Special Forces Rendezvous (10 page)

“I don’t date colleagues. Ever. It’s a rule of mine. I’ve seen too many relationships between coworkers blow up in their faces. And I haven’t met anyone overseas who’s sparked my interest.” She shot him a pointed look. “Except for you.”

Damned if that didn’t make his groin stir. Crap. He couldn’t believe she’d brought it up, yet at the same time, he wasn’t surprised. Julia struck him as a woman who always spoke her mind, regardless of any discomfort it might cause.

“Anyway,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, “your turn. Why aren’t you with anyone?”

“Other than the fact that I’m hiding out from my own government? I’m a commitment-phobe,” he said gruffly.

She laughed.

“I’m serious. I don’t do permanent. I don’t
want
permanent.” He offered a rueful smile. “I’m not cut out for relationships, Doc. I bore easily.”

“I see.”

He doubted that—because every word he’d just said was a big fat lie. But he’d perfected that line of reasoning over the years, feeding it to the females who attempted to make sense of his love-’em-and-leave-’em ways.

Beside him, Julia suddenly narrowed her eyes, looking far too astute for his liking. “Wait a minute—do you think
I
want permanent? Is that why you scurried away like a skittish kitten last night?”

“Skittish kitten? I don’t recall it going down that way. In fact, I’m fairly positive that I didn’t
scurry.
”

“You may as well have.” A defiant gleam lit her eyes. “I think you lied to me yesterday when you said sex wasn’t on your mind. I think you
totally
want to have sex with me.”

A laugh popped out before he could stop it. “I’m digging the confidence, Doc. Really.”

“Am I wrong?” she challenged.

He supposed he could’ve lied, but Julia was so damn up-front about everything that he felt he owed her the same courtesy.

“No, you’re not wrong,” he admitted.

“But you’re worried I won’t be satisfied with temporary, huh?” She released a self-deprecating breath. “It’s the doctor thing, right? Men always assume that because I’m a doctor, I’m superserious and therefore looking for a serious relationship. But that’s bullcrap, you know. I can do a casual fling. If anything, that’s
all
I can do right now.”

He couldn’t control the anticipation that rose inside him. He studied her pretty face, trying to assess if she was for real. In his experience, women often said they were fully down for casual, while at the same time secretly plotting how to turn casual into
forever.
But Julia’s guileless expression and tone of voice seemed sincere.

“You can be satisfied with temporary, huh?” he said slowly.

“Yes.”

“You sure about that?”

The hot air in the cargo hold grew even muggier, thickening with promise. Sebastian’s gaze lowered to those small, perky breasts of hers, perfectly outlined by her white tank top. Her nipples hardened right before his eyes, flooding his mouth with saliva and making his fingers itch with the urge to play with those pebbled buds.

He brought his eyes back north, watching the flush rising in her cheeks, the way she moistened her bottom lip with her tongue.

“Well?” he asked.

A tiny smile lifted the corners of her generous mouth. “I’m sure.”

“Okay, then.”

Before she could blink, he thrust his hand in her hair and yanked her in for a kiss.

He swallowed her surprised gasp with his lips, loving the way she melted into him, rubbing her breasts against his chest like a contented cat, opening her mouth to grant his tongue access. He’d intended for it to be a quick kiss, a sealing of the deal, a hint of everything he’d do to her when they got near a bed, but Julia clearly had other ideas. She broke the kiss, grabbed the bottom of her tank top and whipped the garment over her head, leaving her in that flimsy white bra that didn’t hide a damn thing.

Sebastian’s mouth went dry as a bone, his pulse taking off to another dimension. “What are you doing?” he rasped.

She rolled her eyes, then stood up and unbuttoned her jeans. “What do you think I’m doing?”

It took every ounce of willpower to channel his inner gentleman. “We...can’t do this here.”

“Says who?”

She wiggled out of her jeans and kicked them away.

Holy hell.

She was standing in front of him in nothing but her white bra and teeny pink panties, a picture of pure temptation. His gaze roamed her body—those little round breasts, the tiny tucked-in waist, her long slender legs. Her wavy brown hair cascaded down her back, her cheeks were pink with arousal and her hazel eyes gleamed with challenge.

Never in a million years would he have guessed Julia Davenport capable of stripping to her underwear in the back of a cargo jet.

“You’re just full of surprises,” he murmured.

“And you’re just full of excuses. Come on, Stone, I don’t have all day. Take off your clothes.”

“Aren’t you bossy.”

“I’m a doctor. I’m used to giving orders.”

Any hesitation he’d had floated away in the coffee-scented air of the fuselage. Sebastian wasted no time peeling off his T-shirt, kicking off his boots and shucking his pants. His erection strained against the front of his black boxer briefs, and Julia’s gaze instantly zeroed in on the telltale evidence of his arousal.

She took a step toward him, her blatant appreciation bringing a jolt of pure male satisfaction. “You like my body?” he said gruffly.

“Mmm-hmm.”

Those hazel eyes devoured his bare chest, his abdomen, his crotch, his legs. Everywhere she looked, his skin burned. Desire built in his groin, thick and relentless. With a growl, he tugged her into his arms again and kissed her roughly, loving the way she moaned against his lips.

Excitement pounded in his blood and skated over his flesh. “Wrap your legs around me,” he ordered, then cupped Julia’s surprisingly plump ass and lifted her up.

She hooked her legs around his waist and dug her bare feet into his ass, kissing him with fervor as he carried her over to a nearby pile of burlap sacks. It was as close to a bed as they were going to get, and the scratchy burlap sure as hell beat the dirty, oil-streaked floor.

He laid her down on the makeshift bed, then stood over her for a moment, admiring the view. “Christ, Doc, you’re beautiful.”

She blushed. “I thought I was too skinny.”

“Doesn’t mean you’re not beautiful.” Sweeping his tongue over his bottom lip, he gestured to her chest. “Unhook the bra.”

Her fingers flicked the front clasp and parted the two cups, revealing a pair of small, lily-white breasts tipped by dusky pink nipples.

His mouth watered again. “Now take off the panties.”

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. Gripping the elastic of her pink panties, she dragged the fabric down her legs.

Sebastian focused on the narrow strip of brown curls at the juncture of her thighs. His heartbeat took off again. Wrestling his gaze away from all that female splendor was damn near impossible, but he forced his legs to transport him back to the bench, where he plucked a condom from the zippered medical kit in his duffel.

When he returned to Julia, he was already sheathed and more than ready to lose himself in this woman.

A tad impatient, he lowered his body over hers and captured her mouth again, making her moan with the hungry demands of his tongue. Her short fingernails gouged his bare back, and she began rocking beneath him, murmuring nonsensical words that made him chuckle.

It wasn’t until he positioned himself at her entrance that she seemed to regain her senses. “Be gentle,” she blurted out. “It’s been a while for me.”

He couldn’t fight his curiosity. “What’s a while?”

Julia hesitated before answering. “Two years.”

“Almost a year for me,” he confessed.

“Really?”

He nodded.

Her sweet smile had his heart doing a strange little flip. “So apparently you need this as much as I do,” she murmured.

He pushed a teasing inch into her wet heat, and they both released soft groans.

“I need it bad,” he agreed in a hoarse voice, so unbelievably aroused he feared he might be a little too quick on the trigger.

Knowing release was dangerously close, he focused on Julia’s pleasure rather than his own. He kissed her neck, eliciting a breathy sigh from her lips. Gently cupped her breasts, and listened to her breath hitch. Teased her clit with his thumb, making her eyes go hazy with arousal.

“How do you... You’re...” She trailed off, then moaned when he feathered his thumb over her swollen nub at the same time he drove his cock in deep.

“How do I what?” he prompted, absolutely loving the look of exquisite pleasure on her face.

“Know exactly how to make me feel good,” she choked out.

“I’m just listening to your body, baby.”

He nibbled on her earlobe, doing his best to ignore the throbbing erection that was demanding he quicken his tempo. He refused to let go until Julia toppled over the edge, and luckily, that didn’t take long at all. As he felt her inner muscles clench around him, he picked up the pace, continuing to rub her clit as he thrust into her with long, smooth strokes. The moment Julia cried out in release, he squeezed his eyes shut and gave himself over to his own climax, stunned by the shock waves of pure bliss that rocked his body.

Gasping for air, he collapsed on top of her. Pleasure continued to course through his blood, heating his body and fogging his brain. He could feel Julia’s heartbeat hammering against his chest. Knew she was equally affected and bowled over by the encounter, because her eyes were full of wonder when he peered down at her.

“Wow,” she said, her voice tinged with awe. “That was... Wow.”

Raising himself up on his elbows so he wouldn’t crush her, he brushed his lips over hers before withdrawing from the tight clasp of her body.

“Ugh, I’m totally going to have a rash on my butt,” Julia groaned as she sat up. “That burlap is itchy.”

Remorse washed over him. “I’m sorry. Maybe we shouldn’t have—”

She held up her hand to silence him. “Don’t you dare apologize. I loved every second of what just happened. It was... Wow.”

He laughed. “You know, for a doctor, you sure have an abysmal vocabulary.”

“Do you have a better word to describe what just happened?”

Sebastian searched his brain. “It was...” Resignation fluttered through him. “It was
wow.
”

Grinning, Julia hopped to her feet with surprising agility. It wasn’t until she’d gathered up her discarded undergarments and began getting dressed that her expression sobered.

In a pained voice, she slowly met his eyes and said, “Does it make me a terrible person that for a second there I completely forgot about everything that’s happened?”

He yanked his boxer briefs up to his hips, then approached Julia and gently drew her into his arms. “You’re not a terrible person. You’re allowed to put away the bad for a while and focus on the good.”

“But now the bad is back.”

“Yep,” he said grimly.

She swallowed. “And I have a really strong suspicion that it’s only going to get worse.”

He didn’t offer any reassurances. Like Julia, he was thinking the same thing.

Chapter 9

T
hey didn’t reach Cambridge until two o’clock in the morning. Julia was thoroughly exhausted as she climbed into the queen-size bed of their hotel room, yet while Sebastian passed out the second his head hit the pillow, she couldn’t seem to sleep no matter how hard she tried. It had been an action-packed day and her brain refused to shut off.

Earlier, they’d landed at a small airport near Albany that catered to cargo airlines, then took a cab to a car rental agency to secure a vehicle. She’d rented the car under her new name—Julie Francis—and the clerk at the desk hadn’t batted an eye when Julia handed over her fake driver’s license. Three hours later, she and Sebastian had checked into this hotel, and now here she was, wide awake, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what horrors tomorrow would bring.

The events of the last couple of days continued to run through her mind like reruns of a bad sitcom. The clinic was a pile of ashes. Her friends were dead. Her life was in danger. And in between those gruesome images were snippets of actual joy—making love to Sebastian on the plane, their easy conversation, the surprisingly entertaining drive to Cambridge.

But it was the lovemaking part that hogged most of her thoughts. She still couldn’t believe
she’d
instigated that incredible encounter. Stripping, challenging him to give in to the attraction between them. And what followed had been the most intense, amazing, thrilling sex of her life. She’d given Sebastian complete control over her body, a realization that continued to astound her. She
never
relinquished control, not in her professional life and not in the bedroom, and yet she’d let Sebastian take charge earlier.

And he’d shocked her by knowing exactly how to bring her pleasure without her having to direct him the way she’d done with previous lovers.

Rolling over on her side, she studied Sebastian’s sleeping face. His features were more peaceful than she’d ever seen, his sensual mouth relaxed. She was tempted to run her fingers along the defined line of his jaw, stroke the stubble growing there, trace the outline of his sexy lips, but she didn’t want to wake him. Instead, she closed her eyes, eventually falling into fitful slumber.

When she opened her eyes the next morning, the sun was streaming in through the gauzy white curtains across the room. Sebastian’s side of the bed was empty. Yawning, Julia sat up and glanced at the bathroom door, which was ajar. The shower was running, wisps of steam rolling out from the crack in the door.

Her heart somersaulted as she imagined Sebastian standing naked under the spray, water coursing down his muscular body, sliding over his golden skin and perfectly defined muscles. She was tempted to join him in the shower, but a glance at the alarm clock showed it was almost nine o’clock, and she knew they needed to get going as soon as possible.

A few minutes later, the water shut off and Sebastian appeared in the doorway wearing nothing but a white towel that hung low on his trim hips.

A jolt of heat seared right through her clothes and made her skin tingle.

“Morning,” he said, his gray eyes meeting hers.

“Morning.” She slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom. “Do I have time to take a quick shower, too?”

“Of course.” The corners of his mouth curved. “I would’ve asked you to join me, but you looked so damn peaceful and I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. I was tossing and turning all night.”

“By the way, I drove into town while you were sleeping and picked you up a few things,” he told her. “Toothbrush, hairbrush, clothes. I had to guess at your size, so hopefully it all fits. I left everything in the bathroom.”

Julia was touched. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”

“I figured you were probably getting tired of wearing that same see-through shirt all the time.” Those gray eyes smoldered with desire. “Not that I’m complaining. I
love
that shirt.”

“Of course you do.” Rolling her eyes, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

Because she wasn’t the type of woman who spent an inordinate amount of time on her appearance, she was ready to go in less than thirty minutes. She’d put on one of the outfits Sebastian had bought her, pleased to find that the jeans fit perfectly. She paired them with a V-neck black T-shirt, ankle socks and the new pair of running shoes she discovered at the bottom of the shopping bag. She braided her hair in her usual no-nonsense style and grabbed the sunglasses she’d also found among Sebastian’s purchases. The man had thought of everything.

The sunglasses came in handy once she and Sebastian walked out of the hotel lobby and stepped outside. It was a beautiful, sunny day, much hotter than usual for mid-May in Massachusetts. As they strode to the hotel parking lot toward their rental, she noticed Sebastian examining his surroundings as if he couldn’t quite understand what he was seeing.

“What’s wrong?” she demanded.

He seemed distracted, his silvery eyes focused on the lampposts lining the sidewalk running parallel to the lot. “What? Oh, nothing’s wrong. The return to civilization is jarring, I guess. I couldn’t fully appreciate it last night because I was so damn tired, but now...” He shook his head. “It’s weird being back.”

“Are you from Massachusetts?” she asked, realizing he’d never actually told her where he was from.

“Nah, I was raised in Virginia Beach. Haven’t been back there in years, though. When the unit wasn’t on assignment, I was living in an apartment in Richmond.”

He started the car and drove out of the lot, shooting her a sidelong look. “So this guy’s lab is directly on campus?”

Julia nodded. “It’s right past the natural history museum, on Oxford Street. I’ll tell you where to go once we get closer.”

As they set out toward Harvard’s Cambridge campus, she toyed with the end of her braid, praying that Frank wouldn’t ask too many questions when she showed up at his lab with a potentially deadly water sample. She didn’t have to worry about Frank not being there—using Sebastian’s “secure” smartphone, she’d spoken to a receptionist in the biology department who’d confirmed that Dr. Matheson was on campus and would be all week.

“We need to be careful today.” Sebastian’s voice hardened as he uttered the warning. “How close are you with this guy?”

“Close enough. Why?”

He didn’t look happy about that. “Okay, listen up, Doc. At this point, we have to assume that the general in charge of the Esperanza cleanup has contacted his superiors. They know you escaped, and they probably assume you’re hiding out somewhere in San Marquez. With that said, these people aren’t stupid. They’ll have placed tails on everyone you know in the States, and tapped their phones, just in case you make contact. So, I repeat, how close are you and the professor?”

“We’re good friends. I have lunch with him whenever I come home.” A tremor of fear traveled along her spine. “Do you really think they’ll be watching Frank in hopes that I come to him for help?”

“Good chance. Which is why we need to take certain precautions.” His tone became dry. “And just so I don’t come off like a moron when we meet this man, maybe you can tell me exactly what it is a microbiologist does?”

She cracked a smile, knowing he was trying to take her mind off the scary scenarios he’d just painted. “Well, Frank’s expertise actually lies in virology, which is a subfield of microbiology,” she explained. “Basically, he studies viruses.”

“How viruses work, how they spread—that type of stuff?”

“Pretty much, except it’s more complex than that. He also focuses on the virus’s evolution, the way it interacts with the host organisms, the way it reproduces. And along with that, he tries to develop more efficient ways to isolate a virus and culture it so it can be studied.” She laughed. “Most of it is way over my head, too, so trust me, you won’t be the only one feeling like a moron. And Frank tends to get very lecturey when he’s passionate about something, so be prepared.”

“Lecturey?” Sebastian echoed with a grin. “Do all doctors just arbitrarily make up words like that?”

“Yup. Oh, turn left up there,” she ordered.

He slowed down as they navigated the campus. Thanks to the great weather, students had flocked outdoors, littering the school’s manicured lawns, milling outside the gorgeous ivy-covered buildings. Julia fixed her gaze out the window, watching as people hurried by, carting textbooks or chatting on cell phones as if they had no care in the world. Sebastian was right—it
was
weird being back home. After living in Valero for six months, Julia now felt disoriented as she stared at the beautiful historical buildings and happy young faces and modern conveniences like phones and laptops and tablets.

Sebastian didn’t stop right away—he did three passes around the block before his rigid shoulders finally relaxed. She’d noticed his hawk-eyed gaze doing a thorough sweep, though she had no clue what he was looking for.

“Parking!” she exclaimed when she spotted a black Honda beginning to move away from the curb. “Take the spot. You don’t understand how miraculous this is. You won’t find anything closer and we can walk the rest of the way.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Sebastian pulled into the space without question.

His vigilance only intensified as they got out of the car. When he popped a pair of aviator sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, Julia couldn’t see his eyes anymore, but she had no doubt he was still inspecting every inch of their surroundings. And she knew he could probably whip out his gun in a nanosecond; she’d seen him tuck the black Beretta under the waistband of his snug jeans before they left the hotel. He’d offered her a weapon, too, but she’d declined—she was a decent shot, but guns made her nervous.

Five minutes later, they climbed the steps of the building that housed Frank Matheson’s lab. Julia was hit by a wave of nostalgia as they entered the familiar lobby. She suddenly flashed back to her college days, remembering how eager she was to finish medical school, how excited she’d been for her residency at Boston General. She would’ve worked in the same hospital as her father if that heart attack hadn’t taken him from her. And then, only two years later, Mia was gone, too.

Her heart ached as she pictured her sister’s face. God, she still missed her. She wondered if her mother thought about Mia as often as Julia did. Probably not. Darlene Davenport didn’t do emotions. The woman was carved from a block of ice.

Julia led the way to the stairwell. Frank’s lab was in the basement of the building, and the fluorescent-lit corridor was empty as she and Sebastian headed down it. They reached a pair of double doors, one bearing a bronze nameplate with Frank’s name and field.

She entered the lab without knocking, same way she’d done when she was a student here and Frank Matheson was the biology professor who’d taken her under his wing. They’d become close friends over the years, Frank treating her like the daughter he’d never been able to have. He’d once confessed over drinks that he was sterile thanks to a bad case of the mumps he’d had as a child. His wife had left him as a result and rather than remarry, he’d thrown himself into his work.

“Jules?”
Frank was agape when he spotted her in the doorway.

She smiled sheepishly. “Hey, Frank.”

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Sebastian’s observant gaze doing another sweep, and his shoulders stiffened when Frank Matheson made a beeline for Julia. He took a protective step toward her, ready to come to her rescue if need be.

But Julia wasn’t scared of the man dashing toward her. Frank looked every bit the mad scientist: a head of gray hair sticking up in all directions, wild brown eyes and a beard that seemed to devour his face. Rather than a white coat, he wore brown corduroy pants and a blue button-down with the tails sticking out.

“What are you doing here?” he exclaimed after he’d hugged her so tightly her lungs pleaded for oxygen. “When did you get back from San Marquez?”

“Late last night.”

Frank narrowed his eyes as he glanced at Sebastian. “And you brought a friend.”

She knew her former professor didn’t like having strangers in his lab, so she quickly introduced Sebastian, finishing with, “I’m sorry we just showed up like this, but we really need your help, Frank.”

His bushy gray eyebrows furrowed. “Should I be worried?”

Never one to sugarcoat, Julia let out a sigh. “Yes. Can we sit down?”

With visible concern, he gestured for them to follow him to the other end of the spacious laboratory. Several long tables filled the space, covered with every piece of equipment known to man—microscopes of various sizes, centrifuges, rows and rows of test tubes. Large refrigerated cabinets housed an array of vials containing samples in an assortment of colors, and the stark overhead lighting was nearly blinding.

Frank led them to the only table in the lab that wasn’t overloaded with stacks of paper or equipment. He sat on one of the tall metal stools, while Julia and Sebastian settled across from him.

Without a word, Sebastian placed the water sample from Esperanza in the center of the table. They’d transferred it into a durable plastic vial, and Sebastian had been keeping it on his person since they’d left San Marquez. A second sample had been left behind with Tate, just in case something happened to this one.

Frank cocked a brow at the vial. “What’s this?”

“That’s what we were hoping you’d tell us,” Julia said flatly.

“I’m confused here, Jules. I thought you weren’t coming home for another three months. Why aren’t you at the clinic?”

“First, I need to know, has anyone come around asking about me?” she asked, shooting him a grave look. “Cops, military, government officials?”

“What? No.” Amazement trickled from his voice. “
Should
I be expecting someone?”

“Maybe,” she admitted. “People might be looking for me, Frank. And if anyone comes by, you can’t tell them I was here.”

“All right. Now I’m worried. What’s going on, Jules?”

With a heavy breath, she gave him the short version of the story. He interrupted more than once, and several times his eyes widened or his mouth fell open. She knew how farfetched it all sounded, yet to Frank’s credit, he kept his skepticism to a minimum.