Severed Threads (30 page)

He pushed the weight of his chest against her hands and on their own, her fingers spread against his taut muscles. Her body involuntarily trembled. In one motion, he reached out and grabbed her, pulling her roughly against him.

“
Tell me,” he breathed in her ear. “Tell me you don’t love me.” He claimed her lips again, devouring them like a starving man. His warm tongue slipped between her lips and into her mouth. But this time, she allowed it to happen.

She worked the top button of his jeans and pulled down his zipper. She pressed him into the mattress, covering his nude body with her own. A soft groan escaped his mouth, as she brushed her lips softly against his neck. In one swift movement, he rolled them over then kicked off his pants.

“
So I guess you want me after all,” he murmured.

Rachel’s head lolled back when his hungry mouth found the mounds of her breasts. She sighed with exquisite pleasure as he gently stroked the wet, slippery nub of her clitoris.

"Mmmm...” she moaned as his determined fingers moved even faster. As his tongue traced her neck and found one of her nipples. He continued his simultaneous assault until she was left gasping for breath. Until his bulging penis pressed hard against her thigh.

“
Oh, baby,” he whispered, sliding down her body. “I want you so bad.”

Her body shuddered as his eager lips latched onto her labia and began sucking away.

“
Chase, ooohhh,” she moaned, encouraged, capitulated.

His tongue continued where his fingers left off. In and out, in and out, his tongue invaded and withdrew. She cried out and realized actual tears were flowing.

He climbed back onto the bed, straddling her body. “Do you want me?” His warm, rapid breaths washed over her skin.

She gazed into his craving eyes and trembled with excitement, but didn’t answer with words. Instead, she crashed their mouths together in a passionate gesture of lust, tasting herself on his lips.

"I love you," he murmured.

He slid his swollen cock into her depths, causing her body to arch in response. She wrapped her legs around him and gripped his shoulders. His slow, steady tempo began. The padded headboard banged the wall relentlessly, as he pounded his rigid staff into her yielding flesh. Driving her to the peak of pleasure, then down and up again.

"Chase!” she cried out.

He found her fingers and locked them tight – pinning her hands to the bed. She could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Hear the low moans in his throat as his body bucked and jerked above her. Like an electric blanket that had suddenly been switched on high, heat began building on the soles of her feet. It traveled slowly into her inner thighs and held on with each rocking movement. She could feel the delicious sensation growing, spreading throughout her lower extremities. She impulsively lifted her hips to meet each of his thrusts.

“
Aaahhh!”

A groan tore from his throat and a hot current ignited in her ankles. She arched her back as it shot up both of her legs and met at the core of her being. Her toes curled as moans escaped her mouth.

“
Yes!” Spasms gripped her from inside, constricting and relaxing over and over again, leaving her scorched nerves tingling. She dared not breathe – dared not move to lengthen the duration of her bliss. How was it possible to feel so complete, so incredibly spent and alive at the same time?

* * *

Rachel didn’t realize she’d fallen asleep and had a dreamless night until she opened her eyes and felt Chase’s strong arm tucked under her neck. She angled her head to the right to study his profile – his prominent cheekbones, defined brow and slightly square jaw line. She wanted to hold his face in her hands, memorizing every detail, then kiss his gorgeous mouth and thank him for giving her a wonderful night of peaceful slumber. He continued sleeping soundly – drawing soft even breaths. Leaving her captivated and marginally amused. Then just as quickly as the fantasy came, it faded. Common sense took hold, overshadowing her rose-colored world.

What the hell have I done?
She moved gingerly away from his body and attempted to rise from the bed without waking him. But Chase must have felt her stir, as he instantly rolled onto his side. He wrapped his other arm around her and drew her back against his chest.

"Good morning, beautiful,” he breathed into her ear.

His rough whiskers brushed against her neck with each kiss, tickling her skin and reminding her of his masculinity. He folded his right leg over hers, pinning her in place. His throaty moans were an instant reminder of the endless hours they’d spent making love – captured and entwined in each other’s arms.

She angled her face toward him. "Aren’t there chores you need to attend to?"

His hand found her left breast and held on possessively. "I think I can come up with a few." A brush against her inner thigh guaranteed that every inch of him was fully engaged.

She tensed. "You’ve got to be kidding. Are you trying to set some kind of record?"

"Mmmm…just warming up, sweetheart,” he purred.

He molded her shoulders into the mattress and rolled on top of her. He leaned down, kissing her lips – leaving her no opportunity for escape. Then he propped himself on one elbow and gazed down at her.

"Now, tell me…why are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

Rachel considered her options. Maintain her angry facade and keep her predicament a secret. Or throw caution to the wind and tell Chase everything. Seeking his help would make it possible to end her troubling deception. And after the night they’d shared, she needed to believe he was worthy of her trust…even if her heart told her otherwise.

“
It's about my brother, Devon,” she began. “He's gotten himself into some serious trouble and –”

"Cap'n," a voice called from behind the door. "You're needed on deck, pronto."

"Be right there. Sorry, honey. Can we take this up later?" He stared into her face with his intoxicating blue eyes, waiting for an agreeable answer.

“
Sure." What else could she say?

He grabbed his pants and shirt from the floor and dragged them on. Then he covered the few steps to her. "I swear those guys would sink this ship without me.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against her temple, rekindling the warmth in her heart.

She was tempted to say the words he longed to hear just to keep him from leaving. And yet confusion over her true feelings kept her silent.

As soon as the door closed, she fell back into her pillow. She took a deep breath, hardly believing any of this had happened. There was no doubt in her mind…Chase Cohen would always be her weakness. But she needed to be strong. She needed to depend on no one except herself.

She slipped out of bed and opened her black carry-on. She pulled out the purple
Crown Royal
bag that had come in handy and mentally weighed the value of the treasure she’d hidden inside. In a matter of hours, she’d be in San Palo, bargaining with Gabe Pollero and his band of cutthroat thieves. She alone had taken on Devon’s debt. Guilt or no guilt, it would be up to her to settle his losses.

Twenty-Six

Whomp!

Rachel’s
heavy duffle bag hit the afterdeck. She glanced up at the second-tier deck and realized the Zodiac was missing. She ran from stern to bow, listening for the sound of the raft’s rumbling engine, looking for any sight of A.J. But to no avail. Her willing navigator and only means of escape had vanished.

What the hell?
Her eyes shot daggers into the ocean’s churning waves. She checked the storage locker next to the compressor. Two air tanks were gone. Apparently, Wade and Ian hadn’t returned from their second dive of the day. According to her watch, Chase and Blaine were due to follow them in less than fifteen minutes. They
had
to still be on board.

Determined to get a full explanation, Rachel set off in search of Chase. She found his bed and room neat and tidy – a far cry from the rest of the crew’s. She ducked through the open hatch, passing though the lounge and galley. She climbed the ladder to the bridge deck and passed by the empty chart room.

Where is everyone?

Static was coming from the wheelhouse. She peered inside and found Blaine completely absorbed on the radio transceiver.

“
I already contacted CBC about the new Ion,” he said anxiously. “The PDF functionality we’ve incorporated will allow them to convert their files. They’ve also elected to reunify the compilers gcc and egcs and make the egcs the new base compiler to coordinate all their work." He twisted around in the captain’s chair and bristled at the sight of Rachel standing in the open doorway.

Her gaze dusted the navigation desk. An open briefcase, stacks of files, cluttered papers mantled the navigation desk. “Where’s Chase?” she asked.

Blaine’s words quickened on the VHF marine radio. "Gotta go. Call you when we get in." He jumped to his feet and stood before the console like an awkward schoolboy – a skinny, red-faced kid tugging on his green Sasquatch shirt.

He glimpsed the transmitting receiver still in his hand and slipped it back on its hook before facing her again. “I…umm…was just taking care of some business issues that came up and…” His brows lifted, as if he suddenly remembered something. He reached into his back pocket and extracted a note. “The captain left this before shoving off with A.J. and Mika.” He closed the distance between them, and then waited silently as she read.

Honey:

Sit tight until I get back. There’s something important

I need to tell you.

Love, Chase

She flipped the page over. Finding it blank, she glared at Blaine. “That’s it? Two scribbled sentences?”

He pushed his glasses up a notch. “I guess you were indisposed or something. Anyway, there was this radio call. Some kind of emergency in San Palo. A.J. said they’d be back in a few hours.”

Emergency?
What did that mean? Had Professor Ying taken a turn for the worse? Expired before she could tell him about the bronze snake she had found? “Blaine, please tell me what happened.”

“
It was the hospital. Some patient the captain knows. They’re in intensive care and –”

“Dr. Ying!” Oh, God. It was true.

“No, no…nothing like that. It’s some chick the captain knows.”

“
Excuse
me?” she said, her voice a full octave higher.

“
I’m trying to remember her name. I think it was Annie or Amy. Or maybe – “

“
Allie?” Rachel finished.

Blaine’s brown shaggy head bounced up and down. “That’s it! Do you know her?”

Unbelievable!
Chase’s reaction to the woman’s name days earlier suddenly made sense – explained why the Irishman’s faltering answers had puzzled her for days. Rachel’s heart sank. No matter the circumstances, the fact that Chase had a secret woman tucked away was more than she could bear. She looked down at her hands, wanting to run to her room, climb into a shower and scrub her skin until every trace of him flowed down the drain. How could she have been so foolish? Completely blindsided by his manipulating charms? She collapsed on the sofa, filled with venomous thoughts.

“Miss Lyons!” Blaine’s raised voice captured her attention. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to share with you all morning. I found it on my last dive.” He laid the towel-wrapped object on the table before her then stood back, waiting for her wondrous praise.

Rachel sat up and shoved aside her resentment. Glimpsing Blaine’s hopeful expression, she peeled the soiled cloth away and exposed his discovery. She stared at the item then back at him, completely dumbfounded.