VARA HAD FORGOTTEN HOW draining flights across the ocean could be. With layovers, it had taken them a full day and then some to reach Atlanta where they said goodbye to the rest of Alec's team. No one had commented on their plans to depart for Miami on their own. It was simply accepted."Did we ever hear about the rest of my team? If they got to the states?" Vara turned her head toward Alec."Uh, I don't think anyone mentioned them, so I assumed no news was good news. Want me to find out?""Yes, please?" It would allow her to relax some knowing those three were safe."Let's call my boss." Alec pulled out his phone and jabbed the screen.The line rang through the rental car's speakers. He'd splurged on a convertible and she couldn't pretend it didn't make her happy."Who is dying?" a dry male voice asked."Zain, you're on speaker with me and Vara." Alec chuckled."Sorry, Ms. Price." Zain's tone went all business. "Has something happened?""No, Vara was just curious if you knew
ALEC LISTENED TO THE sounds of Vara's shower for a moment before retreating to the kitchen. He should be dragging and ready to drop. He hadn't slept much on the plane. But he couldn't waste time on a nap. He was under the same roof with Vara and he didn't know how long it would last.In theory, seven days. That was how long they'd booked the condo for. It didn't mean they'd actually stay that long. Anything could happen. She could get called in by the CIA. He could have a job come up. For however long they got, he wanted to use that time to reconnect with her.It hadn't gone unnoticed that she hadn't blinked an eye when he'd put their things in the master bedroom. There'd been no hesitation, no glancing around. Nothing. Which he took as a good sign. Besides, he didn't intend to sleep without her so long as they were together. Every minute had to count. This was his campaign to show her that they could be something together for real this time and not just a lust-driven fling.He'd go
DINNER ON THE PATIO was a relaxed affair. Vara and Alec stretched out on the lounge chairs and piled the food on a few plates between them, eating what they wanted. They didn't have much of a view through the wrought iron bars of anything except the vegetation bordering the lush lawn. It was still nice to sit outside without worrying. Vara almost didn't know what it felt like to be without concern for her safety."You and your mom on speaking terms?" Alec asked out of nowhere."Yeah. I call her every couple of weeks." Vara did the math. She was due for another call. "I should probably let her know where I am.""Things still rocky between you two?""That's nothing new." Vara wrinkled her nose and swung her legs over the side of the chair. She wasn't yet used to the feel of air on her bare legs."Hey." Alec reached over and took her hand. "She's your mom.""And I was a child she didn't want. It's no secret. I know she loves me, but let's face it. I wasn't an easy kid to parent and
VARA OPENED THE DOOR to the bedroom and found Alec standing on the other side, his hands braced on the frame."Hi." He grinned at her and even though there was plenty of space between them she could feel ghost touches along her cheek and inner knee. Places those lips had been."Hi. Come here often?" She gestured at the master bath behind her."Only when I need to." He lifted one shoulder."Move." She chuckled and shooed him to one side."Done?" He backed up, giving her space, which was a little disappointing."It's all yours." She strolled across the bedroom.The door snicking shut cut off any fantasy of him enraptured by the sight of her.What the hell was up with him?Alec had kept things fairly G rated. Even once it was just the two of them all he'd done was flirt a bit, hold her hand, kissed her fewer than five times-but nothing more. She'd fully expected him to pounce on her as soon as they were behind closed doors. Instead they'd spent a relaxing evening in front of the
WYATT BOREGARD HAD TO make a choice. He had the proverbial wolf by the ears and he was beginning to think there was no way for him to extract himself from this situation without getting mauled. He stared out the windows on a landscape covered in green with crystal skies overhead.Where the hell was he?The flights they'd used hadn't been commercial. Wyatt had weathered the last trip sandwiched between crates in a seat barely wide enough for his ass.Based on the position of the stars he knew they'd gone north. His guess from the few signs he'd seen in the stark building, all of which were in the Cyrillic alphabet, was that they were either in Ukraine or Russia. If he were an international mob boss, he'd be in Ukraine. Too many people were interested in the going and comings from Russia for them to pass without notice.Vara had sure bitten off more than she could chew this time. He'd known better than to stick with her for this long. She was blessed with too much luck. It was bound
ALEC SET THE BEACH chairs down and watched as Vara swept her bikini cover-up over her head. A week of this view and he still wasn't tired of it. She glanced at him and rolled her eyes, one side of her mouth hitching up."Want to take mine off, too?" He grinned at her and unfolded a chair for her."Shut up." Vara set the tote in her chair and draped the top over the back. She rolled her eyes and smiled, but it wasn't the reaction he was looking for.There was a wall there. He could feel it. She'd kiss him, suck him, fuck him, but there was this barrier that kept them slightly apart. Maybe he wouldn't notice it if he was just meeting her or if he hadn't known her better all those years ago, but he did. He'd been with a totally open and uninhibited Vara and this wasn't her.Whatever.He'd wear her down. This was a long campaign. Them clicking so fast was good, it meant he had to do less convincing her. He just needed to show her that this relationship didn't have an expiration date.
ALEC PLACED HIS HAND on the small of Vara's back, guiding her to the sidewalk. Instead of heading home to shower then off to a restaurant, they were simply moving from the beach to a waterfront bar with their newfound friends."These guys make me feel old." He chuckled."Please. You are not old." Vara peered up at him over the top of her sunglasses."Were you listening to them?""Okay, so maybe I do feel my age a little. We don't have to go, you know? We can bail." She slowed her pace."Nah. They need a little guidance. Someone to show them a better example.""And that's you? Right.""Okay, so maybe I want to see you drink them under the table.""You're ready to sacrifice my liver to get a laugh?" The corners of her mouth quirked up.Alec reached up and tugged on her ponytail. She tilted her chin up and he paused to kiss her lips. He kept it brief so as to avoid needing to leave. The guys weren't bad, and it was nice to be out with someone besides each other."I'd like it if
VARA TAPPED HER PHONE screen, but the device was sluggish. She needed to switch over to a new cell on an American network. It just hadn't been a priority. Now it seemed silly that she hadn't taken care of that already.Alec hauled himself out of the seat in the row ahead of her and wrangled their bags out of the overhead bins. They'd agreed that remaining in Miami seemed like a bad idea. Somehow they'd gotten home, packed and boarded the plane in an hour and a half. She didn't know where they were headed now or what Alec's plan was, but she was glad to be in another city.She pressed her phone to her ear and followed Alec down the aisle off the plane.Chad's phone rang. And rang. His voicemail picked up.Vara ended the call. She wasn't leaving him another message, not when she had nothing worthwhile to say.Once they were off the plane Alec offered her his hand."What's our plan now?" It was strange to ask someone else that question. For the last few years she was the one making