All Tied Up

Chapter Twelve

ON THEIR WAY back to the car, Nicole felt Constantine’s hand on her arm, gentle, protective. She appreciated it more than the heat he fired within her. Nicole appreciated his presence, his strength, his willingness to risk his life to save her. They were in this together, and she needed to act that way.

Once they were settled, Constantine locked the doors. Silence filled the air, unspoken words between them thick with the need to be voiced. Nicole took the lead. “I guess I don’t want this to be real. Intermittent denial.”

“You don’t seem to have that issue where your sister is concerned.” It wasn’t a question.

Looking after her sister had always been a priority. Their parents had pushed them both so hard. He had no idea how much truth rested in those words, or maybe he did. The man survived undercover by reading people.

She laughed, nervous about how easily he saw through her, saw things no one else did. “I know. It’s crazy. I blame it on the need for food and sleep.”

Quickly he turned the engine over. “I can fix that.”

She wasn’t ready to end this conversation. Not yet. Her hand went back to his arm, drawing his gaze to hers. He went still, utterly still, his scrutiny so intense she found that the attention stole her breath.

Somehow, she forced herself to speak. “Thank you for what you’ve done to help me. For what you’re doing to protect me and my family.”

Silence followed, thick, potent. Finally, he said, “You know how you can thank me?”

Why did this seem like a trick question? “By convicting Alvarez?”

“Like this.” He moved then, pulling her close, those strong arms embracing her, that firm, perfect mouth slanting over hers. That possessive, sensual tongue sliding against hers. One hand slid to the side of her face, his fingers entwined wildly in her hair. Nicole decided that agreeing with Constantine, as she just had, came with perks. He might be bad for her in theory, but he was oh-so-good in many other ways. And right now, with all that was going on, all that they faced, she wasn’t sure she had it in her to deny herself this man. She wanted to kiss him, touch him, trust him. The future be damned—for all she knew, she wouldn’t even have one.

Seconds passed as they kissed, sultry seconds where his mouth seduced her into surrender. And, damn, surrender felt uniquely sweet, a pleasure no other had ever given her. When he tore his mouth from hers, he leveled her in a sizzling stare.

“There are a hundred reasons why we shouldn’t be doing this,” he said.

In a barely audible voice, she agreed, “At least that many.”

“You’re a control freak.”

“So are you.”

“We can’t both run the show.”

That made her smile, her mind going to the cave, to their power struggle. “It was fun trying the first time.”

A hint of a smile touched his lips. “Which brings me to my point.” His mouth brushed hers, as if he couldn’t resist one more taste, one more touch. “We’d be better off leaving what happened in that cave, in that cave.”

“Right.” She squeezed her legs shut, those memories sending an ache straight to her core. “Better off.”

Neither of them pulled away despite their declarations that they should resist one another. Their lips lingered a breath from touching, electricity darting around them, through them.

“But the truth is,” he admitted, “I’ve got too many other fires to put out to fight this one. I want you, Nicole. How do you feel about that?”

Wet. She felt wet. And ready. Like they were on the same path of satisfaction, both in mind and body. “I feel…ready to go back to the hotel.”

Approval glinted in his eyes, and he scooped in for one last brush of her lips before reluctantly releasing her. He shifted gears and turned on the radio.

“Hurricane Ed appears to be headed straight for the Gulf of Mexico and speculation puts Texas in the line of fire.”

Constantine cursed under his breath and Nicole knew why. It appeared passion wasn’t the only stormy weather they had to ride out. Even Mother Nature seemed to be aiding Alvarez, stealing their safe zone. Because now there was no way they could hide on Constantine’s boat, their ultimate destination, in the middle of a hurricane.

Nicole couldn’t help but wonder how big this storm was going to be before it was over.

***

BACK AT THE HOTEL, Constantine curbed his more primal instincts, at least for a short time. He had business to get done, critical issues, like a shower so he wouldn’t stink to high heaven. Most importantly, there were phone calls and plans to be made—when to return to Austin, how to do it safely. The best steps to take to ensure Alvarez was convicted not freed. Not that any of that made him forget that long, hot kiss in the car. How could he? Nicole was on the bed next to him, and despite the room-service cart in front of them, a bed was a bed, suggestive as ever. And her shorts allowed him to admire those long, sexy legs more readily.