anxious, are we?”
“Anxious? For what?”
The sparkle in her eyes dimmed. “You know. Sex.”
“Oh.” Sam met her gaze with a slight scowl. “Aw, I don’t do that nasty stuff.”
Her attitude went into sultry vamp. “It’s not nasty, honey.” She squeezed his arm. “I’ve trained lots of virgins.”
He laughed the dopiest laugh he could muster. She seemed encouraged, posing for the judges dressed in rainbow-colored Speedos and leaned forward to reveal most of her implants. He could see the scars when her breasts plopped forward.
Sam tried to keep a watch on Pearly and was damn glad he did. Antigua had moved in on her. He needn’t be concerned. Pearly had the man enthralled, tossing her head back to laugh at whatever he’d said. Something close to possessiveness grabbed Sam in the gut when Antigua stroked Pearly’s arm.
“Pardon me, ma’am. I see my girlfriend is in trouble, as usual.”
“You send her to me if she needs lessons on pleasing a man.”
He shook his head. Ms. Pearly didn’t need lessons. If memory served him correctly, she’d taught him a few things. And he couldn’t forget any of them.
He picked up the pace and waved at her, catching her attention.
“I’m coming, baby.”
She didn’t act like she needed any help, just gave him that look of superiority that drove him nuts.
Antigua sat comfortably on the deckchair with her, smiling with all his wolf’s teeth. Sam figured the prick was sizing her up for the kill.
Over my dead body, scumbag
.
Chapter Ten
Lana shut down her nervous reaction to Antigua, even moved her legs aside to allow him to sit on the deck chair. “Yes, we’re having a wonderful time, Mister Antigua.” The hell they were. She could hardly resist kicking this lizard off her chair. “But I can’t wait to get back home to Miami.”
Antigua’s brows went up and his gaze warmed. “Such luck.” He toyed with the sunscreen bottle. “I am staying in Miami for a few days. Perhaps I could see you again while I am there.”
“Oh, I doubt it.” He was a babe, perfectly groomed and in control of himself, right down to his fingertips. “My fiancé keeps me busy most of the time. You did mean both of us, didn’t you?”
His firm lips set in a tight smile, and she noticed a tick of irritation in his cheek. “Of course. We will call it a date, then?”
“Of course.” She laughed and picked up her camera. “Do you mind?” She snapped several pictures before he could answer. “I want to save every memory of this trip. We probably won’t be doing anything like this again.” She ducked her chin for effect. “We have to watch our pennies.”
She wanted to pat herself on the back. Antigua’s smile was actually sympathetic.
He lifted his head to watch Sam, who tried to get away from his female friend on the other side of the pool. “I see your fiancé is having fun. Does he do that often?”
How should she answer that? Whine or act ignorant. “Oh, yes. He’s a favorite wherever he goes.”
“I’m sure.” Antigua seemed to be calculating the situation, the tick in his jaw more pronounced. “It seems he’s gotten away from his companion. I’ll speak with him about joining me for a few activities later on.”
“He’d like that. Sam is always up for doing new things.” Lana snapped Sam’s picture as he hurried toward them. “I just love that man.”
Antigua stood and waited for Sam to join them. Relaxed, his hands resting on his hips, he seemed like nothing more than a good-looking guy on the prowl for a chick. She watched him, knowing he had a dark side and murder meant little to him. He had plans to spread misery over his own country, and killing a few more people wouldn’t mean a thing to him.
Her gaze switched to Sam. He didn’t look the bumbling fool at that moment. He walked toward them with a sure stride and a set look of suspicion on his face. Unlike the jokers taking pictures for the contest, his blue and white trunks fit him, showing his fabulous legs and flat, ripped belly. She licked her lips while studying his suntanned muscles and windblown hair. Sam Horn had no physical flaws.
Only one flaw. He looked mad as hell.
“Hello, darling.” Lana attempted to diffuse whatever had lit Sam’s fuse. “Did you have fun?”
“Like a monkey with a banana.” He stared at Antigua and then smiled. “Want to shoot some skeet?”
Antigua’s face lit up with pleasure. “Of course.” He glanced from Sam to Lana. “Do you shoot?”
Sam guffawed and slapped Antigua’s back harder than necessary. “Naw. But it looks like fun.”
Working his shoulder after the hard slap, Antigua nodded. “Meet me at the back of the boat where the sport is allowed.” He gestured to Lana. “Please bring your fiancée.”
“Sure.” Sam dropped onto his deck chair and grinned. “She’s never handled a gun either.”
Antigua arched his fine dark brows. “I shall see you in a few minutes.”
Lana put her hand over Sam’s mouth, expecting him to say something to stir up a problem. “Let’s have one of those pretty drinks, honey.”
Damn, she even fluttered her lashes.
He laughed, roughing his hair before waving at the steward. “Don’t worry, Pearly. I won’t kick his ass. Yet.”
She leaned back and closed her eyes, wishing they were really alone, not on a cruise ship waiting for the time to take someone into custody. She observed Sam from beneath her lashes. Yeah, she couldn’t think of anyone else she’d rather be alone with. Tonight. And every night for days. She warmed from her toes to her scalp.
She wanted him to squeeze the breath from her, bang her into oblivion. He had found every nerve in her pussy, not to mention her ass. She wanted the master of climax to give her a rough ride to that wave of heat. Oh, yes, the pleasure and heat.