Seized (Hostage Rescue Team Series, #7) (11 page)

“Incoming,” Schroder said under his breath a few moments later, and reached for his fresh beer.

Carmela glanced up and followed his gaze across the room, her pulse skipping when she saw Sawyer heading their way. His height and large frame made him stand out in the crowd, but the trademark Stetson was a dead giveaway.

His gaze was locked on her, sending a quiver of awareness up her spine.

She quickly averted her gaze, hating the way her stomach drew tight as he approached. The alcohol was doing its thing, but it still wasn’t enough to dull the pain. Just friends, when her body and heart went haywire whenever he was near? How the hell was she supposed to shut that off?

He didn’t try to avoid her or use Schroder as a kind of shield. Instead he came over to stand right next to her and lean against the bar, his big body crowding close to her, and dipped his head to speak close to her ear. “Want to dance?”

The question startled her so much she swung her head around to stare at him in shock. “What?”

His dark eyes crinkled slightly at the corners in the hint of a smile and a flash of teeth appeared, bright white against his deep brown skin. “Dance. You and me.”

He couldn’t be serious. She’d told him she needed time to adjust, which he also should have understood meant space. Dancing with him now would be pure torture, a full sensory teaser of all she couldn’t have. “My mom put you up to this, didn’t she?”

“No.”

She sure as hell had.

Sawyer tossed a loaded look at Schroder that made the medic immediately get off his stool, muttering some excuse about joining the others before walking away, leaving them alone.

Carmela sighed. She knew damn well her mother was watching them from over there at the table. She refused to look over.

“I can finally teach you how to two-step like I promised,” he coaxed.

Dammit, he smelled so good and looked even better in those jeans and T-shirt that hugged every muscular plane of his torso.

She wanted to be angry, lash out, but she didn’t want to make a scene and the truth was she was more hurt than mad. And that damn, pleading look in his eyes.

This was stupid, she decided suddenly. They were both being stupid. The two of them were both single, unattached adults, and they wanted each other. Because of Sawyer’s stubbornness, they were letting the opportunity to get together slip through their fingers. What was so bad about one night of sex between them? The idea was tempting. She wondered what he’d do if she propositioned him here and now.

Fear of being rejected again cooled her off in a hurry.

“Fine.” She hopped off the stool and marched onto the floor without looking to see if he was following. Steeling herself, she turned to face him, trying to ignore the pang in her chest when her gaze connected with his up close and that all too familiar sense of connection and rightness hit her right in the heart.

He stepped nearer, until only inches separated them, the toes of his cowboy boots nearly touching the tips of her high-heel sandals. Even in her heels she still had to tilt her head back to look at him.

A frown wrinkled his forehead beneath the brim of his Stetson as he peered down at her. “How much have you had to drink?”

Not nearly enough.
“Two drinks. I’m fine.”

Looking dubious, he reached for her right hand. And dammit, the instant his fingers touched her, invisible sparks skittered across her skin.

They got worse when he wrapped those long fingers around hers and raised them to shoulder height, then turned into currents of raw electricity when he curved his free hand around to splay across the middle of her back. His healing shoulder had to hurt but he didn’t show it. The feel of those strong, solid hands on her even in this platonic way had her entire body buzzing.

His hold felt possessive. Secure.

Except this was as close as she’d ever come to knowing how it would feel to be his.

An unexpected lump formed in her throat and tears burned the backs of her eyes. She looked away so he wouldn’t see and stood stiffly in his embrace, ordering herself to get a grip. “This isn’t a country song,” she managed, still not looking at him.

“Doesn’t need to be.” The hand holding hers tightened a fraction. “Just dance with me, Carm.”

Relenting, she kept her gaze on the center of his broad chest and focused on his steps as he began to move. He started out slow, guiding her through the steps, his hands strong and sure on her, the way he moved sexy as hell. She shook the thought away, concentrated on the footwork, stepping backward each time he stepped forward.

Quick-quick, slow, slow. Quick-quick, slow, slow
as he moved her across the floor. He made it seem effortless. Her body automatically moved with his, attuned to his every motion.

The pop song they were dancing to ended abruptly and a slower one came on. The strains of
What I’d Give
, by Sugarland, permeated the air. She stiffened. She loved this song but right now the lyrics hit way too close to home.

Carmela swallowed. This was too intimate. Too painful. She didn’t know if she could bear this. She’d dreamed of slow dancing with him like this for over a year and now that she was doing it she felt like crying.

“Hey,” he murmured, his lips mere inches from her cheek. “It’s all right.”

No it wasn’t. But the selfish and apparently masochistic part of her wasn’t ready to let go yet. The initial buzz from the liquor had faded, reduced to a slight glow in her veins.

And her heart betrayed her. Why shouldn’t she take advantage of this? For just a few minutes she could pretend they were more than friends. God knew she’d fantasized about this long enough, of being close to him, feeling his heart beat beneath her cheek as he held her on the dance floor. Just one of the many romantic fantasies she’d spun about him.

Giving into the moment of weakness, she leaned in until her forehead touched the soft cotton of his T-shirt stretched across that wide chest, and closed her eyes.

It had to be her imagination, but the beat of the music seemed to slow down even further. Surrounded by Sawyer’s scent, held in the circle of his arms, the club gradually faded away into the background, leaving her solely focused on the man holding her. They were swaying together now, barely moving to the music.

Sawyer seemed to curve himself around her. He shifted his grip to bring her even closer, slid his hand lower to rest in the dip at the small of her back. The heat of his palm sank through the fabric of her dress as he lowered their joined hands, brought them to rest against his chest close to her cheek. Almost as if he was cradling her.

Carmela exhaled and allowed herself to lean into his embrace. The instant her breasts made contact with his torso the arousal she’d been trying to hold at bay suddenly burst into flame. Every inch they touched tingled and sparked, turning her body into a live electrical wire.

Her nipples pulled tight, igniting a powerful pulse between her legs. And there was no mistaking the thickening bulge pressed against her lower belly. Whether he wanted to face it or not, he still wanted her. She couldn’t decide if that made her feel better or worse.

She let herself drift, getting lost in the feel of his arms around her. But there was no way to fight the erotic sensations that zinged through her each time their bodies caressed one another with every step. Her pulse skittered and her belly flipped in a delicious way.

The haze of arousal suddenly evaporated when Sawyer tensed and stopped moving. She raised her head in time to see Ethan weaving his way toward them through the other dancers. Immediately she tried to step back but Sawyer’s hands held fast, locking her in place against his hard body.

Her brother walked right up to them, bent his head a little to be heard over the music. “The guys are leaving and I’m staying the night with Marisol at her hotel. We’re gonna take mom back with us,” he told Carmela, then added to Sawyer, “She said something about you promising her a pair of binos for the cruise? Can you grab them and drop Carm off on your way back? You can take the second SUV.”

“Sure, no problem.” Sawyer released her hand to take the keys from him.

“Thanks.” He didn’t seem suspicious about the way they’d been dancing, or maybe he just didn’t think anything of it since Sawyer had danced with their mom earlier. And the grin he shot them told Carmela he was totally preoccupied with spending the night with his fiancée. “See you guys later. Have a good trip if I don’t talk to you before you board,” he said to her, bending to plant a kiss on her cheek. He turned away before she could answer and disappeared into the crowd.

Awkwardness overcame her. Sawyer’s right hand remained firm against her lower back and after slipping the keys into his pocket he took hold of her hand once more.

With the bubble of her fantasy burst, she cleared her throat and stared at his chest. “You don’t have to take me back later. I’ll just go with them now and save you the trip.”

“No.”

She looked up at him, startled by the forcefulness of his response.

“I don’t mind taking you back later,” he said in a softer tone. Something moved in his gaze and his hand tightened around hers. “I want more time with you.”

Annoyance pricked at her. Was this some sort of power trip for him? Did he not realize he was hurting her? She let her irritation show in her gaze. “Why?”

He froze, seemed to fight himself for a moment before answering. “I’ve missed you,” he admitted softly, and she saw the mix of regret and longing in his eyes. He knew things would never be the same between them too.

A sweet pain hit her in the chest and she didn’t have the heart to pull away. She believed that he had missed her and she’d never get this chance again. Why not enjoy it to the fullest for just a while longer?

When his hands urged her closer she didn’t resist, this time resting her cheek against his chest with a little sigh. The arousal returned, but different now. Deeper, suffusing every part of her body, flowing through her like warm honey. Every shift and press of his thighs against hers, every flex of the muscles beneath her cheek made her feel drunk. By the time the song and the other ballad after it ended, she was melted against his big frame.

The music transitioned into a faster beat of a popular top forty song she recognized. All around them the other couples picked up the pace, energized by the increased tempo, while she and Sawyer stood without moving in the center of the dance floor.

He stared down at her with a powerful mixture of tenderness and arousal that made her breath catch in surprise. His gaze dropped to her lips, a muscle in his jaw bunching before he looked back into her eyes, and the moment was gone. She read the resignation there, and maybe even disappointment. “Wanna get out of here?”

“Yeah,” she answered, her voice a little breathless. No surprise, considering how hard her heart was pounding.

This time there were no issues in getting to the vehicle and a few minutes later they were at the team’s hotel.

Sawyer looked over at her as he put the truck into park. “You want to wait here, or...?”

“I’ll come up with you.” She undid her seatbelt and hopped out before he could answer then followed him up to his room, the whole time admiring those wide shoulders and tight butt.

Yeah, based on the way he’d looked at her on the dance floor, friends with benefits was looking better all the time.

He unlocked the door and hit a switch that turned on a small reading lamp in the far corner, bathing the room in a warm, golden glow. “I’ll just grab the binos,” he murmured, striding past her for the large duffel set against the far wall next to one of the queen-size beds.

Carmela watched from just inside the door as he hunkered down and began rummaging through the bag, the powerful muscles in his back and shoulders shifting as he moved.

She withheld a groan. The man was her fantasy brought to life and she didn’t see the point in trying to pretend he wasn’t. After dancing with him tonight, feeling his body move against hers, she was revved and aching for him. Either she made a move now or it would be too late.

Binoculars in hand, he straightened and turned around, only to stop dead when he saw the hungry way she was watching him. He didn’t say anything, didn’t move as the long seconds stretched out.

Carmela straightened her shoulders. When it came to sales, she was an expert. She was a senior orthopedic specialist and her company’s best surgical sales rep on the East Coast for a reason. She knew just how to pitch a product to get the sale.

In this case, the product was her. And she wanted Sawyer enough to push her fears aside and give him the best sales pitch of her life.

“I’ve wanted you for two years now,” she told him bluntly. To hell with hiding her feelings. If she wanted him then she had to be bold, blow his reluctance all to hell. “Did you know that?”

Surprise and heat flared in his eyes, quickly followed by dread. He shook his head slowly, his gaze locked with hers.

“I’m not good with hiding how I feel, as you may have noticed, and so I can’t pretend I’m okay with just being friends tonight.” Then she upped the stakes. “And there’s a particular fantasy of you I can’t stop thinking about.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed and when he answered his voice sounded strangled. “Carm...”

“No.” She was absolutely not giving him room to argue. Not when she sensed she was getting closer to having what she wanted. “We’re both adults and we both want each other. You’re not ready for a relationship and I get that. But I can’t stand here and pretend I don’t want you. It’s not how I’m built. I’d rather have this than nothing.”

“We can’t,” he said, his voice a low rasp, the tension in his posture telling her he was more than tempted and didn’t want to be. “We can’t do this.” His free hand balled into a fist.

Oh yeah, he wanted her. Wanted her bad, no matter what he said. She tossed her hair back, gaining confidence. “Actually, we can.”

He shook his head again, denial and hunger warring on his handsome face. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Not if we both know and agree to the rules beforehand.”