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  “Maybe you can. But right now, you need to rest.”

  “Because sex with you is so exhausting?” Lord, she knew she sounded like a shrew, but she couldn’t stop herself.

  One side of his mouth curved. “Yeah. Wasn’t it?”

  Her mouth dropped open, ready to give him a blast of her anger, but that smile of his made it impossible. Her lips twitched. “You must think you’re some kind of sex god,” she said, grudgingly.

  “Tell me it wasn’t good.”

  To keep from grinning like an idiot, she pressed her lips together. “The sex was good; I’ll give you that.”

  He grunted. “Better than good.”

  “You don’t need praise.” She laughed. “You know I loved every minute.”

  His smile faded, and his gaze softened. “No bad moments?”

  “Not one. Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.”

  They’d both found pleasure. They shared smiles and once again, warmth filled her. “Guess I am pretty tired,” she admitted.

  He reached out, tucking her hair behind her ear. “You’re something else, Kara Nichols.”

  “When you figure out what that something is, you’ll tell me, right?”

  He shook his head. “I’ll keep it a secret. Just for me to know.” He skimmed a hand over her shoulder, touched her breast, and then stood.

  Kara watched as he gathered his clothing and went to her bathroom. Not until she heard the sound of water running in the shower did she lie back. A deep yawn surprised her. She pulled up the sheets, inhaling his scent, liking the fact that something of him remained in her bed.

  As she drifted asleep, she felt excited knowing something momentous had happened, and hopeful Sergei wouldn’t suffer any morning-after regrets for what they’d done. Then she thought about that little camera.

  Her eyes widened. Had anybody watched? She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten the possibility they’d had an audience. Heat filled her cheeks, but if she was being brutally honest with herself, was she truly all that embarrassed? The thought of one of his friends, perhaps Boone himself, watching while she’d had him in her mouth was oddly thrilling.

  And something told her Sergei wouldn’t mind discovering she had a streak of exhibitionism lurking inside. Kara rolled to her side, her gaze going to where she knew the camera was, but she couldn’t glare. She was too sated. Too happy to care. She’d managed to break through Sergei’s tough armored heart.

  Chapter Nine

  The next morning, Sergei went in search of Tilly. He found her in the family room at a large table in front of the French doors, which opened onto the garden at the front of the house. She and Jonesy were reviewing blueprints for the cabins.

  Standing in the doorway, he cleared his throat loudly, catching her eye.

  She smiled and waved him over, but he tilted his head toward the door.

  “I’ll be back in a few, Jonesy,” Tilly said. “I like the plans for the cabin, and I agree with the placement of the pulley. Personally, I can’t wait to try it out.”

  Jonesy nodded then shot a glare at Sergei. “Don’t keep her too long. Some of us have work to do.”

  Sergei snorted but otherwise kept silent as Tilly strode toward him. He couldn’t help admiring her easy grace. Her hair was silky and drifting past her shoulders. She wore a light blue sleeveless blouse and blue jeans. No makeup. But the happy glow in her cheeks was all the color she needed. Boone was a lucky man.

  “Smile at me like that again, and Boone might get jealous,” Tilly drawled.

  Sergei grunted. “Boone knows I’d never make a move. Unless he asked me to.”

  She laughed. “What’s up, Serge? I thought you might sleep in today. But here you are,” she said with a raise of her eyebrows and a wicked twinkle in her eyes.

  “Does everyone know?” he muttered.

  “That you and a certain little brunette know each other a little better than you did yesterday? Uh huh.”

  Sergei shook his head. “Whatever happened to minding your own business?”

  “You’re an incestuous bunch. You know better than that. Want to take this outside?”

  He made a noise of assent, and they left the house, walking along the tree-lined lane until they found a bench.

  Once seated, Sergei stared down the road. “Guess you know I’ve got folks at the home office doing a little research.”

  Tilly nodded, her expression turning serious. “They’re workin’ up a dossier on Kara and the firm she works for. Tryin’ to locate Lucio Marroquin.”

  “Yeah.”

  “But that’s not what you wanted to talk about, is it?”

  Sergei blew out a breath that billowed his cheeks, and then blurted, “She was a virgin.”

  “Oh?” Tilly’s eyebrows shot high. “And that matters to you?”

  A knot settled in his gut and he nodded slowly. “I shouldn’t have touched her.”

  Tilly didn’t reply, her blue gaze was open and without a hint of censure.

  Sergei raked a hand through his hair. “She’s getting to me.”

  “From what Bear says—and yes, they’ve all been gossiping—they think you were knocked sideways—his words—from the moment you laid eyes on her.”

  “Guess that’s fair,” he said, squinting at the sun. “Although I might have to kick his ass for blabbing.”

  “She’s been through a lot.”

  “And I added to it.”

  “You think so?”

  His shoulders slumped. “I don’t know. But I feel like I moved on her when she was vulnerable.”

  “You think you took advantage.”

  He sighed. “Did I?”

  “She’s not a little girl.” Tilly smiled. “From what I’ve seen, she’s pretty damn strong. If she let you make love to her, she wanted you to. It’s not like you tied her up and had your nasty way with her, right?” Her eyebrows rose then quickly lowered. “Did you?”

  “No. Just straight-up sex, but…”

  Tilly nodded. “You’re wondering if she’ll understand what you need. That maybe you’ll have to hide part of yourself, be someone you’re not?”

  Sergei grimaced. “Maybe we shouldn’t be talking about this.”

  “And maybe you should be worrying a little less,” Tilly leaned close and touched his shoulder. “Were you gentle?”

  He nodded, then shrugged, his cheeks heating. “At first.”

  Her lips twitched. “I know you, Serge. You didn’t give her anything she didn’t want. She was pleased, right?”

  “I think so. She said so.”

  “Then what’s the problem?”

  “I think…”

  “Are you falling for her?”

  “It’s way too soon,” he said quickly. Maybe too quickly.

  Tilly’s smile was pleased. “And sometimes a connection happens just like that. In a moment. It did for me.”

  “She has a home. A job. When this is over…”

  Tilly scooted closer until her thigh was snug against his, and she placed her arm around his waist.

  At the touch of her head on his shoulder, his heartbeat steadied.

  “I’m hearing all kinds of excuses,” she said softly. “But none that really matter. If she’s the one…”

  Sergei closed his eyes and leaned against her. “I’ve been in love before, Tilly. And it didn’t end well.” Something Tilly knew all about. In the months since they’d met, they’d grown close enough he’d confided his history.

  “Kara’s not Afya. And you’re not a kid anymore. You have family here, a whole freaking SEAL team that has your back. You don’t have to run point on this one. Just be with her. We’ll understand. We all want you happy.”

  He sighed and patted her knee. Tilly was like his sister and his mother all rolled into one. She believed in him and made him believe dreams really could come true. “You make it sound simple.”

  “I know it’s not. And there are still so many pieces of this puzzle, but if any part of thi
s situation makes sense, if you two fit, then don’t blow it.” Her face tensed into a deep frown. “I’ll have to kick your ass.”

  Sergei shot her a sideways glance, a smile beginning to stretch his mouth. “You’ve been hanging around us too long.” He bent toward her and kissed her cheek.

  “Let a friend play with his wife and he thinks she’s community property.” Boone’s voice came from right behind them.

  Sergei glanced back and noted his friend’s crooked grin. “What can I say? She’s got a grade-A ass. I should know, since I—”

  “Let’s not go there, buddy.”

  Sergei grinned and pushed off the bench. “Anything new? Any lead on this Marroquin character.”

  Boone nodded. “He’s back in Mexico. In the City. We’ve got people on the ground there. We want to see how he’s connected. Who his friends are. When we move, we want to make sure we don’t leave anyone behind who could make more trouble for your girlfriend.”

  “Kara’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Sure about that?” Boone said, arching an eyebrow.

  Sergei sighed. “How long were you standing there?”

  “Long enough to know you’re sitting right where I was not too long ago.” Boone’s gaze drifted to Tilly, and his expression eased.

  The looks Tilly and Boone gave each other made Sergei feel uncomfortable, like he was a damn voyeur. They couldn’t inhabit the same space without the sparks flying. Not for the first time, Sergei envied their connection. He’d give his eye teeth to share that same deep affinity with Kara.

  “Kara just finished breakfast,” Boone said, not bothering to glance his way. His attention was caught by Tilly, who was smirking.

  “Jonesy installed the pulley in bungalow three,” she said, a happy lilt in her sugary drawl.

  “Must be time for a quality test,” Boone murmured.

  Tilly gave Sergei a quick glance. “You better go see about a girl. And make sure she steers clear of the cabins. Wouldn’t want her gettin’ the wrong impression.”

  As he walked away, Sergei worried he’d already done that. That Kara had been left with the impression he was something he wasn’t. The women he was used to playing with knew exactly what the rules were.

  But then again, although Tilly hadn’t been a virgin, everything she’d known about BDSM had been details she’d read in a book. Ones that didn’t begin to give flesh and bite to the reality. Still, she’d adapted and thrived. If the sounds of her nightly cries were any indication, she more than thrived. She insisted on testing her limits, as well as stretching Boone’s.

  The last two times they’d been in New Orleans, Boone had taken her to The Platform. First, strictly to observe the public play. The last time, he’d invited her to participate, asking her to strip, and then binding her to a spanking bench while he’d paddled her bare ass, although he’d removed her from the salon before fucking her in privacy. And there had been talk recently about a special shopping trip to Paris to find outfits for Tilly to wear when she played in public, although Boone hadn’t seemed as keen on his wife wearing her purchases to a public outing. Sergei wondered whether Tilly’s inhibitions or Boone’s possessiveness was the factor that still kept their play mostly private.

  Sergei didn’t want to spook Kara. But he was intensely eager to see whether the few little hints he’d detected meant she might enjoy more exotic play.

  He headed back to the house, checked the kitchen, but found it empty. He glanced inside the bedroom, but the bed was made, the bathroom free. He stopped in the security room for an earpiece to listen to the team’s chatter and spotted Kara with Jonesy on a monitor, walking toward the canal.

  Outside once again, he strode toward the overseer’s house and hooked a left, leaving the manicured garden area for a wilder path that led through woods. Here the sounds of insects and birds grew louder. The heat pressed closer around him. In the distance, water lapped against the riverbank.

  He found them at the newly refurbed dock. Two boats, a pirogue and a jet boat, were tied off on opposite sides. But Jonesy had Kara at the end of the dock, pointing toward the mound where a female crocodile had buried eggs earlier in the season. His boots thudded on the planks, and they both turned to look behind them.

  “Serge,” Jonesy said, lifting his chin.

  Kara remained silent but her cheeks filled with rosy color.

  Sergei didn’t resist the urge and leaned down to give her mouth a quick kiss, latching his fingers around one wrist. He continued to hold her when he straightened.

  Jonesy’s eyebrows rose, but his always-set expression otherwise didn’t give any indication he was amused at the way Sergei had so blatantly claimed his girl that he might as well have just peed on her leg. However, he got the hint, making an excuse and leaving them alone.

  “He mentioned taking me on a jet-boat ride,” Kara said, her dark eyes flashing.

  “Not sure that’s smart. You’re safer sticking closer to the house.”

  “Somehow, I don’t see Lucio chasing me through the bayou.”

  “Lucio wouldn’t dirty his hands. But he could pay muscle to do it for him.” He cupped her chin and raised her face, studying it for a moment. She was lovely. Her mouth a little poutier than usual. He’d done that. Made her lips swell. He wondered what other marks he might have left on her body. “Are you okay?”

  Her face screwed up in a scowl. “Would you quit asking me that? We just had sex. No big deal.”

  “Sex was a huge fucking deal.”

  “Fucking being the verb…” Her lips pinched together as though she wished she could have trapped the word.

  He chuckled. “Cute.” He shuffled his feet closer, taking up the space between their bodies, forcing her head to tilt higher to hold his gaze. “Are you sore?” he whispered.

  Her blush turned a fiery red. “Stop it,” she said, sounding like she was choking. “It’s embarrassing enough that everyone knows.”

  “They say anything to you?”

  “No, but they treated me funny.”

  His brows lowered. “How so?”

  “Breakfast was a buffet. They made me sit and wouldn’t let me move. Like I was an invalid. Linc even asked me whether he needed to kick your ass. Said he would if you didn’t treat me right.”

  He fought the smile, imagining all his buddies doing their best to wrap her in cotton wool and trying not to embarrass her. “What did you tell him?”

  She scrunched her nose. “That losing my virginity wasn’t like breaking an arm. I could fill my own damn plate and they could mind their own damn business.” She rolled her eyes. “The room got real quiet after that.”

  Sergei laughed, and then couldn’t stop, dropping her hand and bending at the waist as he pictured the scene in his mind.

  “It wasn’t funny. I overreacted.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, snaking an arm around her waist to bring her against his chest. “My friends aren’t used to women like you and Tilly. Ladies. And virgins make them real nervous.”

  “You weren’t nervous,” she muttered.

  “I was scared as hell.”

  She groaned and buried her face against his chest. “I never talk like that.”

  “They won’t think badly of you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Although he expected they’d all want a word with him. “Sorry I left without a good-bye this morning.” He’d snuck back into her room after he’d set investigative wheels in motion, unable to resist slipping in beside her to hold her while she’d slept.

  “I wondered about that.”

  “You were sleeping. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  “I thought…” She dropped her head again, refusing to continue.

  “Did you think that once I had what I wanted, that was it?” he guessed.

  “Something like that,” she said in a small voice.

  Again, Sergei tipped up her chin. “We’re far from through, Kara. Unless you want that.”

  “I…” Her eyes were wide, her
face unflinching. “I know this is just for now. Don’t worry I’m reading more into it.”

  Sudden irritation made him bristle. But then he realized the reaction wasn’t fair of him. He’d had his own doubts about what this was between them. He’d been the one warning her all along that this wasn’t something permanent. So why did it stick in his craw when she gave his words right back to him? “Let’s just take this a day at a time.”

  “Or a night…?”

  Looking at her, a thigh crossing over its twin, teeth tugging at her bottom lip, he could plainly see her desire. His body reacted predictably, blood surging south, making his cock heavy. If they’d been inside the house, he’d have found the nearest empty room and locked them both inside. She’d be naked within a minute.

  But she deserved better from him. She’d given him a gift to treasure. His gaze went to her clothing—a pair of khaki capris rolled up to the knee and a loose navy tee. It was a good thing Tilly had sent a shopping list to Boone’s secretary in New Orleans. She was likely running out of things she could share with Kara. “No jet-boat rides until you have boots and something covering your ankles.” He didn’t like the thought of her bitten by mosquitoes or a snake. “We should head back.”

  She didn’t pull away, although her gaze did lower. The tips of her breasts were prominent against the soft cotton.

  Again, he didn’t resist the impulse. He cupped a breast and raked his thumb across the hardened peak. The catch of her breath made him smile. “You know, the gazebo’s finished… and empty.”

  Her lips pursed. But amusement glinted in her eyes. “Someone might see.”

  “Not if we move the cushions to the floor,” he said softly. “The house is too far.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her along, smiling as he heard her laugh behind him. They hurried down the path, past the cottage, and beneath a new trellis that had yet to be painted, making a beeline for the gazebo.

  Once up the steps, they both gazed outward. Not a soul in sight.

  He pulled the plumply padded cushions from the seats circling the gazebo and tossed them on the floor. Then he pulled her down to her knees in front of him. Cupping her face, he leaned toward her and gave her a hard kiss.