Brazen

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BRAZEN Copyright © 1999 By Lori Foster ISBN 1-58495-000-5 Electronically published in arrangement with the author ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No portion of this book may be reprinted in whole or in part, by printing, faxing, E-mail, copying electronically or by any other means without permission of the publisher. For more information contact DiskUs Publishing http://www.diskuspublishing.com E-mail [email protected] DiskUs Publishing PO Box 43 Albany, IN 47320 * This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.

Contents Chapter One

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Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight About the Author Chapter One The contract was already signed. There was no backing out now. Besides, she was certain her trepidation was unwarranted. She didn't have a single, viable excuse to refuse the request. So why was she hesitating? This mission wasn't out of the ordinary; there was no reason for the misgivings. Still, her stomach knotted as she peered into the dim, smoky room. First meetings were always tense, but today she felt especially anxious with some strange foreboding. Not that she believed in premonitions, or even feminine intuition. And it wasn't exactly like her to borrow trouble, or to dwell in indecision. So she was done doing both, determining instead to concentrate on her plans. Pushing her bangs off her forehead, she sauntered into the room. Several heads turned her way, scrutinizing her, making note of her appearance. She ignored them. For most of her life, she'd garnered undue attention for one reason or another, most of the reasons uncomplimentary. Her eyes scanned the tables and booths. The music was loud, as was the boasting and bragging. The

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typical atmosphere of a seedy bar. Without thinking, she rubbed her stomach, feeling slightly sick with her nervousness. She knew him the moment her gaze locked onto his. She had never seen such intense emotion in a man's expression, and for a moment, it caught her. Turbulent, hot, seething, he seemed filled with determination and impatience. She was slightly late, but she wouldn't let him unleash that emotion on her. She watched him a moment, her gaze steady. He stared back, looked her over once, slowly, and then dismissed her. She almost smiled. So, she wasn't exactly what he'd been expecting? Too bad, she thought, and her lengthy stride quickly carried her to his booth. As was her usual habit at such meetings, she'd dressed all in black. Her tunic was long, hanging to mid thigh, loosely fitted so it wouldn't impede her movements. Her jeans were slim and fit snugly to her long legs, and her low-heeled boots were only ankle high. She wore no jewelry to get in her way, and carried only the black briefcase. She hated the case, but it usually proved necessary to have it handy. Lounging back in his chair, he looked her over again, more thoroughly this time. His look was so intimate, so personal, it felt like a tactile touch and raised her hackles. She truly didn't like being touched, not without permission. He spoke slowly, reluctantly. "Sorry, honey, but I'm afraid I'm already busy tonight." His words were gruff, not friendly. Ray pulled out a chair and seated herself. He frowned at her, leaning forward to put his arms on the rough, scarred table. She forestalled his next scathing comment. "I'm Ray Vereker." She didn't say anything else, simply waited for the usual signs of disbelief and disparagement. His eyes were an unusual shade of mellow hazel, bright with intelligence, probing. His brown hair was cut in precise lines, not a single strand out of place. God, how Ray hated the look of old money. Even his jacket bespoke wealth, made of fine leather and deliberately scuffed to appear fashionably worn. He had a watch on his wrist that probably cost as much as her truck. Maybe more. And his nails were impeccably clean. To be honest with herself, she admitted he was a devastatingly handsome man. She shook her head in disgust. But more than anything, more than her dislike for his money, his rich clothes, his good looks and his probable attitude because of those advantages, she disliked his ignorance. What fool would come into such a place and advertise himself as an easy mark? That was exactly what he had done by wearing the watch and the jacket. He was a fool, all right. And for the next week or so, he owned her. Ray leaned back arrogantly in the chair and crossed her legs. She knew his tactic. He hoped to remain silent so long, she'd begin to babble nervously, giving herself away as a fool also. But she wouldn't do it.

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Let him sit there in sulky silence. She wasn't in any particular hurry to talk to him, anyway. His hazel eyes narrowed at her continued silence. "I requested the meanest son-of-a-bitch they had." Ray tilted her head back, looking at him closely. He hadn't raised his voice, and for the life of her, she couldn't decipher his mood. She shrugged. "I know what you requested. I have your papers with me." "And?" "And they complied." With a short, rough laugh, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, then muttered under his breath. Ray noticed that his hands were large, sprinkled with brown hair. He propped an elbow on the table and asked, "Do you by chance have any idea what it is I want?" "Yes." His eyes slid over her again, appraising. But this time, for a different reason. Ray never moved a muscle. "I assumed 'Ray' would be a man." She shrugged again. "You assumed wrong." "What's your whole name?" "Does that really matter?" He didn't answer her question, choosing to watch her instead. The silence grew, and finally, because she had no reason not to, she said, "Ray Jean. But I hate that name, so I'd strongly suggest you not use it." "Or what?" "Or I'll walk out and you'll be left having to settle for the second meanest son-of-a-bitch there is." A reluctant grin tugged at his lips, then won. He chuckled, surprising Ray. "You're really that good?" She never hesitated. "I'm really that good." "Will you be offended if I ask for credentials?" Ray opened the case. "I'd think you were an idiot as well as a fool if you didn't." He'd been reaching for the papers she extended, but paused with her words. "Would you like to explain that comment?" Ray was unconcerned with his irritation. Still riffling through papers, not bothering to look at his face, she explained, "We'll be lucky if we get out of here without someone trying to take your wallet or watch or both. You need to adapt to your surroundings. It isn't always necessary to flaunt your position in life." Done with her explanation, Ray looked up as she handed him a listing of her experience and background information. He didn't take the papers. His expression was easy enough to read now. She'd made him

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mad. Very mad. His narrowed eyes were hot enough to scorch her. Ray sighed. She didn't have time for this. "Look, Mr. Conners…" "If you're going to feel free to blatantly insult me, you may as well call me Eli." "It wasn't an insult I was giving you…well, perhaps it was, but it wasn't intended as such. It was merely an instruction. I was told you wanted to stick close, that you insisted on accompanying me when I go. And I have no intention of causing myself extra worry just so you can dress in your finest." He drew a deep breath, and Ray assumed he must be trying for patience. Again, she waited. There was another long hesitation, then Eli explained, "The watch is from my grandfather and it never comes off." Ray nodded acceptance. "And the jacket?" He grinned sheepishly. "The oldest one I own." "I see. Then we'll have to go shopping before we leave." Ray looked at him, her eyes probing. "That is, if you still want me." Eli was in the process of glancing over her papers. He paused with her comment, his gaze returning to her face for a brief moment, studying her silently. Then he turned his attention back to her credentials. He took his time, carefully reading everything. They weren't really complete, but Ray figured she deserved a little privacy, and some things just weren't worth going into. "You've been to Central America before?" "Oh, yes." Her words were whispered. "I've been there." Eli watched her over the top of the papers. "I was told you were the leading expert on these situations." "I've been told that, too." "What do you think? Are you that good?" "I'm alive. That's good enough for me." He shook his head. "A woman. It's hard to swallow." "Are we staying here? I'd like a drink if we are. If not, then I suggest we get going. We seem to be drawing a lot of attention." Eli was instantly alert. "Where?" "At the bar." "The bar is behind you. How do you know we're drawing attention?" Giving him a lazy look, Ray suggested, "Feminine intuition?"

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"It was a legitimate question." "All right. Don't get riled." She considered her words, then admitted, "I can feel it." "It?" "The growing tension. Someone is plotting. I can feel the eyes, feel the hush in the air. The anticipation." Eli blinked at her. She waited for his derision, but after a thoughtful moment, he nodded. "Okay. Let's get out of here." Ray didn't move yet. "Then you do want me?" Before he could answer, another voice, slurred with drink, sounded close behind her. "I want ya' honey." A meaty hand closed around her arm. She didn't so much as flinch. Saying to Eli, "Take care of my case," she slowly stood, with the man still holding her upper arm. Eli cursed. "Like hell." He stepped toward her, but was forced to stop when the man went sailing past their table. The look on Eli's face now was comical, but Ray knew there wouldn't be time to laugh. "Come on." She grabbed his hand and her case, and started for the back door. Another man reached out, snatching at the back of Eli's jacket. He impressed Ray by the way he reacted. There was no hesitation whatsoever when he punched the man in the side of the throat. "Where's your car?" Ray asked, ready to release his hand, but unable to do so since Eli held her so tightly. His palm was warm, his fingers long and strong. Eli snorted. "I'm not as stupid as you obviously think. I took a cab." "Good. We'll use my truck." They had exited the bar into a back alley, and Ray ran full tilt to the first side street. There, parked against the curb, was her truck. It was the most disreputable- looking piece of transportation on the road. And the most reliable. Ray pulled away from Eli's hand and ran to the driver's side. "Get in." Eli had a little trouble getting his door unjammed. Ray turned the engine over and was already coasting when he finally opened the door and jumped in. Ray glanced at him and saw that he sported an ear-to-ear grin. She raised a brow. "Enjoying yourself?" "Just reminiscing." She didn't understand his comment, but didn't care enough to ask him to clarify it. She didn't want to know him personally, what made him smile or why. That wasn't part of her job. "We can shop in the morning and pack in the afternoon. We'll leave the next day." Eli was surprised. "You can be ready that soon?"

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"You can't?" He shook his head. "I'm fine. I just thought these things required more planning." "What's to plan? I know where he is; I know how to get in. All we really need is a few supplies and some luck. I took care of everything else before meeting with you." Eli stared at her. "You were that sure I'd accept you? That you actually had the job?" Ray ignored his questions, her mind already racing ahead. "Where do you live?" Obviously exasperated with her attitude, Eli shook his head, then gave her directions. "Do you want me to pick you up in the morning?" Ray stopped at a light. She turned to give him her full attention, her dark eyes holding his, her demeanor relaxed. Her stomach was still jumpy - maybe even more so now - but she'd never let him know it. "That won't be necessary. I live too far away to drive back home. I'll sleep at your place." Her words were softly spoken, casual, but commanding. She wouldn't suffer any disagreements. Eli stared. "My place?" The light turned green and Ray moved with the flow of traffic. "I'm afraid so. The only other available places around here would be too far from your residence. And I don't see any reason for me to spend the night in some seedy motel when you most likely have plenty of room. We're going to be getting real familiar soon, anyway." She glanced his way again, catching his expression. "Get used to it." Since Ray needed very specific directions, Eli asked, "You're not from around here?" "Illinois, yes. Chicago, no." "Where are you from?" "Did you notice that wasn't in the papers you looked at?" He shrugged. "Yes. So?" "I don't like to get personal, Eli. I don't want to know any more about you than what you need from me, the facts and any pertinent information. That's it." His look was masked. "I see." "I hope so. Because I can't tolerate biased assumptions." Now he raised a brow. "Once again, I'm afraid I've missed your meaning. Do you care to explain, or is that forbidden also?" Ray tightened her hands on the wheel, an unconscious gesture. "My life and how I live it is nobody's business but my own." "I agree."

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"But you probably already have preconceived notions of the type of person I am, based solely on the job you've hired me to do." She slanted him a look, her lids slightly lowered. "Who I am and what motivates me can't be shown on a paper. You'll simply have to trust that I can do the job, and keep any other speculations to yourself." Eli nodded his understanding. "What you're saying is you're actually two different people, and I'll only meet the woman willing to be hired as a mercenary. I should keep my nose away from that other woman?" "You can put it that way if you like." She lifted one shoulder in a delicate shrug. "As long as you refrain from personal questions, we'll handle this business just fine." "You're overreacting, you know. I didn't ask for a listing of your most recent lovers or what religious organization you belong to. I don't care if you dance naked on a stage or spend your free time as a brain surgeon. I was only making small talk. I'll try not to make that mistake again." Ray didn't react to his barbs, at least outwardly. She didn't know why she was being so prickly. Maybe she was just getting too old for the job. She thought to apologize, but it had been so long since she'd bothered to excuse herself to anyone, for any reason, she wasn't certain if she still knew how. And the silence had gone on too long, anyway. She decided again that it wasn't worth the effort. Eli told her to turn at the next street, then leaned back in his seat to watch her. "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?" He surprised her with his sudden comment, and she could feel his gaze as he waited for her response. Ray couldn't hear any sarcasm in his tone, though, so she answered. "I'm tough enough when I need to be. That's all you have to worry about." "You don't look tough. You look soft and feminine." He watched her closely, unblinking. "You're a very attractive woman. And that isn't getting personal, just an observation." She laughed suddenly, the sound rusty even to her own ears. She saw Eli shift in his seat. "If you're uncomfortable making observations, then don't bother." "I was only speaking the truth. If someone had taken the time to tell me it was woman they'd send me, I surely wouldn't have envisioned anyone like you. You look slim and almost delicate. Not like a soldier." "There's more to capability than brute strength, and looks can be deceiving. But as far as trying to compliment, don't. We'll be spending at least one night in Central America, probably two. Trust me, I look pretty bad after two days of roughing it. And more importantly, I don't care. I don't waste time caring." Her dark gaze settled on him again. "Remember that."

***

Eli smiled as Ray parked the hideous, rust-covered truck in the parking garage amid the array of expensive, richly colored cars. She didn't seem the least bit impressed with the difference, and Eli found himself intrigued by her.

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He knew she had expected some resistance on his part when she'd first shown up. But what she didn't know was he was hiring her mostly as a guide, and only secondarily as an aide in case of any physical confrontations. For the most part, Eli could hold his own, so he didn't expect her to have to engage in any physical battles, despite her capable display at the bar. She knew her way in and around Central America, and that was her value. The necessity for stealth made bringing along more than one person highly risky, so she'd have to do. She walked to the front of the truck, and then waited for him. Eli had to admit she was a beauty. Long legged, slim but shapely, she had the appeal of natural good looks. High cheekbones, full lips and wide, very dark eyes were quick to catch and hold attention. Eli had been vaguely disappointed that he didn't have time for her when she'd first approached his booth. Before he'd realized she wasn't just hitting on him, she was there for him. His male interest had given way to disbelief, but he had learned long ago to hide his emotions well and hadn't given her a clue to his thoughts. Riffling long, tapered fingers through her midnight black bangs, she impatiently watched as he left the truck. Eli asked, "Do you have a bag or anything you need for the night? "It's under the seat. I was waiting for you to get out of the way." Her voice was continually soft and husky, never raised above a moderate tone. And her stance was always negligent, casual and relaxed. She hadn't even tensed when she'd thrown the man at the bar. She'd just sort of…maneuvered, bent the right way, and the big man had gone flying. He didn't know if it was a necessary pretense on her part, or if she was truly that calm and indifferent to the circumstances of her ability. Eli found himself speculating on how she would look and sound in the throes of a climax. Would she moan softly, or would she be the different woman she'd mentioned before? He immediately stopped those errant thoughts. Now certainly wasn't the time. Pulling the bag out for her, he started forward but when he reached for her arm, she casually sidestepped, evading his grasp. "You're taller than I'd first thought." Eli shrugged. "About six-four. But you're pretty tall, too. For a woman." He stared down at her. Usually towering over most women and a fair amount of men, he was pleased, though he didn't know why, that Ray was only about five inches shorter than him. Somehow she managed to look him dead in the eye without seeming to tilt her head at all. He liked it. "Is this your only bag?" Ray looked away from her contemplation of the building. "There's two changes of clothes. That's all I need." "What about shampoo and soap and . . . " "You don't have those things?" "Well, yes. But don't most women have their own brands? Mine might smell a bit masculine." She gave him a piercing look of mild disgust. "We're going to a tiny, nothing country in Central America, not a formal ball. Does it matter what I smell like?"

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She made him feel foolish for commenting on it. But in his defense, he'd never before met a woman who wouldn't care. Teasing her, he asked, "You do have your own toothbrush?" "I have my own toothbrush," she agreed. Then she turned toward him. "You don't live here." Eli stared into her eyes, so dark they were nearly black. He swallowed in reaction, then shook off the odd sensation of being invaded. "I have an apartment upstairs." She shook her head. "But it isn't your home?" Playing along, he asked, "Why not?" "Because no one who could afford me would live in a complex this simple." "It's a nice place," Eli defended. "Nice. But not nice enough. Where are you taking me?" Eli sighed, giving up. "I have several offices, and I keep an apartment close to the locations I visit most often. My home-that is, where I prefer to be-is in Kentucky. I have a ranch there." Ray nodded and started into the building. "You own a chain of department stores?" "That's right." A gentleman by nature, it was difficult for Eli not to take her arm as they walked. But she'd been quietly obvious in her wishes not to be touched. It was one more thing to add to her mystery. "We can do the shopping you think is necessary in my Chicago store tomorrow." "No. We'll do the shopping at the local thrift store. I don't want you standing out like a sore thumb." Behind her, where she couldn't possibly see him and take offense, Eli grinned. She was a bossy little thing, giving orders without thought and apparently fully expecting them to be obeyed. And she had a sassy walk. She may have thought wearing the dark clothing would make her less noticeable, but Eli doubted anything could really make her inconspicuous. She was too striking in her confident, exotic looks. Even the shortness of her hair, fine and glossy- black, was appealing. It had a natural wave, and curled just slightly over her ears and nape. Her bangs were longer, and she fiddled with them often. Eli wondered if that was why she'd left them long - to give her fingers something to do. Her hips swayed gently as she strutted up the hallway to his door. Eli waited to see if she would demand he give her the key so she could let them in. He pulled his gaze away from her derriere and fished in his pocket. By God, she did reach for the key! Eli chuckled. "I think I can manage." His words were gentle and amused. She actually flushed, then forced a shrug. "Habit." Eli turned the key, then pushed the door open, waiting for her to enter. He closed the door, and for the briefest moment, they stood in the dark. He could feel her beside him, smell her light, feminine scent, see the glimmer of her eyes as she watched him closely. Then he flipped the wall switch and the room was flooded with light.

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Ray looked around, but showed no reaction to the lush furnishings. "We'll need to talk, then you can show me where you want me to sleep." Eli smiled. She was full of loaded questions. First she'd asked if he 'wanted her,' and now she was asking where he wanted her to sleep. He'd needed a distraction from his worries, and Ray was certainly that. But exchanging worry for lust wasn't the best solution. And judging by the flat look in her beautiful eyes, she expected some snide sexual comment on his part. He wasn't about to oblige her. "I'll fix us something to drink, and you can put your things in the first room on the right down the hall. It's a guest bedroom with a private bath. You should be comfortable, but if you need anything, just ask." "I could use something to eat, too. It was a long drive for me." Eli shook his head, bemused. She certainly didn't pull any punches. "What would you like?" he asked politely. "What do you have?" "You know, I don't have the faintest idea. I told the cleaning lady to stock a few things since I knew I'd be staying here. Do you want to take a look yourself?" "No. Just surprise me. I'm hungry enough to eat anything. And here," she added, handing him her case. "You may as well take this with you. I have a few maps we'll need to go over." Five minutes later when Ray came in, Eli had opened a can of soup which was simmering on the stove, and was in the process of making sandwiches. "Baloney and cheese. That okay?" For an answer, Ray took the sandwich from his hand and sank her teeth into it. As she chewed, she pulled out a chair and lounged back in it, reaching for her case at the same time. "What exactly did your brother do to get himself in this fix?" Eli stiffened. "Evidently, he went to the wrong place at the wrong time." "Why?" "He wants to be a photo journalist. He's a good student, but he hates to study. I suppose he had this nutty idea about first-hand experience. Since Mataya is in a state of rebellion, he hoped to get some prime photos and ace his finals report." "You allowed him to go?" "He's nineteen years old. Too old for me to forbid him anything. But no, I didn't know he was going. He asked for the money to fund the trip, but he told me he was going to Europe with some friends over semester break." Eli glanced away. "I hold myself responsible. If I hadn't been so preoccupied with business, I might have known what he was planning." "Blaming yourself won't help him, and you didn't answer my question. What happened to get him in trouble?"

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Rubbing his face, Eli stood and walked to the stove. He was amazed by how quickly Ray put her food away. She didn't seem indelicate; it was just that the food rapidly disappeared. He ladled a bowl of the soup, then placed it on the table. Not bothering to sit, he said quietly, "Josh is a good kid, but sometimes misguided. He was in a bar-drunk by all accounts, which isn't like him-and he took offense at something one of the locals said. A fight broke out and the place was trashed. They arrested him." Ray had gone quiet. Too quiet. "When was this?" Eli shook his head. "As far as I can tell, it was about a week ago. It took that long for his friends to be able to contact me. They tried getting him out on their own, but of course, they didn't have the means." "No. They wouldn't have the means." Her voice was solemn, laced with a deadly calm and fatalism. It unnerved him. He supposed on some level, her inherent confidence had reassured him. If she was shaken, he knew there to be good reason. "At least he hasn't been harmed yet. Though what they term proper punishment is appalling. They actually think to…" "I know how their system works. You needn't go into it." Eli sighed. "That's right. You're the expert." He rubbed his hands together. "How soon can we get him, do you think? I don't want him hurt." Ray pushed away her half-eaten bowl of soup, then stood and began striding the length of the kitchen. When she turned to Eli again, she looked weary. "It's too late. He's already been hurt." Eli froze, every muscle gone rigid. "What are you talking about? I was assured…" In a sudden burst of emotion, she slashed her hand across the air. "I don't give a damn what you were told. If he's been there a week, he's been hurt." Sinking into his chair, his heart beating double-time, Eli asked, "How badly?" He didn't question her knowledge, or her conviction. He simply needed to prepare himself for the worst. He watched Ray as her jaw worked for a moment, and then she visibly calmed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I'm sure he's still fine; that is, he's not being tortured." "Then what did you mean he's been hurt?" Eli didn't dare relax yet. The look on her face told him Josh wasn't being well-tended. Not that he'd expected him to be. But he certainly had hoped for some time. Ray looked him over. "Is your brother like you?" "Like me?" "Semi-tough" she clarified. "Can he take it okay if things get rough?" Eli didn't know if he liked being labeled 'semi-tough' but at least he understood her meaning. "Josh isn't a pampered rich kid, if that's what you mean. He can take care of himself. He's a man." "A nineteen-year-old man." Ray turned away. "Mataya is an especially antagonistic country. The military

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there is not averse to entertaining themselves with prisoners. If your brother is scheduled for punishments, other than incarceration, you can bet he's had a taste of those punishments already." Eli tilted his head back, squeezing his eyes shut. He had to distract himself or go mad. He couldn't bear it. Ray stepped toward him. "We'll have a long day tomorrow. You better get some sleep." "In a bit." "Sitting out here stewing isn't going to help your brother. You'll need to be in fit shape for a rescue. You need rest." Her calm in the face of his torment infuriated him, and Eli glared at her. "How the hell am I supposed to sleep?" "You can start by not being a martyr. You're not to blame, so quit wallowing in guilt. Concentrate on how you're going to box his ears for doing this to you when you get him home." After a deep breath to help him regain control, Eli admitted, "I've already done that a thousand times. And I've envisioned the rescue at least double that." She nodded. "You, however, I couldn't have conjured in my wildest imaginings." He tilted his head at her. "Do you really think you have what it takes to save him?" "If it can be done, I can do it." "Such confidence." "Just bare-bones truth." "What makes you the best? I mean, why not a man, who's probably stronger, with more endurance? I'm not questioning your intelligence, just your stamina." She didn't appear to give his question serious consideration. Turning to leave the room, she quipped, "I know when to brazen it out, when to make my move. I can slip in and out of camps without making a sound. And since I'm a woman, no one ever really suspects me of being a threat - until it's too late. Most importantly, I never show fear." She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. "But I have enough sense to be scared out of my wits, which is probably what will keep both of us alive, and get your brother out safe and sound." Her eyes, so deep and mysterious, held his for a long moment. Then she whispered, "Good night, Eli." And she was gone. *** The whispering woke her. Feminine whispering. Ray jerked up in her bed, a very comfortable bed, actually, and strained her ears to listen. She could make out Eli's voice, quiet, but firm and determined. Then there was silence, and more whispering - and the unmistakable sound of a soft female moan. She didn't hesitate. Slipping out of bed, not bothering to dress properly, Ray cracked her door open.

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She couldn't see down the hall, but she no longer needed to. Eli had a female guest, and he was obviously being romantic. The cad. Hadn't he been overwhelmed with concern for his brother only hours before? Ha! Now he was busy smooching with his girlfriend. Did men his age actually have 'girlfriends? It was a question for greater minds than her own, because Ray was tired and suddenly quite irritable. They had a job to do in the morning, for crying out loud, and they both needed their rest. Threading her fingers through her bangs, she brushed them off her forehead, pulled her olive green men's undershirt down so it covered her panties, and strolled nonchalantly down the hall. They didn't at first notice her, but that was fine with her. She could see Eli wasn't quite the participant she'd assumed. He tried valiantly to disengage himself - quietly - from the clinging woman. His success was nominal. Ray leaned back against the wall, narrowing her eyes in disgust. She crossed her ankles and folded her arms over her breasts. Making a tsking sound low in her throat, she finally, and quite suddenly, drew their attention. Smiling slightly, she waited. Eli cleared his throat while the woman beside him was utterly speechless. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." "You should be in bed, Eli," she said, and even to her own ears, she sounded like a chastising school marm. The woman gasped. "How dare you! Eli, who is this person?" Eli's gaze never moved from Ray. But it did move all over her, from the top of her rumpled head to the tips of her bare feet. Ray could feel his eyes scorching her, touching on her like a heated breath. Strangely, goose bumps rose on her exposed skin and she became suddenly, acutely aware of just how improperly she was dressed. Or, rather, undressed. She was decently covered. Yet she wasn't. The undershirt concealed every part of her body that proclaimed her a woman, but still, it clung to her, the neck scooped low, the armholes wide so that the tops and sides of her breasts were visible. It molded over her upper thighs, stopping just short of revealing her panties. Used to being in predicaments where modesty had no place, Ray was surprised to feel her cheeks heating in concordance with Eli's rapt attention. Ray said to Eli, not knowing who the other woman was or what she knew of his intentions, "Who am I, Eli? It's up to you." Ray saw his mouth quirk the tiniest bit before he gave his attention back to the woman grasping at his arm. "I told you I'd be busy for a while, Jane. Why are you here?" Jane's gaze skipped away from his piercing look to drift over Ray. Then she pouted. Though she actually did it pretty well, Ray wanted to puke. "I missed you, Eli. You wouldn't tell me where you were going or why. Of course, now I understand." Her eyes settled on Ray again, and they were filled with malicious intent.

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"I missed you, Eli. You wouldn't tell me where you were going or why. Of course, now I understand." Her eyes settled on Ray again, and they were filled with malicious intent. "I didn't tell you, Jane, because it doesn't concern you." "Of course it does." Her voice dropped to a whisper, but Ray could still hear her. And she had no doubt Jane knew it. "You were forced to resort to… her type, because I've denied you. But you can send her away now. I came to tell you I'm ready. I simply hadn't realized how…desperate you were." Jane was a small woman, and it seemed to Ray that Eli was having to look down a great distance just to frown at her. It struck her that she probably should leave and give them their privacy, but she wouldn't. She was too curious to see what Eli's reply would be. And then Jane slipped her hand into his open shirt, and Ray got a brief glimpse of his chest, of warm, hard flesh and curling dark hair, as she stroked him. Fascinated, Ray watched, but the show only lasted a moment before Eli pulled her away, forcibly setting her a respectable distance from the undeniable lure of his body. The shirt, however, remained open, and Ray indulged herself by admiring his obvious strength and fitness. She hadn't expected that from a man of wealth and leisure. "Jane," Eli warned as she tried to snuggle closer again. "Ray isn't here for that purpose. I've hired her to do a job, and that's all there is to it." Jane wouldn't be that easily appeased. "What job?" Eli sighed in frustration, briefly closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he looked toward Ray. She grinned, enjoying his predicament. Giving up, he explained, "Ray is a guide to help me get my brother back." Ray took offense at being termed a mere guide, but held her tongue. Jane, obviously, wasn't about to believe such a thing. "What kind of guide runs around half naked? And why is she spending the night in your apartment?" Eli stiffened, taking offense when Ray didn't. "How she dresses is no concern of yours. Or mine, for that matter. And she's here because we have things to do before we leave." Jane threw herself against him, and over the top of her head, Eli glowered at Ray. She shrugged, her grin still in place. The workings of the average female mind had never ceased to amaze her. It was times like this that she appreciated her own uniqueness, even though that uniqueness, at times, had made her life damned difficult. Jane started crying, which didn't surprise Ray in the least. The woman had the dainty, frail appearance of a professional watering pot. Her hair was pale, her complexion was pale, and she cried without smudging her makeup even a little. Very professional. Eli tried to free himself, but Jane wasn't about to let him go. Then she suddenly pulled away, her narrow shoulders squared, her tears miraculously gone. "I'm going with you." Eli groaned. Ray decided to take pity on him, and quickly stepped forward. "No, you're not. Eli will just

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have to make do without your company for a few days, because there's no way I'm going to be responsible for the both of you." Jane stood frozen in appalled disbelief. "Eli would be responsible for me, not you!" "If you want Eli home in one piece, he'll have to be responsible for himself, and no one else. You'd only distract him." "I'm his fiancée! I should be with him." "You'd only be a hindrance." Ray turned to Eli and seeing his relief, added, "I'm putting my foot down on this. If you want me, you'll have to send her home." She gave him an out, taking the blame fully on herself, but Eli didn't look grateful. No, instead, he looked…hot. His hazel eyes seemed to smolder in the evening light until he turned away to face Jane. "I'm sorry, Jane. But I need her help." Jane gave one more pitiful sob, threw herself against Eli, and nearly smothered him with a long, drawn-out kiss. She couldn't be sure, but Ray thought tongues might have been involved. She smirked. She also noticed Eli didn't particularly fight Jane now, merely waited her out. When Jane finally pulled away, he merely patted her cheek and hurriedly started her toward the door. "Go back to your hotel, Jane. I'll call you when I get back." "Please be careful, Eli." Ray shook her head, then, prodded by some evil imp, she called out, "I'll take real good care of him, don't you worry none." Jane ignored her. Eli gave her a look for that wicked taunt, a look that promised swift retribution. Ray decided she'd gotten into enough mischief for the night. She started down the hall, and just as she reached her room, she heard the front door close. She stepped inside and quietly closed her door, leaning back against it. Eli's footsteps sounded softly on the carpeting, then stopped outside her door. Ray held her breath. "Good night, Ray," she heard him say softly, his tone laced with amusement. Then he went on to his room. Ray turned out the light and crawled into her bed. She curled into a ball on her side and tucked her hands beneath her cheek. Her thoughts were jumbled and confused. She wasn't certain what to make of her feelings, it'd been so long since she'd felt anything like them. She was appalled that this could happen, that she would let it happen, but she had. For the first time in a very long time, she was interested in a man. She actually felt desire. What rotten timing.

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Chapter Two Eli was already up when Ray came into the kitchen the next morning. It was early, only six o'clock, and the sun had just begun to rise. Ray yawned as she sauntered in and Eli watched intently, amused as she casually seated herself at the table. She still wore that damned shirt, more provocative than the silkiest lingerie, but now she had on loose matching shorts, too. It didn't help. His gaze glued to her, watching her every move, he asked, "Coffee?" His voice emerged a low rumble. She yawned again. "Yeah, that would be terrific." She lounged back in her chair, apparently unconcerned with her lack of clothing. Or maybe she simply had no idea how enticing she looked. Eli, however, was extremely aware of her. He'd been aware of her all night. Sleeplessness had driven him from his bed nearly an hour earlier. He handed her the coffee, then settled himself across from her. He did his best to be as casual as Ray, but damn, she looked so sexy. He'd never known a woman so completely comfortable in her own skin. Her short, midnight hair stuck out at very odd angles, and her eyes were puffy from sleep, the lids heavy. Her cheeks were flushed, one of them bearing a small crease from her pillow. She obviously hadn't suffered the same distractions as he. Eli thought she appeared too appealing. "You certainly don't look like you could take on a rescue right now." Sipping the hot coffee, she looked at him over the rim of the cup and shrugged. "It isn't necessary that I do any rescuing right now, is it?" "And when it is necessary?" he asked, doing his best to keep his gaze on her face rather than the flushed skin of her chest and shoulders. "What's the matter, Eli? Getting cold feet? Did your fiancée convince you I wasn't right for the job?" He made a sour face. "We're not officially engaged. She was just being possessive." Then he chuckled. "You made quite a grand entrance last night." "Did she come all the way from Kentucky just to see you?" She was genuinely interested. Eli could hear the curiosity and knew her question wasn't just to pass the time. It pleased him, especially since she had been so careful to remain impersonal. "No. Jane has a business office here, also. She probably had a meeting to attend. Actually, she travels quite a bit. We generally don't see each other all that often." "Then how did the two of you ever get together?" "With each of us in the department store industry, we have similar interests," Eli explained vaguely.

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Ray nodded, one arm crossed over her stomach, the other holding her cup. "You have anything for breakfast? I'm starved." Eli chuckled again. She was something else, certainly not what he was used to; not with her outspoken manner and brazen attitude. "Why don't you get dressed and we can go out for breakfast?" "There's really not enough time for that. We need to get you some clothes and go over a few things. We'll go to San Antonio tonight, and I have a friend who'll fly us into Mataya in the morning. We may have to spend one night there, and then we get your brother and come home." "Just like that?" He was amazed by how simple she made it sound, how nonchalantly she discussed invading a hostile area and enacting a rescue. "I hope. Things can always go wrong, but there's usually a way to correct problems before anything disastrous happens." She stood and walked to his cabinets to scrounge for food. Eli leaned back and enjoyed the sight. Her shirt and shorts properly covered her, but they were by no means modest. And she had a terrific body, honed and sleek and sexy, in a way only a woman can be. He'd never known a woman to be so casual, or unconcerned, about her body. That was usually a trait associated with men. Rut Ray didn't seem to know that. She was on the slim side, her hips flaring gently from a narrow waist. Her breasts weren't overly abundant, but they were high and firm and round, swaying slightly when she moved. Her nipples pressed against the soft cotton, and he felt his muscles twitch. Damn. Locating a loaf of bread, some eggs and the bologna, she then searched for a pan. "I'm going to cook. You want some?" "Uh, what are you making?" Eli was pleased that she'd offered to fix him breakfast, but he wasn't sure he wanted to eat whatever she intended to concoct with her ingredients. Bologna for breakfast didn't seem particularly appetizing. "I'll just scramble the eggs and bologna together with some toast. Trust me, it's good." Actually, he would have said 'yes' just so he could stay and watch her cook. Every movement was graceful, and she seemed to get a great deal done without ever rushing. That was something he'd noticed about her. She never hurried, but she was always productive. At one point, she stopped stirring the eggs to give an elaborate stretch. Eli nearly strangled on his coffee. She glanced up, saw where he was looking, and rearranged her undershirt so it again covered her stomach. "Sorry." It took Eli a moment to gather enough spit in his dry mouth to mumble, "No problem." As she was dishing up the eggs, Ray explained, "I guess I don't have any modesty left. Being in this line

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of work has a way of forcing you to get to the core of survival. Being around men all the time, you start to feel like one of the guys, and they treat you just that way. I'm only in this mode when I'm on an assignment. There're just too many other things to concentrate on to be worried about my appearance. I hope you don't mind too much. I'll try to remember to censor myself." He didn't want her to do that. But after that speech, where she took everything so seriously, concentrating solely on the job of saving his brother, mentioning that he had an erection and was enjoying the show might seem rather base of him. But it would have been the truth. That one brief glimpse he got of her smooth softly-rounded belly had nearly sent him to the floor. And then she sat down again, reaching for her toast, and the strap of the undershirt slid down her arm. For one breathless, heartstopping, anticipatory moment, Eli thought the shirt would give way to the fullness of her breast. But she caught the strap and tugged it back up, oblivious to his turmoil. Eating eggs and fried bologna was definitely beyond him. He was beginning to feel like an anxious adolescent preparing for his first intimacy. It annoyed the hell out of him. As she wolfed down her portion of breakfast, Ray pulled out a map and laid it on the table between them. Using her fork, she pointed to a spot in Central America. "This is where your brother is supposed to be. With any luck, we'll find him there." Clearing his throat and his thoughts, Eli asked, "You think they may have moved him?" "No. They'll keep him wherever they put him. They simply don't have the facilities or the manpower to move prisoners around. I was actually questioning the accuracy of your sources." "Why?" "It would almost be too good to be true if he were there. It's their smallest holding cell, not that well guarded because it's in the middle of nowhere. Prisoners would be easy to catch if they did escape. At least, that's what they think. But then, they don't expect anyone like me to show up. The Mataya people are so downtrodden right now, no one really dares to question the military. We should be able to take them completely by surprise." "Is there some way we can double-check the location?" "Not before we get there. But don't worry about it. If he isn't there, it only means we'll be detained that much longer before coming home." Eli didn't want to even consider that possibility. "Is the pilot you mentioned reliable?" Her eyes came up to his with a suddenness that was both startling and provoking. "Would I suggest him if he weren't?" Eli stared back. With the morning sunlight flooding through the window, her eyes appeared a shade of brown, rather than black. But there were flecks of gold and ebony in them. They were beautiful eyes, eyes that could eat a man alive. Without thought, Eli reached out and took her hand where it rested on the table. "I didn't mean to insult you. The truth is, I'm so damned worried about my brother, most of the time I can't bear to dwell on it."

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A strange expression came over his face, and she nodded. "I understand. I'll do my best to get him, Eli. All I can tell you is that worrying won't help. In fact, it's the worst thing you can do because it weakens you, both physically and emotionally." She curled her fingers into his and gave his hand a squeeze. "Distract yourself. Think of pleasant things, fond memories, whatever. But you're right. You shouldn't dwell on it." Still holding her hand, and pleased she hadn't pulled away yet, Eli asked, "What do you do to distract yourself?" "Usually, I exercise to the point of exhaustion, which I'll probably do tonight. If I'm home, I play with my dog. Sometimes I read a book." She slanted him a look, saying obscurely, "there's always something to keep me busy." "What kind of dog do you have?" She smiled, and Eli felt his stomach muscles contract in reaction. She had an incredible smile. "He's the meanest mutt you'd ever want to meet. He hates men." Then she added softly, her words a whisper, her eyes downcast, "But he loves me." Eli was entranced; there was no other word for it. He'd never met a woman like her, so tough one minute, so oblivious to her femininity, then so damned soft and sweet she struck at the core of his masculine instincts. His eyes drifted over her face, taking in every nuance, every small detail. There were tiny lines at the corners of her eyes, testimony to the seriousness of her missions. She looked vulnerable, if such a thing were possible for a person of her capabilities. But with her shoulders bare, no makeup on her face and her features softened in relaxation, she looked utterly female and frail. Eli was drawn from his thoughts when she asked suddenly, "If you're not going to eat your eggs, can I have them?" He was blank-faced for but a moment before the hilarity of the situation hit him. Laughing, he pushed his plate toward her. "Go ahead. I wouldn't want you to deplete your resources." She said a very prim 'thank you,' then dug into his food. "You know, your naturalness is refreshing-I think." Ray glanced up from her contemplation of the map. "My what?" "The way you say and do as you please. It's nice not to have to wonder what's in your head." She blinked at him lazily while storm clouds gathered in her eyes. "You think I have it so easy? You actually think you know my thoughts?" "Ah…well, yes. I did. I mean, you haven't exactly been circumspect in your speech or," he glanced at her body, teasingly displayed, "in your dress." Her eyelids narrowing just the tiniest bit, Ray propped her chin on a fist and said, "I'm not sure I like you

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trying to delve into my brain. You didn't by any chance think to get to know me better, did you?" Eli wasn't quite certain what was going on now, why she was again overreacting to his comment, but he decided honesty couldn't hurt. "I'd like to get to know you better." Then he smiled. "You fascinate me." "Kind of like the strange animals at the zoo?" "No." He resented her sarcasm, especially since it had come on so suddenly. "I think you're very independent, and honest and up front. I like that. You don't meet too many people with those traits. I suppose I thought it might be interesting to see more of you when this is all over." She was already shaking her head, her dark bangs falling over her forehead, before he'd finished. "That's not possible." "Why?" Ray stood and paced to the sink, put her empty dish inside and ran water over it. Eli knew for certain she didn't realize the picture she made, leaning against the sink, the undershirt hugging the soft lines of her body. She turned, putting her hands behind her on the counter, which only served to push her breasts forward. Again, she seemed oblivious to the sensuousness of her stance. "I never see the people I work for after the job is done," she stated calmly. "Why, Ray?" His eyes held hers, taking in her carefully wrought expression of indifference. "Explain it to me." "What's to explain? I just don't." "You must have a reason. I would think you'd get pretty close to a person if you rescue him." She shook her head. "You wouldn't understand." "You sound so sure of that." His brows pulled down, despite his efforts to remain in control. "You know, it's just possible I'm not really as shallow as you think." Her arms came around to cross over her chest. It was a defensive gesture, and Eli wondered at it. Why did she feel threatened? How could she feel threatened by a man when she was comfortable traipsing about in her underclothes in front of him? That alone denoted a certain amount of self-confidence and trust. Standing, he walked slowly toward her, stopping only when he was directly in front of her. Her face turned up to his, and he stared into her eyes. He wanted to touch her, to make the physical connection between a man and a woman. The compulsion was almost too great to resist. "Explain it to me, Ray," he insisted quietly. Her chin tilted stubbornly, and it was her first sign of defiance. She was always so contained, so lackadaisical, she wouldn't have cared enough to be defiant. But she did now, if the fire in her eyes was any indication. "It would be like mixing two entirely different worlds. And I know from experience it doesn't work. People like you…"

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"What do you mean, 'people like me'?" "People with money," she clarified, not giving an inch. "You hired me, you didn't make a social call. This is a business arrangement, nothing else." "It could be something else if you'd let it." He caught her before she could turn away. That was a mistake. Within a heartbeat, his thumb was twisted backward and he grimaced in sincere pain. Feeling his own anger grow, Eli demanded, "Dammit to hell, let go!" She did, looking very sheepish. "I'm sorry. It was pure instinct. You shouldn't touch me. Especially not after spewing garbage like that. I'm not out for a quick toss in the hay, Eli. Just because I have some unusual habits, that doesn't mean I'm easy." "If you had let me finish, instead of being so damned prickly, you'd know that wasn't what I inferred at all." He rubbed his sore thumb, glowering at her. "I only meant that I'm very grateful to you for giving me your expertise and assistance." She thrust her face toward his. "I'm not giving you anything. You're paying good money for it." Eli didn't appreciate that little reminder. His expression became stony. "You didn't have to agree to help. Money or not, you could have said no." He still rubbed his thumb and she sighed, dropping her weight onto one leg, thrusting out the other hip in an arrogant slouch. "Here." She grabbed his hand, turned his thumb sharply, making him gasp, then asked, "Is that better?" Strangely enough, it was. "Yes, thank you." She grinned at him, her usual humor restored. "Let's forget all this nonsense about getting to know each other, okay? We need to concentrate on getting through this job." She sauntered lazily toward the door, then paused. "I'll shower first, then we can get things going." Eli watched her go, but just before she disappeared from sight, she turned to him again. Her eyes drifted over his face curiously and she whispered, "Thank you." "For what?" He asked the question in a tone as soft as her own had been. Her eyes smiled at him. "For wanting to get to know me. Even though it really is impossible, it was a nice thought." She turned again, but Eli's words stopped her. "Like hell, Ray. It isn't impossible, and I will know you. You might as well get used to the idea now." Her shoulders stiffened just the tiniest bit, but as she walked away, Eli was almost positive he'd seen a small smile on her lips. *** Ray looked Eli over approvingly. He had flatly refused to shop anywhere but at his own store, and she had to admit, he'd done well. Wearing faded black jeans and a fashionably worn black T-shirt, he appeared much more casual. Of course, the watch would have to go, but Ray put off telling him so since

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he'd been so adamant about wearing it. Eli had also purchased an extra pair of the jeans, two other T-shirts of equally bland coloring, and a pair of low boots. He looked downright rugged and appealing. Eli had started to shave that morning, but luckily Ray had caught him in time, insisting he leave the disreputable whiskers alone. His beard shadow wasn't heavy yet, but by tomorrow it would be. Eli looked at the bag she held and asked, "What did you get?" She'd left him choosing his jeans to do some shopping of her own. He'd made a call, told the department heads to give her anything she wanted, then sent her off. It had been a frivolity on her part to purchase anything, but she'd felt compelled to obtain one particular item. She opened her bag now to show Eli. He laughed, shaking his head. "Pajamas? Personally, I preferred what you wore this morning." "I know. That's why I thought it might be prudent to get something just a bit less revealing. We can't afford to get distracted with old-fashioned lust right now." Ray almost flinched when his palm cupped her chin, turning her face up to his. His gaze probed into hers, and his expression was entirely too somber. In a low, husky tone he told her, "I love the way you state your case. 'Old-fashioned lust,' Ray? Are you feeling it, too?" "I think I can control myself." Her statement was meant to be sarcastic, but his palm was hot on her chin and she reacted strangely to the gentle touch. Her words emerged as a breathy whisper, losing some of their impact. Eli smiled at her. "For now." His thumb brushed her bottom lip, prompting her to pull away. "For now, we'll control ourselves." "You're taking a lot for granted." That had his brow raising a good inch. "Am I? And here I thought I showed incredible patience." He chuckled at her disgruntled frown. "Don't get riled now. We still have to finish packing our stuff and get to the airport. We have a long flight ahead of us." Ray shook her head and went off to her room to add the absurd pajamas to her duffel bag. She detested sleeping apparel, and had worn the undershirt out of modesty. She could just imagine how uncomfortable sleeping in the stupid cotton pajamas would be. They were creamy beige, made like a T-shirt and short pants, and would cover her from the scooped neck to just below her knees. Much as she hated to admit it, she knew the purchase had been necessary. No way could she give in to her attraction to Eli, remarkable though it seemed. He was of the elite, richer class. Employers didn't get seriously involved with the employees, and especially not when the employee was in effect a hired thug. She liked to think her talents were actually more refined than that, but he wouldn't think so. And she would never consider involving herself with a man who didn't take her seriously, with the respect and consideration she deserved. Actually, she wouldn't involve herself with a rich man regardless of how he treated her, so her extended contemplation of the situation was totally absurd. But that didn't stop her.

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As she packed and prepared, Ray tried to remember how long it had been since she'd been attracted to a man. She'd given up on finding a 'happily ever after' about five years ago, when she was only twenty-six. Since that time, she'd met a few men who had momentarily piqued her interest. But it never lasted. Men had a way of opening their mouths and destroying whatever illusions of suitability she had given them. She knew she was more independent than most, and that was a problem because she just couldn't take the natural arrogance that seemed to accompany most men. Funny, but Eli's arrogance had only amused her. Of course, they hadn't gotten to the thick of it yet. She wondered how he would react once they were in Mataya and he had to follow her lead completely. She decided she didn't have to worry after all. Eli was making the attraction more of a distraction, and Ray thought he might rid her of her problem all by himself simply by being himself. Because when all was said and done, truth was truth. Eli was a rich man, used to buying his way in the world. And that fact alone should effectively destroy any interest she now foolishly harbored. Eli was in a chipper mood on the drive to the airport, which only served to further annoy Ray. She was disgruntled, mostly with herself for feeling a sense of loss already over Eli's unsuitability. She had taken her annoyance out on him, tossing him the keys and insisting he drive. She was chagrined to realize he actually looked forward to getting behind the wheel of her battered truck. Go figure. "You're awfully quiet, Ray. What's the problem?" "I'm just thinking." She slanted him a look, her sense of injustice rising. "Maybe you should try it rather than indulging in all this idle chit-chat." "Getting on your nerves, am I?" He didn't sound the least contrite. "Yes, actually you are. And I see you didn't take the watch off like I told you to." "My watch stays." "Can't you at least hide it somewhere? If it's noticed in Mataya, we'll have our hands full getting out with your arm intact." Eli merely grinned at her. "I trust you to take care of me. That is what you promised Jane, remember?" Ray snorted. "It looked to me like you needed some help getting rid of the lady. Is she always that clingy?" "No. Actually, she's not." Ray turned in the seat, finally finding a subject that stirred her interest. "She hinted that you two haven't been exactly…close." Eli chuckled. "You mean intimate." She shrugged. "Why the sudden change of heart?" "Her heart wasn't involved. Just her tactical mind." Eli grimaced with the thought. "My grandfather wants our two families to join. He's matchmaking, and Jane is evidently all for the alliance. It would unite major competitors in the same industry. Our marriage would be a match made in board-room heaven."

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This was absolutely fascinating, Ray decided. Especially since Eli didn't seem to have any great aversion to discussing his private affairs with her. And she certainly didn't have any aversion to prying. "So you're supposed to marry a woman for the sake of money?" He frowned at her generalization. "That was the plan, I suppose, though I haven't agreed to it." Ray didn't bother trying to hide her shock. "That's disgusting. How much money do you people need, anyway? Marriages of convenience went out a long time ago." She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. "The whole idea is pathetic." Eli smiled. "Are you willing to make me a better offer?" Her eyes shot open again. "Now what are you babbling about?" "I haven't fallen in love with anyone yet, but it's time for me to settle down and start a family of my own. I'm thirty-three years old, Ray. I have a responsibility, especially to my grandfather, to carry on the tradition of a family-run business. I can't very well do that without legitimate heirs." Ray eyes grew suspiciously bright. "Are you pulling my leg? Because if you are, I can tell you I don't think it's particularly funny." Eli had a hard time controlling his grin now. Ray thought about socking him, but decided it wouldn't be ethical since he was the one who had hired her. "What's the matter, Ray? Don't you want to supply me with a couple of small Conners to carry on the family name?" Thoroughly disgusted, Ray again closed her eyes, all but dismissing him. But she couldn't refrain from pointing out, "It appears to me Jane is more than anxious…now…to give you your heirs." "You got quite an eyefull, didn't you?" "You two weren't being exactly subtle or private." "Hmm. I suppose not. But you don't need to bother yourself about Jane. She has nothing to do with our association." "Which is your way of telling me to mind my own business? I can handle that. If you feel compelled to sell yourself for money, who am I to quibble? It certainly makes no difference to me." Eli sighed. "This is ridiculous. I never said I was going to marry her. I only said that was my grandfather's hope." "And evidently hers as well." He shrugged. "I am serious about wanting a family." He waited a moment in silence, then asked, "Don't you?" Ray swiveled her head toward him, pretending boredom in the conversation. "Do I what?"

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"Want a family? Or do you already have one? Damn, I never considered that. You're not married, are you?" Slouching further into her seat, Ray pointed out, "I think this falls under the heading of personal information." Those expressive eyes of his lit up with exasperation. "Don't give me that! After the way you've been grilling me? Come on, Ray. Give." She shot him a considering look, then mentally shrugged. It wouldn't make any difference. He still couldn't know her, know anything important about her. "I'm not married, never have been. I'm thirty-one years old, and the only family I have is an eighteen year old brother who lives with me, and two highly annoying, prissy female cousins who, thank God, do not live with me or even in the same state." "What happened to your parents?" "They died in a car crash when I was eighteen. My aunt took us in, but I joined the service shortly after that. A little over five years ago, she got cancer and died." "You tell all that as if it didn't matter to you in the least. As if it hadn't actually hurt." Ray didn't bother explaining that it had been someone else who had suffered that loss, who had tried to find a place for herself when there was no place available. She'd been a different woman then, a girl really, young and naive. It sometimes galled her to remember how vulnerable and afraid she had been. Feeling Eli glancing at her, dividing his attention between her reaction to his comment and the road, she told him, "Things in the past should stay there. What good would it do for me to mourn the past, now that it's over? And if you learned from the hard times, if you hopefully grew a little wiser, well then, they weren't all bad, were they?" The gentleness of his tone nearly undid her when he whispered, "What could you have possibly learned from your parents' deaths?" Heaving a great, irritated sigh, Ray explained in crisp tones, "I learned that you shouldn't depend on other people for the things you need. Even if they're trustworthy, good people, they can suffer circumstances beyond their control." Eli thankfully grew quiet after that, and they finished the drive to the airport in silence. Ray didn't know why, but she felt disgruntled with his brooding. Every so often he looked at her, and like the first time she'd seen him, his eyes mirrored so much emotion, it unnerved her. She chose not to look at him again, to ignore him. It was the only way she could concentrate on the job she had to do. She needed a mind set, a detachment from other things to perform the job well. It was unbelievably hard to detach herself from Eli. And she had no idea why. There was only a fifteen minute wait before the plane was ready to be boarded. Ray wasn't surprised that Eli had booked them first class, but that didn't mean she had to like it. She grumbled plenty about the waste of money, especially when she realized how out of place they looked with their ordinary, worn street clothes and Eli sporting a day's growth of beard.

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Leaning close to her ear, Eli suggested, "Ignore everyone, relax, and enjoy the ride. Trust me, it won't kill you. " Ray peered up at him, hoping her expression appeared bored. AI was thinking of taking a nap. You'll let me know when we land, won't you?" But instead of answering that question, Eli commented, "You look a little tense. Getting nervous?" His eyes held hers, direct and unyielding, so she knew there was no use in lying. That didn't mean she couldn't fudge the truth just a little. "I always get a little nervous. Only an idiot wouldn't. But there's nothing to worry about. In a couple of days, it will all be over with." Eli closed his eyes, his expression pained. Then his hand took hers, his long, warm fingers curling around her palm. "I hope like hell you're right." Ray closed her own eyes, unable to pull away when she sensed his need. Her stomach was rioting, and she hoped he wouldn't notice. She couldn't bear the thought of him knowing her weaknesses. Tomorrow they would fly into Mataya, and just about anything could happen. She'd done this before, he hadn't; but she clearly remembered her first time, how unbelievably frightened she had been. And she'd had good reason. But this time she didn't. This time everything would go like clockwork, just as it had the two successive times she'd been there. She truly believed that, or she wouldn't be going. So why did she feel so anxious? Taking comfort from Eli's touch, and doing her best to clear her mind, Ray fell asleep. It wasn't until they did indeed land that she finally woke, and was relieved to know she'd gotten through one more plane ride. Then total awareness sank in and she was mortified. Curled toward Eli, she had her head on his shoulder, his arm around her back supporting her neck. Her free hand lay in his lap, right over the snap of his jeans and a rather heavy, firm ridge. Oh, God. She moved cautiously, hoping that he, too, had fallen asleep. But when she dared a glimpse up, she found him watching her. His hand came to her cheek, his thumb brushing her temple gently. "You must have been exhausted. Didn't you sleep well the other night?" His words were whisper-soft, his head bent toward her so their noses almost touched. Ray nearly groaned with the unexpected need that suddenly crashed through her. She wanted to put her head back on his shoulder. She wanted to breathe in his scent, taste his warm throat, cup her hand around the lengthening erection that grew beneath her palm. Instead she tightened her jaw and straightened, then carefully shrugged away his arm. "No, I didn't sleep well at all. And as I said, I had a long drive the night before." Eli still watched her, but thankfully the heated, intimate intent had left his expression. "We'll be off the plane in just a minute. We can grab a bite to eat or go straight to the hotel. It's up to you."

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"I think I'd like something to eat." Eli smiled. "Now, how did I know you were going to say that?" Ray wasn't used to feeling awkward with men. She'd been on many jobs where she was the only female around. But damned if she wasn't starting to feel awkward with Eli. And it wasn't even him. He behaved exactly as she expected a man to behave. But for some reason she reacted to him differently. Ray pondered the problem all through their meal. She didn't come up with any answers. It was totally out of character for her to be deeply affected by a man. And at the same time, it was kind of nice. Or at least it would be if it wasn't happening here and now, with a man she knew she couldn't get involved with. She was surly and she knew it, but couldn't seem to stop herself from grumbling. "I suppose you got us the most expensive rooms available?" Eli looked down his nose at her as they entered the hotel and headed for the desk. "You know, you've been edgy ever since you woke up on the plane. What's the problem?" Ray didn't have a chance to answer. The lobby was filled to overflowing with guests. She turned to Eli for an explanation, but he was busy trying to catch a bustling bellhop and didn't notice. When Eli realized he wasn't going to get any answers any time soon, he led Ray to a sofa and told her to sit. She scowled at him for his order, but he was already gone, trying to obtain the key cards to their rooms. And in truth, it felt good to just sit back and relax, to let someone else handle a few of the small, domestic details. It was a good ten minutes before he finally came back, and he looked entirely too disgruntled. "Tell me there's not a problem with our reservations," she said, trying to catch his eye. Eli didn't look at her. He took her arm and started her toward the elevator, changing his mind when he saw the mob there. He turned to the stairs instead. "No problem." "Then why are you looking ready to do bodily harm?" He shook his head. "Let me have your bag." "I can manage." She had to trot just to keep up with him. "I'm sure you can, but I'd rather carry it for you." He reached for the bag, and Ray shrugged. "Suit yourself." He hadn't needed her permission. He'd already taken the bag from her. They had to climb seven flights of stairs. Ray was in good shape, excellent shape, but still thoroughly winded by the time they reached their floor. Eli wasn't even breathing heavily. She eyed him with distaste, shoved her bangs from her forehead, and then propped her hands on her

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hips. "What's the all-fired hurry, anyway?" she rasped. Eli spared her a glance. "Sorry. I just wanted to get out of that crowd." He started to open the door, sliding the door card into the slot, and Ray thought to ask, "Is this your room or mine?" He didn't answer. The door swung open, and Ray was surprised to see the room wasn't ritzy at all. In fact, it was almost minuscule, with one full bed, a nightstand, and a dresser with a television sitting on it. It was clean and neat, but not what she had expected. "Well, you've managed to surprise me, Eli. But I thank you. The room is perfect." His lids lowered slightly, shielding his eyes, and he stepped inside. He closed the door quietly. Ray slanted him a look. "Did I misunderstand? Is this your room and not mine?" Leaning against the door, Eli crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. "It's your room." "Good. I couldn't imagine you willingly staying in a room this functional." He continued as if she hadn't spoken. "It's also my room." Ray froze. "Now, just a minute. I don't know what misconceptions you have, but I…" Eli peeled himself away from the door, starting toward her with a measured stride. His eyes never left her face. Rather than backing up with his advance, Ray widened her stance and looked at him defiantly. Her preparation for battle forced a wide grin to replace his frown. He stopped before her, his eyes bright with laughter. "The hotel made a mistake and gave away our rooms. This was the only thing available. I couldn't imagine trying to find another hotel tonight, so I accepted. I didn't think you'd mind under the circumstances." Ray lifted her chin. "You're right. The room is fine." Eli searched her gaze and his mouth quirked again. "You don't look like it's fine. You look ready to bolt. I think that's exceptionally strange, considering you were strutting around in your underclothes just this morning." "I do not strut!" "What's changed, Ray? Why so defensive all of a sudden?" Needing some distance, she pretended to study the room, walking around the bed and looking things over. "I don't want you to get any ideas, Eli. We're here for a purpose and it would be beyond foolish to get sidetracked." "You don't think I know that? My first consideration is getting Josh out of there. It's just…"

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Her gaze shot to his with his sudden silence, and she asked, "What?" He looked like he wanted to say more. He even opened his mouth, but then he shook his head. "Nothing." After shoving his hands through his hair, Eli picked up their bags and sat them on the bed. "Why don't you get ready for bed? I'll ring the desk and make certain we get a wake-up call." Feeling like a fool and hating it, Ray dug through her things, located the hideous pajamas, and practically ran for the bathroom. Her shower only lasted a mere three minutes, but when she came back out, Eli was already propped up in bed. He'd removed his shirt, and the sheet only came to his hips. But she could see he wore a pair of briefs and she was eternally gratefully. The sight of his bare chest, muscled and enhanced with dark hair, was enough to unravel her. She didn't think she could have gotten in the bed if he'd been bare-assed naked. Eli looked up as she hesitated in the bathroom doorway. His gaze quickly skimmed over her from head to foot, taking in the new pajamas, but keeping whatever opinion he had to himself. His voice was low when he asked, "Would you feel better if I slept on the floor?" She shook her head emphatically. "Don't be ridiculous. We both need a good night's sleep." After all, she told herself, she'd slept in the open with men, side by side, and she'd shared tents when they were available. This would be no different. She tried to convince herself, but the effort was wasted because her voice trembled when she said, "I don't have a problem sharing the bed." Eli smiled, then lifted the covers, waiting. Feeling her heart pound heavily, her nerves taut with both trepidation and anticipation, Ray moved to the bed. Eli waited only until she lay back, then he dropped the covers over her, turned off the light and whispered huskily, his voice a caress, "Good night, Ray Jean. Sleep well."

Chapter Three Eli wasn't prepared for the impact of her body landing softly against his or her thumb pressing into his vocals. "I told you never to call me that." Lying still with the shock of her breasts pressed firmly to his bare chest, the warm, smooth skin of her inner thigh against his hip, Eli barely noticed the menace in her tone. "What?" he rasped, feigning confusion to keep her exactly where she was a bit longer. "You called me Ray Jean," she grumbled low, her tone vibrating with anger. "I explained you shouldn't do that." Her breath fanned his mouth and her eyes were a bright glimmer in the dark room. She was filled with outrage over the slight, and sounded ready for battle. Such a reaction over a name. She never ceased to amaze and intrigue him. Very slowly, Eli brought his hands up to frame her waist. It was tiny, his thumbs nearly touching over her midriff, his fingers meeting over her spine. As turned on as he suddenly felt, he still had to struggle to keep from laughing. He found her defense of her name ludicrous - and endearing. But he didn't want to scare her off, liking the feel of her so close. Given a choice, he'd have kept her right there all night.

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"Are you planning to strangle me?" he asked, his voice rough with the pressure she exerted on his throat. Ray jerked. Hard. It was as if she'd only then realized what she was doing. Her eyes widened, apparent even in the dark shadows of the unlit room. She started to pull away, and was quickly stopped by the grip of Eli's hands. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. She was furious. Eli surmised that much by the force of her shouted question. "Me?" he asked innocently. "All I did was say good-night and you attacked me." She remained stonily silent, awaiting her release. Eli moved his fingers in a subtle caress, allowing his thumbs to move tantalizingly close to the soft fullness of her breasts. "Why, Ray? Why are you so touchy about your name?" "Let go." He didn't comply right away, his hands tightening instead. Ray warned him, "I don't want to hurt you, Eli." He chuckled. He couldn't help himself. She was deadly serious in her determination. Her hand moved so quickly he barely caught it in time. But he did catch it. In the next instant her forehead smacked against his, ringing curses from him, instantly giving her the release she wanted. "I told you not to…!" Her words were cut short as Eli jerked about, flipping her beneath him, easily pinning her down. He covered her now, but she was face down, the weight of his big body crushing her into the mattress. His fingers wrapped firmly but gently around her wrists, trapping her arms beside her head. His legs were between hers, totally immobilizing her. Without even meaning to, he pressed his hot erection into her soft buttocks, then groaned in near pain. Damn. He needed a moment to rid himself of the pounding in his head, and the insistent throb in his groin. Through gritted teeth, he asked softly, "Are you always so physical?" "Yes! Especially when someone is provoking me!" "Such a temper," he chided, once again amused now that he had the upper hand. She wriggled furiously beneath him and he groaned again, caught between pain and pleasure. "Settle down, Ray. " "Get off!" "And get myself clouted again? No, thanks. I think I'll wait until you forgive me for calling you Ray Jean. And until you explain why you're so touchy about your name." She went deathly silent, and Eli lowered his head until his breath fanned her nape, and he watched her shiver involuntarily. "What's the matter, Ray?" he whispered. "Talk to me." Grudgingly, she admitted, "My aunt used to call me Ray Jean, just to remind me that I was female."

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Eli laughed at that ridiculous remark. "She was actually in doubt?" Ray shook her head briskly, jarring the bed. "She just didn't think I was very ladylike. She tried to insist I curl my hair, that I wear stupid dresses. She ridiculed the way I walked, the way I talked. Everything. Her prissy daughters were held up as a constant example of how I should be." Understanding came, and with it, an ache in his heart that nearly did him in. He pressed his lips to her temple. "So, you became just the opposite?" "Don't be an imbecile, I was already the opposite. I could never be like that. It's disgusting." Eli caught the light, natural female fragrance of her. Her wrists where he held her were small and fragile, the skin soft. He could feel her plump, but very firm bottom cushioning his body. God, he shook. "I think," he whispered, forcing the words out despite his raging lust, "that you're about as feminine as a woman can get, honey." Ray didn't say anything, her body completely still beneath his. "I really am sorry for upsetting you," Eli offered when the silence stretched out uncomfortably. She still didn't answer. "Ray?" In a small voice very unlike her usual commanding tone, Ray admitted, "I'm not used to someone getting the best of me. It simply never happens. At least, it hasn't for a long time." Eli wasn't certain, but he thought he detected a touch of admiration in her tone. It pleased him. "I am a lot bigger, honey. And stronger." He felt her shake her head, her hair brushing against his cheek. "It's not that. I could still take you…" Eli laughed outright. "You're not exactly suffering a lack of confidence, are you?" "I know what I'm capable of." "Then what happened? Why are you beneath me-in a position, by the way, that I'm enjoying immensely-instead of the other way around?" She stiffened, and Eli placed a small kiss on her ear to soothe his taunt. Ray growled in response. He added, "I'm not bragging, sweetheart, when I tell you there's no way you could ever beat me. You've taken me by surprise a few times, but that won't happen again. Not that I mind you trying. In fact, I'll look forward to your efforts, should you decide to try again." Ray snorted in derision. "Do you want me to believe you would actually fight me?"

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His lips touched her ear once more. She had very small, delicate ears, and his control weakened by the moment. "No. But I think I could appreciate holding you beneath me for an extended time. What do you think, Ray? Is that threat incentive enough for you to think twice before attacking me?" Her breathing was audible, she was so furious. Or so affected. He couldn't tell which. "No." If she thought to provoke Eli with her explosive answer, she failed miserably. He chuckled, slowly removing his weight and rolling to the side. He waited until Ray had resettled herself, her body rigid beside him. Then he tilted his face toward her to say with a great deal of anticipation, "Good. I'm glad." "You're nuts is what you are," she grumbled. Eli wanted to hug her, but knew better than to even try. "Good night. Ray." He didn't expect her to reply, so he was pleasantly shocked when she returned grudgingly, her words barely audible, "Good night, Eli." He fell asleep with a smile, despite the heat in his body, the turmoil of his mind, despite his concern for his brother. Ray was unbelievably, delightfully different from any person he'd ever known, especially the women. With all her outspokenness and arrogance, she was somehow more real. And he already looked forward to spending time with her, without the restrictions of familial duty and worry occupying his thoughts. He looked forward to giving her every ounce of his attention. And then some.

***

Ray wakened slowly. Damn, she'd done it again, gone soundly asleep when she absolutely shouldn't have. She almost never slept peacefully, and certainly not while on assignment. Yet she'd passed out for the duration, and couldn't remember moving all night. But she had moved. If her body wasn't lying to her, and she was pretty sure it wasn't, she was now fully sprawled over Eli, her face cushioned against his hairy chest, her thigh resting directly over a rather active erection. It pulsed against her, and she realized with a wave of heat that Eli wasn't sleeping, either. His fingers threaded through her hair. "I know you're awake, Ray." Still, she didn't move. Her palm was curved over his shoulder and his skin was hot, the flesh taut. Her breathing accelerated, her face flushing with heat. She felt his muscles flex when he raised his other hand to tip up her chin. Eli's eyes plainly showed his thoughts. His beard was now thicker, giving him a piratical appearance that seemed darkly appealing. Ray watched his gaze drop to her lips, and she unconsciously licked them while struggling for breath. His hand tightened on her head, and he slowly leaned forward.

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It was all the incentive Ray needed to move. She practically sprang from the bed. Once on her feet, she tried to look nonchalant, hiding her turbulent emotions and racing heartbeat. With a forced chuckle, Ray told him, "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to hog the bed." She riffled her fingers through her tangled bangs, inadvertently making them more tangled. "I don't usually sleep so soundly." "I didn't mind." Ray had to turn her back to his softly spoken words. Good heavens, she felt his husky voice reverberate through her entire body, settling like an ache in her lower belly. She felt like fanning herself but resisted the urge, not wanting him to know how much she'd been affected by his touch. The telephone rang and Eli answered their wake-up call. But his eyes never left Ray. He made her feel strangely exposed. "How much time do we have before we have to meet with your friend?" Eli asked after hanging up the phone. Ray appreciated his question, whatever his reason for asking it. It brought her swiftly back to reality. "Not long. We should get going. From here on out, things will have to be kept quiet." Eli didn't argue. He rose from the bed and went to his suitcase, unmindful of his near nakedness. Ray, however, couldn't quite claim indifference. She'd seen other men in similar states of undress, of course. But somehow it wasn't the same. Somehow she couldn't summon the detachment she needed. She silently cursed herself, especially when Eli looked up and captured her rapt gaze. "You can use the bathroom to dress if you want. I'll be ready in five minutes." Ray nodded. She felt her heart racing as she picked up her bag and hurried into the bathroom. Splashing cool water on her face helped, but she didn't think anything was going to totally alleviate her shock anytime soon. Waking so close to Eli had been an experience. She knew she'd never felt quite that way before, so hot and soft and… interested. It had been a very long time since Ray had been so aware of herself as a female, or so aware of a man as a man. She heard Eli open the door and speak quietly to someone. Her curiosity piqued, she dressed quickly to investigate. No sooner had she stepped from the bathroom than she smelled fresh coffee and croissants. Eli looked up as she walked in. He had pulled on the dark jeans, though they weren't properly fastened all the way and he was still without his shirt. Right where the snap of his jeans lay open beneath his navel on his hard abdomen, she saw the start of a silky line of dark hair. Heat exploded inside her. His rumpled hair and bare chest looked very sexy to Ray. She pulled her eyes away from his and heard him say, "I thought you might want a bite to eat before we take off. It's not much, but I didn't think we'd have time for a big breakfast." Ray busied herself pouring a cup of coffee before he'd finished speaking. "This is terrific. Thanks."

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She felt his extended gaze and glanced up. He was wearing such a tender expression, she blinked. "What?" Shrugging, Eli told her, "It just amuses me that you enjoy eating so much, and you're so damn slender." She felt herself flushing, and wanted to howl at the moon. "Yeah, well, you'd better eat something, too. It might be a while before we get the chance again. And when we do, it sure as certain won't be fresh coffee and pastry." Eli dutifully walked to the cart to pour himself a cup of coffee. "You know, I've been wondering about a few things." Ray rolled her eyes. "No, really. You keep saying you have everything planned, but that doesn't tell me anything." Ray reached for his arm, turning his wrist so she could read the face of his watch. "All right. You have about two minutes to get specific answers. Then we have to go." He nodded. "How are we going to get past the border patrols?" Arching a brow, Ray complimented, "That's pretty specific. First off, Mataya is just below Belize and coastal on three sides. We'll go over the mountain range, and travel overland by foot for about fifteen miles. Buddy will pick us up in his plane on the coast again, after we've gotten your brother." "Buddy is the one we're meeting today?" "That's right. He's an ace pilot, and one of my best friends." "And where do you know him from?" Ray smiled. "Buddy and I go way back. We were in the service together." Eli gave her a perplexed look. "Am I wrong in assuming you were a soldier?" "No." He frowned. "I thought the military kept the sexes separate. How did you get to be such good friends with him?" Ray was suddenly very quiet. Memories swamped her, but as usual, she shrugged them off. At least, as much as she could. She said slowly, "The military can do pretty much whatever it pleases. And it does. Suffice it to say Buddy and I spent a lot of time together." Eli stared at her for a long moment, then asked with resignation, "You're not going to elaborate on that, are you?" "Nope. Any other questions?"

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"Yeah. Are we taking any weaponry with us?" "Buddy will have what we need on the plane. He puts together all my supplies. It makes it easier than trying to get through the airport with them." Her dry tone left Eli with no doubt that she thought his question to be asinine. "One more thing." Ray sighed, downing the rest of her coffee and leaning back in her chair. "What's that?" "If we're walking fifteen miles to get Josh, how the hell are we going to make it out of there without being caught? Seems to me, going in will be a lot easier than getting out." "Going through the mountain passes will be what takes so long. By road, the trek will only amount to about five miles. I thought I'd steal a jeep or something once we're ready to go." Eli's expression never changed. "Steal a jeep?" She grinned. "Yeah. I don't suppose you know how to hot wire a car do you?" Eli stood, his eyes glinting with hazel lights. "As a matter of fact…I do." Ray was stunned, but quickly covered her reaction to his admission. "Well then, maybe you can take care of acquiring our transportation." "Be glad to." Ray couldn't help but smile at the challenge in his words. "Excellent. Now, finish dressing. We need to get out of here. Your brother is most likely impatient with you already." Eli picked up his bag and headed toward the bathroom. "I'll be ready in five minutes." "Make it four," Ray told him. "Your questions have put me enough behind schedule as it is." Two hours later, they neared their destination. Ray was again driving, and Eli was attempting to pry information out of her. He thought he was being sly, cloaking his personal questions with inquiries about Mataya. Ray didn't mind. She felt his conversation helped to pass the time. "Do you realize you've only answered about half my questions?" Ray chuckled at him. "I've avoided the personal ones. Did anyone ever tell you how nosy you are?" Eli denied that accusation with a shake of his head. "Interested, not nosy. You surely realize how fantastical your chosen profession is." "Rescuing is a side job that I'm very good at. Not my 'chosen profession.' I haven't had an assignment in over a year." "Not that many people in need, huh?" "The world is full of fools and thrill-seekers. There's always someone who needs me. But I turn a lot of jobs down. You just happened to come along at a time when I felt I could use the extra cash."

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"For what?" She shook her head. "There you go with those personal questions again. How I spend my money, or why, is no concern of yours, Eli." Ray could see he was ready to launch into another round of questioning when she pointed out they had finished their drive. "We're here." She watched Eli look around. There was nothing but vast flat grassland surrounding a long, curving lake. Only a few trees studded the otherwise smooth scenery. Not a single soul was in sight. He asked skeptically, "Where is here?" "Buddy will be landing soon. He owns all this. In truth, he's rich in his own right, but you'd never know it to talk to him. He hasn't changed." "I gather the money came to him later in life?" Ray nodded. "There's a definite difference between people born to money and those that acquire it. Buddy is as humble and loyal as they come." "Why does he still go on assignments if he doesn't need the money?" Ray sighed, pulling the car off the road and into the grass, going a good fifty yards before she parked beneath the skimpy shade of a tree. She turned the engine off. "Ray?" "Buddy does this only because I do. He won't let anyone else fly me." She grew quiet then, and the sounds of a loud engine could be heard. With an unlikely squeal, she opened her door and jumped out, running toward the lake. Eli held back a moment, watching her, then slowly made his way after her. The plane landed smoothly on wide pontoons, spraying water from the lake. It circled, much like a large bird, then came to a neat stop not far from where Ray waited. A man close to Eli's age jumped down from the wing of the plane, slogging quickly though the dark, shallow water and hitting the land in a dead run. Laughing, he intercepted Ray's rushing form. Swinging her in circles, Buddy held her in an iron grip. Eli finally drew close enough to be noticed. Ray was in no hurry to release her friend. She still had her arm around him when she turned to introduce Eli. "Eli Conners, this is my best friend in the whole world, Buddy Rhodes." Before Eli could acknowledge the introduction, Buddy scowled and demanded, "Now, what the hell is this? You taking on partners?" "No," Ray explained, still smiling. "Eli is the man who hired me." "So why the hell is he here?"

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Eli was annoyed enough to say, "Because he insisted." With a snort, Buddy asked Ray suspiciously, "And you allowed it?" She shrugged. "I needed the money." He huffed, still ignoring Eli. "Why the hell won't you just let me give you the money?" Ray pulled away, her own brow lowering in a frown. "That's an old tune, Buddy. You've played it to death." "Then let me loan you the money and you won't have to hear it again! There's no damn reason for you to continue doing this!" "I agree. That's why I haven't been back in so long. But now, with Max going off to college, well…it's damned expensive." Now Eli frowned. "Who's Max?" Ray sent him a small smile. "My brother. I told you about him, I think." Buddy leaned toward Eli as if speaking a confidence, which was ridiculous because Ray could hear every word. "Ray here thinks her brother has to have the very best of everything." Ray punched his arm playfully. "No, I don't. You know Max would do well enough with or without me. He doesn't need the advantage, I just want him to have it." Buddy cupped her cheeks affectionately, a huge grin on his face. "Damn, but it's good to see you again." Ray admitted, "I've missed you, too." And then Eli stood there in stunned disbelief as Buddy lowered his head and kissed Ray soundly, right on the mouth. And she let him. *** The damned jealousy rode him hard. Eli had never suffered the emotion before, but he knew instinctively what it was. That it was happening now, over a woman he'd only known a few short days, didn't help to alleviate the problem. They had boarded the plane some minutes ago, and now Ray went over her supplies. Eli should have been more interested, especially after she produced an array of lethal automatic weapons including a large, razor-sharp knife that she laid aside. But with Buddy chuckling and hanging all over her, all Eli made note of was his rising temper. "Here." Ray handed Eli a thick, padded vest with a multitude of pockets. "Slip that on over your T-shirt. Do you have any idea how to handle a gun?"

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Eli wanted to smack her. He wanted to turn her over his knee and… oh, God. Visual, erotic images crowded his brain and he bit back a groan. Barely controlling his temper, he surveyed the weapons, then reached out and took a compact automatic pistol. Without a word, he stuffed it under his belt. "I take that as a "yes'?" Eli turned away from her grin. "When in hell are we going to take off? You can look that stuff over on the way, can't you?" Now Buddy chuckled at his disgruntled tone. "Sure she could. If she didn't get air sick every time we go up." Eli snapped his gaze back to Ray. "You get sick?" Frowning at Buddy for making that disclosure, she admitted, "Violently. I hate flying. But I'm fine five minutes after we land, so don't let it worry you." Buddy gave Ray an affectionate squeeze, earning another fierce look from Eli. "He would have noticed once we were in the air, babe. This isn't like a commercial flight. There's not a lot of space here to hide." Ray stood. "I'll have you know I napped on the flight." Buddy was obviously surprised by that, but Ray didn't feel like explaining that she'd felt safer having Eli beside her. It didn't make any sense even to her. She shoved at Buddy when he continued to stare. "Why don't you two go start the engines, and I'll change." Eli frowned again. "Change what?" Buddy took his arm. "Her clothes. You didn't think she was going to wear what she has on, did you? Ray can't stand restrictions. She'd rather suffer the bug bites than have her arms covered." Buddy offered him the co-pilot's seat, then took his own behind the controls. Eli glanced over his shoulder, his timing perfect. He was stunned to see Ray pull her shirt over her head. She had her back facing him, but that didn't do all that much to hinder his racing heartbeat. Her bra fell next, and Eli was given the view of her smooth, sleekly muscled shoulders and elegant spine. He nearly swallowed his tongue. When Ray turned slightly to pick up a black sleeveless shirt, he saw the curve of her breast. The roar of the engines coming to life brought him out of his daze. He twisted around in his seat, caught the smile on Buddy's face, and scowled. The plane was small and open with storage space, only the two seats in front. Ray sat on the floor to put her boots back on, as far from the men as she could get. "I'm ready when you are, Buddy." Eli looked at her again. She was now dressed in a skimpy black tank top that left her throat and arms completely bare. She had a dark green vest similar to the one she'd given to Eli pulled on over it. Very loose, well-worn fatigue pants were cinched around her waist, the bottoms tucked into a pair of scuffed

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brown lace-up boots. Her face was pale as she shoved ammunition into the vest pockets. Eli felt his heart twist, looking at her. She seemed so vulnerable again, so damned frail. He suddenly hated what he was doing. He should have found someone else, should have canceled the damn idea as soon as she'd shown up. Buddy must have read his thoughts, for he roughly shoved Eli's shoulder. In a low voice that didn't carry over the roar of the plane, Buddy told him, "Relax. She knows what she's doing. Do you think I'd let her go in if I didn't know she'd come back out whole-hide?" Eli had a hard time restraining himself. He knew he was acting illogically, his temper taking his control. But he couldn't seem to help himself. "Why do you let her go? You seem to care about her." "Hell, I love her. I thought you'd already figured that much out." Plain and simply put, Eli wanted to kill him. His hands curled into fists and he growled, "You've got a hell of a way of showing it. I don't care how good you both think she is, she's still just a woman." "Oh, ho! Don't let Ray hear you say that. That would surely rile her temper." Then he chuckled. "Besides, you misunderstand. I love her, but like a sister. She was never my woman, though there was a time when I would I have changed that. But now I have my own wife, and she loves Ray, too. So you can relax about that at least. As far as the other, you have to give Ray more credit. She isn't like ordinary women. Not by a long shot." Eli reluctantly settled himself, sensing Buddy was willing to tell him much more than Ray ever had. His curiosity temporarily overrode his temper. "How is she so different?" "Her training, for one thing." Buddy grinned hugely again, and Eli shook his head. The man was always grinning, for one reason or another. "Her military training, you mean? I understand she was in the service, but she's never really said which branch." "I'll just bet she hasn't. She doesn't like going into it much. Now me, I don't mind a bit. You see, we were guinea pigs. We served in a new operational capacity, always ready when things got really heated. We'd been trained beyond what most people are, but the real hitch was the company. We were trained as teams." Eli raised his brow. "So? What's the big deal? Isn't that how most military units work?" "Yeah. But," he added, slanting Eli a look, "usually they keep the boys with the boys and the girls with the girls. In our case, we belonged to an experimental unit called the 'Adam and Eve.' They paired up men and women they believed were compatible, based on a series of in-depth tests, trained them to work intricately together, to rely on one another, and then dropped them off in various situations to see how it worked." "You and Ray were…?" Laughing, Buddy shook his head. "Nope. Ray had already been paired with a guy for about six months before I was recruited for the program. They were the original Adam and Eve team, the very first. But they worked out so well, five more pairs were added to the unit."

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It sounded like something out of a novel, giving Eli a sinking feeling about it all. He dreaded the answer to his next question, but he asked it anyway. "What happened to her partner?" Buddy no longer looked amused. In fact, his gaze was exceptionally solemn when he glanced at Eli. "He was captured in Central America. It was considered a no-win situation, especially since he was the only one they nabbed. Ray wanted to go back for him, but the government vetoed it. They were having negotiations, or so they claimed." Buddy wiped his brow, his eyes now narrowed, his hands tight on the controls. In a low voice, he said, "Ray almost went nuts, she was so angry. And worried. She finally resigned her position, said to hell with the military, and went in alone to get him out." Eli couldn't ask. His chest ached just thinking of how difficult it must have been for her. He was oblivious to everything else at the moment. He didn't see the clouds floating by, didn't hear the gentle roar of the engines, didn't notice the way Buddy watched him. He'd turned in his seat to look at Ray. She sat on the floor, her knees drawn up, her head resting on her folded arms. Her face was turned away from him, but he could see she felt ill. Where her hands were clasped, her knuckles were white, and her shoulders were tense. More than anything, he wanted to go to her, to hold her. He wanted to somehow offer comfort for what had happened so long ago. But he didn't. He knew Ray well enough already to understand how she would react to such a gesture. She'd probably squeeze his larynx again. The thought made him smile gently. "How can she bear to go back?" Buddy didn't pretend a misunderstanding. "She remembers how helpless she felt when she tried to get funding or aid for her own rescue attempt. When she came to me, as a last resort I might add, I gladly helped. Hell, like I said, I was in love with her then. I'd have done anything she asked. But it wasn't pretty, what we found that day. And even though the rescue was successful, she still blames herself at times for not getting there quicker." "What happened to her partner?" "He survived. For about six months, he was hospitalized. Ray paid all his bills, visited him daily, took care of him. But once he was recovered, he couldn't bear any connection to what he'd once been, to what had almost happened to him. He saw her only one more time, to thank her and say good-bye." Eli closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "She must have been crushed. After all she'd done for him…" "You don't know Ray if you believe that. She was hurt, that's true, but not because she felt like she'd helped him. Actually, Ray thinks she failed, that she somehow didn't do enough for him. That's what bothered her then, and still does on occasion, even now." Eli again looked to Ray. She had curled into a ball against the side of the plane, her entire demeanor one of misery. "When did all this happen?" Scratching his brow, Buddy answered thoughtfully, "Must be six, seven years now. Not long before she got her brother. She was just a kid then herself, not much more than her mid-twenties." Buddy grinned. "She's thirty-one now. But still tougher than a junkyard dog."

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"She's not so tough," Eli said in a whisper. He couldn't take his eyes off her, seeing her discomfort so plainly written on her fine features. The plane vibrated suddenly with turbulence and Ray jerked, a small moan escaping her. The tiny sound proved more than Eli could bear. Moving from his seat, ignoring Buddy's muffled laugh, he went to Ray and knelt beside her. His large hand smoothed back her hair. "Is there anything I can do to help, sweetheart?" She groaned. "They shoot horses, don't they?" Eli smiled, but his amusement was bittersweet. Damn, she amazed him. "Let me hold you. Maybe you'll feel better." "I doubt that." "But right now you're too weak to fight me, so come here." With Ray grimacing and grousing and putting up feeble resistance, Eli easily lifted her onto his lap. He settled her head against his shoulder, rubbed her back gently, and kissed her forehead. After a few minutes, Ray looked at him in surprise. "You know, I do feel a little better." "Good. I'm glad." Eli pressed her head back to his shoulder. Ray laughed softly, saying, "Maybe it's not such a bad idea that I brought you along after all. We've already found something you're good for." Eli nipped her ear. "I'm good for a lot of things, Ray. I fully intend for you to understand them all. Soon." He felt her tremble, heard her catch her breath. Then she changed the subject. "What were you and Buddy talking about for so long? You seemed so absorbed, but I couldn't make out the conversation." "We were just getting to know each other," Eli temporized, then tilted her chin up so he could see her face. "I want you to promise me something." Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Ray asked, "What?" Eli cupped her smooth cheek in his palm. The urge to kiss her was almost overwhelming. Soon, he told himself. Very soon. He drew in a shaky breath. "Promise me you won't take any chances." "What are you talking about?" Eli pulled her closer, stifling her efforts to wiggle away. "I don't want you hurt. If things don't look right, or if you feel uncertain at all, don't risk it." Ray appeared stunned by his instructions. "I thought you wanted your brother out." "I do. But not at any cost. Not if you get hurt. If it doesn't happen tomorrow, I'll find another way. But I want your word you won't take any chances. Promise me."

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Ray stared at him for a moment, then looked stubbornly away. "I didn't come this far to fail. I will get your brother." He'd been under so much pressure, felt so many new emotions, it didn't take much to make him crack. Eli shook her. "Dammit," he exploded in a furious whisper. "You listen to me, you little witch! I'm paying for this rescue. You work for me. And I say no risks!" Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in disbelief. "You're insane. This whole thing is a risk! You can't make it work without taking more risks. But you're worrying for nothing. How many times do I have to tell you I can take care of myself?" Eli's hands shook as he framed her face, tugging her so close their breaths mingled. "Goddammit, I'll have Buddy turn this plane around right now if you won't give me your word. I mean it." Ray huffed. She stared at Eli, but he didn't blink. Finally, she confessed gruffly, "I'm always careful, so it would be an unnecessary promise. Still," she added when he started to chastise her, "You have my word I'll be extra careful. Now, are you happy?" Thoroughly annoyed, not feeling the least appeased by her vow, Eli shoved her head once again to his shoulder. "No, I am not happy. I won't be happy until I have you and my brother back in the States where you both belong." He thought about that and then added, "Where I can keep an eye on the two of you." Ray stiffened, but he didn't give her a chance to protest. "No more denials out of you, woman. You can't just forget you ever met me once this over, so don't even try. I won't let you forget. And that, Ray, is my promise to you."

Chapter Four Ray pulled away from Eli as they landed. She was no longer willing to take comfort from him, no longer willing to divide her thoughts. She needed all her concentration and attention on getting the job done. The landing was rough, the plane hitting the water with jarring impact. Ray heard Eli curse, but she was too busy preparing herself to spare him a glance. Scooping up a pair of compact but powerful binoculars, Ray tossed them to Eli. "Here, put these around your neck." Then she picked up a backpack, asking Buddy, "Everything's inside?" "Hey, you know I take care of you. I didn't forget anything." Buddy opened the door, peering out into the deserted landscape. Eli picked up the other sack. "This is going, too?" It was a solemn group now. No one, not even Buddy, could work up a smile. The tension was thick, but appropriate, given the circumstances. Ray nodded, thoughtfully biting her upper lip. "Are you ready, Eli?" He drew a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be." Ray searched his eyes. "It won't be easy, you know. Already I can feel the heat, and the humidity is

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stifling." Buddy handed each of them a fat canteen, suggesting to Eli, "Sip your water often, but don't forget you'll probably be in overnight. The country is still too antiquated to trust their plumbing." Eli acknowledged Buddy's warning as he watched Ray load herself down. She tucked a Beretta into her vest pocket, similar to the one Eli had already claimed. The knife she tucked into her boot, then pulled her pants leg down to conceal it. Next, an Uzi got slung over her shoulder, and every pocket of her vest was stuffed with ammunition. She held several clips and two boxes of hollow-point bullets. She tossed another to Eli. "Exactly how many people are you planning to shoot?" Ray didn't even bother to look up when Eli dryly asked his question. "As many as necessary." Buddy handed her a bright red bandanna as if the action were quite routine. Ray tied it around her forehead, effectively keeping her bangs from her eyes. She made quite a picture standing there, loaded down with weapons, her expression hard and implacable. Eli was prompted to ask, "Do you really expect to be able to walk any distance with that much weight added to your body?" Ray ignored him, but Buddy actually laughed. "Ray is a waitress. She carries trays heavier than that every day." Stunned, Eli asked, "A waitress?" Ray sent a glare at both men. Somehow the image wouldn't gel. "I would never have imagined you as a waitress." "And why not?" she asked, frowning ferociously. "It's a respectable job. I have flexible hours and can generally take off when I need to." She added under her breath, "And the tips are great." Eli shook his head, choking on a laugh. The tips are great? "I didn't mean…" "Forget it. We don't have time for it right now." Eli looked like he wanted to say more, but Ray's narrow-eyed expression stopped him. "Fine. Give me some of that stuff to carry." Ray shook her head impatiently. "I'm okay." Then she turned to Buddy. "What time do you have?" They made certain their watches were accurate, and when Eli suddenly removed his, handing it to Buddy for safekeeping, Ray was speechless. Eli winked at her. "I thought you never took the damned thing off." Eli shrugged. "I can be reasonable." Ray stared at him, then snorted. "Sure you can. Try to remember that while we're here, okay?" "I want you to be reasonable, too. Give me some of your baggage to carry."

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"This isn't worth arguing over, Eli. We should be heading out." "I agree. So hand something over." Totally exasperated, Ray jerked the strap of her canteen over her head, along with the binoculars and two packs of ammo. "Don't complain to me later when you start to wear down." "Yes, dear." Buddy stared, disbelieving. "Why, I'll be damned. I've never seen you give over to anyone before, Ray. I wish I had my camera handy." Ray turned to him sharply. "Don't you start, too!" Buddy pretended to back up in fear, only to jerk forward again and grab Ray for a hear hug. "Don't get yourself killed trying to protect any fools, honey," he whispered for her ears only. Ray glanced at Eli, saw that he was glaring at them while rearranging his load, and she sighed. "He's not as foolish as I first assumed," she answered quietly, returning Buddy's embrace. "I think he'll do okay." "I hope you're right, Ray, 'cause I have a feeling he's going to be busier watching out for you than tending his own backside." Ray blinked at Buddy. "That's ridiculous." "I know it. And you know it. But I don't think Eli knows it." *** They hadn't been underway more than fifteen minutes when Ray was forced to admit Buddy was right. Eli had already asked her twice if she needed a break. Ray knew it wasn't his own fatigue prompting the question, not when he looked comfortable and entirely unaffected by the heat and humidity. And she could see the very real concern in his eyes. It made her uneasy. Staying deep in the forest on a slightly worn footpath, Ray dodged stray vines and heavy foliage. Almost an hour later as she pushed her way through, a long, supple branch slapped back against her arm, the thorns digging deeply into her skin. Ray winced, looked down at the streak of blood forming, and then dismissed the injury from her mind. Eli refused to do the same. "Dammit, Eli, it's nothing. Really." "It looks like considerably move than 'nothing' to me," Eli told her. "Stop grumbling and let me clean it up. I know it must hurt." Eli fished through the pack he carried until he located the first-aid kit. It was unusual, in that it didn't hold the customary items of bandages and aspirin, but was more extensive. There was a small vial of antibiotics, a syringe, a slim, razor-sharp scalpel, and an array of bandages and serums. Beneath the tray were several swabs and antiseptic, along with more bottles Eli didn't recognize.

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He looked at Ray with a frown. "I suppose you've been trained to deal with medical emergencies?" Her chin went in the air. "That's right. And this certainly isn't one. We're wasting time." Eli held her arm and ran a sterile pad doused in antiseptic over the deep scratch. Ray cursed furiously, then gritted her teeth, glaring at Eli. "Does it sting?" She was in no mood to listen to Eli's gentle, sympathetic tone. "Of course it does." "Maybe this will help." Eli blew softly on her arm, raising goose bumps and causing Ray to suck in a sharp breath. She felt flustered and frustrated and out of her element - not with the landscape, but with Eli's attention. "Enough already. I'm fine." Eli shook his head. "So tough. It's all right to admit when you're in pain, Ray. It doesn't make you a wimp." "I agree. But this paltry little scratch hardly warrants all this fuss." "It's a sight closer to a gash than a scratch. Most women would have been in tears over that cut." With an inelegant snort, Ray informed him, "It would take more than that to make me cry." She opened the canteen Eli offered her and took a sip, then surveyed the countryside. It was quiet and hot, the air so thick with moisture you could drown on a deep breath. Eli touched her chin, turning her face toward him. Very quietly he asked, "What would it take to make you cry, Ray?" She shook her head in exasperation, almost amused by his tenacity to pry. Recapping the canteen and handing it back to him, she stood to continue their trek. Squinting against the glare of the sun, she admitted, "There is one thing that always makes me want to weep like an infant." Eli watched her intently, highly curious. "And what's that?" "A house full of dirty windows. God, but I hate doing windows." Chuckling, Eli caught her arm before she could take more than two steps. "I'll lead." Ray propped her hands on her hips, enhancing her natural arrogance. "Now, how do you propose to lead when you don't know where the hell you're going?" "You can direct me. But it makes sense for me to be in front. My arms are at least covered, and I'm taller." "Your logic totally escapes me. What does being taller have to do with anything?" "Don't argue with me. Just stay behind my back." He took off, not giving Ray the chance to protest

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further. She sighed in annoyance, but allowed him his way. Minutes later, she had to admit they could travel faster with Eli forging the path. The sun was high overhead, scorching in intensity, when Ray called a halt. "I have to eat." Eli gave a weak laugh. "I should have known food would be the perfect motive for stopping." "Don't make fun, I need to keep my energy level up. You do, too, as far as that goes. Look how much you're sweating." "I don't need to look, thank you very much. I can feel how sticky my clothes are getting. I don't suppose there's a stream around here anywhere?" "Actually, there is. But I wouldn't suggest you wander around alone. After we eat, I'll show you where it is so you can relieve yourself and freshen up." Eli blinked at her. "I hadn't even thought about that." He frowned at her a moment, then asked, "Where will we be spending the night?" "Wondering about the facilities, are you? Well, I can promise you this: there won't be any showers or flushing johns. If we're lucky, we'll be able to use an old farmer's shack that used to be close to the prison. But I don't even know if it's still there. If not, we'll bed down in a cave." "A cave? You mean, like with bats and wild animals?" Ray chuckled. She could tell much of Eli's abhorrence was feigned. In truth, he looked almost anxious. "The cave may have some vampire bats, but if we keep a fire going, we should be safe enough. Besides, bats rarely feed on humans." "Rarely?" Ray shrugged. "It's been known to happen. Especially on sleeping humans." Eli propped his hands on his hips. "Don't you think it might be better to avoid caves?" Ray turned her back so Eli couldn't see her unholy grin. "Nope. There are a lot of wild animals in these tropical forests. Some are worse than bats." "Such as?" "Pumas, coyotes, jaguars." Eli grunted. "We're not deep enough in the forest to be bothered by any wild animals. I think you're just pulling my leg." Ray finished hunting through her pack, finally taking out a can of tuna and a tin of crackers. She set these on a rock, then went to Eli, taking his arm and leading him to stand beneath a tall, mostly barren tree. Its branches spread out wide overhead but had little foliage, so you could almost see to the very top. "See that third biggest branch? The one that's mostly bare?"

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Eli squinted upward, his hand shielding his eyes. "Yes. So?" "Don't you see what's lying curled around that branch?" Suddenly Eli's eyes widened, and he took a hasty step back. "Son-of-a…!" Ray burst into laughter. Eli glared at her, which only made her laugh all the harder. She was actually bent double, holding her sides, when Eli came to stand directly in front of her. Still chuckling, Ray asked, "What's the matter, Eli? You afraid of snakes?" "A boa constrictor is not your everyday snake, Ray. Only you would choose to have lunch with a monster like that looming overhead." Ray pulled off her bandanna to swipe her forehead and dry her eyes. But she was still smiling. "It won't bother you. Contrary to all the Tarzan movies, boas don't feast on people, and it isn't poisonous. As long as you ignore it, it won't bother us." "I wasn't exactly planning to invite it to lunch," Eli answered in a dry tone. His eyes repeatedly went to the large snake lounging peacefully in the tree. Then he shook his head. "You're unbelievable." "Here." Ray tossed the can of tuna at him. "Open that for me." Then she dug in her bag again. "Peaches sound good?" "Why not?" Eli struggled with the old-fashioned turn-style opener. "Do we have any choices for dinner?" "Sure. Hash or hash." Ray grinned. "We also have canned fruit cocktail and dry soup, but we should save them for tomorrow." "And here I was thinking you'd shoot us something fresh for dinner." "I don't hunt. I never could abide hurting animals. But if worse came to worse, I wouldn't let you starve. We could always fish and hunt up wild berries." With the lid finally off the tuna, Eli took a cracker from the tin and, the lid bent in half, spread a small amount of tuna on it for Ray. "Here you go, ma'am. Eat up." "Thanks." Ray didn't bother trying for etiquette, and instead popped the whole thing into her mouth. "Aren't you going to have some?" Eli eyed the tuna with distaste. "I don't think so." "Now Eli," Ray scolded, "don't be a baby. I insist you eat." "I think I'll wait for dinner. Hash sounds a little more appetizing." "Well, it's not." Ray scooped more tuna on a cracker and then leaned toward Eli. "Here, eat up." Eli clamped his lips shut. "Going to be difficult, I see." Ray set the can down and came up to her knees, slowly crawling toward Eli. He smiled, but his lips remained firmly closed. He even shook his head.

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Grinning in challenge, Ray suddenly lunged at him. Eli tried to jerk away, but she was too quick. He turned his head, thinking she meant to shove the cracker down his throat. But all Ray did was pin him to the ground. And then tickle him. Eli burst out laughing, trying to catch her flying fingers. The cracker was immediately smashed against his teeth. Sputtering, spitting tuna and cracker to the side, Eli twisted, catching both Ray's hands and turning her beneath him. They laughed and panted for breath. "I swear, Eli," Ray confessed, still gasping and chuckling, "I never envisioned myself laughing in such a situation. I think you're a bad influence on me." The gleam of hilarity slowly left Eli's hazel eyes. He stared at Ray while carefully shifting his weight, settling more comfortably over her. His chest still heaved, his mouth open as he tried to regain his breath. One large hand came up to cup her cheek. "There's nothing wrong with laughing occasionally, honey." Ray's smile was sad, filled with self derision. "We should be hurrying through our meal and making as much headway as we can today. Not lolling about in the dirt, playing with crackers. I want to make sure we make it to the prison, or as close as we possibly can without being spotted, before nightfall. I'm not usually this irresponsible, but…" Eli laid a finger over her lips; then, feeling how soft they were, gently stroked her with his fingertip. "There'll be plenty of time for gravity later. But right now, I'm enjoying hearing you laugh. And I'm enjoying feeling you beneath me." Ray swallowed, then drew a long, shaky breath through her nose. "You're not supposed to be enjoying yourself, Eli. We're supposed to be rescuing your brother." Her words were whispered against his fingertips; her eyes, dark as midnight, stared intently into his. "And we will," he said urgently, his tone harsh. His gaze dropped to her mouth, watching the movement of his finger as he traced the lush curve of her lower lip. "Eli," she warned, but the word was only a breath of sound, barely heard and completely ignored. Ray admitted to herself that she wanted his kiss, had wanted it almost since the first day she'd met him. He was too much of a temptation to resist now, especially with the dangers facing them. It was obvious to Ray that Eli had no perception of the precariousness of their situation, or he wouldn't be pursuing his lust. And for the moment, for one single moment, she was immeasurably glad for his lack of concern. *** Eli felt his heart pound as Ray went still beneath him, her sable eyes slowly closing. It seemed he'd been waiting forever to touch her, to kiss her. She was so soft, so slender; so much more than any woman he'd ever known. Eli knew Ray valued her honor and integrity above all things. She would never chase a man because of his family connections or his wealth. She would never require a man for support.

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No, if Ray chose a man, it would be because she wanted him, and for no other reason. The idea filled Eli with heat. His mouth touched hers, gently brushing. God, she tasted good. His pulse raced, his body hardened. He felt her inhale, her lips parted, and he covered her more completely. He felt her breath softly sigh against his cheek, and his own breathing became more labored. Eli wanted to move slowly. He didn't want to startle Ray into pulling away, but it was nearly impossible to hold back. When he felt her shift beneath him, her hips seeking a more comfortable position, he lost his control. His mouth opened over hers, his tongue licking over her lips, dipping inside, stroking. Ray groaned softly and Eli swallowed the sound, his hands cupping her face, holding her captive for his gentle assault. Eli knew he had to stop. The timing was all wrong, the place preposterous. He'd intended only a quick, gentle taste, but he should have realized how impossible that would be with Ray. The mere sight of her affected him too strongly for him to believe he could touch her without losing control. Slowly lifting his head, Eli stared intently at her face. Her eyes were closed, her lips swollen, rosy, now parted. Her cheeks were flushed. As Eli stared, mesmerized, she opened her eyes to blink up at him. "We shouldn't have done that. Not here. Not now." Eli rolled to the side, looking toward the sky. It was cloudy gray and vast, and adequately reflected the turmoil beneath. Very quietly, his words hushed, he asked Ray, "Do you really think I could have waited much longer?" "It's wrong, Eli. Even if we weren't here, in this particular place, it still wouldn't make sense to get involved." "Why?" he demanded in a frustrated growl. His anger was answered by a cacophony of sound from the forest around them. Eli turned to look down at Ray. "You might deny it," he ground out, giving her a hard stare, "but we're already involved." "No." She sat up, turning her back to him. "Ray." Eli's hand curled over her shoulder, but before he could offer any argument, the skies opened with a torrent of rainfall, quickly soaking everything in sight. "Grab the bags," Ray ordered, scrambling over the ground to gather up the opened food. Within seconds, they were racing deeper into the forest where the rain had difficulty penetrating. Ray finally stopped beneath a large overhang of vines and rock. She crouched on the ground, looking slightly dazed, her dark hair plastered to her head. With a short laugh and a shake of her head that sent water droplets flying, Ray pointed out, "You won't need the stream after all." "I haven't played in the rain since I was a kid." She shrugged. "There's playing, and then there's playing. I'd say we should take advantage of the rain

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while it's here. These showers tend to be short-lived." Eli tugged at his damp shirt. "I'm game. Do we have any soap?" From a side pocket of the backpack, Ray produced small, sample sized packages of both shampoo and toothpaste, a miniature bar of soap and a comb. "Help yourself." "You thought of everything." "Except a towel. You'll have to use your damp shirt to dry off, then put on a new one." Eli watched her for a moment, the steady drum of rain surrounding them, an occasional animal call breaking the stillness. Ray tried to avoid his gaze, not because she was uncomfortable with him, but because she knew she couldn't allow another episode of intimacy. She had to protect herself. No one else would. Very quietly, Eli asked, "Are you going to join me?" "I don't think so. But you go ahead." "You're sure we have time for this?" "We can't move on until the rain stops, anyway. The foliage is too thick if we veer very far off the footpath, and there's no reason to get completely drenched when we'll only have to wait a few minutes. The rain never lasts any longer than that, so you'd better hurry." She stood then and walked to the other side of the overhang, avoiding the heavier streams of rain finding a path through the leaves. "I can use a few minutes of privacy myself, so I'll leave you to it." Eli nodded, then proceeded to pull his shirt off. Ray didn't pay much attention to that, but when he stepped close to a small fall of water running off the side of the overhang, she watched, fascinated. Cupping his hands, Eli doused his face with the cool water, then used the soap to lather his arms and chest, running his soapy hands over his neck and underarms. His gestures were masculine, done without self consciousness, and unbelievably sexy. Ray shook her head at her own foolishness. Seeing a man tend his personal ablutions had never been particularly appealing before. But now, with Eli, she had to force herself to turn away. She was getting in deep, and she didn't seem to be able to help herself. The rain stopped ten minutes later and they moved on, keeping a grueling pace to try to make up for lost time. It was necessary to stay deep in the damp forest to avoid any possibility of being seen. Eli didn't complain, but he did keep a protective eye on Ray, insisting she take a sip of water every so often, careful to keep the heavier brambles and branches out of her way. His eyes continually swept above them and Ray hid her smile, knowing he watched for snakes. The sky was growing dim when they finally neared the small farmer's hut that Ray remembered. It still stood, but just barely. When they went inside, a swarm of rodents ran for cover. Ray laughed at Eli's startled exclamation as bats flew out the empty windows and rats scurried across the floor. "Behold," she said, still laughing, her arms swept wide in a gesture of grandeur, "your night's lodging." Eli slanted her a look. They hadn't spoken much since the kiss, and Ray had done her best to avoid his

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intense scrutiny, though she'd felt it often on the trail. Now, his eyes appeared more gold than hazel and they seemed to challenge her. She kept her smile firmly in place. "How far are we from the prison?" "Only about a mile." Ray set down her load, flexing her shoulders to relieve the strain. She noticed with some disgust that Eli didn't seem the least bit tired, though he was every bit as dirty and sweaty as she was. "It's getting dark out there now," he observed, drawing his eyes away from her and peering into the dense forest behind them. In front of the hut was a long-forgotten field, now overgrown with weeds and vines. Behind them, edging the tree line, was a fresh-water stream, the water crystal-clear. The shack was mostly hidden from view by tall trees, their roots gnarled over the ground, some as thin as fishing line, others as thick around as Eli's leg. They had broken through the plank foundation of the small house and invaded the interior like hardened, entwined snakes. There was almost no furniture. Only a small metal bed, bare except for a well-worn mattress that was badly in need of airing, and two rickety hard-back chairs set beside a three-legged table. Eli immediately dragged the mattress outside and propped it against a smooth tree trunk so the air could circulate around it. He went back inside to see what other improvements he might make. None seemed possible. It wasn't the most inviting retreat imaginable, but it was shelter; and more importantly, it was close to the prison. When Ray picked up the binoculars and started out the door, Eli caught her arm. "Where do you think you're going?" She hesitated, giving him a wary look. "I need to check on a few things. Hopefully we'll be able to locate your brother tonight, so we'll know exactly what we're dealing with in the morning." "I'll come with you." "That's not necessary." And also not a good idea, Ray silently added. She didn't know what kind of shape she might find the brother in, and didn't want Eli to become emotional at this crucial point in the rescue. They simply could not blow their hand now, no matter what they might see. Eli stubbornly crossed his arms. "I'm coming with you." "Why? What do you think you can do to help? You don't know the lay of this place; you don't understand the rules or routines of their prison. There's absolutely nothing you can do now except get in my way." Eli appeared angered by her criticism, but not by word or deed did he vent that anger. His expression hardened. "We're wasting time, Ray." She threw up her hands in disgust. "Suit yourself. But stay the hell out of my way, and you damn sure better follow my lead."

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The forest here was more like jungle, thick with ferns and air plants, the ground loamy and loose. They moved slowly for about twenty minutes until they came to a steep, rocky incline. Ray turned to Eli, her eyes narrowed. "I have to climb up so I can get a good view of things. The prison should be right over that next ridge." "What do you want me to do to help?" "Give me a boost up, then wait here." Eli frowned at her suspiciously. "I want to have a look, too." Ray was already shaking her head before he finished his request. "This rock wall is slick. I need you here in case I start to fall." It was an outrageous lie. No way would she fall, and even if she did, she certainly didn't expect Eli to put himself in her path just to catch her. But she couldn't allow him to view the prison. She still had no idea how Josh was being treated. And if it was bad, she wanted to spare Eli that for as long as she could. Eli still frowned. "You're not going to give on this, are you?" It was obvious he hadn't believed her story. Ray rubbed her eyes, more tired than she should be given the ease with which they'd moved so far. Very quietly, she told Eli, "No. I'm not." Their gazes clashed for a long moment, and finally Eli nodded. "All right. But you won't lie to me ever again, Ray." How arrogant! She arched a brow, shooting for sarcasm rather than disbelief. "I won't, huh?" Eli cupped her cheeks. "No, you won't. Give me your word now." Her mouth fell open. "You want my word that I won't ever lie to you?" "That's right." "Eli, this is absurd! I'm trying to conduct a rescue here, and you're worried about something that won't even matter in less than a few days." His stare was implacable. "Promise me." "Good grief!" Ray pulled away, huffing in annoyance and pacing a small circle around the uneven ground. When she stopped in front of Eli, who hadn't moved, she was still frowning ferociously. "Have it your own way. I won't lie to you. But it will be a moot promise very soon." Eli smiled gently. "Come on. Get your tail up this rock so we can see what's going on." He knelt on the ground, cupping his hands for Ray. She shook her head, stepped onto his laced fingers, and felt herself hoisted a good distance onto the rock facing. Like a monkey, she scrambled the rest of the way up until she could see over the top. Her feet were wedged into small crevices, much like toeholds, and with one hand she held on. She raised the powerful binoculars to her eyes, then searched out the prison. For long moments she didn't move. Memories swamped her, leaving her stomach roiling and her forehead filmed in a nervous

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sweat. But she continued to watch, forcing herself to study the layout of the prison, even though she knew it by heart. It was still the same, only more decrepit. There were only half a dozen cells now, which would make searching out Josh that much easier. The other cells had obviously crumbled. Luck was with her, because only minutes had gone by when the prisoners were led outside, their legs hobbled, their hands cuffed. They sat around a working well, and each was given a small tin of water while two guards watched. Next, food was ladled into a bowl for each, and they began to eat. It was difficult to pick out Josh at first, as each man was so filthy and dressed the same in loose cotton clothing that had probably been white at one time, but was dingy gray now. The men were mostly of Central American descent, and though Josh's hair was brown, his skin was fairer, his hair not as dark. But he was every bit as cowed as the others. Ray couldn't detect any signs of abuse, other than a few bruises and scrapes. He appeared weary, almost sickly, but the conditions themselves could have been responsible, rather than any real injuries. Ray waited to see which cell Josh was led to. And after the guards had finished locking up, she watched to see how many were left to patrol the yard. Climbing down, she suddenly felt Eli grasp her waist and lift her the remainder of the way. "Well?" "I found him. He doesn't seem in very bad shape, though I'm certain he'll be thrilled to see you." Eli searched her face, as if judging her words for truth. Ray took exception to his scrutiny. "I told you I wouldn't lie." Eli stared into her eyes, then nodded, satisfied. "How does it look? Was everything as you expected it to be?" Ray turned to start the trek back to the shack. She was unbelievably weary and looked forward to getting a few minutes' respite. "Better, actually. They've left only one guard in the yard, though two others went inside. From what I could tell, they aren't all that heavily armed. Our weapons far out-class theirs in sophistication and capability. Which means two of us are equal to about four of them. Especially if you know how to use your weapon." "I'll manage." "That's pretty damned vague, Eli. I need to know if I can count on you for back-up or if you'd be better off as a watch. This isn't a game, you know. Shots will he fired, someone will be hurt. I'm just trying to insure it won't be me or you or your brother." Eli caught her suddenly, jerking her around to face him. "You're the one who's always trying to minimize my worth and intelligence. Having money doesn't necessarily make a man stupid or weak." His face was red with anger, the words sharp and low. "Do you actually believe I would do anything to jeopardize you? Do you really believe I'm so pathetically vulnerable I can't take care of myself?" Ray was stunned by his vehemence. "I take it you can shoot?" His hand tightened on her shoulder, but then he released her. With a muffled oath, he stepped around

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her, no longer willing to follow behind. They traveled in silence until they'd reached the cabin. Ray could tell by Eli's stiff posture that she had insulted him. "Eli?" she asked tentatively. He ignored her, going inside the shack and rummaging through their bags for food. Ray entered cautiously. "I didn't mean to sound so condescending." "Yes, you did. You do it to distance yourself from me. As long as you're convinced I'm some wimp who can't blow my own nose without help, you can justify all that disdain you have for me." Ray licked her lips nervously. She hated these kinds of confrontations. She'd rather have a knock-down, drag out fight any day. "I don't think you're a wimp." "Yes, you do." His insistence irritated her. "You don't know what I think, so stop saying that." "I know." Ray fumed. "You do not!" Eli looked up then, a slight smile on his face. "Do, too." Ray opened her mouth to once again object, then caught herself. They were arguing just like children. She threw her binoculars at him. Eli caught them easily, tucking them back into the pack. "Come and eat, Ray. I know you must be hungry. Again." "I will in a minute." She searched through her bags, pulling out clean clothes. "I want to wash and get out of this grimy shirt." Eli glanced up. "You're going to the stream?" "Yeah. I won't be long." She went out the door without another word. *** Eli was drawn to the window, knowing he shouldn't watch, but unable to help himself. After brushing away a few dead bugs and spider webs, he leaned his elbows on the slanting rough wooden sill, his eyes glued to Ray's every movement. Night was almost upon them, the sky now a dusky gray with rose-colored streaks. Everything seemed softer in the muted light, the forest lending added shadows to further enhance the darkness. The air was only slightly cooler, still unbearably humid, and smelled of the lush foliage all around. Animals called quietly to each other, as if saying good night. Eli's breath caught when Ray suddenly lifted her shirt over her head. Spellbound, he couldn't look away, didn't even want to try. She sat on a rock and worked her boots off, then stood and unfastened her pants. They fell to her ankles and Eli was given a breathtaking view of her backside, clad only in a pair of cotton panties.

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She didn't climb into the water as Eli expected her to do, but instead stepped out onto a large, flat rock midway in the stream and sat down. Her long legs stretched out before her and she cupped the water, splashing her body until she was thoroughly wet. Then she lathered her palms with the soap and began washing with a leisurely, lazy thoroughness. She was so naturally graceful, each movement utterly feminine despite the surroundings. She cupped more water, rinsing, until all the soap was removed. Eli felt his heart thud wildly in his chest when Ray lifted her hips and skimmed her panties down her legs. He could see the smooth line of her back and shapely backside, dappled by the overhead leaves and reflected moonlight off the water. Though she faced away from him, he knew she was using the tiny scrap of material as a rag, finishing her bath. His body reacted to what he couldn't see, envisioning her hands on her skin, between her thighs. His breath hitched and his skin flushed with heat. His erection, painfully hard beneath his jeans, would be obvious to even the most innocent of women. And Ray wasn't innocent. She looked over her shoulder then, suddenly aware of Eli's attention. Their eyes held. He waited, his chest tight, but then she looked away, her head dropping forward. With a curse, Eli moved away from the window, giving her the privacy she needed to finish. He felt anxious, antsy, and unable to sit still. His lust was so extreme, he felt almost violent. He paced the cabin until she came in, then stalked out the door for his own dousing. It wasn't cleanliness he had in mind, but rather a cold dunk in the stream to help suppress his unbearable need. He pulled his clothes off as he walked, and by the time his feet were on the bank of the stream, he was nearly naked. He made a loud splash when he jumped in, needing to exert some form of physical energy. He was surprised when Ray suddenly appeared, standing on the bank with her hands on her hips. "Eli? Did you happen to notice how I bathed?" His muscles clenched. He remained perfectly still in the water, not daring to move. "I noticed." "Did you see me get all the way into the stream?" "No. You sat there on that damn rock where I could see every bit of you," he said deliberately, not understanding why she wanted to torment him now. Her face flushed but she asked mildly enough, "Do you want to know why?" The water was only about waist deep. Eli dipped his body further into the stream, giving Ray an aggrieved frown. "You're obviously dying to tell me." "I thought you might appreciate it if I did." "All right. Do I have to pry it out of you?"

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Ray's smile was small and slightly crooked. "Are you familiar with the red piranha?" Eli went very still. "Red piranha?" Ray almost laughed. She nodded her head. "They mostly eat fish, but since this stream is cut off from the main river, the piranha may be especially hungry, and none too particular about their diets. I would suggest you hurry your bath along just a bit." Eli was cursing long and loud as he hastily splashed out of the stream, stirring the water enough to send anything inhabiting it into hiding, including red piranha. Ray was still laughing uproariously when he slammed into the cabin, nearly causing the structure to collapse. Half an hour later, as they lay side by side on the extremely narrow, recently aired mattress, neither of them could find any humor in the situation. Their bodies were pressed together, the air was quiet, and their emotions ran wild. It was a highly charged atmosphere. And Eli waited, his body tense, for the explosion.

Chapter Five It was so silent, Eli could hear himself breathing. His muscles felt tense enough to crack, aching as he lay stretched beside Ray, both arms behind his head. He was so hard he actually hurt, his erection straining against the confines of his briefs. He was suffering such a turmoil of mixed emotions. The worry for his brother was amplified now that they were so close. It was almost as if he could feel the urgency for rescue. But underlying that was the overwhelming need to tie himself to Ray before it was too late. She was an enigma, doing everything she could to maintain a distance from him. One minute it would infuriate him, but the next he felt such compassion, understanding her need to remain emotionally isolated, he nearly smothered with the heartache of it. Ray hadn't spoken a single word once they'd gotten into bed. She was stiff, her body held in rigid silence. Eli wasn't certain if he should say anything or not. He'd never experienced a desire so strong, so encompassing. He wanted desperately to hold her, to touch her and kiss her and taste every inch of her. Remaining quiet put a terrible strain on his body. "It's damned hot tonight, isn't it?" Eli turned his head slightly to look at Ray. Her voice had trembled as she'd spoken, giving testimony to her own turbulent emotions. Eli didn't say a word in response. "This humidity is stifling." His muscles clenched. She couldn't know how just the sound of her voice ignited him. He could barely make out her features in the darkness but he was aware, in every masculine fiber of his being, of her nearness. He could feel her heat. He could smell the light, natural feminine fragrance of her body.

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Eli labored for breath. "The air is almost sticky." Eli's groan erupted from his throat with explosive force. Ray became aware of his intent a moment too late. She jerked, her breathing harsh, trying to escape the bed. Eli quickly caught her, pulling her back. They struggled briefly as Eli fought to subdue her, but Ray's effort was halfhearted at best. Eli easily and gently overpowered her, his large, warm palms pressing firmly on her shoulders, holding her still beneath him. He groaned again, the sound raw and deep, but this time from the feel of Ray's soft body yielding to his own. "Ray." "Eli, no…" His mouth cut off her protest, but unlike the first kiss, this one was extremely gentle, almost teasing, despite the swelling urgency. His teeth nipped her bottom lip while his fingers flexed on her shoulders. "I need you, sweetheart." Ray sucked in her breath, as affected by the raw hunger in his voice as by his touch that burned her. "Ray…now…," he breathed against her mouth, his tongue touching her teeth, stroking her lips. His breath was hot, fanning her cheek and shoulder. His teeth carefully closed on her jaw, her chin, the lobe of her ear, but the small bites hardly appeased his nearly overwhelming desire to devour her, all of her, gently and completely. Groaning, he rubbed his rough cheek to her own, drowning in her scent. Eli tasted the fragrant skin of her throat, lightly sucking the soft flesh against his teeth. Ray gasped softly in reaction, then moved beneath him. He shoved the narrow strap of her undershirt off her shoulder, licking his tongue over her collarbone, her throat. Her legs stirred against him, tangling with his own, and he immediately took advantage, using his knee to force her thighs further apart and nestle himself against her. Eli couldn't think, his body surrounded, invaded, by the smell and taste of Ray. There was a roaring in his ears, an urgency he'd never experienced before. He felt his basic, male-animal instincts take over. Ray didn't fight him, didn't object to his blind hunger. She caught his face and held him so he had to kiss her mouth, her own tongue thrusting past his lips, being captured by the gentle bite of his teeth. He returned her kiss roughly, and when his tongue rubbed against her own, Ray closed her lips about him, sucking him deep into the moist warmth of her mouth. Rocking against her, feeling close to the exploding point, Eli fought to remove their few remaining clothes. He wore only his briefs. Ray had on her shirt and panties. It had simply been too hot and muggy to try to sleep wearing anything more. Eli had first thought the lack of clothing was a torment; now he was blessedly thankful as he caught the hem of Ray's shirt and quickly jerked it over her head. "God, I wish I could see you more clearly." "It's too risky to start a fire," Ray answered breathlessly. Then she gasped as both Eli's hands cupped her sensitive breasts. He growled in pleasure, dipping his head to search out a turgid nipple with his mouth. He licked and teased, carefully rubbing his beard-roughened cheek over her, then gently sucking until she squirmed and panted and wound her fingers tightly in his hair.

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Eli retaliated by closing his teeth about her, tugging insistently while plying the other breast with his fingertips, the rough edge of his thumb. Ray gave a soft, feminine moan of frustration. Eli groaned in pure male satisfaction. His hand slid into her panties, shoving them down in the process. He felt Ray go still, even her breathing quieting. His own heartbeat skipped about wildly when he encountered her moist heat, her flesh dewy-soft and slick, ready for him. Anxious for him. "I've wanted you forever." Ray shook her head, the only denial she could manage at the moment. Eli thrust a finger deep inside her. "Yes." Her hips rose to meet him and she cried out in surprise and growing need. "A lifetime, Ray. It's been at least a lifetime that I've been waiting for you." He kissed her ribs, then moved his mouth down the path of her soft midriff. She wriggled, her body arching sinuously with each tiny kiss he placed on her heated skin. The shack was filled with the sounds of their lovemaking, their breathing heavy and thick with need, broken only by an occasional moan or gasp. Ray trembled, saying his name, her voice roughened with frustration. Eli caressed her deeply, sliding his finger in and out. When she held her breath, he filled her with a second finger, then used his thumb to tease her hardened clitoris that now throbbed with need. Ray nearly bucked him off. "Easy, sweetheart." "Oh, God. Eli, please…" He bit her belly, loving the taste of her, wanting to nibble on every inch of her soft body. His tongue licked over her hipbones, then down. Nuzzling his face between her silky thighs, his nostrils were filled with the heated, spicy scent of her desire. His muscles jerked in reaction, and he groaned. Closing his mouth over her, he stroked her intimately with his tongue, his fingers still high inside her. He teased with devastating intent, stroking, sucking, using his rough velvet tongue to drive her mad. He'd never known a woman to let go so completely. Ray was totally uncontrolled in her climax, her body pliant, her cries low and raw and filled with the same urgency and need Eli suffered. He could feel the contractions of her inner muscles gripping his fingers, taste her arousal as she came again and again. He didn't want it to ever end. She was crying. When Eli moved up to lie over her, he found her cheeks wet with warm, salty tears. Stroking his thumbs over her temples, he whispered, "You're beautiful." She shook her head. "I'm not." Eli managed a weak, strained chuckle. His words were hoarse when he told her playfully, "You're also the most argumentative woman I've ever met." Ray wasn't given a chance to debate that accusation. Eli was already moving to possess her. His

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entrance was slow and insistent, filling her completely, stealing her breath. She was so wet, so soft, he moved into her easily. He paused once he was deep inside her, gently kissing her brow, her ear, the tip of her nose. He could make out the gleam of her dark eyes, shining, watching him closely. "You're a part of me, Ray." He thrust himself more fully inside her, touching her womb, to emphasize his statement. His hand cupped her cheek, holding her tenderly. "I won't ever let you push me away again. And I won't ever let you go." Ray groaned, wanting to turn her face away from his penetrating gaze, but unable to accomplish that small feat. It wasn't his hold on her chin that restrained her, but rather his hold on her heart. She closed her eyes and more tears trailed down her cheeks, nearly choking her, both with humiliation and despair. "You don't know what you're saying, Eli." "Shh. Don't be afraid of me, honey. Please, I swear I'll never hurt you." Ray punched his shoulder, but it was a weak attack. He was a part of her, both physically and emotionally, and at the moment, the last thing she wanted to do was fight. But long ingrained pride made her grumble, "I'm not afraid of anyone." At the same time, her legs slowly twined around his hips. Now that Eli was where he'd wanted so desperately to be, he was no longer in a hurry. He told Ray that. "You feel so good wrapped around me, honey. So damn good." His large rough hands lifted her breasts, his thumbs teasing her sensitive nipples again. He began moving very slowly, very gently. Ray cursed him. Eli, heat pouring off him in waves, merely stared down at her. "So impatient. I've waited too long to hurry, Ray. Just relax." She snorted, her heels digging into the small of his back as she strained against him, but he wouldn't be rushed. Giving him some of his own, she leaned up and bit his shoulder, then licked the small wound. Eli felt her warm hands touching him, squeezing the muscles of his back and neck, lightly dragging her nails over his flesh. They were both damp from the heat and humidity, rocking together, finding a rhythm that carried them away. Eli quickly grew as impatient as Ray. His mouth covered hers roughly, his tongue thrusting inside to keep pace with his erection as he penetrated her again and again. His hands moved beneath her, cradling her bottom and holding her close, raising her high for his steady thrusts, now growing harder and deeper. He loved the feel of her beneath him, her soft breasts cushioned against his chest, her strong legs curled about his hips, squeezing him tight in her pleasure. Her hands held him as if she'd never let him go. The urgency was back, stronger than ever. His body pounded with heat, his heart raced madly, and his muscles went taut with the effort of restraint. He didn't think he could wait much longer, everything about Ray driving him past his control. Her scent mated with his own, her cries were caught in his mouth, and her body demanded from his. When Ray went rigid beneath him, her thighs tightening, her neck arching gracefully as she cried out her release, Eli could no longer hold back. He exploded. His own shout was harsh and filled with satisfaction and his arms tightened around her, holding her as close to his heart as he could manage without hurting her. It wasn't close enough. He didn't know if he could ever be close enough. He only knew she was now

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his, and he would never let her forget that. ***

If looks could cause injury, Eli would be writhing in pain. Ray cursed silently, admitting she was more angered at herself than at him. She'd completely lost all sense of responsibility, indulging in last night's pleasure. And it had been pleasure. Pure, unadulterated, all-consuming bliss. Eli had the means to make her feel whole, content and fulfilled. She hadn't felt that way in too long a time to remember. Last night was a memory she would cherish forever. But it should never have happened. Ray usually had no problem keeping her mind on what she was doing, using an internal clock to keep to her schedule. But after the excesses of the night before, she'd slept much too late. Even her concerns for the job hadn't been enough to rouse her this morning. Now she was running behind, and as she shoved on her pants and tucked in her shirt, she stared at Eli, still sleeping. God, he was a beautiful man. And not just in appearance. He was intelligent and proud and almost as arrogant as she herself. She'd misjudged him badly in the beginning, thinking him a spoiled rich boy. But Ray was now willing to bet that Eli Conners could hold his own in any battle, whether it be a board room debate or a physical struggle in the middle of Central America. But even putting those truths aside, he was still of a separate world than she. Ray didn't know the first thing about living the life of the rich and elite. She worked for what she obtained and was proud of it. She wanted her brother to learn by the same rules, to have the same independence and confidence in himself. That didn't come from having things handed to you. Fully dressed, Ray walked to the bed. They only had about two minutes before they needed to move out. Ray reached out to shake Eli awake, but hesitated. He was wonderfully bare before her, not a single covering hiding his body. One muscled arm was behind his head, and she stared at the tuft of dark, fine hair beneath his arm. It was a strangely appealing sight, masculine and naturally sexy. His chest wasn't overly hairy, but sparsely covered with crisp, curling hair, especially around his small brown nipples, then bisecting his body down to his navel, where it again swirled before bushing out around his sex. Ray stared. His penis wasn't hard now, but was nestled softly in that hair. It amazed her that a man's body could change so rapidly and completely. Even as Ray stared, his body began to stir, his erection forming right before her eyes. Her gaze shot to his face and she found Eli watching her, his hazel eyes hot and filled with such intensity she felt his stare deep in her heart. Eli slowly reached for her, but she stepped away. "We're late. We overslept. You've got two minutes." Eli didn't offer a single complaint, coming out of the bed as if he'd been awake for hours, as if he hadn't spent most of the night making love to her. He stepped into his pants as he said, "I'm sorry. You should have awakened me sooner." "No big deal. As long as you're ready to leave when I am. We want to catch them when they come out for the morning meal. I think that will be our best bet." Ray hadn't intended to spell out her plans to Eli. It

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wasn't something she felt compelled to do, and had never been required to do in the past. But she was giving in to nervous chatter, unable to quiet herself. Everything had changed, and she was immeasurably ashamed of her disregard for propriety in the previous night's events. She couldn't blame Eli. He'd never been on a job such as this before, and wouldn't understand the need for complete concentration. But she didn't have that excuse. She'd behaved with unbelievable foolishness, and if things went wrong, the blame would be solely her own. Eli tugged on his boots, rummaged through the bag, then went outside. Ray peeked out the window. He was at the stream, splashing his face, then brushing his teeth. She shook her head. It would have been better if he'd put up resistance this morning. Then she could have convinced herself what a fool and an idiot he was. But instead he was back in the shack, ready to leave, and he hadn't even used a whole three minutes. Ray tied on her bandanna, then quickly readied her ammo. Eli looked up long enough to curse. "You look like a damned female Rambo. I hate this, Ray, hate seeing you do this, hate knowing the risks you're taking." "It's what you hired me for." For some reason, her statement angered him. He grabbed her arm and whirled her about. "That has nothing to do with here and now." Ray was ready for a fight, needed one in fact. Jerking free of his hold, she demanded, "Be honest with yourself, Eli! I'm a mercenary, a damned good mercenary, and that's why you sought me out in the first place. That hasn't changed. Our reasons for being here haven't changed. I certainly haven't changed. Remember your brother, will you, and put everything else aside for now. That's the only way we're all going to get out of here in one piece." Eli ran a hand through his hair, thoroughly frustrated. He looked disreputable and dangerous with his scraggly beard and glowing eyes. Then he tilted his head back to stare at the rotting ceiling. Ray watched his chest heave. When he again looked at her, the emotion in his eyes was banked, but all that intensity was still evident. Eli gently cupped her cheek, making her heart skip a beat. Very quietly, he said, "I'm sorry about being so…insatiable last night." Ray flushed, then frowned at him. She hadn't expected him to talk about it the next day! "No big deal," she assured him. "I should have let you rest. The second time I woke you…I don't know. You'd curled up against me in your sleep, and I woke up hard…" "Eli! It doesn't matter." "But that third time was entirely uncalled for." His eyes were filled with tenderness, searching her face, making her hot all over again. Ray closed her eyes in self-defense. Images of Eli rousing her from sleep, his mouth at her nipple, his

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hand already pressing between her thighs, warm and rough and teasing, made her breathing labor and her skin flush with heat. She drew a shaky breath, then looked at him. As usual, he watched her closely, as if waiting for a sign of some sort. "We have to go. Now." Eli held her gaze a moment longer, then nodded. "I'm ready." But Ray could see he'd only put his questions on hold. She had a reprieve from facing the motives behind her actions, but she wasn't going to get away without admitting to some truths. And that thought filled her with anxiety. The day got worse, instead of better. It rained the entire time they were making their way to the prison. Ray couldn't see with the binoculars through the heavy downpour, and they were forced to slowly inch closer before they could form a solid plan. At least the prisoners' morning meal had been detained, but not canceled. No sooner had the rain stopped than the prisoners were led out to sit uncomfortably in the mud, which the guards seemed to think was incredibly funny. They even went so far as to push a few of the men face first into the muck, kicking them while they were down. Josh happened to be one of the men. Ray felt Eli tense beside her. They were too close for him to lose his temper now, and she turned to him, grabbing his hand. In a barely audible whisper, she warned, "Don't you dare blow it now, Eli. You have to keep a cool head." He surprised Ray by giving her a placid look. "I'm fine. Let's just get on with it." Ray smiled at him, feeling unaccountably proud of his restraint. She pointed out the guard standing beside the ammunition shed, and the two jeeps parked just inside the compound. "We'll wait a few minutes in hopes that one of the guards will leave. I don't like the odds at the moment." There were three guards tormenting the prisoners while they ate, plus the guard at the ammo shed. Ray would have preferred only dealing with them two at a time, but after waiting several minutes during which no one seemed inclined to leave, she knew she couldn't waste more time. The prisoners wouldn't be given a long break for their meal, and she couldn't risk having them go back inside. They were crouched behind a line of trees, a thick layer of moss and dead leaves protecting them from the mud. Ray turned her back on the prison, worked her a jaw a moment in thought, then leaned back against the trunk of the tree. She didn't know how Eli might react to her plan, but she had used the ploy before and it worked. Giving Eli an appraising stare, she asked quietly, "Do you think you could slip around to the back of that shed, and come in when I signal you?" "What are you planning, Ray?" His voice was hard and filled with suspicion.

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"I'm planning to save your brother. That was our original intent, wasn't it?" "You didn't answer my question." He was as damned stubborn and contrary as a mule. Ray was wet and tired and feeling disgustingly emotional this morning. The last thing she wanted or needed was to suffer an excess of protectiveness from Eli. Leaning close so that their noses touched, she hissed, "I'm trying to get us the hell out of here. Now. While there's still time. So cut the bull, Eli. Can you take the guard at the shed or not?" "I can handle him. No problem." "Good. Give me a few minutes, then circle around and be ready. When I make my move, I don't want to have to worry about him. We'll take one of the jeeps out of here." Eli nodded, now silent. After drawing a deep breath, Ray bent to pull off her boots. Eli didn't say a word, and for that she was grateful. She handed him the Uzi, the binoculars and her canteen. Shrugging off her vest, she rolled it up and gave him that also. "Uh, Ray…" "I know what I'm doing, Eli. Please, don't make it more difficult than it is. For once, just trust me." Eli pressed his lips together and frowned. But he didn't protest again. Ray rolled her pant legs up, exposing her calves, then, without a single look in Eli's direction, she grasped the neckline of her wet shirt and ripped it, tugging until her cleavage was visible, and further down still, so that the full insides of her breasts were on display. Eli grabbed her in an iron hold. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" "There's three of them." "So let's shoot the bastards." Ray shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "So bloodthirsty? I think my way is easier." "What the hell is your way?" "A distraction. Tell me, Eli. Do I look the least bit threatening right now?" His eyes drifted over her, bright with menace and a good dose of jealousy. "You look ready to bed." "Exactly. And that's what they'll have on their little minds. Not an escape. We need an edge here." "I thought you were an expert on hand-to-hand combat," Eli insisted stubbornly. Ray could tell he was using all his control to keep from shouting. His body was iron hard, stiff with tension. "Only an idiot finds confidence in brawn." She slanted her head toward the guards. "I'm willing to bet these guys are idiots. Trust me, Eli. I'll be all right."

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His answer was to grab the back of her neck and pull her toward him. His mouth slanted over hers roughly, forcing her to open to the invasion of his tongue. He kissed her thoroughly, deeply, then released her. "Not a single scratch, Ray. Promise me." His eyes searched hers for the truth of her words, some measure of reassurance he could believe in. And Ray knew in that awful moment that she'd fallen in love with him. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If she didn't clear her mind, she'd blow it and then Eli would never forgive her. She'd never forgive herself. Eli needed her arrogance now, and she gave it to him, truthfully. "If these clowns can do me injury, then it's time I retired. And it irritates the hell out of me, Eli, that you can't find a little trust, a little confidence in my abilities. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm the best there is?" She dismissed him then, pulling off her bandanna and riffling her fingers through her damp hair. Pasting a grin on her face, she bumped Eli's hip with her own, then ordered, "Now, get about your business. And don't forget to wait until I act against them-no matter what happens." She left, walking toward the compound as if she hadn't a care in the world, as if she had just found a much-needed sanctuary and was thankful. She glanced over her shoulder once, and saw that Eli had already disappeared. Everyone went still as she came into view. Ray forced herself to look vulnerable, limping slightly, her dark eyes pleading for help. The guard watching over the prisoners was the first to react. A wide, curious smile spread over his lips. He came to meet Ray at the flimsy gate. Speaking rapid Spanish, he questioned her. Ray told a sad story of being accosted by two men and narrowly escaping with her life. She pleaded for assistance. Another guard joined them at the gate, looking around the surrounding area with a fierce frown on his swarthy face. He was actually a handsome man, if you could ignore the glint of cruelty in his black eyes. They let her enter without a qualm. Ray did her best not to look at the prisoners, but once her eyes did scan the area and met briefly with Josh's. His look was filled with hatred, but of course, he had no idea who she was. Then the guard grabbed her arm, and she knew she'd have bruises later from his tight hold. Questioning her about her interest in the men, she trembled, lying convincing. "They frighten me. I hadn't realized this was a prison." The guard laughed. "You have nothing to fear, little puta." His finger came to rest in her cleavage, and he held her eyes as he dipped below the material of her shirt. Ray pulled away, doing her best to look frightened and shocked, rather than disgusted. She only hoped Eli hadn't witnessed that little taunt. Making certain to keep her Spanish imperfect, Ray explained that she was a visitor to their country. She claimed she'd been taken from her boyfriend and held by two men.

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The guards talked to themselves, wondering, in lurid terms, exactly what the 'lucky' men had done to her. They decided to find out and when one grabbed her, holding her close to his sweaty body, the others joined him, all except the guard by the ammo shed. He shifted his gaze from the men to her and back again. Otherwise, the prisoners were ignored while the guards indulged in their sport. Literally tossed from one man to the other, Ray felt their loss of control. She needed to get things more settled before she was inadvertently hurt. When another guard caught her against his chest, Ray wrapped her arms around him, clinging. He laughed in delight and cupped his hands around her bottom. The others crowded close, making rude jokes about her sad choice of men. Ray reacted instantly. Her knee caught the unsuspecting guard in the groin with full force. He staggered back two steps, then collapsed to his knees, holding himself and wailing. Before he'd completely fallen, she kicked back and the heel of her bare foot smashed solidly against a kneecap. While that guard cursed, she landed a powerful punch to the other one's throat. He made a gurgling attempt to draw air and Ray pulled his gun from his belt, soundly whacking him on the head. She had to trust that Eli had taken care of the other guard, for she suddenly found herself hauled up against a massive, hot, sweaty chest. Her back was pressed to his front, and her arms were imprisoned tightly at her sides. Furious from her blow to his knee, the guard cursed her viciously. His lips touched her ear, and he told her in no uncertain terms what she would now suffer. Ray didn't need to hear any more. Dropping her head forward in an act of supplication, she took him by complete surprise when she suddenly reared back, smashing his nose with her skull. He howled in pain and released her, and Ray turned to add a solid thwack with the gun, leaving the guard to collapse on the ground. She turned in time to see Eli marching across the compound toward her. He appeared livid, his eyes lit with an angry fire that was discernible even from a distance. Ray propped her hands on her hips, trying to calm herself from the rush of adrenaline. "Everything go okay?" Eli never slowed in his march toward her. He shouted, the words practically spit at her, "I ought to put you over my knee! What the hell kind of plan was that? God dammit, you could have been seriously hurt!" To be threatened with a child's punishment, chastised in front of the prisoners she planned to rescue, was more than Ray could tolerate. Huffing in indignation, she stomped to Eli, meeting him halfway. "How dare you threaten me? I knew exactly what I was doing!" Eli grabbed her arm and turned her toward his brother. Josh slowly stood, his hollowed eyes wide with disbelief. Eli growled, "We'll talk about this later." "No, we will not! I'm done talking to you." Jerking free of his hold, Ray started to walk away. Eli grabbed her again. "Where do you think you're going?" "To find the keys. How did you think to release your brother?" Eli dangled them in front of her nose. "I've already got them, and the jeep is ready to go. Come on, help

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me get these guys loose." Ray went perfectly still. "Everyone?" "That's right." It had been her plan all along to free all the prisoners if she could. She hadn't realized Eli was of a similar mind. She felt her anger melt away. Ray took one of the keys and began unlocking cuffs, starting at the end of the line. Josh protested their plan. "Hey, what about me?" Ray glanced up. "I'll get to you. It will be easier if I release everyone in order." The men were cuffed together in a line fashion. She assumed Josh would understand her actions. He didn't. "To hell with that, lady." Then he turned to Eli. His voice was weak, but filled with resentment. "I wondered what was taking you so long." He nodded in Ray's direction. "Now I have my answer. But did you have to drag her along?" There was little time for explanations as Eli and his brother faced each other. Josh frowned, holding out his hands so Eli could unlock his cuffs. He appeared so pathetically weak, Eli ignored his ill humor. Instead, he embraced Josh roughly, asking in a grave tone filled with emotion, "You're okay?" Josh nodded, but said, "I've been better." They worked for several moments freeing all the men, most of whom ran immediately into the surrounding forest. One guard started to stir and Eli, without the slightest show of compassion, used the butt of his gun to stun him into stillness again. After removing all weapons from the downed guards, Eli threw them deep outside the compound, sending the pistols and small rifles whirling much like Frisbees. He was quietly efficient in his actions, but Ray could see the tension in his every movement. He was still very angry, but to her amazement he was controlling it well. "Let's get out of here," Eli said, taking one last cursory glance around the small, dilapidated compound. Ray moved to put her arm around Josh, who was very unsteady on his feet, but he shrugged her off, giving her a look filled with disdain. She didn't understand the boy, but decided he could be Eli's responsibility now. Limping, Josh started forward. Ray narrowed her eyes. "Unless you can carry him, Eli, we'll never make it. We need to move. Now." Eli looked around and saw that more of the guards were gaining consciousness. He cursed, then hauled Josh up to him, easily tossing the boy over his shoulder despite his loud and vehement protests. "Get your ass in gear, Ray. I don't feel like seeing you mauled again." Well, so much for maintaining her temper. Ray held her silence as they raced for the jeep. The sucking of the muddy ground slowed them. Eli dumped Josh inside unceremoniously, then lifted Ray and all but tossed her over the seat. She took

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immediate exception to his tactics. "Who's in charge here, anyway?" she grumbled, even while she pulled the Uzi into her lap and turned in the seat to face any possible threat. "I just took charge," Eli told her, daring her with a quick, stern look to oppose him. "The ammo shed," she pointed out. Eli was already reaching under the driver's seat of the jeep, pulling out a flare. Shouts were coming from the compound, and when Ray looked up she saw that the prisoners had retrieved some of the guns and were firing randomly as they raced for freedom. It bought them some time, keeping the guards occupied, and Ray silently offered them luck. Eli broke the flare, then threw it with expert precision through an open vent in the old metal shed. Seconds later he gunned the jeep to life and they drove away. Shots were fired in their direction and Ray reached forward, instinctively protecting Eli's brother by shoving him face down into the seat. "Stay there." He immediately started to object. "You're not the boss, lady, remember? So stop being so damned…" He was interrupted by Eli. "Do as she tells you." "Who the hell is she, anyway? Did you see how she let those damned bastards paw her?" Without taking his eyes from the road, Eli reached across the seat and grabbed Josh by the back of his neck. In a tone that didn't brook any arguments, Eli warned, "Watch your mouth. She just saved your sorry hide, so you owe her your thanks, not your sarcasm. Got that?" Josh reminded Ray of a sulky little boy. He glared at her, not a word escaping his tight lips. She shook her head. "Forget it, Eli. I don't need thanks. I already got my pay. That's thanks enough." Josh raised his head just enough to ask incredulously, "You paid her to come here? What the hell…?" Eli briefly narrowed his eyes on his brother's face. "The only reason I managed to get to you was because of Ray's experience." Ray listened in fascination. She'd never known two brothers could be so different. Josh snorted. "I'll just bet she's real experienced." Ray laughed, unable to take offense at such a childish attitude. It was easy to see Eli had the jeep well under control and there was no pursuit behind them. "You disabled the other jeep?" Eli watched the winding road, easily maneuvering over the rough terrain. "Of course." Ray rolled her eyes. "Of course." Then she laughed again. "How silly of me to ask such an obvious question." Josh tightened his mouth further at being so thoroughly ignored. "Where the hell are we going?"

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"Home, I hope." Eli directed his next question to Ray. "Buddy will be ready?" "Now who's asking foolish questions?" Ray directed Eli as he drove. The trip by road was accomplished in much less time than their trek by foot through the forest. Josh looked decidedly weak and queasy when they finally reached the plane. He was slumped in his seat, his face pale. Ray felt a swell of pity for him. She knew all too well what a horrid trial it was, being imprisoned. Without thinking, she reached forward to touch his forehead, checking for fever. Josh reacted immediately, jerking away from her touch. He glared at her and mumbled, "Leave me alone." The jeep stopped and Buddy came toward them, having waited on the side of the road. He took one look at Ray's bare, muddy feet and exposed chest and raised his brows. But he made no comment. He simply asked, his tone almost unconcerned, "Anyone coming behind you?" Eli shook his head. "I don't think so. At least, not right away. But I'd rather not wait around to see how inventive they can be in their pursuit." Ray was already busy gathering up their supplies and weapons. She glanced briefly at Eli, then said calmly, "Your brother is going to need a little help." Eli turned quickly. Josh was slowly sinking into his seat. Cursing, Eli grabbed him, hauling him out and into his arms. "What the hell is wrong with him? He was fine a minute ago." "I'd say, given his weakened condition, this was a bit much for him. He needs something substantial to eat and some water. Then a good rest. But once we're on our way, I'll look him over if you want." Eli nodded brusquely, and Ray could see his worry. "I'd appreciate that." Minutes later they were on the plane and Buddy prepared to take off. Josh lay flat on the floor of the plane and was only then beginning to stir. Ray smoothed his hair from his forehead. He was a handsome young man when his mouth was closed. "He has a slight fever, I think, but nothing to worry about. Help me get these clothes off him." "No." Josh was just coherent enough to protest her attentions. Ray frowned, fed up with resistance. "What's your problem, anyway? Would you rather have stayed in the compound?" Josh forced himself up on an elbow, scowling ferociously. "Eli would have gotten me out, with or without you. " "But he didn't. He hired me to help." Josh was petulant. "Yeah, well, look at yourself. I don't need your kind of help."

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Eli leaned forward over his brother. "I've got half a mind to toss your sorry ass out of this plane. You're being ridiculous and acting like a spoiled punk. And if you weren't so puny at the moment, I swear I'd turn Ray loose on you. " He half smiled as he made that last threat, obviously amused at the possibility. Ray didn't think it was funny. She quipped sarcastically, "I wouldn't waste my time." Josh watched her as she continued to loosen his shirt. "I saw you fighting the guards. I've never seen a lady fight like that." It sounded like an accusation of some kind. Ray ripped his shirt the rest of the way to remove it. "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly a lady, so that explains it, doesn't it?" Josh sucked in a painful breath as Ray finished pulling the shirt free of his shoulders. His ribs were a riot of colorful bruises and his shoulder had a nasty, swollen cut curving over to his back. There was silence in the plane as Ray tended him, daubing on antiseptic and closely examining his ribs to see if any were broken. Finally, almost unwillingly, Josh asked, "Where did you learn to fight like that, anyway?" Ray smiled. "I was raised with two long-haired, vain cousins. They constantly primped in front of the mirror. I grew up having to fight my way into the bathroom every single day." Josh stared at her incredulously, then snorted. Eli laughed. "Lighten up, Josh. And show some respect." "Respect? But, Eli…" "That's enough." No longer laughing, Eli pinned his brother with that penetrating gaze of his. He reached forward and took Ray's hand, holding tight when she would have pulled away. He looked stern, but Ray could see the smile in his hazel eyes. "I'll admit Ray may be just a bit…ah, unique. But you'll get used to her." Both Ray and Josh blinked at his statement. "Get used to her?" Josh looked appalled. And at the same time, Ray was shaking her head. "That's not likely to happen, Eli. We'll be parting company tomorrow." Eli held her gaze. "You're not going anywhere, Ray." Her eyes widened, dark as midnight. "Of course I am." She gestured almost frantically. "I have to get back home." "And where is 'home?'" Ray sat back on her heels, bemused by this sudden, invasive attitude. "That's none of your business." "I'm making it my business." Ray was oblivious to Buddy's amused expression and Josh's disgruntled mumbling. She couldn't look away from Eli's compelling gaze. "Why?" she demanded. He shrugged deliberately. "I'm not letting you go."

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"You're not?" "No." Eli turned his hand to entwine her fingers tightly in his own. "You're going to marry me, little soldier." Then he grinned. "Whether you like it or not."

Chapter Six The knock on her door made her jump. Ray knew immediately who it was. "What do you want?" she called out. "Open the door, Ray." "I don't think so." "Suit yourself. But it's going to draw a hell of a lot attention when I knock the damn thing down." She didn't think he could actually do that. The door was pretty sturdy. But he would cause quite a ruckus. Feeling her heart pound heavily in a mix of anticipation and foreboding, Ray opened the door. Eli stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind him. Leaning back, his arms crossed at his chest, he noted, "You look like a frightened rabbit." That was all it took to clear Ray's mind. She drew her brows down and glared. "What do you want?" "You." Oh, God. She had to close her eyes against the husky timbre in his tone. She felt it all the way to her toes, invading her soul, her heart. Eli moved while she stood there silently before him. Ray opened her eyes when she felt his hand gently touch her cheek. "You want me too, Ray. Admit it." Her chest rose and fell with each breath, and she swallowed hard. "It doesn't matter what I want. I'm realistic, Eli. And you should be, too. There's no way we can…" "Marry?" Eli didn't argue with her. Rubbing his thumb over her bottom lip, he whispered, "You are so beautiful." Frantic, Ray shook her head. "I knew you would come. I kept waiting. All through my shower, I was listening for the door." Eli ignored that. "I told the doctor to come over and check on you when he finished with Josh. What did he have to say?" "Nothing. I told him to go away. I don't need a doctor." "What about that nasty scratch?" "I already told you that was no big deal. It's healing already. See?" She raised her arm to give him a better view of the red-tinged scrape across her arm.

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She was dressed in her pajamas again, her arms fully exposed. Eli noticed the addition of bruises just above her elbows and frowned. Holding each arm in turn to examine the damage, he asked, "How the hell did this happen?" "It's nothing." Sighing, Eli admonished, "That doesn't answer my question, Ray. But then, you have a knack for not answering questions, don't you?" Ray shrugged. He apparently wanted to get into murky territory, but she wanted to keep things simple. It'd be so much easier for her that way. "One of the guards was trying to make certain I didn't hurt him. He was…enthusiastic in his efforts." Eli smiled. "But you hurt him anyway, didn't you?" She thought Eli seemed very pleased with that prospect. Slanting him a look, she said quietly, "He underestimated me." "I can sympathize with him. I made that same mistake at first. But," Eli bent to kiss her gently, "I can't make that mistake again." "What do you mean?" Eli straightened, looking down at Ray with implacable intent. "I'm spending the night here." Ray gaped. "But your brother needs you!" He shook his head. "The doctor already checked him over. He concurred with your diagnosis, by the way. Josh is going to be fine once he gets rested up and has a chance to eat his fill. But for tonight, he's been given a sedative. The doctor assures me he'll sleep through the night." "But what if he needs something?" "He knows where to find me." Ray grimaced. "I just bet that thrills him." "It doesn't matter what he thinks, Ray." "Of course it does. He's your brother. How do you think the rest of your family will react if you tell them you intend to marry a mercenary?" Eli chuckled. "You make yourself sound like a hardened criminal. I'm proud of your abilities, Ray. That's all that's important." Ray lifted her chin. "What about Jane?" "I guess I won't be marrying her after all." Exasperated, she growled, "That isn't what I meant. You told me your grandfather was counting on you

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to unite the families. He would he very disappointed." "Not once he meets you. I have a feeling my grandfather is going to be extremely pleased with you, Ray. It's my grandmother that might put up a fuss. But she loves me, so it shouldn't be too bad." His grandmother? She groaned and covered her face with both hands. This was a nightmare! Eli pulled her hands down, then lay his finger across her lips. "Hush, now." Both hands cupped her face as Eli stared into her dark, worried eyes. "God, I missed you, Ray. You've been so silent the past few hours, and I was too busy trying to get things settled to see to you. But I want you to know, I meant what I said. I'm determined to make you mine. Completely. And I don't give up easily once I set my mind set on something, so you may as well save your arguments. One way or another, you will marry me." "You refuse to see what's right, Eli." He smiled at her disheartened expression. "What I see, honey, is that you haven't once told me you don't want me. You only claim it won't work. But I can make it work. Try having a little faith in me, okay?" Ray put a hand to his chest and saw that she was trembling. With need? It infuriated her. She knew who and what she was, just as she knew no family of the rich and elite would willingly accept her. She was equally as certain she couldn't accept them. Their lifestyle and values were so different from her own; it would be a continual conflict. In the end, she would only get hurt, and probably hurt Eli in the process. She couldn't bear that. But she also couldn't bear to turn him away. Not tonight. She needed him. And that was a strangely exciting new affliction for Ray. She couldn't recall needing someone since she'd been a very young child. The smile Ray gave Eli was decidedly wicked. He sucked in his breath in reaction. Running one hand over his shoulder, Ray told him, "You enjoyed using your teeth the other night. I think you have a thing about biting." Eli's eyes were suddenly blazing, and he admitted gruffly, "I wanted to eat you alive. I still do." His voice dropped, and now even his hands shook. "You taste so damned good, sweetheart." Ray shivered, feeling her breath catch. Stepping closer, she whispered, "I love the way you look at me, Eli. You have the most compelling stare. You're doing it now, aren't you? Trying to read me, trying to force me to your will." One corner of his mouth tipped in a crooked smile. "You don't seem particularly concerned about it." "I'm not." She leaned up and gently nipped the warm skin of his throat. He'd shaved and showered, and he smelled deliciously of cologne and soap and warm masculinity. Ray nuzzled her nose against him, breathing deeply of his unique scent. "You don't scare me, Eli, no matter what you believe." He tilted her face up with the edge of his fist. His gaze was darkly sensual, hot. "I want to see you tonight, Ray. All of you." Blinking lazily, Ray toyed with the neckline of his T-shirt, sliding her fingertips beneath to touch warm skin. "And you, Eli? Will I see you also?"

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For an answer, Eli caught the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Tossing it aside, he dragged Ray up close to his bare chest and bent to take her mouth. Ray groaned at the gentle assault. Her fingers immediately tangled in his hair, holding him close. Before Eli could take over as the aggressor, Ray licked her tongue over his lips, then thrust hotly into his mouth. Eli's arms tightened on her back. Dragging her mouth away, Ray groaned softly, "I want you, Eli. I can't believe how much I want you." Ray wasn't shy, had never been shy a day in her entire life. And right now she felt especially bold. Eli watched her with a kind of predatory awareness, his erection obvious beneath the material of his jeans. Ray reached out and lightly dragged her nails down the length of him, feeling him shudder, his hands fisting as she teased him with slow, devastating intent. Going to her knees, she whispered, "I like to bite too, Eli. But like you, I'm very careful, and very gentle." That was all the warning he got before she leaned forward and caught his slim muscled hips between her hands, her mouth opening on the front of his jeans Eli jerked, his breath coming out in a low rush. His palms settled on either side of her head, his fingers curling around her nape. When he felt her teeth catch him and nip cautiously, he groaned aloud. The sound was one of incredible pleasure and encouragement. Ray smiled up at Eli. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes glazed and hot. With his bare chest swelling, he looked incredibly sexy and all too appealing. Her own breathing hitched in sensual excitement. She pulled his snap free. Eli closed his eyes a brief moment, then quickly opened them again. Ray slid the zipper down very slowly, easily, then slipped her hand inside. His size thrilled her, so powerful and hard, just like Eli himself. He was warm and silky-smooth, throbbing in her palm. Rubbing her cheek against him, Ray whispered, "I've thought of touching you a hundred times since last night. I kept wishing it had never happened; it was so irresponsible of me. There was so much at risk. But I'm glad we had last night, Eli. And I'm glad we have now." Eli had trouble breathing. All the while Ray had talked, she held him gently in her small hand, her fingers exploring, occasionally rubbing her soft check against him. It was the most erotic thing he'd ever experienced, and he was fast losing control. "We have a lifetime together, Ray," he tried to tell her, his words low and rasping. But she chose that moment to kiss him, her mouth warm and wet and open. Eli tilted his head back and concentrated on breathing deeply. Her tongue stroked down his length, then back up again. When it curled over the tip of him, tasting, teasing, he growled viciously and had to concentrate hard on staying upright. Ray came to her feet. "Take your pants off." Eli blinked at the startling command, then narrowed his eyes in sudden comprehension. Shaking his head, he said, "I have a better idea. Let's put this on even footing." "I don't know…" Ray wasn't given a chance to finish. Eli was already pulling the top to her pajamas off, his large hands covering her breasts completely, his thumbs dragging slowly over her nipples. "You're always trying to

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maintain control, aren't you, sweetheart?" he asked her, staring deeply into her eyes as he toyed with her now-stiff nipples, lightly twisting, plucking, making her gasp. "Someone has to be in control," she breathed. Her lips were parted, her eyes heavy-lidded, her breasts swelling under his touch. "Better me than you." "Oh, I don't know. I like controlling you just a bit. I get the feeling it doesn't happen too often." Ray wanted to pull away, but couldn't quite make the effort. Eli kissed her temple, her cheek. His tongue flicked around her ear, then dipped inside, sending delicious chills up her spine. She moaned softly. Chuckling, the husky sound melting her bones, Eli caught the lobe of her ear between his teeth and plied it with his tongue. Ray fisted her hands in the crisp, curling hair on his chest. "Hey. Take it easy." He was still amused, and Ray decided she didn't like it one bit. "I don't like you doing this, Eli." "Doing what?" he asked quietly, giving her a look of feigned confusion and gently tugging on her nipples at the same time. Her back arched toward him, and she groaned. "You know exactly what I mean," she insisted, panting now with the incredible sensations. "Yes. I know what you mean. You don't like it that I'm taking charge, that I can control the way you feel. You think you want a man you can lead around by the nose. But you don't, Ray. Not really." His words were soft and husky and filled with sensual intent. Ray trembled, her whole body tightening. Eli gave a small, satisfied smile. "You're a strong-willed woman, honey. You would detest a man who was weaker than you." Eli leaned closer and his breath fanned the sensitive skin below her ear with each whispered word. "I think you like having me take charge, at least like this." She tried to shake her head, but he continued huskily, "If I touched you between your thighs right now, you'd be wet for me, wouldn't you, Ray?" Ray was incensed by his archaic ideology, and his outrageous assumptions. Especially since she had the sinking feeling he was right. There was an undeniable thrill in being overpowered, in giving herself over to Eli's safekeeping. She was so independent in her thinking and skills; she'd never encountered anyone who threatened her control. She couldn't decide if she liked the idea or not, exiting as it was. She pulled away slightly, hoping to steal some of the advantage. She'd only taken a single step when Eli grabbed her by the waist and hefted her over his shoulder. She screeched in impotent fury. It disgusted Ray to know there were at least a dozen ways she could initiate her own release, but she wouldn't use a single one. She had no intention of actually hurting Eli. That didn't stop her from kicking. And she pounded on his back. But he only caught her legs and held them tightly. He had no problem ignoring her blows to his muscled shoulders. Despite her anger, Ray was impressed. Eli tossed her gently in the center of the bed where she bounced twice before he came down beside her.

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Eli laughed, apparently enjoying himself as they each struggled toward their own purpose. When he had Ray pinned gently to the bed, her arms stretched high above her head, her wrists held in one of his hands, he tenderly kissed her forehead. Her chest heaved from her labors, and the rise and fall of her breasts seemed to fascinate him. "Tell me you want me," Eli demanded, his eyes glittering triumphantly, his mouth still curved in a smile. Ray shouted in his face, "I already told you!" "I want you to tell me again." "Go to hell." Eli chuckled. "You're something else, you know that, sweetheart? No, don't keep fighting me. Not that I don't enjoy it, but if you're not careful, I'm going to think you really want me to let you go." Ray went still. He watched her face closely, his eyes probing, his hands still holding her gently captive. She drew a deep breath and whispered, "No, don't do that. Not yet. Not tonight." "Oh, honey. When will you understand?" Eli kissed her again, his free hand settling with a proprietary air on her breast. "I'll never let you go." Ray didn't say anything to that. She didn't want to spoil their time together by debating the issue. She watched Eli as his eyes swept over her, lingering on her naked breasts. Then he pressed her hands to the mattress. "Don't move," he warned. "Promise me." Ray gave a slow, slightly hesitant nod. Submission wasn't easy for her, but it was incredibly exciting. Her heart beat a mad, fast rhythm, and her belly grew taut with anticipation. Eli released her, waited a moment to make certain she'd obey him, then slipped his fingers into the waistband of her pajama bottoms, sliding them over her hips, down the length of her legs and off her feet. He propped himself up on one arm to leisurely look his fill. Ray held her breath as he touched her, his eyes following the movement of his hand. He caressed her breasts, thrilling her with a mix of gentleness and startling aggression. He would warmly mold her pliable flesh in his palm, then catch her nipple and apply just enough tantalizing force to make her gasp, twisting and tugging until she groaned in response. His fingertips explored her navel, the softness of her inner thighs, the warm, moist heat he'd already predicted would be there. Eli sighed in satisfaction and murmured, "So wet." One finger slid deeply inside her, and he felt her muscles clench spasmodically, squeezing him until he, too, groaned. When his gaze came back to her face, he was breathing hard. In whispered words he told her, "I have never seen a woman so devastatingly sexy." His finger was still inside her, pressing gently, filling her, and his body heat touched all along her side. Sensations, both physical and emotional, bombarded her in tidal proportions. Ray lowered her lashes, embarrassed at such a ridiculous compliment, knowing there was nothing sexy about her. But Eli wouldn't

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let her hide her feelings from him. "Look at me, honey." When she did, he continued as if he knew exactly what she thought, how she felt. "Your body is strong and healthy and silky-smooth, just like a woman's should be. I can't imagine any woman more beautiful than you." As he spoke, his fingers moved, stroking her rhythmically. She squirmed, trying to counter his movements, trying to alleviate the ache that grew rapidly. Then his thumb came into play, sliding over her most sensitive flesh, stroking gently, with devastating intent. Ray couldn't bear the sweet torment a minute longer. She lowered her arms and wrapped them around his neck, pressing her face hard into his shoulder. She shuddered and the words wouldn't come easily, but she finally managed to whisper, "I think you're beautiful, too." Then she squeezed him tight, her breasts crushed against his chest, and she begged, "Make love to me, Eli. Now. Please." In the next instant he raised his hips, rapidly shoving his jeans off and kicking them onto the floor. Then he was over her, his control shattered, his masculine need taking over. And neither of them once considered control. *** Eli knew the moment he opened his eyes she was gone. He wasn't at all surprised. Or, for that matter, particularly worried. He would find her. And when he did, he'd hustle her to a preacher so quick she wouldn't have time to come up with arguments against him. She was so damned unsure of her worth, which amazed him considering her natural arrogance and pride. She was such a confusing mix of stubborn independence and sweet vulnerability. He was in love with her, of course. He hadn't told her for the simple reason that she was skittish enough. He could just imagine how she would react to such an excess of emotion. He smiled, remembering the night before. He had to stay on his toes to second-guess her mind, to keep from letting her categorize him as a rich milksop with nothing more substantial on his mind than his own pleasures. She would gladly take charge, then accuse him of being inept. She would willingly lead, only to claim he was malleable. It was herself she was trying to convince, and he had no intention of allowing her to do so. When he thought of making love with her last night - and it had been a joint effort, with no one leading or following - he had to smile. She'd completely forgotten her grievances against him, opening herself to him fully. She wasn't selfish, giving as well as taking. And she'd been every bit as excited by touching him as she had been by his caresses. His body reacted predictably to those thoughts, and Eli decided it was time to get his plans underway. It probably wouldn't take him more than a week to find her, two at the most. Then he'd make certain to bind her to him, irrevocably. He could hardly wait to begin. *** It was tough to admit, but she was rather disappointed. She'd been fairly certain Eli would come after her. But five weeks had gone by, and there was still no sign of him. Not that she should care. After all, she had run off in the hope of escaping him.

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Still, she was hurt. And even worse than that, she was pregnant. No, being pregnant wasn't a curse. She was actually thrilled with the idea of having Eli's child. It was the problems that came with the pregnancy that were wearing her down. That, and the morning sickness. It had hit her rather suddenly, and according to her doctor, fairly early on. She'd barely been home a week when she'd missed her first period, and directly after that, she'd become sick. And it didn't stop. Unlike ordinary morning sickness, hers lasted all day long. She felt limp and tired and out of sorts. And it was all Eli's fault. Only he didn't know it and she didn't know how to tell him, or if she even could. But not telling him seemed unethical and downright cowardly. It was a busy morning at the restaurant today, and Ray didn't have time to dwell on her problems for long. Despite her nausea, she still insisted on going to work. Waitressing helped to keep her mind off Eli, and these days, she needed all the help she could get. She loaded up her heavy round tray, geared herself to face the mob of customers, and walked out to her assigned tables, effectively shoving Eli from her mind. By mid-afternoon she was exhausted and about to give in to her nausea. The smell of cooking food and the sight of half-eaten meals made her shaky. Her forehead was covered with a light sheen of sweat. She could well imagine her complexion to be somewhere between yellow and green. Thankful that her shift was finally over, she clocked out and said good-bye to the cooks. Her head pounded and it was difficult to swallow. She couldn't remember ever feeling so horrid. With her head down and one hand holding her middle, she quickly made her way toward the back exit. Just as she reached the door, however, a hand caught her arm. The hold was gentle, but firm. "Hello, Ray Jean." She froze in mid-step, her groan low and heartfelt. It couldn't be. It simply couldn't. Not now. Cautiously peering over her shoulder, Ray encountered Eli's hard gaze. Everything inside her suddenly flipped and with a moan she covered her mouth, jerked away and raced for the restroom. It was humiliating in the extreme, and all she could think about was getting away and finding some privacy where she could indulge in her sickness alone. Unfortunately, Eli followed hot on her heels. "What the hell is the…!" He was brought up short by the sounds of her miserable retching. He made several overtures, none of them overly functional, then finally cursed. With a grimace of sympathy, he knelt beside her and held her shoulders. "What do you want me to do, honey?" Ray clumped over the toilet. "Go…away." "Ha! Not on your life. No, don't stiffen up. Sit still and I'll get you a cool towel. Maybe that'll help." Eli went to the bathroom sink and doused several paper towels under cold running water. Coming back, he handed them to Ray. "Eli…please, I don't…"

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"Hush, sweetheart. Breathe slowly." She did as he told her, gratefully using the towels to wipe her mouth and forehead, and a few minutes later she felt more collected. Leaning back against the cool tiled wall, Ray glared at him. "You could have given me some privacy." "So you could run off again? I don't think so." "Did I look particularly capable of doing anything other than tossing up my guts?" He stared a moment, fought the inevitable smile, then broke down and chuckled. "No. You didn't. And you still look pale as a ghost. Why are you working, anyway, if you're sick?" Ray looked away. She didn't want to deal with this right now. Eli's hand touched her chin in a now-familiar gesture, and he asked suspiciously, "Ray?" She was saved from having to answer when two elderly women walked into the restroom, halted at the sight of Eli crouching on the floor, and gasped. Eli spared them a glance, then asked politely, "Could we have a minute, please?" Mumbling, shocked to the tips of their gray hair, the women left. Ray couldn't stifle her small chuckle. "You better get out of here before I get fired." "I'm not leaving without you." "Fine. I was ready to go anyway." Ray came shakily to her feet, already dreading the imminent confrontation, but wise enough to know it was unavoidable. The early summer air was warm, so she hadn't brought a jacket, and she never carried a purse. Fishing her keys out of the pocket of her white smock, she started out the back door. Eli took her keys away from her. "We'll take my truck." Ray breathed deeply to maintain her temper, carefully counting to ten. The truth was she simply wasn't up to fighting right now. She felt entirely too weak, and that angered her more than anything. "Whatever you say, Eli," she agreed. "Well, now. That's a new attitude. I think I like it." Ray narrowed her eyes at him as they crossed the parking lot. "Don't press your luck." Eli opened the passenger door of a shiny, black, full-sized pick-up. Ray cocked her brow at him. "Pretty fancy." With a negligent shrug, he said, "It gets me where I'm going." Then he hefted Ray inside and closed the door. After climbing in behind the wheel, Eli told her, "Fasten your seatbelt."

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"Yes, Daddy." "Don't be a smart ass. I'm plenty pissed off at you already, Ray." He said it calmly enough, starting the truck and pulling onto the road without sparing Ray a glance. She had to clench her jaw to keep from shouting at him. She'd imagined their reunion a hundred times, especially after she first left him, when she thought he'd immediately follow her. But as the weeks had passed, and she began to think he wouldn't come after all, she tried not to think about him. This wasn't how she'd imagined it would be. He was calm and detached, not at all glad to see her. In fact, she wasn't even certain why he'd bothered. "Is there some reason for this visit, Eli? Or did you just happen to be in the neighborhood?" He ignored her questions. "Where are we going?" "I was going home. But without my transportation now…" "I'll go back for your truck later. Where do you live?" Ray grudgingly gave him directions. She did want to get home, shower and change. And the thought of a warm cup of tea seemed immensely pleasing to her roiling stomach. Eli didn't say a word when Ray directed him to pull into her driveway. It wasn't exactly a huge house, but it was spacious, a renovated farm house with a wide, curving porch and an upstairs balcony. Ray saw her brother's car in the drive and wanted to groan. Ever since he'd found out about her pregnancy, he'd been pampering her. It wasn't something she was used to, even though Max always did his best to take care of her. They were very close, and extremely considerate of each other. Max stepped out of the house as Eli turned off the engine. Tall for his age, he was broad-shouldered but lean, and made an impressive sight. He walked down the porch steps and then waited, his arms crossed over his chest, as Ray and Eli got out. Eli immediately took Ray's arm again. "Company of yours?" "My brother, actually. Better get prepared for the inquisition. He's a bit on the overprotective side." "And he let you go into Mataya?" "He's only eighteen, Eli. I'm thirty-one. Do you really think I'd let anyone, even my brother, tell me what to do?" "One can always hope." With that last comment Eli started forward, dragging Ray with him. She tried to give Max a silent message to mind his own business, but he studiously avoided looking at her, his gaze fixed on Eli. He stood in front of the steps, blocking the entrance to the house. Ray saw that Eli was only a tiny bit taller than Max. She tried for a casual smile. "Max, you're home early today."

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His gaze flickered to her face, then away again. "I fixed lunch for you. Soup. And before you tell me you're not hungry, remember what the doctor said about keeping up your strength." Frustration rose. Ray wished for the strength to kick down a tree, or bite a bullet in half, the minute Max mentioned the doctor. And she had no doubt he'd done it on purpose. The brat. Eli looked at her now, one brow raised in honest concern. "You've been to the doctor? Exactly how sick are you, Ray?" Max spoke up. "She's not exactly sick." Eli ignored him. "Ray?" "I'm fine, Eli. Just an upset stomach." Max snorted, then reached out to take her arm. "You look like hell, Ray. Come inside and I'll get you some tea. Lunch will be ready in a few minutes." The problem, Ray thought, was that neither overbearing male seemed inclined to release her. Eli had one arm and Max the other. They stared at each other in belligerent silence. Ray, never accused of being a diplomat, tried to think of some way to avoid a clash of wills, when suddenly her stomach settled the problem for her. Gasping, she gave Eli a horrified look, then covered her mouth, jerking away and racing through the front door. It was the fastest she'd moved all day. Eli was appalled. "What the hell…!" Max stopped him from following. "She'll be all right. But I can guarantee she won't appreciate you following on her heels." Eli grudgingly agreed. "I suppose you're right." Then he started up the steps, saying, "She should be in the damned bed, resting. She had no business going into work." Max followed, his gaze glued to Eli's back. "She's stubborn." "No kidding." Eli looked around the interior of the house. It was sparsely furnished, antiquated and charming. It also showed Ray's softer side - a side she'd probably deny - and he liked that. Max pointed to the kitchen. "You can wait in here for Ray. She'll be out in a minute, I'm sure." "Thanks." Eli followed him into the large country kitchen where an oval pine table and six chairs sat. The smell of homemade soup filled the air. Eli straddled the chair, watching Max as he lifted the lid off a large pot on the stove. "You're Ray's brother?" "That's right." Max turned and stuck out his hand. "Max Vereker. I think I've already figured out who you are."

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Eli took Max's hand. "Is that right?" "Yeah. You're the guy who wanted to marry Ray. Right?" "Ray talked about me?" "Oh, yeah. She talked." "Why do I get the feeling you're trying not to laugh?" Max coughed, and it sounded like a snicker. "I'll, ah, bet she was surprised to see you after all this time, huh?" "She shouldn't have been. I told her I wouldn't let her go." Ray walked back in and slumped into a chair opposite Eli. Max immediately handed her a cup of hot tea. "Feeling better?" Ray nodded as she sipped at her tea. "You boys been getting acquainted?" "Sure thing." Max tilted his head toward Eli. "I was just about to ask what had taken him so damn long to come after you." "Max!" "Under the circumstances it's a damn good question, don't you think?" Ray narrowed her eyes at her brother. "Don't you start, or you can just leave the room. Which probably isn't a bad idea, anyway." Max snorted. "Not likely." He again looked at Eli. "I don't trust him. Any guy who would…" Ray came to her feet quickly. "That's enough, Max." Eli also stood. "If you children can put off this little family spat for a few minutes, I'd like to talk to Ray. Alone." Max again folded his arms over his chest, though now there was no real menace in the act. In fact, he looked highly amused at his sister's agitation. "I need to serve her lunch. She won't eat properly unless I force her to." Eli looked incredulous. "Ray won't eat? And here I thought she was a bottomless pit." "That was before." Eli sighed. "Before what?" Ray threw up her hands. "Well, I can see I'm not needed in this conversation. When you and my nosy brother get everything straightened out, let me know. In the meantime, I think I'll just go take a nap."

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Eli blinked. "Take a nap?" Ray didn't bother answering him. She stomped from the room, feeling entirely rung out and defeated and put upon. She simply wasn't up to this today. With any luck, Max could give Eli the startling news that he was going to be a daddy, and she could hide in her room. She wasn't normally so cowardly, and even now the feeling didn't sit right with her. But under the circumstances, she felt justified. Ray heard her brother say just before she disappeared from view, "She sleeps a lot these days. And she's moody to boot. If I didn't love her so much, I'd probably strangle her." Ray couldn't make out Eli's retort to that, but she was only halfway up the stairs when she heard his shout, and her brother's outrageous laughter. She half hoped Eli would sock him one, then decided just as quickly he better not lay a single finger on her baby brother. She made it to her room just as Eli started pounding up the steps. "Ray!" His shout, somewhat in the way of a threat, was loud enough to rattle the window panes. She sighed, then called out, mentally bracing herself, "I'm in here." The door flew open, Eli still holding the knob. He looked as if he needed the support. His beautiful eyes were wide, his chest laboring. As Ray watched, he seemed to collect himself. Then he stepped into the room and quietly closed the door behind himself. His look was as ferocious as Ray had ever seen it. Boy, she missed that look. "Is it true?" Ray couldn't pull her gaze from his; it was as if he held her physically. She swallowed hard, then straightened her shoulders in firm resolve. She would not let him intimidate her. She wouldn't let anyone do that to her, ever. "It's true." Just to clarify, Eli demanded, "You're pregnant?" Ray nodded. "That's right." Eli took two steps until he stood over her. He gently grasped Ray by the upper arms and carefully hauled her to her feet. Ray expected his anger, but for an entirely different reason. She was genuinely shocked when Eli growled, shaking her slightly, "Just when did you intend to tell me, Ray? All hell broke loose then. Max opened the door to insure his sister was all right, and Ray heard a familiar growl as her dog came bounding into the room. The small ball of fur landed against Eli's backside, jaws open, and Eli let out a furious shout. He lost his balance as he twisted around, but since he still held onto Ray, they both went down. The room was filled with sudden curses, barks and shouted warnings. And for the very first time in her entire life, Ray fainted.

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Chapter Seven Eli managed to catch Ray just before she slid to the carpeting, despite the fact there was a sharp-toothed dog clinging tenaciously to the seat of his pants. Max shouted in worry, trying to work himself closer to see Ray's face and struggling to hold onto the dog's small, stout body at the same time. Eli's own worry was immense. "Dammit, Max, move so I can get her on the bed. And get that damned dog off my ass!" The dog, hearing him and not liking his tone, snarled and jerked and shivered, making Max's job more difficult. Very gently, his eyes never leaving her pale face, Eli placed Ray on the soft coverlet. She didn't stir. He heard Max commanding the mutt to let loose, but it refused to listen. The stubborn animal swung jerkily back and forth as he growled out his complaints, his teeth deeply snared in the material of Eli's jeans, only narrowly missing actual flesh. It might have been humorous if Eli wasn't so worried about Ray. Impatiently, he reached back and pried the dog loose by a hold on the scruff of his neck. It yelped in surprise and did let go, but it took a good sized piece of material from the back of Eli's pants in the process. Lightly shoving the dog toward the corner of the room, Eli gave him the full force of his intimidating stare and commanded in a low, severely stern tone, "Stay!" The dog stilled, perked his ears, whimpered, and then sat. His tongue lolled out and his head tilted to the side. He stared toward Eli, awaiting further instruction. Max was amazed. "I've never seen that damned dog obey anyone except Ray. How did you do that?" Eli bent over Ray, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "I've spent some time with your sister. I had to learn quickly to assert myself." Max snorted, then peered over Eli's shoulder. "She hasn't been herself lately. Pregnancy does funny things to women. At least, that's the excuse Ray gave me. It's been really weird." "Has she ever fainted before?" "No. But she does have a terrible time keeping anything down and she doesn't sleep well, though she's always tired. And like I said earlier, she's real moody. If I didn't know better, I would think she's afraid." Eli made no comment to that. To him, Ray lived her life in fear, and the worst fear of all was that someone might know. His heart squeezed tight with the thought. He patted Ray's cheek. "Come on, sweetheart. Open your eyes for me." Ray moaned softly, turning her head away from him. She looked so damned frail, with her face pale and dark circles ringing her eyes. Her lips parted on a sigh and Eli wanted to defend her against the world. His chest seemed to swell with emotion, and he couldn't stop touching her. As his thumb drifted over her chin, her eyes flickered open. She blinked. "What happened?" Max fairly shouted, "You fainted dead away! Eli caught you, though."

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Eli didn't look at Max when he said, "Go get your sister some tea to sip, Max." Ray frowned, watching Max rush from the room without question. "Dammit, Eli, don't order my brother around. I don't like it." "Should I have said 'please'?" Eli smiled gently, and his thumb still drifted over her lips. Ray raised a shaking hand to her forehead. "That's never happened before. I can hardly believe it." Eli sat on the side of the bed. He took Ray's hand, but before he could say anything, the dog came bounding over him, then with one less-than-agile leap, landed square on Ray's chest, making her gasp. She smiled the sweetest smile Eli had ever seen her bestow and said to the dog, "Hello, Precious. Were you worried about me?" Eli shook his head. "Worried?" Then the name she'd used registered. "Precious?" Ray continued to smile. "That's right. He's a very sweet dog. And he's always trying to protect me." "Protect you? Your stupid dog attacked my backside! What did he think I was going to do? Sit on you?" Ray glared at Eli. "You didn't scare him, did you?" His eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "I'm the one with teeth marks in my backside. And there is absolutely nothing precious about that damned mutt." Now Ray frowned in concern. "Did he hurt you, Eli? I told you a long time ago that Precious didn't like men." "Yeah, well, I think Precious and I understand each other well enough now." His narrowed gaze went to the dog, and it immediately lay its ears back and whined, then gave a tentative lopsided doggy grin, complete with lots of tongue and drool. Eli nodded, satisfied. "As to my injury, I think I'll survive." Ray rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry." Eli had the feeling she didn't say that too often, and that she was talking about quite a bit more than just the dog. He traced the dark shadows beneath her left eye with his fingertip. "What's going on, Ray? Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?" Rubbing the dog's ears, Ray avoided looking at him. "I hadn't heard from you…" "You ran off." "I know. I had to. But…you had been so insistent about things, I'll admit I expected you to try to follow me. When you didn't, and then I found out I was pregnant, I just wasn't sure what to do." She looked up suddenly. "I would have told you, though. Eventually." She'd said a lot, and he needed time to wade through all the misconceptions and insecurities, without making matters worse. He considered his next words carefully, then merely said, "You should call the

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doctor and tell him you fainted. Maybe you need vitamins or something." Ray gave him a wry grimace. "I'm already taking tons of vitamins. Believe me, I don't need any more. And besides, he'll probably tell me the same things he always tells me." "And what's that?" "Every woman reacts differently to pregnancy, and every stupid thing that happens is normal. Bear with it and eventually it will go away." She made a disgusted face. "After I give birth, is what he means." Eli couldn't hide his small smile. "Has it been so horrible, honey?" "Yes, it has. I stay sick all the time, and tired and achy and…" She stopped suddenly, and Eli could see she was on the verge of tears. He felt overwhelmed with tenderness, wanting to hold her, to tell her to cry if she needed to. He started to tell her he loved her and would take care of her. But he knew such a sentiment would be abhorrent for Ray, so he quickly changed the subject. "My grandfather was ill when I got home. He had pneumonia and it was pretty serious for a while there. I couldn't leave him, but I had people searching for you. The damned agency wouldn't give me a single hint about your location, and I had to search every small town in Illinois. I should have known you'd live in the most inconspicuous place imaginable. I'm not even sure it's on the map." "You were looking for me?" "Isn't that what I just said?" His words were gentle, and he squeezed her hand. "I about went nuts when I couldn't find you right away, honey. I went from swearing I was going to make love to you all night, to wanting to lock you in a windowless room so you'd never get away from me again. I may as well tell you, it's still a toss-up." Ray swallowed heavily, her fingers tightening on his. "How is your grandfather now?" "Anxious for me to bring you home so he can meet the woman who's had me so distracted. It's not something he's used to. There was so damned much to do, tending him, breaking off the arrangement with Jane, making certain Josh was mending. And all I could think about was you." Ray peeked up at him through her lashes, trying to affect a look of casual interest, though he saw through the ruse easily enough. "How did Jane take the news?" Eli shrugged. "She still thinks our families should unite. I thought about siccing her on Josh, since he's been behaving like such an ass. Would serve them both right." Ray licked her lips. "You know, you may have acted a bit hastily. I'm still not willing to marry you." Eli grinned. He had her and he wasn't letting her go. He knew it already, and he imagined she knew it, too. But it was her nature to put up one last grandstand. He didn't begrudge her the effort. "Well, then, I suppose I'll just have to do my best to convince you, won't I?" Max came back in with a tray. "I brought the tea and the soup. Usually once she eats a bit, it settles her stomach. I think working in that stupid restaurant is what really nauseates her. But she won't listen to me." Eli moved the dog from Ray's lap, ignoring her incredulous expression when all Precious did was wag his

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stubby tail in seeming joy. Eli absently patted the dog, then set him on the floor. After helping Ray to sit up against the headboard, Eli placed the tray across her legs. Her expression had gone from incredulous to appalled to annoyed. "This is ridiculous. I'm feeling fine now. We ought to go downstairs to eat." "No. Not until I'm certain you won't faint on me again." Eli handed her a spoon and sat back to wait until she'd finished the soup. Ray gave an exasperated sigh at his insistence, then relented. Eli thought she must surely be tired to give up so easily. He waited until she had a spoonful of soup in her mouth, then said, "I have a suggestion. One for both of you." Max raised his brows, but said nothing. "Come to my ranch with me. Ray can get plenty of fresh air and some much-needed rest, and you can both get to know my family." Ray choked. Very casually, Eli leaned forward to pat her on the back. He pretended not to understand the source of her distress. "Don't gulp your soup, Ray." Then he settled back in his chair. "As I was saying, my grandfather is there now, and my grandmother and Josh, of course. You won't find a place more conducive to rest, and the weather is beautiful this time of year. You could…" "No." Eli gave her a level look. "Why not?" "Because…because…Max and I both have jobs. We can't just take off whenever we please." Eli looked down a moment, quietly contemplating the problem. Then he looked at Max. "You're going to college soon?" "This fall." He nodded. "The men who work for me make good wages. It isn't easy work, but if you're interested, I can always use another hand. You can put in as many or as little hours as you like. It would be up to you." Max flicked a glance at Ray. Eli noticed a strong family resemblance between the two of them. They shared the same dark eyes and hair, the same high cheekbones and stubborn chin. But where Ray seemed intensely purposeful most of the time, Max had a natural joviality about him. Eli imagined Ray had done much to see that Max maintained that carefree attitude. Ray put her spoon on her tray. "I still have a job to think about." Eli held her stubborn gaze, feeling her resistance, willing her to give in to him. "You also have a baby to consider. Look at yourself, Ray. You're exhausted and as pale as your sheets. You need to take care of yourself right now." She had an implacable air about her he knew would difficult to overcome. "I've always done just that, Eli. On my own. And without your help."

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He sighed, roughly running his hand through his hair. Then he stood, towering over her in sudden annoyance. He scowled. "Well, you have my help now, whether you want it or not." He leaned down, caging her with his arms. Holding her gaze, he said emphatically, his tone pitched low and mean, "I'm not going away, Ray. I don't know what it's going to take to convince you, but whatever it is, I'll find it." Ray tightened her mouth mutinously. Then she suddenly blurted, "Your brother doesn't like me." Eli looked incredulous. "For God's sake, he doesn't even know you! I can't believe you'd be offended by his behavior when you knew what he'd just been through. He certainly wasn't himself, and your introduction wasn't under the best of circumstances." Eli shook his head, still watching her skeptically. "And why should you care, anyway? I didn't ask you to marry him. I asked you to marry me. And I happen to care a great deal about you." "You never said so before." Her voice was soft and uncertain, a small glimpse of the sweet female inside the implacable mercenary. Eli smiled, but Max stared at her in disbelief, looking terribly uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "Uh, Ray, I wouldn't mind going with Eli. But it's up to you." He divided his attention between Ray and Eli. "I have to go out for a while," he said with sudden decisiveness, his look determined. "Don't, ah, expect me until late. Okay?" He picked up the dog and started out the door. Ray scowled. "Max, wait. Where are you…" He was already gone, the door closing softly behind him. Eli exhaled on a deep breath, watching Ray look away uncomfortably. Her love for her brother, the protectiveness, was plain to see, and he decided to use that to his advantage. "You should consider Max's feelings in this, too, Ray. He's worried about you. Don't you think he'll feel better knowing you're well taken care of? I saw how he dotes on you. He's concerned." "I know." Ray tilted her head back in frustration, then viciously punched the mattress next to her hip. "I hate feeling like this," she practically snarled. Very slowly, Eli reseated himself beside her. He removed the tray and took her hands in his. He rubbed her knuckles until she relaxed, loosening her fists, then he kissed each palm. "I know it's a little late to be asking you this, but how do you feel about having the baby? I mean, you do want it, don't you?" "Oh, Eli." He frowned over her distressed tone. "I don't know what that means, honey. Talk to me." Ray shifted uneasily on the bed, but Eli didn't let go of her hands. Finally, in a near whisper, she confessed, "I want the baby, Eli. I really do. But I'm…scared." Eli felt his heart squeeze tight. Just the fact that she'd admit to such a thing showed how uncertain she was. He pulled Ray into a hug, rocking her gently. "Everything will be all right, Ray. Trust me." She shook her head. "You don't understand." Her laugh was shaky and self derisive. "Look at me, Eli. I'm a thirty-one year old part-time mercenary-waitress." She gave a harsh laugh. "What a joke. I don't know the first thing about taking care of babies or how to be a good mother! I don't have anything to teach a child except how to protect himself and how to survive, and given a choice, I wouldn't want a

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child of mine to have to worry about such things. It's such an awful mess." Eli squeezed her. "Those are very important things to learn. But you're wrong when you say that's all you know. You know honesty and honor, pride and the value of hard work. You'll be an excellent mother." Heaving a sigh, Ray pushed herself away from Eli's chest to stare at him in disbelief. "I think you must come from a different world, because you surely don't have your feet planted firmly in this one. And you don't talk like a rich man, either. What's all this about hard work? I thought your type disdained physical labor." "One of these days, you're going to really piss me off, Ray. Do you know that?" Eli stared at her a moment, then once again stood. He paced restlessly around the room for several moments, finally stopping before a high window. Keeping his back to Ray, he said quietly, "There are a few things you don't know about me. But maybe it's time you did." When Eli turned to face her, her eyes were wide and wary. "I'm not sure I want to know, Eli." Rocking back on his heels, Eli said, "Well, I'm going to tell you anyway." There was a moment of silence, then he muttered, "I'm illegitimate. I never knew my father, and my mother was little better than a live-in stranger. When I was seventeen, I was arrested for brawling. I spent two days in county jail because I didn't have anyone to call or any way to make bail." His eyes searched her face, looking for some sign of what she thought, how she took his news. When Ray remained silent, he continued. "I'd been in trouble before with juvenile authorities, mostly just pranks, but I knew this time it would probably be bad. I remembered Mom talking about my father whenever she was drunk. She'd said his name plenty of times, cursed him and cried over him. I decided I had nothing to lose, so I tried looking him up." Ray leaned forward on the bed, curling her legs beneath her and listening intently to Eli. "What happened?" "I found out he'd died two years earlier. And then my grandfather came for me. He took one look at me, saw a family resemblance, claimed me as a Conners, and accepted me as his grandson. I know you think my grandfather must be a snob because he's wealthy. But he went through the depression a poor man. Everything he has now, he earned the hard way. He's a self-made man, and even though his attitudes tend to be hard in some ways, he's always fair." Very quietly, Ray asked, "Was he hard on you?" Eli smiled now, a small, satisfied smile. "He was a mean son-of-a-bitch at first, but then so was I, and we fought all the time. He made me finish my education, forced me to go to college, and when I graduated with honors, just to prove to him that I could, he told me how proud he was of me. It was the very first time I'd ever heard that kind of praise. The next year, after I'd trained in the business, he gave me responsibility and trust." Eli's jaw flexed as he remembered the swell of emotions he'd suffered that day. "He gave me his business to run." "I think I like your grandfather already." Eli laughed out loud. "He said the same thing about you when I told him about the piranha." Ray grinned, her dark eyes shining with laughter. Then her eyes widened. "Something just occurred to

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me." "What's that?" "Josh is your half-brother, isn't he?" "Yes. But I don't think of him that way." Ray waved her hand. "I could tell the difference between you. You may look similar, but your temperament is different. It makes sense now." Eli stared at her. Ray shrugged. "I had wondered." Shaking his head as if to clear it, Eli continued, "The thing is, Ray, I've never really been a part of that world either. I still enjoy working for what I get and I don't have much use for the snobs or the attitudes of the privileged. I'm thirty-three years old and I've never met a woman I felt I could…share with. You told me once there was a big difference between people born with money and those that acquired it on their own. My grandfather acquired his. He worked hard to get where he is today. Hell, he lived through the depression. Hunger tends to humble a man, to change his values. My father and Josh were the only Conners men who were able to take wealth for granted. And as for me, well, I think I fall somewhere in the middle. "I certainly wasn't born with money, and though I've made quite a bit since starting to work with my grandfather all those years ago, a great deal of it was given to me. I didn't have to create the opportunity, but I've definitely taken advantage of it. And I work damned hard making certain everything runs smoothly. If that makes me a bad person, then so be it. But it doesn't change how I feel about you. And I think, if you're honest, you'll admit you care about me, too." It had been a long speech, and Eli waited to see what she would say. Regardless, he wouldn't give up on her. He couldn't. He'd never wanted anything as badly as he wanted Ray Vereker, female mercenary extraordinaire. She smiled suddenly, a small, gentle smile. Then she sighed. "I'm feeling better, Eli. And I'm hungry. Would you like to go downstairs with me and have some soup? This bowl has gotten cold already. Max makes great soup." "You'll come to the ranch with me?" Ray nodded. She was already leaving the bed, her face not quite so pale now. "I'll go. For a while. And then we'll see. I'm not making any promises about marriage, though." Eli was content with the bargain. Small steps, he told himself. Ray's life had been very unique and trying. He couldn't expect to change everything, certainly not her insecurities, overnight. "We'll leave tomorrow. First thing." "Maybe. I have to make some arrangements first." Her back was to him as he followed her out the door, so she couldn't see Eli's wide grin of triumph. He even picked up her dog on his way down the steps, rubbing the shaggy little rat behind his furry ears.

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Precious growled deliriously, appreciating his touch but apparently not willing to let Eli know it. He thought the dog and Ray shared some definite similarities. "Lunch sounds great, Ray," Eli told her. Then he grinned. "But afterward…" Ray glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes questioning. "After lunch, I intend to strip you naked, shower with you, then put you back to bed." His grin was wicked, and Ray shivered. "You know, I think I feel another faint coming on." Eli chuckled as he slipped his arm around her waist. "Don't worry. I promise I'll revive you so you don't miss a thing." Then he kissed her brow. "Trust me." *** Eli groaned as he pressed small, gentle kisses into the soft skin of Ray's belly. "I can hardly believe you're pregnant," he breathed, his hand covering her, his fingertips touching her hipbones. "You're still so slim." Ray sighed, arching into his touch. "I imagine that will change soon enough." Eli lifted his head to smile at her. "I can hardly wait. The idea of you all round and womanly with my baby makes me crazy." She started to laugh, then groaned instead as Eli very gently and very slowly slid his finger deep inside her. He was being especially careful with her and it was driving Ray nuts. "Eli, please…" "I don't want to hurt you." She curled her hand around his head, her finger tangling in his soft brown hair. "You would never hurt me." His gaze shot to hers, smoldering hot. "You believe that now?" She nodded. Of course, that didn't mean he could protect her from the rest of his family. Regardless of what he said, Ray still couldn't imagine they would accept her so easily. She couldn't imagine any family taking her in stride. She simply wasn't the usual female most men brought home to introduce as a future wife. Eli forced her mind from that train of thought when he nuzzled against her breast. She gasped and he asked quietly, with great interest, "Are you tender already?" He hadn't stopped touching her to ask that question, hadn't slowed the gentle, rhythmic thrusting of his finger, so Ray was only able to nod. But Eli was satisfied with her answer. He suckled her with gentle care, drawing her nipple deep into the heat of his mouth and very lightly stroking her with his tongue. It was an exquisite torture, and her tolerance was excessively low these days. Ray decided she'd had enough. With little effort, taking Eli by surprise, she switched their positions. Eli found himself flat on his back, Ray quickly straddling his upper thighs. Her hands immediately captured his hot, hard erection and

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she grinned wickedly as she felt him pulse in excitement. "Let's see how you like being tormented, Eli." "I wasn't tormenting you," he started to object, but ended by groaning loudly. Ray stroked him, smoothed her fingers over the tip of him, and then leaned forward to kiss his hard, hair-roughened belly, much as he had done to her. "There's something you need to understand right now, Eli. You're not always going to be in charge." She made that statement between careful nibbles on his hip, her fingers wrapped firmly around his throbbing erection, stroking, enticing. He strained against her. "I've let you have your way most of the time, but there will be times when I don't feel quite so generous." Eli caught her shoulders and pulled her higher so that she was poised just above him, her thighs opened and vulnerable over his pelvis, her breasts within reach of his mouth. He raised his hips and slowly began to enter her. "Honey, you can be in charge whenever you want," he rasped, holding her tightly. Ray almost laughed, since Eli was again taking over. But as he filled her, lifting his head at the same time to cautiously capture a tender nipple between his teeth, she decided she didn't mind at all. When Eli was in control, he gave to her completely, and she loved the way he made her feel. But now, he was going about it entirely too slowly. Ray braced her hands on his tense shoulders, tightened her thighs on his hips, then thrust herself down, taking his length completely. Eli immediately forgot all his concerns. His groan was loud and wrenching, his fingers digging into her soft buttocks as he held her steady for his accelerated thrusts. And Ray, smiling in satisfaction, let him have his way. *** They argued half the way to Kentucky. "Are you certain Max won't get lost?" "I gave him very good instructions, Ray. Have a little faith, will you? He and Precious will make it in one piece." "How much farther do we have to go?" Eli shrugged. "About another three hours. Why? Do you need another break?" "We just finished taking a break twenty minutes ago. At this rate, we'll never make it to your ranch." "I just don't want you to overdo. You're finally starting to look like yourself again. I don't mind telling you now, I almost suffered shock when I saw you at that restaurant." "Most people have to work, Eli." "Don't get defensive. That isn't what I meant at all. It's just that I'm used to seeing you dressed in dark jeans and skimpy tops, strutting about and showing off your muscles." She punched him in the arm, earning a grin.

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"A white uniform and stained apron somehow didn't fit the picture I'd been expecting." Eli chuckled. "And then your brother goes and tells me I'm to be a father." He shook his head. "It's a damned good thing I have a strong constitution, or you two would have been picking me up off a floor. Mortal men can only take so much." Ray eyed him narrowly. "You seem to have adjusted okay now." Eli's grin was huge and filled with satisfaction. "Are you kidding? I'm thrilled. I've already been imagining what he'll look like." "He? What if it's a girl?" "Then I hope she looks exactly like her mother." It was impossible to stay annoyed with a man who said such endearing things. Ray leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. "Does your family know you're bringing me back?" "They knew that was my intention. My grandfather wished me luck." "And Josh?" "Stop worrying about Josh. He'll come around. He's just a bit spoiled, and I think it damaged his male ego to be rescued by a woman." Ray simply snorted. "Try to be understanding with him, Ray. He's always had to be my little brother. There's fourteen years difference in our ages. When I showed up, Josh was only four years old and very used to being the center of everyone's attention. And though Josh has always treated me exactly like a brother, I think it bothers him that I'm only his half-brother, and yet everything that should have been rightfully his by birth has been handed to me. Until Josh finishes college, he's dependent on me and the company." Ray scowled. "Nothing was handed to you. You worked hard for what you have. The fact that your father didn't marry your mother shouldn't have anything to do with it." Eli laughed. "You don't have to defend me, honey. No one treats me like an outsider, least of all Josh. But it can't be easy for him being so much younger. He's forever trying to prove himself." "And never quite measuring up?" Eli shrugged. "I have a lot of years and experience over him." "Not to mention a different background?" Ray shook her head. "You know, Eli, I don't think being born rich, or having things given to you, is necessarily a favor. If you don't work for what you get, it doesn't mean nearly as much once it's yours." Eli nodded. "Josh is learning that. Just give him time." Ray became thoughtful, and Eli watched her from the corner of his eye. "You look more like yourself now."

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Ray glanced at him. "How so?" "Your color is back. You don't look so exhausted." She shrugged. "It's a beautiful day, and I don't feel nauseous. Probably because of all this fresh air." "And here I thought it was me." "You?" Eli nodded, utterly serious. "You've been worried, thinking about the future and how to handle a pregnancy on your own. Now you know you don't have to. I'm here." Ray laughed. "Are you trying to say you've found a cure for the common ailment of morning sickness?" "No. Only that you're more comfortable with me near." "Your ego knows no bounds, Eli." He didn't seem to mind her laughter; he even smiled in return. "At least admit you missed me." Ray sighed long and low. "All right. I missed you." "Just a little?" She couldn't hold back her smile. "Actually… a lot." Eli looked so pleased by her admission, she was glad she'd given it to him. And the truth was, she didn't feel nearly so horrid now that he was beside her as she had wondering if he would ever bother to come after her. The future was still very uncertain to Ray's way of thinking. But Eli was here, and he didn't seem inclined to go anywhere without her. She didn't have to worry about being a bad mother, because she had every certainty that Eli would prove to be the very best of fathers. And she could learn what she needed to know. Ray settled back to take a small nap. She didn't feel as self conscious resting in front of Eli as she thought she would, probably because he was so understanding. He didn't seem to think of it as a weakness, but rather as a natural course of her pregnancy. His easy acceptance of her body's changes helped her to accept them, too. And that did make her stomach feel more settled. The idea of marriage was appearing less threatening every hour. Ray was actually beginning to think it might all work out. Of course, that was before Eli pulled into the yard of the huge ranch house. He gently shook her awake, kissed her brow, and then helped her from the truck. They were greeted by two elderly, stately people who Eli introduced as her prospective in-laws. Eli's grandfather looked her over from head to toe, then scowled ferociously at Eli. And Ray felt all her old nausea return in one staggering wave. She barely had time to nod her head before she looked at Eli wide-eyed, her hand clamped over her mouth. Eli grabbed her arm, shouted a hasty 'excuse us, please' to his grandparents, then hustled Ray up the

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porch steps and through the downstairs to a small guest bathroom. She fell to her knees before the toilet, hung her head, and quickly prayed for some way to disappear. Eli gave her privacy, quietly waiting outside the door. When Ray finally opened it, looking pale and shaky, he pulled her close and held her. "Are you all right?" "Unfortunately, I'll live." She could hear Eli's smile when he whispered in her ear, "That bad, huh?" His large hands rubbed up and down her back. Ray groaned. "I feel like a fool, Eli. What must your grandparents think?" Ray stiffened when a female voice, cool and commanding, said from behind her, "They think Eli hasn't told them quite everything." The tone was most definitely chastising, and Ray refused to lift her face from Eli's chest. Hiding for only a moment longer was imperative. At least until she regained her composure. She would rather have faced a legion of guards in Central America than go through an inquisition with Eli's grandparents. Eli laughed. "I wasn't given a chance. I didn't know until I found her, and there wasn't time to call. I was in a hurry to get home." "To check up on me, you mean," came a grouchy male voice. Eli's grandfather didn't seem to have a pleasant disposition. But judging by Eli's attitude, it didn't bother him in the least. Eli rubbed the back of Ray's neck. "If you're feeling okay now, I'll finish my introductions." Drawing a deep breath, Ray forced herself to face her audience. Smiling was quite beyond her, but she did manage to square her shoulders and lift her chin. Eli threw his arm around her and announced proudly, "Granddad, Gram, this is Ray Vereker. Ray, my grandparents, Hank and Lily." "How far along are you, girl?" Hank demanded in a tone that brooked no arguments. That particular tone prodded Ray. She narrowed her eyes and said, "I'm not a girl." Lily smiled. "Obviously not, since you're carrying a baby. Still, we would like to know when to expect the birth." Ray didn't know what to think. Eli stood there grinning like a half-wit, his hand still firm on her shoulder, and his grandparents were watching her expectantly. She drew a deep breath. "I'm about five weeks along." Hank groaned. "That's not very far along at all. I may not make it another eight months!" Ray stared at him, bemused, while Eli merely shook his head. "Of course you'll make it. Don't talk foolishness." Lily shushed both men. "Can't you two see she's feeling ill? She needs to sit down, for heaven's sake. Eli, take her to the kitchen. See that she has something to eat."

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Ray's stomach gave a violent lurch at the thought of food. "No, thank you. I'm not hungry." "Nonsense. You should nibble on dry toast or crackers whenever you feel queasy. It really helps to settle your stomach." Lily spoke with absolute conviction and confidence. "And you should concentrate on getting a lot of small, fresh meals, rather than three large ones. In a month or so, the sickness will probably be gone completely." Ray stared. "A month?" This was more information than she'd ever gotten from her doctor, who tended to be rather condescending. Lily took her arm. "The time will fly by," she predicted. "Come along. I'll show you to the kitchen, since Eli doesn't seem capable of doing anything but grinning. We'll have you feeling better in no time." This wasn't quite the reception she had expected. Lily offered her some bread and sharp cheese, and a cup of hot, sweet tea. It didn't sound particularly appetizing at first, but once she started, Ray ate every bite. And a moment later, she did feel much better. The house wasn't what she had expected, either. It was homey, warm, and well-lived-in. There was a mud room off the kitchen, and on the floor sat several pairs of scuffed, dirty cowboy boots. Rain slickers and windbreakers covered hooks on a wall, and there were shelves lined with fresh canned goods. Ray began to feel very unsure of herself and her beliefs. It had taken them nearly seven hours to reach the ranch, since Eli had insisted on stopping so often. It was nearing four o'clock, but Ray felt like it was much later. She couldn't stifle a series of yawns, and Lily wasn't one to miss anything. "You should go up and take a nap. Getting plenty of rest early on is important. I remember I slept away the first three months of each of my pregnancies." "How many children did you have?" Ray asked politely, but with genuine interest. "Only two. Eli's father, who sadly enough died some time ago in an automobile accident on the freeway, and a daughter, Jessica, who lives in California now with her husband." "Do you have other grandchildren, then?" "Oh, no. Jessica can't have children, though they did try for several years. And since Eli hadn't seemed particularly interested in any one woman, we'd about given up hope of enjoying any babies. You can understand why we're so pleased that the two of you will be getting married and giving us a great-grandchild." Eli chose that propitious moment to saunter into the kitchen. His eyes held Ray's as he said slowly and grievously, "The marriage part is still up in the air, Gram." Hank was instantly enraged. "What the hell do you mean, up in the air? You got her pregnant, and you're still dodging marriage?" "Actually," Eli said, his eyes glinting with humor, "I'm not the one who's doing the dodging. Ray is the one who refuses to say yes. You should remember I wanted to get married before I even knew about the baby."

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All eyes turned to Ray, and for the first time in a very long time, she felt herself blush. She contemplated strangling Eli, but didn't think his grandfather would appreciate it if she did. Besides, a display of her combat abilities wouldn't benefit her defense. She thought to stammer out an excuse instead, but Eli didn't give her a chance. With a low chuckle, Eli told them, "Ray didn't think you would like her because she doesn't have a ton of money." Ray fumed, and decided strangling him would benefit them all. "That isn't the only reason, Eli, and you know it." He shrugged. "She also happens to be very independent and self-sufficient." Eli reached over and smoothed a knuckle over Ray's cheek. "She didn't think she would be accepted here." Ray was overwhelmed by the response that comment generated. Hank and Lily both denied any such thoughts, and instead assured Ray that she was more than welcome. Hank gave her another glare, and Ray decided it was simply his normal expression. "Don't let me hear any of that nonsense. Where else would you go with my great-grandchild, I'd like to know?" Lily shook her head. "For goodness' sake, Hank. You'll have her thinking it's only the child we care about." Then she smiled at Ray. "No one here will judge you, Ray. We're thrilled that Eli is finally ready to settle down. We're all very glad to have you." Though she felt like she'd been through a time warp or perhaps landed on a different planet, Ray started to relax. She could feel their genuine warmth and acceptance. And maybe if they didn't know for certain what she did for a living, everything would work out. Then the kitchen door slammed shut. Josh stood there, his hands planted on his hips, his face red. No one had made note of his arrival until that moment. "You brought her here?" Before Eli could answer, he asked his grandparents, "Do you really know who she is? What she is? Did she explain that she's a damned mercenary, that she does whatever is 'necessary' to get the job done? She lives like a man. She fights like a man. And she carries a damned Uzi. Do you actually plan to welcome someone like that into our home?" Then, with even more derision he demanded, "Do you actually think to welcome her into our family?"

Chapter Eight Eli immediately stepped in front of Ray, blocking her with his body. The grandfather frowned, looking from one brother to the other. He asked Eli, "Do you really think you have to protect her from your own brother?" Eli could tell he was genuinely annoyed now with the way things were going. His scowl was just a little darker. "Protect Ray? No. Actually, I was hoping to protect Josh. He doesn't seem to have too many wits these days." Ray sighed. "For God's sake, Eli. I won't hurt your little brother. I already told you he wasn't worth the effort."

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Eli didn't quite believe her. He could feel her tension, and turned slightly to confront her. He almost missed Max's arrival. The kitchen was suddenly filled with chaos. Max was carrying a large load, and 'accidentally' rammed into Josh. Josh went sprawling across the hardwood floor, and seconds later Precious was on him, grabbing him by the scuff of his shirt and jerking about ferociously in a maddened frenzy. Max raised one brow and said politely, "Oh. Excuse me. I didn't see you standing there." Eli slanted him a look, accurately guessing Max had overheard Josh's opinion of Ray. He reached down and snatched up Precious, who didn't particularly want to let go. A piece of Josh's shirt was still hanging from his mouth. Eli patted the dog absently and it wagged its tail, licking his face. "Get up, Josh, for crying out loud." Eli reached down to help him comply with his grandfather's order, jerking him to his feet. Josh was glaring at both the dog and Max. Max smiled innocently. Ray asked her brother, "What took you so long? With as many stops as Eli insisted we make, I thought you'd get here before us." "I had a few errands of my own to attend to," he explained. Eli asked, "Women?" "Yeah. They're so sad to see me go." He grinned shamefully, and Eli couldn't help but chuckle. Josh asked suddenly, "He's going to he staying here, too?" Eli narrowed his gaze on his brother. "Yes, he is. He'll be working for me and…" "Oh. That's different, then." Josh seemed appeased by the idea that Max would be an employee. "No. It's not different. He's still Ray's brother, which means he'll be my brother-in-law soon. And…" This time it was Ray who interrupted. "Not necessarily." Eli sighed in vexation. Turning to Ray, he said, "You will marry me, Ray." She folded her arms over her chest. "I don't think I feel particularly convinced your family wants me here, Eli. That was the purpose of this little visit, wasn't it?" Eli scowled, and without taking his eyes from Ray's face, he asked, "Granddad, do you want her here?" "Damn right. I won't have my great-grandchild anywhere else." "Gram?" "Well, of course she's welcome," Lily muttered, obviously flustered. Then she added, "And her brother, too."

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All eyes turned to Josh. He said, "Well, I…" Max stepped forward to set down his packages, and again knocked Josh to the ground. Peering down at him, he said in a lazy drawl, "Damn. I am clumsy today. Sorry about that." Josh sat cross-legged on the floor, his face red with anger. Eli couldn't help himself. He laughed. Ray shook her head. "Come on, Max. I'll help you carry everything in. I guess it looks like we'll be staying." She glanced at Eli. "For a little while, anyway." Grabbing her as she passed, Eli deposited the dog in her arms. "You will go upstairs and get settled in. Josh and I will help Max unload. You'll have just enough time to refresh yourself before dinner, I think." Lily seemed relieved to have everything settled. "Yes. That's a wonderful idea. Come along, Ray. I'll show you to your room." Ray tilted her head back to study Eli. He was still grinning. "You won't always get your way, you know." He chucked her under her chin. "Honey, if I had my way, we'd be married already. I think you should appreciate my patience and stop pushing your luck." Then he hauled his brother to his feet one more time, slapped Max on the back, and went out the door. He was whistling.

Dinner wasn't at all the strained affair Ray expected. It also wasn't formal. Everyone gathered in the dining room, including Max and Josh, and the conversation never halted for a single moment. Josh occasionally sent a glare in her direction, but for the most part he kept his thoughts to himself. Ray ignored him. "When are you getting married?" Max asked Eli. Ray turned slowly in her seat to stare at her brother. Her look was incredulous, but Max deliberately kept his attention on Eli. Shrugging negligently, Eli said, "I'm working on it." Max nodded. "I gave a forwarding address and number to anyone I thought might need it. That's okay, isn't it?" "Of course. I want you to feel at home here, Max." Max leaned back in his chair, his plate empty. He watched Eli a moment more, then said to Ray, "I gave this address to our cousins. And to our neighbors, in case anything happened to the house." Ray nodded, wondering what her brother was up to. There was no expression on his handsome face, but she could see a mischievous smile in his eyes. She recognized that look, and braced herself.

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Max patted his stomach, then complimented Lily on the fine meal. She beamed. It seemed Max had won over the grandparents with very little effort. Of course, Ray always knew her little brother abounded in charm; it was why he was so popular with the females. "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot." Max glanced around the table, then settled his gaze on Eli. "I gave this address to the agency, also. Now that Ray is working for them again…" Eli's fork hit the table with a clatter. Ray wanted to groan. She contented herself by giving her little brother a look of retribution. He only grinned that much wider. "Ray isn't working for them any more." Eli's tone didn't leave room for arguments. Max feigned a look of confusion. "She isn't? I'll admit I was surprised when she started there again, but I was under the impression…" "She's pregnant. She can't be going into Central America." "What if someone else needs her? You have to admit how capable she is of handling those situations, though Ray did tell me you held your own. Did you know that's the first time she's ever let anyone go in with her? Buddy used to hassle her something awful about staying behind, but Ray was adamant. She always claimed she worked best alone." "Max…" Ray warned, but he continued. Speaking to the table at large, Max explained, "Ray is like a one-man combat unit. She almost never gets hurt. But she did have a few bruises this time. She was probably distracted because of Eli." Hank stared wide-eyed. For once he wasn't scowling. "Then it's true?" he asked Eli. "She wasn't just your guide? She's really a mercenary?" "What she is," Eli said, enunciating slowly, "is my future wife and the mother of my child. That's all that matters." Ray bristled. How she had let things get so out of hand, she didn't know, but it was time to take charge again. Tired or not, pregnant or not, she was still the same woman, and if that wasn't good enough, then she'd leave right now. She pushed back her chair and came slowly to her feet. "Your insistence is annoying, Eli. And I'm not ashamed of what I am - though it sounds like you are." Eli jerked to his feet, too. Ray lifted her chin. She was ready to face him down, if that was what it took. But he surprised her by giving her a gentle smile. "Granddad, Ray used to be in the service. She was part of a unique experimental team called the Adam and Eve program. Ray was the first Eve." Eli went on to explain exactly what part Ray had played in the military, even expounding on her efforts to rescue her partner from Central America. Ray stood in stony silence while the story unfolded. She hadn't realized Eli knew so much about her past, but it shouldn't have surprised her. When he finished his tale, Ray was sounding suspiciously like a heroine, and Hank and Lily were looking

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at her with awe. She nearly snorted at such a ridiculous notion, but somehow, she couldn't work up enough sarcasm for even a measly huff. Ray awaited their reactions. Hank stood, then gave her a brisk nod. "I'm a military man myself. I don't recall ever hearing of such a program, though." Max chuckled, obviously pleased with himself and the way things progressed. "It was very hush-hush. And it didn't last that long because the teams became so loyal to each other, and so independent of the government, it was felt they were a risk to keep in use. Ray is the perfect example of how things went wrong. If the government had their say, her partner would still be rotting in Central America, and they'd still be negotiating." Hank said brusquely, "You did the right thing. Can't abandon a partner, now can you?" Ray narrowed her eyes suspiciously. This was going entirely too smoothly. She glanced at Eli, and he dared to wink. Lily smiled. "Well. I can't say as I understand all this. Women in the military? It boggles the mind. But it sounds to me like you're an extremely loyal and dedicated young woman. Why, just imagine how protective you would be of a husband and family!" Ray could hear Max chuckling, and thought about smacking him. She cleared her throat. "Your grandson was right, you know. Many people would consider me no more than a hired gun. I've taken money many times to go to Central America and get people out." Hank nodded. "Thank goodness all those unfortunate people had someone like you to turn to." Josh snorted. "She was paid, Granddad. She didn't do it out the goodness of her heart." Max stared down the table at Josh. He opened his mouth, but Ray laid her hand on his shoulder, silencing him. Eli said calmly enough, "You would still be there if it hadn't been for Ray, Josh." "And I appreciate it. I really do. But that doesn't mean I want you to marry her and bring her into the family!" "What's the matter, Josh?" Ray taunted softly. "Afraid I might decide to get even for all those wisecracks you've made? Just think, you might be sleeping in your bed one dark, lonely night, dead to the world, and you'd never even hear me come in." Josh went pale, then quickly turned red when Ray laughed. He threw his napkin on the table and stormed out, slamming the door hard behind himself. Eli shook his head. "Give him time, Ray. He'll come around." "And if he doesn't?" Eli stared at her a moment, then shook his head again. "Come on. Let's go for a ride." "A ride where?" she asked suspiciously, not trusting his sudden change of topic.

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"Just around the property. We'll take the horses." Lily suddenly warned, "Do be careful. You have to remember she's expecting." "I'll watch out for her, Gram. Don't worry." Ray looked at Max. "Would you like to come along?" But he held up a hand, his eyes twinkling at Eli. "Naw. Not this time. I still have to unpack and get settled. Besides, I think I smell dessert." Ray left, Eli holding her arm, and she could hear Lily exclaiming how nice it was to have a young man with such a hearty appetite at her table. Eli tugged her out onto the back porch, then kissed her soundly. Ray could feel him grinning against her lips. "Stop that, Eli." "Don't be a sore loser, Ray." He grinned hugely, his arms locked behind her back, keeping her from pulling away. "Admit it. You expected my grandparents to denounce you on the spot. Instead, you got a huge dose of respect - which you deserve, by the way." Ray lowered her head, staring at Eli's chest. "I don't know for sure what I expected. More of Josh's attitude, I guess. All I can say is, you and your family are unexpected." "I wish you could have seen your face. You were pasting on that serene expression you wear when you want to hide your feelings. I could tell you expected to get bombarded with criticism, and I've no doubt you'd have taken it all on the chin, shoulders straight, head up. Then when Granddad practically saluted you, you looked ready to expire." He kissed her again, a loud, smacking kiss on her pursed lips. "Your excuses are disappearing one by one, sweetheart. Why don't you give in gracefully now and agree to marry me?" "There's more to consider than just your family's opinions." She was still looking down, and Eli bent his knees to put himself on her eye level. "Such as?" Ray grinned slightly, raising her brows. "My opinion?" "You're crazy about me. That's all that matters." She couldn't help but laugh, then admitted, "I am." And before Eli could take too much joy in that, she added, "I'll even concede that I could get along just fine if we always stayed on the ranch and only had to deal with the few people here. But what happens when you're needed in Chicago or some other office? And how many offices do you head, anyway?" Eli sighed, taking her hand. He started down the porch steps, heading for the barn. "You're determined to find something to nit-pick about, aren't you? I have three offices that I visit throughout the year. I can cut back on a lot of my travel, but I'll still have to visit occasionally."

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Ray followed along, noticing how fresh and pure the air smelled here. She breathed deeply of the scents of summer flowers and newly-mowed hay. The sky seemed endless, and the most startling shade of blue she'd even seen. "It's beautiful here. I don't know why you ever leave." Eli tugged her into a large barn, the interior cool and dimly lit. "You weren't here, so there was no reason to stay." "I don't want you to have to change your life for me, Eli." Ray breathed the words as he pinned her to the rough plank wall, his hands caging her there. His mouth touched her cheek, her chin, finally settling on her lips for a longer, gentler kiss, void of passion, but filled with tenderness. "I want my life to change, sweetheart. I want to have you here to come home to. I want a baby that looks like you. Or me. Hell, I don't care if he looks like Josh, as long as he's mine. I want to take care of you. And," he added when she started to object, "I want you to take care of me." He kissed her again, this time with consuming need, his body leaning into her. "Tell me you'll marry me, Ray. Please." Groaning, Ray laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms tightly around his back. Whispering, she told him, "I don't know how to be what you want, Eli." "Dammit, Ray." Eli shook her gently. "It's not something you have to consciously do. It would be harder for you not to be what I want. The things I love about you aren't things that will change. They're who you are, not what you are." Ray had gone perfectly still. She stared up at Eli, wide-eyed, hardly believing her ears. He lifted one brow warily. "What is it, sweetheart?" Feeling unaccountably shy and uncertain, Ray whispered, "You said there were things that you…loved?" Eli caught her face roughly between his hands. "God. Too damn many to repeat. It could take me years." "Such as?" His smile was so tender, Ray felt tears sting her eyes. And the emotion, it was all there in his gaze again: swelling, turbulent emotion. He had the most expressive eyes she'd ever seen. She'd noticed them the very first time she'd met him, within seconds of walking into that smoky bar which seemed at least two lifetimes ago. "I love your temper, and your loyalty. Your pride and protectiveness. Your honesty. Your confidence and strength and sense of responsibility." Ray laughed nervously, never having heard such compliments. Eli kissed her forehead. "I love your sassy walk and your lack of modesty-the way you seem so oblivious to your attractiveness." He bobbed his eyebrows. "And your delectable, healthy body. I especially love it. And the way you make love to me and with me. And…" Ray laughed, smashing her hand over his mouth. "You're being outrageous, Eli." He bit her palm, a small, damp love bite that had her catching her breath and groaning.

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"I'm being honest," he said when she pulled her hand away. "Why don't you be honest, too? With yourself and me." His voice had turned husky and deep. Ray trembled. All her reasons for keeping herself apart, for protecting her heart against Eli, suddenly seemed very insignificant. Besides, it was already too late. She'd loved Eli almost from the beginning. There was absolutely no reason not to tell him how she felt, except for her fears - and she'd never been a coward. She wouldn't start acting cowardly now. She drew a deep breath, smiling tremulously, "Eli…" A loud commotion in the outer yard drew their attention. Eli's name was called, and he looked up just as the barn doors opened and Josh stepped inside. Josh peered at each of them, taking in the intimacy of their positions. With a look of disgust, he told Eli, "Ted's here with a new mare, and Jane just pulled up." Eli cursed. "I forgot about the mare. Tell him I'll be right out." Josh nodded. "What about Jane?" "Take her to the house. I'll be in as soon as I get a chance." Ray waited until Josh had reluctantly left before giving Eli a look of grave annoyance. "I thought you talked to Jane." "I did. She's probably here on business." Eli grinned and kissed her quickly. "Don t worry about it. You have no reason to be jealous." It felt like her spine would snap, she grew so stiff. "Jealous? Ha. As if I would be." Eli smoothed his hand over her cheek, his expression mournful. "I'm sorry we have to cancel the ride." Ray shrugged. "No big deal. We can go another time soon." "Very soon. I was planning to take you to the other side of the hill, strip you buck-naked, and make love to you in the shade of a huge oak tree." His eyes glowed. "I need you, Ray." Despite being suddenly quite breathless, she managed a chuckle. "Poor baby. Wouldn't your grandparents understand if you snuck into my room?" "No. They wouldn't." "Then maybe we can take a long walk tonight." Ray ran her finger down his chest. "I need you, too." Eli sucked in a deep breath, then cursed. "Damn." He kissed her one more time, then without another word, walked away. Ray took a moment to dwell on Eli's declaration of love, relishing the feeling of peace and contentment that came with her decision to marry him. She'd been a fool to hold out at all, especially when she considered how easily Eli could melt her heart. She almost laughed, she felt so happy and carefree. And with her new feelings of peace came a generosity of spirit. She wanted to work things out with Josh. She was sure she could if she set her mind to it. He wasn't much more than a kid, and spoiled to

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boot. It should be easy to second-guess him. Ray left the barn with a determined stride. She came into the yard just in time to see Eli and another hand leading the new mare away. They were talking as they walked to the stables, and several other men were now loitering about the fence. They looked up when Ray walked into view. She gave a friendly smile, and a few of them nodded, but most just stared. Ray felt extremely conspicuous, not understanding their acute interest. Then she saw Josh walking toward her. She stopped to give him a grin, but he only glared at her. When he was close enough to talk to, he said, "Jane is waiting inside for Eli. You may as well find something else to do. Eli won't have time to romp in the barn." Ray narrowed her eyes. Sometimes it was extremely difficult to be nice, and she'd never been particularly good at it anyway. "Actually," she said, striving for patience, "I wanted to talk to you." Josh stared, his eyes widening slightly. "Me? What for?" "I've decided to marry Eli. I love him. I thought it might make things easier all the way around if you and I could get along together." She practically rattled the words off, saying them quickly just to get them out. It felt strange to be making the effort to get along with someone who was so obviously hostile. Ray usually wouldn't have bothered. Josh slowly lowered his brows in a fierce frown, very reminiscent of his grandfather. "I don't want to get along with you. And I don't believe you love Eli. You just want his money. Well, after Jane talks to him, you won't stand a chance. She'll make him see reason. He's just infatuated with you, that's all." Ray closed her eyes and counted to ten. "You sound like a little boy, Josh. Isn't it time you grew up?" Someone laughed behind them. "Yeah, Josh. Listen to the lady. Or she just might whip up on you." Josh spun around to face the man taunting him. Three of them lounged against the fence. They had come with the man who delivered the horse and were waiting around to leave. Eli hadn't come back out yet, so they felt free to have some fun. Ray only shook her head. But Josh wasn't able to be so blasé about their teasing. His face turned a bright red. Another man shouted, "Isn't she the lady soldier you've been talking about? I see what you mean now, Josh. She looks real mean." A round of laughter followed that observation, and Ray felt herself stiffen in indignation. Especially when Josh glared at her as if it were her fault. "Hey, honey," someone shouted, "You can toss me around any time you want." Josh looked ready to expire. Ray said, "Just ignore them, Josh. They'll get tired of acting like fools pretty soon." Josh shook his head. "Eli is going to kill me if he hears what they're saying." He looked genuinely upset now, glancing around to see if Eli was coming back. Ray sighed, feeling totally put upon. "Why would Eli be mad at you?"

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Josh glared at her again. "Because I'm the one who told them about you." Suspicions rose. "Josh, you didn't tell some farfetched lies about me, did you?" Josh gave her an incredulous look. "Why would I need to? The truth is outrageous enough." Ray laughed derisively. "So it is." Then she took Josh's arm in an iron grip, smiling maliciously. "Why don't we go inside now, Josh? If we're not here to harass, they'll probably find something else to amuse themselves with." "What are you going to do?" Ray slanted him a look. "Don't worry, Josh. I've never murdered anyone yet. Though I'll admit you give the idea new appeal." Digging in his heels, Josh admitted, "I probably shouldn't have told anyone about you." "No big deal." "Then you don't care that they know?" Ray paused. "I'm not ashamed of what I do, Josh. But I have a feeling you didn't exactly paint me in a fair light." He looked down at his feet. "No. Probably not," he admitted. "Now, don't go looking so long in the face. I'm not going to…" Ray didn't get to finish. A man came up to her and latched onto her arm. "Want to show me some of your moves, honey? Josh says you're real talented. If you wanted to jump me, I promise to hold real still." He was laughing at his own jest. Josh only cringed, expecting the worst from Ray. But she surprised him. Ray considered the situation, and how best to handle it. She didn't think the big oaf in front of her would really pose any problem if she chose to teach him a lesson. But she didn't imagine Eli would appreciate her manhandling his neighbors. So she decided to kill two birds with one stone. Stepping closer to Josh, she affected a timid pose, staring at the man anxiously. Josh jerked in surprise, but Ray managed to huddle behind his back. He was nearly as tall as her brother, though not as broad-shouldered. Still, he made an effective barrier from the other man. "Now honey, don't go hiding from me. I just wanted to tussle with you a little." He was still grinning. Ray had to grit her teeth to keep from tossing him to the ground. She looked at Josh. "Maybe we should go in now." Her voice trembled just the tiniest bit. Ray thought it was a nice touch. Especially when Josh blinked, then straightened his shoulders. His tone was hard when he said, "Back off, Mike."

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"Now, why would I want to do that?" Mike stepped closer to Ray. "You're too damn pretty to be a mercenary. Josh was just funnin' us, wasn't he?" Josh took an aggressive step forward. Ray sincerely hoped she wouldn't end up having to defend him. But he proved a little smarter than she'd first suspected. He threatened the man with Eli. "You're talking to my future sister-in-law, Mike. How do you think Eli will like it when I tell him how you're bothering her?" Mike looked stunned. "Eli is marrying her?" "He is." "Well you never told us that. How was I supposed to know?" "You know now. So why don't you get lost?" Mike looked at Ray. "No offense intended." She nodded, her eyes downcast. It was the perfect pose, because it hid her smile. As Mike walked away, Josh took her arm, heading her toward the house. "I guess I owe you an apology." She nodded. "You guess right." Suddenly her tone was hard and dry as dust. "I just played the maiden in distress for you, Josh. That hurt." He hid his smile. "I'm sure it did. And I really am sorry. But, you're a hell of an actress. I almost believed you were afraid." It the worst thing to tell her. She groaned in disgust. "Now every damn guy around here is going to be thinking I'm some timid little female." She glared at Josh. "And it's all your fault." They had circled the house, and were again nearing the barn. Ray moved in her usual long-legged stride. Just as they reached the barn, Josh said, "Look, Ray Jean, I…" She whirled around. "That tears it!" Josh only had time to gasp before he found himself grabbed by one arm, Ray's leg coming up behind his knee. Then he was on the ground, flat on his back, dust billowing around him and Ray looming over him. She came down quickly, her knee landing on his chest. "Never - absolutely never - call me Ray Jean. I've taken a lot off you, Josh. But enough is enough." Josh was nodding and doing his best not to chuckle. Ray glowered, pushing down with her weight on her knee, making Josh struggle for breath. "You think this is funny?"

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He shook his head, nearly choking on his humor. "No." The word was strangled, and Ray let up a little. Then Josh smiled. "I was just wondering if you'd ever done this to Eli. You have, haven't you? It's probably why he fell in love with you." Ray sat back on her heels, totally bemused. "You Conners men are a strange breed, do you know that?" Josh laughed. "Ah, can I get up now?" Ray looked at him in disgust. "Oh, all right." "Thank you. And I'm sorry I upset you." Giving him a suspicious look, Ray asked, "Are you going to let up on the sarcasm?" "Yeah, though I swear it's pretty damned tough to accept that I got myself into that stupid situation, then got rescued by a woman. It doesn't exactly sit well on male shoulders, you know." "If you learned from it, then it was worthwhile." "I suppose. But I'm afraid I have something else to apologize for, too." Ray dropped her head forward. "I don't want to hear this." "I was the one who invited Jane here. I, uh, sort of suggested she try to seduce Eli. You know, make him see what a mistake he was making." Ray turned her face away. "Well?" Josh smiled gently at her. "Get in there with him before he does make a mistake." "You don't want him and Jane to get together after all?" Ray asked suspiciously. "Are you kidding? Who would teach me how to fight like you do?" Max said from behind them, "I will." There was a definite touch of menace in his tone. Ray turned in his direction, and discovered that not only had Max joined them, so had Eli and Jane. She slowly came to her feet. "Good grief." "What the hell is going on?" Eli shouted. He stood with his hands on his hips, his expression furious as he took in Ray and Josh sitting on the dusty ground. Josh cleared his throat. "Uh, Ray and I had a little disagreement." Eli was incredulous. "You were fighting with her?" Ray gave a long sigh. "No, he wasn't fighting with me. There was no fight to it. You've done a poor job of teaching your brother, Eli."

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Max stepped forward. "I'll be glad - even eager - to instruct him." There was blood in his eyes. "He didn't touch me, Max, so knock it off." Jane gave a snicker of amusement, clinging to Eli's arm like a tenacious boa. "My goodness. Do you mean to say you were the aggressor? Well, of course you were. How silly of me. You are some sort of… well, mercenary, aren't you? And your brother?" She turned to Max. "What do you do? Or should I ask?" "He's going to college soon," Eli interjected. "In the meantime, he'll be working for me." "Oh, Eli." Jane gave him a chastising shake of her head. "Surely you don't mean to take them both in? I mean, I can understand why you might feel grateful to the, ah, lady. I can even understand your little infatuation with her. After all, you've never known a woman quite so…brazen, and she did help rescue Josh. But, her brother? Surely you don't owe her that much? Why, it would be the same as charity." Ray's temper went right through the roof. In a deadly soft voice, she asked, "What makes you think my brother can't earn his keep?" Jane laughed again, a singularly irritating sound. "It's really very obvious. Eli is only willing to put up with the boy so he can keep you close at hand." She slanted Ray a coy look. "I'm afraid I held him off a bit too long. Men will stray when they get desperate." Josh snorted, and Max actually choked. Eli growled. "Now, wait a damn minute…" But Ray decided she'd had enough. Very slowly, with measured movements, she started forward. Her eyes never left Jane's face. Eli sighed in vexation, then softly warned, "Ray…" She cut him off. "Forget it, Eli. You wanted me. You dragged me here and wouldn't let up for a single minute, even though I told you it wouldn't work out. Well, now you've got me. For good. And that means you're hands-off to other women. And most especially to her." Max started grinning again, and Josh joined him. "Will you really teach me to fight like Ray does?" Max shrugged, but his eyes never left his sister. "Why not?" Eli sighed. "There isn't going to be any fighting." Ray took another step forward. "Now, there's where you're wrong. She insulted my brother, Eli. That was crossing the line." Jane moved behind Eli, her expression alarmed. Ray narrowed her eyes, coming closer. Eli looked harassed. "Jane, for God's sake…Ray, stop terrorizing her…Max, will you stop laughing!" Ray's chest rose and fell as she struggled with her rage. "You said you loved a lot of things about me, Eli. But you didn't say you loved me." "You know I do!" He was doing his best to get away from Jane, and still give his attention to Ray. They

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were beginning to draw a crowd as the ranch hands started to gather around. "Good. Because I love you, too. And I decided you're damn well going to marry me. Right away." As Ray neared Jane, she moved away, but she didn't let go of Eli. He was forced to turn in a complete circle as Ray stalked her. "You know that was my intent anyway, honey. So there's no reason to be so…" "Maybe you should have informed your girlfriend," Ray said, nodding her head at Jane, "so she could have been spared this little scene." "I did tell her," Eli protested. "You know that." "Well then, she's only got herself to blame." "Ray…" Eli gave his warning a second too late. Ray reached for Jane, the gesture as far from friendly as it could get. Eli cursed as Jane shrieked loud enough to rattle the heavens, then he shoved Jane away. "Dammit to hell…" Bending, Eli scooped Ray into his arms and deposited her over his shoulder. There was a gasp of hilarity from their audience before Ray started in raging at Eli. He ignored her except to say, "I think we'll finish this conversation in private." One of his hands held her legs firmly pressed to his body so she couldn't kick him, and the other rested on her derriere to balance her. Ray squirmed, and Eli kissed her hip. "Patience, sweetheart. We'll be alone in just in a minute." Eli started up the porch steps, but stopped when a loud wail came from the yard, followed by another burst of laughter. He turned, and Ray lifted her head. Jane was turning in circles, Precious hanging from the seat of her tailored skirt. He obviously refused to let go, his growls as loud and ferocious as an eight-pound-dog could manage. And neither Josh nor Max did a single thing to help her. Eli shook his head. He bounded up the stairs to his bedroom, taking the steps two at time. Ray was surprised he hadn't jarred her teeth from her head. But he was actually incredibly gentle with her, so much so that she hardly felt a single jolt. She was only thankful no one else had been present in the house to witness the humiliating event. Having the audience of the entire yard had been bad enough. She owed Eli one. Oh, she definitely did. Eli went straight into his own room, shoving the door shut with his foot. He didn't toss Ray onto the bed, but rather lay her gently upon it, coming down next to her immediately and half-covering her to keep her still. "So," he said, grinning. "You love me?" Ray couldn't decide if she was going to be mad or not. She hadn't really intended to hurt Jane, only scare her a bit. And she'd done that, if the woman's ridiculous scream had been any indication.

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She asked curiously, "Why did you run off with me, Eli? Did you think I was going to commit murder?" He touched the tip of her nose. "Naw. Josh looked fine, and if you didn't kill him, you wouldn't hurt anyone." Eli chuckled. "I brought you here so we could be alone, of course. Now, answer my question." "Yes." "Yes, you love me?" Ray sighed. "Isn't that what I just said?" Eli nodded slowly. "But you're going to have to say it a lot over the next sixty years or so." He leaned down to kiss Ray gently. "Marry me?" Ray nodded. "Oh, yes. I'll marry you." Eli seemed to catch his breath. Then he was kissing her, his hands moving to cup her breasts, his hips pressing her into the mattress. "God, I love you." "Eli?" Ray whispered. "Hmm?" He continued kissing her, his mouth now on her shoulder. "Since we'll be getting married, will you do me a favor?" "Anything." Ray grinned, feeling his teeth nip her collarbone. "Will you teach me some of your moves? It's the truth, I can't get used to always ending up on the bottom with you." Eli raised his head, then slowly smiled at her. Catching her shoulders in his hands, he rolled over so Ray was on top, lying all along his length. "I'll promise to show you all my best moves, Ray." He caught her mouth again as his hands settled on her hips, rocking her against him. "Umm. This is definitely one of your better moves, Eli." "Yes. Now pay attention while I instruct you." Ray did as he told her, paying very close attention. And when Eli was inside her, holding her steady, his thrusts smooth and slow and deep, she decided she preferred his moves to her own. And when she fell against him, her body taut in her climax, Eli held her safe, still whispering his instructions. He was the most patient man she'd ever met. And the most maddening. Later, with Ray still sprawled over Eli's chest, her cheek resting just below his collar bone, she whispered, "Eli?" He smoothed his hand over her hair. "Hmm?" "I didn't want to go back, anyway." "Where, sweetheart?"

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"To Central America. I'm not hardened enough any more for the job. I got distracted too many times during this last trip. That can be dangerous." She could hear the grin in Eli's voice when he announced, "I distracted you." Ray nodded. "Right from the start." Still smiling, Eli asked, "Are you telling me you'll obey me this once because you had decided not to go back before I ever forbade it?" Ray lifted herself to look at him. He seemed so pleased by everything that happened, she couldn't help but kiss him. "You may as well realize things won't always go so easily. I'm still very independent, and I won't ever want to become a placid housewife, content to sit at home and plan dinner menus." Eli cupped her face. "How many times do I have to tell you? I love you just the way you are." "I didn't want to fall in love with you. But I couldn't seem to stop myself." "You never stood a chance." Ray chuckled. "Because you're bigger and stronger?" She used the excuse he was always giving her. Eli shook his head. "Just more determined." Then he sighed. "Your mission may have been to save people. But I had a mission, too. I had to accomplish what Central America couldn't." Surprised, Ray asked, "And what was that?" "I had to capture a soldier. And she was the meanest son-of-a-…" Ray clapped her hand over his mouth, laughing. She remembered Eli's request at the onset of their meeting. She'd bragged that she was the best the agency had to offer. And the meanest. It seemed like a lifetime ago, now. Eli easily removed her hand and turned, snuggling Ray beneath him. He stretched her arms over her head and held her legs apart with his own. Very slowly he entered her again, his eyes holding her gaze, making her a part of him. In a tone husky with emotion, Eli whispered, "You succeeded in your mission. You saved my brother. But you also saved me." He kissed her gently, then kissed her again. Pressing his hips closer to emphasize his possession, Eli said with a groan, "I'd say we were both damned successful." Ray thought to tell him that he'd saved her, too, saved her from her own wayward responsibilities to the world. He gave her the love she'd never thought to have, and the acceptance. But then Eli was rocking against her, taking control as usual, and all she could do was hold on tight. Her life was definitely going to undergo some changes. She looked forward to each and every one.

About the Author

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Lori Foster had her first book, a Harlequin Temptation, published in January of 1996. Since then she's had 8 books published with three different houses, and has 18 books sold total, including a single title, an e-book, and several novellas. In 1999 Lori will have 8 new books released, and in the year 2000 her own 4 book mini-series on Bachelor Brothers will be released through Temptation. Lori also does monthly articles for the online writers' colony, Painted Rock, and has a regular, bi-monthly column in RWR on editor interviews. Though Lori loves writing, her first priority will always be her family. Her husband is by far the most incredible man she knows, and her three sons, all humorous, handsome, and honorable fellows, are quickly following in their father's footsteps.

Table of Contents Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight About the Author

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