Dream Bound (7 page)

Her respect for Mac Dugan went up another notch.

Finn was cute, sexy, and funny and not kidding a bit when he’d said he was a sexual predator. The guy was constantly on the make, like it was as much a part of him as breathing. Before they’d gone a hundred miles, he’d managed to hit on all three of the women and hadn’t backed off a bit when Morgan—and Rodie was almost sure he was kidding—told Finn to quit wasting his time on the women and check out the guys.

Finn had given Morgan a thoroughly assessing look, and then he’d turned his charms on Cameron. The poor artist didn’t have a clue what was going on—either that, or he did one hell of an act. Rodie was still trying to figure him out, but he was definitely easy on the eyes. In fact, all four of the men—Mac included—were absolutely beautiful. Tall and lean, athletic without being over-muscled, hair a bit longer than the norm—pure eye candy. And smart. Damn, but they were all so smart, something that was every bit as sexy as their appearance.

If nothing else, Rodie figured she’d have plenty of fodder for sexual fantasy, which was, of course, what Mac wanted, right?

Lizzie’d been a surprise. She had a wicked sense of humor and no problem at all with being the butt of a joke—as long as she was free to turn it back on the jokester, which she did with a lot more finesse than Rodie’d expected.

The really weird thing was that Rodie found herself watching Lizzie and getting hot. She never jonesed over women, but for some reason she was feeling a powerful sexual vibe from both Lizzie and Kiera. Feeling it, and not fighting it.

That was, after all, more of what Mac wanted, right?

Kiera was smart and funny and not like any lawyer Rodie’d ever met. Of course, nothing about today had been as expected, not that she’d really had a clue what to expect. She’d thought she’d feel awkward with six complete strangers, but they’d laughed and teased and kidded around like they’d known each other for years. Even Mac, as quiet as he’d been, had joined in on occasion.

His zingers were always right on target, though Rodie had a feeling he had a lot on his mind. Of course, the guy had a ton of money invested in this project. Millions of dollars, and his success all depended on the six of them.

Six odd ducks good at sexual fantasy. Try putting that on a résumé, but it was something too powerful to ignore. Buzzing just beneath the surface of everything any of them said or did was that truly powerful sexual undercurrent. On occasion it had grown stronger, enough that Rodie’s nipples beaded up and grew taut with arousal. Even her panties got damp, which was downright embarrassing. She wondered if any of the guys were hard, if anyone else felt the same thing.

And there was always that weird telepathy thing. Not that she could read anyone’s mind—not clearly, anyway. But Rodie’d been aware of a connection with these guys—Mac included—unlike anything she’d ever felt in her life. And it wasn’t the least bit scary. No, it was actually kind of comforting to feel a personal link like that, though it made her arousal even more pronounced.

She’d never thought of her brain as an actual erogenous zone in spite of what all the studies said, but having another mind touch hers ... wow. Just, wow. Every once in a while she’d get an almost physical sensation from one of the guys, as if their thoughts were sliding over her mind—and on to parts beyond.

Like now? Was that ... ?
Oh, shit.
So light she had to focus to find it, and then it was there, touching her mind so sweetly, so seductively. She shivered, aware that her clit was beginning to swell, that once again her panties were getting damp.

But who? It had to be one of the guys. One of them capable of a feather-light touch of pure sensation so intense that she tightened her thighs together to trap the feeling. Then she had to bite back laughter, wondering if she was going to spend the next six months with her legs locked together, or maybe just screwing anyone she could catch. Hell, with her luck, she’d end up frigging herself alone in her cabin. She’d always had a healthy libido, but the way she felt right now was so far off the charts she wasn’t sure how to describe it.

Or if she even wanted to. Hell, she was already along for the ride—she might as well enjoy it. That thought had just slipped through her mind when the sensual feeling lingered, the sense of someone touching her became more pronounced, and her arousal flashed through the roof.

She bit back a surprised gasp as invisible fingers slowly parted her labia, softly stroked her clit. Her breath caught in her throat. She tightened her thighs again, pressing her knees close together when all she really wanted to do was spread her legs wide and enjoy.

Oh, man ... this was real, not merely a fantasy of her own. This was definitely someone else touching her. Someone else slipping a finger deep inside, then using her own moisture to gently rub over her sensitive clit.

Talk about giving the term
mind fuck
a whole new meaning!

Finn was the most obvious, but she sensed that this was someone else, someone more subtle than the playful Irishman. Biting the insides of her cheeks to keep from panting, Rodie glanced at Cam. He seemed to be asleep in the front seat, his body perfectly relaxed. She cast out with her mind. At least she thought that was what she was doing, but it was hard to know if she was doing it right.

Nothing from Cam.

She chanced a glance at Morgan sitting quietly beside her.

From the intensity in his dark eyes—his gaze was locked on Rodie—to the bulge in the crotch of his faded jeans, she knew without any doubt at all it was his mind touching hers. His thoughts ratcheting up her arousal. His imaginary fingers caressing her clit, slowly slipping past her swollen lips, and curling deep inside.

She sucked in a sharp breath and stared at him, unblinking. He watched her just as intently, but his expression didn’t change a bit, and she wondered if he even saw her, or if he was totally focused on whatever scenario played out in his mind.

Everything around them seemed to fade away. Kiera’s and Lizzie’s laughter over something Finn had said, the wind whistling through Cam’s partially open window, the soft sound of something by the Dave Matthews Band on the SUV stereo system.

Rodie gazed straight ahead to hide her intent, but she wanted to send the same sense of arousal back to Morgan. First she needed a visual, so she imagined the hard root of his cock where it jutted from his groin. Then she pictured the wrinkled skin covering his balls, doing her best to sense how it would feel to wrap her lips around his sac, to slide her tongue along the silky skin over his erection.

Then she slowly turned her head, looked directly into his dark eyes, and let her thoughts fly—directly at Morgan.

He blinked. His head jerked back, and the link between them snapped. Rodie almost wept. Her vaginal muscles pulsed and clenched, searching for Morgan’s lost mental touch. He’d left her hanging on the edge of climax, all sensation of contact gone.

Morgan stared straight ahead, his body rigid, everything about him shrieking
Don’t touch.
She didn’t look at him again. Not for a long time. Not as the road climbed ever higher into the mountains, as the voices in the seat behind her blended, one into the other with the soft music on the car stereo. She turned away from Morgan and stared at the thick forest passing by outside the window, trying not to think about that amazingly sensual touch she’d felt between her legs. She couldn’t look at Morgan.

She wouldn’t.

But they still had a long drive to get to the site.

“Hey, Mac? You gonna feed us sometime today?”

Lizzie poked Finn in the side. She’d discovered it was fun to touch Finn because he always responded, but his plaintive request had all of them laughing. Kiera stretched her long arms over her head and yawned. “I think the plan is to starve us into submission. We’ll be easier to control.”

“Submission?” Finn leered at Kiera. “I can do submission. You the domme?”

“In your dreams, Irish boy.” Kiera laughed and elbowed him.

Lizzie bit back a chuckle. Instead, she gravely patted Finn on his hard belly. “It’s okay, Finn. I’m good with a whip. I packed my fleece-lined cuffs, too.”

“Holy shit.” Finn leaned away. “I hope you’re not kidding.”

Lizzie just smiled.

“I hate to interrupt the foreplay, Finn, but there’s a Subway just up the road.” Mac checked the GPS map on the console. “Five more minutes. Can you children behave for that long?”

Lizzie laughed. “Hell, no, Mac. I didn’t sign anything that said I had to behave.”

Rodie poked Morgan with her elbow. “Reminds me of my mom telling me to quit complaining when I was a little kid.”

Morgan looked startled by the contact. Lizzie thought that was pretty odd, because he’d seemed interested in Rodie from the beginning. Not that he was all that obvious about it. Morgan was much too cool to be obvious about anything—at least that was the vibe Lizzie’d picked up. Then he seemed to catch himself and he winked. It was the first sign of humor she’d seen in him.

“I know,” Morgan said. “I think Mac’s afraid of a mutiny.”

“I’m terrified.” Mac’s dry comment had all of them hissing and booing in response, but since they were pulling up in front of the restaurant, focus changed immediately to food.

Curious, Lizzie kept her eye on Morgan and Rodie, but she managed to stay within touching distance of Finn. The guy was driving her nuts, but he was damned hot.

And he didn’t treat her like a little kid.

Mac followed the six of them into the restaurant and waited in line while everyone ordered. His head was still full of the night he’d spent with Dink, and even if he’d wanted to forget, he had a constant reminder. His ass hurt. He probably should have thought about that when they’d spent the night fucking like a couple of kids.

Damn. He hadn’t had that much sex in twenty years, but he definitely owed his buddy. He’d slept like the dead when they’d finally gotten the need to screw out of their systems, though Mac knew he’d never be totally free of the feelings he had for Dink.

No one else in his world cared as much for him as his old friend. Fame hadn’t changed Dink a bit. More polish maybe, a maturity that hadn’t existed twenty years ago, but the man was still the same loving friend he’d always been.

He’d known Mac needed him, and he’d made the long trip from New York to California to be there for him, even though it meant crawling out of bed at four in the morning and catching an early plane back to New York. Knowing Dink cared that much had left Mac feeling more than a little maudlin today. All the money in the world couldn’t buy friendship like that. He’d known it on an intellectual level, but Dink had given the concept form and feeling.

Thanks to Dink’s visit, Mac was seeing his project and his chances of success much more clearly. After talking about the project, laying his plans bare in front of his friend, things looked even better to him than they had at any time before.

The most interesting thing has been the way Dink took the news about Zianne, about her identity and the fate of her people. He was curious—hell, Dink was curious about everything—but there’d not been a moment’s doubt. No hesitation over any of the things Mac told him.

Too bad the jerks at the Pentagon hadn’t been as open.

Dink had given a solemn promise not to say a word to anyone, though he did insist that, once Mac had rescued Zianne and the other Nyrians, if they ever went public, it was his story.

Just the fact that he said
when,
not
if,
made it easy to promise.

Mac glanced up as the line moved forward. Lizzie had been first with Finn right behind her. Now she reached for her purse to pay for her sandwich. Mac had been curious about that, whether they’d just assume he was paying—which he was—or if they’d expect to pay for their own.

Little stuff like that told him a lot about people. None of these guys expected a free ride. They were all going for wallets and purses, which told him they were in it for the adventure, not for a free ride. “Put your money away, Lizzie. I’m getting it.”

She flashed him a quick smile. “Oh. Thanks, Mac. I didn’t expect that.”

“Expect it. Don’t forget, I own you guys for the next six months. I figure that makes me responsible for feeding you.”

Finn leaned over Lizzie and whispered
sotto voce,
“That’s why he picked such an expensive, upscale joint for lunch.”

“Watch it, O’Toole, or I’ll make you choose a little one.” Mac stared meaningfully at the foot-long sandwich the employee was carefully assembling in front of Finn.

Finn sighed dramatically. “C’mon, Mac. We all know bigger is better.”

Mac shook his head and chuckled. How could he possibly answer that one without getting himself into trouble? If they only knew how he’d spent the night. He bit back more laughter.

Dink certainly proved bigger was better.

They shoved a couple of tables together so they could sit as a group, and the laughter and teasing never let up. Mac sensed the cohesiveness, the sense of camaraderie building much faster than he’d hoped—along with some obvious sexual tension. The original plan had been to fly everyone to the site, but he’d chosen the long drive, thinking that maybe they could get to know each other before they finally arrived at their destination.