Unexpected (14 page)

She continued to watch, forcing herself to study the layout of the camp. This one was different, more decrepit, proof of the guerillas' lack of skills. There were only half a dozen casitas, which would make searching out Jeremy that much easier.

Luck was with her when she noticed one man moseying around alone. His hair was brown but his skin was fairer than the others.

Head down, arms crossed defensively, he prowled around the yard, disheveled and obviously bored, not talking with anyone. For the most part, he was ignored.

In the fading light, Ray couldn't detect any signs of abuse, other than a few bruises and scrapes that looked older, probably from the barroom fight. Climbing down, she suddenly felt Eli grasp her waist and lift her the remainder of the way.

He didn't turn her loose, even when both her feet were on the ground. “Well?”

“I found him. He looks fine. He even has free run of the camp, though I'm betting he'll still be thrilled to see you.” Ray turned to start the trek back to the shack. “From what I could tell, they aren't heavily armed. And after Sarita doses them, it should be a walk in the park.” She cast him a quick glance. “But just in case, be on your toes tomorrow.”

“I'll manage.”

“That's pretty damned vague, Eli. I need to know if I can count on you for backup or if you'd be better off as a watch. This isn't a game, you know. Even with Sarita's plan, things could still go wrong and someone could get hurt. I have to make sure it won't be you or your brother.”

Eli caught her suddenly, jerking her around to face him. “You're the one who's always trying to minimize my strength and intelligence. Having money doesn't make a man stupid or weak.” His words were sharp but low. Ray thought she'd insulted him until he added, “And what about you, damn it? I don't want you hurt either.”

Ray was stunned by his vehemence and ridiculous worry. “I'll be fine. I can take care of myself.”

“You can, but I can't?” He stepped around her, no longer willing to follow behind. They traveled in silence until they'd reached the cabin.

Ray stared at his broad back, wishing she could kick her own ass. She'd insulted him again when she hadn't meant to. This whole seduction routine was a pain. “Eli?”

He ignored her as he stalked into the shack.

Ray entered cautiously. She had no real idea what to say to him to make things right. “I didn't mean to sound so condescending.”

“Yeah, you did. You do it to distance yourself from me. As long as you're convinced I'm some wimp who can't blow my own nose without help, you can justify all that disdain you heap on me.”

Ray hated these kinds of confrontations. She'd rather have a knock-down-drag-out fistfight any day. “I don't think you're a wimp.”

“Yeah, you do.”

His insistence irritated her. “You don't know what I think, so stop saying that.”

“I know.”

Ray fumed. “You do not!”

Eli looked up then, a slight smile on his face. “Do, too.”

Ray opened her mouth to once again object, then caught herself. They were arguing just like children. Here she was, trying to plan a night of debauchery with the only man she'd found desirable in years, and he wanted to tease her.

“Jerk.” She threw her binoculars at him.

Eli caught them easily, tucking them back into the pack while chuckling. “Better a jerk than a wimp, I guess.”

Great. Now he was laughing at her. She searched through her bags for a change of clothes. Cleanliness was a priority if she hoped to get lucky tonight. She could handle the jungle, even the musty mattress, but she couldn't have sex while soaked in her own sweat.

Unable to look at him with those thoughts on her mind, Ray balled up the clothes and said, “I'll be back in a minute.” And before he could ask: “I'm gonna wash and change clothes, and no, I do not need your help.”

Eli glanced up with new attentiveness. “You're going to the stream?”

“I won't be long.” She went out the door without another word.

K
nowing he shouldn't watch, but unable to help himself, Eli went to the window. After brushing away a few dead bugs and spiderwebs, he leaned his elbows on the rough wooden sill, his attention glued to Ray's every movement. Brilliant stars and a fat moon lit the sky over the small clearing the stream made. Everything seemed softer at night, the forest lending black shadows to the surroundings. The air was only slightly cooler, still unbearably humid, and smelled of the dense foliage all around. Animals called quietly to each other, as if saying good night.

Eli was so horny, he could barely think straight.

Then Ray lifted her shirt over her head. Spellbound, he couldn't look away, didn't even want to try. She sat on a rock and worked her boots off, then stood and unfastened her pants. They fell to her ankles and Eli was given a breathtaking view of her backside, clad only in a pair of panties. Her skin looked opalescent in the moonlight, her hair liquid.

She didn't climb into the star-dappled water as Eli expected her to do, but instead stepped out onto a large flat rock midway in the stream and sat down. Her long legs stretched out before her and she cupped the water, splashing her body until she was thoroughly wet. She lathered her palms with the soap and began washing with a leisurely, lazy thoroughness.

She was so naturally graceful, her every movement utterly feminine despite a lifestyle that stifled feminine inclinations. She cupped more water, rinsing, until all the soap was removed.

Eli felt the wild thudding of his heart when Ray lifted her hips and skimmed her panties down her legs. He could see the smooth line of her back and the heart-shaped contours of her ass. She faced away from him, but he knew she used the tiny scrap of material as a cloth, finishing her bath—washing between her legs.

His body reacted to what he couldn't see, envisioning her hands where he wanted his hands, his mouth, his cock to be. His breath grew shallow with his imagination.

Ray looked over her shoulder then, suddenly aware of Eli's attention. Given the darkness and the shadows of the hut, he wasn't sure she could see him. He waited, his chest tight, but then she looked away, her head dropping forward.

With a muffled curse, Eli moved away from the window, belatedly giving her the privacy she deserved. Strung tight with lust, he was unable to sit still. He paced the cabin until she came in. She stopped in the doorway, damp, flushed, staring at him.

The urge to grab her close clawed at him. Never in his life had he suffered such a powerful craving. Without a word, he went past her, ready for his own dousing.

It wasn't cleanliness he had in mind, but rather a cold dunk in the stream to help suppress his unbearable need. He pulled his clothes off as he walked, and by the time his feet were on the bank of the stream, he was naked.

He made a loud splash when he stomped in, needing to exert some form of physical energy. The bottom of the stream was covered with smooth pebbles, and he sat down, trying to get as much cold water on his overheated body as possible.

He was surprised when Ray, silent as a ghost, suddenly appeared. She stood on the bank with her hands on her hips, wearing only the pajamas she'd bought at his store.

Did she intend to join him? Was she finally ready to accept him?

She cleared her throat. “Eli?”

He couldn't speak, but he turned his face toward her. She'd picked up his clothes and had them bundled in her arms.

“Did you happen to notice how I bathed?”

His muscles almost went into spasms. For the rest of his life, the sight of her bathing would torment him. He remained perfectly still in the water, not daring to move. “I noticed.”

“Did you see me get all the way into the stream?”

“No. You sat there on that goddamn rock where I could see every inch of you under the moonlight.” Why did she want to torment him now?

“You wanna know why?”

The water only reached his waist. Eli leaned back, dipping his body farther into the chilly stream, giving Ray an aggrieved frown. “You're obviously dying to tell me.”

“I thought you might appreciate it if I did.”

“So do I have to pry it out of you, or what?”

He knew by her tone of voice she was smiling. “Are you familiar with the red piranha?”

His heart nearly stopped. “Red piranha?” he repeated on a strangled breath.

“They mostly eat fish, you know. But since this stream is cut off from the main river, the piranha could be especially hungry, and none too particular about their diets. I suggest you hustle your sexy bod out of there before something takes a nibble.”

Eli was cursing long and loud as he splashed out of the stream, stirring the water enough to send anything inhabiting it into hiding, including red piranha. Ray's laughter died the second she saw him naked, but that didn't stop Eli from feeling like an idiot. With the heat of Ray's gaze on his backside, he stormed into the cabin. Ray had left a utility light on, sending a small glow around the interior.

Jesus, no wonder she thought he was a fool. Around her, he continually acted like one. Red piranha. He shook his head.

More subdued, Ray strolled in behind him. She didn't say a word as he pulled on boxers—and nothing more.

In silent agreement, they prepared for bed. Eli hung one of his shirts in front of the window, using rocks to keep it firmly in place, hoping to discourage the bats from returning. Killer fish and insects were enough. He didn't need bats feeding off him. Satisfied with his makeshift curtain, he went outside to pound the dust out of the mattress before hauling it back in. It smelled better, but was far from clean.

They used water from the canteen to brush their teeth and less than fifteen minutes later, they lay spooned on the extremely narrow mattress.

Though neither of them had said much, their bodies were pressed together, the air was quiet, and Eli was hard. He didn't want to be, but around Ray it seemed he had no control at all.

The seconds ticked by with the impact of a drumbeat. The surrounding jungle was so silent, Eli could hear himself breathing. His muscles were strained enough to crack.

He suffered a riot of mixed emotions. The urge to retrieve his brother had amplified now that they were so close. Family was more important to him than most, probably because he hadn't always had one, and could never take it for granted. He wanted Jeremy home, safe and sound.

But underlying that was the driving, pulsing urge to tie Ray to him before it was too late. He'd learned early on to take what he really wanted in life. Regardless of what Ray thought, no one had ever handed him a damn thing, not money, not family, and definitely not love.

He'd found her, he wanted her, but she was an enigma, doing everything she could to maintain a distance from him. One minute it would infuriate him, but the next he felt such compassion, understanding her need to remain emotionally isolated. He'd felt that way himself once, long ago. He nearly smothered with the heartache of knowing what she suffered.

She considered this it, that once the mission ended, so would their time together. He wasn't giving her up that easily, but for now, he wouldn't push the issue. For now, he wanted her to learn to trust him a little.

Ray hadn't spoken a single word once they'd gotten into bed. She was stiff, painfully silent, and somehow distant.

“It's damned hot tonight, isn't it?”

Eli raised up slightly to look at Ray. Her voice had trembled as she'd spoken, giving testimony to her own turbulent emotions.

She turned her head to face him. Her eyes looked big and soft in the darkness. “This humidity is stifling.”

Eli's testicles drew tight and blood rushed into his cock, thickening his boner, making him hurt. Ray couldn't know how just the sound of her voice ignited him. He could barely make out her features in the darkness, but in every masculine fiber of his being he was aware of her nearness. He could feel her heat, smell the light, healthy fragrance of her body.

He labored for breath.

“The air is almost . . . sticky.”

Sticky, humid, hot—to Eli's lust-fogged brain, they sounded like provoking sex words. His groan erupted from his throat with explosive force.
“Ray.”

She rolled to face him and Eli moved over her, then groaned again, the sound raw and deep, this time from the feel of Ray's breasts, belly, and thighs moving against him. There were few clothes in his way now, and Ray showed no reservations.

Her legs stirred, tangling with his own. Eli immediately took advantage. He used his knee to force her thighs farther apart and settled himself against her. God, it felt good.

With his body surrounded, invaded by the smell and feel of Ray, he couldn't think. A roaring filled his ears with an urgency that kept rational thought at bay.

Rocking against her, feeling close to the exploding point already, Eli fought for common sense. “Ray, sweetheart, I can't protect you.”

“I'll protect you,” she murmured, kissing his chin, his throat.

Touched by her misguided sincerity, Eli said, “No, sweetheart. That's not what I mean.” He drew a breath. “I don't have anything with me. I hadn't thought . . .”

She pressed her fingertips to his mouth. “It's okay, Eli. Sarita gave me a condom.”

“She did?”

He felt her barely there nod. “She knew I wanted you.”

God bless Ray, she'd finally admitted it. “I'm glad.”

“That she gave me a condom?”

“That you want me. And yeah, about the rubber, too.” Then he thought to add, “Only one?”

Her warm breath touched his throat. “Sorry.”

“That's all right.” And in a teasing threat, “I'll make it last.” Contrary to that, Eli wanted them both naked,
now.
He stripped Ray's shirt up and over her head, pausing to feel her breasts and stroke her nipples.

“Eli . . .”

He shoved her pajama bottoms down her long legs. His palms brushed the silky skin of her hips, ass, and thighs. “I want to feel all of you against me.”

“Yes.” Ray helped him strip, but her enthusiasm left his boxers ripped. He almost laughed over that, until her hand circled his cock in a firm, careful grip. Oh no. No, if she started that, he'd never last.

He kissed the curve of her breast while pulling her hand away, and moving it up beside her head. It was the sweetest torture being wanted so much by Ray. Coming up on one elbow, he wished like hell he could see her better, but he'd manage in the dark. First, he wanted her as hot, as turned on, as he was. With that thought in mind, Eli went about arousing her.

Despite Ray's efforts to hurry him, he feasted off her mouth; his kiss was languid, wet, deep, and thorough. He forgot about her lightning reflexes, though. Before he realized what she was doing, she caught his hand and pressed his palm to her breast. “Enough playing around, Eli.”

“All right,” Eli soothed, bringing up his other hand so that he held both breasts. “Is this better?”

For an answer, she arched into his palms.

He cuddled her, carefully shaping, caressing. Ray's breathing labored, mingled with soft sighs and small gasps, so different from her usually decisive, commanding tone. Using just his fingertips, Eli fanned her sensitive nipples, lightly pinched, tugged. Ray's body bowed in pleasure and Eli couldn't wait a second more. He dipped his head to search out one straining nipple.

Damn, she tasted good. He rubbed with his tongue, teased, and softly, wetly sucked. Ray went wild; her hands clutched at him, moved down his back to his hips, over his ass. He felt her fingers digging in, trying to drag him closer.

Knowing what she wanted, what she needed, Eli trailed his hand over her waist to her belly—and lower, to the crisp curls shielding her sex. The moment he touched her, Ray went still, even her breathing suspended. With one finger he pressed in, pushing past the soft, plump folds, and found her swollen and hot, slick with moisture. Perfect.

He fingered her gently, shallow little explorations that only excited her more. “I've wanted you forever, Ray.”

Ray shook her head, the only denial she seemed capable of at the moment.

“Yes,
Ray.” Using only that one finger, Eli played with her, petting her inner lips until they opened, gliding up and down maddeningly close to her clitoris without touching her, going just inside, shallow and slow, then retreating. She tried twisting, moving her hips, but Eli followed her movements, keeping just out of reach.

“Eli—”

“Shhh.” He slid three fingers deep, stopping at the sound of her long, drawn out moan. He held her there, feeling her fast breath on his face, the tightness of her body. Slowly out—back in again.

Her hips rose to meet him and she shuddered in rising need. The feel of her, wet and snug and slick, filled him with satisfaction.

“I've been looking for you at least a lifetime, Ray.” Eli hadn't realized she was what he wanted until he found her.

With his fingers still working her, Eli licked her ribs, forged a path down her taut midriff. He took a soft love bite of her waist, her belly. She was all womanly grace and supple strength, sleek and smooth and soft. Her body arched sinuously with each touch of his mouth on her heated skin. The sounds of their breathing swelled, heavy and thick with desire.

Ray shivered, saying his name in urgent demand. Encouraging her, Eli moved his fingers in and out, thrilled with the way she tightened around him, trying to hold him, to keep him deep. When he felt she was ready to come, when her legs stiffened and her breath caught, he used his thumb to tease her pulsing clitoris.

“Oh, God. Eli, please . . .”

He looked up at her with lust and love. He had one arm around her hips, his other hand between her legs, fingers buried deep. “That's it, Ray, that's it. Come for me now.” She gave a high cry and Eli's blood pulsed with hers.
“Yes.”