Ethan watched her eyes blink several times.โAustin knows what happened. Itโs all over the news that we were killed in that explosion. I called them to set the record straight,โ he said and then started eating.โDidโdid you tell them about my meeting with Heitor?โ She twisted her hands in her lap, looking very nervous.He shook his head no, and she relaxed a little in her seat. โI didnโt see any reason to tell them what happened, other than we were alive.โWhat did Anthony say?โ She leaned closer to his chair. โI didnโt talk to Anthony. I talked to Dave.โShe gasped and starting choking. He quickly slapped her back lightly a few times until she could breathe smoothly again.โEasy, Princess. Thereโs nothing to get worked up about.โShe glared at him, โWould you stop calling me that. Besides, there is plenty to get worked up about. You talked to Dave Myers, the head of the network.โ She quickly stood up and started pacing the floor. He watched her for a few seconds, then decided to go b
Ann walked into the dark room and felt around for a light switch. When the room flooded with light, she gasped. It was full of tall shelves stocked with everything from flashlights to rubber hoses. She almost tripped over her backpack as she started walking the aisles. Why would Javan have all this stuff? Who was he? How did Nathan know him?Taking the bag, she started walking the aisles, grabbing a flashlight, grabbing a handful of batteries, a box of matches, and other basic items. When she reached the back, her bag was heavy with stuff she thought sheโd need. Sheโd spent four years in the Brownies growing up and knew what it took to go camping.She spotted a small silver box on the top shelf and took it down. Inside was a silver .45. She reached in and felt its weight, knowing she had to make room in her bag. She grabbed a box of bullets and before placing the gun in the small side pocket of the bag, she made sure it was unloaded. Her father had forced her to take gun classes a few
Ethan walked at a steady pace as he watched the back of Annโs dark head. She defiantly fit in to the crowd now. Before, heads had turned when she walked down the street and men had seemed to fall aside with their tongues wagging. At least thatโs what he always imagined. She had that effect on men, kind of like the coyote in the cartoons when steam shot out of its ears, and its eyes did the slot machine spin.Okay, so it wasnโt that bad. If he wanted to be totally honest, thatโs the way heโd felt when heโd first seen her. Sheโd walked across the room in a hot red outfit, and heโd lost control of his wits. Not only had his temperature risen, wellโฆ he shook his head and cleared the image from his mind.Theyโd been walking for almost an hour and already he could tell she was slowing down. So far they hadnโt run into any trouble. When Ann stumbled, he reached out and took her arm. She yanked it free and glared at him. He smiled at her in return, which only caused her to frown. The small c
โWhat?โ He threw the glass across the room and watched as it shattered against the wall. โYou promised me youโd have her by morning. I donโt know if you know it, but itโs after one. I leave in less than five hours. I donโt care what you do or who you have to hire. Find that woman or you can forget about ever working in Brazil again.โHe could feel the vein in his temple bulging as he looked across at the two men. He turned his attention to the larger man.โI told you, I donโt think the cameraman was who you said he was. He has to be from some kind of military forces to have disappeared like that. Maybe heโs an agent? All I know is that I have over a hundred men out looking, not to mention all the loyalists who have their eyes and ears out. Miss Rhodes has disappeared from Rio.โHe leaned over the table and looked at the man. Even though the man was bigger than he was, he wasnโt afraid of him. After all, he was the one with all the power. If he didnโt like how the man was doing his job
Ethan watched Ann across the small space as she slept. Heโd sat across from her last night at Javanโs and watched her, much like he was doing now. She slept like heโd dreamed of doing for years, like the whole world had dropped off and she had no cares.He knew the hike had been hard on her. Hell, it had been hard on him, but he was used to being uncomfortable and tired. Heโd done it all his adult life and had no plans of letting up any time soon. He liked his job and the travel. He liked helping people out and working with his buddies from his time in the corps. He was very glad that he and Javan had patched up their relationship. Heโd been his best friend for so many years. Ethan had hated knowing the man was not around to call when he got in a tight spot.But above everything else about the job, Ethan liked the danger and the thrills he got when he outmaneuvered his opponents. It was like a game to him. Heโd always been good at it. When he was a kid, heโd played paintball wars with
Ann felt the cold stone on her back and Ethanโs breath on her neck. She wouldnโt regret this move. Sheโd always taken what sheโd wanted and sheโd wanted him. Especially after walking out of the cave and seeing him standing naked under the water. She would have had to be a saint not to want to jump him. His muscles were impressive in clothes, but bare, she just wanted to lick him up and down.As she felt his breathing slow, she knew he was going to be pissed at her for maneuvering him so easily. Sheโd never seduced someone like that before and she felt liberated in doing so. Actually, she wanted to do it again, but doubted they had the time or could spare the energy.Her hands felt a few small scars on his back that sheโd seen the other night when sheโd been following him. Reaching down, she ran her hand over the larger one along the lower part of his spine.โHow did you get this?โ she asked as he held himself still.โHmm. I should have been looking behind me instead of in front.โShe
Ethan pulled her back into the brush quickly and didnโt wait to see if theyโd been spotted as they took off running back the way theyโd come. When theyโd made it twenty yards he chanced a glance over his shoulder and saw several heads bobbing in the trees, heading their way. Damn!He grabbed her arm and they made a sharp turn, cutting to the right down a path he knew was dangerous. He didnโt think they had any choice.He didnโt know if the men where the oneโs looking for them. Hell, they could have stumbled on a drug deal or something else. All he knew was they couldnโt chance stopping and asking them what they wanted.โSorry, Princess. Itโs going to be a bumpy ride. He grabbed her and flung himself off the cliff, trying to take the brunt of the impact himself.The rains the night before helped their muddy journey down the slippery ravine. As they slid down the steep hill, Ethan grunted every time his back connected with a sharp stick or rock. Ann squealed and held onto his shoulders.
โThereโs a small creek with a pool near here. Itโs only about half a mile away. Can you make it that far so we can clean up?โ She nodded. Okay, so if he knew there was a creek a half a mile away, she was going to stop underestimating him.A short while later, they cautiously approached the stream. There was a very small waterfall and the water was only a few feet deep, just deep enough that she could probably sit in it. There was no cave in case it rained again that night. Theyโd just have to get wet. Sheโd gauged all this as he was scouting out the area to make sure no one was around.โItโs a popular camping site,โ he told her as they sat by the stream. โWeโre about half a dayโs hike from civilization. There are a few small towns we will have to pass through. Weโd better do it in the middle of the night, so we arenโt seen by anyone.โShe nodded her head in agreement, but in truth she was only half listening to him. Sheโd sat down by the pool on a large round rock and had removed her
Ethan watched Ann fluff his pillows for what seemed like the hundredth time. He smiled, enjoying her pampering him. He knew she was just concerned about him and he enjoyed every minute of it. It had been a close one. So close heโd made a decision, one he had yet to talk to her about. There had hardly been a time when they were alone.When heโd woken in the ICU, she was there and so were a half dozen nurses. Then when heโd come to again, heโd been in a private room with his parents hovering over him. It had been nice having them there, but he wished for some time alone with Ann.Then she had left for the evening, promising sheโd be back first thing in the morning. She had walked in five minutes after his parents and Roberta had. Now her family was there, chatting and acting like he was a hero.Blake was there as well. The kid had grown tall, but still looked the same. Ethan could tell he was glad he was okay, even if he played it cool. Javan had even stopped by at one point before headi
Ethan was fighting for his life. There were two of them, heโd spotted them instantly when heโd entered the large stadium. His eyes had scanned not the stage, where Ann was focused, but instead the roof and upper bleachers of the large stadium. It had taken him only a few seconds to see the dark spot hovering in a private booth area. The nose of the rifle stuck out from the box. With his mind totally focused on getting there quickly, he lost track of Ann. He knew sheโd make it to her father and hoped to God she had enough sense to stay down. When he reached the opening to the booth, he threw himself in and charged the man, covered in darkness. He didnโt see the second man come out of theshadows until the knife was already on a downward arch.Trying to block it, he felt the blade hit his rib cage, tearing his shirt and the skin below. Turning, he connected a solid blow to the skinny manโs nose, shattering it and sending blood splattering all over both of them. Paul, the senatorโs assis
Ann and Ethan spent the next few days locked in the editing room. They had gone over every inch of footage that had been uploaded from Rio before the incident. There really wasnโt anything other than crowd shots they could use.Sheโd been enjoying their time together. There was hardly a moment when they werenโt together. Javan had even been moved over to watching Blake instead.Ethan had been spending all his time with her. He slept in her bed, they ate dinner together, they ate breakfast together. He sat across from her when she worked in her office. They had been spending a lot of their evenings in the editing room together. She couldnโt explain it, she just enjoyed spending her time with him. He was easy to get along with, and she didnโt want to be apart from him.Sheโd woken the other night to an empty bed and had instantly felt empty herself. Then sheโd heard him talking on the phone in the other room. Sheโd quietly rushed in and smiled when sheโd seen him pacing her living room.
โI canโt believe it. Itโs taken almost a week and they are finally going to let me run my piece from Rio. They want it edited a little more and some more back story, but the executives want it by Friday.โ Ann was so nervous, she was pacing her small office.Ethan sat across from her and looked bored. โAre you listening to me?โ She picked up the nearest item, which happened to be a stress ball, and tossed it athis head. He caught it and proceeded to squeeze it playfully as she smiled.โIโm always listening. I knew they were going to run it. Itโs a good piece. Plus, you had an excellent cameraman.โ He smiled and tossed the ball back at her.She caught it and set it back on her desk, then walked around and sat in her chair. There was so much to do in the next few days, she didnโt think sheโd have time. Preparing a piece this big took a team and her teamโฆ she closed her eyes on the flash of memory that popped into her head. Well, her team was dead.โIโm going to spend the next few days g
Ann was bored. Since returning home, sheโd gone to work, gone to the grocery store. Her kitchen was now fully stocked with groceries. When sheโd arrived home last night she had realized there wasnโt anything to eat since sheโd left for a long journey. Sheโd visited her family and done other boring everyday tasks, but was still bored out of her mind. How could she ever get back in the swing of a normal life after what sheโd gone through with Ethan?Sheโd been happily surprised to see Javan yesterday at the store. When theyโd come back to her place, heโd come in and installed several small cameras throughout her place. Sheโd talked to him and had found out that heโd had to leave Rio on account of helping them escape. She felt bad, but was happy that he was going to be helping Ethan out now.She was in the middle of watching the evening news, when the doorbell rang. She hadnโt even heard a word the announcer said since sheโd been too busy thinking of Ethan again.Knowing it was the pizza
The next morning Ann marched into her office with a plan. There was no way she was going to let Anthony fire her. She walked out of the elevators and past the secretary with her head held high. She avoided talking to anyone; she just wanted to make it into her office. She was so focused on getting there, she didnโt see the man sitting behind her desk until after sheโd closed the door, leaned back on it, and released a sigh of relief.โWas it that bad?โ Dave asked from her chair. She couldnโt help it, she squealed. Sheโd only met Dave Myers once before, on the day sheโd been hired almost five years ago. He was an older gentlemen with silver hair. His suitsalways looked pressed and he never had a hair out of place. He had a reputation for being a hard-ass and sheโd done everything she could to avoid dealing with him directly.โOh,โ she stood up straight and ran her hands over her skirt, trying to make sure she looked perfect.โCome in, Miss Rhodes. Iโd like to hear all about your adven
She smiled again. โThanks, Daddy. I knew youโd have all the answers. What can I do now?โโWell, if he doesnโt come back on his ownโฆ If I know anything about my little girl, youโll find a way to make him crawl back.โThat night she lay in her bed for a few hours listening to the sounds of the city around her. She missed the sounds of the jungle and of Ethan sleeping beside her. She missed his warmth, his smell, his touch.She knew she was going to have a hard time falling back into a pattern. How could she ever go back to a normal life after what theyโd been through? Did she want to? More importantly, did she want to do it all alone? Even though theyโd only known each other a few months, she couldnโt stop thinking about him.The shadows on her ceiling did little to soothe her as the light hit the leaves that were starting to fall from the large tree outside her window. She turned and hit her pillow a few times, trying to get comfortable. Sheโd had no problem sleeping in the dirt or wet
The next morning they met his parents for a day trip to the beach, something theyโd done since he was a kid. Usually theyโd spend the whole night sleeping in a tent or sleeping bags under the stars if the weather held out.This time they had stayed late enough to have some of his dadโs homemade mussel soup. Heโd laughed as he taught Ann how to dig for mussels. Sheโd been a little grossed out at first, but after heโd showed her how to collect the first few, sheโd rolled her sleeves up and been totally focused.Sheโd even helped him collect wood for their fire. Heโd always enjoyed having a campfire on the beach. Something about the smell of burning wood and the salt from the ocean made him feel like he was truly home.As they sat on a large piece of driftwood in front of the fire, he pulled her close as he watched his parents laughing about a story they were telling.It was almost like life was going in slow motion for a few minutes. His mind flashed from seeing the same scene as a chil
Sheโd toed off her own heels as she walked her way back to just below his hips.His erection sat between them, proud and erect. She knew he wanted her to touch him, but she leaned over and started kissing and rubbing her hands over his chest again.She wanted this to last. She wanted to enjoy every inch of him, slowly. โAnn, your killing me.โโDonโt rush me. Iโm enjoying myself too much to go fast.โ She smiled as she nibbled her way down his chest. When she reached his belly button, she dipped her tongue in and swirled it around the sexy spot. He had a light covering of hair that trailed down to his sex. She followed it until finally, she gripped him lightly in her hands. She watched as his eyes closed and he moaned while arching his head.โYou like it when I touch you?โโGod, yes!โ He almost jumped when she swirled her tongue around the head, lapping at him as she used her hands to stroke his length. She cupped his balls as she used her mouth to please him.His hands plunged into her