Page 43 of No Escape

“I thought you were the kind of man who walked away and didn’t look back.”

“Sarah…”

She ignored the edge of steel in his tone. “No, really. That’s what I expected you to do. I mean, you’re a ruthless mercenary, a man who doesn’t have any scruples. If you did, you wouldn’t be here now.”

“Are you sure about that?” He dropped his hand to her shoulder; jerking her roughly against him, but that was a mistake when all it did was make him intensely aware of her. “This is exactly what a man without scruples would do.”

“Why?” Her head fell back and Clint felt her breath against him. “So you can hurt me?” she whispered.

His gut clenched when she said the words. “I don’t want to hurt you. I thought you might like to know you and Susan don’t have to worry about Rodriguez anymore. The jewels have been returned to him.” He expected her to step away, surprised when she didn’t.

“Susan told me about them. Where was the statue they were hidden in?”

Was she aware her hands came up to rest upon his chest? “At my ranch. Mark had originally purchased the souvenir for Susan from a street vendor when we were in Jerusalem, but when my mother saw it, she loved it so much he gave it to her instead. I figure the merchant was holding the statue for someone else and mistakenly gave it to Mark.” He shrugged. “We’ll probably never know what really happened.”

“Poor Aunt Lois is your mother?” she said.

Clint leaned his forehead against hers, grinning against his will. “I’m going to miss that smart mouth of yours.” He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

“Thank you for helping us, Clint. I-we owe you so much.” Her voice caught, but it was the mint on her breath he noticed more.

That, and when she breathed, he could feel her tits move against his chest. He should release her and step back, but Sarah felt too damn good against him. Memories returned of how good she felt when she was naked against him, letting him fuck her with wild abandon.

He tried to brush those memories aside, moving his head back. “Any time you need me…”

“Then help me forget you,” she whispered desperately. With a resigned sigh, her head fell against him, right over where his heart was beating in his chest.

She had the power to make him want her at the slightest provocation. Yet he hadn’t come here for that. Did I? He’d sworn that once he knew she was okay he was going to leave. Up until a few minutes ago, he was going to do just that.

So why am I still standing here? He knew the answer to that, because he couldn’t get enough of her. She’d managed to crawl under his skin so deep that he’d never be rid of her memory. Stan’s words came back to haunt him. “Whether you know it or not, you’re hooked old buddy…hooked good.”

Clint shook his head, trying to wipe away the memory of his friend’s knowing smile. They went a long way back, and next to Mark, Stan probably knew him better than anyone else. Only he refused to accept what he’d said. It was easier that way. In time, he’d forget Sarah.

He tried to resist the sexual pull having Sarah against his body provoked, but her allure was stronger than anything he had to fight back with. She was leaning full length against him, her softness against his hardness. Every breath she took made him fiercely aware of her. She was so close he could make out her features beneath the light of the moon—the gleam of desire and of promises to come in her shimmering eyes.

What did it matter why he was there? All that mattered was he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind and was touching her now. She was making him feel more alive than he’d ever felt before.

“Help me forget you,” she repeated breathlessly, her words in direct contrast to the passion in her voice.

“Can you, angel?” Clint’s voice sounded harsh in the darkness. “Can you forget me?” He tried to deny the ball of heat curling low in his gut from her nearness. Reminding himself that it was his fault he was there.

“Yes!”

“Liar!”

She made herself out a liar by rising on her tiptoes and brushing her soft mouth against his. His senses went into overdrive, his body growing taut with need. When her chaste kiss was over and she moved to pull away, he was the one who wouldn’t let go.

He crushed her to him, groaning deep in his throat, covering her mouth for a more intimate joining. He held Sarah to him like a drowning man, and she was the lifeline sustaining him. When she opened her mouth, he quickly took advantage, thrusting his tongue inside, exploring the inside of her warm mouth, allowing her to probe his. Her response turned wild, and he bore the brunt of her nails as they raked down his back.

Clint reared back, breathing heavily. “This isn’t a good idea. I am that ruthless mercenary you accused me of. I’ll fuck you tonight and be gone by morning. Can you live with that?”

“If you were all that ruthless, you wouldn’t be having qualms about fucking me and leaving.”

Clint didn’t like the confidence in her tone. “I’d take you willing or not, and it wouldn’t bother me in the least.”

“The man on the island would have been able to do that, but not the man in front of me now. You’ve changed, Clint. You’re different somehow.”

He didn’t like hearing that. “Don’t fucking count on that.”

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