Page 49 of Colombian Chemistry

“I’m fine. No time to check for injuries. Let’s go!”

He pulled me with him off the van, firing several return shots as we raced down the cobblestone street. Men’s shouting voices trailed behind us, but Marcus never looked back. We zigged and zagged down the city streets, and finally, Marcus pulled me into an alley.

He pressed me up against a wall and held me steady, pressing his finger to his lips while he listened. After a long minute, he took a deep breath and turned to face me.

“Well, that went better than I expected. We’re both alive.”

He grinned at me, and this time that sexy, cocky smile was too much to handle. Maybe it was the adrenalin, or the near-death experience, or having him so close to me, but I couldn’t stop myself from wrapping my arms around his neck, rising on my toes, and pressing my lips to his. He froze for a moment, then his body softened as he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me off the ground.

Our lips devoured each other, passion like I’d never known coursing through every molecule inside me. Like little tiny sparks bursting to life, they illuminated every cell in my body. I slid my tongue past his lips and moaned into his mouth. I knew it was chemicals in my body causing me to be attracted to him this way, but I also knew it was more. So much more. I burned for him in a way I’d never known I could burn. Our tongues collided as he deepened our kiss, and we kissed until I couldn’t breathe.

And I didn’t need oxygen anymore. I had him to keep me alive.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Marcus

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The world around me slammed to a stop when Irene’s mouth met mine. It wasn’t just the shock of it that left me off-kilter; it was the feelings inside me that awakened with her kiss. Feelings I’d never even known I was capable of.

I pulled her tight, letting my tongue explore her mouth while I held her body close to mine. I never wanted to let her go. I felt an overwhelming peace in her arms, something I never thought I’d feel again. A feeling I wanted to hold onto forever... I wanted to hold her forever. But a loud pop from the street echoed into the alley, and I shoved her against the wall, shielding her with my body.

“Was that a gun?” she asked. “Did they find us?”

I chuckled as I listened to the engine chug away. “No. A car backfiring. Christ, that scared the shit even out of me.”

As I laughed, I turned back to face her. Concern filled her eyes as she sucked that lip I wanted to taste again between her teeth.

“Uh, I’m so sorry,” she said. “You said you don’t even like to be hugged, and then I went and just shoved my tongue in your mouth.”

“Don’t be sorry.” I slid my hand through her hair and pushed a piece from her face. “If you hadn’t done it, I would have.”

“Yeah?” she smiled sweetly.

“Yeah.”

We stood staring at each other for a moment, and I wanted to yank her back against me and indulge in the passions she awakened inside me with more kissing, but I heard voices in the distance.

“They are still looking for us, and if we don’t move, they’re going to find us.”

“Where do we go?”

“The US Embassy isn’t far from here. If we hurry, we can probably get you there in ten minutes.”

“The embassy? Really? We’re in Bogotá?” she lit up.

“Yes. I can drop you off there, and you’ll be safe with them. They can get you home.”

“Oh,” she said quietly.

It was then I realized that when we got to the embassy, our journey together would end. How I hadn’t realized that, I wasn’t sure, and now that I had, I didn’t want to take her.

But the embassy was the only place she would be safe. They would protect her from the Jungle Kings and get her safely back to the States. Far from the men who would do her harm. Even though that meant we had to go our separate ways, it was worth it to know that she would be out of their dangerous grasp.

“It’s the best thing for you,” I said.

“No. I know. It’s just—”