CAPTURED: 9 Alpha Bad-Boys(53)

She mentally kicked herself in the ass, knowing if her brilliant mind  didn't get her goofy thoughts in hand, she'd never get anything done.  Her task list was full of all the things she loved, but strangely, she  had no desire to do any of it. She'd rather stand next to her bed and  gaze into Aaron's eyes. Geez, what a wet noodle she was becoming.

Thankfully Bethsaida oversaw the cleaning and waitstaff of the B&B,  but Reya still had to get down to the boat to meet her diving party. The  trip down the Sittee River to the dive site and back would take hours.  And she still had to be back home in time for tonight's patrol.

Last night she'd spotted the rogue that had challenged her for Aaron's  prone body the night his plane went down. A sense of foreboding caused a  shiver to slip up her spine. Oh yes, they'd meet again soon, her and  the rogue. Face-to-face. Perhaps claw to claw.

She set the food on the nightstand and touched the pulse point on her  patient's neck. A lazy smile spread across her lips at the feel of the  strong beat under her fingers. Yes, he'd be up in no time. Damn. Though  her back was tired of sleeping on the couch, she could really get used  to seeing him in her bed. He'd occupied her personal haven the past four  days and the man sure looked good in this particular spot.

"Good morning, Aaron. How are you feeling?"

"No more meds."

A single black brow winged upward at his answer. Actually, it was more of a demand "Excuse me?"

He took a deep breath, winced and said a bit more forcefully, "I said no more meds."

"Really?" she asked, hiding a grin. Pale as a sheet and practically  gasping with each breath, but he didn't need any meds? Oh yes, this was  definitely a man's man, handsome, strong-willed and obviously used to  being in charge. Kind of reminded her of a stubborn, freeborn mule.

"I mean it. I can't think straight or even stay awake long enough to  take a pee," he growled weakly. When she didn't respond he added, "I can  take the pain. Thanks to you and the good doctor, it's at least  bearable now."

"Have it your way," she said cheerfully, not sure what she was so  cheerful about. Couldn't possibly be this newly discovered stubborn  streak in her new roommate, right? She moved to the closet, pulled out a  rain slicker and her dive pack then set them at the bedroom door.

"What time is it?" he asked around a yawn. His eyes followed her every  movement then squinted against the light flooding through the bedroom  window. A quick glance at her bedside clock confirmed the time. Seven  o'clock in the morning.

"Dr. Matons will be up to check on you in a couple of hours, all right?"

"You're leaving? Where are you going?"

Head cocked to the side with a scowl, she regarded her patient. Reya  answered to no one, except her aunt when she happened to go home for a  visit, but coming from him the questions seemed so normal and  unobtrusive. Aaron sounded so worn out and genuinely concerned, she  answered before she remembered to be offended.

"I'm scheduled to take a group on a guided tour of the barrier reef near  South Water Caye. Maybe when you're better, I'll take you down there  for a dive?"         

     



 

"When will you be back?"

"Just after lunch. I have patrol tonight so I'll want to get a nap before then."

Reya helped Aaron pull his big body up to a sitting position and stuffed  several pillows behind his back. Against her better judgment, she  handed him the bowl of escabeche. Not like she had much of a choice when  the blasted man refused to let her feed him. His fingers shook through  the whole process, but he did, in fact, feed himself while she snuck a  final round of pain meds into his IV.

When his eyes closed Reya headed to the bedroom door with the empty bowl  in her hands. Fingers curled around the doorknob, she stood there a  moment. Her gaze slid back toward the bed. God, something about the man  beckoned to her heart and soul. And especially body. Since the night  she'd brought him here, she hadn't been able to think of much of  anything but him, the deep timbre of his voice and the allure of his  physical presence. And those gorgeous gray eyes sheltered by thick,  black lashes. But why was she so gone over him? Could he be a shifter,  like her? She had no idea, and she sure as hell wasn't going to ask him.

The next thing Reya knew, her feet had carried her right back to the bed  and she stood looking down at Mr. Aaron James. Her fingers strayed over  the cool skin covering the firm ridges of his forearm and then up to  the mound of his biceps, secretly glad the IV was in the other arm so  she could play with this one.

Leaning forward, she gently rubbed her lips against his, taking in their  firmness along with his unique scent. Even with the smell of the  glucose drip and the mild sedative floating about his body, his scent  was strong, virile. Like musk, man and hot cinnamon candy.

Pressing her lips more firmly against his, she was surprised when his  fingers found their way into the hair at the nape of her neck. Her  innocent little peck became a hot, ravenous kiss as his mouth opened  under hers and he pulled her closer when she would have pulled away in  shock. He moaned softly, the warmth of his tongue laving against hers.  The hum against her lips traveled clear down to her womb with a feeling  so exhilaratingly sweet her knees buckled.

The second her butt hit the mattress she was caught up in the sexy tidal  wave that was Aaron. It poured over her, pulling her under until the  arousal she always kept so tightly controlled washed up through her  bones.

He broke the kiss and released her, but not before he delivered a sharp  nip to her bottom lip then sucked it into the warmth of his mouth to  soothe away the sting. The ferocity of her response caught her totally  off guard. His next words took her surprise up a level, to the brink of  pure shock.

"Play hooky today," he said softly against her parted lips.

"Play hooky? You mean skip work?"

"Join me under the covers and I promise you won't regret it, Reya."

Her womb clenched and hummed, but the intensity of his expression was so  male, it actually startled her right out of her lust. Forcing herself  to push gently against his chest, she put a little distance between them  while carefully avoiding his bruises.

"Aaron, we've only shared a single kiss. We don't even know each other." Oh but didn't she wish that weren't the case?

"If you let me, I promise to change that, beautiful." Seconds later, he was out.

"Shit!" she growled, unable to decide whether to be grateful or upset when the pain meds chose that moment to kick in.

One glance at her watch had her scrambling to the door, picking up her  gear. There was no time to change clothes, so she'd just have to deal  with the wet now plastered to the inside of her thighs. And all from a  single kiss? What was she, a jag in heat?

Looking back to the bed, her brows bunched together. Well, was she?





Chapter Three

Aaron sat up and rolled his shoulders and neck, stiff from sleeping so  hard for so long. The moon shone like a muted bulb, hidden by thick  storm clouds. He'd slept all day and half the night. Closing his eyes,  he breathed deeply. Reya's scent lingered, invaded his lungs and seeped  into his body clear down to his balls.

Everything smelled like her. The sheets and the pillows. Even the damned  air. He felt hungry for the sight of her. Maybe she'd give him another  kiss. Just the thought of her warm, full lips on his sent a rush of  warmth across his skin. What the hell kind of weird reaction was he  having to her?

And where was the woman anyway? He strained his ears for the soft,  barely audible sound of her footfalls but all was quiet. Where had she  gone?

Perhaps she was in the bathroom … which was where? Gritting his teeth  against the soreness, he sat up, pleased he'd done it on his own. His  forearm was a bit sore, but at least the IV had been removed. Dr. Matons  must have come in and relieved him of it while he slept.

He wasn't sure what day it was. The days and nights were one big blur of  blood, pain, Dr. Matons and his damned pain meds … and kissing Reya. Now  that he wouldn't mind reliving.

Legs swung over the side of the bed and the soft sheets pooled between  his very naked thighs. Slightly dizzy, Aaron took his time and pushed  slowly to his feet. Even in this humidity, the skin around his stitches  felt tight. He resisted the urge to stretch and concentrated instead on  the watery feeling in his legs. It was disconcerting and uncomfortable  but made sense. Having been an athlete all his life, he understood that  his legs would protest his heavy weight after lying on his back for  days.

But there was one sign of recovery he welcomed. He had to pee.

Taking it slowly, he breathed a sigh of relief when he made it to the  door he prayed was the bathroom. The woven bamboo door opened  noiselessly and Aaron stood in the threshold with an appreciative tilt  raising the side of his mouth. Reya had taste.

Her bathroom was a sanctuary. Done in pale green and blue tiles, it was  like looking at an artful rendition of the Caribbean Sea. With the  exception of the double-basin sinks, the room looked like one huge  shower. With a drain built into the floor on the far side of the  facility, it was completely tiled-the walls, the floor, even the  ceiling. Massaging jets stuck out of the walls in various positions and  one could actually enjoy the water on the front and both sides of the  body all at the same time.