Hide and Seek

“Anyway, I only ended up with a dual major because I had no idea where I was going. My Dad and Grandad were lawyers, so I felt pressured to go in some kind of similar direction. My real love, though, was psychology, how people react and behave, and why. It ends up the two were pretty complementary, especially when Kevin Mitnick came on the scene, and the whole social-psychological side of hacking became popular. It was always around, as you know—he made it a real phenomenon. I bumped into it at just the right time to write my thesis on it, and the rest was history.”

“And you just ended up here?”

“Eventually. Took a few detours first.”

He was tired of talking about his life when he had this wonderful woman sitting just a few feet away. He wanted to know more about her, and not as an investigator. This night was fleeting, and he didn’t know if there would be another. As the boat turned, starting its slow trajectory back toward shore, the waiter reappeared, delivering espresso and mouthwatering slices of tiramisu. Jennie sat back in her chair as she eyed the dessert.

“I’m so stuffed. This was delicious. It’s amazing how the saltwater air will stimulate your appetite.”

He knew she was talking about the confection on the table in front of them, yet Nathan felt her words stir a different kind of hunger, tightening every muscle in his body with desire. His appetite was definitely stimulated. Down, boy, he commanded himself, striving for control.

Thankfully, Jennie didn’t seem to be aware.

“It’s such a beautiful night to be out on the water. Thanks for thinking of this.”

Abandoning her dessert, she stood, and walked to the rail, looking out over the water. Nathan took his plate and a spoon, joining her. Maybe if his hands and mouth were otherwise occupied, he’d be able to keep them to himself.

He rested against the rail, gazing out over the calm waters of the Bay, dark now as the moon set low in the sky. Looking down he grabbed a chunk of cake with the fork, and lifted it to Jennie’s lips. She drew back slightly, shaking her head, but he smiled and wordlessly urged her to indulge. He could barely keep his hand steady as she leaned in and formed her amazing mouth in an O around the end of the fork, slipping the cake into her mouth in such an unconsciously sensual move that he nearly dropped the utensil over the rail.

Instead, he placed it and the plate on a nearby table and reached out, pulling her up against him, glad the “first date” kiss had been gotten out of the way earlier so that he could take his first real kiss now. Taking her lips against his, he slid his hands into that seductive mass of curls, as he’d imagined doing so many times. He sank into the sensual taste of her mixed with the sweet cream and chocolate of the dessert.

Nathan was gratified to feel her hands slide around his waist, her fingers digging into the small of his back. As he felt her nails press against his skin through the thin material of his shirt, his entire body turned into one, long cord of need. Scooping her closer, he deepened the kiss, breathing into her.

Jennie knew she shouldn’t be letting it happen, still the moment he’d pulled her in and sealed her mouth in that kiss, she was lost. She’d kissed her share of men, but she’d never been at the mercy of the touch of someone’s lips. From the moment Nathan’s mouth had captured hers, she could only get closer. Her resistance crumbled, she needed to touch him. He felt so good. Solid, warm and completely delicious.

When his deep moan rumbled through her, and she felt every hard, lean part of him aligned with every soft, receptive part of her, she slid her hands down to his backside. She always was a sucker for a nice male butt. As her palms cupped the strong muscles there, she purred against his lips, her fingers unable to resist the urge to explore.

“Jesus, Jennie…” Nathan’s breathing was labored against her mouth, his eyes sparkling with wicked promises as he looked down at her, his arms tight around her, inadvertently drawing their pelvises closer together in the process. Suddenly she heard the clinking of dishes and silverware and remembered they weren’t alone. Sliding her eyes to the side, she saw the waiter clearing the table, the young man’s gaze discreetly looking away from them.

She laughed softly, resting her forehead against his shoulder. “Wow. I completely lost track of where I was…who I was….” She laughed again, incredulous at the mind-blanking desire that she’d tumbled into.

“As long as you remembered who I was.”

The comment was softly spoken against her ear, and she could hear the subtle doubt, the tension, in his voice. She supposed she couldn’t blame him—she’d spent so many months putting him off, how could she explain suddenly falling into his arms without so much as a murmur of protest? She was a big girl; she took responsibility for her actions, and she never led guys on. She was very attracted to Nathan; it was why she kept the flowers he sent until the blossoms faded.

Looking up at him, she sighed, framing his face with her hands. He was so damned handsome.

“No, I knew exactly what I was doing, and with whom, Nathan. And I…”

Hope glinted in his eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling horrible about all of the deception in her life, and wishing she could just blurt it all out, come clean just once, with this special man. He was so open to her, so ready to take a leap that she didn’t know if she could ever take. What was it she’d been about to confess, to admit? Was she ready?

“What, Jennie? You can say it. Remember what I said. No pressure, I promise.”

His fingers traced a lazy path along her back, and he stepped back slightly, as if to show her that he was willing to give her room to breathe. The gesture was almost as powerful as a touch, because she knew he meant it. She watched as the docks came into view, their magical trip was almost over. She knew she couldn’t tell him the truth about her life; to do so would just endanger his life.

Or maybe she wasn’t being so noble, really; the truth was that if she told him everything, he might change his mind about her, and she needed to be with him. At least for tonight, she needed to forget all the reasons she shouldn’t do this. She wanted something special, something for her that might create a memory she could hold close no matter what the future was. Looking up into his eyes, she took the leap.

“Nathan, I don’t kiss a man like we just kissed because I feel pressured into it—I’m way too old for that in case you haven’t noticed.”

Five years didn’t seem like much, but with everything that had happened in her life, she sometimes felt as if she was decades older. Not right now; not with Nathan. He made her feel…young. New. Happy.

But shouldn’t he want some woman his own age, with no past, no baggage? She held his gaze as the boat slowed. The way he looked at her…she had no doubts that he wanted her, and she was determined to focus on that for now. It was enough.

“I’m glad tomorrow’s Saturday,” she whispered, leaning in, giving in to the impulse to move her hands over the well-defined muscles of his back. He was slim and strong. A shudder of desire flooded her as she allowed herself to feel things she’d been fighting for a while.

“Why’s that?” His voice was husky with desire as he asked the question, her touch affecting him. The knowledge made her smile as she answered.

“So we can sleep in.”

She lifted her mouth to his again, and felt him relax and harden all at once, his body hot against hers as he kissed the breath from her all the way back to the pier. She hadn’t met any men her own age or older who could kiss half as well. She preferred to think he’d come by the talent naturally, rather than having had too much practice.

By the time the boat docked, they were both overcome with the need to find somewhere private, and Nathan hastily squared things with the waiter and took Jennie’s hand, hurrying her gently from the boat and back to his car.

Once inside the sleek little Mustang, they combated the small space over the gearshift, all over each other again until laughingly, they parted, but never stopped touching completely as Nathan raced back to Jennie’s apartment. She smiled, anticipation buzzing through her in a way she hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Appreciation welled with desire as he pulled up into a parking spot in front of her building and cut the engine. He was willing to come to her place, to go where she felt familiar and comfortable. She had a feeling she’d only discovered the tip of the iceberg when it came to finding out how special Nathan Reilly really was.

3

IMAGES OF THEM FALLING in the door and tearing at each other’s clothes raced through Nathan’s brain as he tried to keep to the speed limit, but Jennie’s hand tracing erotic messages on his upper thigh made it hard to hold back. He needed out of this car, and out of his clothes, soon.

After the frantic rush to the apartment, as soon as they stepped inside the door, breathless and laughing, everything slowed down. They stood, facing each other, saying nothing, and he crossed, taking her hands in his.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

The simple response was all he needed. With a gentle tug she was in his arms again, and the passion lit even more brightly than before. Now that they were alone, now that Nathan was where he’d dreamed of being for months on end, he found he didn’t want to rush, as urgent as the need was.

He’d always preferred hard, fast sex, reveling in the urgency and the energy of the act, yet there was something about Jennie that made him hold back and savor every move, each touch. It was a new kind of intensity, born of waiting so long for her, he supposed. He slipped a finger beneath the shoulder of her soft sweater, sliding it under the bra strap, and eased it down, smoothing the tender skin of her shoulder. She was so soft.

Leaning in, he buried his face in her neck and inhaled her scent, then darted his tongue out for a taste, loving the way her head fell back and how she seemed to purr as he nuzzled her, investigating all those secret spots he’d wondered about for so long. The hidden silk behind her ear. The visible pulse at the base of her throat that hammered as he lifted his other hand to her waist, sliding it up and down her spine, causing her to bow her body into his, issuing an erotic invitation when she pressed against him just so. They fit perfectly, as if they were made to be this way. The idea moved him profoundly.

When she began her own exploration, yanking his shirt free and sliding over the skin of his lower back and then up, he momentarily closed his eyes, reminding himself he wanted to go slow, though his body was starting to disagree with that plan. Her seductive touch, still somewhat tentative, as if she hadn’t quite made up her mind, convinced him that slow was the right choice.

The bulge in Nathan’s pants that nestled so sweetly against her abdomen made Jennie’s imagination spike with images of driving him over the edge. A part of her held back, still feeling, for the first time in a long time, like a liar. It didn’t seem to matter that the lies were to protect herself, to protect others. Would he still be here if he knew the secrets she kept?

Now wasn’t the moment to worry about it. She felt more aroused than she ever had, and yet her worries were not quite quenched.

“Jennie, you can change your mind if you want. I don’t want you doing anything you don’t want to,” Nathan said. His breathing was labored and she smiled, lifting her hand to slide the pad of her fingers over the fine film of sweat that had formed on his brow.

Nathan had some serious self-control, another plus, in her book. But she wanted him to go wild with her. And she knew just how to make him do it.

“I don’t want to stop, Nathan. It’s just that I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to feel so much so fast and, well, I’m a little worried about the fact that we work together. Sex complicates things.”

That much was true, she thought, though it was becoming less and less important as he touched her in all the right places.

“Let’s not think about work tonight.”

She nodded, agreeing, glad at least to be able to tell the truth to him about some things, “It’s also been a while for me.”

“Then we need to make this extra special, don’t we?”

“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem. It feels pretty special to me already.”

She could have kicked herself for her impulsive response as an answering flicker of passion, and some deeper emotion, passed over his expression. She couldn’t lead him along, she cautioned herself; she didn’t know how much she could give to him. Though the crazy thudding of her heart was urging her to give him everything. She’d wanted something special, right? Something more? Well, this was it.

Nathan was special, she could feel it in her bones, and not being a woman of half measures or tepid emotions, she couldn’t deny her response to him. Permitting this to mean more than just sex was a risk. Her entire life was about risk, so what was she waiting for?

“Where’s your bedroom?” His question was posed on a hushed breath, but she had other ideas. She wanted to let him know she was in this, one hundred percent.

“I want you now, Nate. Here.”

The comment was filled with such sexy promise he didn’t argue, but dived in to obey her command with a gusto that nearly dropped her to her knees as he kissed her with the full force of masculine desire, holding nothing back. She answered him with equal fervor, and they moved across the small living room toward the sofa.

When his hands slipped up underneath her sweater and massaged her nipples, tweaking and pinching the tender nubs, she wondered if she would even make it to the couch. She gasped as her body coiled inside at the sharp sensations his touch created, feeling a spill of release quickly approaching.

“You’re amazing…so beautiful…so responsive…”

His encouragement wiped out the last of any doubts she had as she let go completely, winding her hands through his hair and urging him downward. Happy to comply, he shoved the sweater up over her head and brought his hot, searching mouth to her breasts. It took only moments before she cried out, coming hard as he sucked, arching into him as ripples of pleasure racked through her. When he raised his head, lifting a hand to push some hair from her brow, his hand was shaking.

“Holy shit, Jen. I can’t believe you came like that….”

“I’m so—”

He shook his head vigorously, his skin ruddy with desire.

“It was so hot…can you do it again?”

Jennie smiled at the wonderful question, her body turning liquid under his mouth and hands as he applied his mouth to her skin again, searching out every tender, excruciatingly sensitive spot. Where had he learned to be so thorough with a woman’s body?

“I can almost guarantee it,” she answered, giving herself over and forgetting everything but the way he made her feel.

“UNDRESS ME, JEN.”

“With pleasure.”

The two simple words rocked him to the core; he could get off on her voice alone, he thought, still reeling that just his touch and his kiss had pushed her over the edge. It was daunting, the fire between them hotter than anything he imagined, and anything he’d ever experienced before. He was ready for more. He wanted it all.

Somehow she’d managed to undo all the buttons while he kissed her. He couldn’t stay away from her, even just for the few moments it took for her to peel his clothes off, and to shed the rest of hers. That final act of confirming she wanted this as much as he did, of committing to the moment, moved him even more than her strong physical response had.

She peeled the shirt from him, dipping to suck on one dark nipple, enchanted with his chest and running her fingers over the light sprinkling of chest hair. His cock twitched impatiently, hungry for those caresses and kisses to cover him there, too. But he had to stop her before he lost it and completely embarrassed himself.

Within moments, they were both completely bare; facing each other in the warm light of the room, taking in the sight of each other’s bodies. She was even lovelier than he could have ever imagined. Curved and full, she was beautifully formed, her skin a satin olive tone that bespoke her Italian heritage, the dark triangle of silken hair at the V of her legs thick and soft and tempting him to touch, to taste. The dusky areolae of her nipples accentuated perfectly rounded breasts with velvet brown tips that had been heaven to taste.

“You’re amazing,” she said as she stepped forward, breathing the words into his mouth, pressing the cleft of her moist sex next to his painfully hard shaft. He drew back, looking up into her face.

“I was just thinking the same about you.” He couldn’t take his eyes from her as he responded, trying to cover all of the bases before the inevitable progressed. “Anything else we should get out in the open before this happens?”

“No. I’m good. On the pill, and no problems to speak of. You?”

“I was tested during my physical when I joined the team, and haven’t been with anyone since.”

She looked amazed at what he’d just revealed. “You haven’t slept with anyone since you joined HotWires?”

He lifted his hand, brushing the backs of his fingers along her cheek. “Well, at first I had the move and settling into the job, the new city. And then I saw you. I didn’t want anyone after that.”

Her eyes turned molten, telling him how affected she was by his confession, and he was glad it hadn’t scared her off. It was true—one morning he’d seen her laughing with Sarah over coffee. The sun had been shining through the window behind her, and her expression had been lit with amusement at whatever story Sarah had been telling.

He’d been rooted to the spot, watching, reminded of something his dad had told him about a similar moment when he’d met Nate’s mother. About his grá mo chroí, or the love of his heart.

Though he’d noticed her right away when he joined the team—she was a beautiful woman—he hadn’t been looking for a relationship. He was all about work, and it was clear she wasn’t interested in getting involved with anyone. Nevertheless from that moment on, seeing her standing there in the sun, Nathan hadn’t wanted another woman. Afterward, he’d started sending her flowers, and stopping by her desk just to tell her jokes to see her face light up with that smile. He wanted to make her smile almost more than he wanted to breathe.

The mood shifted, and she looked up at him, open and vulnerable. Conflict suddenly twisted with passion in his gut—how could he see this through when he was keeping some major secrets? How could he make her trust him when he was investigating her, looking into her life to see if she was a criminal, a traitor to his friends?

Because he didn’t believe it. He had good instincts, and there was no way he could feel this way about someone who was dirty. Ian and EJ were smart, thorough. They would never have taken her on if she was less than what they believed her to be. He was going to prove she was a victim here, innocent.

The thought soothed his guilty conscience as she apparently was tired of waiting and lifted up, gently pressing her lips to his, her breasts caressing his chest while she explored his mouth in an intimate yet demanding response. She wanted him; he wanted her. At the moment, it was that simple.

Lowering slowly, he lay back on the sofa, pulling her down on top, having her set the pace, control their loving—this time. She took him inside while their mouths still mated, easily and without hesitation, and his low rumble of excitement filled her as she sheathed him completely, rotating her hips slowly and encouraging him with her own moans as he gripped her backside tightly, helping her move.

“Jennie, you’re so warm inside, so soft….”

She gasped, holding on as he lunged beneath her. Not one to stay passive, he gripped her hips firmly, helping her ride him harder as she wove her hands into his hair, kissing him deeply as they both began shuddering with release. Gasping in ecstasy, he drove inside of her, losing every final bit of control, and loving every second.

“WHAT DO YOU WANT for breakfast?”

“You.”

Jennie rolled over, and nipped his shoulder playfully. It had been one of the best nights of her life, and it was the weekend. She’d never awakened in bed with a man and just lounged, wondering what the day had to offer—if he would want to spend the day, and maybe another night—with her. No, the usual protocol was up, shower, a kiss in thanks and out. However, not this time; not with Nathan.

She found herself suddenly a little wary—would he want to leave? Would it be too much if he knew how much she wanted him to stay? Too clingy? Too fast?

Her hand caressed his chest. Working lower, she curled her fingers around his stiff cock and elicited a groan, a good sign he wasn’t in a hurry to leave.

They’d made love several times throughout the night, and he’d always managed to make sure that she’d remained in control in one way or another.

Or maybe he was just a guy who enjoyed a woman being in control; the notion surprised her. In fact, her mind started to race with all the delightful possibilities being the dominant sexual partner presented. Her imagination took flight as she continued stroking and caressing him. Surprisingly, he reached down, stilling her hand.

“How about breakfast?” he asked again, smiling, his voice uneven—she’d obviously been having an effect. She pulled back, relenting.

“You’re really hungry, huh? For food?”

“You’ve given me quite a workout. Do you have anything here, or do you want to go out?”

Flustered by his apparent rejection, she tried to play it cool and sat up, making sure he couldn’t see her face in the meantime, just in case her expression gave too much away.

“I have some stuff in the kitchen.”

As she started to get up, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, kissing her soundly.

“I’ll go. You relax.”

“But—”

“I’ll cook. You save your strength. You’re going to need it.” His smile was promising, his erection still full. She warmed, hating how relieved she felt.

“Maybe I’ll take a shower then.”

“You go ahead. If I finish soon enough, I’ll join you.”

Nathan winked and stood up, watching her with a smile. It would have been so easy to give in, but he really was hungry. And if truth be told, he needed a moment. The events of the night before had been powerful, socking a punch to his emotions that he’d never felt before, and he’d awoken knowing he was in a serious bind.

Heading into the living room where his pants lay crumpled on the floor, he put them on, not bothering with his shirt. He bent over, picking up a withered blossom that had fallen from a vase of flowers, lifting it to his nose and still detecting the sweet scent. He thought about bringing flowers to bed, and rubbing that scent all over Jen’s skin. His cock twitched at the thought and he sighed—he was a goner.

Memories from last night assaulted him, followed by a wave of disgust at what he knew he had to do—and this was the perfect opportunity. He heard the shower come on, and took a deep breath, his smile fading. It was too easy to forget about what he’d learned, too tempting to just set it aside and refuse to do the department’s dirty work. A twist of shame knotted in his chest—he cared about her, nevertheless he had a job to do. What a shitty wall to be backed up against.

If what they said was true, then Jennie’s—Maria’s—existence could be a threat to all of their lives, no matter how impossible that seemed. And if by investigating her possible guilt he could prove she was innocent…that idea alone motivated him to move forward, his heart pounding.

He whispered her real name, closing his eyes and feeling the sound of it cross his lips. He’d always liked her as Jennie, but last night, she’d been Maria—dark, exotic, stunning.