She crawled over him down to his cock and gently and carefully made absolutely certain he was clean, all the while her eyes on his. He stretched out, his hands behind his head, his eyes glowing at her, much like a cat in the dark. She loved watching his face when she attended him, loved how he enjoyed every lap of her tongue and her mouth on him.
When she was finished, he drew her back up to the pillow, pulled a single sheet over her and left her to go into the bathroom and run her bath. Lying on the bed, she watched him through the doorway as he moved around, pouring something into the bathwater and even testing it before he came back for her.
She didn’t protest when he cradled her in his arms and carried her to the bath. She didn’t tell him how much it meant to her when he brushed out her long hair while she relaxed in the water. She didn’t say anything until they were both back in bed and he was curled protectively around her, holding her close, his body tight against hers.
Pepper closed her eyes and whispered to the night. To him. “Je t’aime, Wyatt, avec chaque souffle dans mon corps.”
“With every breath in your body forever, Pepper. For always,” he prompted, his voice sleepy, his warm breath on the nape of her neck.
Pepper found herself smiling in the dark. She felt loved, cared for her, relaxed and safe. Wyatt had done that. If he needed the words, she could give them to him.
“Pour toujours, Wyatt, pour toujours.”
Forever. For always. And she meant it.
Chapter 15
Wyatt maneuvered the airboat through the dark, swampy waters slowly, suppressing the sound so it couldn’t travel through the night to the guards patrolling the fence line of the Wilson Plastics compound. No one spoke aloud, using hand signals or telepathy to communicate as Wyatt took the boat as close as he dared to their destination. He needed the boat close in case they had to make a run for it with the children.
Wyatt was grateful he’d come to this part of the swamp so many times throughout his childhood. It made it much easier to avoid the cypress stumps and trees looming up along the shore as they made their way to shallower waters.
They each knew the layout of the building and each had their own enhancements. The five men were used to working together, already a cohesive team, but Pepper was an outsider, one they weren’t familiar with, yet they needed her. Ordinarily, they would never have gone into the field with someone they didn’t know. Wyatt saw the others exchanging uneasy glances and he couldn’t blame them. Bringing someone untried, someone new, into a cohesive team was a recipe for disaster.
He was certain none of them believed she would betray them, they’d gotten to know her and they all trusted Wyatt. He was connected to her and he hadn’t found one hint of conspiracy or an alternate agenda. He’d made that abundantly clear to them. She wanted those children free just as they did. Just the same, she was an unknown. All of them knew they could count on each other, but Pepper… He sighed. They would just have to do the best they could.
Draden leapt from the boat when he stopped it and almost instantly disappeared into the terrain. He blended wherever he was, a ghost, moving through any background, impossible to find unless it was far too late and he was already on top of you. He would be their man to take out the guards while Wyatt controlled the dogs. Draden tied off the boat to keep it in place, using a tree stump.
Watch yourself. Snakes and alligators love this particular spot, Wyatt warned. Zeke, we’re countin’ on you to keep them away from us.
Roger that.
In the field, Ezekiel was all business. The cat in him was strong, the drive to hunt sometimes coming close to overpowering him. He was enormously strong and could leap high as well as long distances. He would clear most fences with no problem. Ezekiel was an extremely dangerous man, but he never left a friend, and he would fight to the death to get to a team member in trouble. Wyatt was grateful he was there.
Out of curiosity, Pepper, Ezekiel asked. Can you control snakes?
Wyatt felt the instant alertness in the team members. He glanced down at her face. Did she feel it too? Did she feel the sudden change in energy directed at her? She already felt like an outsider, a flawed GhostWalker, destined for termination. Wyatt wasn’t as certain that Whitney wanted her dead, but still, he knew she felt very alone.
Her eyes met his as she took his hand to step from the boat. He pulled her in close to his body, wanting her to feel protected. Not in the way you mean, Ezekiel. I can’t make them move away from me, but I can soothe them sometimes if they’re agitated. I usually am aware of a snake close to me, but I can’t always count on that. Here in the swamp, I had a lucky escape or two. It’s possible Ginger can though, she added, sounding matter-of-fact.