F-Stop (3 page)

“Oh,” Mari broke in, “Kat is—”

“A consultant.” Kat cut her off smoothly. “I consult on various special projects.”

“Oh?” Eli raised an eyebrow. “What type? I’m always looking for consultants.”

“Maybe we can talk next time I’m in town,” she said smoothly. “Isn’t that your pilot beckoning to you?”

He glanced out the window. “Sure is. Well, nice meeting you, Katherine. Ladies?

Our chariot awaits.”

Kat followed them outside, waiting while they boarded the plane and watching the smooth taxi and takeoff. Even though she knew they couldn’t see her any longer, she continued to wave until the plane was just a speck in the sky.

“Well,” a deep male voice said behind her. “This is probably the last place I expected to run into you.”

Kat turned and came face-to-face with Mike D’Antoni, her stomach doing a flip-flop at the sight of the tall, dark aviator with the bedroom eyes. For a long moment, shock paralyzed her.

At first Mike thought he was seeing things. Surely there were dozens of petite, blondes with sun-streaked hair in the world. Who also had the same habit of tilting their head to one side. It couldn’t be her, right here in the private hangar section of the airport. What would she be doing here anyway? He stared through the glass of the door, his brain bouncing in his head.

Then she turned around and every nerve and muscle in his body froze.

If anything, Katherine Culhane was sexier, more appealing, than the last time he’d seen her two years ago. Of course the last time he’d seen her she’d been a raging maniac, throwing everything she could get her hands on at him and screaming curse words that would make a sailor blush. The fact that she’d been absolutely right to react the way she did hadn’t made the episode any easier to take.

Back then the Phoenix Agency had been just the four of them—Dan Romeo whose idea it was, Troy Arsenault, Rick Latrobe and himself. They hadn’t even had an office, just a phone number with an answering machine. They flew low under the radar, taking missions that no one else would touch and excelling at it. Phoenix was a high-risk international security company, for all intents and purposes. They didn’t advertise.

They had no website. Contracts were by referral only.

Then Rick’s little brother Joey had been shot in a blown mission assignment, Joey’s team leader Mark Halloran had been captured by a terrorist group and Faith Wilding, now wed to Mark, was at her wits’ end trying to find someone to rescue him.

The rescue mission was exactly the kind of thing Phoenix was originally created for—an assignment that politics blocked government agencies from attempting. He’d been with Kat the night he’d gotten the call to plan the mission. He’d been unable to give her an explanation, just…left. After the harrowing rescue in Peru something else had come up, then something else again.

He’d made one stupid attempt to see her, giving no thought to what her reaction might be, and didn’t realize until she’d shut the door on him what a mess he’d made of things. How important she really was to him.

Now, two years later, Phoenix had offices, a woman who juggled everything without a drop of sweat, an international reputation and more contracts than they could handle.

But three of the partners were also now married, a signal that as they’d expanded the agency and taken on more agents, each of them could find a way to have a private life. Maybe it was time for him to think of the same thing. The thought didn’t scare him the way it used to. His problem would be convincing the woman he was sure was the one that he was different, that he could be trusted.

He still got the same punch to the gut when he looked at Kat. The breeze lifted the strands of hair, fanning them around her face. He knew the green of her short sleeve sweater would match exactly the color of her eyes and when she smiled—
if
she smiled—her entire face would light up. Black slacks clung to rounded hips that his hands still itched to touch, the memory of her silken skin still imprinted on his brain.

For a moment he was tempted to walk through the other door, climb into the SUV

waiting for him and forget he’d even see her. Not a day had passed since the last time he’d seen her that he hadn’t wished he could take everything back. That he’d made the time to see her between assignments, explain to her as best he could. Dan and Mark had both managed to handle it and now so had Rick. But he’d been scared of commitment.

He’d run from what she represented—giving up his footloose life for one woman—so he’d done what he had to. Stayed away from her.

And cursed himself every day for what he’d thrown away.

He’d probably be smart to get the hell away from her now but his feet seemed to have a mind of their own as they carried him to the runway-side door and his hands automatically pushed it open. And then he was talking to her, the last thing he’d ever expected to do again.

From her reaction, she hadn’t planned on it either. Her face paled under its Florida tan, her eyes widened and although her mouth moved, no words came out.

“Yeah,” he managed. “Shocked me too. How are you, Kat?”

She swallowed twice and finally managed a response. “I’m fine.” Her voice, though trembling slightly, could have chipped ice. “I trust you’re the same?”

“Taking a plane somewhere?”

“Just seeing off my sister, her boss and his family.”

“Oh.”

Silence.

“She lives here in San Antonio and works for Eli Wright.”
That
was interesting. “CEO of Wright International?” Kat nodded. “Executive secretary. He’s taking her with his family on a combined business-vacation trip to Hawaii.”

“Very nice. So…you were visiting her?”

“Yes. So what are you doing here?”

“Business meeting with two of my partners. I just got in.” More silence. Then they both spoke at the same time.

“Listen, Kat—”

“Mike, I’m not—”

He smiled. “Ladies first.”

“No, you go ahead.” Now her eyes were flashing. She’d gotten her equilibrium back, hidden behind an invisible wall. “I’d really be interested in what you have to say.”

He studied her carefully, seeing the same fiery woman who nearly set him ablaze in bed. A woman he’d treated very, very badly. A woman he still wanted more than his next breath.

* * * * *

Two years earlier

The food was delicious but enduring the meal was pure agony. Watching Kat put each bite of food into her mouth, chew it slowly and lick those sensuous lips drove him out of his mind. When her small pink tongue caught stray crumbs on the fork he thought his cock would burst from his slacks. He’d never met another woman who could turn a meal into a sexual experience.

All through dinner he kept picturing her naked, her round breasts with their dusky-rose nipples just begging for his hands to hold them, his mouth to suck them. The image of her spread out on the bed, legs wide, her pussy glistening and tempting him made his cock harden enough that he was glad the tablecloth concealed his crotch. It seemed no matter how often or how many times they made love he couldn’t get enough of her.

Now the fantasy had become a reality again and he was forcing himself to exercise control so the show wasn’t over in five minutes. They’d gotten naked five minutes after reaching Kat’s place but now Mike was forcing himself to slow down, to give her as much pleasure as he could.

He kissed the side of her neck, the hollow at her throat, licked the tender spot behind her ear. He inhaled her taste, pulling it deep inside him. Jasmine and the hint of summer. His tongue traced the outline of her mouth, the seam, touched the corners before traveling the delicate line of her jaw. Then back to her lips, urging her to open for him.

He pressed the length of her body against his as his tongue plundered her mouth, sweeping everywhere, tasting her delicious flesh. While he ate at her mouth his hands stroked her body, loving the silken feel of her skin, the dips and swells as he touched her everywhere. When one hand reached to cup a breast, his thumb rasping a taut nipple, she moaned into his mouth and pushed herself harder against him.

God, she was so fucking responsive. If it was possible he would have stayed in bed like this with her forever.

He took his time with her, kneading each breast, finally leaving her mouth so he could put his lips to her nipples, sucking and pulling them one at a time until her tiny series of moans became one long one. His balls ached and his cock was demanding attention but he pushed away the demands of his own body to satisfy Kat’s. That was always a priority for him.

When her nipples were hard and swollen he moved his lips down her body, licking the valley between her breasts, his hands holding her hips as the tip of his tongue traced the indentation of her navel. He urged her thighs wider apart with his shoulders and, spreading her labia with his thumbs, took a long, slow lick of her wet slit.

God, she tasted so damn good! Better than fine wine or aged brandy or anything else he could think of. He could lap up her cream forever.

Kat moved restlessly beneath him, her fingers fisting in his hair, the same little delicious sounds rolling from her throat like an erotic piece of music. Her clit was a nub of flesh that thrummed as he sucked it into his mouth, his teeth just nipping the very tip.

“Please,” she cried. “Oh please, Mike.”

He knew what she wanted and he gave it to her, sliding two fingers into the simmering channel of her vagina, curling them to scrape lightly over that fiery sweet spot. While he worked his fingers in and out of her he continued to suck and bite her clit, drawing on the hot button until her hips thrust at him and the moans became one long plea.

When he withdrew his fingers she pushed herself at him, silent indication that she didn’t want him to stop. But he nipped the inside of one thigh and slid his drenched fingers along the sensitive skin to her puckered anus, rimming the opening with a teasing touch.

The tempo of her breathing changed, quickened as he moved his finger round and round. And when he pushed it just inside, past the tight ring of muscle, she bent her legs, pressed her feet flat on the bed and tried to impale herself on him. The first time he’d taken her there it had stunned and thrilled him to learn how responsive she was to anal penetration. She’d been hesitant that first time but then couldn’t seem to get enough. She was always teasing him with a glimpse of her naked ass, heat flashing in her eyes.

But tonight he wanted her pussy, wanted that hot sheath clasped around his cock, her liquid bathing him.

He moved away from her only long enough to grab a condom and roll it on before placing the head of his cock at her opening. Taking a deep breath, he drove into her hard with one fast stroke.

“God yes,” she cried, lifting her legs to wrap around him. “More. Deeper.” He moved slowly, dragging his shaft in and out of that slick tunnel, watching the flush on her face darken with lust.

“Do it, Mike,” she begged. “Now. Please.”

He was at the end of his control. She always did that to him, frayed the last edges until he couldn’t drag it out any longer. Dragging in a breath again, he quickened his pace, pounding into her, feeling her feet dig into the small of his back as she lifted to meet his strokes.

When he felt the spasms begin in the walls of her cunt he let himself go, taking them over the edge together. Shouting her name as he came.

Afterward he held her close to him, inhaling her scent, loving the feel of her body as it molded to his. She gave him a feeling of contentment that he’d never found before.

Anywhere. With anyone. He just hoped he didn’t screw it up.

* * * * *

Mike exhaled slowly, chasing away the dream, and mentally crossed his fingers.

Hoping some of the same memories still danced around in Kat’s mind, enough so they could take a step forward. That she’d be willing to give him a chance again.

“I don‘t suppose you’d be willing to have lunch with me? I owe you an explanation and an apology and I’d rather not deliver them standing in the middle of the airport.” She started to refuse him. “I really don’t think—”

“Please? Just lunch. Then if you’re still mad, which you have every right to be, you can dump my drink on my head and walk out.”

He watched her trying not to laugh.

“All right,” she said at last. “Just lunch. I
am
curious to hear what you have to say. I have my car here so I’ll meet you. Just tell me where.”

He named an upscale restaurant she was very familiar with. It was a place where people went to have quiet conversations.

“Good choice. Okay. I’m on my way.”

Mike followed her through the small terminal building and out to the parking lot, watching the sway of her hips and the bounce of her sun-streaked hair. All the memories came flooding back, including his recollection of what a jackass he’d been.

Better not blow it this time, buddy boy.

* * * * *

The sleek Gulfstream G-5 touched down smoothly at the airport in San Diego and taxied to the small private terminal. Eli unbuckled his seat belt and stood up, stretching out the kinks.

“We’ll grab some lunch while the pilot refuels and gets his own grub,” he announced. “Mari, we have a favorite restaurant near the waterfront we like to eat in. Is Italian okay with you?”

“Mr. Wright, anything is fine,” she grinned. “I’m just so excited and pleased to be included in this trip.”

He laughed. “You’ll earn your keep before it’s over,” he warned as he ushered the women down the foldout stairs.

Mari stopped at the bottom of the steps, adjusting to the scene. The sun was so bright it reflected off the tarmac and the paint of the two silver SUVs waiting for them.

Texas was hot but this was a moist heat and already she felt the natural thickening of the air.

A young man in polo shirt and jeans waited beside the lead vehicle. He was a lean six feet and she guessed his age at no more than twenty-two or three. The chocolate brown of his shirt was almost the same color as his hair. His tan bespoke hours in the sun and the corded muscles visible on his bare arms were an indication that this wasn’t someone who sat on his ass all day. Not long out of college, he was already making himself valuable at the company’s small San Diego office. Getting to drive the big boss around was an obvious perk for him.