Free Perfect Picture [The ShadowDance Club 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Avery Gale Page A

they wouldn’t raise suspicion, but as soon as they had Myla they would need private transportation. The Lamont jet was on standby awaiting his call. It was currently in Luxor, Egypt. But he planned to alert them in plenty of time so they would already be in the air at the time he and Ilaina were scheduled to meet Myla. The pilot would then be directed to land at Jos as soon as Noah contacted Alex via the secure sat-phone he was carrying. Seems rescuing children was a lot more complicated than kidnapping them and didn’t that just about figure.
    When Ilaina walked out of their suite’s bath minutes after their dinner had arrived, he had been completely stunned. How the hell did she manage to totally rock a pair of cut-off Levis and a cropped tank? “ Cara , you are amazing. I’m toast after all that traveling and you walk out of there looking like the hottest woman on the planet.” He’d moved so he was standing in front of her stroking the side of her face with his fingers lost in the moment and just taking in her beauty. She was halfway around the world, putting her life on the line for a child she’d never even met and that only added to her appeal.
    “Come on, love. I need to feed you so you can get some rest.” He kissed the end of her nose and led her to the small table so they could enjoy the dinner that had been delivered moments earlier. They ate in a comfortable silence and he knew she had to be completely exhausted. She’d eaten a large plate of fruit and vegetables and downed several glasses of water before turning in.
    After his shower he’d joined her in the large bed and pulled her against his chest so he could hold her close. He relished the chance to just breathe her in and let her sweet scent settle his soul. He’d checked his email before coming to bed and Mitch had sent an update on the investigation of her stalker. Both Mitch and Colt Matthews, who was the head of the Lamont’s security operation and was also a technological wizard, were both working to identify the man who had been sending increasingly ominous emails to Ilaina and that was comforting. But Noah knew stalkers were notoriously unpredictable and were often set off by small perceived slights, so no one was taking the veiled threats lightly.
    Noah had also read an update from Dylan Marshall, the local sheriff in Climax. Dylan had been a DEA agent before his cover was blown so badly it had ended any chance he had of resuming his field career. The timing had coincided with his father’s retirement as Climax’s chief law enforcement officer and Noah knew all the locals had been thrilled when the younger Marshall decided to return home.
    Dylan’s email had expressed his frustration with the slow pace of their progress but Noah knew the bottom line was the man was just plain pissed off because several women had been hurt since he’d taken office—a fact his friend was taking very personally. Noah smiled because they had all teased Dylan that he was being a Dom-Sheriff about it, in other words, he was taking responsibility for the care of everyone around him and felt like he should have gained control over the situation by now.
    Noah hadn’t even realized he’d finally dozed off until he woke up during the night to feel Ilaina’s small, soft hand skimming his chest. For several seconds he wasn’t sure she was awake, but then he heard her hum and whisper his name. “Noah? Are you awake?” Oh yeah, baby—I’m damned well awake now. And I’d say you evidently woke up some parts of me before others.
    He had to hold in his smile for fear it would come through in his voice and he didn’t want to ever discourage her from waking him up to play. “Oh yes my sweet cara , and I can’t think of any better way to be awakened than to feel your warm fingers caressing my bare skin.” Sexual desire was pulsing in the air around them and when she pushed herself between his knees he realized she had evidently been awake for a few minutes