Free In Enemy Hands by Michelle Perry Page B

kicked up to grab her.
    She sucked in a breath the instant before he dragged her under, but then she looked at him and bubbles of laughter escaped her mouth. Dante let her go.
    He popped to the surface and she clutched at his neck, burying her face in his chilled skin.
    “You dog,” she gasped. “You scared me.”
    “I scared you?” he said incredulously, and she laughed again.
    “Damn, baby, this water’s c-cold,” he chattered.
    She wrapped her legs around his waist and he opened the arms he was hugging himself with to pull her against his chest.
    “I’ll keep you warm,” she said, and crushed her mouth to his.
    Her hot mouth was a shocking contrast to the bitter cold that enveloped the rest of his body. Like she’d flipped a thermostat, Dante’s blood surged, flooding him with warmth. He waved his arms at his side to keep them adrift while she clutched at his shoulders.
    “Still cold?” she asked coyly, her nose bumping against his.
    “Huh uh.” He caught her lower lip between his teeth, and then found himself enveloped in another firestorm of a kiss. By the time they separated, they were both panting for breath.
    Nadia gave him a seductive smile and pushed a chunk of damp hair out of her face. She slid her cheek against his until her lips hovered at his earlobe. She whispered, “I’ve been daydreaming about that all day.”
    The thought of her wanting him as badly as he did her caused an unexpected, savage thrill to race through him.
    “Hey, Dante!” Ronnie called, and they guiltily broke apart.
    Dante scanned the banks, but didn’t yet see him. Then Ronnie’s white shirt appeared through the greenery.
    “What do you think about the waterfall?” he yelled.
    Dante laughed and lifted his eyebrows. To Nadia, he said, “What waterfall?”
    Nadia pointed over his shoulder. He twisted his head to look at the white, foaming water spilling over the rock wall.
    “Oh.” He grinned. “It’s great!” he yelled back at Ronnie.
    Ronnie peeled off his shirt and tossed it on a rock along with the pile of their shoes. He dove into the silvery blue water and Dante took advantage of the moment to give Nadia another quick kiss.
    “I wish we were alone,” he said.
    Well, most of him wished that, but another part of him wondered how the hell he was going to walk away from her now, and they weren’t even lovers yet. Not that he wanted to walk away, but he had the feeling she’d leave him no choice when she found out his true mission. Nadia made it painfully clear that she valued honesty and directness, and he’d been neither with her. But looking into her smiling face, he granted himself a short reprieve from the doubt and worry. For the next couple of hours, he was simply going to enjoy being with her.
    After they exhausted themselves swimming and playing beneath the waterfall, Nadia announced she was getting out. Dante followed her to the rocky shore. She sat on a long, smooth rock.
    They lay on their sides, facing each other. Dante trailed his fingertips down her side and she smiled. Ronnie emerged from the water a few minutes later and stretched on a grassy bank several yards away. With an exaggerated yawn, he turned away, giving them a small measure of privacy if they talked softly enough.
    “Your old man would kill me if he found out about this,” Dante whispered, caressing her hip.
    Nadia’s laugh was low and husky. “Well, I’m not telling, and Ronnie won’t say anything either. He’s like a brother to me, and he wouldn’t narc me out unless he thought I was going to get hurt.” She propped her head in one hand and stroked his face with the other. “You won’t hurt me, will you?”
    Dante twisted his head to kiss her palm. “Not on purpose. Never on purpose.” He cleared his throat. “So, tell me what it was like growing up here. How long have you been under lock and key?”
    “Well, let’s see.” Nadia glanced up at the sky, pretending to count. “The fifth of next month will be …