Page 100 of Wild Mustang Security Firm

“No.” Not breaking stride, he made a beeline for her cabin, opened it, and pulled her through the door. She expected him to leave and head back to the dormitory. Instead, he closed and locked the door with him still inside.

“Get out,” she seethed.

Finn wasn’t sure why her breathing was erratic, or she felt the tendrils of desire infusing every inch of her body. She could actually feel her nipples and clit stiffening and her pussy pulsing in response to his presence. She was having a difficult time guarding her reaction.

“I need to know you’re going to stay put and get on the helicopter in the morning,” he informed her.

“Would you believe me if I told you I would?”

“Probably not. I’m trying hard to make allowances for your recklessness, but if your brother is in trouble, and we don’t know that he is…”

“I do know…”

“How do you know?” he asked skeptically.

“He’s my brother… I just do,” she answered lamely.

“Why is it, Ms. Reid, I have a sneaking suspicion you’re riding experience isn’t the only thing you haven’t been completely honest about?”

“I can promise you I have never once lied to you.”

“Not buying it. If you lied to us, to begin with, you’d lie to me now about having lied. Give me a better reason to believe you.”

Finn had dealt with men like Croft. They could be hard and tough, but at their core, they were decent and honorable. They believed keeping women safe was their personal responsibility. Given that she was a paying client, she was fairly sure he felt that way about her. She decided to fall back on the oldest and best trick of the trade to put a man like Croft out of his comfort zone—she burst into tears.

“I just know. He missed my birthday,” she cried, making her body lose all of its defensive posturing.

As expected, Croft stepped forward and hugged her.

“Maybe he just forgot…”

“He would never forget. We’re very close, and it’s my thirtieth.”

Finn wrapped her arms around his muscular body and allowed herself the luxury of leaning on him. Granted, she was lying through her teeth, but it felt good to be in the embrace of someone strong and capable. If she told him the truth, she knew, especially given his boss’ background, he would insist on contacting the authorities. She had been assured doing so would result in her brother’s immediate death.

“It’s all right, Finlay,” he said, calling her by her given name for the first time. “Don’t cry. We’ll find him. Several of our guys came with Mac from the US Marshals. Those guys are notorious for never stopping until they get their man, and we’re all specials ops—we never leave a man behind.”

Finn leaned her head back to look up at him, batting lashes wet from tears.

“You promise?” she asked quietly.

Strong hands reached up to gently cup her face as he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears. In the instant before he lowered his head, Finn knew he meant to kiss her. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to feel his full lips against hers. She offered no resistance as his mouth captured hers in a sensuous exploration. As he moved his hands, so one cupped her head and the other her ass, as it entered her mouth, his tongue was neither tentative nor invasive, more of an assessment and invitation of what could come.

Everything in Finn wanted to yield, to let him sweep her up in his arms, take her to bed, and make her forget why she was here. Her brother’s bruised face in the picture reminded her to do so could well cost Christian his life. No, she needed to reassure Croft she planned to do as he told her, then get on with her plan. She needed to be away from here tonight.

He lifted his head, and she took a small step back.

“I c-can’t,” she stammered.

“It’s all right, babe, I understand. I probably should apologize for kissing you, but I’m not sorry, and I don’t want lies to come between us. You’ve had a long day. Why don’t you get undressed and crawl into bed? I’ll tuck you in and turn out the light. I can delay my start long enough in the morning to have breakfast and make sure you’re okay.”

“But you said…”

“A couple of hours shouldn’t make any difference, and I think your brother would want me to make sure his little sister is okay before I do anything else, don’t you?”

She nodded. She started to unbutton her blouse, and Croft turned his back to give her some privacy. God, he really was a good man. She stripped down to her bra and panties, placed her clothes on the chair beside the bed, and got under the covers.

He came over and kissed her forehead, lifting her bangs in order to do so.

---