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“Drop us off at Nathalie’s home,” he directed his agent.
His hand moved to cover Nathalie’s in the darkened interior. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Even with Liu in UK custody, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the man who’d stolen Nathalie’s software wasn’t finished.
“I know.” She squeezed his fingers. “I had a good time tonight. Let’s not spoil it by worrying about Liu Jianjun or anyone else.”
The huskiness in her voice had his body standing at attention, as did her thumb, caressing the back of his hand in slow, sensuous strokes. Apparently, she’d changed her mind about keeping him at a distance.
“Agreed.” If she let him, he intended to spend the rest of the night making love to her.
Making up for lost time.
Ryder was done pretending he could keep his heart safe from loving Nathalie again.
Because he’d never stopped.
Chapter Seventeen
Adeliciousheatspreadthroughout Nathalie’s body, a neediness that had her crossing and uncrossing her legs in the darkened interior of the Suburban.
Ryder squeezed her hand and let go. His palm wandered over her dress-covered thigh to her knee before slipping beneath the fabric.
She jolted at the contact of his warm skin against hers.
He looked relaxed, damn him, facing forward, his eyes on the back of Caleb’s head as his fingers skimmed her inner thigh, ever so slowly working their way further beneath her dress.
Her thighs squeezed tight in reflex and her face flamed.
What if Caleb glanced at the rearview mirror? The thought sent a surge of lust to soak her panties and more fire to singe her cheeks. She wasn’t into voyeurism, so why did the thought of Caleb noticing where Ryder’s hand went turn her on?
The thought short-circuited as Ryder reached her panties. One long finger dove between her legs to stroke the damp silk covering her mound.
She stifled a moan.
His head turned at the sound. His eyes burned blue fire beneath the passing streetlights, warning her he was just getting started.
Caleb pulled the Suburban into the garage next to her Miata.
Ryder never took his eyes off her as he issued orders to his agent. “Clear the inside. I’ll look around outside.”
Without a word, the other man slipped from the vehicle and up the stairs into her home.
The finger that had been stroking outside her panties slipped beneath the fabric. It circled her clit, then plunged inside her.
“Oh, God.” The cry tore from her lips. Her head fell back on her shoulders.
Ryder’s teeth grazed the vulnerable skin of her neck. She shuddered beneath the sensual overload.
Then he was outside the car. “Stay here.” He slipped like a ghost into the night.
She stared at the space where he’d been sitting, grasping for her sanity.Damn him. Her breasts were heavy, her muscles twitched, and her body ached with a need only Ryder could fill.
Caleb reappeared at the bottom of the stairs.
Nathalie pulled herself together and climbed from the SUV, unable to meet his eyes. They stood there in silence, which didn’t seem to bother Caleb but made her fidgety.
She searched her brain for something to say. “Were you military, too?” It seemed likely. The other men of Dìleas were all former special forces. Caleb carried himself the way they did, with a watchful attentiveness and a guarded energy that made her think he could explode into action in the blink of an eye.
He gave a brief nod. “Army. Green Beret.”