Realizing she needed to get out of Dodge, Kinley moved to scoot around him, but before she could escape Jameson wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her tight against the long, lean length of his body.

  Her own remembered the feel of him, responding immediately. The spot between her thighs hummed and heated. Anticipation and energy raced through her system. He could reach down and kiss her. Hell, she could go up on her toes and take what she wanted.

  Neither of them moved in that direction.

  Instead, Jameson stared, those gorgeous green eyes boring into her. Suddenly Kinley felt...uncomfortable. Caught. Like she needed to escape.

  It wasn’t just that he held her. It was that he saw her. More than she’d ever let anyone see. More than she wanted him to know.

  Kinley tried to look away, but her body wouldn’t respond to the danger signal blaring through her brain. Mesmerized and caught, she simply stood there, waiting, breath backed into her lungs and body on fire.

  Finally, his lips quirked into a knowing grin as he leaned in. Jameson’s words were quiet, even as she felt like they echoed loudly through the entire room. “We both know that’s a lie, cucciola. I’ll never forget the expression of ecstasy on your face. Or the way your body trembled against mine.” His voice dropped even lower. “Or the feel of your orgasm as you clenched tight around my throbbing cock.”

  Damn. She was not prepared for that. His silky words might as well have been a tempting stroke of hand along her skin. Kinley felt like he’d touched her. All over. At once.

  This game was not stacked in her favor. And if there was one lesson she’d learned from her father, it was to recognize when to cut bait and run.

  Pushing against his chest, Kinley forced some space between them. Pulling in a deep breath, she kept her voice steady as she lied through her teeth. “If it makes you feel better, keep telling yourself that, cowboy.”

  Seven

  Jameson tried to keep the smirk off his face as he watched Kinley hightail it out of the salon. He wasn’t even sure she remembered the plate of food she clutched in her hand, although maybe she planned to eat breakfast on the sundeck.

  God, he enjoyed sparring with that woman. A little too much.

  He stood there, debating the merits of letting her go versus following behind her and keeping the pressure on. But the beat of music from his phone stopped him. And the specific song killed any remaining heat that bubbled through his blood.

  Hell, he really didn’t want to take this call. But it would be worse if he didn’t.

  Snagging the phone from his pocket, Jameson hit the big green button. “Joker.”

  “Man, where are you?”

  Joker set his plate aside, any appetite he might have had vanishing. He didn’t have many, so he really hated lying to his friends. And even though they lived in different cities and rarely saw each other, Jameson considered Gray Lockwood a friend. So this was about to suck.

  “Home.”

  “Huh.” The single sound echoed on the line, piercing him right in the belly. “That’s weird because I’m outside your place right now and you’re clearly not answering your door.”

  Shit, shit, shit.

  Out of the corner of his eye, Joker watched Kinley march into the salon and grab a set of silverware off the gleaming mahogany table. She speared him with a glare, tossed her long, gorgeous hair over her shoulder and marched out.

  Like he needed the reminder of the ass he was currently being to his friend and her brother.

  “Fine, I’m not home.” Joker reminded himself that he didn’t owe Gray an explanation of his whereabouts. “What can I do for you?”

  “Oh, nothing. I was in town and thought I’d stop by so we could grab some lunch.”

  “Why are you in Tampa?” The question was out of Joker’s mouth before he realized that his friend didn’t owe him an explanation of his movements either.

  “I came to see you.”

  “You came from Charleston just to see me?” Why would his friend do that? Sure, occasionally Joker traveled to Charleston—home base for Stone Surveillance—for a specific case or to meet with the rest of the guys. He couldn’t think of a single time when Gray Lockwood had hopped a plane to fly down and see him.

  Not that it would be difficult considering Anderson Stone provided his team with access to the family jet whenever they wanted. The point was, his friend had never availed himself of the perk before.

  Why now? When his sister was currently hiding out on Joker’s yacht? Joker’s eyes narrowed. Something about this didn’t add up.

  “We have a new client in the area and I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone.”

  Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Joker’s body sagged against the sideboard. “Well then, I’m sorry I missed you. I’m playing a bit of hooky on the Queen.”

  “Ahh, well that explains it. Enjoy the open water and I’ll talk to you whenever you get back to dry land.”

  “Great, man. Let me know if you need any assistance with the new client.”

  “I’m good but appreciate the offer.”

  The line went dead. Joker listened to the sudden silence for several seconds before dropping the phone from his ear.

  Something about the phone call had left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Maybe it was just guilt.

  The smart play here would be to go below deck and bury his nose in a computer. But so far, he hadn’t gotten anywhere in finding whoever had taken Kinley’s money. Not to mention, he had several programs running to track the transaction and figure out where the funds had disappeared to.

  What he needed to do was work a different angle and question Kinley, something he’d been putting off. He needed to get a better idea of who might want to steal from her. Who her last few targets were.

  Something told him she wasn’t likely to be cooperative this morning. Which meant he needed to use a little finesse.

  * * *

  Clearly, Jameson wanted something from her. Something that didn’t involve taking her clothes off. They’d been on the sundeck for a couple hours and the longer they were together the more restless Kinley became.

  Jameson was being nice. Talking to her. Asking questions, which also made her wary. But so far all he’d done was chitchat. The kind of conversation you’d have with a stranger you met in a bar and wanted to get to know better.

  But they didn’t have that kind of relationship and were far from some random meet.

  No doubt, he knew just as much about her as she already knew about him. So the questions he asked were all for show. To lull her into a false sense of...security? Familiarity? Trust?

  Not that it really mattered. She wasn’t falling for it.

  What bothered her almost as much—even if she didn’t want to admit it—was that Jameson hadn’t made a single move all morning. Hell, he hadn’t so much as accidentally brushed a hand against her or offered to apply her sunscreen.

  Who would have thought that not touching her could drive her just as crazy as having him all over her? Her body remembered and wanted. Having him close was sending her brain into overdrive and frying her circuits.

  She had a few choices. She could confront him outright to force his hand. Make him admit what he wanted from her. Probably the smartest idea, but hardly the most fun. She could attempt to torment him, just as she’d done the other day. But considering she’d already played that hand, probably not the best choice either.

  Maybe she should play the same game, get him to relax and open up to her instead of the other way around.

  Slipping her sunglasses down, Kinley turned to look at Jameson. Stretched out on a lounger about five feet away, his golden skin glowed in the sunlight. No man who spent all his time in a basement in front of a computer should look like that.

  “I’m bored.” Kinley purposely put a little edge of whine in the words. “Give me a computer.”

  A single eyebrow lifted. “No.”

  Kinley growled as she collapsed against her chair. “Seriously, Jameson. I can’t sit here doing nothing. At least let me look at my email.”

  He gave her the side-eye but kept silent. Kinley thought he’d ignore her, so was surprised when he surged up from his chair.

  Two strides had him crossing the space between them. His tall body loomed over her, blocking the sun and casting a cool shadow. Her heart fluttered; she wasn’t sure if it was anticipation or apprehension. Maybe a little of both.

  Silently, Jameson held out a hand. When she hesitated he said, “Come on.”

  “Why?”

  His only answer was to shake his head. Slowly, Kinley grasped his hand. Jameson pulled, lifting her up out of the chair like it was nothing.

  She expected him to let go, but instead, he used their connection to lead her through the ship. They went down the tiny, winding stairs to the very bottom deck and a door she hadn’t noticed before. Not even during her midnight exploration.

  Kinley was shocked when it opened into a vast room with a platform, two Jet Skis and a view of the bright blue ocean stretched before them.

  Jet Skis? There were Jet Skis?

  Kinley swung an accusing glance his way. “You told me we were trapped on the ship until the part arrives.” The consternation in her voice wasn’t contrived, she truly felt betrayed.

  Jameson’s mouth twisted into a playful grin. “We are.”

  Kinley spread her arm wide silently indicating the two huge machines in front of them.

  “They don’t have enough range to get us to the mainland. They’re great for some fun, but nothing more.”

  Kinley’s eyes narrowed. Was he telling her the truth? It wasn’t like she knew much about Jet Skis. She’d never been on one before. Standing next to them, they seemed huge. But they were actually much smaller than a tiny boat and likely didn’t have a large gas tank. He probably was telling the truth.

  Reaching behind her, Jameson hit a button and a mechanical whir echoed through the chamber. The Jet Skis started to move and she realized he’d activated the crane that would lift them into the water.

  Opening a closet, he pulled out two life jackets. Instead of handing her one—what she’d expected—he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

  The wide expanse of his shoulders and chest blocked out everything but him. She could smell a combination of sunscreen and male, somehow tropical and tempting.

  He was so close. And it took everything inside her not to lean forward to touch her mouth to his skin.

  Grasping her arms, he slid both into the holes of the jacket. The backs of his fingers caressed her chest as he secured the three buckles that ran down the front. It wasn’t until he was done, the straps pulled tight so the jacket fit snugly, before her brain functioned enough to look up and say, “I can do that myself.”

  And if her words hadn’t come out low and husky, maybe they would have both believed them.

  “I’m fully aware that you can take care of yourself, Kinley. You’ve been doing it for a very long time. But sometimes, every now and again, it’s nice to let someone do something for you.”

  Somehow, she didn’t think he was talking about fastening her life jacket.

  A lump formed in her throat and unexpectedly, something sharp prickled the backs of her eyes. “I can’t do that.”

  His fingers brushed against her cheek as he tucked a single strand of hair behind her ear. “You can. You can let people into your life, Kinley. Not everyone is out to hurt you.”

  She shook her head. “Says the man who stole from me, manipulated me and has kidnapped me onto a yacht.”

  “To protect you.”

  “You don’t know me well enough to care about protecting me.”

  It was his turn to shake his head. “You’re wrong. There are people who want you safe. People who want to love and protect you. Care about you. Get to know you.”

  How did he know exactly what to say to seduce her? “Even the devil uses temptation to convince you to sin.”

  Jameson stared at her, those green eyes clear and bright. “I’m no devil, Kinley.”

  It was her turn to twist her mouth into a grin. “That’s what the devil would say, Jameson.”

  She needed to stop this conversation right now. Luckily, the Jet Skis hit the water with a quiet splash, offering the perfect distraction.

  * * *

  Jameson had no idea why he’d said those things to Kinley. Sure, it was in his best interest for her to trust him, but it wasn’t likely given the circumstances.

  No, there’d been something in her expression...something vulnerable, and he’d felt the need to reassure her.

  Although now she’d pulled away from him. Maybe a little diversion on the Jet Skis would work in his favor.

  “Have you ever ridden before?”

  Kinley shook her head. “Nope.”

  He went over the controls for the machine, a couple of safety things because her brother would kill him if she got injured on his watch, and then helped her get on.

  “Wait until I get on mine and we’ll go out together.” Turning away, Jameson reached for his own life jacket, but before one arm was even inside, he heard the roar of the Jet Ski engine as she took off.

  “Son of a...”

  Snapping just the first buckle, Jameson vaulted onto his own Jet Ski, punched it and ripped out into the open water.

  He shouldn’t have been surprised to see Kinley bobbing and weaving as she maneuvered through the water with ease. That woman could do anything.

  She was fearless, which was both alarming and arousing at the same time.

  Giving it everything he had, Jameson tried to catch up. Looking behind her, Kinley tossed him the widest, most challenging grin he’d ever seen. A clear come and get me signal that he had no intention of ignoring.

  When he got his hands on her...

  They crisscrossed the water, sending giant plumes of spray up behind them.

  “Slow down!” Jameson yelled, but she either ignored him or didn’t hear. If he had to guess, it was the first.

  The roaring sound of her laughter lifted above everything else. Well, at least she was having a good time.

  Finally, after about fifteen minutes of playing catch me if you can, Kinley throttled down the Jet Ski and slid to a stop in the water. Waves rippled out around her and his own Jet Ski dipped when he screamed to a halt beside her.

  “What were you thinking?”

  She shrugged. “That it looked like fun and I was ready to go.”

  He wanted to throttle her.

  “Loosen up, Jameson. Have some fun.”

  Fun? She wanted fun? Fine. With a flick of his wrist, Jameson sent his own Jet Ski leaping forward...and a plume of water straight over her.

  He heard her yell as he pulled away. “You’ll pay for that!”

  Standing up, Jameson gripped the handles as he twisted backward for a look. Even drenched she looked gorgeous. Water dripped from her face. Rivulets ran down her long, tanned body, glistening in the sun.

  The surprise didn’t hold her captive long, though. Within seconds of him spraying her, Kinley had her own Jet Ski barreling after him. It was his turn to laugh as the wind and spray coated his skin.

  Clearly, Kinley could handle herself so he’d stop worrying. Taking a deep breath, Jameson closed his eyes and let the exhilaration flow through him. Adrenaline pumped into his blood. The whine of the engine filled his head just as the echo of the vibration rumbled beneath his skin.

  Power. The feeling of it was intoxicating and addictive.

  But maybe shutting his eyes wasn’t the smartest move because when he opened them Kinley was pacing neck and neck with him. Damn, she was fast. He had the thing wide open since there were no obstacles or threats anywhere nearby.

  Leaning forward, he pushed all the speed he could get and barely leaped forward an inch. Kinley did the same, surging ahead. But there must have been something neither of them had seen floating near the surface of the water because one minute she was beside him, the next, the nose of her Jet Ski was barreling straight for him.

  He watched it happen, but it was so fast there was nothing he could do to stop it. They were racing, and then water surrounded him.

  Eight

  Kinley had no time to react. The water was smooth beneath her Jet Ski as she raced forward, and then it wasn’t. Suddenly something dark floated in front of her, just beneath the surface. An animal. A log. She wasn’t sure. But there was no time to avoid it. The bump bucked her off the seat, the steering jerked, and her machine headed straight on a collision course with Jameson.

  She tried to wrench the handles in the opposite direction, but nothing happened. The loud sound of plastic and metal colliding slammed against her eardrums just as her entire body plunged into the water.

  Her lungs didn’t have time to prepare. Her mouth was open, a warning yell streaming out. Salt water entered her throat and burned her nose. Her body reacted on instinct, kicking for the surface even though she didn’t know which way was up.

  But her life jacket did. Seconds after plunging beneath the surface, her body popped free. Kinley sputtered and coughed even as her lungs struggled to inflate with air. Disoriented, she tried to clear the water from her eyes and take stock—of her own body and everything around her.

  Jameson. It was the first clear thought. Her mouth opened to yell his name, but her lungs weren’t clear enough and the only sound that came out was a mangled croak.

  Her ears worked fine though as her own name bounced off the surface of the water. “Kinley!” Even dazed, she could hear the utter panic in the single word.

  He wasn’t just scared for her. He was terrified. Did people who didn’t care about you get terrified when you were in trouble?

 

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