Wanna Play (Ghost Unit, Book Three) (4 page)

Blaster forcefully schooled his body to stay relaxed, a difficult task when watching female perfection, armed to the teeth and coiled to spring. She was so intoxicatingly sexy, totally dangerous. At the moment she carried at least two guns. He’d only seen the print of them, the faint outline, and was certain that was intentional. It was a warning most men would pay attention to and back off. She had no way of knowing it drew him like an aphrodisiac.

She’d relaxed on the stool again. Her long body once more stretched out with legs extended and elbows resting on the sound console behind her. Predatory awareness rippled around her. Sleek and firm, she flowed with the fascinating hills and valleys of a woman whose body was more weapon than not. Undulating muscles were defined with utterly feminine grace. There was not one hard angle of the fashionably slender sort on her. Every bone was coated and rounded with a generous layer of muscle.

Jas sighed and glanced around the trailer meaningfully. “You’re right, but consider the fact that we’re in a sound and editing trailer. You can’t sweep it for bugs. The whole thing is a giant bug. I get it that the problem has to go away. This isn’t the smartest place to discuss the details.

“Anyway, how do you plan to install a new head of security? Mark is also your second unit stunt coordinator. He’s not gonna be a happy white boy about losing half his job.”

Barry shifted uncomfortably as she regarded him. “I thought we’d sorta not tell Mark. Blaster is good at undercover work so we’ll call him your boyfriend. That way he’s with you 24/7 and by extension on the set all the time. We figured it was a disgruntled lover, someone who isn’t quite ready to give you up. Blaster makes it clear you’ve moved on and perhaps does that personally if you tell us who he needs to visit.”

“Oh hell
no
! You have got to be joking!” Jas stared at Barry and allowed her jaw to drop a bit.

“What?” Blaster frowned. “Don’t tell me you’ve never dated a white guy? Are you prejudiced?” Her instant rejection nipped at his ego a little too viciously for his liking.

“Look at you. I mean it, Huckleberry. Look at you and look at me. What crack-induced fantasy would put the two of us together? Wait, let me guess. You have one suit and it’s done you just fine for the last fifteen years? Your idea of a fun date involves all the ribs you can eat and if she’s really special, imported beer?”

Jas stood and slowly walked toward Blaster, fingers of one hand stroking her exposed midriff absently as she moved. “And you like your little woman simpering and spineless too, don’t you, Huckleberry? A brainless chick who doesn’t mind a fast ride to nowhere?”

Jas walked directly into his body, leaning against him from knees to chest, letting her hands trial slowly up his arms to lightly loop around his neck. Ever since they’d met, he’d been turning up the wattage on the sexual current zipping between them. Edgy erotic rolled off him in suffocating waves. She needed to take control of this, show him who was in charge of “invitations” so his vanilla ass would back off already. All this throbbing sexual junk was messing with her concentration.

She expected to have him under her control in about two seconds. If the weapons didn’t do the trick, sexual aggression usually reduced a male as obviously eager as this one to slobbering compliance in record time.

Blaster stood perfectly still, absorbing the burn of her gently swaying hips rubbing his bulging crotch. A lazy smile tilted his lips as he let her purr that last taunt into his ear.

Her undulating stroll and then the full-body drape had sent fire crawling across him at an agonizing rate. Turning his head slightly so the breath from his words bathed her neck, he said, “Delicate idiot doesn’t do it for me, baby. I’m damn easy, but I refuse to go it alone. Test the length of the ride anytime you want, sugar, but if you’re looking for bullet train speed, you’re gonna hafta go to China or wherever the hell it is.”

Blaster inhaled her scent deeply as she stilled. It was a heady mix of tropical spice, woman and gun oil. He was probably one of the few males on the planet who’d pick up how well she cared for her weapons this way and then be turned on by it.

Her sensuous body caressing his was a perfect fit. They matched hipbone to hipbone, chest to chest. Her intention might have been to intimidate him with her brand of formidable sexuality but that certainly wasn’t the result. Oh yeah, she’d affected him. Course she could do that from across the room, but she wasn’t going to get his
idiot head
in command of his body just yet.

Blaster’s voice rumbled up from the knot of lust below his belt buckle. “And unless you mean for us to show Barry how very carnal a sex scene can be, ease up on the teasing. You have my full attention in every way.” That wasn’t the most brilliant bit of reasoning. Was the best he could come up with from a brain currently starved for blood. He’d have to send out a rescue party to coax some of it back north again. Up close and personal, she was kryptonite to his Superman.

Jas slowly peeled herself off Blaster, watching him closely. She was surprised. He met her gaze without blinking. The heat in his expression left no doubt that he’d enjoyed her play, though he’d not moved a muscle to touch her. She suspected she hadn’t won that little skirmish. His warning to ease up followed by a confession of lust was aggression followed by surrender. Sly shit. He flung the command to stop out there then canceled the aggressive move too quickly for her to respond to it. That tactic left him in control.

Barry chuckled. “I can see the sparks from here. No one is gonna believe you two aren’t sleeping together. See how easily that works? I even give you permission to dress him up if you want to, Jas, but let’s get back to the problem.”

“Dress me up? What the fuck is that supposed to mean and who are you to be giving permission?” Blaster couldn’t look away from her as he flung the indignant question at Barry. He was trying to drag his eyes off her. Lord knew he needed to for sanity’s sake.

Jas grinned as she turned her back on him and strode away. It was a view she knew he enjoyed. He might have won that one. No reason not to make him pay a price for winning.

Both Barry and Jas ignored Blaster as she moved to the door. “I’ll see what I can do with him. He could be a handy item to have around.” She smiled at Barry then sobered. “I know you’re worried, but as I said, I don’t feel comfortable discussing the details in here. Nothing can be done about it tonight. Let me sleep on it and I promise, tomorrow I’ll take care of the problem. See you in the morning.” She was almost out the door when an arm slipped around her waist.

His hand came to rest low on her hip, not impairing her reach to most of the weapons on her body. Jas glanced at him and Blaster grinned. “Can’t have my girlfriend all vulnerable out in the night alone,” he murmured in her ear.

“If you think you can put an arm around me, then I get to dress you, Huckleberry.” Jas smiled sweetly as Blaster fell into step beside her. The stroll was leisurely as they crossed the motel parking lot.

The only motel in town, or out of it for that matter, it was just a strip of rooms with parking spaces in front of them. Probably built in the fifties, the place had seen better days—thirty years ago. Now it just looked sad. However, for possibly the first time it was completely filled. Film personnel seemed to overflow around it with several temporary equipment storage units as well as living quarters trailers parked on the far side of the parking lot. The establishment had one security light at each corner of its long structure, but three of those security lights were not functioning. Jas and Blaster were easily swallowed in the dark, vehicle-jammed parking lot as they headed for the last room at the end of the building.

As soon at they’d stepped out into the night, Blaster had felt a telltale prickle run down his spine. He’d almost dragged her to cover with that arm around her waist but then the distinct shuffle of movement in the shadows convinced him whoever was behind them were pitiful amateurs.

“I guess I could hear a suggestion or two, but what the hell, I like these clothes.” He waved a hand at himself and used the motion to flash Marine hand signals that two people were following them.

Jas snorted. “Like I didn’t know that, hillbilly boy. You look like a pickup-drivin’, tobacco-chewing, honky-tonk-type jerk. Just the sort this sista is itching to get her hands on tonight.” While she spoke, her hand flashed the location behind them of the figures following.

Apparently sheepish, Blaster grinned. “Well, you’re in luck. I don’t care where you put your hands.”

Jas’ smile was predatory and her tilted, honey-brown eyes sparkled with a child’s enjoyment of a wicked plan. Anticipation zipped around her and she couldn’t resist a chuckle that sounded suspiciously like delight. “I neva’ did enjoy myself today, bubba. Dressin’ you down should be fun.”

She’d told him she knew the stalkers were there, described them to him and stated her intention to deal with them. All in a few sentences that sounded as if it were part of their conversation.

She was good. Her observation skills were on a par with his. Dropping into slang was a handy device for communication in code and it also shot a barb of satisfaction through him. She expected him to know she didn’t speak that way normally. It was a small bit of confidence in his abilities that made him ridiculously happy. She’d been paying attention.

Blaster paused, his hand contracted briefly on her hip as he leaned to brush his lips over her ear. “Do. Not. Kill. Anyone,” he whispered in warning.

The two men jumped just as Jas and Blaster arrived at her room door. Appearing totally unaware as they faced the door, the slightly clumsy stalkers had felt secure in their attack. Two surprised grunts and both bodies landed with muffled thuds in the parking lot. No screams disturbed the night. Both men were unconscious before they hit the ground.

Blaster hefted one attacker over his shoulder. Jas grabbed the other unconscious man’s collar and began dragging him to her room.

Blaster got there first and was waiting patiently for her with his burden. “I’d have gotten him for you, angel,” he told her cheerfully.

Jas let the man slump against the wall and fished her room key out of her pocket. “I take care of my own messes,” she told him calmly as she opened her door. “He smells. I don’t want that stink all over my jacket.” She dragged her still unconscious man in and deposited him against the wall next to the one Blaster had placed there. Blaster patted both men down quickly but didn’t come across anything more threatening than a key chain.

They stood back to survey the would-be attackers. The two were average, scruffy young men. There were no jackets over the threadbare T-shirts. Both pairs of jeans had the grimy look of being worn for days without being taken off. The only fresh thing about these two was on their feet.

“The boys have new shoes,” Blaster grunted.

Jas raised an eyebrow. “Ya think?” Her tone was condescending. It was an obvious detail she’d noticed already. “Looks like we have the donators for the fake prints under the tree. Too bad these dumb fucks weren’t the shooters. We would have caught Stumble and Fumble.” Jas shook her head as she regarded the men.

Jas abruptly turned to the bathroom, grabbed the cheap ice bucket off her dresser and took it to the sink. Coming back, she grinned at Blaster. “Ready?”

In two quick flicks of her wrist half the bucket of water hit one man in the face, followed by the rest of it in his buddy’s.

Sputtering and groggy, both men started to come around. Looking up, they were faced with Blaster and Jas standing a short distance away. Both began to scramble up.

“Bad idea, boys. Y’all get to your feet and she’ll put ya’ down again,” Blaster drawled casually.

“Fuck that,” the larger man snarled as he made it to a crouch.

Jas stepped forward and slammed the heel of her open palm into his temple. The man crumpled into unconsciousness. The move was fast and smooth, appearing effortless on her part. The other man’s eyes rounded at the vicious hit that effectively incapacitated his companion. He slowly relaxed back to the floor.

“Wise choice,” Blaster smiled. “I see you boys gotcha some new shoes. What happened to the old ones?”

“My shoes? You wanna know ’bout shoes?” Confused, the skinny man glanced at his feet. Not an overly small man, he managed to appear smaller than he was because of his leanness. Ferret-like in appearance and mannerisms of quick glances and nervous jerks.

Blaster’s smile was his standard
I’m a nice guy
friendly grin. “I figure it’s the beginning. Thought I’d let you start there so as not to confuse yourself. The lady is impatient and if you start stumbling all over a lie, well, as I said, she’s impatient.”