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“Oh, hell yes.” He pulled her up to straddle his thigh, pressing her to the tile. “Lots of ideas.”

Chapter Fifteen

Lana took her time dressing. Sam sat on the couch, watching her with deep interest. She shivered when that red-hot tingle of desire made her want to drag him back to bed. He was devastatingly handsome in his tux, a perfect ad for a men’s fashion magazine.

Stop it, Lana. You’ve just had two days and nights of fantastic sex with him.

She loved her black gown and the tiny black caviar beading that accentuated her breasts and swirled down to her waist to play around her butt. One hot dress for one hot date.

Sam got to his feet and came to her, turning her to the side. “I am good with firearms and zippers. They’re damn well alike.”

His comment put a damper on her jubilant thinking. She pushed his hand away. “I’ll manage, Sam. You might get mixed up and shoot me.”

“Pearly?” He sounded puzzled. “Something I said?”

“No.” She clipped her jet bead earrings on. “Let’s go to work.”

“Come on, baby.” He trailed after her to the door. “What gives?”

“Tie your tie.” She didn’t know what to do. She had experienced a sickening second of jealousy when he implied he’d worked on plenty of zippers. She presumed they were all on dresses.

She slowed down while he locked the door and put the key in his jacket pocket. She got a glimpse of his Glock before he strode toward her. For a brief second, his smile warmed her heart.

“Did I tell you that gown is enough to start a riot?” He dropped his hand when she gripped her purse with both hands. “Headache, huh? I’ll get you a bromo.”

She walked into the elevator and leaned against the wall. “Sam, Close your jacket. Your other gun is showing.”

His laugh was infectious, and her lips twitched with mirth. He pressed her to the wall, cupping her jaw in his warm hand. His lips hovered over hers for a breathless time and slowly met hers in a crushing kiss. Her legs went weak, and she hugged his waist for support.

How could she think clearly with his hands cupping her butt, pulling her hips to his?

“See what you do to me, gorgeous?”

“Are you referring to that enormous bulge in your trousers?”

Her thoughts went on a crazy spin while his lips traveled from her earlobe to her shoulder. His body warmth incited her emotions, driving her into a careless state. The elevator stopped and the door opened.

Over Sam’s shoulder, she could see a dozen people staring at them.

He turned slowly to acknowledge their presence. “We’re having make-up sex.” He straightened his tie and led Lana out. “We’ll take this up later.”

Lana glanced at him, wanting so badly to forget the seed of jealousy he’d planted in her heart. Feeling so possessive of him was not in the playbook. He did not belong to her. They would be lovers for a while. Nothing more.

You’re being a fool, Lana. Expect men to come and go. That’s the kind of life you chose for yourself
.

Straightening her smile and heart, she put her arm around his waist. “I hope you’re hungry and in the mood to dance.”

“Hungry as a bear.” Sam touched the bodice of her dress and smiled. “I want to be seen with the most beautiful woman on board.”

“Oh, stop, you flirt.” She patted his back, drawing on her good humor. “You’ll embarrass me.”

He caught her hand and squeezed gently. “I love flirting with you, Pearly.”

“Sam, we haven’t talked about the mission lately.” She hated mentioning it. The subject was up in the air and probably would end up badly. “I don’t mind. I just wondered if you’d had any news from headquarters.”

“No.” Sam escorted her to the dining room door where a steward met them. “Let’s talk about this over our lobster.”

Just as Lana expected, Sam drew a bounty of long, admiring glances from women in the dining room. She lifted her chin and smiled with a smug satisfaction. He belonged to her, for a while.

She looked around, admiring the floral arrangements that seemed to tumble over the edges of crystal vases. The pink and crème décor added to the romantic atmosphere, made even better by the crystal glassware and snow white linen on their table. She noted the entrance doors were only a few feet from their table.

The room held several hundred diners, all of them dressed to the nines and wearing genuine gemstones that would make a jewel thief’s mouth water. Her simple pearl necklace and earrings probably looked out of place.

Sam didn’t seem to notice, his warm gaze telling her he liked what he saw.

Her moment of happiness went out like a candle quickly enough. Antigua rose, leaving his banquet-sized table and sauntering toward them.

“Sam, don’t you dare. I’d like to enjoy one meal without looking over my shoulder.” Lana gazed at Sam with silent warning in her eyes. “I’m serious.”

“I’ll get rid of him, baby.” Sam ignored the intimidating man and helped her into her chair. He looked up as if shocked out of his skin as Antigua slapped him on the back.

Antigua didn’t wait to be invited. He sat down in the chair next to Lana. “Pending motherhood always gives a woman a certain glow.” He handed her a single red rose. “You look especially beautiful tonight.”

“She’s trying to regain her health.” Sam remained standing. “Your party will miss you, Antique.”

Unconcerned with Sam’s subtle insult, Antigua gestured toward him. “I think I have been wrong about you, Sam.”

“Lots of people have.” Sam sounded bored. He stood between Lana and Antigua. “We’ll be on deck tomorrow.”

Antigua sighed and got up. “I’ll look forward to it.” He touched his forehead in a sloppy salute. “Enjoy your dinner.”

Lana took in the man’s cocky style of walking and crushed the rose in her hand. Something new had been added to the pot. Antigua didn’t believe for a minute she was pregnant. If she were lucky, he’d think it had been a ruse to keep him at his distance. Instead of feeling rebuffed, he probably was hatching a plan to find her without Sam.

At last, Sam sat down beside her, and she leaned into his shoulder. “What is that hyena up to?”

“Take a look around, gorgeous. See anything new?” He smoothed her hair from her ear. “Three new faces.”

“Yes, darling.” She sipped her water and then smiled. “He’s added three rabid killers.”

“They aren’t from his regular pack.” Sam dabbed his napkin to her lips. “I’d guess they were sent ahead to make sure Antigua had the money. My question is when did they board ship?”

The steward approached their table, and Lana picked up her menu. She chose a fruit salad and grilled steak wrap. “I’ll have that mimosa now, please.”

Sam arched his brow before he ordered, cutting down his meal with only a chef salad and steak. “Yeah, make mine scotch.”

Lana swept the rose petals off the table and brushed her hands together. She’d met sickening characters before. Antigua ranked high on the list. A trickle of worry moved up her spine. Cobra woman had joined the noisy, demanding group, sitting behind Antigua like a watchdog.

When she handed Antigua a bottle that looked like prescription medicine, Lana wondered what ailed the pompous jackass. She smiled, guessing it to be a male enhancement drug.

Lana observed the new arrivals’ interactions with Antigua. No handshakes or hugs of affection. They could mean trouble in spades.

“Sam, dear. I see a problem.”

“Damn it.” He waited until their food had been set in front of them to take up his conversation. “Antigua is in more trouble than he knows about.”

“And so are we.”

“Not necessarily.” Sam sipped his drink and gazed across the room at the two strangers leaning against the bar. “While they all try to watch their backs against each other, we’ll bag Antigua.”

She shook her head. “It won’t be that easy.” His slight scowl set her teeth on edge. “Okay, you tell me how we get back in there.”

“In a minute, baby.” He looked up when the orchestra began playing. “Come dance with me and I’ll fill you in.”

They chose the center of the floor, and Sam pulled her into his strong arms, pressing his cheek to hers. She inhaled his sensual scent, the dirty affairs of the world going on around them blocked out. While the orchestra played an old romantic song and Sam nuzzled her throat, she could pretend for a while. When they reached the side doors, he put his arm around her and moved her outside. He led her to the shadowed end of the rail and tilted his head, his smile completely seductive.

“Sam, do you have bad boy things on your mind?” She leaned against him, whispering in his ear. “I hope so.”

“You’re so intuitive, Pearly.” His kiss to the corner of her mouth would hardly satisfy her longing.

She worried needlessly, gasping with pleasure when his fingers touched the underside of her breast. She relaxed her thighs to allow his free hand to move up under her skirt. It came to rest on her hip.

“Why did you stop?”

“What do you want?”

The top of her gown opened, and her breasts spilled free. She shivered, her words spilling out in a husky whisper. “Everything.”

She moaned softly, and the warm tug of his teeth on her nipples sent desire coursing through her body in a blaze of lightning. Her hips reacted to his strong hand stroking her, moisture giving him quick access to her sensitive folds.

He drew her up on his thigh and kissed her, taking her to dangerous, reckless heights. She wanted him back but realized how ridiculous that would be, especially when his mouth took in her tight nipples to suck quickly on the aching points.

He lifted his mouth from her puckered nipples to kiss her deeply, his tongue probing her lips and mouth with long, slow exploration.

He paused, breathing hard. “Hell with dinner.”

“Yes, indeed, Mister Horn.”

He gripped her hand tightly and walked quickly toward the elevator.

She laughed and pulled back. “One little stop before anything happens.”

He tried to pull her along with him, but she pointed to the drugstore. He stopped short. “Got a headache, gorgeous?”

“You may have one if I don’t stop in here for supplies.” She looked in her handbag and pulled out her Visa. “I won’t be long.”

“I’m counting on you, Pearly.” He stood outside and looked in the window, pointing in the direction of the protection items.

Lana didn’t mind his teasing. She found the type he’d bought and carried them to the counter. He stood in the doorway while she paid for them and then hurried out to join him.

“In a hurry, Sam?” She loved the hard kisses he rained on her face.

“What do you think?”

* * * *

Sam knew he’d fallen head over heels for Lana. Just looking at her flushed with fun and excitement as they ran to the elevator gave his heart a shot of dizzy pleasure. No other woman could look so sexy while holding a bag of condoms in her hand, laughing as if she’d just played a trick on the world.

With the elevator door closed behind them, he pulled her into his arms, gazing into her eyes. “You’re beautiful, Pearly.”

He didn’t miss the tiny flicker of doubt in their violet depths. “I’m just one more zipper, Sam.”

“About that.” He had to make his feelings clear without scaring her off. “I never want to touch another zipper unless it’s yours. Not ever.”

“That sounds pretty serious, Horn.” There was question in her eyes, her bottom lip trembling a little.

“Completely serious, beautiful Pearly.”

She held the paper bag up and grinned. “You just want what I’ve got in my picnic basket.”

“It’s not your picnic basket I’m thinking about.”

The piped in elevator music, something operatic and sad, didn’t fit the scene or the mood. She lifted the bag several times, seeming at a loss for words. “What do you think about, Sam?”

“You.” The elevator came to a smooth stop, but he couldn’t wait to spill his feelings. “I think about you and how great it would be if we’d met at a family dinner party, and you’d be there as a guest of my sister.”

Lana smiled, wreathing her arms around his neck. “Would you like me, or leave early for some real action?”

“What a question.” No, it wasn’t time to tell her how much he wanted to be with her for all time. She didn’t trust him enough for that commitment yet. “I’d have made sure you had a ride home and a steady date for all the dinners for the next twenty years. Would you have said yes?”

“Probably.” She murmured softly, placing her hand over his to stop his attempt to unzip her gown again. “Let’s finish this conversation in our stateroom.”

The interlude of normalcy ended abruptly when the doors opened and two of Antigua’s men stared at them with suspicion. Sam held Lana behind him, nodding silently to them.

She tried to move past him, but he shielded her with his body. Drawing on his former idiot personality, he laughed. “Hey, boys. You’re missing a hell of a party downstairs.”

The skinny one brushed away the hand Sam extended and speared Lana with a lecherous leer. “We know. Why you leaving?”

Sam guffawed. “My party is over when she says it is.” He hugged Lana, jostling her playfully. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“No.” The terse reply followed them out into the hall. “The boss wants you to come to his stateroom.”

“That so?” Enough was enough. Sam wouldn’t play the dunce any more. “I’m afraid I’ll have to send my regrets, boys. We don’t work for your boss, so from now on if he wishes to enjoy our company, he’ll have to send a much more cordial invitation.”

The dismay faded slowly from the talkative one’s face. “He won’t be happy.” After a final eyeballing over Lana, he turned to leave, still muttering, “He won’t be happy.”

Sam read the worry in Lana’s eyes and tried to reason with her. “It’s clear Antigua is up to something that involves us.” He took her hand and led her to their door. “This isn’t happening the way I wanted, and damn sure not like the bureau figured. Screw them. We have to look out for ourselves.”

He could have yelled with relief when she held the bag up, shaking the contents, her words teasing. “We have a party of our own to attend, big boy.”

Chapter Sixteen

They leaned against the door, savoring the pulsing heat in the room. Lana shivered with expectation as her gown slid from her body to the floor. Sam was quiet, placing his Glock on the small table by the door. She didn’t have to hear his voice to pick up on his desire.