“I thought that you should be allowed to relax and get over Montego before you had to face anything more.” He added, “And I thought I should be able to get more info and strategies in place before I had to face your wrath over my callousness in not instantly finding a way to get those prisoners out of the detention camp. You surprised me again.”
“You still don’t get it. How could I think you were callous when I can feel what you’re feeling? I felt your pain as you thought about them, just as I felt your pain about Patrick. I can disagree with you sometimes, but I can’t not know what— Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I was wondering what it would be like to feel what you’re feeling. It doesn’t seem fair that it only goes one way.” He was staring into her eyes. “And I was analyzing it in my humble, logical way, and thinking that when you were holding me that night on the beach, I felt part of you.” He added softly, “And, if I was still closer, I was wondering if I might just get there.”
His eyes, pale green and glittering … his body, lean and muscular, which had felt strong and ready against her …
Tingling heat.
Her breasts swelling in mindless response.
Her breathing shallow.
She swallowed. “Does that mean you want to have sex with me?”
“Oh, yes. Right this minute.” He drew a deep breath. “But I always seem to pick a moment when you’re vulnerable or confused or maybe too grateful to me for pulling you out of Montego Bay.” He turned on his heel. “And now I think that I’ll get the hell out of here and go tell Mandell what I intend to do about those prisoners. Your room is the third down this hall.”
“But Patrick comes first,” she called after him. “And I want to see where you’re going to put him if he has to be moved.”
“I believe you can trust me to find him a safe place, Margaret.”
“Ordinarily. But this is the rain forest. How much do you know about the animals here?”
“Jaguars, anacondas—”
“The poison dart frog?”
“What?”
“It’s one of the most dangerous animals here. It’s usually bright blue, but sometimes golden. The golden ones are the deadliest. Only two inches long, but their venom is strong enough to kill ten men. Patrick can’t be allowed anywhere near one. You’ll have to examine—”
“Okay. Okay. I’ll let you look over any place we decide to move him. Heaven forbid that I bring down the wrath of the golden poison dart frog.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” He shook his head as he looked at her over his shoulder. “You’re a constant amazement. One minute you’re demanding that I have to do what you say and the next you’re all politeness.”
“Politeness is good. Honesty is better. And I had to tell you about the frog so that you could see why—”
“Margaret.”
“I’m sorry.” She nodded. “I’m talking too much because you said that you wanted to have sex with me. I’m a little off balance and I have to—”
“That makes two of us.”
The next minute, he’d disappeared out the arched doorway.
She stared after him for a brief moment, drew a breath, and then hurried down the hall toward the room he’d indicated. It was more a closet than a room, with a single bed and a chest that had an old-fashioned china pitcher and wooden bowl. She closed the door and dropped down on the bed. There were no windows in the room and it was dim and close.
That was fine with Margaret. She needed soothing and she found the darkness comforting after the heat of the last few minutes. Her cheeks were flushed and her nipples were ultrasensitive with every breath she took.
And she could still see Lassiter as if he were standing before her. Broad shoulders, tight buttocks, those pale green eyes … Just a few words and he had brought her to this state. No, it was more than that. The chemistry had been there from the beginning. Since their relationship had been stormy and conflicted, it had been incredible that explosive sexual tension could manage to exist.
And now certainly wasn’t the time to think about Lassiter or sex. So spend a little time in this welcome dimness and get over it.
Then start to think of Patrick and those prisoners at the detention camp.
And Nicos, who at this very moment might already be on his way toward them.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“How is he doing?” Margaret asked Cambry the minute she walked into Patrick’s room four hours later. “Is it my imagination, or does he look less feverish?”
Cambry nodded. “His temp’s gone down another degree. He may be on his way back.”
“Thank God.” She gazed at Patrick for a long moment. He had gone through so much, and still they had almost lost him. It was good to know that he was going to get his chance to live. “Does Lassiter know?”
“Yes, he was here an hour ago. And he had a conference with the doctor. Since then he’s been moving at top speed. I saw him talking to Mandell in the courtyard.”
“Any news of Nicos?”
“Yes,” Lassiter replied for him as he strode into the room. “So far, the news is good. Mandell heard from his operative in Montego who was on watch and he said Nicos was still in Montego and there seemed to be a number of high-powered meetings going on. It appears that we might be getting a reprieve for a little while.” He met her eyes. “It could be enough. We’ll have to see.”
She felt relief rush through her. “At least enough time to get Patrick out of here?”
He shrugged. “No promises.”
She knew she couldn’t ask for anything other than the tentative hope he’d given her. “Then I’ll think positive.”
He smiled. “You always do.”
“Not always. But I try.” She turned to Cambry. “How is Patrick?”
“Breathing steadier. Fever dropping.”
“Then could we move him tonight instead of tomorrow?”
“Not unless we want to undo what we’ve done with him,” Lassiter said. “The doctor said we can’t rush it.”
“Damn.”
“I know.” He smiled. “But I haven’t been standing still, Margaret. I contacted Estefan’s rebel group and spoke to Diego’s brother, Carlos. He wasn’t at all pleased about his brother being imprisoned and tortured and even less when I told him about Diego’s wife, María. He was furious. I thought it was going to be an easy fix. Estefan’s people know these forests like the back of their hands and would have no trouble taking out sentries. And their numbers are large enough to be able to assault the detention camp if necessary.” He shook his head. “But I couldn’t get Carlos to commit to making a move toward getting the prisoners out. He didn’t trust me. He said he’d lost his brother and his brother’s wife and he wouldn’t lose anyone else. He couldn’t take a chance on my baiting a trap that could snap closed on his entire group.”
“So he won’t help?”
“He’ll help. I just may have to do a little finagling to make him come around.” He turned toward Patrick. “But I’ve set up some insurance just to make sure that Patrick will be safe if everything doesn’t go as I think it will.”