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  Need struck her, and nearly wrung a moan which she fought to contain in her throat. He didn’t smell of chlorine, so the pool must be filled with salt water. She wanted to lick the salty droplets from his skin, and then squeeze his hair to make more snakelike rivulets trail down his body for her to follow. She swallowed loudly to wet her mouth, then forced her breaths to deepen because they were shallow, nearly panting.

  Slowly, she raised her gaze to lock with his. She’d expected to find a smirk curving his lips because her response was only too visible, too audible to go unnoted. Instead, she found warm approval in his dark eyes. Something that sent warmth through her chest and curling in her core. For the first time, she believed, really believed, that she hadn’t been molested, couldn’t have been, because otherwise, how could she feel this fresh attraction?

  “You’re not afraid of me.”

  She dragged in a deeper breath and held her body stiff, surprised at realizing what he said was true. “I should be.”

  “You have no reason to trust me,” he said, his voice deepening. “But I think you’re beginning to.”

  The rumble of his voice raised goose bumps, tiny prickles of awareness. She wanted to trust him, but now she wanted so many things. Crazy things. Sexy, wet erotic things. “I don’t know you. I don’t know what you want from me.”

  “I’ll tell you everything about me. When you’re ready to talk to me, I’ll listen.”

  His whispered words were a caress along heightened nerve endings, like the warm breath feathering over her cheek. “So you said before,” she said, nearly sighing and turning her cheek slightly to invite another rasping breath against it.

  This situation was strange, to hold such an intimate conversation while he stood naked, inches from her body. Strange, but exhilarating. “I should go back inside,” she said, letting her gaze fall away, but again, her attention was snagged by his cock because it twitched.

  “I meant to intimidate you,” he said, his voice wry.

  Although she’d never been good at flirting, she gave a slight pout of her lips, drawing his attention there. “I know.”

  “I apologize again, for being…”

  “Crass?”

  “Yes.”

  “I think I almost appreciate this,” she said, her gaze giving him another sweep.

  His mouth quirked on one side. “Why’s that?”

  “I no longer feel at a disadvantage.”

  His eyebrows jogged up and down. “Because we’ve both seen each other naked?”

  She couldn’t help it. She grinned. “Yes. Although…” And she dared to move, to wave her hand to encompass his body. “I really should feel… inferior.”

  “Your body is beautiful, Kara,” he murmured.

  “But nothing out of the ordinary, and you most definitely are.” She sucked a breath into her tight chest. When would she learn to watch her words with this man? For a woman who’d feared rape the night before, she was becoming far too comfortable with him.

  “There’s nothing ordinary about you.” He lifted his free hand slowly.

  She watched as it neared the tip of her tight breast, poking against the soft cotton of her tee. He touched it, fingers plucking it gently, and she felt that pull all the way to her toes. Her thigh closed against its twin, and her breath held.

  But then he dropped his hand. His eyes closed, and his head dipped.

  She expected a kiss, but instead, he pressed his forehead against hers. Only then did she note the tension in his body, the way his skin stretched over his cheeks, and how his jaw clamped tight.

  “Leave me,” he said, his voice raw. “Now.”

  Kara didn’t think; she ducked beneath the arm braced against the tree and fled.

  When she was once again inside her assigned room, she locked the French doors and scrambled into the chair, pulling up her legs and wrapping both arms around them. She hugged herself, wondering when she’d lost what was left of her good sense. Thank God he’d hesitated, because for those long moments, when the heat of his wet body had warmed the space between them, she’d been tempted to surrender everything to him, a stranger. A dangerous one.

  Not even Lucio, whom she’d found so beautiful, had tempted her like this. Suddenly, she shivered, tears filling her eyes. She was losing herself. Forgetting to be wary. Was Sergei deliberately seducing her? She no longer trusted her judgment to know whether this was something natural happening between them, or whether her need to feel safe was somehow inhibiting her ability to think rationally, coloring her reasoning with lush shades of desire.

  Staying away wasn’t an option. She was dependent on him. But since she was falling prey to her attraction, could she make this work for her as well? Remembering the one important fact that had landed her in this tangle, she wondered if Sergei might be the answer to her problem. If she had the nerve to follow through.

  Something about Lucio’s seduction of her had been calculated. While she’d been distracted with her blossoming attraction, he’d conducted a very thorough investigation. Learned her secrets, determined her innocence. Once he’d been assured she was a virgin, he’d pulled back. She’d been a fool, thinking he’d done it out of respect. Her virginity was somehow key to her abduction. If she was no longer innocent, would he still want her? Would she then be safe?

  Kara hugged her knees tighter against her chest. She was sure of nothing. Least of all Lucio’s motives. And yet, the thought of seducing Sergei wasn’t something her mind would let go. He was attracted. Every bit as much as she was. Yes, he’d sent her away, but she didn’t believe it was a ploy to build her trust in his intentions. The tension that had ridden his body had been real. He’d wanted her even if he was bent on denying himself the pleasure.

  His desire for her was clear. A heady thought for a woman who stood teetering on the brink of discovering her own latent sensuality. She would have to be brave. Because she would have to seduce him.

  * * *

  Sergei entered the kitchen to the sound of Fabiana berating Alejandro, her voice clicking like castanets. He smothered a grin, knowing the pair had been at war from the moment Alejandro had been named Mexican Bureau chief and taken up residence in the compound.

  Fabiana liked order and preset times for meals. Alejandro enjoyed playing pranks on the old woman, moving things around in the pantry, arriving early or late, and then demanding that she serve him.

  “Ay, Dios,” she said, waving her hands as her Spanish ricocheted around the room. “I am too old for your games. You always eat eggs for breakfast, now you want pancakes? Does this look like a restaurant?”

  The twinkle in her eyes as she huffed and stomped from the table wasn’t lost on Sergei. He slung his arm around her thick shoulders and gave her papery cheek a kiss. “Is he misbehaving again? Does he have no respect for all that you do, mama?”

  Alejandro groaned at the table. “Don’t encourage her, bastardo.”

  Fabiana cackled and moved to the stove while Sergei sat.

  Alejandro’s eyes squinted at him, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Saw you out at the pool.”

  Sergei would bet his next paycheck all his buddies had. “You got something to say? Spit it out.”

  “You don’t know who she is. Why she was there in that camp. Was that smart?”

  A plate slid onto the table in front of him, and he gave Fabiana a smile before turning his head to glare at his friend. But he was saved from having to answer by footsteps thudding on the tiles.

  Bear and Eric trailed in, looking fresh from the shower.

  “Yeah, had to skip my swim this morning,” Eric grumbled and gave Sergei a pointed glare. “Joined Bear for weights in the gym.”

  Bear grinned at Eric’s grimace as he rotated his shoulder. “Pussy.”

  “Speaking of which,” Alejandro drawled.

  Sergei glared daggers his way and stuffed his mouth with fluffy scrambled eggs.

  “I’m in charge here.” Alejandro lifted his hands. “Anyt
hing happens on my watch, I’m responsible.”

  “Nothing happened,” Sergei growled around a mouthful of food.

  Eric flipped back the cloth keeping the tortillas warm to remove one, and slathered it with butter before biting it in half. “Maybe from your point of view it was nothing, but you didn’t see her face as she ran away.”

  Sergei glanced toward the kitchen entrance, not wanting Kara to walk in while his buddies were talking about her. “What are you talking about?”

  Eric pursed his lips. “She looked like she’d been knocked sideways.” His blue eyes locked on Sergei. “Make sure you know what you’re doing there, buddy.”

  Sergei grunted. For once, good advice. He hadn’t been thinking ahead, in fact he hadn’t been thinking at all. He’d gone on pure instinct, wanting to press to see how she’d react. The way she’d trembled when he’d moved closer had confirmed many things. That she was attracted. And that she wasn’t very experienced. If at all. Not his usual playmate.

  The light slap of flip-flops on the tile floor alerted the table that the object of their conversation was entering the room.

  His body grew taut, and he forced a neutral expression to his face, knowing his friends would be watching them both closely. Which didn’t stop the instant heat that filled his body as she entered the room. He’d been inches from her body, naked, and she’d been breathing in his scent, her eyes dilated with desire, the last time he’d seen Kara. Did she know how close she’d come to being jammed against the tree, his hand shoved inside her clothes? His dick throbbed and he fought to get himself back in control, because she was close now. Sergei gave Kara a cool smile.

  She slid into the chair next to him, and then looked away—at Fabiana, who brought yet another plate, muttering under her breath about how inconvenient the lot of them were.

  Kara’s gaze stayed on her plate as she dug a fork into her eggs. Her cheeks were pink, and the way she avoided looking at anyone seated at the table told him she’d guessed everyone knew about their encounter.

  “Cook’s grumpy with everyone,” Sergei said, wanting to put her at ease, even though he wasn’t sure why.

  “Does she have a camera in her bedroom too?”

  Eric, who had been sipping his orange juice, choked.

  Bear patted his back. “Easy there. Forget how to swallow?”

  After the chuckles died down, Sergei gave her a sideways glance.

  Her gaze slid his way, held for a second, and then her lips curved.

  That smile pulling at her plump lips made him harden even more. He cleared his throat. “We’ll be leaving today.”

  She paused the fork she’d raised, her eyes blinking. “We?”

  “Yes, all of us except the Mexicans.”

  Alejandro grunted.

  “Where to?” she asked in small breathy gust.

  “Home. To Louisiana. We’ll fly straight to Bayou Vert.”

  “I’ve never heard of it.” Still, her gaze focused on her plate.

  His buddies were all watching, wondering how much he’d tell her. Her reaction was strange, and didn’t go unobserved by any of them, that she didn’t say a thing about where she might want to go. And so far, she hadn’t asked to call a soul. Alejandro and the small crew who monitored the rooms hadn’t seen her even try to use the house phones. He felt a pinch inside his chest at the thought she might not have anyone who would even care that she’d gone missing. Had no one in her life noticed?

  He cleared his throat. “It’s in Jefferson Parrish. A friend of ours, Boone, owns a plantation there. He’s been restoring it. It’s quiet, Kara. Safe.”

  She gave a nod, and then continued to eat.

  Sergei studied her. Kara was a puzzle. One he was determined to figure out. He didn’t know very much about her, other than the fact she was scared. Even now, her skin had lost most of its color, her eyes their earlier sparkle.

  He’d liked that sparkle he’d seen when he’d approached her at the pool. That hint of stubborn fire. That prickly Kara. This pale reflection seated beside him disturbed him in ways he wasn’t comfortable examining. He blew out a breath and put down his fork, his appetite gone. The more time he spent with her, the more he suspected she’d been hurt. And from her initial reactions to him, he knew she was wary of men. Untrusting. And there had to be a damn good reason because she wasn’t a timid creature. His need to protect her, to surround her and keep her safe, deepened by the second.

  Given his history, he supposed his buddies had to be worried about him. That’s what Alejandro’s cautions had been about. Not just because he’d lost his objectivity. His instinct to protect her was stronger than his instinct toward self-preservation. He’d proven that before.

  Alejandro indicated with a jerk of his chin toward the door.

  Sergei pushed away from the table. “I’ll come for you in a while,” he spoke at her bowed head.

  The two men left the kitchen, taking a side door to walk around the back of the walled-in compound and out the back gate. There on the bare, dusty hilltop, the Agusta was being fueled. The smell of jet fuel permeated the air. A familiar smell, something to keep his attention riveted on business.

  “I’ve already filled in Boone,” Alejandro said, his lips pursed in disapproval. He braced his fists on his hips and gave Sergei a steady glare.

  “About the woman?” Sergei asked unnecessarily, just to annoy him. Every conversation they’d had since he’d returned from the mission had been about Kara—and his behavior toward her.

  “Yes. Nothing in any database, no prints, no DNA, and most importantly, no missing person report. She’s a ghost.”

  Sergei shrugged. “Or she could be a woman on vacation in Mexico. Maybe no one knows she’s missing.”

  Alejandro’s gaze sharpened. “Or she could belong to the cartel.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Why? Because your dick has suddenly grown a brain?” Alejandro cursed under his breath.

  Sergei shot him a glare. “I’m not an idiot.”

  “But you are you, Serge,” his friend said, pointing a finger and jamming it against Sergei’s chest. “You have this blind spot. You want to save every woman, even from herself.” Alejandro’s lips screwed up in a grimace, but then he opened his hand and laid it on Sergei’s shoulder. “Keep a little distance, Serge. Even if you bed her.”

  Sergei didn’t bother denying he wanted to. “There’s something about her.” He left unsaid what he knew the others, and especially Alejandro, were thinking. He’d been down this road before.

  “Yes, she’s very pretty. And she looks lost. She’s also very young, amigo.”

  “That’s not all.” Sergei looked at his feet for a second, and then raised his glance to Alejandro. She was exotic, with changeable gypsy features. Lovely and haunting, but with a core of inner strength. Something he found irresistible. But that wasn’t it. Not everything that he found impossibly attractive.

  “She’s a submissive.” Alejandro shrugged. “So what?”

  “I think someone took advantage of that…”

  Alejandro’s gaze slid away. A muscle flexed along the side of his jaw. “Now, that’s a damn shame.” He shook his head, his expression screwing tight then easing. “Maybe the plantation is the perfect place.”

  Sergei nodded, eyeing the sun climbing in the sky. “And I’d like her to get to know Tilly.”

  His friend’s lips twitched. “Sure it’s such a good idea? Tilly might be a terrible influence.”

  “If Kara sees how it’s supposed to work…”

  “There you go, thinking you might have a shot with her when you don’t know one thing about the female.”

  “I’ll take this slow. A step at a time. I’ll get her trust. But I’ll keep my eyes open.”

  Alejandro clapped his shoulder. “We’re all just looking out for you.”

  “Since when do I need anyone looking out for me?”

  “Since one little gray-eyed waif knocked you on your ass, brother.”<
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  Sergei snorted, but grinned. Happy to be leaving. Eager to introduce Kara to the amenities at Maison Plaisir. His heart had gone still when he’d moved in to trap her against the tree. She hadn’t flown away in panic. Had reacted to his not-so-subtle domination with a swift intake of breath and then a slight turning of her cheek. A clearly subtle, nearly indefinable clue to her true nature. She’d bared her cheek, invited his caress, even while he’d been looming, taking control. If he’d pushed for more, she would have acceded. He knew it in his gut. But she wasn’t ready. And neither was he. He wanted her in safe territory, among his friends. Wanted her full trust before he tempted her again.

  He’d watch her closely, shield her if need be. But his gut told him she would adapt quickly, that she’d be fascinated with what she found there.

  His only hope was that he’d be the man she turned to when she was ready to play.

  Chapter Five

  They touched down in the early evening on a large grassy field. After hours spent looking down on blue water as far as the eye could see and then nothing but lush greenery, Kara scarcely felt as though she’d arrived “home.” San Antonio wasn’t lush like this, wasn’t surrounded by canals and bordered by the sea.

  For a moment when she’d spied the thick tropical vegetation, she’d had a stray thought that this was a trick, that she was being returned to her former captors. But she quickly realized the difference when she spotted the highways with their deep medians and wide shoulders.

  Funny how something she never would have noted before her adventure suddenly became a signpost.

  She relaxed, as much as she could with Sergei sitting beside her with only a console between them. His steady stare was so intent it unnerved her, even when he was pretending not to look. Better not to think about him right now. Or how he’d looked naked. She needed her wits about her, and he had stolen hers completely away when he’d stood in front of her, flagrantly aroused, so near that if she’d breathed too deeply, his cock might have bumped her belly.