Riley dug his hand into her hair and pulled her head to the side. His mouth kissed hers and her desire spiraled out of control. Her vision blurred, and she whimpered as the pleasure branded this moment onto her soul forever.
“Fuck yes,” Riley groaned.
He eased off her clit and rocked into her. His motions were jerky, uneven, out of control. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her limp body to his with a shout.
They stilled, sucking down oxygen. Her face was mostly buried in the cushion while Riley’s chest pressed her further down.
Erin was totally wrecked. Whatever control of her choices and this thing between her and Riley she’d thought she had, it was gone now. She couldn’t keep lying to herself, telling her poor heart that moments like these were enough. They weren’t. She wanted to keep tallies with Riley. She wanted to find a damn stopwatch for the hell of it. She wanted more. She deserved more.
“I lost count around eighty,” he said between breaths. He sat up, clearly more in control of himself than she was at the moment.
“And there goes the moment.” She hid her smile.
“I hate to break it to you, but I’m human and male. I can only do one thing at a time.” He braced his hand on her hip and eased their bodies apart.
“You did pretty well.” More like fucking fantastic, but she couldn’t say that.
“Was that a compliment?” Riley pulled her back until she sat on his lap again.
“Don’t let it go to your head.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled.
“That was a compliment.” He closed one eye and did another imaginary slash on his invisible tally board.
She shook her head and kissed his cheek, allowing herself this much.
He turned, kissing her back.
“If we didn’t need sleep, you’d be in trouble,” he said.
“Who needs sleep?”
“You do. And, I’m afraid I don’t run on batteries.”
He stood with her cradled to his chest.
These moments were numbered, and she had to enjoy them.
He carried her to the bed and set her down, then crawled in behind her.
“Just for a moment,” he whispered.
He wrapped his arms around her, spooning her.
She squeezed her eyes shut, her throat tightening with panic. They’d known each other for a day. She shouldn’t be in this much danger after a little more than twenty-four hours, but she was. In that much time, with a little kindness, Riley had driven home every reason why this job wasn’t working out. And he’d done it all before they had sex. The fooling around didn’t count. She’d fallen for him before that, when he sat up drinking tea and eating biscuits with her. Maybe she was too sad, pathetic and lonely, or maybe it was him. She couldn’t tell anymore, but she did know that when her heart broke, it would shatter her.
SATURDAY. ERBIL, KURDISTAN.
Mark tossed his helmet down into the floor board. Hours of driving aimlessly were doing nothing but burning fuel. He needed a solution. The bitch couldn’t have vanished. People didn’t teleport. She was in Erbil somewhere and he’d find her.
He glanced at the time.
It could be worth trying again.
He pulled into a parking lot and scrolled back down through his contacts. Over the years he’d cultivated favors from a lot of people for a variety of reasons. Even if it was to just have someone in his debt. Out here, a favor could go a long way at the right moment.
Kurdistan was different from the world surrounding it. It was heavily guarded, and the military took even the most routine check-point sweep seriously. Which meant there was a real-time record of when people crossed the city and where they were going. Getting access to that data was near impossible. Without the right connection.
Mark pressed dial once more and listened to the phone ring.
He’d done a minor favor for one of the chief technical officers working with the checkpoint guards. If anyone could track a person across the city, it was him.
“What?” the man on the other end of the line snapped.
“Good evening,” Mark drawled.
“You’ve called me five fucking times. Why?” The man sounded more tired than angry.
“I’m looking for someone. She’s in trouble and I need help locating her. Please? I don’t want to have to call her family and tell them I don’t know where she is.” Mark put his own desperation in his voice to sell the story.
“What the hell are you involved with now?” The man sighed. “Who is she?”
“Erin Lopez. She works for NexGen. Last time anyone saw her, she was in a dark SUV with an American man. I don’t know what they have on her, but she’s not with them willingly. Please, I know this isn’t the way things are done, but I’ve got to find her before they make her disappear. You know how the Americans can be.”
“How long has she been missing?”
“Couple of days.”
The man blew out a breath. “Hold on.”
Success.
Mark wasn’t a praying man, but he thanked whatever god was listening to him.
“I’ve got her going through a check point around nine. I’m texting you the details, but you did not get this from me, understand?”
“Yes.”
“Lose my number. I can’t help with every sob story, okay?”
“You’re doing the right thing.” Mark hung up and slumped in his seat.
A break. Finally. It was exactly what he needed.
9.
SUNDAY, ERBIL ROTANA, Erbil, Kurdistan.
Riley glanced at the bathroom door, listening to the sounds of Erin’s shower.
When this was over, he was going to miss her. She was a special kind of woman. It was too bad they’d met like this. In another time or place, maybe they could be more for each other. She’d made it clear from the beginning this was nothing more than sex, and he’d honor her wishes. She had enough on her plate. She didn’t need his baggage.
He checked the time once more.
Zain had given them a fifteen-minute warning before calling. Whatever it was, he doubted they were sticking to
