Hydromancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 4)

“Hey,” she called, waving the money in the air, “thanks!”

“No problem, sweetheart,” Tim said.

Maya caught Lee’s eyes in the rearview mirror, but he quickly turned them back on the road.

When they parked in front of her house, Tim said to Lee, “Keep the engine running.”

Tim wasn’t staying. She felt disappointed when she should’ve been glad. He came up the ladder with her, but didn’t give her a chance to open her door. Instead, he turned her around and leaned both hands on the frame on either side of her face.

He gave her bruised lip a soft kiss. “I need to ask you a favor.”

She leaned against the wood, the hard surface cool on her back, putting the only distance she could between them. His proximity was not good for her libido. If he hovered over her like that, she was going to beg him to come inside, and with his simple command to Lee, he’d made it clear he had no such intention. Anyway, Lee was watching from downstairs. Her begging certainly didn’t warrant a witness.

“Don’t drink any alcohol,” he continued. “At least not until next weekend.”

Tim made a habit of confusing her. “Why?”

“I’ll explain later. Just humor me, all right?”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m doing all the humoring around here?”

Her statement was playful, but Tim turned serious. “You have no idea how much humoring I’m doing. If you did, you’d know exactly how much trouble you are in. Now, for your own good, get your sexy butt inside, naked, and into my shirt. If you want, you can make yourself come, but think of me while you orgasm around your vibrator.”

He’d taken the breath from her lungs and the words from her mind. She could only stare at him.

“I’m not leaving because I don’t want you. I’m going because I’m being kind, and I’m trying hard to also be fair.” When she still didn’t say anything, he said, “Say, yes.”

“Yes.”

“Good. Now say it like you mean it.”

“Yes, Tim,” she said obediently, humoring him again.

He grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her forehead. “I’m leaving for San José tomorrow evening. I’ll be back on Friday night. If you need anything, and I mean anything at all, I want you to call Cesar.”

“Cesar’s staying?” she asked with a sinking feeling. She didn’t need Cesar on her back.

“I’m taking Lee and Frida with me, but Cesar’s here for you.”

“Tim, I don’t need your bodyguard. I’m a scuba diver, not an ambassador.”

“As I said, you call Cesar, no matter what time of the day or night. Got it?” He held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”

Knowing it was pointless to argue, she retrieved her mobile phone from her bra and handed it to him.

His eyes widened. “If I knew where you carried your phone, I’d have taken it out myself.”

“I didn’t want to carry a handbag.”

“Mm.” He typed some names and numbers into her phone. “There you go. My number, Cesar’s, Lee’s, and Frida’s.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

He kissed her on the lips. “Go inside and lock the door behind you.”

Only when she’d done as he’d asked did he leave.

She let out a breath and realized she was a mass of nerves. Tim was impossible to figure out. No job had ever gotten to her like this before. She pulled off her boots, contemplating how it was possible that Gabriela didn’t know Tim or Lee. It was either that or the girl was a psychopathic liar. Still, she’d seen something in Lee’s eyes that had looked too much like a flicker of guilt.

After grabbing a cold beer from the fridge, she made her way to the bedroom, where she pulled the tablet from the closet. There was a message from Joss. He’d found the truck. It was loaded with five hundred AK-47s and one hundred hand grenades. She pressed the beer against her hot forehead. The truck had crossed the Mexican border and was heading for San José. It was still too early to say which road it would take to the coast. With the tracking program Joss had given her access to, she could map the vehicle’s route.

By next week, the shipment of arms was due in Puerto Viejo. Just as well Tim would be in San José while she executed her mission. It was bad enough that he was leaving Cesar behind.

She undressed and slipped naked between the covers. Tim’s shirt was still hanging over the chair. She wanted to wrap herself in his scent, but wouldn’t allow herself the luxury. She quickly fell asleep, imagining how it would feel drifting off in his arms.

In her dream, she stood on the shore. It had to be Bloubergstrand, because the flat surface of Table Mountain was visible on the other side of the bay. It was noon, and the sand burned her bare feet. She was about to walk into the cold water of the ocean, but the familiar voice that spoke behind her made her stop in her tracks.