Page 11 of Lethal Pursuit

“If we were alone right now, I’d show you just how much I want you.”

Her expressive eyes widened a fraction. The flare of shock morphed into molten heat in the space of a heartbeat. And she didn’t pull away. Didn’t break eye contact. One dark brow rose in challenge, all that attitude confronting him full force. “Is that right?”

Oh, hell yeah, that was right. All fucking night long. Until she couldn’t breathe without wanting him against her, inside her. “Yes, ma’am.”

Her lips quirked, her bold gaze holding his. Direct. Unflinching. Full of confidence and interest. “Well, I’ll definitely keep that offer in mind.”

He went rock hard at the verbal taunt. Before he could reply, one of the other soldiers called out to them. “Let’s saddle up. Plans havechanged—we’re going to Kandahar.”

FOUR

THOUGH IT HADtaken them the rest of the day to reach Kandahar, at least they’d made it there without further incident. And while the prolonged trip had seemed like a drag at first, now Maya was thankful they’d come to a large base like this, rather than the FOB they were originally headed for. The anonymity it afforded her made it that much easier to carry out her plan.

She’d almost been blown up today, and Jackson with her. Tonight she was going to ease the ache of arousal she’d been suffering with for so long. Because if Jackson thought he could say blatantly sexual things to her and then walk away without following through, he was sorely mistaken. She was about to rock his world.

She passed several groups of Spec Ops guys sitting on camp chairs around bonfires as she strode to the other side of the compound. One was strumming a guitar while the others chatted. They watched her with curiosity but didn’t comment, and she kept walking like she owned the place. This was a secure area, but she’d already gotten past the guards easily enough, and without stooping to using her blue beret as cover. She knew people who had abused their authority as Security Forces personnel to manipulate certain situations and it disgusted her. The trick to avoiding questions was acting like she had every right to be here. From her earlier recon she knew her quarry lay on the quiet outskirts of the compound: second tent from the end of the third row.

It was dark now, the faded illumination from the overhead lights throwing faint shadows as she approached the canvas tent with her heart beating fast. Her treads were quiet on the two wooden steps leading up to the closed flaps. Easing one aside, she peered in. Her eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness quickly, confirming what she’d already suspected. Jackson was asleep in his bunk, and his tentmateCam was nowhere to be seen. If she’d done her recon properly, she figured she had at least a half hour until he showed up. Plenty of time to accomplish what she had in mind.

Stepping inside, she let the flap close behind her and tiptoed over to the bunk against the far wall, heart pounding in anticipation. Jackson’s quiet, steady breathing filled the otherwise silent tent. Biting her lip to hold back a chuckle, Maya crossed to his bunk and stopped beside it. He was on his side facing her, those incredibly thick lashes resting on his cheeks. When he woke up, he was in for one hell of a surprise.

Without giving herself time to think about it, she carefully crawled onto the inflatable mattress.

The moment it shifted, he woke. His eyes snapped open and he reared onto his elbows. Frozen, he blinked up at her, while she prowled up his supine body and tried not to laugh at the look of startled incomprehension on his face.

“Hi,” she whispered, straddling his hips and leaning forward to cage him in with her hands on either side of his head. There was no way he could miss the parallel between her position and what he’d done to her that day in the hospital exam room.

“What are you doing here?” he blurted in a sleep-husky whisper.

“Came to tuck you in.”

He glanced over to the other bunk as though he was worried they had an audience. “Cam is—”

“Busy for the next little while,” she answered, adoring his sleepy befuddlement. She leaned down so her lips were an inch from his, until his breath washed over her face gently. It was scented with peppermint this time rather than wintergreen. Toothpaste? “Unless you didn’t mean it earlier when you said you’d show me how much you wanted me if we were alone.”

He huffed out a rough laugh. “Hell yes, I want you—”

That was all she needed to hear. Leaning down to close that tiny gap between them, a thrill shot through her as she put her mouth on his. Slowly. Softly. So she could feel the exquisite give of his lips beneath hers. They were warm, supple. And they parted ever so slightly under hers in silent invitation for her to taste him.

Then Jackson’s hands came up to cradle her face, taking her offguard for a second. A quiet groan escaped him as he raised his head from the pillow to fuse their mouths together. Her lower belly fluttered in response. She loved the way his hands cradled her face, the gesture hungry and possessive.

Maya settled in closer, adding more pressure and a hint of tongue as she explored his response, his flavor. He must have showered before turning in because the man smelled deliciously of soap and shampoo. She made a low sound of appreciation in her throat and deepened the kiss, caressing and sucking at his tongue. She couldn’t wait to find out if he was that delicious all over.

One of his hands moved from her face to slide into her hair and cup the back of her head, holding her close. Satisfied at his reaction and enjoying herself immensely, Maya nibbled at the corner of his mouth and down his strong jaw to his throat. When he shifted and tried to turn them over, she resisted.

“No,” she whispered against his skin. “Like this.”

For a moment she thought he’d argue, then he exhaled and relaxed beneath her. Jackson tilted his head back to give her more access and tightened his fingers in her hair, his other hand reaching up to press between her shoulder blades. He was clearly fighting the need to take over, so the fact that he wasallowingher to take the reins made it hot as hell. For all his laid-back nature, she sensed he didn’t give up control easily.

Her breasts made contact with the hard muscles of his chest. Even with their T-shirts dulling the sensation, a shiver sped through her. Her nipples tightened to hard points against her sports bra. Every brush sent a bolt of pleasure straight to the empty ache blooming between her thighs.

Growing bolder, needing some pressure there to relieve the empty sensation, Maya sat up to peel her shirt over her head and lowered her weight onto the unmistakable ridge of his erection beneath the blanket. Jackson sucked in his breath and slid the hand on her spine down to the small of her back, his warm palm burning her naked skin. With a naughty little smile she pulled off her bra and tossed it aside, then bent to shimmy out of her pants and underwear before he could catch more than a glimpse of her. With her face nuzzling the side of his neck, she breathed him in. “Hmmmm,” shemurmured, licking her way down his throat.

Like he was too shocked to move, Jackson froze in place, one hand in her hair and the other just above the cleft in her buttocks while she teased his skin with tongue and teeth. “Jesus, Maya,” he whispered. “You’re naked.”

“Mmm-hmm,” she agreed. “Now it’s your turn.”

He didn’t protest when she sat up suddenly and grasped the hem of his T-shirt, but his hungry gaze immediately zeroed in on her bare breasts poised just above his head, her dog tags nestled in the valley between them. She didn’t miss the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed. She smiled. “Lift up,” she ordered quietly.

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