A Taste of Liberty: Task Force 125 Book 2 (11 page)

About ten feet away was a small dance floor, overlooking the club's main dance floor below, where three other women danced together.  None of them
seemed significant to Victor.  The only woman who held his attention was the redhead.

The man who led Sarah and Vince upstairs cleared his throat. 

Victor's brown eyes opened and he pushed the redhead off him with his left hand, which fairly spanned her entire right buttock.  He lifted an eyebrow at Sarah.

The Ukrainian stood from his seat and smiled.  He was tall, maybe six-foot-three.  His hair was brown and short, but long enough to tousle if you liked to do that sort of thing.  His features were strong and blocky, very
Ivan
Drago
,
only a bit more color with the brown hair and eyes.  All in all, Sarah had to admit, he wasn't ugly.   

Isn't it amazing how the big time criminals take such good care of themselves?

Knowing he had a thing for coke, Sarah was surprised at how fit the man was.  He wore a tight tee shirt under his designer jacket and there was definitely muscle under there.  Sarah sized up the abs and blocky chest and looked for some sign of how much thigh he might have. 

This guy looks way too muscular to mess with hand to hand.  Let's see if the charm works.

“Mr.
Hennessee
!”  He reached out to shake Vince's hand.

Vince reciprocated.  “Please, call me Vince.”

Victor eyed Sarah.  “While it is customary to bring a gift, I must say you've outdone yourself.”

Vince put his arm around Sarah's shoulders.  “Ah, this one is
mine
tonight but, hey, anything can happen. 
Right, baby?”

Sarah was still riding the wave of longing the kiss outside inspired. 
“Oh, yeah.”

Victor responded in Russian to Vince.  “Let me know when you're done with her.  I'd tap that.”

Sarah tried not to cringe as she pretended not to understand Russian. 

Money can't buy you class.

Vince replied in kind.  “What? 
This old thing?
  Just a little something I threw on.” 

He speaks Russian?  Holy crap, he understood that whole conversation between me and Chris! 

Victor laughed a hearty belly laugh and ushered Vince to the table. 

Sarah followed dutifully like the bimbo she was supposed to be.

Vince put his hand on her knee as she sat.  “Why don't you go powder your nose, sweetheart?”

Sarah stood and strutted past the two Russian henchmen and through the door to the ladies room. 

He speaks Russian?  What the hell am I here for?

Sarah opened her tiny crystal encrusted purse and removed her lipstick.  When she looked into the mirror to apply it she saw something she might never get used to.  The fat girl she always expected wasn't there.  In her place was a knockout staring back at her.  A smile curled her lips.  After recovering from her initial shock, she got her head back into the game. 

This old thing isn't looking so bad just yet.  Guess you'll have to suffer through it,
Hennessee
.

Vince and Victor didn't seem to discuss business at all over the course of the evening.  If they did, it was while Sarah was in the ladies room.  She hated being left out of the details but that wasn't her part.  It might have been easier for her if she'd had a part in the dealing, logistics or planning.  Instead, she had to pretend to be everything she wasn't
-
flighty, superficial and unintelligent.  In a way, it was a relief to get away from
herself
.  She was beginning to think she might be too steady, too deep and way too smart for her own good.

Just think how easy life would be if I were only a dumb bimbo.

Vince was particularly attentive and she took every advantage of his act.

Just because you don't get to go home with the actor doesn't mean you can't enjoy the show.

Vince's efforts seemed to be paying off with Victor.  When Vince ran his hand along Sarah's barely covered, toned and tan thigh, Victor watched with heavy breaths.  When Vince nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear, Sarah leaned in and let her fingers do the walking under his jacket and into his shirt
so the whole room knew she was enjoying every minute of it.  It didn't hurt that it seemed to encourage Vince to continue.

Oh, yeah.

After a few drinks, Victor called to one of the women who was putting on a seductive performance for him and excused himself to join her on the small dance floor in the VIP lounge.

Vince stood.  “Come on, baby. 
Time to dance for your dinner.”
  He wrapped his arm around Sarah's waist as she stood and escorted her onto the dance floor near Victor.

He pulled her so close that Sarah had to take a breath to remember where she was.  Vince led her perfectly with one hand in hers and the other at the small of her back.  Her heart matched time with the quick Latin beat and she let Vince carry her away to some place she'd never been. 

She was no longer the timid girl
who’d given
in to a gay man's plan, nor was she the bold broad who wasn't afraid of taking on four muggers on the street.  She was somebody else entirely.  She was warm, passionate, desperately in love and scared shitless of all that entailed.

Vince moved like a cat. 

Sarah barely knew she was being led.  A rush of excitement surged through her as she became suddenly aware
of  his
hips leading her, his thighs against hers and his chest firm and muscular against hers.  They’d been dancing around each other at work and avoiding their obvious chemistry for so long that finally being in such intimate proximity and moving together was about as close to foreplay as Sarah could imagine.

“Do all Devil Dogs dance this well?”

“Only the ones whose sisters forced them to be their dance partners.”

Sarah grinned.  “I find it hard to believe anyone could force you to do anything you didn't want to do.”

He shook his head.  “You'd be surprised at what a good woman can make a man do when she puts her mind to it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.”
  He pulled her even closer.  “You should try it sometime.”

The song ended.

Sarah swallowed hard as she thought about what his statement might imply.  “I might just do that.”

Vince wrapped both arms around her and held her there a moment longer. 

His eyes gleamed and Sarah allowed herself to look into them.  She ached to tell him with her eyes what she could never say out loud. 

There's the devil in those eyes, but I will love them until I die.

She felt his breath on her cheek and his chest rising and falling quickly against her own.  The music, the people and even the room disappeared.  When his lips touched hers, every nerve in her body exploded with excitement.

Take me now.

Vince released her all too soon. 

When Sarah opened her eyes, the real world and their mission returned to her mind. 

Victor smiled suggestively and Sarah hoped it meant he was ready to take the bait.

The more you want me, the more mistakes you'll make.  Let's get this mission done.

~~~

“Honey, why don’t you go
hang
out with the girls while we talk business?”  Vince watched Sarah for a moment as she walked over to the small group of women, who were Victor’s entourage, and began dancing with them.

Victor watched her too.  “She's exquisite.  Where did you find her?”

Vince turned and they both walked back to the table.  “I picked her up at a party in Milan.”

“Oh, really?”
  Victor sat and poured them both more scotch.  “Do you plan on keeping her long?”

Vince looked into the man's eyes and lied without blinking.  “I'm just having some fun while I'm in Italy.  Why?  You interested?”

He nodded.  “I might be.  I might be.”  He smiled as he took a drink.

Vince gazed at Sarah and took a deep breath as he drank her in.  He admired how Sarah didn't miss a beat and started dancing seductively with a redhead who had legs up to her neck.  Sarah seemed to know exactly what to do to get a guy on the hook.

Victor was practically drooling.

Vince glanced at Victor.  “I could put in a good word for you.”

Victor didn't take his eyes off Sarah while he spoke.  “I'll take one hundred thousand off the price if you throw her in.”

Vince knew by the look on the guy's face he could get more than that for her, but he had to pay something for the gunship or he couldn't make the bust.

Vince took a drink of his Scotch and gave Victor a single, slow nod.  “I'll ask her in the morning, but I may have spoiled her for other men by then.”  A wry smile curled his lips.

Victor stood and took another look at Sarah.  “I’ll take my chances.”  He shook Vince's hand.  “Call me tomorrow then.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some women to spoil, too.”

Vince stood and motioned to Sarah. 

She sidled up to him.

Is this the act or the real thing?  I'll be damned if I can ever read this woman.

Vince decided to take advantage of the act and wrapped his arms around her.  She fit perfectly to him.

He bent his head and kissed her hard and deep. 

Might as well sell it.

She followed just as he'd hoped.  This was one of the few times when he really loved his job.

My God, she smells good enough to eat.

She tasted like
limoncello
.  He wondered what the rest of her tasted like.

If only I really did have you for tonight.  Now the show has to end so Victor can think I’m taking you back to a hotel to rock your world, and rock it I would.

He pulled himself from her soft lips and looked into her eyes.  They were glazed over. 

Had she had that much to drink?

He kept one hand on her waist and walked her out into the cool night air outside the club as she clung to him.

She played her part perfectly, kissing him and pawing his chest under his jacket as they waited for the valet to bring their car.  Had she rubbed up against him a little more closely she’d know exactly how much he was enjoying her touch.  He opened the car door and watched her slide in to the open-topped convertible.

Lucky seat.

Vince walked around the sports car and stepped in.  When he turned the key in the ignition and the engine started to purr, Sarah turned to him.  “Do we have to go back yet?”

She likes the car.  Good taste.

“Nah,
Maseratis
don't turn into pumpkins.”

She sighed.  “Good.”  She stroked his thigh and let her hand rest there for a moment.

That hand on my thigh is no act.  God help me.  I have to sell this woman tomorrow, but all I want tonight is to own her.

“So you speak Russian?”

“Fluently.
  You don't deal arms for five years and not learn Russian.”

“Why didn't you tell anyone?”

He powered the
Maserati
out of the parking lot and into the night traffic.  “Will
knows
.”  He couldn’t help himself as a grin spread across his face.  “He's fluent too in case you want to have private conversations in front of him.”

Her eyes opened wide and her mouth dropped open before she composed herself again.  Her blood went cold with embarrassment over the conversation she and Chris had at the pool while Vince was reading a newspaper.  “Why didn't I know?”

“You didn't ask.”

“Does Chris know?”

“No.”  Vince looked at Sarah quizzically.  “You'd think he would if he were doing his job right.  I'm going to have to talk to him about that.  He thinks that's why we brought you.”

“Well then why
did
you bring me?”

“Bait of course. 
Russian bear.
 
American honey pot.”
  Vince smiled.  “Besides,” he fingered the hem of her mini skirt and let his thumb stoke her thigh under the fabric, “it was a great excuse to dress you up and take you out without the boys tagging along.”

She sat back in her seat.  “You took me to an arms deal.”  She shook her head.  “Damn,
Hennessee
, you really know how to treat the ladies.  What do you do when you really like a girl, take her to Africa for a little civil war?”

He shifted into a lower gear and turned off the main road onto a gravel road leading to the beach.  “If you must know, I've got a little island in the United Arab Emirates, but hey, whatever get's you hot.  I'm there.”

I am so there.

Vince turned off before they reached the road to Angelo's house.  Sarah glanced at him as she pulled the earpiece out of her ear and tucked it in her purse.  She hoped his hand on her thigh meant they would finally seal this deal and give in to the chemistry they both clearly felt.  If it did, she didn’t need Chris listening in.