Page 72 of Hotter than Wildfire

“No,” he said at first, and kept repeating it. No no no no.

Seducing him softened him up for the kill. They had brunch in bed and she was lying on his hard chest, listening to the deep vibrations of his voice as he patiently listed the reasons why going for a walk on the beach was a bad idea.

Though he couldn’t know specifically where she was, presumably Montez realized she might still be in San Diego. Never underestimate the power of coincidence. They might be walking along and one of Montez’s thugs might be casing the beach at that exact moment. Montez wouldn’t have access to NSA satellites, thank God, so they didn’t have to worry about something Harry called Keyhole, some superspy satellite. But Montez could have a couple of ships at sea, men with binoculars lined up along the railing. And maybe one of those men might be looking through a scope of a rifle, on the lookout for her.

That stopped her for a second, then she shook the thought away.

“Harry. Listen to me.” She reached up to kiss that strong firm mouth and it turned down.

He patted her behind. “I know you think you can get anything from me using sex, and it’s true, you can get more or less anything you want, just not this. Diamonds and rubies, yes. This no.”

“I don’t want diamonds or rubies.” Ellen drew a circle in his chest hair until hair swirled around her fingertip, then pulled.

“Ouch.” His voice was mild. “And torture won’t work either.”

She’d been teasing, but now she sat up, covering her breasts.

“Oh man,” Harry sighed in regret at seeing them disappear behind the sheet.

Ellen looked him straight in the eyes and spoke to him from the heart.

“I’ve been on the run for over a year now, and I’ve lived mostly in the dark all this time,” she said quietly. “I crossed the country sleeping in motels during the day and driving by night. When I waitressed I always chose the evening shift. In Seattle, too, I worked the evening shift and stayed inside during the day. And anyway, it rained most days. I haven’t gone for a walk in the sunshine in over a year.”

She’d got out of bed at dawn to draw back the curtains and now she gestured to what she could see through the large French windows. A blindingly white beach and an achingly blue sea that met a slightly lighter sky way off on the horizon. Buttery sunshine from the sun that hadn’t crossed the rooftops yet cast a gentle glow over everything. A soft gentle breeze moved the curtains slightly. It was going to be a scorcher later, but right now the morning was fresh and cool. It felt like the first morning in the history of the world.

Ellen actually ached to be outside, to feel the sun on her skin, warm wind against her face.

She kissed his cheek, his mouth, pulled back and looked at him. “This past year, I’ve been indoors, alone and afraid. Gerald has taken everything from me. My job, my home, my life. My freedom.”

She knew he’d spent the past year indoors, too, wounded and alone. Surely he’d understand.

“I’m not stupid. I understand there’s a slight risk he could have tracked me down though I can’t see how.” Now for the big guns. She reached out, lightly placed her hand on his chest, right over his heart. “Harry, if I have to spend the rest of my life in hiding, in the dark, it’s not a life. Nicole told me a little about your past, and I think you understand what it’s like to feel deep despair. To feel like you’re condemned to the darkness forever.”

Her eyes grew wet. She wasn’t faking it, not much. Most of it was real.

Harry closed his eyes, swallowed convulsively, placed his big hand over hers. She could feel the strong steady beat of his heart under her palm, and the strength and warmth of his hand over hers. Strong and steady, the two attributes of Harry.

He swallowed again.

“Honey…I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt. And the thought of you falling into Montez’s hands…it drives me a little crazy.”

“Yes,” she said. She could see that. “I know what I’m asking you. But I need to feel the sun on my face. Even for just half an hour.”

His jaw muscles worked as he processed this. Ellen simply waited. She had no way to make him do something. If he wanted to keep her indoors, she certainly couldn’t wrestle him to the ground and escape, or trick him. And she didn’t have any more words to sway him with, because they stuck in her throat, tight with longing. She’d told him how she felt and now it was up to him.

Harry opened his eyes and looked down at her, his golden gaze fierce and penetrating. “You will never be more than a foot away from me at any time. You stick to my side like glue. Is that understood?”

Her heart took a delighted leap. “Yes, of course.”

“I’m taking Sam and Mike with me, and we’ll be armed. Is that clear?”

Oh God, she was going to wreck their Sunday. Was it worth it? She consulted her inner compass and decided yes, yes it was worth it. She felt starved of fresh air. Inside she was already pumping her fist in victory.

“We stay out half an hour, tops.”

Half an hour wasn’t much but it was better than nothing. His gaze never wavered from hers. There was only one possible answer.

“Yes, Harry.”