Beverly Barton - Grace Under Fire

She released his hand and backed away from him. When he reached for her, she grinned, then pulled her sleeveless tank top over her head. He watched her intently as she undid the hooks of her bra, slipped the straps down her shoulders and tossed the red silk onto the dirty floor. During her little striptease, she kicked off her expensive leather sandals, yanked off her designer slacks and twirled around in her bikini panties.

She had stripped for Booth on numerous occasions, but not by choice, not because she'd wanted to, but because he'd made her. And whenever he touched her, she cringed because she knew the things he would do to her.

Lifting first one leg and then the other, she took off her panties, added them to the pile of clothes on the gray wood plank floor and stood before him in all her naked glory. He held out his hand to her; she went to him. He kissed her again… and again… and again. She tore at his shirt, but he grabbed her hands to still her frenzied attack. He pushed her at arm's length, then undid the buttons on his shirt, removed it and tossed it atop her discarded clothing. He jerked her to him. She rubbed her breasts against his smooth, muscular chest. A deep rumble erupted from his throat. He lowered his head and took one tight nipple into his mouth. He sucked, nibbled, licked. She reached for his belt, undid it, and then unzipped his pants. Within minutes, he was as naked as she. Their hands went wild, touching each other all over. Their mouths mated, then their tongues explored. They couldn't get close enough. If she could have, Charmaine would have crawled into Ronnie's skin and shared it with him.

When she didn't think she could bear not having him inside her, he lifted her up, hoisting her by the hips, then settled her over and down onto his sex. He filled her completely, spreading her wide. Her legs circled his hips as he pumped her up and down, gliding his sex in and out, putting friction on all the right places. While they mated in a frenzy, he maneuvered her around until her butt was shoved against the outer wall. When she felt her climax approaching, she claimed it fully, and cried out as the incredible sensations flooded through her. Within seconds Ronnie came. Shuddering. Moaning. Jackhammering into her.

"I love you… love you… love you…" She buried her face against his shoulder and knew that if she died this very second, she would die gloriously happy.

Jaron Vaden's hands perspired so much that he had to stop the car to wipe his hands dry with his handkerchief. While pulled off on the side of the road, he rehearsed his upcoming telephone speech, the details of the exchange-the documents he would take from Booth's safe tomorrow and swap for the five million dollars. Everything depended on Grace Beaumont. Jaron rubbed the smooth leather seat on each side of his hips in an effort to calm his trembling hands. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he'd been so afraid. If one thing went wrong, it could screw up all his plans. He couldn't allow a bad case of nerves to stop him. He had to get Charmaine away from Booth. It was something he should have done years ago.

A highway patrol car came whizzing by, its lights flashing in warning. Jaron's heart stopped for a millisecond. Get hold of yourself. You can't fall apart. Not now when you're so close to accomplishing your goal .

He was half an hour away from the phone booth he'd used before, but he wasn't sure if he should use one in such an isolated, out-of-the-way place. Maybe he should drive all the way into New Iberia and find a phone booth in a heavily populated area; that way, if the call was traced, he could simply disappear into the crowd. After all, he had no way of knowing if he could trust Grace Beaumont. She could have already called in the police.

When Elsa announced the arrival of the Dundee agents, Jed rose from his seat across the conference table from Grace, where they were sharing a takeout lunch. He'd almost finished eating a super-size meal and cola. Grace was still picking at a Caesar salad. Hudson, who had been included in their lunchtime plans and had finished his BLT, rose from his chair and took a speculative stance directly behind Grace.

Right when Grace had suggested to Jed that they eat in today, her cousin Joy stopped by, as had Willis Sullivan, both eager to meet Jed; so Grace had asked Elsa to order for them, too. Joy had declined, stating she was dieting and wanted only a glass of iced tea, but Willis had requested a steak sandwich. After half an hour with the threesome, Jed decided he liked Joy, despite the fact she talked incessantly about nothing and didn't seem to have a serious thought in her pretty head. And perhaps because she seemed to dislike Hudson Prentice even more than Jed did. He knew he had nothing more than gut instincts on which to base his unfriendly attitude toward Prentice. And maybe it was nothing more than the fact he'd picked up instantly on the guy's romantic interest in Grace. Not that Grace's love life was any of Jed's business, but he'd sure hate to see her settle for a guy like Hudson Prentice.

Then there was Uncle Willis. Jed's personal verdict on him was still out-to be determined on better acquaintance. He didn't actually like or dislike the man, although Uncle Willis's superior attitude-similar to, but much more annoying than Grace's-grated on Jed's nerves.

As Domingo and Kate entered the conference room, Jed met them just inside the door. "Did you have a good flight?" Jed asked, making idle chitchat, alerting the agents that the group assembled might not be a hundred percent trustworthy. Jed had no real reason to distrust any of them, including Elsa, who stood on the other side of the open door. Grace had already shared much too much with these people. Yeah, but they're people she trusts, no matter what you think of them , Jed reminded himself.

"Yes, the flight was fine," Kate replied as she glanced past Jed and studied the group congregated around the table.

Jed didn't know Kate all that well; they'd never shared an assignment. She was damn good-looking. Blond, brown-eyed, with a nice body and a pair of great boobs. He'd thought about asking her out, but had never gotten around to it. When she'd first come to work at Dundee 's, he'd been seeing someone on a fairly regular basis and since his breakup with his last lady friend, he'd been playing the field. Something told him that Kate Malone was the serious type, who definitely didn't put out on a first date.

"Have y'all checked into the hotel yet?" Jed asked.

"We went by there first and left our luggage," Dom said. "Are you tied up here-" Dom glanced around the room "-or are you free for a few minutes?"

"Grace… everybody…" Jed plastered his best good-old-boy smile on his face. "This is Domingo Shea and Kate Malone, two of Dundee 's finest. They're here to help me with the investigation." No need to mention to anyone that Rafe Devlin and J.J. Blair were already working undercover. Even Grace didn't need to know that particular fact. At least not yet.

Willis eyed Dom seriously, as if studying a specimen under a microscope. And Joy scrutinized him just as thoroughly, but with a romantic twinkle in her eyes. He'd seen women look at Dom that way plenty of times. The guy possessed the kind of Latin lover looks that appealed to most women.

"Grace, if you'll excuse us, we'll head for my office so we can go over a few things," Jed said. "Y'all enjoy the rest of your lunch."

Before he made it outside the door, Grace called to him, "Don't you think I should take part in any discussions you have with your fellow agents?"

Jed halted. "Sure thing." Just as long as you don't invite the masses to join in , he added silently. Grace was too trusting. And despite the exterior sophistication and her business acumen, he suspected that, at heart, she was a still a naive girl.