Under Fire (3 page)

He went to the bar and bought another round. Waiting for the drinks, he checked the customers. Though sure she’d come alone, a partner could have slipped in while they danced. Her body rubbing against his was all he could think about, imagining how she would feel naked. The Marine Corps band could have come in playing a march and he wouldn’t have noticed. No one gave him a second look or was overly friendly.

Returning to the table he caught sight of Olivia doing the same. Men on bar stools turned to watch her pass. Couldn’t blame them. The way that dress showed her curves every man in the room was probably thinking what he could do to her in bed. And damn him, even though she wasn’t what usually attracted him, so was he. He had a thing for young petite women with olive skin and long brown hair who didn’t ask a lot of questions. A plus for someone in his line of work. He guessed she was mid-thirties, close to his age. A brunette, but with short curly hair. Great eyes, big and beer bottle brown. Sexy lips. Lean and tall, with a tight athletic body. He licked his lips and smiled. His taste in women just changed to what was walking toward him.

She sat and gave him a smile as clear as any engraved invitation. And he was thinking about RSVPing.
Christ Almighty.
What had gotten into him? He should’ve left after the first dance, but when she leaned in, asking him to save her from the old guys, the blood draining from his head to other places had slowed his thinking. He couldn’t afford to get involved, not even for a single night. He didn’t need another complication in his already complicated life.

Olivia downed the tequila he’d brought to the table.

“You live near here?”

She tilted her head to the side, giving him a puzzled look. “Why?”

Too late he realized it sounded like a sleazy line and felt like a horse’s ass. He looked at the empty glass and back at her.

“You’ve had a few shots and if you’re driving…” He left the conclusion to her.

“Oh.”

Was that disappointment in her voice?

“I live on the other side of town. And you’re right, I shouldn’t have any more. I’ll be all right to drive in a half an hour. I can handle my liquor.” She gave him a killer smile.

“You come here a lot?”
Shit.
Could he have said anything dumber?

His usual glib tongue abandoned him.

“That’s a really sad line.” She laughed. “And your timing is off. I already agreed to dance and let you buy me a drink.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

“I figured you for a classier place, like a country club. Why come to a joint like this?”
Yeah, Olivia, tell me what you’re doing here.

“To meet a friend.” She blinked several times and sucked in her upper lip.

Rico struggled to keep a smile from breaking out. She was a lousy liar. “A guy stood you up?” He looked around.

“I was meeting a girlfriend.” She pulled back and sat straighter.

Her lip was going to be swollen if she didn’t stop.

“It’s a good thing you aren’t a puppet ’cause your nose would be out to here by now.” He held a hand in front of her face and winked.

She pushed it away. A smile animated her face, causing his heart to jump and a new threat of draining blood. Slowly and deliberately she placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her hand. Another smile followed a slow, dreamy blink.

“If this is such a low class place, what does that say about you?”

She used what he called a last call voice. Deep and sexy. “Touché.”

“Why did
you
come here? Hmm?”

It had been a long time since he’d done any flirting and admittedly was out of practice, but he was getting into this.

“To dance with you,” he lied.

“I see. You don’t want to tell either.”

“Okay.” He leaned across the little table close to her face. “I’m a secret agent sent here to shut down a gang of spies and a smuggling ring, and arrest any over-ninety perverts I come across.” A little of the truth never hurt.

She moved back, sitting very straight, arms crossed, eyes wide and alert.

“Are you some kind of police officer?”

The smoky voice vanished, replaced with one that was all business. The one he imagined she used at work. “No.” It wasn’t a lie. Technically DEA agents were not police officers.

She swiveled to watch the band. In undercover work he’d learned to pay attention to body language, the eyes, lips and different tones of the voice. But, it didn’t take much training to know he’d managed to flip her switch from
let’s get it on
to
fuck you, asshole.
Rico settled back in his chair. She turned, caught him staring, and gave him a look that told him he was done for the night.

The warning tickle in the back of his throat damn near choked him. She agreed to meet an anonymous contact and wasn’t afraid of drug dealers, yet she worried he was a—
Shit!
Did she think the informant was a cop? Greer said she had connections.
Shit! Shit! Shit!

He sure as hell couldn’t come out and ask her. But he couldn’t let her walk out of here tonight without knowing. He reached out and touched her arm. “You wanna dance?”

She gave him a lackluster smile, shook her head and turned back to the band.

Disappointment and surprise shot through him. Disappointment he couldn’t hold her again and surprise it overrode his need to get information from her.

The song ended and Olivia turned, her bottom lip pinched between her teeth. Sure she’d changed her mind about the dance, he stood.

“It’s time for me to go, Rico,” she said softly. “Thanks for the dances.”

What?
He sat back down. Another wave of disappointment washed over him. He couldn’t let her leave. He needed to know what she knew. More than that, he needed
her.

She stood.

“You can’t drive. I’ll have the bartender call a cab for you.”

“Okay. Sure. I’ll wait outside.”

“I’ll wait with you.”

“Not necessary.”

“I’m leaving anyway.”
Fuck
. That didn’t come out right. He was suffering from terminal foot in mouth disease tonight.

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

He downed the last of his drink, settled up with the barkeep and asked him to call a cab. When Rico caught up with her the look she gave him caused his stomach to clench. He had to say something to keep her from leaving. But what? This was new territory. Working inside the biggest drug syndicate in the country, women were easy to come by. The clothes, cars, boats and spectacular condo overlooking Biscayne Bay drew them in. He snorted. Not tonight. He had none of that and was dressed like a backwoods Bubba.

Silently they waited for the cab. Only the sounds of nearby traffic and the shell surface of the parking lot crunching underfoot broke the silence.

He caught her scent on the night breeze. Lavender and something spicy. Whatever it was drove him crazy, made him want to press his lips to her long, silky neck. The tension in his gut grew stronger. The heat inside him officially turned into a wildfire. He stole a sideways glance at her, sure she was going to leave, walk away.
Shit.
He couldn’t let her leave. She ignited something long dormant in him. Desire. When the old guy gave her grief he hadn’t hesitated to step in like a rookie and risk blowing everything to be near her. If he let her leave he’d risk not seeing her again
and
fucking up the investigation. Time for a decision: do what he came for or make a move. He sucked in a loud breath. Screw it…Tomorrow he could think about the job. Tonight he was thinking about himself.

Olivia chanced a sideways glance at Rico. A man she couldn’t be sure of. A man she wanted to jump between the sheets with. Lie naked against and trace her fingertips across his bare chest and lower. Feel his lips and hands on her breasts. How it would feel to… She flinched. It didn’t matter anyway. Men fell all over themselves when she let them know she was interested. Not him.

Going all tight ass at his joke hadn’t helped. She should have been more aggressive, told him outright she wanted to spend the night with him. Being an aggressive helo pilot was great. But with a man she never knew where to draw the line. Olivia blew out a loud breath.

“Oh, hell,” she cursed under her breath. This was a horrible mistake, a huge error in judgment. Time to quit being selfish thinking about her own needs and get back on task. If that cab wasn’t here in two minutes she was going to bolt.

Then Rico slipped an arm around her and all thoughts of leaving fled.

She turned to him. Cupping her chin in his hand, he raised her face to his.

Olivia crooked her index finger and placed it ever so slightly inside the waistband of his jeans, pulling their bodies together.

“Kiss me,” she whispered.
Before I lose my courage.
His eyes searched hers for a long moment before he bent his head and did as she asked. Expecting a hard, wild, insatiable kiss she was surprised by his tenderness. Olivia returned the kiss, her arms reaching around, her hands pressing into his back.

“My condo is across the road.” His warm breath brushed her cheek with each word. “Come with me.”

It wasn’t a question or an order. His liquid-smooth voice hypnotized her. She nodded. They kissed again deeply, slowly until she was breathless. The man knew what he was doing. Would he be that good in bed? Her knees shook at the thought and she pressed against him.

“I walked to the bar. Give me your car keys. I’ll drive. Wouldn’t want—” Rico bent his head lower and kissed her neck, “—to leave it here overnight.”

“No. You’ve been drinking too.”

“Only soda.”

“What?” She pulled back to get a look at his face. He gave her a wicked smile and went back to sliding his lips and tongue over her neck.

“First—” Olivia sucked in a breath, “—you’ll have to stop doing that.”

“What?” he asked and nibbled her neck.

“That.” The word came out in a strangled sound.

Rico straightened. “Keys?” His fingertips danced up and down her arm giving her the shivers.

Olivia swallowed hard as she fumbled in her purse for the keys.

“Here.”

“Which car?”

Olivia licked her lips. His taste sent her heart rate into overdrive. “Behind you, to your right. The Jeep.”

He looked from her to the Jeep and back again “You’re kidding. I pegged you for a sports car, something you could fly low in.”

Oh. If he only knew.
“I’m full of surprises. You’ll see,” she whispered.

“Can’t wait.”

“Neither can I.” She prepared herself for another go-on-forever kiss. It didn’t come. Between gentle darting kisses, Rico nibbled her lips while his hands explored her body. Olivia moaned. She couldn’t help it.

The sound seemed to trigger something in Rico. Now the kissing was hard, wild and insatiable. Strong arms circled her, big hands covered her buttocks and yanked her against him. Without stopping the kisses or separating their bodies, Rico maneuvered them to the passenger side of her Jeep. He broke away, stepped back and with a smooth motion turned her around.

“What?”

“Shhh.” His fingers circled her wrists like handcuffs, forcing her hands against the Jeep. He settled all his weight against her, leaving no question as to how aroused he was.

“Keep your hands there,” he hissed in her ear, kissing his way down the back of her neck to her shoulder. “Don’t move.”

Move? Pressed between him and the Jeep she could hardly do more than squirm. He shifted off her slightly, raised the hem of her dress to her waist and placed his hands over her rear. Splaying his fingers, he ran his thumbs around the crease of her cheeks, all the while giving her neck and shoulders quick kisses.

“What…are you doing?” If he thought he was going to have sex with her against the Jeep, in a damn parking lot, he’d better think again.

“Take it easy.” He groaned. “I’m getting to know you.”

His rough hands caressed her butt, snagging on the lace of her panties. How would they feel on her breasts? On her thighs? Inside her? Olivia shuddered. She couldn’t take much more. His fingers slipped under the cloth as he sucked and nibbled the curve of her neck, her shoulders and back, inflaming her desire to such a pitch her pulse roared and her body hummed.

“I like what you’re doing.” She sighed, realizing all control was gone. At that moment she would have let him do anything he wanted. Maybe sex in a parking lot wouldn’t be so bad. She arched her back, pushing her buttocks into him, grinding into his erection. He moved his hips in response. Reaching around, she slid her hand up his muscled thigh toward the bulge in his jeans. “I want to touch you.”

His hand handcuffed her wrist. “No touching. I’ll come.”

His voice was hoarse and each one of his quick hot breaths seared her neck.

“Ditto.”

“What?”

The muscles in his chest and arms tensed against her.

“If you don’t stop—” she gasped in a breath, “—doing what you’re doing,
I’m
gonna come.”

“Truce?” He shifted enough to allow her to turn and wrap her arms around him.

“Truce? Are you…” She wanted to ask if he had changed his mind but couldn’t finish the thought. His scent, heat and weight against her stole her mind…and maybe her soul.

Crap.
She
would
let him take her right here if he wanted. She wrapped a leg around his. Rico pushed it down and stepped back.

“We need to stop while I still can.” He grimaced and opened the Jeep door. “Get in.”

As soon as he pushed the door closed, Olivia pitched the station newsletter and
Coast Guard Magazine
with her picture on the cover onto the back seat. He slid behind the wheel, started the engine and paused. He rested a warm hand on the nape of her neck, massaging lightly, his hot breath on her cheek.

“You had a lot to drink tonight. I want you to be sure about this.”

“I’m sure.” She nodded, surprised by his concern.

Did
he
want to get out of this? She glanced at his crotch. Nope, it didn’t look like he wanted out.