More Than Strangers (10 page)

“You can’t keep this up for much longer,” he soothed after she had completely soaked his shirt. Taking her by the shoulders, he pulled her from him. “There’s not much liquid left in you.”

“I’ve heard crying is therapeutic,” she argued as she took his handkerchief and mopped the tears from her face.

“It might be good for your mental health, but it’s killing me. I don’t like seeing you this way.”

Surprised, she dropped her hand and met his gaze. As if by magic, the tears dried up.

“
Now
you’re done?” he asked with a chuckle.

She blew her nose one last time. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re not as tough or as ladylike as you pretend to be,” he replied in a teasing tone. “It’s nice to know you’re human.”

She might admit to the occasional lack of decorum when faced with extreme duress, but she thought she deserved some credit for being badass. “I think I handled the whole high-speed car chase pretty well.”

He seemed to consider her words for a moment before he nodded. “Considering the number of cars I rammed, I half expected you to go ballistic. I was prepared to knock you out.”

How comforting. To be fair, she didn’t freak out because she froze. But there was never a good reason to turn down credit, deserved or not. “Thank you for saving my life.”

His expression softened. He pulled her close, and she rested her head in the crook of his arm. He was warm. They were safe. It was all that mattered.

A long while later, he broke the silence. “I was hired to keep a few foolhardy nerds out of trouble. One of them happened to be you.”

He sounded so beleaguered she couldn’t help but smile. “I guess that’s one thing we have in common—jobs that reduce life expectancy. Where are Josh and Andrew?”

“In an airplane over the Arabian Sea. While far below average, they still have a greater sense of self-preservation than you. Based on what you said before you started blubbering, I gather you’ve decided to resign.” He made it sound like she didn’t have much of a choice. She should take umbrage, but his presumption evoked a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Her answer was cautious. While she understood his position, he hadn’t wanted rights over her six months ago. “I was about to request a few adjustments even before this happened. I just waited a little too long.”

“That’s the understatement of the century.” His reply had a hint of bite. But underneath the flash of anger, she sensed an undercurrent of fear.

“I’ll take your opinion into consideration.”

His hand tightened over her upper arm. Startled, she lifted her head and turned to meet his gaze. The expression on his face was fierce. “If I arrived a moment later, I would have lost you. I won’t let you put me through that hell a second time.”

Too exhausted to consider the implications of his statement, she lay down, curled her legs, and rested her head on his belly. Her eyes burned, so she closed them. “You picked the perfect day to show up. I didn’t realize terrorists were so persistent.”

He smoothed his fingers over her hair. “Those weren’t terrorists. If that were the case, they would’ve moved to a softer target the moment I showed up.”

She didn’t like where this conversation was going. It made her feel rather ill. It was a good thing she was already lying down. Considering the implications of what had just been said, she should be having a panic attack. But Jason made her feel safe.

Though he kept his tone light, his next words still felt like blows to the gut. “They stalked you. They’re coming after you. This isn’t a random terrorist targeting an American. Tell me what’s going on.”

Her brows knitted together. “I have no idea why a bunch of armed men want to kill me, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Not kill. Kidnap.” It wasn’t a welcome clarification.

There was a pregnant pause before she sighed. It was a matter of time before he found out anyway. She didn’t intend to sound guilty, but that’s how the words came out. “My dad’s rich.”

A long silence. She was relieved her eyes were closed. He didn’t sound too happy when he asked, “How rich?”

“Ever heard of O’Hara Textiles?” It was a rhetorical question. By some estimates, clothing made from David O’Hara’s products were on the hangers of more than 30 percent of America and Europe’s major clothing chains.

His hands stilled over her hair. “And it never occurred to him to provide you with private security?” His voice was soft, but he sounded more enraged than he did when he was yelling.

She wasn’t a huge fan of her father, but Jason’s implied accusation was unfair. “It’s unnecessary. He divorced my mother a long time ago. We lived apart and I see him rarely. Very few people know we’re even related. My stepbrothers and sisters are guarded as if they’re royalty, and my mother didn’t want that kind of life for me.”

“Which makes you the softest target.” It was a valid observation, given the circumstances. “And coming to a country like this one takes idiocy to stratospheric proportions.”

She didn’t argue. There was no way she could win. “I’m sorry.” What else could she say? Because of her, he too was in danger. She would go back and slap some sense into her former self if she could.

She heard the door open and jerked into a sitting position. Her reaction would have been more violent had Jason not remained unaffected. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and smiled. The newcomer clearly wasn’t a stranger. He was also the most handsome male specimen she had ever set eyes upon.

The man had dark mahogany skin and a sculpture’s face. Clean-shaven, with lushly fringed midnight eyes and curled locks brushing his collar, he should’ve appeared less masculine. But, like Jason, his shoulders were broad and his build athletic. His gaze was alert and assessing, and he moved with the grace of a predatory animal.

Any single girl would be interested, but the natural flare of attraction died an instant after it sparked. To her, he was just eye candy. It was the way she had reacted to all good-looking men since she met Jason.

It was the small duffel he was holding that garnered her undivided attention. “That’s mine.”

“Nulli, meet my business partner Dan Khan.” The man sat opposite them. He had an amused look on his face as they clasped hands.

The name rang a bell. “You’re Dan-i-yal Khan?”

He flashed two rows of straight white teeth. “My reputation precedes me.”

As it so happens, she knew a little too much about him. Since Zahra wouldn’t appreciate it, she didn’t elaborate. Her gaze drifted to the bag. “Are those my clothes?” She hated to admit it, but all this excitement has resulted in a great deal of perspiration. A shower was in order.

“I had an associate visit your villa and pack a bag. You really should not leave your passport in an unlocked desk drawer. It would sell for thousands of dollars on the black market.” This was her day to get lectured by overbearing males—ones with very valid and logical arguments. She couldn’t complain. One had saved her life and the other brought with him a set of clean clothes.

The look she gave Jason must have been pitiful. He shook his head and grinned. “The shower is through the bedroom on your right.”

* * * *

“There’s a shower in the bedroom to her left too,” Dan observed after Nulli disappeared behind the solid wooden door.

Jason leveled a stare and lifted a challenging eyebrow.

Dan raised his hands in mock surrender. “Enough with the death glare. I got the message loud and clear when I came back and saw you two cuddling.”

“You have a flair for exaggeration.” The defensiveness in his own voice surprised him.

“So she’s not taken?”

Their gazes met.

Dan shook his head. “As I’ve said—you’ve got serious issues.”

Not comfortable with where the conversation was headed, Jason changed the subject. “What are we dealing with?”

His friend knew when to shift gears. “They’ve got eyes on the hotel. There’s no way you can drive her out without having half a dozen cars in hot pursuit. If it were my operation, I’d set off an improvised explosive device as a distraction before storming in.”

Jason agreed with the assessment. That’s exactly how he would infiltrate a location with this level of security. “How long do we have?”

“A few hours at the minimum. Bombs are easy to make but they don’t grow on trees. They’re using local thugs, so it’ll happen after evening prayers. I have our surveillance detection folks watching them. Once they plant the bomb, we’ll have at least half an hour to get out. Plenty of notice.” Dan didn’t sound too concerned. They had a good plan—they just needed to pull it off.

“How’s our friend Tom?” The man ran a floundering security consultancy. Jason didn’t like working with amateurs, but World Protective Services was the only game in town with enough assets to do what was needed.

“Surprisingly helpful.” Dan seemed to mull over recent negotiations before continuing. “Then again, business has been shitty. I offered him a huge chunk of change. Zahra is sending over her father’s private jet. They’re fueling in Dubai as we speak. As soon as it lands, I’ll call Tom and he’ll fly his helicopter to the roof.”

Jason didn’t like putting all his eggs in one basket. “What kind of helicopter is it?”

Dan looked as if he was suppressing a shudder. “The ancient MD 500. I trained on the military Defender version back in the day.” With those words, Dan unfolded from his seat. “I’ll go and arrange ground transport just in case the rotor doesn’t start. It’ll be dicey, but if we’re forced to go over land we won’t be in a position to be choosy.”

“I’ll—”

“You’ll stay here.” His friend’s tone was firm. “It’s where you want to be. I’ve got the situation under control, and I’ll call you the moment things go sideways.”

Jason crossed his arms. “What am I supposed to do here? Knit?”

Dan snorted. “From the looks of it, you’ve got some unfinished business with this girl. I’m giving you a few hours to iron out the kinks.”

Jason lifted his gaze upward. “There are no kinks.”

“Yeah. That’s why after saving her life and getting her all grateful and goo-goo eyed, I found you two cuddling on the sofa like an old married couple.” If Dan had a point, Jason couldn’t decipher it.

“She’s…an acquaintance.”

“Acquaintances don’t stay in daily contact for six months, and they don’t snuggle after a high-speed chase through the world’s most dangerous city. Whatever you two are, it’s not that.” Dan was nothing if not astute. Too bad he was blind where his own life was concerned. Then again, most men were.

“Fine. But this isn’t the time—”

Jason was talking to Dan’s back. “There were multiple bullets heading her way this afternoon. There may be even more aimed at her before the night is over. Is arguing with me really what you want to do right now?”

The bathroom door was ajar. Soft yellow light flowed through the crack. The sound of running water had stopped. Jason flattened his palm on the wood surface and hesitated. It had been six months since they shared that night in the desert. A great deal could change in half a year.

But nothing had. The realization hit him like a staggering blow. The way they talked, the way she softened in his hold, the way she had rested her head on his chest—that night could have been yesterday.

There was one difference. He now knew he would never want any woman but her.

Yet keeping Nulli was a distraction he couldn’t afford. The goal he strived for had never been a white picket fence and a houseful of children. He wanted wealth and the power that came with it, not a family or home.

His greatest asset was independence. At a moment’s notice, he could fly into a war zone and go for months without any contact with the outside world. It wasn’t enough to possess the ability to complete tough assignments. His success hinged on the desire to take on risks others would shy from.

Loving her would unbalance his life’s equation. He should be keeping a wary distance, not hovering less than a few feet away.

The door opened although he didn’t exert any force. He forgot to breathe. Nulli was wrapped in a white towel. Wet and plastered against her face, her hair was a darker shade of sunset. Drops of water beaded over her porcelain skin. Rivulets trailed down her neck and flowed toward her cleavage. Her face devoid of makeup, she was still a vision.

“Are we alone?” Her voice was husky and laced with invitation.

In lieu of an answer, he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into the bedroom. She trembled as they passed the vent. Cold air poured over her damp skin. She clutched the towel tighter over her breasts.

“You’re cold.” The backs of his legs met the edge of the bed. He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the corner.

“You’ll warm me up.” Standing toe to toe with him, her fingers brushed the topmost button of his shirt.

He caught her wrist. “We shouldn’t. I don’t have a condom.” It was an excuse but also a statement of fact. He hadn’t carried around protection since they parted ways. It wasn’t a conscious decision, but he was beginning to realize the implications. He had never planned to be with anyone but her.

She freed her hand and continued to undress him. “I never went off birth control. You’ll have to come up with a better reason than that.”

He knew this path led to perdition. Each touch, each word, each kiss bound them closer together. He had failed to break things off six months ago, and now he feared he might no longer have the ability. Having sex with her was a terrible idea

Too bad his penis was doing a phenomenal job inhibiting brain function.

“Whatever it is you’re worried about,” she said as her fingers continued to move down, “it can wait until we’re safe.” The back of her hand brushed his skin. She bent her head to kiss his chest. Every muscle in his body tightened.

“How much time do we have?” The shirt parted. She slid onto the bed behind him and pulled it off.

He should lie and tell her Dan was coming back. Instead, Jason muttered, “More than enough.”

Hot wet kisses trailed down his spine. Damp fingers ran over the muscles on his back and torso. She nipped him just under his shoulder blade. “Could you be more specific?”