The Monte Carlo Affair: Across A Crowded Room (IATO Series Book 2) (10 page)

Emily moved around the dance floor with Jason, uncomfortably thinking about the situation as it was, and how it was beginning to turn out.

This meeting tonight was planned, but it’s supposed to look like they happened upon each other by chance
. He’s with his group. I’m with mine. He’s a soooo much better actor than I figured.

She, on the other hand, she didn’t have to do very much acting.
I’m actually ridiculously infatuated with him, always have been. But this sexual thing, where did this uncontrollable ache come from?
She thought she’d gotten over him.
God, I hope he thinks I’m just as good at acting as he appears to be
.
I would just die of embarrassment if he suspects how I feel.
This assignment had turned into full-blown lust.

She stiffened at the thought of him recognizing he was really affecting her. She was a bit embarrassed to give the impression of being so easy with two different men, in front of everyone.

Emily knew she was flushed, a dead giveaway. He held her very close, nuzzling her neck from time to time. He seemed to be enjoying her discomfort way too much. With that thought, a small spark of resentment piqued her anger. Moving into him slightly, Emily knew how to get even with him.

Tit for tat, all’s fair...and anything that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. How does that apply again? Oh, yes, that so applies!

She smiled a little evil smirk.
Watch how fast his smugness vanishes when he gets a load of this.
She rubbed her body against him seductively.

Looking up at him, she thought,
Uh-oh!
Too late, she realized what she had done when she saw his smug expression replaced with something a little frightening as his blue eyes darkened to black and his lids dropped.

“I don’t think I’m cut out for this sexual conspiracy stuff,” she said as she felt him harden against her.
Perhaps I should rethink my moves?
Emily tried to back up.

Arms banded around her like steel. Their power didn’t let her back away. “Oh no, it’s a little late for retreating now,” his deep voice whispered.

Oops, these games can get dangerous!
She reminded herself.

* * * *

Jason knew this was an act on her part, but he had to question where she learned this seduction act so well.

She teased him when they were younger, but it had always been obvious teasing, well, except for that night at Clancy’s.

He’d always blamed that night on the pool, the alcohol, and runaway hormones. And he couldn’t think about that without being overcome with the dark guilt raging inside him.

Now, he was powerless to her charms. She’d never seemed like the seductive type before. It might kill him at this rate, but so help him, he loved it.

Holding her was going to be difficult enough without her turning into a siren right within his embrace. Not wanting to take advantage of the circumstances, he tried to evaluate the situation. Her little seductive act, rubbing up against him, and parting her lips at that sweet angle was just all a sane man could take, let alone a man with his kind of hunger.

All he wanted to do was explore those places where the dress met her skin.
And she smelled, well, delicious.
I just want to bury myself in her fragrance. Does she smell like orange blossoms?

Hmm, he could do what he wanted with his part. She’d think it was all part of their plan. He was tired of wanting her and not being able to do anything about it. This might be the only chance he got to bring them close enough to explore both of his motives.

The overwhelming issue creeping around the back of Jason’s mind was fear for her safety. This for him was a critical issue. Jason didn’t plan on taking any chances with her life, not after sacrificing all these years apart from her to keep her safe
.

Mosel, with Jacqueline in his arms, sidled up alongside Jason and Emily. “Oh, Monsieur DesJardin, you must let me steal my brilliant and breathtaking new employee for a dance.”

He smoothly gathered Emily into his arms as Jacqueline folded herself around Jason.

Emily and Jason smiled, politely taken aback, if only momentarily. Their preoccupation with each other cooled for the moment.

Jacqueline moved her body up against Jason’s, and raised one finely arched brow at his arousal. “Darling, I’m so glad to see you, too.” She ignored the possibility his state was caused by a desire for someone else.

* * * *

Mosel couldn’t believe how good she felt in his arms. Her hair smelled of a spicy orange scent. He held her reverently, but he would not let this moment pass without letting this woman know he was a man of strength and passion. “Did I thank you properly for rescuing me? You know, Emily, I would like to spend more time with you, socially.”

Emily wasn’t any cooler, but she shivered as his deep voice purred against her neck. Apprehension and fear overwhelmed her. Could she even handle her own desires? Doubt surfaced, maybe because she was still humming from her encounter with Jason. Two fantastic looking men, both dangerous and sexy, were strumming her strings.

She tried to maintain a friendly manner, but his long fingers brushed the skin inside the side of her gown just at the base of her breast, and he looked into her eyes, reminding her. She was afraid to move and barely breathed out her answer, “I’d love to, Mosel. You know, after I get back from my trip with my friends.” She remembered the way he held her on the yacht—the way he kissed her—the feel of his body against hers. She turned away and met Jason’s furious glare.

* * * *

Jason thought his head might explode as he watched where Mosel’s fingers caressed the side of Emily’s breast. He held her closely against his body, pressing his cock against her mound.

His space. There was someone in his space with his woman. He controlled his anger and was even charming to Jacqueline. He let her believe the hard-on was for her, as he nuzzled her neck and maneuvered himself back to Mosel and Emily. But when he reached them he’d reached the end of his patience.

“Okay, Reinhardt you’ve talked long enough. Your brilliant and beautiful new employee has unfinished business with me. You can have her when she returns to work.” And with that, Jason had Emily back where he wanted her.

She moved, he groaned. Silently his body begged hers to move into his. He was sure he wanted to handle all her sweet softness.

Relieved to have her back and away from Mosel for several reasons, he gave up to the moment. He tightened his grip around her waist and in doing so, lifted her up and into him, their bodies aligned—fitting perfectly.

When he could speak, he said, “You’re doing great.” He whispered into her ear, and then nibbled seductively down her neck and across her jaw. “Mosel’s chomping at the bit. By the way, you didn’t have to let him handle you like that.”

“I actually was paralyzed. I was afraid to move. I was trapped. His hands had me surrounded on one side and his, uhm, body on the other. Thanks for coming to my rescue, partner.”

Emily was almost ready to jump out of her dress.
Oh, if only all Jason’s interest was real.

What was she thinking? She had to stop that train of thought right now. She was a professional in a skilled working relationship, that’s all. He made his decision years ago.

Oh, his hand dropped a little low on her back and the other one, was it rubbing, oh, so very close to the edge of her breast. Oooh!

She wanted to shift into it, to make his touch definitive. The nipple peaked in apprehensive response.

And what was that he was doing with his mouth?

She whispered back. “I think I need some air. I guess I’m more nervous than I expected.”

Where did that catch in her voice come from? She started to pull away.

“That’s not going to be feasible, unless we dance a little closer to the end of the room.” Her nipples had pebbled firmly against his chest, and his renewed erection tented his tux pants. For now, she realized, he needed her body for cover more than she needed his, especially when he said, “I’m afraid I’d embarrass us both if you step aside now.”

Pulling her closer, as if that was possible, his voice sounded rough. Almost to himself he said, “Thank God the music hasn’t stopped.”

As he pulled her body even more tightly up against his, she confirmed her suspicion. The evidence of his dilemma pressed emphatically against her abdomen. She was in turn, at first flattered and then impressed, finally, pragmatic. Her mind had wandered down this road before.

He’s a man. None of this means anything. I’m just a body and his erection is just a result of friction. We’re playing our parts.

He lowered his head and his warm breath blew against her ear. He whispered, “Let’s give Mosel and the guys something to really think about.” Taking her chin in his hand, he lifted Emily’s face to his and ravaged her mouth thoroughly with his. Supporting her quaking knees with his vise-like grip, he didn’t forget to keep her body pressed firmly against his. He tasted like champagne and heaven.

The kiss took Emily totally by surprise. The man was a devil. He was fiery and bad and everything she wanted. Now she really couldn’t think. Were those fireworks going off in her head? Wasn’t that cliché? Who really saw stars? She was asking herself ridiculous questions—analyzing her physical reaction while she put everything she had into her response.

She was no longer thinking “tit for tat.” Hell, she was no longer thinking. So she guessed it was a good thing Jason was doing the thinking for both of them. In another minute, she would have forgotten they were in a ballroom, on a dance floor, in public, and she would have totally jumped him.

Chapter Ten

At least he had the forethought to dance them into a quiet corner partially obscured by the large potted schefflera. When Emily looked up, he’d somehow maneuvered them to the edge of the crowded dance floor. The white French doors, only a few steps away, were open to the garden where smokers took turns polluting the air.

The music wafted lightly in the aromatic night air. A mixture of sea and pine and floral fragrance enveloped them in the embrace of the garden. The surrounding lush tropical plants provided an erotic background for the next step in their mission.

God, I’m so hot
. The thought no sooner came to mind before a soft breeze blew the tendrils of hair escaping from her pins and lifted them slightly off her neck.

As the flames licking at her began to cool, and before she could think, she was back in his arms, his kisses igniting, demanding, and enflaming. She responded. Climbing his body with a passion she’d only experienced once before, Emily returned his fervor—demand for demand. She lost all sense of direction or decorum. For the moment, she was lost in this compelling man and her own swift flash of desire.

She could do this. It was just a performance, just a role they were playing.
No one would know it wasn’t just a role for her. Three years hadn’t cured the attraction. Could her reaction simply be stronger because this was Jason?

Either that or she had more pent-up sexual potential waiting to escape than she realized. Maybe it was the champagne, or the essence of danger. But God, his mouth.
I’m smothering!
Her body was ready to erupt into flames. She needed to breathe.

Emily pushed away to catch her breath, gulping air in deeply as she held Jason at arm’s length. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“We need to make our attraction convincing,” he answered, his attention riveted on her cleavage.
He couldn’t seem to tear his gaze from her rising and falling breasts. “But if you keep breathing like that, and they pop out, all bets are off. My control is limited. My fingers are tingling, probably from a lack of oxygen to my brain, because it’s all pooled lower. Any more temptation than your nipples pressing against that material, and I’m a dead man, babe.”

Control. He needed to get
himself
under control? Hell, she was the one who needed to straighten up. She liked that he found her desirable and she wanted to tempt him all the more. But hadn’t she already tried that tactic only to have it blow up in her face?

Stepping back and pulling her with him into the shadows of the brushy palms, they both seemed to fight to regain composure. “Sorry, I got carried away, but the performance had to appear real. You know, in case anyone was watching.” He paused and exhaled. “You were, ah, great.” His voice cracked.

“I understand.” Emily added a little nervous laugh. She flicked her head to the dance floor. “I was just surprised, that’s all. By now, my reputation as a woman with no self-control should be well established.”

“My infatuation with you should be pretty damn clear, too.”

He was cool, collected. She knew she couldn’t possibly pull off cool and collected right now if her life depended on it. A throbbing hollow pain just below her heart followed a familiar inner sinking feeling. He seemed capable of separating his body’s response from his assignment. She wasn’t sure anymore where her body’s response started and where her assignment ended. She’d already done the difficult part by smuggling out the actual chip, or so she thought. Now, she was just Jason’s cover, but by all rights, a very important part of the assignment. Protecting his cover was vital to ensure other future work.

She wondered why she felt desolate
.

Protecting Jason? She’d risk her life for him. Even after all these years, she couldn’t imagine a world without him in it, whether he was with her or not. She searched his face, looking for the truth. The shadows made reading his expression impossible.

“Emily, you do have the information on you, right?”

She nodded.

“I’m afraid to ask where. That dress doesn’t have a millimeter of space to spare between flesh and fabric, not that I’ve been able to determine, and believe me, I’ve been scrutinizing every inch.” His gaze lingered over her dress, then focused hungrily on her lips.

His reaction secretly pleased her. She didn’t know how she got her voice to sound normal when she asked, “Is that a compliment or criticism?”

“Hell, no, never criticism.” His voice sounded thick with desire but he didn’t move.

“Don’t worry.” She patted his cheek. “I have the goods.” She pulled away from him and leaned against a palm tree, the smooth bark cooling her heated back. “It doesn’t take up much space. I had to forego my weapon, but the chip’s small enough to fit just about anywhere. There was still room left to store it in a very special spot,” she crooned at him.

He followed her to the palm, extended one arm up over her head, leaning his head against his forearm as he looked down at her body. “My mind just slipped to the spot my body has been aching to get to all night.”

His wayward thoughts were followed shortly by his roaming hand. Jason smirked like the bad boy he was, running his hand up under the slit in her gown and skimming it over her naked rounded hip, as the other dropped between her bare thighs. With a little too much amusement in his voice, he said, “Let me find it myself.”

“You can’t. It’s between, ah.” She tensed as his hand moved up. She was wet and embarrassed.

His grin turned into a groan when she parted her thighs.

She felt herself flame beneath the hand that now moved higher on the inside of her thigh.

“Hold on,” he said with a little frown of concentration. He steadied her firmly in his grip.

Leaning into her with his body, his mouth moved down her throat, his hand slid smoothly to the spot where she concealed the chip. She gasped as he cupped her.

“What, no panties?” he whispered. “I’ve had a bet going on with myself all night. No panty lines to mar the effect.”

Emily groaned as his hot breath tickled her ear.

“Hmm, great hiding place. Lucky for me it’s just the spot I’ve been dreaming of checking out.”

She could only nod as he continued his exploration, as if he still searched for something. Surely, he’d already found the small chip on the inside of her leg. As his hand roamed intimately over her, she instinctively responded, moving into it.

Answering his touch, her body reacted with a gush of warm liquid. He accepted the invitation, parted her, and slipped his fingers into her moist, wet opening.

Her body had betrayed her. The sound escaped with the sharp intake of air as she gasped. Flushed with heat in the pale, reflected garden lights, she didn’t stop him. It felt too right.

His words may have sounded amused, but the gravel in the tenor reverberated through her body, then his frown warned her. “Good thing Mosel didn’t get here first.”

She stood paralyzed. “What difference is it to you?”

“He’d find this.” He ran a finger inside her, sending sparks through her body.

“After the explosion incident, he’s definitely going to be disappointed to find out I got here first. And make no mistake, we will make him aware.” He appeared pleased about taunting Mosel. “He hates losing, especially to me. He’ll take this as a challenge.”

“I feel like the goal in a soccer match.”

“No, you feel good.” He knew what he was doing. He just wasn’t sure why he was doing it. Actually he did know why. He wanted her desperately. There were other ways to handle this, maybe a dozen other ways, but none would have been as satisfying as her response to his touch.

He brought his mouth to the place where her shoulder and neck met, bit lightly in frustration, then licked to soothe her, murmuring. “You know what’s even better?” he asked. Not expecting an answer, he smiled at her when she merely shook her head.

“It seems you’re just as interested as I am.” Feeling the wet evidence of her desire, Jason growled, frustrated. “Hold that thought.”

His fingers rubbed magically over her sensitive spot, before reluctantly moving to where she had placed the chip at the apex of her thigh. He detached the tape that held the chip, pulling it and himself away from her.

The exchange made, he leaned back with a quick glance around, adjusted himself, and regained his practiced attitude. He had to leave her to make the drop.

He gathered her into his arms, whispered instructions quietly in her ear, warning her, “Don’t let anyone see you. Until I return, everyone will think we’re otherwise engaged. I’ll be back in, say, ten minutes. Stay here until I come for you, then we have to go back inside together.”

He whispered a low warning. “Because of Mosel’s interest in you, we’re both being watched. As long as we stay together, they won’t suspect anything other than what we’re showing them. Remember, I’m depending on you. You’re my cover, understand?” he chucked her under the chin.

Uneasy now, feeling like a yo-yo, she tried to compose herself. She murmured a quick, “Sure, just be careful.”

As he disappeared into the dark, she backed deeper into the brush, hoping no one would come looking for them. The performance on the dance floor should have discouraged anyone but a voyeur.

She jumped when the doors suddenly opened to a couple staggering and stumbling towards her position. She was thankful they appeared entirely engrossed with each other.

If I sink any deeper into the bushes, I’m going to snag this dress. Shit, too late.

Trying to be quiet and maintain her anonymity in the garden, Emily attempted to disengage herself without divulging her position. The couple continued to grope in the dark just beyond where Emily hid.

Thankfully, their position blocked her from the light as three men came out of the ballroom. Two had guns visibly in their jackets. They reached for flashlights, obviously ready to search the grounds for something or someone—her or Jason or more than likely both. Two were the men she saw with Mosel earlier, the third looked familiar, but she didn’t have a good view of him from behind the tree. When she tried to move forward for a better view, he stepped into the light and she saw it was Adam Kincaid.

What is he doing here?

* * * *

Jason went out the back garden steps to the dark alley where Harrison had the rookie meet him. Jimmy was where they planned when Jason walked past, depositing the plastic case in his hand. With the drop made, Jason was anxious to get back to Emily and the Hotel Gardens. He was semi-erect just thinking about her. All he wanted to do was get her out of here tonight.

* * * *

She tried to stop her heart from beating so loudly. Surely, they could hear it above the muted music.

Where did Kincaid go?

Time dragged. Emily couldn’t tell how long she had been trapped out here. Her legs were stiff from crouching.

Jason should be back by now.

Someone grabbed her from behind. She would have screamed, but a big hand covered her mouth. Her snagged dress tore as she spun around. Someone simultaneously knocked her to the ground. A large male body came down over hers. The hand stifled her scream, quickly replaced with a mouth. She struggled until Jason’s familiar taste, scent, and shape penetrated her senses.

Then she relaxed against him and sighed, opening her mouth to the kiss, the memorable flavor, sinking into the kiss he seized, as well as the moment. 

Her unruly hair came undone, unleashing itself from control wildly—much like she, herself, was doing. Her dress rode high above her hips, and Jason rapidly dragged the top down to her waist—his hands covering her breasts.

Oh, thank you
, she thought with relief as his mouth dropped to suckle. Before she knew what happened, she felt Jason’s erection intimately pressing against her nakedness. His big body and narrow hips pushed impatiently between her long legs. He grunted like a mad man as he reclaimed her mouth.

My God, what’s wrong with him? He’ll draw attention to us with all that noise.

She realized in a moment, a moment too late, that was the idea. She knew with a certainty that their sounds would at least draw the guards’ attention. The thought of being caught in such a compromising condition, let alone in the bushes, horrified her. What if the guards called Mosel?

Her heart sank.
What if Kincaid is still out here?
Could Kincaid identify Jason after all these years? Would Jason’s cover be blown?

She had to warn him. She squirmed under him, hoping to free her mouth from his long enough to tell him. He wouldn’t free her mouth. His body held hers in place like a vise.

Acting or not, at least Jason was still fully dressed. Emily was next to naked, totally exposed. Her dress now resembled a belt draped across her bare body at the waist. The sandals she wore had fallen off her feet in the skirmish. He had her right knee pulled up, draped over his hip.

If anyone was watching, what they were doing would seem obvious. His fingers checked her, plunging deeply, readying her as he released himself from his pants. A second later, she realized the position they were inevitably approaching and the consequences of this so called charade here in the garden.