She drew in a deep breath. She’d thought she would be the last person to ever have such thoughts about a man, especially after the likes of Brock and Scott. But she was intuitive enough to know Striker was different. Besides, it wasn’t like something serious was developing between them. They were enjoying the moment. At least she was, but she really couldn’t say the same about him. She understood his wanting to keep her safe, but she was learning that when it came to an attraction between a man and a woman, desire could get the best of you. She was experiencing so many things being with Striker, things she’d never had to deal with before. Emotions. Desires. Needs and cravings.
Moving away from the door, she kicked off her shoes and eased her leggings down her legs before pulling off her top. Wearing just her bra and panties, she lay across the bed for her nap. Quasar would be delivering dinner in a few hours. Since they’d had a late breakfast, Striker had called him and told him not to worry about bringing them lunch. Instead she had offered to make sandwiches and tea. There was nothing like good old peanut butter and jelly in a pinch. Striker hadn’t complained and seemed to enjoy the sandwiches as much as she had.
They had eaten in silence, but that hadn’t stopped her from noticing how his mouth moved when he chewed or how he would lick his lips every so often. Both had been turn-ons for her, so she didn’t have to wonder why she was so hot for him today.
Once he’d caught her staring, and for the longest moment he hadn’t broken eye contact with her. And, during that long, sensuous moment of silence, something vital had taken place between them, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Their desire for each other wasn’t normal. There was no way that it could be. A look from him could rock her body, kick her heart rate into overdrive and send all kinds of delicious thoughts running through her mind.
Margo wanted to talk to her uncle and find out why he had ended things with Liz. But for now she would take a nap. She hadn’t gotten much sleep last night but wouldn’t complain. Not when she had enjoyed the sexual activities she and Striker had shared. Shifting in the bed with her head against the pillow, she closed her eyes.
*
FREDDIE GLANCED AROUND his hotel room. The place was a dive, but at the moment this was the best he could do. He recalled the times he’d traveled for work and stayed at the best hotels around. Not anymore. When the bank had downsized, those making the most income were the first to get kicked out the door.
Scott thought he was wrong for being so bitter. But Freddie didn’t give a damn what Scott thought since Scott still had his cushy job. Freddie hadn’t gone to college for this. He was supposed to be employed for life. He’d sent in résumés, but no calls had come in, and he was tired of waiting. His funds had run out and he needed money. Bad.
So here he was in Charlottesville, Virginia, after borrowing the money to get here from his brother-in-law. He could recall the days when his sister and brother-in-law would come to him for money. And now he was crawling to them for a loan. On top of that, he’d lied and said the reason he needed money for the trip to Virginia was for a job interview.
What pissed Freddie off more than anything was Scott’s attitude about the whole damn thing. When they’d met for breakfast at Gritty’s, Scott had tried talking him out of his plans to kidnap Margo. That was why he hadn’t told Scott anything about this trip. As far as Freddie was concerned, the less Scott knew the better.
Freddie checked his watch. He would go down to the restaurant, grab something to eat and strategize. He had contacted another college friend who lived in DC, who was also down on his luck. Mark Cramer used to have a good government job, but his gambling addiction had gotten the best of his good sense. Freddie’s promise of big money had been the lure to bring Mark on board. To carry out his plan successfully, Freddie would need one more person, and Mark would know someone else who also needed money.
By the time Freddie left Virginia to return to New York, he intended to be a hell of a lot richer.
*
STRIKER RUBBED HIS FACE, wondering why he was torturing himself like this. He had heard Margo move around her room, had even heard her kick off her shoes. And heaven help him, he knew the exact moment she’d undressed. Who stripped down to take a nap?
He was imagining her lying on that bed naked, or wearing very little clothing, and wished like hell he could join her. She had issued an invitation, and he had turned her down. Was that a smart move or the actions of a fool?
He tried to switch his thoughts to something else, and the only other thing that infiltrated his mind was the memory of him and Margo that morning, in the shower, standing under the spray of water. There was nothing more arousing than a sexy, wet feminine body, all slick and smooth. He recalled how it had felt to run his hands all over her, soaping her up. And the driving need that had erupted within him when he’d seen the damp, downy curls covering her womanhood.
When he had lifted her off her feet, cupped her backside and tilted her hips before backing her up against the wall to thrust in and out of her, he had been consumed by a spike of desire. He’d been overtaken with lust of the most potent kind. And the pleasure that followed still had him quivering in the groin.
Inhaling deeply, he knew he had to pull himself together before placing a call to Stonewall. Since Striker had no idea how far he’d need to drive to relocate Margo, he planned to take advantage of her napping next door and take a nap himself. He would alert Stonewall to make sure the exterior was monitored while he caught a few winks.
“What’s up, Striker?”
“Checking in. About to take a nap.”
“This time of day? Um, sounds interesting.”
Striker rolled his eyes. “Get your mind out the gutter, Stonewall.”
“Whatever. We’ll keep an eye on the exterior and buzz you if we see anything out the ordinary.”
“Any more sightings of that dark sedan?” Striker asked.
“Not since last night, but we’re keeping watch. I have a funny feeling about that car. And just so you know, we’re getting another place ready for you and Ms. Connelly. A cabin. I’ll tell you where in a coded message.”
Striker nodded. The thought of him alone with Margo in a mountain cabin for no telling how long could spell trouble. But he had no intentions of breaking his rule about not taking her again.
“Get some rest while you can. Chances are you’ll be moving out tonight.”
Striker nodded. “Did Roland go home when he left here?”
“No, he’s here. Right now he’s resting on the cot,” Stonewall replied. “He still needs to take it easy, but you’ll never convince him of that.”
At that moment Striker heard sounds coming from Margo’s bedroom and went on full alert. Moans. Groans. His ears perked up. What the hell? “Stonewall, I’ve got to go,” he said quickly, knowing he sounded rushed.
“Something’s wrong?”
The last thing he would do was tell Stonewall what he was hearing. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
Stonewall was quiet for a moment and then said, “We’ll be calling later with specifics about tonight. We’ll text coded messages.”
“Okay.” Striker then clicked off the phone and listened intently. Either Margo was in the throes of some hot dream or she was intentionally messing with his mind. He had a feeling she was deliberately setting him up, probably thinking he didn’t have the ability to keep his pants zipped where she was concerned. Well, he had news for her. He was programmed to do without a lot of things he wanted. Things that could become his passion. That was the way of life for him. And when it came to his job, he took it seriously.
Granted, lust had overtaken his senses last night and this morning, but he was back in control now. He would admit she was a temptation, but he would fight it. He could fight it. And if it was a setup like he suspected, he would have to show her his resolve was better than most. The quicker she knew that the better.