Wild on You (21 page)

Julian’s eyes widened. “Haunted house?”

“It’s an old house that’s still on the property from the Mafia-don days. Some of my operatives have claimed to feel cold spots or get a hair-on-end feeling. You’re not afraid of ghosts, are you?” Chase asked with a teasing smile.

Julian slapped his fist into his palm. “I’ll kick their gauzy asses.”

“And what do we do, boss?” Risk asked, coming to his feet.

“Chase, not boss.” Chase gave him a stern look. “I know the whole commander thing is conditioned into you, but we’re a team. If it makes you feel better, here are your orders, soldier: Get Addie a bathing suit and some shorts. Enjoy the property, use the boat. Just don’t get too relaxed.”

“That won’t be a problem around Addie, sir.”

Risk hadn’t explained to Addie exactly what he’d meant by his comment to Chase, though she’d asked a dozen times. What could he tell her? That nothing about his body was relaxed around her? After seeing her lying in bed this morning, all he could think about was waking up after a long night of sex and partaking in more.

He was thinking of it now, as she stepped out of her room in a white two-piece bathing suit. It wasn’t even a tiny bikini. This one went all the way up to her waist and covered more chest than he’d prefer.

She paused, making him realize that he was staring. “What? Too much? Too little? I hate shopping for bathing suits.”

“You could have asked my opinion. But no, you disappeared into the dressing room, then came out fully clothed a few minutes later. I would have been happy to give it to you.”

She arched an eyebrow and said in a husky voice, “I bet you would have.”

His cock actually twitched at the provocative way she’d said that. Thank God it didn’t twitch when her gaze fell over his baggy trunks. “No tight number? I pegged you for one of those small, tight suits that men who have no business wearing wear. You, however, would do it justice.”

“I wouldn’t be caught dead in one of those, but thank you.”

She was taking him in, hopefully not seeing his erection. Her eyes widened in horror. Damn. Surely she’d seen a guy with a hard-on before.

“Ouch,” she said, a sympathetic wince on her face.

“Don’t worry, it’s only mildly uncomfortable.” Okay, the unresolved ache was a lot more than that. Except … she was looking much lower.

She knelt down, her knees cracking softly. “How’d you get this?” Her finger traced over the smooth skin of the jagged scar that ran down his leg. “Roadside bomb?
Helicopter crash? I can’t imagine the horrors you went through over there. Please don’t say your dad did it.”

He wanted to tell her some heart-wrenching war story to capitalize on her sympathetic expression, but he couldn’t lie. “A BASE-jumping accident. Remember how I mentioned my jump off of Trango Towers?”

“Yes. Twenty thousand feet up, which is absolutely ridiculous.”

“I had an off-heading canopy opening that rammed me into the face of the rock. So I landed in a stunned and pain-riddled state and couldn’t quite get my balance. It wasn’t pretty. I’m not sure if it was the rock face or the landing that ripped into my leg. Some damned jagged bit.”

She rose, her patriotic sympathy gone. “You’re absolutely crazy. All for an adrenaline thrill?”

“Yep to both.” Only one kind of rush had dominated his mind lately. Was wanting Addie just another thrill? He hoped so.

He tossed over his shoulder the towels he’d brought and escorted her to the pool. The mental image of the two of them in a tub of swirling hot water in that serene setting made him walk even faster. He had to stop himself from grabbing her hand and hauling her with him.

The moment his feet hit the pool deck, he dropped the towels and dove into the pool just to cool off. When he burst up on the other side, she was kicking off her flimsy flip-flops while watching him. He pulled himself out and wandered to the hot tub, which was situated beneath a rock overhang and the waterfall. It gave the tub a dark, private feel. Too dark. Too private.

Addie was dipping her foot into the pool water. Part of him hoped she would take a dip way over there. Less temptation. He pressed a button that started the jets, and sank into the heavenly water. Even though his head was leaned back, eyes closed, he knew the moment she joined him. He couldn’t help grin when she let out the same kind of sigh.

“Mm, that sound brings back memories of a certain dinner event.” He fought not to open his eyes and look at her.

“That was terribly unfair of you. And don’t interrupt me like you always do,” she warned. “You get me all hot and bothered, and I can’t really enjoy it because—”

“Oh, sweetheart, you were enjoying it.”

She punched him. “I think you liked tormenting me.”

He cracked an eye, enjoying her petulant expression. “Maybe a little.” She punched him again.

“If it’s any consolation, I was feeling the torment, too.”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure you were.” Her voice lowered. “We need to cut this conversation. Your friends are coming.”

He leaned back, this time in prayer.
Please stay over there. Don’t be boneheads and butt into my—

Water splashed him in the face.

“Wake up,” Saxby said. “I don’t want to have to pull your sorry ass out of here if you slip under the surface. Water’s hot enough to boil crawfish.” He sank in with all the grace of a manatee. “We’re not interrupting anything, I hope.” He obviously wasn’t thinking they were interrupting
that
kind of anything, since she was a client.

Julian angled himself in and propped his arms along the outer edge. “So far, I like what I see. Chase seems competent, and he definitely has the facilities, resources, and technology to make things happen. I’m meeting up with Rath tomorrow to break the news: I’m officially done with the road. It’s been a blast, but I need something to do. I can tell Rath’s feeling the same, but he doesn’t want to sign on with any ‘somebody telling me what to do’ organized establishment, as he puts it.”

Risk laughed. “I can hear him saying that, too.” He jerked when something touched his thigh. Way up high on his leg, right next to his balls. The water, milky white with roiling bubbles, obliterated any visual on what was going on down there. He kept a calm expression and eyed the two pranksters on the other side of the tub. Nah, they wouldn’t be trying to make him freak, and they wouldn’t be touching him like that.

Which left Addie, who had a decidedly impish look on her face.

Delicate fingers stroked up and down his thigh. Even through the material, her
short nails were like an on switch for his cock.

“Is Rath still being psycho about going after the …” Sax glanced at Addie, then back to Julian. “Wolf?”

Risk nodded toward Addie. “I gave her a thumbnail version of what happened. She recognized me as one of the Rogue Six, so I had to explain.” He turned to her. “Wolf was the code name for the agent who gave us bad information.”

“Ohhhh,” she said, drawing the word out.

Her fingers curled around his stiffie, which made him do another of those jerking motions.

“Yeah,” Julian said. “Dude’s getting scary. You saw him with that whole mountain-man look. But it’s the gleam in his eyes that’s got me worried. I’ve stayed on the road with him, hoping he’d give it up and look into The Justiss Alliance, but I think he’s just biding his time.”

She was pretending to listen to the guys, her whole focus on them. Well, not her whole focus, because her fingers were making swirls up and down his cock that had his body quivering. “So he wants revenge,” she said. “And you’re worried he’s going to get hurt.”

Julian and Sax both nodded.

Her fingers slid to his waistband and then beneath. And now it was her skin that moved over his skin, walking provocatively across his pelvis. She brushed the length of his dick, just enough of a touch to feed his hunger but definitely a tease. The corner of her mouth turned up slightly, giving away her deviousness.

He loved devious. And he hated devious. Because she had put him in the same position that he’d put her in. He made affirmative sounds about Julian’s concerns but wasn’t mentally part of the conversation. Then she wrapped her hand around his cock. He nearly let out a sigh of
Good God, about time
. He gripped the rounded edge of the seat as she stroked up and down the length of him. Nice and slow.

Okay, he could handle this. Wasn’t his middle name control?

No, not with Addie.

But he could keep himself from coming. That would not be cool.

Then she stroked a little faster. When she got to the top, she let her thumb slide over his head and that strip of skin, which made him suck in a breath, then have to cough to cover it. The rumble of the hot tub seemed louder than their voices all of a sudden. Or was that the roar of blood in his ears?

The rush of pleasure built, threatening to explode. If she continued, he definitely wasn’t going to maintain control. He clamped his hand over hers to stop her motion and gave her a subtle shake of his head. Could they leave the hot tub and dash off to the cabana without arousing suspicion?

“So I figure if I join TJA, too, he’ll see that coming aboard is a much better idea than skulking around Mexico looking for some guy who’s probably dead,” Julian was saying. “And we’re all still working together.”

Her hand continued stroking despite his hold. Which made him feel like he was stroking himself, so he let go. “Stop … stop him … from going.”

Julian narrowed his eyes at him. “I think the heat’s getting to you. Rath’s not going to take orders from me, you know that.”

“Yes. Yes, the heat is getting to me. I can’t stand it anymore.”

He lurched from the hot tub, splashing water everywhere as he ran across the deck—and lost control about halfway to the cabana.

* * *

“Okay, we’re even,” Risk said as he steered the boat toward the docks outside the Bayside Restaurant.

“Even?”

“Yeah, the whole ‘getting off while having to make polite conversation’ torment. I didn’t realize how difficult a wonderful thing could be.”

“Hm. I thought I was just doing the wonderful part, since I got to come and you didn’t.” She gave him an innocent smile while he eyed her with suspicion. Okay, it had
been a bit of both kinds of getting even. “Did you, uh …”

He arched an eyebrow. “Come?”

“I like the phrase
get completion
better.”

His mouth twisted in a half grin. “I
got completion
during my sprint. That was a first.”

“You could have stayed in the hot tub.”

“No way could I come and not give myself away. I make noise.”

Suddenly she wanted to hear that noise, the evidence of the pleasure she’d given him. Wanted to feel him thrust into her as he made it. She swallowed back her own sound. “Is it a growl? Or more like a grunt? I’ve never heard a guy make noise before other than a long exhale.”

“I’ve never had to categorize it.”

“Humor me. I’m curious.”

“It’s a combination of both, actually.” He arched one eyebrow at her. “You do realize that talking about orgasms is its own kind of torture where we’re concerned?”

She winced. “You’re right. Forget I asked.”

He turned the wheel and expertly maneuvered into the last space available. She was so busy enjoying the view of his tight shorts across his tight butt as he learned over to secure the boat, she nearly forgot that she was probably supposed to be helping. She jumped up to play first mate.

Once they had the boat secured, he helped her onto the wooden dock. He rested his hand on her back as they wandered up to the entrance. It felt as warm as the sun, warm and right and a little proprietary. Her mind screeched to a halt as it replayed the “right” part. Not right, just … nice.
Yeah, let’s go with that
.

The restaurant’s decor was dark wood with intimate seating areas. Just as she panicked at the thought of them tucked into a cozy spot, Risk requested a table outside on the deck. Even out there, the tables were covered in linen cloths and adorned with flower-and-shell centerpieces. Soft music drifted from hidden speakers, and the breeze caressed the flowers of the potted plants scattered throughout. Darn, still romantic.

After they ordered drinks, she asked, “Did you insist on being seated here so we could watch the boat?”

“Yep. Never hurts to keep an eye on our transportation.”

She couldn’t imagine how difficult it was to transition to civilian life for someone used to living on the edge. She picked up her menu but kept her gaze on him. “You’re like a cat. Even when they’re sleeping, their radar is going. You never relax, do you?”

“I do. But not while I’m operational. I’d bet my left nut that we’re perfectly safe here, at least from your predators. No way could they have traced me to Chase or followed us down here. Still, it never hurts to be vigilant.”

Just the mention of his left nut brought back the way he’d felt in her hand back at the hot tub. Big. Hard. Tempting.

Their iced teas arrived, and they placed their food orders. Was he ordering steak just to tempt her?

Damn, he
was
tempting. Having control over him, even as she’d held all that male power in her hand, had been nearly as erotic as his bringing her to life beneath the table. His whole body had quivered, his thigh muscles tightening. And the way his breath had caught …

She really had to expunge those thoughts. Wanting Risk was like wanting steak. So good and so bad all at once. She’d been doing just fine all these years without. Sure, she’d been around steak. And good-looking men. But none had ever tempted her one iota. Until Risk came along.

“Addie, I’d give you twenty dollars for your thoughts right now.”

She blinked to find him studying her. “They’re not for sale.”

He sprawled back in his chair, legs spread in that easy masculine way. “Yeah, that’s probably wise.”

The server arrived with their dinners a short while later. He set the grouper almondine in front of her and then passed her to set down Risk’s meal. The aroma of seasoned beef wafted past her, making her mouth water.

She tried to tell herself that the fish was awesome. It was cooked to perfection,
moist and flaky and everything grouper should be. But honestly, it wasn’t satisfying. Not like Risk’s meal. Oh, he was trying to downplay it, not even making any of those pleasurable sounds. However, when the waiter came over to ask how their meals were, Risk said, “Incredible.” And he meant it. Then he set his fork and knife down on the edge of the plate and propped his chin on his upturned hand. “I promise I’m not trying to make this hard on you. I really do like steak. And bacon. Maybe it’s a farm-boy thing, but I like meat. And you know what, Addie? So do you. I know you gave it up because you think you should. Because it’s the right thing to do, in your opinion. As I said, I respect that. But the way you are looking at me is making me want to satisfy you on some serious level. So pick one: steak or sex.”