Maybe even allowing the fantasy to intrude in the moment.

  He captured my mouth and for all the times he’d kissed me before, this time was even more incredible. Tiny bursts of fireworks went off and it felt as if I was floating on air. He swept me off my feet and I couldn’t help myself, wrapping my legs around his hips.

  The taste of peppermint and the wine he’d consumed was an even more powerful aphrodisiac than the man holding me. I rubbed my hands along his shoulders, tangling the fingers of one in his thick strands of hair. As always, he dominated my mouth and tongue, but there was even more of a sense of urgency.

  As if deep anxiety was involved.

  He pulled his lips away, then lifted my chin with his thumb, dragging the top of his tongue in a methodical dance under my earlobe. Across my chin. Into the shell of my other ear.

  Goosebumps tickled my skin and being breathless was becoming too common around him. I loved it. Every heated breath. Every prickle dancing across my skin. With a puff of hot air, he whispered:

  “We’re going on a trip.”

  It took me a few seconds to realize what he’d said. The beautiful spell was broken and I eased my legs to the floor, gently pushing him away. “What?”

  He nodded and took a step back, nodding over his shoulder toward the packages. “One of my men is packing some clothes for you from the house where you were staying, but I thought you might want something… different. More tropical.”

  “Whoa. Hold on. I don’t understand. Where are we going and why?”

  The darkness in his eyes momentarily terrified me. “We own a house in St. Lucia. No one knows the location as it’s listed in the name of a dummy corporation we used years ago. We’ll be safe there.”

  Now I was the one backing away, the fear lingering. Suddenly, my heart was in my throat because I noticed the tension in his muscles. Not only was his jaw clenched, but the thick cords in his neck were pulsing erratically. “What is really going on?”

  “Nothing different than what I’ve told you.”

  “You’re a terrible liar. Maybe you don’t know it, but you have a telling twitch. The corner of your mouth.”

  His eyes immediately opened wide. “No one has ever told me that before.” His laugh was meant to try to push aside his blatant concern in my mind.

  It wasn’t working.

  “Talk to me, Sasha. What happened?”

  He shifted to check that Nina hadn’t wandered into the room. “There’s a price on my head and given the social media blitz linking us together romantically, I won’t take the chance of putting your life further in danger. We need to take a few days and regroup while my family discovers who’s behind the various attacks including your house.”

  “But I thought Damien was responsible.”

  “So did I. At first. A picture was captured of the person tampering with the security system. We’re running the photograph through photo recognition software, but that often takes time.”

  Everything about his words hit me hard. “Photo recognition software. My God. You are used to dealing with danger lurking around every corner. Aren’t you?”

  “We learned to be cautious, Lainey. Nothing more. It’s helped our family⁠—”

  “Stay alive?” I finished. “I don’t think I can do this. I have a life and a job to get back to. At least I think so. I’m not part of your world no matter how much the girl inside wanted to be. I truly hoped you’d be my knight in shining armor. You have been, but this is…”

  “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. This isn’t a request. You are coming. The only way I can keep you safe right now is to have eyes on you every moment of the day.”

  I couldn’t believe this. He was serious. He expected me to drop everything and run off to some tropical island with him. I looked away, forced to realize that even with the understanding of why we’d be leaving the country, I was still tingling all over from excitement. “How long?” Was I really asking? Was I seriously considering this?

  “A week. Maybe two. Long enough to put some pieces into place. Trust me,” he said with that boyish grin that I’d seen only a few times and had fallen in love with. “You’ll enjoy the surroundings. A private beach front house. Turquoise ocean waters. A quaint little town full of delicious food.”

  “What about Nina. Isn’t she in school?” I couldn’t go. It was ridiculous to think I could just disappear for a couple of weeks. Well, maybe I could write a few songs. I’d been working on some new material. I could finish it while I was there.

  “Well, I happen to know an elementary school teacher.”

  Damn it, his grin was driving me crazy, my pussy throbbing. And forget about my core. It was molten lava. How did he manage to make everything sound so exciting? Including danger.

  Including…

  I wasn’t going to say it.

  “That’s crazy. It sounds wonderful, but…”

  He was suddenly right in front of me again, gripping both arms and the deep, very intense look in his eyes screamed that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. I had to admit I did like the powerful, controlling side of him just a little too much.

  I bit my lower lip, processing by stating the pros and cons in my mind. The hard buzz of my phone indicating a message was jarring. I used the sound as an excuse, pulling away. “Let me just check to make certain nothing is wrong.”

  “Lainey… We need to talk about this.”

  I snagged my phone from the table, still tingling all over. How was it that one man could do that to me so easily? When I noticed the number, all the self-doubt I’d had early in my career rushed into my system.

  “Lainey, this is Mark Zimmerman. I’m sorry to call you on a Sunday, but this couldn’t wait.”

  As I listened to the message, every sound around me began to echo. As if I was standing in a vacuum. When the message ended, I took a deep breath, holding the phone against my chest.

  “What’s wrong?” Sasha asked.

  A laugh bubbled to the surface. “My mama told me that everything happens for a reason.”

  “O-kay. What?” He inched closer as if the big he-man was ready to protect me.

  “That was my record producer. Mr. Big, we call him in the industry.” I lifted my head, darting my eyes across his. “If your offer of being Nina’s teacher still stands, I’ll take the job.”

  “I thought you had one.” The tone of his voice dipped into the dark and dangerous level, the same one I’d heard when Damien had been manhandling me.

  “Nope. I was just fired. And do you want to know why?”

  “Why?”

  I smiled before answering because in truth, I wasn’t angry in the least. “You.”

  Paradise.

  I’d been so lucky to visit extraordinary locations throughout the world in my career. Paris. London. Milan. Canada. Australia. I’d vacationed a few times, even once on a tropical island, but I’d either been too busy or too exhausted to enjoy the time away.

  As I stood on the pearlescent beach staring at the crystalline waters of St. Lucia, an unusual sense of relaxation eased the fears. Maybe there was no reason to be afraid. This was a private location in a gorgeous cove with majestic views of the Piton Mountains.

  I’d yet to explore the three-story house. It was incredible with sweeping views, terraces and decks on three sides, floor-to-ceiling windows highlighting lush greenery and vivid flowers. The scene was breathtaking, a perfect depiction of the tropics.

  The light breeze filtered floral scents tickling my nose. The warm air was kissed by humidity while not suffocating. And the sound of the water lapping at the shoreline was perhaps the sweetest music I’d heard in a very long time.

  “Do you like it?” Nina asked, her little face peering up at me, her nose and brow scrunched as if worried I wouldn’t.

  “What’s not to love, sweet girl? This is amazing.” I threw my arms out and tipped my head, enjoying the warmth and the way I was tingling all over.

  We were safe here.

  I felt it in my bones.

  It didn’t hurt that Bernie had been asked to come with us and a man I’d briefly met at Nina’s birthday party. Tony seemed like a nice guy and clearly adored Nina. He was her personal security guard, a man she’d grown up with, keeping her safe when Sasha was unable to remain by her side.

  I’d seen Sasha packing his bags, including one containing several weapons. The private jet had allowed the flight less scrutiny and somehow, we’d breezed through customs without so much as anyone batting an eye.

  That’s the type of clout and power a man like Sasha Dmitriyev carried no matter where he was. He’d commanded every single person in the airport, women eyeing him as if he was Dove chocolate. Other than sunglasses, he’d had no need to hide his identity.

  In contrast, I’d worn huge sunglasses, slipping my hair under a hat. Not a single person had realized who I was. However, I knew that was about to change. Additional photos had shown up all over the internet of the two of us together.

  Including a couple taken at the bar where we’d had a drink together only a few nights before. You bet we’d seemed cozy even then.

  The entire moment was surreal. Needing bodyguards to ensure our protection shouldn’t bother me. Both Bernie and Danny were more like family than security who’d been with me for years.

  Yet this felt different. We were surrounded by opulence, able to spend time enjoying each other and pretending to be a family if only for a little while. But we were prisoners. Prisoners of some unseen war that neither a powerful man like Sasha nor his family who were steeped in a heritage preparing them for this very kind of battle could put an immediate end to.

  And while danger was lurking in every shadow, this beautiful little girl with hopeful eyes and a kind soul, a child who adored her daddy more than anything was peering up at me concerned I wouldn’t like being here.

  “This is amazing, Nina. I am very happy to be able to spend time with you and your daddy.”

  She giggled then suddenly looked very serious, completely unaware her father was strolling down the beach.

  But I was.

  As always, my body was completely electrified. The breeze carried his scent, the rich masculine and very woodsy fragrance perfect for his intense aura. He’d been quiet on the flight, allowing Nina to handle the bulk of conversations.

  She was so immune to the aspect of danger that I hoped nothing would burst her bubble.

  He’d spent the entire flight busying himself on emails, his brow remaining so furrowed I’d almost asked him a dozen times if something was wrong. Of course something was wrong. Someone wanted him dead.

  Even now that I’d had time to get used to what he’d said, the trickle of fear lingered.

  But with the smile on his face, his trousers rolled up and his shirt pulled free, several buttons undone, he appeared like the perfect GQ model.

  That made me even more hot and bothered inside.

  How was it that the wind tousling his hair could have such a strong effect on me?

  “You won’t leave like Mommy did. Will you?”

  Nina’s sudden tiny voice and the angst in her tone shocked me. I immediately crouched down to her level, trying to find the right words. Any words. “I’m not going anywhere, girlie. I think you’re going to have me in your life even if only as a friend for a very long time.”

  Evidently, I said the right thing. Her eyes brightened and she threw her arms around me. “You’re awesome.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  “I’m going to draw a picture. No peeking.” She barely acknowledged her father, waving at him before scampering away.

  I stood slowly, watching her as she rushed into the house. She’d picked out her room within five minutes of our arrival at the house. The top floor. Only the best for the little princess. And I agreed.

  “Hmm… What was that about?” Sasha asked as he approached.

  “Oh, just stuff. Girl stuff.”

  “Ah, why don’t I believe you?”

  He still had a puzzled look on his face, so I decided to jump into a question I’d been thinking about. “Do you ever talk about Selena with Nina?”

  He started to answer immediately and pulled a face. “She knows about her mother. I’ve mentioned her. We talked about how she was with the angels.”

  “While I was in your house, I didn’t see any pictures, including in Nina’s room.”

  He seemed confused, rubbing his jaw for a few seconds. “I thought she had a photograph in a frame on her nightstand. I know I’ve given her one.”

  “Did you tell her that any time she has questions you’ll be happy to answer them?” When he bristled, I placed my hand on his chest. “I’m not trying to pry. She asked if I was going to leave her like her mommy. She knows what’s going on, Sasha. She can feel the vibrations of your concern. She feeds off you and reads your body clues. She’s terrified of losing anyone else. That little girl is trying so hard to be strong for you that soon her childhood will be over. You don’t want that.”

  He was visibly shaken. “My God. I’ve been so busy trying to avoid the pain that I didn’t see hers.”

  “She’s missing her mother. Seeing the two of us together brought back emotions she’s been holding in a private prison of her own.”

  “She’s looking for stability.”

  “Aren’t we all?”

  His smile was careful, even pained. “Maybe you’re right about both. Talking about Selena has been too painful. I didn’t think about how Nina would feel. I guess I thought I was protecting her.”

  “I think doing so is important for both of you. Until you do, you won’t be able to move on. Just my opinion. When was the last time the two of you took a vacation?”

  He cocked his head, half laughing. “I honestly don’t remember when.”

  “You workaholic.”

  “Mmm… That’s how I earn the big bucks.”

  I gave him a salacious look, my face unfettered by sunglasses. When I started unbuttoning his shirt, a husky and adorable growl created a wave of desire. He knew exactly how to turn me on. “Well, that’s how I can lure men into my web.”

  He lifted his sunglasses, eyeing me suspiciously. “Oh, yeah? Did you learn that in college, little butterfly?”

  His playful tone had returned.

  “Maybe. However, women are much smarter than men.” The sand felt good between my toes and I continued stepping away, swishing my dress back and forth to taunt him.

  “So you’re suggesting we need to have a little fun. Is that it?”

  “On this trip? That’s exactly what I’m saying. Let your hair down. Put on a pair of shorts and flip-flops. Allow the rest of the world to fade away if only for a little while. Your business, your investments, and the danger will still be there. If that’s what you want. I dare you.”

  I took another step away, even blowing him a kiss. He wasn’t ready to fully confront the pain in losing Selena, but just by confiding in me, the ice had been broken.

  “You dare me?” His grin widened as he pressed his finger against his chest.

  “Yep. Stop being the stuffy man you’re known for being. I double dare you.”

  “You need to learn some manners and start obeying.”

  “Obeying you?” I pointed at him, shaking my head. “I don’t think so.”

  “Oh, you’ll learn to obey me. And stuffy, huh? Lady… I’ll show you stuffy.”

  When he lunged forward, I yelped, spinning around, hiking up my dress and running like a bat out of hell.

  I threw my head over my shoulder, laughing. I was getting away from him. Maybe I should have known better. Within seconds, he tackled me to the sand. I struggled to get away, fighting him with everything I had.

  He was having none of it. With no trouble, he plopped his butt onto the wet sand, yanking me over his lap.

  “What in God’s name are you doing?”

  “Helping you learn obedience. What do you think?” He didn’t waste any time, smacking his hand on my bottom with brutal cracks.

  I was shocked, flailing in the sand as I threw a look toward the house. Thank God we’d run far enough to be hidden by trees. “You can’t do this.”

  “I can do anything I want. My property.”

  “Me or the house?”

  He laughed and picked up his rhythm, moving from one side of my bottom to the other. My skin was already on fire. I’d always hated pain, loathed it, and I couldn’t believe he was spanking a grown woman. But somehow my body was on fire, my pussy so wet I was shocked into accepting that some part of me craved discipline.

  Gasping for air, I did everything I could to break free from his hold. He was too strong, yanking me back onto his lap. I finally gave up, wiggling back and forth instead just to tease him. To create friction.

  His groan of frustration was a sweet reward.

  Every brutal crack of his hand was followed by a hard clench of my pussy. I was wound up, my thong completely soaked from the intensity of my longing. The scent of my desire mixed with the incredible fragrances surrounding us and it was crazy, but I felt intoxicated.

  “You will learn,” he muttered.

  “Never.” Today was especially freeing for me. I’d breathed a sigh of relief after being let go. I’d expected tears, even anger, but I was flying high.

  Even if I was receiving a harsh spanking just for being me.

  A little bit sassy, a whole lot of naughty, and the girl from Montana who was getting her backbone in order.

  Sasha finally took a scattered breath while slipping his hand between my legs. “You’re going to get it for taunting me.”

  “Mmm… That doesn’t mean I’ll stop.” When he slipped his fingers past the edge of my thong, I shuddered, my pussy clenching around the delicious invasion.

  “God, I hope not. I like you just the way you are.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Sasha

  “You should know by now you can’t run away from me.” I wrapped my hand around Lainey’s arm, jerking her against me.