solitary flight from death, his sheer masculine sex appeal were darned near irresistible.
She understood his anger. Could accept it. But she had to get over the past. Had to let go of the feelings for him she’d carried around inside her for all these years like a secret pearl hidden deep within the closed shells of her heart.
She jumped when he trailed a finger down the length of her neck. His voice caressed her like black velvet. “You look like a caged swan. Give me a chance, my desperate Odile. I’ll keep you safe.”
She blinked at the reference to the black swan from the ballet Swan Lake who was tragically manipulated by her evil father. An apt analogy. She let out a slow breath. Even his intelligence was seductive. How was she supposed to get over him?
He pushed away from the door and took a step back.“Come to bed. It’s late and your feet must be frozen. Let’s get them warmed up.”
There it was again. That natural compassion he lapsed into whenever he forgot to be furious at her. It sent her pulse pounding completely out of control. She shivered, but not from the icy cold seeping between her toes. The inevitability of doom settled around her, but she was powerless to fight it. She followed him back to the bedroom and let him tuck her into bed like a child.
But she lurched when he started to climb in beside her. “What are you doing?” she exclaimed.
“Keeping an eye on you. I’m a very light sleeper. If you get out of bed again, it’ll wake me up.”
“But—”
“No buts. I’m not letting you run away before Eduardo’s behind bars.” His voice rang with hard finality.
She subsided against her pillow. A tiny corner of her heart sighed in relief. Was she relieved he’d made her stay because he’d protect her, or was it something else entirely? Something to do with the overwhelmingly male vibes rolling off him as he lay beside her, and the way something instinctive and female inside her responded? She lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, beside a man she wanted desperately. A man who had the reason and the resolve to kill her.
What in the world was she supposed to do now?
Dutch paused, listening to the raucous night sounds of the jungle around him. He slid forward a few more steps and paused again, careful not to disrupt the deafening chorus of noise. He was early for the rendezvous with the informant. With Julia.
Even thinking her name sent his heart pounding deep and hard like a bass drum. A totally unprofessional reaction, butshe was so beautiful she took his breath away. Every guy on the team had a crush on her, whether they admitted it or not. Hell, even Captain Folly made a point of shaving and putting on a clean uniform whenever he had to meet her.
Dutch grinned. But he was the one she made eye contact with. The one she smiled at shyly. Because she trusted him, he was the one who got to coordinate with her as the sting against her father drew near.
He still had a hard time believing she would help set up her own father. But then, her old man was an incredible bastard.
Eduardo Ferrare was a formidable criminal whose illegal empire had reached far enough into the United States to draw the attention of the federal government. A decision had been made to take him out, and Charlie Squad had been sent to Gavarone to do the job.
He pushed aside a giant fern and peered out at the path ahead. Julia should walk along here in about five minutes. They’d have only a few seconds to exchange information, and then she’d have to move on.
A rustle down the path made him jerk back under cover. Damn. Eduardo’s men patrolled this path now and then. If they screwed up this rendezvous, he wouldn’t get to see Julia for two more days, until they met at the backup site. Besides the fact that his team desperately needed the information she was going to give them, he also didn’t want to wait that long to see her again.
He crouched in the lee of a giant tree trunk, completely
She understood his anger. Could accept it. But she had to get over the past. Had to let go of the feelings for him she’d carried around inside her for all these years like a secret pearl hidden deep within the closed shells of her heart.
She jumped when he trailed a finger down the length of her neck. His voice caressed her like black velvet. “You look like a caged swan. Give me a chance, my desperate Odile. I’ll keep you safe.”
She blinked at the reference to the black swan from the ballet Swan Lake who was tragically manipulated by her evil father. An apt analogy. She let out a slow breath. Even his intelligence was seductive. How was she supposed to get over him?
He pushed away from the door and took a step back.“Come to bed. It’s late and your feet must be frozen. Let’s get them warmed up.”
There it was again. That natural compassion he lapsed into whenever he forgot to be furious at her. It sent her pulse pounding completely out of control. She shivered, but not from the icy cold seeping between her toes. The inevitability of doom settled around her, but she was powerless to fight it. She followed him back to the bedroom and let him tuck her into bed like a child.
But she lurched when he started to climb in beside her. “What are you doing?” she exclaimed.
“Keeping an eye on you. I’m a very light sleeper. If you get out of bed again, it’ll wake me up.”
“But—”
“No buts. I’m not letting you run away before Eduardo’s behind bars.” His voice rang with hard finality.
She subsided against her pillow. A tiny corner of her heart sighed in relief. Was she relieved he’d made her stay because he’d protect her, or was it something else entirely? Something to do with the overwhelmingly male vibes rolling off him as he lay beside her, and the way something instinctive and female inside her responded? She lay there for a long time, staring at the ceiling, beside a man she wanted desperately. A man who had the reason and the resolve to kill her.
What in the world was she supposed to do now?
Dutch paused, listening to the raucous night sounds of the jungle around him. He slid forward a few more steps and paused again, careful not to disrupt the deafening chorus of noise. He was early for the rendezvous with the informant. With Julia.
Even thinking her name sent his heart pounding deep and hard like a bass drum. A totally unprofessional reaction, butshe was so beautiful she took his breath away. Every guy on the team had a crush on her, whether they admitted it or not. Hell, even Captain Folly made a point of shaving and putting on a clean uniform whenever he had to meet her.
Dutch grinned. But he was the one she made eye contact with. The one she smiled at shyly. Because she trusted him, he was the one who got to coordinate with her as the sting against her father drew near.
He still had a hard time believing she would help set up her own father. But then, her old man was an incredible bastard.
Eduardo Ferrare was a formidable criminal whose illegal empire had reached far enough into the United States to draw the attention of the federal government. A decision had been made to take him out, and Charlie Squad had been sent to Gavarone to do the job.
He pushed aside a giant fern and peered out at the path ahead. Julia should walk along here in about five minutes. They’d have only a few seconds to exchange information, and then she’d have to move on.
A rustle down the path made him jerk back under cover. Damn. Eduardo’s men patrolled this path now and then. If they screwed up this rendezvous, he wouldn’t get to see Julia for two more days, until they met at the backup site. Besides the fact that his team desperately needed the information she was going to give them, he also didn’t want to wait that long to see her again.
He crouched in the lee of a giant tree trunk, completely
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