Emerald Fire. Monica McCabe

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СКАЧАТЬ searched for an evasive reply, one that wouldn’t alienate the only person in the Caribbean she’d found willing to help her.

      One who practically guaranteed success.

      “Nothing,” she declared simply. “It’s exhaustion. You. Me. We both need sleep.”

      That was the absolute truth. She didn’t like it, didn’t want to sleep. With the Emerald Fire in the crosshairs, she was desperate to get her feet on deck and retrieve that journal. No matter the physical cost.

      But he couldn’t deny it.

      “You understand that recovering the yacht requires you to be honest with me. If there’s something out there that can impact the variables, I need to know about it.”

      “The only thing impacting us is wasted time. Pirates don’t sleep. They’re too busy chopping up stolen booty.”

      He shook his head and sat back up. “That imagination of yours is formidable.”

      More like crazy and jumped to far-fetched conclusions. How else could she explain she was actually entertaining the idea that her alleged great-times-eight grandfather predicted she’d be working with the man from NorthStar? And why, oh why, did she wonder what it would be like to kiss him?

      Not a good idea. At all. She’d be better off formulating strategy. And sneak skills. One didn’t just stroll onto a pirate compound and politely ask for a yacht back. Nor did one entertain the idea of kissing a complete stranger when they were sharing a hotel room.

      That didn’t stop her from wondering, though.

      He was close enough for her to get a whiff of clean, soapy male, and even with the semi-interrogation and Mr. Serious attitude, she wanted to lean in and do exactly what she knew she shouldn’t.

      But then again, maybe she should. That would certainly distract him from asking so many questions.

      There was only one major flaw in this plan. Her seduction skills were practically non-existent. She really should’ve paid more attention to developing feminine charms instead of studying geography and deciphering cryptic historical tomes. She placed the hairbrush she forgot she was holding on the nightstand and shifted to face an exasperated Finn.

      “You aren’t being honest with me,” he said. “You want to continue this partnership? Come clean.”

      That sealed it. She straightened her spine and lowered her gaze to his lips. He just sat there, staring at her, so she leaned slightly toward him and slipped the tip of her tongue out to moisten her lips.

      The action caught his attention. He glanced at her lips then back at her eyes with an inquiring lift of one brow.

      Damn, he wasn’t going to make this easy. With a long, slow breath of courage, she reached across and lightly ran a fingertip along the strong line of his jaw. When he didn’t move a muscle, not even so much as a blink, she kept up her exploration and softly stroked his lower lip before looking into his eyes.

      Their blue color had darkened. It was the only visible effect of her seduction, but it was an effect. Which meant it was working. She smiled.

      “You’re trying to distract me,” he said with a flat edge.

      “Maybe,” she replied. There was too much at stake to be playing games now, but suddenly, just for a minute or two, she wanted to forget the urgency of their situation and the danger they would face tomorrow. Call her crazy, but she really wanted to know what it was like to kiss a man like Finnegan Kane.

      So she summoned her long-lost inner siren and leaned over, stopping a mere inch from his mouth. He didn’t move, so she drifted over to his freshly shaven cheek and blew a little puff of warm breath over his skin, enjoying the clean scent of his shaving lotion.

      She traveled slightly lower and nipped his chin with her lips. His breathing quickened, and she savored a flash of triumph before his hands came up to frame the sides of her face and hold her still.

      But it was the heat in his eyes that pinned her in place.

      It also had her catching her breath in anticipation. But he made her wait, playing the same game she just had. His thumbs brushed her cheeks as his head moved closer. He nudged her chin higher, tilted her head back, and came even closer. He was near enough that she could feel his breath, the warmth of his skin.

      A soft moan escaped her.

      “Is this what you want?” he whispered against her lips.

      “Yes…no,” she responded in utter confusion. “I…”

      He captured her mouth with firm pressure, his hands sliding around her and pulling her tight against him. She responded mindlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck and reveling in his strength.

      He pressed her back onto the bed and ran his hands through her hair. He nibbled her lips, her neck, tasted her skin. She moaned again as one big hand glided across her breast and lower, only to slide under her tank top and touch bare skin.

      Desire spiked hard when his lips captured hers again, and she’d gone ragged by the time he lifted his head.

      “Your curiosity satisfied?” he calmly asked her.

      The words acted like a bucket of cold water, and she stiffened. Dear Lord! She’d totally lost control of the situation. And fast.

      Embarrassment flooded her cheeks, and she shoved him away from her and sat up. Her hands were shaking and her insides quivered like jelly, yet he sat at the edge of the bed with a serene smile that clearly said he’d known what she had attempted to do. Known, took control, and used it to his advantage.

      It also pointed out her complete lack of romantic finesse.

      “You’re a cad,” she whispered harshly, anger beginning to take the place of embarrassment.

      He just laughed. “Hardly. Just an obliging partner.”

      Her jaw clenched in self-disgust as Finn stood and pulled the covers aside on his bed, then climbed in.

      “I anticipate an eventful day tomorrow,” he said. “Get some sleep.”

      She didn’t respond, didn’t know what to say. How could he fall asleep after that little lust-filled scene? She rolled down her covers and climbed beneath, battling emotions that were all over the place. She had every right to be furious, but then again, she started this. She couldn’t fault him for her lack of self-control or common sense. She also didn’t understand her overwhelming response to a man she’d met less than twenty-four hours ago.

      The man from NorthStar will be your guide.

      He switched off the light. “Goodnight, Chloe.”

      She rolled over, presenting her back to him. Despite bone-deep exhaustion, sleep was a long time coming.

      Chapter 6

      “Boca Chica welcomes turistas, not pirates,” the town’s police captain declared with a heavy Spanish accent.

      It was an instant replay of the СКАЧАТЬ