Saffron (2 page)

Kenric lowered his head by her ear and touched the side of her neck. “You don’t want me as a bodyguard, darlin’. I’m all kinds of
hands on
with protection detail.” She shivered lightly and he smirked, knowing she wasn’t as immune to him as she’d like him to believe. “You can’t stay here.”

She stiffened. “And, pray tell, why not?”

He backed off so he could look her in the eye. “This is Frank’s room.” The statement left his mouth in a growl.

“I’m aware of that.”

“Hell, no.”

“Frank told me to bunk in his room.” One shoulder lifted negligently. “Actually, Kade told me. It wasn’t necessary for him to do so, although I do appreciate the gesture.” She trailed a finger up his chest and his mouth went dry. “I’d share a room with you, Mr Annson. I don’t care. I’m here to do my job. Now, let’s go to the sites.”

She brushed by him, lifting a tattered canvas brown pack. He rubbed his temples.

“Let’s go, Mr Annson. Wasting daylight.”

Jaw clenched in anger, he flexed a hand and followed her. His mind coursed a litany of things he shouldn’t say. It wasn’t easy to refrain. Not even an hour here and she’d turned his life upside down.

Shade was by the door leading outside, the damn smirk still lingering.
Man, I want to knock that off.
His doc wasn’t in sight so, with a narrow-eyed glare towards Shade, he pushed out into the hot summer day.

Again, his body reacted to the view of Saffron. The sun seemed to kiss her skin and he longed to do the same.

What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I thinking of her as mine?

He didn’t have time for this. There was a job to do and no time to be swayed by a lone female. Determined to ignore his lustful feelings towards her, he strode to where she stood talking to two more men.

“Let’s go, Doc. Like you said, burnin’ daylight.”

“Actually, I said ‘wasting daylight’ and I was the one waiting on you,” she replied sweetly. “I’m sure one of these men could show me around, since you seem so loath to do it.”

His icy glare quelled the responses of the men in question. “Don’t push me, Doc.”

She shrugged and headed to the nearest vehicle. He bit off instructions to the men and followed her.

“I’m so fucked,” he muttered.

Saffron Eshe covertly watched the man at the wheel of the Jeep from behind mirrored shades. Kenric Annson, ex-military and all kinds of panty-soakingly hot. Never before had a man even come close to having this kind of effect on her. Hell, his simple touch had rendered her speechless.

He’d not been what she had expected. She’d nearly lost her breath upon walking into the room. He’d been by the window, the sun glinting off his shaggy, dirty blond hair. He had a muscular physique, one courtesy of hard work. Broad shoulders, well-cut arms, narrow waist and strong legs all combined to make the package he presented at a few inches over six feet.

He had side arms attached to his legs—guns—as well as a knife. Hot as hellfire, all in all. Then he’d stopped scanning her body and met her gaze. She had been struck by intense, ice-blue eyes.

“What are you doing out here? Trying to prove something to someone?” he asked over the sound of the wind whipping past them as he drove.

“I told you, Mr Annson, I’m here because Kade asked me to come.”

He turned his head towards her. “Hard to believe he’d send his girlfriend out here, to such a dangerous place.”

She reclined and put her feet up on the dash. The air was arid, but still soothing to her soul. “Kade and I are not involved, Mr Annson.”

“Damn you, if you’re determined to stay and make my life hell you may as well call me Kenric. You say Mr Annson and I look around for my father.”

“Very well then, call me Saffron.”

He watched the road again. “That’s your name?”

“Yes. You didn’t seem too keen on introductions before. And, while I’m betting you still aren’t, at least now you know my name.”

And those eyes were back on her. “What if I like calling you Doc, Doc?”

“Are you teasing me, Kenric?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

She wondered if they had reached a truce. The set of his jaw made her doubt it. He was trying to appease her so she would leave. Saffron hid her smirk. That wouldn’t happen. She had come for a reason not even Kade knew about. So, no matter if Kenric threatened or sweet-talked, she wouldn’t leave.

They pulled up to the first site. She noticed all the armed men around and shook her head. Humans. Force seemed to be their first resort, as opposed to their last. As Kenric spoke to one man she removed her feet from the dash and sat up straighter. Kenric drove them up farther before he stopped and shut off the Jeep. They headed to a large canopy set up with a table that was a little away from the entrance of the mine.

“Hey, Boss.” The greeting came as another tall black man met them, nearly identical to the one she’d met in Kenric’s office. His gaze landed upon her and she could see the appreciative look he gave. “Who are you?”

“Saffron,” she replied offering her hand.

“Lovely to meet you Saffron. Everyone calls me Flare.”

He bowed over her hand and pressed a quick kiss to the back of it. She could hear the low grumble of discontent from the man beside her.

“Are you older or younger than your twin, Shade?”

He flashed a grin and winked. “Can’t you tell?”

“I’d say younger.”

“And I’d say you were right.” He lifted his chin. “How did you know?”

“Shade’s eyes are older.”

Before Flare could retaliate, or question her statement, Kenric interrupted. “Doc here was sent by Kade. And I have to take time to show her around, so you and Shade are in charge. Keep your eyes open.”

“You got it, Boss.” That rakish smile flickered across his dark face. “Take good care of her.”

“Move,” Kenric ordered.

He took them to the covered area, where he grabbed two hard hats and plunked one of them down on her head. With another glare, he spun around and headed for the lift that would drop them down into the earth. Once in the shaft he pressed a button and they were lowered into the darkness.

“Not scared of the dark, are you, Doc?” he whispered right beside her in her ear.

The dark? No. But the way her body reacted to his? Most assuredly
.

“Not even close.”

She was swarmed with this overwhelming urge to press against his hard chest. As it was, she shifted slightly, so her hip grazed him. The farther down they went the colder it got, and she was glad that fluctuations in temperature had zero effect on her.

The lift lurched as it stopped and they stepped off into a dimly lit area, the sound of voices and machinery reaching them. He moved to stride past her and she reached out with one hand and placed it upon his arm. Kenric froze as if she’d shot him.

Heat pierced her palm and she almost jerked away from the sensations that touching him gave her. He stiffened and stared down at her, those icy-blue orbs burning through every single wall of protection she’d ever erected around her heart.

“What?” The question sounded more like a wild animal’s final warning before it attacked.

“I need to see maps of these sites, as detailed as possible.”

His lids lowered, hiding his gaze and leaving narrow slits. “I’m sure you got them from Kade.”

She didn’t bat an eye. “And I’m not asking Kade. I’m asking you, the one everyone around here calls ‘Boss’, to give me a look at your maps.”

He worked his jaw before glancing around them. In a heartbeat, he had her pressed up against the cool rock of the tunnel. “What the hell are you after?”

It was difficult to focus with his muscular body aligned to hers. He wedged a powerful thigh between her legs and she swallowed hard. Each breath canopied her senses with the heady masculine scent of Kenric Annson. He smelt of smokiness, warm amber and freshness, an amazing combination.

“Maps. I just told you.”

“Don’t bullshit me, Doc. I’m a drilling and blasting specialist—I don’t need some pencil neck staring over my shoulder.” His mouth was a hairsbreadth away from hers.

Heat pooled in her body and she licked her bottom lip before formulating a response. “Apparently you do, Kenric. Or is it familiar practice for you to be drilling and blasting along a fault line?”

“What?” His hands landed on either side of her head. “Explain what shit you’re spewing.”

She ensured that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard by anyone else and gave him the answer. “This place is along the edge of the Somalia Plate. If I’m not wrong, and I would bet almost anything I’m not, if you continue to blast and drill on it you’re going to set off some kind of chain reaction that…would not be in the best interest of humankind.”

“You’re blowing smoke up my ass.”

“Not even close. You need to listen to me, Kenric. You may be a drilling and blasting specialist, but
I
am a geologist and one of the top experts in my field. This portion of the African Plate has been moving anyway and with your…encouragement, it will only do so more quickly, and possibly more violently.”

He stepped back from her and crossed his arms, shooting her a look that probably worked wonders in quelling most people he faced. However, most weren’t her, and she met his angry stare with an emotionless one of her own.

“I’m guessing you don’t believe me.”

Kenric snorted. “What makes you say that?”

“I’m a lot of things, but a fool isn’t one of them. I’ll explain it later. Right now I want to go down the tunnels and see for myself.”

What looked like frustration flared again in his eyes but he didn’t argue with her—just strode off, leaving her to follow. As they walked through the tunnels she made notes and took samples, putting everything in her bag. The stuff she took truly was inconsequential, for she already knew everything she needed to know.

They
were
on the fault line and the earth below was not happy. Her heart felt for the earth and she longed to save it from all pain, allow it to do what it would. But somehow she bet that an entire drilling team vanishing from the face of the earth wouldn’t go over so well.

The air had a sulphuric stench to it and she scrunched her face, despising the eggy scent. The tunnel trembled as a low
whoomph
filled the area. Instinctively, she braced herself, only to find her entrapped in Kenric’s strong embrace as he used his large body to shelter her from the falling debris.

“You okay?” he asked, as all that was left floated down in the form of dust.

“Yes. Thank you.”

His gaze lingered upon her lips and then drifted with infinite slowness back up to her eyes. “A distraction is not something we need around here,” he muttered. He wiped his thumb along her cheekbone, presumably removing dirt. “And you are one hell of a distraction.”

“For your men—or you?” She was proud that the words didn’t betray her nervousness.

He found her lips and kissed her. Her world tilted on its axis and she was lost. Saffron gripped his waist, digging her fingers into the material of his shirt as she opened under his assault. The kiss wasn’t soft or gentle. Kenric took what he wanted from her. And she gave.

His tongue plunged deep into her mouth. It sought, stroked, and teased her until it took all her willpower not to drag him to the floor and strip him naked. Her blood sang with more power than she’d felt in a long time.

He tasted like freedom and the wild. It sank into her pores and embedded into her, creating a heady and wildly addictive flavour that she craved. She released his shirt and slid her arms up to settle around his neck. He had a thick thigh wedged between her legs again and she flexed her hips, riding the solid muscle there, craving something more…intimate.

Another boom and more rock and dust fell around them. Kenric pushed away from her with a muttered curse. He glanced at her and cursed again. “Let’s go,” he barked the order at her and turned back the way they’d come.

“Why are we going this way?”

“Move it!” He picked up the pace and vanished around the curve.

Saffron paused and touched the side. Warmer than usual. She glanced to her planned destination and whirled to take off in that direction. One step was as far as she got before a hand clamped around her wrist.

“I don’t think so.”

She snarled silently before facing the angry Kenric Annson. “Remove your hand.”

“Why? You didn’t object to my touch a moment ago. In fact,” he purred, “you damn near came while humping my leg.”

She ignored the fact that he was right. Jerking free of his touch, she fixed him with that stare that usually got her what she wanted. It didn’t seem to faze him a bit.

“You’re not to go off on your own.”

“Then I suggest, Mr Annson, that you stay close. I have things to check out and I’m not going topside until I get them checked.” She turned around then peered at him over her shoulder. “And if you really want to be technical, it wasn’t just your leg I was humping on. I felt your cock, nice and hard. Don’t think I was the only one turned on.” Smug, she walked off, hearing his mutterings as he followed.

Chapter Two

“Boss! Wake up!”

Kenric stirred and lifted heavy lids to find Shade hovering over him, almost invisible in the room’s single light.

“What is it, Shade?”

“Your woman just left the compound. She’s heading out into the steppes.”

“Damn it!” he swore, shoving to his feet.

Dressed in mere minutes, he headed for the door at a run, shoving an extra gun into the waistband of his pants. Shade matched his pace and they thundered up the hall to the door. Saffron hadn’t even been with them one full day and already she was pushing him beyond his limit.

Knowing she was near was torture. After they’d come up from the tunnels she’d sequestered herself away in her room, running tests and documenting things. She’d even blown him off when he’d knocked and asked for that explanation she’d said she would give later. So when she’d showed up at dinner later with Shade as her escort, he’d nearly lost his calm.

Every time he thought of her he relived their passionate kiss down below the crust of the earth. After the explosion that had rocked the area he’d not even thought of what could have caused the blow-up, just the need to ensure that she didn’t get injured. All his protective instincts had run swift and hot and, if he were to be honest with himself, he’d expected her to be shaken when he’d drawn back to look at her. She hadn’t been.