Saffron Read online

  “Not scared of the dark, are you, Doc?” he whispered right beside her in her ear.

  The dark? No. But the way her body reacted to his? Most assuredly.

  “Not even close.”

  She was swarmed with this overwhelming urge to press against his hard chest. As it was, she shifted slightly, so her hip grazed him. The farther down they went the colder it got, and she was glad that fluctuations in temperature had zero effect on her.

  The lift lurched as it stopped and they stepped off into a dimly lit area, the sound of voices and machinery reaching them. He moved to stride past her and she reached out with one hand and placed it upon his arm. Kenric froze as if she’d shot him.

  Heat pierced her palm and she almost jerked away from the sensations that touching him gave her. He stiffened and stared down at her, those icy-blue orbs burning through every single wall of protection she’d ever erected around her heart.

  “What?” The question sounded more like a wild animal’s final warning before it attacked.

  “I need to see maps of these sites, as detailed as possible.”

  His lids lowered, hiding his gaze and leaving narrow slits. “I’m sure you got them from Kade.”

  She didn’t bat an eye. “And I’m not asking Kade. I’m asking you, the one everyone around here calls ‘Boss’, to give me a look at your maps.”

  He worked his jaw before glancing around them. In a heartbeat, he had her pressed up against the cool rock of the tunnel. “What the hell are you after?”

  It was difficult to focus with his muscular body aligned to hers. He wedged a powerful thigh between her legs and she swallowed hard. Each breath canopied her senses with the heady masculine scent of Kenric Annson. He smelt of smokiness, warm amber and freshness, an amazing combination.

  “Maps. I just told you.”

  “Don’t bullshit me, Doc. I’m a drilling and blasting specialist—I don’t need some pencil neck staring over my shoulder.” His mouth was a hairsbreadth away from hers.

  Heat pooled in her body and she licked her bottom lip before formulating a response. “Apparently you do, Kenric. Or is it familiar practice for you to be drilling and blasting along a fault line?”

  “What?” His hands landed on either side of her head. “Explain what shit you’re spewing.”

  She ensured that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard by anyone else and gave him the answer. “This place is along the edge of the Somalia Plate. If I’m not wrong, and I would bet almost anything I’m not, if you continue to blast and drill on it you’re going to set off some kind of chain reaction that…would not be in the best interest of humankind.”

  “You’re blowing smoke up my ass.”

  “Not even close. You need to listen to me, Kenric. You may be a drilling and blasting specialist, but I am a geologist and one of the top experts in my field. This portion of the African Plate has been moving anyway and with your…encouragement, it will only do so more quickly, and possibly more violently.”

  He stepped back from her and crossed his arms, shooting her a look that probably worked wonders in quelling most people he faced. However, most weren’t her, and she met his angry stare with an emotionless one of her own.

  “I’m guessing you don’t believe me.”

  Kenric snorted. “What makes you say that?”

  “I’m a lot of things, but a fool isn’t one of them. I’ll explain it later. Right now I want to go down the tunnels and see for myself.”

  What looked like frustration flared again in his eyes but he didn’t argue with her—just strode off, leaving her to follow. As they walked through the tunnels she made notes and took samples, putting everything in her bag. The stuff she took truly was inconsequential, for she already knew everything she needed to know.

  They were on the fault line and the earth below was not happy. Her heart felt for the earth and she longed to save it from all pain, allow it to do what it would. But somehow she bet that an entire drilling team vanishing from the face of the earth wouldn’t go over so well.

  The air had a sulphuric stench to it and she scrunched her face, despising the eggy scent. The tunnel trembled as a low whoomph filled the area. Instinctively, she braced herself, only to find her entrapped in Kenric’s strong embrace as he used his large body to shelter her from the falling debris.

  “You okay?” he asked, as all that was left floated down in the form of dust.

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  His gaze lingered upon her lips and then drifted with infinite slowness back up to her eyes. “A distraction is not something we need around here,” he muttered. He wiped his thumb along her cheekbone, presumably removing dirt. “And you are one hell of a distraction.”

  “For your men—or you?” She was proud that the words didn’t betray her nervousness.

  He found her lips and kissed her. Her world tilted on its axis and she was lost. Saffron gripped his waist, digging her fingers into the material of his shirt as she opened under his assault. The kiss wasn’t soft or gentle. Kenric took what he wanted from her. And she gave.

  His tongue plunged deep into her mouth. It sought, stroked, and teased her until it took all her willpower not to drag him to the floor and strip him naked. Her blood sang with more power than she’d felt in a long time.

  He tasted like freedom and the wild. It sank into her pores and embedded into her, creating a heady and wildly addictive flavour that she craved. She released his shirt and slid her arms up to settle around his neck. He had a thick thigh wedged between her legs again and she flexed her hips, riding the solid muscle there, craving something more…intimate.

  Another boom and more rock and dust fell around them. Kenric pushed away from her with a muttered curse. He glanced at her and cursed again. “Let’s go,” he barked the order at her and turned back the way they’d come.

  “Why are we going this way?”

  “Move it!” He picked up the pace and vanished around the curve.

  Saffron paused and touched the side. Warmer than usual. She glanced to her planned destination and whirled to take off in that direction. One step was as far as she got before a hand clamped around her wrist.

  “I don’t think so.”

  She snarled silently before facing the angry Kenric Annson. “Remove your hand.”

  “Why? You didn’t object to my touch a moment ago. In fact,” he purred, “you damn near came while humping my leg.”

  She ignored the fact that he was right. Jerking free of his touch, she fixed him with that stare that usually got her what she wanted. It didn’t seem to faze him a bit.

  “You’re not to go off on your own.”

  “Then I suggest, Mr Annson, that you stay close. I have things to check out and I’m not going topside until I get them checked.” She turned around then peered at him over her shoulder. “And if you really want to be technical, it wasn’t just your leg I was humping on. I felt your cock, nice and hard. Don’t think I was the only one turned on.” Smug, she walked off, hearing his mutterings as he followed.

  Chapter Two

  “Boss! Wake up!”

  Kenric stirred and lifted heavy lids to find Shade hovering over him, almost invisible in the room’s single light.

  “What is it, Shade?”

  “Your woman just left the compound. She’s heading out into the steppes.”

  “Damn it!” he swore, shoving to his feet.

  Dressed in mere minutes, he headed for the door at a run, shoving an extra gun into the waistband of his pants. Shade matched his pace and they thundered up the hall to the door. Saffron hadn’t even been with them one full day and already she was pushing him beyond his limit.

  Knowing she was near was torture. After they’d come up from the tunnels she’d sequestered herself away in her room, running tests and documenting things. She’d even blown him off when he’d knocked and asked for that explanation she’d said she would give later. So when she’d showed up at dinner later with Shade as her escort, he’d
nearly lost his calm.

  Every time he thought of her he relived their passionate kiss down below the crust of the earth. After the explosion that had rocked the area he’d not even thought of what could have caused the blow-up, just the need to ensure that she didn’t get injured. All his protective instincts had run swift and hot and, if he were to be honest with himself, he’d expected her to be shaken when he’d drawn back to look at her. She hadn’t been.

  Her eyes had been calm and he’d felt a kick to his gut like he was training in hand-to-hand combat. There’d been dirt and dust covering her face and he had been unable to refrain from touching her. The kiss had followed. And now it’s all I’ve been thinking of.

  He’d retired early, since it was his turn to head down come morning and, doing what they did, they couldn’t afford to be tired, or off their game even a little bit. When Shade had woken him, he’d just managed to strip all the clothes off his dream Saffron and he’d been so close to sinking his length deep inside her.

  Now he was not only horny as hell, he was also pissed off that she’d left the building. After all, how many different ways can a person be told not to go out at night?

  “Which way?” he demanded as they neared the door.

  “Off to the left, Boss. I tried to tell her, but she just told me not to worry about her. Said she could take care of herself.”

  He shoved through the door and paused when Shade’s hand settled upon his shoulder. “I won’t kill her, Shade, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “You don’t need to scare her, either,” he said.

  “The hell I don’t. She needs to understand this isn’t a metropolitan area where cops walk around and most of the time you’re safe. I don’t need her impulsiveness costing these men their lives because they feel like protecting a woman.”

  “Like you did underground?”

  He narrowed his eyes. How’d he know about that? “Something like that,” he stated, glad for the low lighting to hide his blush.

  “Yes, I know about that. Flare told me. Said he saw you kissing the lovely doc down there.”

  Shit!

  “Let it go, Shade.”

  He chuckled. “I’m just saying, Boss. Maybe you’re just scared she’ll get hurt and you’re pissed she left without telling you.”

  “I told her not to go out after dark!”

  “Maybe I should go get her,” Shade reiterated.

  “Like hell, she’s my pain in the ass and I’ll deal with her. It’s time that little she-devil and I have a chat.”

  Shade stepped back, his white teeth flashing in the shadows. “If that’s what you want to call it, Boss. Don’t forget we leave in the morning.”

  “Night, Shade.” Kenric continued on his way out into the darkness, while Shade vanished back into the building.

  Moving with the stealth that had got him through a few tours in the Middle East, he soon spotted her. The moon offered the only light and it silhouetted her body in a way that should have been illegal. His cock, which still hadn’t quite softened after his erotic dream, hardened the rest of the way. Saffron walked slowly.

  He paused a short distance away from her and recognised the second she knew she was no longer alone. She didn’t jump, just stopped her forward progression.

  “Damn it!” He closed the distance between them. “I told you to stay inside after it got dark.”

  “Hello to you, too, Kenric.” Her voice was as soft as his was hard.

  “Don’t you hello me. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “I don’t need a babysitter, Kenric. I told your man to stay back in the compound—I don’t want him in trouble or risking himself by coming with me.”

  Anger boiled close to the top. “So you figured going out into the night, in Somalia, alone was wise!”

  “I was fine. Safer probably than now, with your loud voice. I know what I’m doing.”

  He grabbed her wrist and jerked her close to his chest. “Don’t fuck with me, Saffron,” he ground out. “This is not the friendliest place on earth.”

  Her body stiffened and he felt as though her words were drenched in ice. “Do not assume that because I am female I am helpless. I need not your permission to go anywhere, not even down that hole. Push me too far, Kenric, and you will see that. I don’t answer to you and you would do well to remember that piece of information.”

  His skin prickled and he lifted his head to scan the area, suddenly feeling on edge. As if something powerful were out there. Watching. Waiting.

  “Look,” he said in a calmer tone, having realised that she wouldn’t scare and wasn’t at all intimidated by him. “We need to talk.”

  “Fine. I have a blanket over here.”

  “Not out here. Inside.” He rolled his eyes when she hesitated. “Now, Saffron. You come with me or I’ll carry you.”

  “I’d like to see you try,” she muttered, turning her back on him.

  He struck like a snake, grabbing and tossing her over his shoulder before she knew what had happened. She struggled until he smacked her on the ass and retrieved her blanket from the ground. Saffron hurled curses at him and wriggled as he carried her back to the safety of the compound. His temper had barely cooled when he kicked open the door to his bedroom and dumped her unceremoniously on his cot, where she bounced before stopping.

  “How dare you!” she seethed.

  “Oh I dare, Saffron Eshe. And, since you can’t seem to be trusted not to endanger yourself, consider us roommates. So get comfortable, because we’re sharing that bed tonight.”

  She watched him from beneath lowered lids. “Go to hell.”

  “Been there and back a few times, darlin’.” He whipped off his shirt and dropped it on the lone chair in the room. “Lose the boots—I don’t allow them in my bed.”

  “Fuck you.” Her voice had become a bit raspy and from the flaring of her nostrils he’d bet she was aroused.

  “Normally I’d say name the time and place, but I’m due down in the hole tomorrow, bright and early. You’re coming with me so I can keep an eye on you. Lose the boots, darlin’—don’t make me tell you a third time.”

  He removed his weapons and boots but left his pants on. By the time he’d turned off the light, her boots had joined his on the floor. It was a tight fit on his cot but he didn’t mind so much. Having her curves pressed up against him made him wonder about his rash decision, though.

  She was between him and the wall and he spooned with her, curving his arm about her midsection and tucking her close. He buried his nose in her hair and closed his eyes with her unique scent filling him.

  “This isn’t a good idea,” she muttered.

  Truth be told, he’d had the same thought, given his physical reaction to the way they fit together.

  “Shoulda thought about that beforehand, darlin’.”

  He moved his hips and brushed his hard length along the curve of her ass. She burrowed back into him and he smothered another groan.

  “I thought we were going to talk.”

  “We will. Tomorrow. Right now you’re thinkin’ too much, Doc. You’re coming with me tomorrow, so get some sleep.” Please, because I can’t go to sleep until you stop moving around like that, tempting me.

  By some miracle she didn’t argue—just nestled into the pillow and yawned. She mumbled something he didn’t understand and for a moment he was going to ask her what she’d said, but he let it go. His fearless doctor had finally calmed down and hopefully he could get some much needed sleep.

  Saffron lay in his arms, quiet and listened to the deep, even breaths he took. It had been many, many years since she’d allowed herself to fall asleep in a man’s arms. And this prickly one moment, protective the next, pain in her ass man, was the one she had let it happen with. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to rest.

  She woke to find herself lying on top of Kenric. Her legs were caught between his and he cupped her ass, holding her tight against his groin. His hard shaft
teased her even between their clothing. Her own hands wrapped around his body and she could feel scars along his back with her fingertips.

  “Keep moving like that, darlin’, and we’re going to have something else to discuss between us.”

  His words froze her to the spot. Lifting her head from where it had been snuggled into the crook of his neck she stared down at him in the early morning light. She dampened her lips with her tongue as she took in his stubble-covered cheeks and jaw, bow-shaped mouth, and such icy, clear blue eyes.

  “Well, since we’re already going to have a chat…” she trailed off, lowering her mouth to his firm lips.

  A low growl erupted from him as he rolled them over and dominated the kiss. Pinned beneath him she closed her eyes and gave herself over to the feel of his muscular physique moulding to her. She felt small and feminine. Her belly exploded with butterflies as he slid one hand up, under her shirt. His callused palm created havoc on her insides. He cupped her breast and she whimpered, desire flooding her.

  Arching into his touch, Saffron dug her nails into his back as he tugged on her nipple. Liquid fire flowed through her veins and she felt moistness flood her pussy. His tongue danced with hers, stroking deep and teasing her.

  He broke the kiss and rose up. His eyes burned into her as he grasped the bottom of her shirt and pulled it off over her head. Bare, she lay back before him and ignored the clenching in her belly as he ran his gaze over her, hungrily.

  “Beautiful.” The word was deep and guttural.

  He reached for and undid the button of her cargo pants and lowered the zipper. Their eyes locked as he tugged the garment down over her hips. She lifted and he worked them off her body before dropping them to the floor. Then he lowered his large, hard frame back over her.

  “You too,” she whimpered, wanting his pants gone.

  “Patience.”

  She sank her hand into the hair at the back of his head. “Now!”

  He snapped the waistband of her panties and thrust two fingers deep inside her. Stars exploded from behind her eyes as she came with a hard pulse. She clamped her lips together to keep the scream contained.