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Lana hurried out of sight, stepping into the washroom without looking back. She dropped her makeup bag on the gleaming, clean counter and scolded herself for enjoying the erotic feelings Horn created in her. A splash of cool water to her face helped.

She removed most of her makeup and considered not reapplying. No, she couldn’t do that. Eyelashes and red lips were a small disguise, and she felt the need to hide from Horn. If she ever regained a personal life, the makeup would be dumped. Noticing her shining, clean skin, she rethought the idea. Maybe just the lipstick and a little mascara.

Are you kidding, girl? You are addicted to the paint.

Twenty minutes later, she tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. She shoved harder, and it flew open. She landed against Horn, who smiled.

“I wasn’t in there that long.”

He glanced back at Stoner and Winters. “I thought you might be waiting for me.”

“Waiting for you?” Her skin prickled with anticipation.

“Perfect timing to see if we’re compatible in small spaces.”

He looked too damn appealing with a sexy grin on his mouth and his clothes a bit rumpled.

“No.” She pushed him away.

He stumbled back to emphasize the strength of her shove. “Okay for this time, but I really want to talk to you.”

“I’m sure whatever you have to say could have waited until I got back to my seat.” She shouldered past him and hurried down the aisle with Horn dogging her heels. “What do you want to talk about?”

He laughed softly, conspiratorially. “I had to get away from those turkeys. For a while, I considered playing for money, but I didn’t want to rob the guys.”

“Very noble of you, Horn.” Lana knew she looked into the eyes of a man expert in all he did. That included getting in her pants. She diverted her thoughts, glancing at her watch, anything to avoid eye contact with him.

“What’s eating you, Pearly?” Sam tinkered with her earring. “We’ll be landing in about two hours. Want something to eat?”

“No, thank you. The last sandwich you made will last me for two days.”

“Did you enjoy it?” His voice had slipped into dark velvet, and she wrapped herself in its darkness.

“I’ll have to change before the plane lands.” Why did she feel the need to tell him that? An innocent topic that meant nothing to him. He placed the headphones over his ears and went back to wherever his secret place happened to be.

She took stationary and pen from her tote bag.

He didn’t open his eyes but didn’t miss the chance to butt into her privacy again. “A letter home?”

Stuffing the paper back in the tote, Lana grimaced. “It’s important to me to keep in touch with my father.” She remembered his snide comment about her father having great influence on her being in the FBI. “Does your mother know if you’re alive or dead?”

“She knows and is glad to get me out of her hair.” His hand covered hers. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“What on earth makes you think that?” She pulled her hand from his.

“Every woman worries about the man in her life.”

She had no comeback for that. Anything she said would be used against her. “Go to sleep.”

* * * *

His mother worried about him constantly. Sam spent every possible free moment at home just to reassure her he could handle his life. Such as it had become. His father had passed away several years earlier, and his mother clung to her children like glue. Thankfully, his youngest brother stayed at home to oversee the workings of the ranch. Plus, he’d married and had several kids to keep their grandma happy.

The other two were deep in the military and loved it. A major and a lieutenant. He exhaled roughly, knowing they had no idea when they’d come home. Or even if they’d come home. They were the reason he’d given serious thought to re-enlisting.

Sam observed Lana while she resumed her letter writing. She had beautiful hands, slender but strong. She’d used them on his body, keeping him up and ready to climax between the wild and mind-blowing sex interludes. He shifted in his seat, hard as steel and throbbing with the memory.

Damn, he wanted her.

“Something wrong, Horn?” Miss Innocent gazed at him with her violet eyes and drove him crazy as she licked her lips.

“Nothing you’d be interested in, Pearly.”

“You can tell me.” She sounded concerned.

“I have a stiff one, Pearly.” He couldn’t believe she’d smirked, but hell yes, there it came again. “You know that happens to men on average about every twenty minutes.”

“You have to know I don’t care.” She gave him her shoulder and resumed her letter. “I’m busy. Handle it.”

* * * *

Sam hadn’t told Pearly much about his life. She would be bored, and he’d probably lie some. This damn job made it easy to lie and kill when he had to. And pick up women.

What would his delectable partner say if she knew he’d not been looking for a chick the night they’d met? But Lord help him, he had to have her at first sight. After that, the date he’d previously made completely escaped his mind. It had to be Pearly or nothing. No one could have been more surprised than him when she decided to take him on. It had been a stroke of luck finding an empty suite left unlocked by a careless employee. They were going back there the minute this job ended.

He knew why she ran out on him. Her pride went all the way through her. Now, she fought him tooth and nail to prove she wasn’t easy or undisciplined. Hell, he sure wouldn’t win any prizes for that. She carefully folded the sheet of paper and slid it into an envelope, glancing at him as if he were snooping.

“Sorry, Pearly.” He forced his thoughts back to the present. “I didn’t see a thing.”

“It wouldn’t matter, Horn.” Her pink tongue licked the flap of the envelope, and she made a face. “Just the same old drivel I write every week.”

“Did you tell your parents about me?” Sam had never known her to evade a subject, and she unloaded on him.

“My father simply wants to keep a check on me, Horn.” She tossed the letter into her tote. “I hardly remember my mother. I have no siblings. We have a monster-sized home in Connecticut.” She scowled at him. “My father is rich, the upper crust. Anything else you want to know?”

Thoroughly put in his place, Sam shook his head. “That’ll do for now.”

“Good. Now, answer your phone call.”

Sam groaned. She’d noticed the co-pilot standing in the cabin door, holding a phone out them. “How do you know it’s not for you?”

“You’re the agent in charge.” She wore that smug look again. “Fill me in when you finish.”

He wanted to play with her in every way known to man, but the call had to be from headquarters. “You can count on it.”

He rose to take the receiver from the co-pilot, answering with no identification on his part. “Go ahead.”

A female voice chirped in his ear. “Be advised several known wanted persons have been added to his travel companions list.”

“I expected nothing less.” Sam glanced back at Lana. She had headed for the washroom again with her tote bag and purse. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

“Person of interest has enlisted the aid of a ship employee to bring illegal drugs on board for his personal use. The items are in his suite at this time. Be advised the mission has elevated to action at your discretion.” The tone of her voice hadn’t altered while she added the troubling information.

Sam wasn’t surprised. “Understood.”

He reached inside the cabin and hung up the phone, turning around to see the washroom close behind Pearly.

He rubbed his jaw, thinking about the added firepower Antigua would have in his possession. That posed a new concern. Not to mention drugs. Okay, he could handle it. Pearly. She might be a problem if the situation became too hot. What if she balked at blood and guts situations? He shook off the worry, remembering his partner could handle herself. He didn’t want her harmed in any way.

Antigua would want to die if he so much as touched Pearly with the intent of hurting her.

Sam went back to their seats and grabbed his weekender from the overhead storage. He may as well get his clothes changed and try to look like a man on vacation.

He grew restless waiting for Pearly to emerge from the powder room. Lord, what took women so long in the John?

Thirty minutes later, the hottest woman he’d ever laid eyed on stepped into his life once again. Pearly had changed not only her clothes, but her style. He didn’t know what kind of dress she wore, but he called it sexy as hell. He did know the top had tiny little straps holding up her full breasts, the white floral material clinging to every luscious curve of her body. He’d never seen such tempting cleavage or sweeter legs bare to her thigh.

She observed him with a scowl. “What are you gawking at, Horn?”

“You took long enough.” He stood and yanked his luggage from the seat. “We’re going to talk when I finish with my grooming.”

“What’s biting you, Horn?”

He heard her but didn’t stop to answer. Damn it. She was biting him, and he almost forgot why they were on the plane.

Chapter Six

Lana looked up from her notebook and slowly dropped it in her lap. Horn had transformed from the cocky, nattily-dressed playboy into a gorgeous guy in faded jeans and a light blue cotton shirt.

Get hold of your glands, lady
.

He appeared to have no thoughts along that line while coming down the aisle. She sucked in his scent when he sat down beside her, warming to the idea of pulling him into the washroom for a quickie.

Say something, you fool
.

Very clever, you dolt.

“Yes, I did, and even washed my pits.” He did that thing all men do and checked his chin for whiskers he may have missed. “Do I pass inspection?”

He couldn’t see the smoldering little fires he lit in her blood.

“You’ll do.” A hundred different remarks spun through her brain, but this wasn’t the time to get carried away. “You had something to say before you left?”

He unbuttoned the second button on his shirt before turning to face her, leaning on her armrest. “We have to convince Antigua and anyone else snooping around that our relationship has reached the point of high octane.”

She knew exactly where he would go with the subject. “Just what do you have in mind?” She tugged on her skirt, trying to cover her bare legs. She quit when the fabric threatened to tear. “How hot a couple are we? You know, separate staterooms?”

He grinned and tugged on the hem of her skirt. “I’ll come up with something a man would believe. Okay?”

“I’m not sure.” Lana knew she had blundered by agreeing to let Horn set the scene. Like it or not, he could carry the ruse off. “I suppose that’s best. You know how men think.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Something in his eyes made her worry. She looked away, attempting to hide her concern. The man beside her would no doubt cook up a tale of sordid lust and make himself appear the ultimate stud. She leaned her head back and sighed. What the hell did she care about what he told Antigua or anyone else?

She appreciated him moving away to talk man-talk with the other agents. This would be her last hour of freedom from Horn’s company.

She filled the time before landing mentally running through the mission plans. Board the ship, change into a sexy outfit, and go out to pick Antigua out of the crowd. Lord, she’d feel much better if she didn’t have Horn watching every move she made. Then, too, the sleeping arrangements made her nervous. Hell yes, she wanted to throw him into bed and see if his body would still make her crazy.

She looked at the men at the front of the plane, drinking coffee and eating sandwiches. Horn entertained the others with some joke he had probably picked up in the military. Their laughter comforted her, and the tension in her body faded away.

The smooth voice of the pilot came over the intercom. They would be landing in twenty minutes.

That gave her time to gather up all of the things she had strewn around, check the locks on her luggage, and put her shoes on.

Sam had the same idea. He’d put on a light blue linen jacket to cover his weapon, and as always, he looked delicious and tanned. He sure wouldn’t get a sunburn. She checked to see if in her rush to pack, she’d brought sunscreen. Of course not. She grimaced, wondering what else she’d have to pay a fortune for on the ship.

“Need any help, Pearly?” Sam eyed her with a grin. “You look a little pissed off.”

“No, I’m fine.” She stood up, trying to pull her large suitcase off the overhead. In her haste, she bumped her head but didn’t get the chance to cuss. Horn moved her aside to pull the suitcase down and place it between the seats in front of her.

“Any more last-minute chores you want done, my lady?” He rested his hand on the seat and waited. “I know you ladies like to make a final run to the washroom. You’ve got time.”

Lana opened her mouth to tell him her bladder didn’t need attention but saw no reason to yank his chain after he’d been so helpful. “It can wait.”

The soft chiming of the landing alert gave Lana a familiar little thrill. They’d be on the ground soon and the mission would begin. This would be different, living in luxury while keeping a bad guy under surveillance. She looked down as the aircraft banked and made its decent. Another thought struck with a flash of heat.

You’ll be bunking with your partner
.

“Take your time, Pearly.”

His sudden change of demeanor reminded her she’d have to assume a new personality. No time like the present to try it out.

“I’m all set to have fun, Horn.” She reached for her shoes that had been discarded earlier. He beat her to them. “You don’t have to do that. I’m a big girl.”

“I’m aware.” He knelt to slip her shoes on, first the left, then the right. He squeezed her foot, looking at her with blatant desire in his eyes. “What do you call those shoes, Pearly?”

“Wedge sandals.” Looking at him gave Lana a start, a pleasant expectation of what would come. “What made you ask?”

He’s incredible to look at and you’re wanting more than conversation
.

He didn’t sit by her but chose the seat across the aisle. “I could have sworn they’re called ‘hello sailor’ shoes.”