Kira Sinclair - Under the Surface

The color perfectly matched the honey-toned, tousled hair on his head, which looked as if he, the wind or some red-lipped siren had just been ruffling through it.

Loralei’s mouth went dry. Bringing the glass she still held to her lips, she gulped down a huge swallow of the slushy goodness to try to relieve the pressure. It didn’t quite work.

Especially when she realized the bronzed god was heading straight for her and not to one of the nearby tables.

She barely had time for a full breath before he was pushing the guy she’d completely forgotten out of the way.

“Excuse me,” he said, drawing close to her.

Leaning down, he brushed his mouth against hers, warm and soft. All Loralei could do was sit there and stare up at him.

“Sorry I’m late, baby,” he murmured, the low timber of his voice making every muscle in her body melt. She was pretty sure he’d also liquefied the frozen drink in her glass.

Somehow she managed to murmur something that obviously passed as appropriate because he smiled down at her, his unbelievably blue eyes twinkling with mirth and mischief.

Loralei’s mouth dropped open—she wasn’t sure if the gesture was an invitation for him to kiss her again or because she knew she should say something like, Who the hell are you?

Before she could decide, his solid body was pressing against her, urging her to slide over into the corner of the booth.

And she did, which left her a little miffed and seriously bewildered.

The guy still standing at the end of the table sputtered. “I thought you weren’t looking for company.”

“She isn’t. She already has me.”

The guy frowned. Anger flared deep in his eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here with someone?”

Because she wasn’t. Although, she was coherent enough to realize it wouldn’t be smart to say that out loud right now. So, she simply offered a shrug and an apologetic half smile.

With a labored huff, the guy finally walked away, apparently realizing arguing with her wasn’t going to get him anywhere. Especially with the wall of masculinity sitting between them. The guy would have been mental to take on the man currently pressed against her body from shoulder to hip.

The heat of him seeped into her flesh. Maybe she should have changed clothes, put on longer shorts. The hem had ridden up her thigh at some point and she could feel the rub of his skin against hers, smooth to hair-roughened.

She found her voice enough to ask, “Who are you?” She kept the words pitched low so only he could hear them.

Draping an arm across the back of the booth, he squeezed in closer. A few seconds ago she would have thought that physically impossible. She was obviously wrong.

“Jack,” he said, dipping his head and brushing the single word across the sensitive shell of her ear.

“Nice to meet you,” she answered without thought or intent.

Pulling back, he smiled down at her. A shiver snaked through her stomach. Somehow he managed to fill his expression with kindness, sensuality and predatory promise. Apparently a deadly combination to her libido.

Loralei shifted in her seat. “What are you doing here?”

He shrugged, his entire ribcage lifting and sliding against her. “Rescuing you. I would have thought that was obvious.”

“Well, yes, but why?”

His smile changed, going a little dangerous around the edges. “Because I wanted to.”

Oh, this guy was trouble. Clearly. The kind of man who got whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it.

Too bad. Tonight he was going to be disappointed, because he couldn’t have her.

2

JACKSON WATCHED LORALEI LANCASTER’S eyes narrow. Part of him wanted to laugh. The rest wanted to pull her harder against his body.

From a distance she was beautiful. Up close...she was gorgeous. Even in the low bar light, her skin was luminous. Like sunlight filtering through the bright blue surface of the water in the last few moments of a great dive.

He had the same sensation sitting next to her that he’d felt when he’d finally narrowed down the Chimera ’s location: reverence, triumph, pleasure.

He wasn’t supposed to feel anything but anger and a desire for retribution around her.

Reminding himself of his reason for coming in the bar after her tonight, Jackson tried to fight temptation. It didn’t help much since he could still feel her smooth, warm skin pressed against his thigh.

“I’ll tell you the same thing I told him,” she began, tilting her head toward the guy who’d already moved on to his next target across the bar. “I’m not interested.”

“Hmm,” he purred low in his throat. Some imp inside urged him to prove the lie in her words. He’d felt her response to the kiss he’d given her. And if he was honest, he wanted to feel it again.

Dipping his head, he breathed deep, pulling the sweet vanilla scent of her into his lungs. And then he brushed his mouth across hers.

She gasped, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, her entire body swayed toward him.

He couldn’t ignore the unexpected invitation. Even if he’d only meant to prove a point. Licking across her parted lips, he dipped inside. She tasted even sweeter than she smelled.

Moving his palm to the back of her neck, he cupped her head and brought her closer. A strangled sound vibrated from her throat.

Slowly, Jackson pulled away, relishing the glazed expression in her striking eyes.

“You sure about that?” he breathed into her ear.

She stared up at him, the far-away glimmer disappearing only to be replaced with a sharp glint that had the blood in his veins whooshing faster. Her mouth pulled into the hard curve of a frown. And Jackson braced for the backlash he knew was coming, even with his fingers still tangled in the soft strands of her hair.

Loralei reached for the glass sitting on the table in front of her. It didn’t take a genius to see where this was headed, but he did nothing to actually stop her. Would she go through with it?

Tipping the glass, she let the cold, half-melted contents slide out over his head.

Apparently, she would.

Her pale green eyes flashed with fire. Air gushed in and out of her lungs, forcing her breasts tight against the thin barrier of her shirt.

God, could she get any more beautiful?

Or treacherous?

That’s what he had to remember, though his body was begging him to give her another outlet for all that pent-up passion. He couldn’t trust her. Or anyone attached to Lancaster.

Jackson didn’t move, not even to wipe away the sunset-colored concoction sliding over his ears, into his collar and down the back of his neck.

He grinned at her, a cocky half smile that only made her growl long and low.

“Let me go.”

“Not until we discuss why you’re on this island, Loralei.”

She stilled, her entire body going taut with attention. “I didn’t tell you my name.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“So how do you know it?”

“I know a lot of things, including what you’re here to search for. Let me promise that you won’t find the Chimera . You can’t. Your dad didn’t manage to steal enough information to actually find the wreckage. You’re going to waste time and money, and my team will get there first.”

She blinked up at him, but it wasn’t a deer-in-the-headlights expression. Nope, she was thinking. The wheels in her brain moving at lightning speed. It was intoxicating to watch.

He’d always been drawn to intelligent women. He wanted more than a beautiful face and rocking body. He needed someone who could challenge him. Thrill him.

Which was why he stuck to inviting the uncomplicated ones to his bed. No fear of getting attached with them. Until recently, his life hadn’t been conducive to long-term anything. Hell, he’d barely been willing to sign more than a one-month lease. He never knew how long he’d be in any one place, especially when assignments could last months at a time.