Ricochet (6 page)

“If I may?” he said deferentially. “I, too have a heart complaint. I have medication. If I may have that returned-?” He glanced over at Kyatta.

Hannah grabbed his hand. “That’s-“

“Just a minute, honey.” Charlie looked at him for action. Grayson nodded. “Sure. Bring it over.” It would either work, or it wouldn’t. At another nod from Gray, Charlie Kyatta stooped to give Sorenson the medication.

“That’s him!” Hannah grabbed his forearm with both hands. “That’s the man!”

Gray observed Charlie trying to get Sorenson to open his mouth to take the damned pill. Well hell, now the guy couldn’t die. “It was Sorenson?” No surprise. Sorenson was Stonefish’s number one lieutenant. Sprawled on the floor, he looked like he was recovering just fine from his ‘heart attack’ as he aggressively forced Charlie Kyatta’s hand away from his mouth.

“No. For God’s sake, Grayson! Not him! The guy over there who offered to help! The crewman! He’s putting on a fake English accent, but he’s American.
He’s
the man I heard outside the cabin.”

“T
he bald guy on my nine is Stonefish,” he said into his communications thingy.

Since this was the very man Grayson was trying to find, she was shocked at how cool, and emotionless, his voice was. Until she caught a glimpse of his eyes. Then the hair stood up on the back of her neck.

She had no idea how Gray had made the leap. But he had. She swiveled her attention to Stonefish, seeing in the bald guy’s face the realization that he’d just been identified at the same time Gray did. Gun raised, he shifted slightly in front of her, blocking Hannah’s view. “Get Hannah the fuck out of here.
Now
! Go. Go. Go.”

The bald guy grabbed Colton, pressed a small knife to his throat. Tilting her friend off balance tight against him, he backed away. “Stay back! Stay back! I’ll kill him!”

Colton’s face drained of color, as he staggered backwards, the man’s arm around his throat, the knife poised dangerously over his jugular.

Terrified for Colton’s safety, Hannah turned back to Gray. His gun was raised, but he didn’t shoot.

“Hold your fire,” he said, barely above a whisper. “We need him alive. Hensley? Where the f-“

Ponytail bouncing, the female operative who’d brought Hannah the soda, raced over, grabbed her arm, and propelled her back toward the door at a run. “Hop to it, Girlfriend,” Hensley yelled, gun in hand. “The shit’s about to hit the fan.”

Hannah didn’t argue. She ran.

They burst through the door into a night filled with lights and more running, black-clad people. A small, white jet gleamed in the floods, and nearby a large helicopters rotors spun slowly with an ear throbbing whop, whop, whop. Behind them, from the hanger she heard the chatter of gunfire, screams, shouts and raised voices.

The fear of being so close to this much danger was somewhat overshadowed by her fear for Colton and Gray. No matter how many times they’d had their problems, they were also two of the closest people in her life. She knew she had to get to safety, but still feared for their lives.

“This her?” A man yelled, pulling Hannah back to her surroundings. He grabbed her arm from Hensley in a grip that almost dislocated her shoulder.

“Grayson says not to let her get any holes in her! Copy?”

The man, dressed in black pants and t-shirt, touched his ear. “He’s giving me instructions as we speak,” he told Hensley dryly. “I’ve got her. Go do your thing.”

Hensley gave a mock salute. “Hang with Blinston. He’s one of the good guys. Nice meeting you, Girlfriend.”

The man had a firm, implacable hold on her upper arm. “This way.”

Hannah flinched as the pop, pop, pop of gunfire sounded closer than inside the hangar. She tried to pause, to turn, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was happening-to make sure that Gray was okay. The man she’d been introduced to as Blinston kept her moving quickly up the metal stairs to the open door of the plane. “Almost there.”

As soon as they were inside, he shut the door, and activated the locking mechanism, then shot her a cheerful smile. “Safe as a bug in a rug. Grab a seat and I’ll check you out.”

A little shell shocked, Hannah repeated, “Check me out?”

“Over here, I think.”

Pointing to a wide leather seat, he indicated she sit. Hannah planted her butt. The jet was luxuriously appointed, modern, lots of tan leather and polished burl tables. The soft leather seat was as comfortable as her sofa at home. And it was
quiet
inside the plane. For the first time in hours she let the tightness seep out of her shoulders and neck.

“I’m Mike by the way. I’ll feed you in a minute, but let’s check that blood sugar so we know where we are.”

Hannah gave a half laugh. “Trust me. I haven’t known where the hell I’ve been all night. I think I fell down a rabbit hole the second I landed in Ecuador, and popped up in some other dimension.”

Opening a large first aid box that had been on the table between the seats when she sat down, he took out a monitor. “Well, you’re in good hands.” Then gestured to her hand. “Finger?”

He motioned to a small bottle of orange juice. Hannah picked up the bottle, holding out her other hand so he could swab her finger with alcohol. Gesturing to his ear, he indicated he was listening to someone else. Hannah was used to it by now. As he listened, eyes twinkling, he used a small glucose meter with a lancet to draw a small drop of blood from her fingertip.

“Yes, Gray,” Mike said into his communication device, as he inserted the test strip into the meter, then smiled as he showed her the result was a low 70. A lot higher than it had been before the quick infusion of sugar. She sipped the juice.

“I have her. Yes. Unharmed. She just tested pretty good under the circumstances, and I’m about to feed her. Yes. I will. No, I won’t. Don’t you have anything better to do than bug us? Out.”

She smiled back, when he shook his head. Clearly amused by Grayson’s comment. “I agreed to take excellent care of you. And I will not flirt or otherwise encroach on his territory.”

“He didn’t ask that.” Doubting Gray said anything of the sort, Hannah’s foolish heart still did a happy little thump. He’d never stake a claim, and certainly not to a colleague. “The Coke helped. I must have you to thank for that.”

“You have
Gray
to thank for it,” Mike wrapped a blood pressure cuff around her upper arm and started the procedure. “He radioed in the need before I landed.” He removed the cuff. “Bit high, 150 over 90. There’s a bedroom, a change of clothes, and a decent shower back there. We won’t be wheels up for a while. Why don’t you grab a quick shower. How do you like your steak?”

“You’re a doctor, a chef
and
a pilot?”

“Well,” he grinned, “I’m only really qualified to fly. But the other two come in handy more often than not. And I’ve never had anyone complain about my first aid skills, or my cooking.”

Sobered by the reminder of what Gray did every day, and the reality of the necessity for someone with sound medical knowledge around at all times, Hannah pushed out of the comfortable seat. “Thanks, Mike. Really. Well, please. I won’t take long-“ She glanced out of the small windows, but saw only blackness.

“Take your time, I won’t prep until you come out. In the meantime, I’ll keep my comm open so I can report the latest updates to you. Good?”

“Perfect.”

Hannah made her way to the back of the aircraft. The jet would seat about twelve people comfortably. She hoped Gray wasn’t thinking of cramming all the people in the hangar onto this one small plane. “Not my problem.” Pushing open the door into a rear cabin, she noted twin beds. On one, neatly folded, was a pile of black fabric. Clothing she presumed. Mike was certainly prepared.

What was happening in the hangar? Why had she heard gunshots-
Stop right there! Not my problem!
“In fact,” Hannah said out loud as she circumvented the foot of a bed to get to the bathroom. “From now on, I refuse to take on
anyone
else’s freaking problems, but my own- Wow. Pretty snazzy for spies!” The bathroom was small, but luxuriously appointed. Black and cream. Masculine and elegant at the same time. Lots of money spent here. She cranked on the jets.

“And this time next. . .
soon
, I’ll
have
no problems! Woohoo, and yay, me.” Stripping, and avoiding looking at herself in the mirror over the fancy black sink, she stepped into the pounding spray. The massage jets pummeled her back as she leaned her forehead against the creamy mosaic tiled wall with a sigh of pure relief.

She stayed in the shower long after she should have gotten out. For a few minutes she was in a bubble of. . .
blank.
Getting out meant dealing with whatever she had to deal with. She would.

In a few more minutes.

Unfortunately, the water started getting cold, and being the practical woman that she was, she knew she couldn’t hide-
stay
in there forever. As she stepped
out
of the shower, Grayson stepped
into
the bathroom.

Wearing an impressive erection and an inscrutable expression, he looked like an all you can eat buffet. Six three of tanned, satiny skin, clearly defined, rock hard muscles, and lightly furred chest. Droplets of water sparkled on his short hair and broad shoulders like tiny diamonds.

He’d also taken a shower. But not with her.

“How did you get in?” She steeled herself, but her body had other ideas. Her body loved looking at Grayson’s body. A lot. It responded as if his erection, and her girl parts, were joined by an electrical current. Her nerves thrummed and her heart went into over-drive. “I locked the door.”

“I have superior lock picking skills.”

“Or a key,” she said dryly. Since they were both naked, it seemed redundant to pick up her towel.

Narrow eyed, she gave him a hard look. She did not fiddle, or try to cover herself. He’d seen it all a thousand times anyway, as she gave him a firm, “No way, Grayson James Burke.” It was not unequivocal. But he had to discover that for himself, and he’d have to work hard for a yes. Not only did he owe that to her, damn it, she deserved him to fight for her, even if the adversary was herself.

“No?”

She wanted him; wanted his hands all over her again, wanted his hardness driving deep inside her. “It’s been a long freaking day. I haven’t recovered from the last heartbreak you caused me, and frankly I can’t handle a double whammy, I really can’t. And if you want me, you’ll have to do a hell of a lot more than show up late to the party naked.”

His penis leaped against his belly, but he stayed where he was, simply looking at her. A drip of water trailed down her shoulder, and over her breast. Hannah gave him a belligerent glare. “
What
?”

“You’re even more beautiful than my dreams.” His attention stayed on her face as she felt the drop hang on the very tip of her nipple.

“You’re delusional.” But her heart did a foolish little trip anyway. Years of loving this man hadn’t disappeared, just been masked by anger and pain. Hannah wanted those halcyon days back with an ache that hurt her heart all over again. “I have no butt, and my boobs are too small.” She heard her mother’s voice promoting in her head- just say ‘thank you’. “And I have cellulite.”

His smile, the warm, loving smile she knew and loved, made her heart do calisthenics. “Tink, I’ve seen every glorious streamlined inch of you, and as a connoisseur, I assure you, you are
prime
from the top of your head to your crooked baby toe.” Sobering, his eyes searched her face. “How do you feel?”

Tempted
. “Ready to go home. Now, if you’ll get out of my way, Mike left me some cl-“

Holding her eyes, he stepped forward, slid his hand around her waist and jerked her body flush against his. Skin to skin. Heat to heat. A half scream was all she managed before he crushed his mouth on hers.

T
he kiss, rough, hot and hungry, instantly fired up her own needs to a fever pitch. She tasted coffee. He’d had time for a cup between saving the world from the bad guys and displaying himself before her like a smorgasbord.

His mouth took her from zero to a hundred and sixty in about two seconds. Every thought, every doubt in Hannah’s mind, evaporated in the heat of the kiss as he lifted her onto the counter.

Having her shower-warmed butt placed on a cold marble countertop was a shock. Eyes narrowed, Hannah pulled her mouth from his, slapped a hand on his chest, and wedged her knee between them. Then shifted to hold him off with a bare foot planted on the hard steps of his six pack. “If this happens, you’re mine.”

His muscles flexed against her toes in response, and it was to his advantage that he kept his eyes on her face, not her crotch.

Wrapping his hand around her foot, Gray used his thumb to massage her instep, then ran his palm up her leg, shifted her planted foot, so her leg wrapped around his waist as he stepped forward. Holding her gaze, he murmured, “Don’t ever doubt it,” against her mouth.

Hannah wrapped her arms around his neck, gripping his back with her short nails as he poised the blunt tip of his penis to the entrance of her body. It was delicious feeling them naked skin to naked skin. His hardness to her softness. Everything she wanted was right here in her arms.

“God. Hannah—” Plunging his fingers through her wet hair, he cradled her head as he kissed her as if he’d die if he didn’t. He pushed her dripping hair behind her shoulders, then he traced her collar bone with his thumb as he lavished his attention on her mouth. Breath ragged, he glided his hand around her waist, then cupped one cheek in his broad palm.

His fingers skimmed lower to cup her breast. Her nipple, painfully engorged, begged for the attention he lavished on it.

With a groan, Hannah threw back her head as he bent to suckle, pulling a whimper from her constricted throat as his hot breath fanned her damp skin. His low triumphant growl vibrated across her skin like ripples on a brook.

The pulse and jump of his erection pressed at the entrance to her sex, and she shifted eagerly to have him inside her.

Jerking her mouth from his, damp lips throbbing and swollen she shifted closer to the edge of the counter.

Frustrated, she trailed her finger down the arrow of dark hair to the jut of his penis. She ran her fingers over the hard, satiny length of him, loving the hot, smooth feel of his skin. Transferring the bead of moisture she found on the tip, she glided her hand beneath to cup the velvety pouch, cradling him in her hand. “Are you going to do something with this? Or have your forgotten how?”

“It’s a fourteen hour flight, give or take.” She felt his smile against her throat. “I’m pacing myself.”

Goosebumps roughened her skin as he licked a fiery path around the outer shell of her ear, then nibbled his way down her neck to the manic pulse at the base of her throat. Voice ragged, she could barely form the words. “Damnit, Gray! Pace yourself
later
!”

He smiled, gliding his fingers over her rib cage, made a brief detour to explore her navel, then skimmed, feather-light and maddening, over her hip. His light touch wrenched a moan from her, half longing, half frustration. Gray slid a finger into the seam where her leg met her body, his pinky barely brushing her public hair. “You love foreplay.”

The taut pull of pleasure made her crazy, and she grabbed his wrist as he traced the damp slit of her vulva with an infuriatingly light touch that made her shudder and suck in a breath. “Not when I’ve waited three frigging
years
for this! Do me
now
, Grayson James Burke!”

That elicited a surprised bark of laughter and a raised brow. “
Do
you?”

“Fuck me?”

“Oh, trust me,” his eyes, gleaming with lust and laughter shone like pewter. “I will. Here? Or would you prefer the bed?” Slowly he stroked her damp heat with the blunt tip of his rock hard erection as he spoke. Teasing her until she wiggled and shifted, growling him like some kind of feral beast when she didn’t get what she wanted. With an annoying, if strained smile, he tightened his arms around her.

“
Here,”
she gasped, barely able to get the words out. “Then on the bed. Then on the floor, than against the wal-“ Hannah arched as he gripped her butt in both hands, lifting her to press her down the length of that hardness, until she felt him slide deep inside. Sharp pleasure radiated through her as he filled her to the hilt. Stretched muscles clenched, and her body shook as she adjusted to feel him exactly where she wanted him. She was one hot, aching pulsation of need.

“God,” he groaned, breathless, voice tight. “You feel fucking incredible.” He sank his teeth into the cords of her neck, his fingers merciless on the muscles of her ass as he pumped into her.

She couldn’t answer; all she could do was shut her eyes, ride inner tremors and wait for the building tsunami. Panting with the effort, she moved faster as he clasped her ass. The small pain of his relentless grip melding into the intense sensations as his hips slammed against her inner thighs with a vengeance

She gasped; a high , sharp sound as the first wave of pleasure broke over her She came hard, moaning as each swell slammed into her, making her clench, and shudder. This was more than a sexual relief that she’d been without for so long, it was an emotional cleansing. Still, it shocked the hell out of her when she suddenly burst into tears.

Still moving inside her, Grayson cupped her face, wiping at the flood with fingers that shook, as he whispered brokenly, “God, Hannah-“

This was beyond words, beyond even conscious thought. It was an avalanche of emotions. The years without him, the high emotions of the day, it was having him in her arms and a succession of amazing multiple O’s. Sweat joined the tears, she gasped as the coiling need ratcheted up again before she’d fully recovered from the last climax. Impossible to breathe. Tightening her arms around his neck, she buried her damp face against his throat.

He pumped faster.

“Wait, wait, wait,” she pleaded, tightening her arms around his shoulders, the sensation as it built, pleasure so sharp and exquisite she didn’t think she could handle more. She needed to come down before she was taken up again. Every nerve in her body pulsed and throbbed, her inner muscles clenched around his hard spar.

He knew to ignore her plea, and his fingers scored her butt as he lifted her, then urged her down onto him again and again, sinking into her deeper, harder. Her muscles shook as she locked her ankles in the small of his back. Thrusting into her faster, he picked up the pace until they were both breathing hard, skin slick with sweat. He lifted her higher, then thrust harder, a hot juicy slide of intense pleasure that made her come again.

Back arched, she clasped his length more tightly within her vaginal walls, moving with him as they rose and fell. Hannah splayed her hands on the shifting muscles of his back, hanging on for the ride. Everything disappeared. All she could do was feel. The hot ache inside her torqued tighter and tighter as Gray controlled the movement of her body so that she fell when he thrust, and rose when he withdrew. It was like dancing. Perfect synchronization.

He knew exactly how to keep the tension high, how to sustain that almost peak that kept her on edge, begging for more. Every thrust, every parry, connected muscles, tendons and nerves, like a direct electrical current, to her nipples, her skin, her eyes, her arched throat.

The lights were low as he carried her into the room, and followed her down on the bed, still deep inside her. Pushing her wet hair off her face he traced her cheek, then her chin. “You know I’m yours, have
always
been yours. Heart. Body, Soul. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by, from the first moment I saw you skating down my driveway in that pink fairy getup, to the day I was the oldest guy at your senior prom, that I haven’t loved you.
Loved
you, fallen
in
love with you. Loved you when we were apart.

“Then-“

He kissed her, then flipped her while her brain was fuzzy, her lips throbbed, and her muscles were still clenching around him. Sitting astride Gray was a favorite position. She punished him by digging her nails into the light covering of hair on his chest. Rising and falling slowly enough to give him a turn at measured torment. Hannah knew exactly where and how to touch him. Knew what made him crazy, knew when to slow down and when to speed up.

“Killing me!” His chest rose and fell with his erratic breathing, his large hands hard on her hips as he thrust up as she plunged down.

Sweat ran into her eye, and the taut pull of pleasure surged through her as each stoke went deeper. “You. Love. It.”

“Love.
You
! Jesus, woman. Like tha-
Yes
!”

Hannah spun off into a brilliant fireworks display as she came hard. Grayson’s body went rigid beneath her and he yelled her name.

Gasping, limp and satiated, Hannah collapsed on his chest, burying her face against his damp neck, as their skin stuck together. Every muscle in her body had turned to sensitized liquid. She gave a shuddering sigh as he straightened out her legs to make her more comfortable, although Hannah could’ve slept right where she was.

“Hmm.” she realized the jet was bumping and shimming down the runway. “How many people are crammed on this plane?” Hannah imagined them six deep in the main cabin. All knowing she was in here naked.

“You. Me. Mike.”

It was a relief knowing there weren’t dozens of people out there knowing what they were up to back here. She propped herself up on her folded arms, braced on his chest. “Are you done with all your spy stuff?”

“For now, yeah.” Lazily he stroked his palm down her back. “Without you, we would never have fingered Stonefish.”

Hannah pulled a face. “That’s a nasty way of putting it. But that’s great.”

She almost jumped a foot at the disembodied voice over an intercom. “Hurry up kids, we have places to go and things to do.”

“Holy crap!” she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Can he hear us?”

“No. But he’ll know if we don’t have our belts buckled before he takes off.”

“We better get dressed before we go out there, don’t you think?”

Grayson picked up a strap and buckle from the side of the bed. “Right here.”

“Seriously?” Hannah gave an inelegant snort of laughter. “You want to strap me to a bed?”

“Mike won’t lift off otherwise.”

She rolled off him to lie by his side. “What kind of kinky stuff goes on back here?”

He grinned. “The belt’s used if we have an injured operative
.
Lie down again, my skeptical little fairy.”

“We have the all clear from the tower,” Mike’s voice came over the PA. “Buckle up, love birds. Wheels up in five.”

“Told you. Hand me the strap on your side. There.” He buckled, and tightened the belt across their waists.

She looked at the wide strap across their naked bodies. “Do you see how ridiculous this is?”

He turned his head on the pillow they shared. “I don’t know. I kinda like it.” His wet hair brushed her forehead.

“Did you take a shower?”

“There’s another bathroom in the main cabin.”

“We don’t smell of soap.”

“An operative isn’t supposed to smell pretty. Imagine a bad guy smelling Brut as he rounds a corner. We’re supposed to not have a smell at all.”

“Hmm.

“But
your
skin has a deliciously, distinct smell. Honey and orange blossoms. I could find you blindfolded in a dark room.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that before. But that’s not likely to come up soon, since I live in Chicago, and I have no idea where you live. What happened with Colton?”

“My brother’s on his way to Montana, which is where
I
happen to live, in the second transport. He’s not a happy camper, but considering how I was feeling when I left him, he’s lucky he has no more than a black eye and a split lip.”

The wheels bit into the gravel as they increased speed, shifting Hannah flush against Gray, so their arms touched. His bicep flexed in response to the brush of her skin. She loved the way he just tossed out a pertinent piece of information in-between the rest.

She rolled a little on her side so her breast pressed against his arm.

His muscles bunched everywhere they touched. She raised a brow, something he’d taught her when she was twelve. “You beat up your own brother?”

“Once, for putting you in danger, once for stealing from the Moms,” he paused, eyes hot as he scanned her features. “And once, for taking you on board that fucking ship so he could show off.”

When she dropped her gaze to his mouth, her own lips pulsed in response. “You hit him for the same reason
twice
.”

“Only because Hensley held me back,” his tone was dry.

“Don’t sound so proud of yourself!
You
stole a hangar,
and
three fishing boats, and you berated your brother? You two are a fine frigging pair, aren’t you?”

“One does what one has to do.”

“Yes. You Burke boys always did do whatever you damn-well pleased, didn’t you? Just so you know, as soon as I get this last matter resolved, I’m moving to an undisclosed tropical beach, where there are hot and cold running waiters, no telephones, and clothing is optional.” As she added the last, she had the satisfaction of seeing his pupils flare.

He didn’t reach for her. He didn’t attempt to close the scant few inches between their mouths. His expression was dark and serious, his gray eyes glittered like polished silver. “What about your dream of being a performer?”

There was no chance of that now, probably never had been a chance, only a dream. She’d grown up. Moved on. Dreamed less, and become a pragmatist. “I’ll wear my bikini and play for the beachcombers. What do you care?”

“I care-“

The plane lifted off as they lay side by side, a belt across their waists. Tying them together, when, despite the mind blowing sex, emotionally they were miles and years apart. Hannah stared up at the ceiling, tears stinging her lids. “If I hadn’t been in Ecuador chasing after Colton, I’d never have seen you again, would I? Not a damn word in three years, Gray. I guess you figured I wouldn’t notice your absence for another three, or thirty! The odds of us bumping into each other in Ecuador of all places must be – Oh, a breath over zero to zero.”