Read Online Take Me If You Dare by Candace Havens - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Candace Havens
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ways.
There he went again, acting like he might hang around.
He sighed, and she turned to him.
“Are you sorry you came with me? I can be a bit of a romantic at times. I’m not expecting anything from you.” She frowned. “I mean. You know I think we can be friends.”
“Friends?” He smiled at her. “Yes, that’s a possibility. But I can tell you that I’m expecting a great deal from you.” He kissed her again. He couldn’t seem to stop himself from doing that, and wondered if her lipstick had some kind of pheromone that drew him to her full lips. He’d seen stranger things in his business. “Finished with your sunrise?”
She gave a happy sigh, and smiled back at him. That small gesture sent warmth through his body. His cock stirred and he pulled away before she could feel his physical interest. “Maybe we should check in.”
Taking her hand, he started up the beach, but she stopped him. “About that. I—rented one of the villas on the beach. And there’s only—um. There’s only one bed. I can try and change it. They may have a suite where you could have your own room?”
Two rooms wasn’t a bad idea. He already felt unsure about advancing their friendship without being completely honest with her. And frankly, he wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to withstand her charms, since hedesired her more than anyone he’d ever met. It scared the hell out of him.
“Oh. Wow.” Her voice rose in pitch, her face pinched in distress. “That silence answered my question loud and clear. Now I’m really embarrassed. I’ll see if I can get the suite.”
His nonanswer had been misinterpreted. This time he was the one who stopped her from walking. Taking her in his arms, he pressed his lips against hers. Sweet. She tasted so sweet and warm. He’d first noticed it when their lips met at the club, and now that same sensation sent his mind in a million different directions, eventually landing in one thought.
He wanted to take her right there on the beach.
Finally he lifted his face from hers. “We can go as fast or as slow as you want. You don’t strike me as a woman who likes to rush into things, but have no doubt that I desire you, Mariska Stonegate.” He meant every word.
Part of his brain screamed he was an ass for getting involved with her. He’d only break her heart in a few days, and there was always that looming possibility of getting them both killed if Vlad caught up with them.
The other part of his brain said, “Screw it.” Jackson wasn’t sure he’d leave Thailand alive. Burned CIA agents didn’t have long retirements. Whatever his future held, he had to spend the next few days with this woman.
It probably wasn’t fair to either of them, but at least he’d have memories of her. And he would do his best to make sure she had the time of her life.
“So, you’ve figured out I’ve never done anythinglike this before.” She scrunched up her face. She was so adorable.
“If it makes you feel any better I can honestly say I’ve never run off on a beach vacation with a woman.” Well, at least when it wasn’t for work. He’d done it in the line of duty, but there’d never been time for any relationships. He’d become a machine the last six years. Everything was about the job.
Now they didn’t give a crap about him.
But Mariska did. That she desired him as much as he did her was enough. A few days on a beach wouldn’t be much of a hardship. He’d give her that, knowing he was the one receiving the real gift.
Taking her hand in his, he led her up to the lobby of the hotel.
“Okay, so we have one of the water villas right on the beach. We’re going to have fab views, I’m told. At least I think that’s what the desk clerk said.” She smiled at him, covering her discomfort. “I think he’s French, and his English was almost so perfect I couldn’t understand him.”
“Mar, don’t be nervous around me. The villa is great,” he assured her. “I’ll keep my promise.
There he went again, acting like he might hang around.
He sighed, and she turned to him.
“Are you sorry you came with me? I can be a bit of a romantic at times. I’m not expecting anything from you.” She frowned. “I mean. You know I think we can be friends.”
“Friends?” He smiled at her. “Yes, that’s a possibility. But I can tell you that I’m expecting a great deal from you.” He kissed her again. He couldn’t seem to stop himself from doing that, and wondered if her lipstick had some kind of pheromone that drew him to her full lips. He’d seen stranger things in his business. “Finished with your sunrise?”
She gave a happy sigh, and smiled back at him. That small gesture sent warmth through his body. His cock stirred and he pulled away before she could feel his physical interest. “Maybe we should check in.”
Taking her hand, he started up the beach, but she stopped him. “About that. I—rented one of the villas on the beach. And there’s only—um. There’s only one bed. I can try and change it. They may have a suite where you could have your own room?”
Two rooms wasn’t a bad idea. He already felt unsure about advancing their friendship without being completely honest with her. And frankly, he wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to withstand her charms, since hedesired her more than anyone he’d ever met. It scared the hell out of him.
“Oh. Wow.” Her voice rose in pitch, her face pinched in distress. “That silence answered my question loud and clear. Now I’m really embarrassed. I’ll see if I can get the suite.”
His nonanswer had been misinterpreted. This time he was the one who stopped her from walking. Taking her in his arms, he pressed his lips against hers. Sweet. She tasted so sweet and warm. He’d first noticed it when their lips met at the club, and now that same sensation sent his mind in a million different directions, eventually landing in one thought.
He wanted to take her right there on the beach.
Finally he lifted his face from hers. “We can go as fast or as slow as you want. You don’t strike me as a woman who likes to rush into things, but have no doubt that I desire you, Mariska Stonegate.” He meant every word.
Part of his brain screamed he was an ass for getting involved with her. He’d only break her heart in a few days, and there was always that looming possibility of getting them both killed if Vlad caught up with them.
The other part of his brain said, “Screw it.” Jackson wasn’t sure he’d leave Thailand alive. Burned CIA agents didn’t have long retirements. Whatever his future held, he had to spend the next few days with this woman.
It probably wasn’t fair to either of them, but at least he’d have memories of her. And he would do his best to make sure she had the time of her life.
“So, you’ve figured out I’ve never done anythinglike this before.” She scrunched up her face. She was so adorable.
“If it makes you feel any better I can honestly say I’ve never run off on a beach vacation with a woman.” Well, at least when it wasn’t for work. He’d done it in the line of duty, but there’d never been time for any relationships. He’d become a machine the last six years. Everything was about the job.
Now they didn’t give a crap about him.
But Mariska did. That she desired him as much as he did her was enough. A few days on a beach wouldn’t be much of a hardship. He’d give her that, knowing he was the one receiving the real gift.
Taking her hand in his, he led her up to the lobby of the hotel.
“Okay, so we have one of the water villas right on the beach. We’re going to have fab views, I’m told. At least I think that’s what the desk clerk said.” She smiled at him, covering her discomfort. “I think he’s French, and his English was almost so perfect I couldn’t understand him.”
“Mar, don’t be nervous around me. The villa is great,” he assured her. “I’ll keep my promise.
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