Friction. Part 16

"Not funny."

"I know. Sorry." She took a deep breath. "Wanna go back to my cabin and put a show they can't resist? I know we can get them, Logan. Trust me."

He wasn't ready for any of this. He didn't like it, but it seemed he had very little choice. If he wanted to find who'd taken Mel, Sarah was his best bet. And if she was going to have any backup whatsoever other than two guys ten miles away listening in, he was it. He took her hand, and just hoped she was right.

THEY HADN'T BEEN this awkward together since they'd met-although it had only been a little less than a week ago, so she didn't have too much to compare to. this awkward together since they'd met-although it had only been a little less than a week ago, so she didn't have too much to compare to.

As Logan hung back by the door, hesitant, his eyes filled with repressed desire and caution, Sarah knew she had to get him to loosen up. In spite of the tension between them, she knew he wanted her.

Throwing her wrap over the side of a chair, she went toward him. She heard his quick intake of breath as she pressed up close, planting a kiss just under his ear, and whispering.

"You have to take part in this. It won't be convincing if you stand by the door looking ready to flee."

He dipped his head, brushing his mouth over hers, then buried his face in her neck, and for a melting moment she wondered if she was going to be able to stay disconnected enough to get the job done.

"Where are the cameras?"

The words brought her back into focus-the idea of being taped zapped whatever desire she felt being close to Logan again.

"Over the bed in the light fixture, behind the bed in the picture frame, and in the dresser mirror."

"They made sure to get all the angles." He nipped her lightly, sliding his hand down to her backside and squeezing lightly, drawing her against him.

"We'll just give them enough to whet their appet.i.te-we won't let things go too far. I know this is...hard for you."

"You have no idea."

He walked her backward toward the bed, taking control and kissing the daylights out of her. She felt as though she couldn't breathe as his arms tightened around her, his lips moving on hers like he was starving for her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing every inch of her body in contact with his. The thin material of her dress was hardly a barrier against the heat and hardness of him, and she let herself revel in it. Logan tasted and felt like no other man alive.

His hand moved up to cup her breast and she arched into him. She had missed his touch. He murmured his appreciation against her lips and slid the shoulder of the gown lower so he could trace kisses over the skin there, and lower.

Sarah was barely aware that he was shielding her from the invasive view of the cameras by blocking any clear view of her body with his. She hadn't worn a bra under the dress, and when he tugged at a tight nipple with his teeth, she bit her lip to keep from crying out against the searing pleasure she felt, but a hungry moan escaped her lips despite her efforts.

He nudged her toward the bed until the backs of her knees. .h.i.t the edge and she crumbled down to the bed. He lifted himself over her, shielding her from the camera eye above, but also parting her legs with his knee so he could insert his thigh against her, pressing intimately, rubbing his erection against her as he stared down.

She covered her exposed breast from view under the auspices of touching herself, and watched him stand, rip off his tie and slowly unb.u.t.ton his shirt. She shivered, missing the heat of his body against hers, consumed with need as she watched him, but aware they couldn't let things go too far. This was just for show.

She hated that it was so easy to lose track, that her need for him was so strong. Wanting was one thing, needing was new territory. Dangerous territory.

When he knelt over her again, he reached down and slid his hands over her shoulders to her neck. Was he trying something kinky? She stilled, not understanding until she felt his fingers feeling for the clasp on her choker. She groaned again, though not from arousal-she'd completely forgotten that Ian and E.J. were listening in on the other side of the transmitter she wore.

Logan tossed the choker onto the chair by the porthole, hopefully far enough to be out of range. She didn't even want to think about what her partners had already heard. But it was all part of the plan, right? Logan whispered in her ear.

"Are you okay? Can you handle this?"

He was asking if she could handle their little scene, knowing they were being taped. To be honest, she hadn't even thought about it, and resented his bringing it up. She responded, licking his ear, her voice self-a.s.sured as she murmured, "Oh yeah..."

Then he was kissing her so deeply she trembled beneath his exploration of her mouth and wanted him just as deeply inside her. But they couldn't-not while being watched.

She slithered a hand down between them, ma.s.saging him through his slacks, and he pressed into her grip, his breath catching then coming faster as his arousal heightened.

"Maybe we should go back to my room." He suggested in a ragged voice.

She returned her mouth to his, whispering against his lips, "It would look suspicious to leave now."

He drew back, looking down into her face, studying her closely.

"Do you want me?"

"Yes."

"Tell me."

Meeting his gaze, she responded out loud, not needing to fake the desire in her voice. "I want you. Here. Now. Hard. Fast. However you want me."

She felt a sweep of satisfaction when he could no longer hold back the hunger in his gaze.

"I could use a shower first."

"Maybe I should join you."

"Sounds good to me."

She followed him to the bathroom, stopping before the door, sliding the dress from her shoulders and letting it hit the floor. She hoped the cameras didn't get a full view at this angle, and with no lights on, but they'd get enough. She picked up the dress, tossing it over on the bed for good measure.

"I'm all yours," she said seductively and followed him into the small bath.

"SHE TOOK the choker off." Ian's fist clenched and unclenched on the desk. Sarah was still unpredictable sometimes, and it riled him to no end. the choker off." Ian's fist clenched and unclenched on the desk. Sarah was still unpredictable sometimes, and it riled him to no end.

"I guess she didn't want to get it wet," E.J. joked.

Apparently Ian was not in the mood for humor. And he was right. Sarah should never have put herself in a position where she took the choker off-it was their only link to her and what was going on.

"Did you know about this?" E.J. sighed, closing the laptop now that the transmission was gone, meeting Ian's glare silently without so much as a flinch. They'd known each other for way too long and had been through way too much for him to worry about his friend's temper. Although it was never comfortable being placed between two friends, and he did feel loyalty to Sarah, he appreciated Ian's very real concerns.

"Sarah doesn't say much, you know that."

"Yeah, right." He sat back in his chair, reaching out to toy with an empty water bottle he'd left on the desk during their long stint keeping track of Sarah. "Funny, Sage and I always thought you two might-"

E.J. grinned. "I tried. She shot me down."

Ian quirked an eyebrow, his steely gaze still intent, but glazed with a bit of humor as he watched E.J.'s reaction.

"Why am I not surprised? But I can see why Sarah wouldn't want to be one of your flavors of the week."

"I'm wounded. But Sarah's not exactly the settle down and have babies type."

"Yeah, I used to think the same thing about Sage." E.J. grinned, eager to change the subject. He was happy for his friends, but he enjoyed his life just the way it was. He'd been a slave to duty and responsibility for too long, and it could have ruined his life, always doing what everyone else thought he should do. Now he did what he wanted.

"How's Sage doing, by the way?"

"Good. As if she doesn't have a care in the world, still working ten hour days. She actually seems to have more energy than ever. Her consulting business is going like wildfire-no small thanks to all the recommendations you gave her, and to Grace's business."

"That's great." E.J. laughed, glad to know his sister had taken his advice and hired Sage. Ian was still scowling. "I take it you don't think that's great?"

"No, I do...and I don't. I don't want her pushing herself, and maybe something going wrong. Things can go wrong."

Though he enjoyed yanking Ian's chain whenever he could, E.J. also loved his friend and understood his fear. Back then Ian didn't know enough to really miss what he'd lost when his wife had miscarried. He knew now, though.

"You may be overcompensating a bit. I'm sure Sage wouldn't do anything she didn't feel up to doing. It's her baby, too, you know. You can trust her to do the right thing."

"I know. She's just so...stubborn."

"She has to be to deal with the likes of you."

Ian laughed.

"True. It's still so weird, to think of being a dad. I'd completely ditched that possibility. I just never thought about it again after what happened with Jen."

Pain and guilt still flickered quickly in Ian's eyes. Ian was not the kind of man to forget so easily, but sometimes he came on a bit too strong, worked a little too hard. He needed to ease back and enjoy what he had.

E.J. would probably be in Ian's position now, expecting his own first child, if he'd gone along with the marriage he had been supposed to enter almost a year ago. But he and Millie weren't meant to be married. It wouldn't have worked, a marriage based on friendship and familial expectations rather than pa.s.sion and the desire to be together forever. He knew that now. And while he dated a long list of wonderful women whom he enjoyed and respected, he'd never met anyone who set him back hard enough to strap himself into forever with her.

E.J. smiled to himself. He was a romantic, to a degree. Part of his southern heritage. What was that old movie line? A head for business and body for sin? And a heart for love. That's what he wanted in a woman, too. But until he found it, he was just having fun.

Sage and Ian had the same kind of deep connection E.J.'s folks had had. In spite of their struggles, which all couples went through, they were perfect together. He hoped that whatever was going on with Sarah and Logan was something that would make her happy in the long run, too. She deserved it.

"E.J.-h.e.l.lo?"

He blinked, focusing back on the conversation.

Ian looked at him, stunned. "Wow, you were really zoning. I told you, Sage and I were going to wait to ask you together, I know it's still early, but I don't feel like waiting. We'd like you to be the twins' G.o.dfather."

E.J. leaned over and, clasping Ian's hand, pulled him into a hard hug.

"I'd be honored, man. Absolutely."

Ian smiled and sat back.

"We thought you'd be great. Just don't let Sage know I've already asked you-you'll have to act surprised later."

"Done."

"Okay, so now back to this." Ian gestured to the computer and E.J. knew his pal was like a bloodhound-he might have wandered off track, but he found his way back to the scent quickly.

"I don't know what's going on, Ian, and that's the truth of it. She's involved, but I don't know details. They have something going on, obviously, but she was tight-lipped about it."

"If they're lovers, it makes things even more hazardous than they already were. They're focusing on each other more than the threats around them."

"I think Sarah's sharper than that-she's come a long way-and this guy's experienced. You read his file?"

Ian nodded. "I also did some research into the owner of the cruise line. There's nothing solid, but he's been under investigation for crimes in South America and Southeast Asia. There's suspicion he's involved with black market prost.i.tution."

"Providing Western women for sale abroad?"

"Exactly. The trails all seem to come to a dead end, no one's been able to nail the b.a.s.t.a.r.d directly, but he's potentially one very dangerous guy. Sarah could be sitting on top of a much bigger powder keg than she realizes."

"We should notify the Coast Guard, have them standing by just in case something goes sideways."

Ian's jaw tightened with purpose as he nodded in agreement. "Already done."

12.

LOGAN TRIED to process what was going on-something didn't compute. He was naked. She was naked. She'd turned on the spray full blast, but instead of joining him for steamy, wet s.e.x, Sarah was reaching for a towel and wrapping it around herself, hiding her delicious flesh from his view. From his touch. to process what was going on-something didn't compute. He was naked. She was naked. She'd turned on the spray full blast, but instead of joining him for steamy, wet s.e.x, Sarah was reaching for a towel and wrapping it around herself, hiding her delicious flesh from his view. From his touch.

His voice turned wary, "What's the matter?"

She closed her eyes, resting against the door.

"It was all for show, remember? I'm not really having s.e.x with you, Logan."

He didn't respond, stunned, his skin chilling and his erection withering a bit. All that pa.s.sion hadn't just been for show. She wanted him. She'd looked him in the eye and told him so, but even if she hadn't, he'd felt it. Felt her heat, her need.

Not sure what game she was playing, but not in the mood for it, he pinned her against the door.

"That was all just for show?" He lowered his head and grazed his mouth over her jaw, pressing against her so she could feel how aroused he became just standing next to her. "Really? This is only for show? It feels pretty real to me...."

He reached between them and tore the towel from her body, desire coursing through his veins as his hot flesh came in direct contact with hers. He moaned, burying his face in her shoulder. He inhaled her scent, tasted the soft skin there and felt her shudder.

There was nothing false about what they were feeling, he thought with satisfaction. Her nipples jutted against his chest, hard, begging for his attention, which he would give them as soon as he finished with her lips. He was obsessed with her mouth, and settled his own over it, urging her to comply. Though her hands were on his shoulders as if to push him away, she didn't.

Exploring deeper, nudging his erection between her thighs, he felt his temperature rise unbearably, but in the back of his mind something niggled at him.

Her hands hadn't moved, remaining still on his shoulders. She didn't push him away, and she let him kiss her, let him touch her, not denying her own response. But she didn't make love back to him. She was letting him take, but she wasn't giving.