The Hunted (The Chronicles of the Hunter Book 1) (5 page)

CHAPTER SEVEN

An assassin’s bullet wasn’t going to be the death of her. Embarrassment had first shot. Mortification. LeeAnn tried to keep from looking and acting like they were in a lover’s embrace. She did her absolute damnedest. But her body wasn’t listening. She had her legs hooked about his waist. His groin pressed to hers. They weren’t wearing enough to counteract the sensations as he walked.

And worse.

Or better.

Kane was very well-endowed.

The bright Florida sunshine made her squint. It was exceptionally invasive when coming from a darkened windowless room. Rays caressed and bounced off the span of ocean visible over his shoulder. She kept her gaze glued to that vista. Tried ignoring things. Mentally shifted her focus. Concentrated. Hard.

Harder
.

Why...if she was home right now she’d be at the office. Waiting for the coffee to finish brewing another pot. Or, she’d be inputting all kinds of receipts into spreadsheets for clients. She might be scanning the physical receipts Mister Peterson had sent via courier. And that, only
after
he made a photocopy for his records. Martin Peterson wasn’t just set in his ways. He was a dinosaur. He refused to scan anything into a program that would send digitally to her. So, she did it for him, without telling him. She didn’t even charge him extra...

Cool water lapped at her thighs, taking her back to the present. The chill should have altered things. Stopped this predicament. Helped alleviate things. And...
damn everything
! Her first thought wasn’t of an assassin and the threat of death looming over her.

Oh, no.

That would be too sane.

Sensations engulfed her, every one of them linked to the man carrying her. This embrace. How amazing it felt. Thoughts of numbers and coffee and querulous old clients were outgunned. Instantly obliterated. And there wasn’t anything she could do to stop it.  

Kane wielded massive doses of stimulation. They fired at her with each step he took. She’d never been up against anything like this. It trumped everything she tried. She already had her thigh muscles so taut, the muscles were starting to burn. And that almost didn’t work. Every impulse was to move against his hard-on. Rub where she needed it most.

And here she’d thought him cold. Curt.

Completely uninterested.

Water closed over her head. Her initial gasp brought a blast of oxygen. Kane’s arm tightened and he moved his head as if to check on her. LeeAnn forced her mind to work again. She wasn’t going to be a problem. She refused. She detested people who needed help all the time. What had the instructions been again? Exhale completely before inhaling?

He went deeper. Sunlight glinted on all kinds of things as it diffused. Her ears popped. The water was incredibly blue. Clear. She caught a flash as yards in the distance something moved. Like a fish.

Oh. Sweet.

She was underwater!

She felt faint for a moment. He must have known, for he’d stopped. Bubbles obscured her vision and her hearing. They didn’t come from her. LeeAnn watched them dissipate before she exhaled, listening to the sound of bubbles gurgling. She made certain to empty her lungs before taking another breath. That sound was a hiss. She watched and listened to his bubbles again as he exhaled. Then she heard all kinds of other sounds. Pings. Clicks. Long, drawn-out notes that were almost musical. All kinds of humming sounds that might be from motorized craft. Or pumps. And the occasional splashing of waves.

What was this?

She’d thought the only audible things might be her breathing. Maybe her heartbeat. That was wrong. The ocean was alive with sounds. Sights. Another flash of something occurred in the distance. LeeAnn watched it, wondered at its origin, and didn’t even concentrate on exhaling completely. Her next breath was almost natural. She was very proud of herself.     

Kane must have sensed it because he started moving again. He stretched out. Released his arm from about her, and then – heaven help her – he started swimming!

Oh.

My.

LeeAnn’s eyes widened. Each arm lunge shoved his chest into hers, while his kicking motion did all kinds of destruction everywhere else. His groin grazed against hers repeatedly. Rubbed. All kinds of things happened. No amount of mental concentration worked. His kicks grew stronger. So did his arm motions. LeeAnn eased her ankles apart. Maybe she’d be better off dangling from him, rather than hooked in place, barely suppressing an orgasm.

She let go of him with her legs, and immediately felt the pull on her fingers as water tried to suck them apart. He grabbed her again, handling swimming motions with just one arm. That was her fault. She was already a burden. She needn’t handicap him, too. LeeAnn slid her arms into his vest, bringing her a lot closer to his chest, where her nipples got all kinds of stimulation.

Worse and worse.

Or better.

Depended on her viewpoint, but her move must have been the correct one, for he let go of her. Checked his watch, turned slightly to the left, and then started swimming again. Her ears popped again. She looked up, through the water. They must not be deep. Not that she had any clue, but she could easily spot the sun. Looked like it was noon. The sun was directly overhead. She chanced a glance to Kane. He had his cheeks sucked in, but nothing else looked different.

This position was actually manageable. It didn’t require much effort on her part, other than ignoring how her nipples itched and irritated. But that was legions better than the full-on male-to-female contact she’d initiated originally.  

Besides...

Kane might not be human.

The thought was fantastical. Unbelievable. Insane. But maybe – just maybe – Kane was something like he’d said. He really could be a guardian angel. And they actually came as gorgeous guys. Big. Muscled. Beyond masculine, if there was such a category. All kinds of capable. Why...if Kane hadn’t been at her side, she’d have died hours ago. Her life would have been snuffed out.
Finis
. Nothing ahead but a dirt nap.

But...if he was her guardian angel...?

Oh. No. She wasn’t really thinking that.
No, LeeAnn.
Impossible.

LeeAnn had no grasp of time, but it felt like they’d been swimming hours, the sun had definitely moved from its zenith, and Kane never seemed to tire. He never even slowed except to check his wristwatch. Kane couldn’t possibly be an angelic entity. The man was a machine.

Oh. Wait.

Maybe he was human. He was slowing down. She tipped her head back and looked at why. A span of darkness loomed before them. Any sandy bottom had disappeared. The bottom looked like a big dark abyss. It didn’t look like they’d gone much deeper. Her ears hadn’t popped but once more, but they were definitely offshore. In really deep water. In the midst of all that darkness was a flashing light. Kane headed for it. As they neared, she got a better view. It was a thick line, dangling down from what looked like the bottom of a large ship. Right above them. Kane had found a ship in the middle of the ocean?

How was that even possible?

Kane grabbed the rope, did something that stopped the flashes and then started climbing. His legs bumped into hers more than once. LeeAnn went with nature and wrapped her legs about him again, only this time it was even more intimate. She didn’t pull her forearms out of his vest. She cinched her legs and held on. She couldn’t help noticing that any hint of an erection was missing. And she mentally chided herself for even checking. She wasn’t just being a burden and a victim here...she had to be a voyeur, too?

Ugh.

She was just adjusting to that bit of embarrassment when he reached a ladder, grabbed the bottom rung and started hauling them up it. His weight. Hers. And their combined SCUBA gear. She didn’t know what all of that weighed, but his display of strength was mind-boggling especially when they came out from the water. All kinds of heat, light, and noise assailed her senses. But above all that was the sensation of being attached to Kane as he moved. Muscles rippled beneath skin. Water ran down him in rivulets that glistened. Locks of shiny black hair framed his shoulders. They reached the top of the ladder. Kane flung a leg out and straddled a ledge. It was wooden. Sun-heated. Her butt got a full dose of both as she settled atop it as well. She should let him go. Move back. She knew she should. He plucked his regulator from his mouth with one hand, while the other messed about at his waist. His knuckles touched her inner thigh more than once. More erotic sensations hit her. And with those came the embarrassment again.

He had to be human.

He sure felt it.

He pushed a cheek out with his tongue as he looked down at his hand, unfolded what he’d been after, and then turned away. She watched silently as he pulled the facemask off and put sunglasses on. He’d been after those?

Well.

Maybe he was feeling some of this, too.

Kane turned and caught her looking. Her heart swooped to the pit of her belly. It started pounding from there, sending all kinds of tingling to just about everywhere. He lifted his eyebrows above the lens frame.

“You can take the regulator off now,” he said.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Kane watched LeeAnn remove her mouthpiece. She was quaking. Visibly. He frowned. Reached for the clasp at his chest.

“We have to get out of the open,” he informed her.

“O-o-okay.”

She was definitely shaking. Despite the sun pumping heat onto the deck. He ripped the fastener open, loosening the crotch straps. The instant release of pressure from between his legs was a welcome change. She didn’t move.

“We’ll need to get out of our gear first.”

She nodded.

Kane unzipped his BCD vest, and would have shrugged everything off except her forearms were still latched in place at his upper abdomen.

“LeeAnn. You’re going to have to release me.”

“Oh.”

She flashed a glance up at him. Sunlight touched the light blue of her eyes for the barest instant. That was enough. The testosterone overload he’d experienced earlier came back with a surge. Intent. Powerful. And visual. It brought something else with it this time. Something that lanced his throat. Speared his chest. Grabbed his heart. Made everything in his chest tight. Pressurized. It was almost painful. His ears even hummed. This was massive. Incredibly special. He’d never felt anything like it.

Ever.

This couldn’t possibly be...?

Oh. No way, Kane. Fall back, man. Regroup.

This couldn’t be...love? There was no such thing. Love was a fictitious emotion. A wayward fantasy dreamed up by poets. A bit of fluff that marketers used to get advertising dollars. It was an ephemeral spark to passionate encounters.

Nothing more.  

If this was love, it wasn’t anything like he’d envisioned. Or heard described. He actually felt like he’d been fused to the spot, instantly alert and aware and afire. Fine-tuned to her every nuance. It was too unbelievable.

And wrong.

Love was
not
on the agenda.

Kane watched with wide eyes as she looked away from him, squinting out at the waves. Two spots of color appeared on the tops of her cheeks. She pulled her cheeks in next, which put her lips in a kissable-looking pout. She was pretty damned adorable. He shook his head slightly. He needed to put his gears in neutral. Clear his head. Regain equilibrium.

Nothing worked. If anything, she just looked more endearing. He nearly grinned.
Oh, man.
This was insane. The timing was horrible.

“Um. Sorry.”

The mumbled word accompanied her movements. She pulled her arms out first before releasing her legs from about his hips. She probably would have scooted back if she’d had any way to get her feet between them.

“LeeAnn?”

His voice was a croak. He was surprised it worked. He pushed back from her enough he could shrug his tanks and vest off. He slung the bundle down to the deck, making a thud as it settled. Then he reached out to snag her zipper-pull. It slid open down her belly, revealing an itsy-bitsy bikini top and perfect cleavage that looked a little pink, like it might have had a touch too much sun. The vest opened with an erotic gesture. His dick immediately got involved. Kane lifted one leg, shielding his lack of control. And then she glanced up toward him again.

Oh. Man
.

Eye contact sent another electrocution-level surge through him. Kane sucked in a big gulp of air, held it for long moments as his heart pounded in heavy beats. His cheeks puffed out as he released the air slowly. He probably glowed. Well. That made it official.

He was hooked.

Caught.

And reeled in.

“Kane?”

“Pull your arms out, babe.”

The endearment slid off his tongue automatically. It was instinctive. Perfect. He no longer chided himself. She was his babe. And so much more. And he really needed to get her out of here.

“LeeAnn. Focus, hon. We gotta move. It would normally be safer for you out here. In the sunlight.”

“Normally?”

She pulled her arms out. He slung her gear over his shoulder and dropped it beside his. And then he swiveled. Sideways. Her legs fell away. That felt odd. Almost bereft. Kane yanked a flipper off. Then, the other.

“I don’t know what kind of resources we’re dealing with.”

“What?”

He slanted a look toward her. “Hunters do several things if their prey escapes. They hunt it down. Widen the circle. Get it?”

She shook her head.

“We didn’t leave any tracks. So...we’re either hiding in the house somewhere...or we went underwater. Option two means we’ll surface somewhere. Within a certain radius. We already know he has access to drone technology. He might have satellite capability, too. Come on.”  He stood, shielded his crotch as if adjusting his jammers with one hand, while holding the other out to her.  

“Where are we going?”

“Showers. Inside. Salt water dries the skin. It also itches. Come on. Give me your hand, babe.”

She gave him her hand. He pulled her to her feet and she instantly hopped atop his discarded flippers.
Oh. Man.
He was lousy at this. He wore wet-shoes. The deck radiated heat. Sun-hot. Burning level. That meant he had to carry her. Again. And why on earth was that bothersome?

She must have sensed his reticence. And misdiagnosed it.

“I...can run. I think. Which way?”

He had her in his arms before she finished. The stupidity of it amazed him. He should have slung her over his shoulder. Like before. Because this move placed her way too close. Right against his abs. Chest. Shoulders. Everything was getting blasted with a series of charges. Carrying heat. Electricity. All kinds of energy. Power.  

Kane gritted his teeth. Tightened every muscle. The move lifted her as his arms responded. And then she tucked her nose into the juncture between his shoulder and neck.

Oh. Hell
.

Kane moved, charging with swift steps along the bulkhead. Ducked beneath an overhead. Found a hatch. He jostled LeeAnn’s knees, using his left hand to lift the handle. Then he spun, bent forward slightly, and hit the hatch with his backside. The door flew open, smacking against an inner bulkhead with a thud that reverberated.

He needed to ease off the throttle here. Get a grip on his emotions rather than just her body.

Oh, man. Bad time to bring that up.  

Kane stepped in, turned, and closed the watertight hatch by dogging it down. Everything was secure again. Except his emotions. LeeAnn didn’t seem to be breathing. He made up for it. Kane took another deep breath. Held it for a long moment. And then he started moving again.

They’d entered a large cabin, lined with all kinds of aquatic equipment. Life vests. SCUBA tanks. Buoyancy control devices. Flippers. All of it a reminder. He needed to get their gear off the deck. Out of sight.

“Um. Kane?”

The whisper of her breath was an instant dart heading right for his heart. It affected his balance. Kane stumbled. Caught it before he banged into something. He almost cursed. And finally managed to answer. It was a guttural sound.

“Yeah?”

“I’m not—? I mean, we’re not—?”

He entered a passageway. It got lighter. The air grew moist. Warmer. Almost muggy. Dual doors of etched frosted glass came into view. They led to the showers. The doors opened automatically.
Good thing
. He didn’t know if he could adjust her weight again to open a door. Not without doing something stupid.

Like kissing her.

A wall of cool air surrounded them. Nothing noticeable. The lights came on next. Motion activated. They were set to a dim level. Cast a muted yellow glow about the area. Everything in this environment was serene. Peaceful. Tranquil. When he needed something intense. Something viciously cold and massively bright. So it could temper some of the nuclear-level fission. Cool things down. He only wished he could set the shower temperature to full-out, icy cold.

But, not here. All he’d get was a pleasantly warm spray of water. Nothing below 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Just like always.

“I mean...um.”

Her voice dribbled off. She pushed her forehead farther into his shoulder, and shook her head, adding to her assault.
It figured
. Maybe she didn’t suspect the trouble he had dealing with the touch of breath that accompanied her every word, and that’s why she closed in. Not much else made sense.

“You gonna finish that, or leave me guessing?”

He asked it as he smacked the door switch, cancelling power to the portal. It was better than a lock. It would cause delay and give advance warning. They neared the communal showers. Four bays. Separated by frosted glass. Equipped with white painted, wooden stools. They matched the color of pristine cotton towels folded and ready in stacks at the stall edges, as if framing the spaces. Each shower stall held dispensers of potions. Soaps for cleaning. Gels for conditioning. Lotions for lubricating...

Oh. No.

He did
not
just think that! He didn’t need images like that in his head! Wasn’t the physical reality of holding her enough?

“Am I...showering with you?”

Kane stopped with such a quick motion they rocked forward before he could prevent it. His wet-shoes stuck in place on the tiles, keeping him upright. But nothing stopped the swell of sensation that overtook him. A solid wave of it hit his chest. Belly. And then his groin. He looked down at her head. Back at the shower stalls. And wondered when – exactly – he’d lost control of the situation so completely. He wasn’t just dealing with massive lust. Want. Need. And gut-clenching desire.

He was orchestrating it.

In hindsight, he realized he should have set her down already. Ceased physical contact. The moment they’d reached shade. The soles of her feet would’ve been safe.

So would he.

“Yes. And no,” he finally answered.

She lifted her head. She might have glanced toward him. He didn’t check. He was in a realm of suspended motion, while pretending to regard the row of stalls facing them. She craned her neck, turning away to look over exactly what he was. And that just put her perfect bosom on display! Despite the idiocy of it, Kane glanced down. One breast was getting smashed and lifted by contact with him. The other was barely held in check by her little bikini bra. As he watched, the pink tone of her skin went darker. She turned back to him, but didn’t look up. She was focused on the approximate area of his upper chest.

“Oh. Geez. I am so sorry,” she whispered.

“You have to do something for me, LeeAnn. Okay?”

“I don’t know what got into me.”

“Don’t move. Okay? Don’t even twitch.”

“Kane. Um—.”

“I’m about to do something really stupid. Ill-advised. And dangerous.”

She lifted her gaze to his. Making eye contact with her was a huge mistake. Even through his dark lenses. The connection sent a swell of sound through his ears while a bolt of electricity shot through him, singeing skin the entire way.  

‘What?’

Her mouth made the gesture. She may have said it. He didn’t hear anything except a long, drawn-out, perfectly pitched note. He couldn’t think. He just stood there, vibrating with the effort of keeping everything checked. Held in place. Locked.

Her eyebrow lifted as she waited. And Kane replied with something his mind hadn’t cleared.

“I am going to kiss you.”

She gasped. Her lips curved slightly in a smile. Despite the hold he exerted everywhere, he almost returned it.

“You are?” she asked.

He licked his lips. “Yeah.”

Oh. Shit.

She moved.