Page 26 of Raider Unleashed

Piper’s cheeks flushed pink and she shook her head. “Seriously, Raider?”

He shot her a grin. “Doesn’t matter what you like tonight. You’re on the inside and I’ll take the outside of the bottom bunk.

Piper put her hands on her hips. “Just wait a second. Are you telling me you think I can’t take care of myself?”

“There is no way in hell you believe that I believe that.” Raider advanced on her until he was close enough to catch a whiff of her scent. The citrusy floral combination that was distinctly hers. It had always played havoc with his senses and tonight was no exception. “I would never question your ability. But in this situation, we’re better off… I’m telling you that I have your back. There are too many uncontrollable variables here, and you need help.”

She narrowed her eyes at him but took a step back. “Fine,” she said and then turned and crawled onto the bunk. Raider waited until she was settled and threw the Star Wars comforter from the top bunk over her. Then, without removing his boots, he crawled in beside her. She was on her left side turned away from him. He’d sprawled out on his right side, so they were back to back. He’d feel a lot better if he had a gun but there was no way to risk it. If any situation arose, he’d just have to deal.

Having his back to Piper was the best option. If he turned and she curled up to him, he wasn’t sure if he could stop himself from starting something. He was getting a hard-on as it was. He let out a sigh. It was going to be a long night.

11

Piper hoped the dream she was having never, ever ended. She was curled into Raider’s arms and the sun was shining. Life was good and everything was right with the world. That’s how she’d always felt when they’d been married. Right up to the day she sent him packing.

She drew in a deep breath. His scent surrounded her, so familiar and still capable of awakening every nerve ending in her body after all these years. She fought opening her eyes, because lifting her lids meant the world would intrude, and life would go on. Even as she squeezed them closed, she knew she had to face the facts. From some other corner of this house, she detected movement.

With a heavy sigh, she cracked one eye. Raider was on his back and she was laying on the pillow next to him with her arm and leg over his hard body. Retirement hadn’t softened his muscles in the least. His face looked relaxed and there was a hint of a smile on his lips. He must be dreaming of something good.

Maybe it was about her.

Probably not.

Not after what she’d done.

Five more minutes, she decided. Five more minutes of pretending and bliss until she let reality crash in. She’d allow herself that.

“Penny for ’em.” Raider’s voice rumbled his chest under her fingertips.

Damn him. He had always been able to fool her into thinking he was sleeping. “Just thinking about tonight.”Liar. Liar. Pants on fire.“We should get up and see what’s going on with the volcano.”

“That’s not what you were thinking about,” Raider growled. “You were thinking about me.”

His long, dark eyelashes remained on his cheek, his eyes closed but she frowned at him anyway.

“Don’t bother to deny it and don’t frown. It will give you wrinkles.”

Now she really wanted to kill him. How had he known that without even opening his eyes?

Raider smiled. “You think loudly, and you’ve been stroking my chest for the last twenty minutes.”

“Shit,” she muttered as she snatched her hand away.

He chuckled. “You miss me.”

Her breath caught. He had no idea just how much. Five long years and her heart still hadn’t recovered. This man had been, dammit, still was, her world. Raider remained the only man she’d ever wanted inthatway. But he’d hate her the instant she revealed the reason behind her leaving. She couldn’t be sure if the stab of grief in her chest was for what could have been, or what would be once he found out the truth. She cleared her throat. “You always did have an inflated sense of yourself.”

He grinned. “It’s only inflated if it’s not true.”

She smacked him on the shoulder and struggled to sit up. “Come on, we should get up and get moving.”

Raider opened his eyes, grumbled that he was alreadyupand quickly sat upright and planted a quick kiss on her lips. Then he tossed his feet over the side of the bed and trundled off to the bathroom.

And yeah, he was already up. Even from the side view, she knew his physical reaction was because of her, not something merely biological.

Piper stared at the closed door between them. This op couldn’t end fast enough. As much as she wanted to stay with the man, her sense of self-preservation demanded she get far away from Raider. Drawing breath around him was difficult. Being this close to him, in a bed, made her heart hurt too damn much.

Once this was over, she’d go back to her life and he’d go back to his. Retirement suited him. He would hang with the guys and make a new life for himself. A life that hadn’t included her for five years. More, if she thought about their various missions and workloads.

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