Chapter 18
CHAPTER 18
G od, this was awkward. Nate was a nice guy, but having him babysit her in silence had her nerves on end. She cleared her throat for the second time, her brain grasping at conversation topics like straws. Nate tore his gaze away from the baseball game that filled the screen and snagged another handful of chips.
“Cal told me you two were in the military together?”
He settled back in the deep couch and nodded. “Yup, I’ve known him eleven years.” He chomped into a chip and kept his gaze off of the TV. “Actually, I owe it to Cal for getting me out of there. He was the first to leave recon, and until he did that, another career never entered my mind. The night before he returned to the U.S., he sat me down and asked me if this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. The short answer was no.”
“How do you guys remain so close when you have such different careers?”
Nate dusted the salt off his hands and rested his feet on the coffee table. He shrugged. “In some cases we get to work together, though not often. Cal is stealth, and very few people know who he is or what he does. That makes him indispensable to the FBI. He’s done some undercover work, and has gone into places the FBI doesn’t have jurisdiction.”
Her eyebrows rose. Wow. Cal had told her his work was dangerous, but hearing the description from Nate made her palms sweat.
“That’s impressive.”
Nate nodded, scooped another handful of chips, then turned his hazel eyes on her. “So you really have no idea who could want you dead?”
Her mouth went dry, and a coil of guilt tightened in her stomach. These men, whom she barely knew, were sacrificing their lives for her…and she was clueless as to who even wanted to do her harm. She swallowed and reached her hand out to stroke Rufus’s ears. He let out a snore and nudged his nose closer to her.
“It’s been spinning through my mind nonstop. But I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt me.”
Nate’s lips thinned. “Cal seems pretty dead-set on it being Tanner.”
She rested her elbow on the arm of the chair and pressed her fingertips into her temples. Tanner. As Cal’s primary suspect, he’d been at the forefront of her mind, too. But something didn’t fit.
“Tanner is an ass, and I know everything stacks up against him right now…but it doesn’t add up to me.”
Nate leveled her with his stare. “How so?”
“Well, for starters, I don’t see how he would benefit from my death. He has more money than he knows what to do with, so it’s not an inheritance battle. Was he mad that I pushed him away and told Grace after he attacked me? Sure. But what would killing me do except leave him as a primary suspect?”
Nate held out the bowl of chips, and she shook her head. He dove in again. Geez, these guys could eat, she was still stuffed from the four pizza slices. Adrenaline sure worked up an appetite. “Thing is, men who commit murder don’t think logically like we do. Unless you can think of anyone else, he’s our strongest lead.”
She let out a deep sigh, and a dull throb started across her forehead. Fatigue had settled in, and the last thing she wanted to do was spend one more minute talking about her possible enemies. She let the subject drop, and they chatted a bit more until she excused herself for bed. She wanted to be alone. She had a lot to think about. Before she scooted off to the bedroom, she refilled her glass of wine and said good night to Nate.
She climbed onto the neatly made bed and switched on the TV. A shower would feel heavenly. Goose bumps raced over her skin. No, she would wait for Cal. She took a swig of her glass and flicked through the channels. She settled on an old sitcom and got comfortable. Her father had loved this show. A pang of guilt formed in her chest. She hated that she couldn’t call him, that she couldn’t alleviate his and her mother’s pain. God, they’d be frantic.
Pain spread through her chest. They’d always been so protective of her…so fearful. For both of them, this would be a nightmare come true. It wasn’t fair that she couldn’t reach out to them. Even just a simple phone call would make a world of difference. They wouldn’t understand what was happening, but if she could lift their terror even a little bit, it would be worth it.
She chewed her lip. Could she chance a phone call to her mother? Surely there would be no way to trace her here unless her mother was being watched. Her gaze shifted to the cordless phone on the nightstand. Her fingers itched to lift it up and make the call. No. Cal was risking his life for her. The least she could do was not make things worse. She’d suggest reaching out to them later, and maybe he could find a safe way to ease their minds.
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Maybe Cal would come home with good news and all this would be behind them tonight. The first thing she’d do would be to call her parents.
Her body warmed with each sip of wine. Its gentle effects took the edge off of her nerves. God, she hoped Cal was okay. A minute later, the slamming of a car door echoed outside the bedroom window. Then another. That couldn’t be Cal already. She looked at the clock. He’d been gone only a couple of hours. She scampered off the bed. Her foot snagged the blankets, sending her forward. She caught herself on the nightstand. Shit.
Two and a half glasses of wine had done her in.
Rufus’s ferocious bark and his nails scattering across the floor pierced the calm of the cabin.
She edged the curtain away from the window. It was Ethan’s truck. Relief spread through her muscles. Cal was home. A thrill raced over her. She downed the last bit of wine and waited. Her palms grew damp.
The front door opened and closed. Cal and Ethan’s voices reached her ears. She should go out to greet him. Two ideas tickled her thoughts. She could crawl under the covers and pretend she’d passed out—or she could be waiting for him, naked in the shower.
She’d opt for the latter.
A giggle rumbled in her throat. She tiptoed to the door and placed her ear to it. The guys were talking. She gnawed her lip. God, she hoped they weren’t planning on chitchatting all night. Cal’s voice echoed down the hall.
“I’m going to check on Lana.”
She shot away from the door and scurried to the bathroom, leaving the door wide open. She pulled her shirt over her head, revealing her white lace bra. Her fingers hooked into the waistband of her pants just as he entered the bedroom.
“Lana?”
“In here,” she said, her voice trembling. She moved her pants down her legs, exposing the matching panties. He rounded the corner.
“Jesus—” he breathed. His hands caught the door frame. She shimmied her pants down over her knees and stepped out of them, her eyes locked with his. A red tinge tinted his cheeks. Heat swarmed in her belly.
Her foot caught the edge of her pants. She pitched over, and a yelp squeaked out as she landed to the oak floor with a thump, her ankles still tangled in her pants.
“Shit, are you okay?” Cal crouched next to her. He helped her to a sitting position.
A laugh erupted from her throat. “That was sexy, wasn’t it?” Her eyes watered, and her body shuddered on every chuckle. Cal smiled from ear to ear. His cheeks creased. He folded his arms over his chest, a sly glint in his eyes.
“You’re wasted.”
She covered her mouth, but the giggles leaked out. “No, I’m not.”
“Liar. You have a habit of falling over when you drink, don’t you? How much did you have?”
“Two glasses.” She struggled to pull the tangled material off her ankles.
He lifted his eyes to the ceiling and shook his head. “Two glasses of wine and you’re on your ass.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “What do you mean, I ‘have a habit’?”
“You fell like that getting out of your friend’s car on Saturday night. Or don’t you remember?”
Her mouth opened on a silent “Oh.”
So he’d been watching her? “I tripped…both times.” Her laughter settled to a gentle shake of her shoulders.
“I like this.” His fingers traced the top of her bra, distracting her. “And this…” His hand coasted down to her panties, his voice growing hoarse.
Her giggles subsided. She swallowed.
“I’ll be right back.” He stood and disappeared. His footsteps sounded down the hall. “You guys need to go,” she heard him say. “Now.”
She got to her feet. He was right. She was drunk. She ran a hand through her hair. Shoot, shoot, shoot. She hoped it wouldn’t ruin the mood.
Cal returned a few minutes later. He shed his shirt and tossed it to the floor. She clasped her hands in front of her waist, waiting. He came to her, his hand flattened on the small of her back, pressing her into him. Her hands rested on his shoulders, and her eyes found his.
Deep green pools devoured her. His other hand threaded through her hair, his lips hovering scant inches from hers. “It’s insane how much I want you.”
Her pulse beat against her throat. She licked her lips, but no words came to her mind. His thumb smoothed over the sensitive spot. He wanted her. That was obvious. But did he want more than just sex?
She rolled her lips in. Her eyes left his to trace the hard lines of his face, committing each edge to memory. She might not have him forever, but she had him for now.
Inching up to her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his. His mouth opened on hers, and his tongue entered her mouth, probing her. He leaned her backward, arching her over his arm. A soft moan caught in her throat, and her fingertips dug into the bare muscles of his shoulder. Her hands trailed over the breadth of his chest, down the hard lines of his stomach. She found the snap on his jeans and loosened it.
He smiled against her mouth. “That ready, huh?”
She licked into his mouth, then pulled away. “Oh yeah.”
He shucked his jeans down his legs and kicked them to the side, then did the same with his boxers. His member pulsed between them, the silkiness of his shaft resting against her belly. He backed her into the shower. Her hands locked around his waist. He reached behind him and turned the water on, then adjusted the temperature. Warm spray sprinkled over his shoulders to dampen her chest.
“This is what I wanted to show you.” He nodded at the shower. “Have you ever showered in your bra and panties before?”
Her gaze flicked downward. She was still half-dressed. How had she not noticed that? Cal made her feel naked. Even fully dressed, he had that effect on her. Her tongue slid from one corner of her mouth to the other.
“No,” she croaked.
Being partially dressed in the wake of his nakedness, combined with the steam of the shower, was erotic. Her body hummed with the side effects of the wine. Her head swarmed. Cal’s face came into focus. The burning intensity of his eyes softened, and his lips parted. The pad of his thumb touched her cheek.
His lips molded to hers, and his hand coasted down her back, cupping her ass. A guttural groan vibrated from his throat.
Her eyes snapped open. She placed her hand on his chest, stopping him. He looked down at her, his eyes searching her face. “What’s the matter, honey?”
She pushed him farther back so she could meet his gaze. “How many women have you had sex with in this shower?”
Humor sparked his eyes. A boyish grin lifted his mouth. He shifted his gaze away and lifted a shoulder. “You want a number?”
She pursed her lips. His hand still rested on her ass, gently moving over her skin.
“That many?” She hadn’t expected to be the first. But she had hoped not to have been the hundredth.
All traces of teasing left his face. His eyes darkened. His jaw worked as if weighing his words. “I’ve never brought a woman here before. Only you.” His voice was rough, barely above a whisper.
Her pulse stopped and started. The buzz ebbed away, and blood thundered through her ears. Her heart expanded in her chest. She took a deep breath through her nose. He wasn’t professing his love. He was only saying she was different from the rest. But that was enough. She circled her hand around his neck and pulled his mouth back down to hers.
She let her hands roam his body, down, down, down, until she found his hard shaft. Her hand closed around him, circling him. She moved her hand, tightening, pulling, until his shoulders bunched. He crushed his mouth to hers, and a tremor shivered through him.
His hand snagged her wrist, stopping her. He dropped his forehead to hers, breaking the seal of their mouths. He spoke in a pant. “Slow down, babe.”
She shook her head. “I want you.” She lowered to her knees. Cal turned so the water was full-force on his back, blocking the spray from hitting her. Her hand moved again. At this angle, she could see every hard-worked line of his body. His thighs were stacked with muscle, his abs rock-hard. With her free hand, she toyed with his stomach muscles, admiring how they rippled. Then slowly, she took him into her mouth.
One of his hands grasped the back of her head, and the other grasped the wall, steadying him. “Jesus Christ,” he breathed.
She smiled as she worked her tongue over him. His body jerked. He pulled himself away and helped her to her feet. “If you keep doing that, this is going to end very fast.”
She giggled. “You like that?”
He turned her in his arms so her back rested against his front, the warm spray raining down over her body. “Hell, yeah,” he mumbled against her ear, “but now it’s your turn.”
A quake ran through her. She sucked in her breath. His member throbbed against her tailbone, matching the pulsating need inside her. He unhooked her bra and peeled the wet material down her arms. It dropped to the wet tiles at their feet. He picked up the bar of soap from the dish and lathered his hands.
“Relax, Lana.”
She rested her head back against his chest, water cascading over them. His soapy hands caressed her belly, leaving bubbles in their wake. He brought his palms to her breasts, cupping them. His thumbs moved back and forth over her nipples until they turned to hard nubs, demanding his attention. He opened his mouth on her throat, his tongue flicking over her skin. Her back arched, pressing her backside into his groan. A low growl sounded in his throat.
She kept her gaze on his hands as he moved over her, his fingers drifting down until they reached her panties. He pushed his fingers inside and worked them down over her legs.
“Mmm…much better.”
Her body vibrated, waiting for his touch. He lathered his hands again and brought them back to her belly. The rough callouses of his palms softened by the soap bubbles, his hands glided over her skin effortlessly, from her nipples to the throbbing nub between her legs, then around to squeeze her ass.
Her breath came out in sharp, harsh rasps, and she panted with every stroke of his fingers. Her loins clenched and tightened, needing more.
“Cal, now, please.” She turned in his arms, needing him inside her like she needed her next breath. He eased her back against the cool tiled wall. Steam swirled around them, dancing between their naked bodies. His eyes drank her in from head to toe. Her soaked hair stuck to her chest and back, and her skin glistened with moisture.
A hard look came to his eyes. His carnal, masculine lust singed through her. He dropped to his knees in front of her, and his hands circled her waist as he brought one taut nipple at a time into his mouth. His tongue was rough and warm as he worked it over her nipple.
Her head fell back against the wall, and her breath strangled in her throat. Just when she thought she would burst, he nudged her knees apart.
Her legs shook as she complied. He rested her hand on his head to help her steady herself. Her other hand clutched the soap dish as he trailed kisses from her breasts over her taut belly. The bristles of his beard rasped over her delicate flesh, and his tongue followed, soothing her. His mouth closed over her sex, hot and wet. She cried out. Electric currents shot fire through her veins.
“Cal,” she breathed.
His thumbs spread her folds, gaining him access. When the tip of his tongue slipped inside her, a moan croaked from her throat. The world tilted on its axis as the steam spun around her. Her legs trembled on each wave of pleasure that washed over her.
She arched her back, wanting more. He licked lazily until she cried out on each level of ecstasy. His mouth closed over her, savoring every pulse, gently coaxing with his tongue until her body convulsed on the surge of her orgasm.
Her body turned to mush. She drifted toward the floor until Cal caught her in the safety of his arms. With her legs drawn over his forearm, and her head resting on his shoulder, she closed her eyes. He turned her so the water washed over her body, insulating the warmth and bliss from her climax.
“You okay?” She opened her heavy eyelids.
His mischievous grin, the one that made her tummy do flip-flops, greeted her. “Oh God, yeah.”
He laughed. “Let’s finish this in the bed.” He lowered her to her feet and reached for the towels on the hook, keeping a strong arm around her waist. She pulled the towel tightly around her body as Cal dried off with his own.
Once she exited the shower, she snagged another towel for her hair. She walked on shaky legs to sit at the edge of the bed and dry her wet strands. No way in hell could she stand any longer without falling over. An image caught her eye on the TV. She froze. Her breath caught. She grabbed the remote and turned the volume up, her finger branded on the button. Her blood turned cold.
“We’re begging the public to please help in the search for our daughter. Lana, honey, if you’re listening, I love you. Please come home.” Her dad’s voice broke on a sob. Her mom stood next to him, Grace on the other side, and Tanner next to her. Tears ran down her mother’s cheeks.
Her heart crumbled in her chest. Cal stood in the doorway, his eyes fixed on the TV. Tears burned her eyes, and he rushed to her side and pulled her in his arms. She buried her face in his chest.
“I have to let them know I’m okay, Cal.” Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes. Guilt formed an iron fist in her stomach.
He smoothed her hair back. “We will. I promise, baby.”