Free Outbreak by Tarah Benner

smooth skin between his abs and his hipbone, but he grabs my hand away and pulls me into him.
    This time when our lips meet, there’s no careful exploration. Eli’s kiss is frantic and a little out of control. My pulse is racing, and his skin feels unusually hot.
    My brain completely abandons the situation, and all I can do is grab hold of him and try to take everything in. 
    For the first time, I have the chance to run my hands all over his firm chest and beautiful arms, and I take full advantage of the situation. 
    But before I’ve finished memorizing every line of him, Eli draws back. There’s a slight smirk playing on those skillful lips, and his eyes crackle with mischief as they flicker down my body. “Fair’s fair, Riley.”
    If I weren’t so flustered, I might give him a playful punch right in those delicious abs. But when neither of us moves, everything becomes much more serious.
    His smile fades slightly, and his gaze becomes very intense. It feels as though he threw down a dare and I didn’t blink.
    Slowly, his hands travel up my arms to my collar, and he starts unsnapping my overshirt. He’s trying to take his time, but his breathing grows a little heavier with every button.
    When my shirt is hanging open, he meets my eyes again, and I shrug my shoulders so he can pull it off my arms.
    Things have gotten real.
    I tilt my head up to kiss him again, and he opens his mouth for me right away. His kiss is deeper — hungrier than before. Then he puts a few inches between us and tugs on the hem of my tank top. 
    In one sharp motion, it goes up and over, bra and all. A slight chill prickles up my spine, and when my clothes hit the floor, Eli’s eyes widen.
    His rough hands travel down my arms and back up my bare waist, and I shiver when the tips of his fingers brush my spine. We lock eyes, and he brings his lips down again to kiss me softly.
    A slow burning heat is making its way down my body, and I’m surprised at the thoughts that flash through my mind.
    Then a tiny, annoying voice in my head reminds me that this isn’t the time or the place. 
    What did we come here for again? Oh, that’s right: We’re on an assassination mission.
    Eli seems to read my mind. I can feel his hands slowing down, tracing slow circles on my back as though he’s savoring the last touch.
    “We should probably get going,” I mutter against his neck.
    “Yeah.” His voice is low and rough.
    I start to pull back, but he holds me just a few inches away and takes one last lingering look. I flush under the intensity of his gaze, but then he threads his fingers in my hair and places a kiss on my forehead that makes all my anxiety disappear.
    “I guess you need this,” he says, grabbing the thin tank top off the hanger.
    I clear my throat. “Bra.”
    “Oh, yeah.”
    He turns away a little as I get dressed, and I mentally shake myself to clear the fog clouding my senses.
    Now more than ever, I understand why romantic entanglements are such a bad idea in Recon. It’s going to be tough to focus on the mission after what just happened.
    Eli pulls the shirt he found over his head backwards, and I fight a laugh as he twists it around to the correct position. Things are about to get interesting.

 
     
     
     
     
    seven
    Eli
     
    As soon as the blazing sun hits my shoulders, I’m a dead man walking. I’m on high alert for the sound of approaching footsteps, but I’m pretty sure if a drifter jumped out in the street and aimed a gun at me, I’d just stand there and eat lead.
    My mind is consumed by thoughts of Harper: her body, her eyes, the way she felt against me . . .
    I hadn’t expected that to happen. I was ninety percent joking about evening the score; I never thought she’d go for it — especially after the Mina incident. 
    Seeing her staring at me shut off that part of my brain that acts as a filter, and the words just slipped out of my mouth. And seeing that she wanted me as much as I’ve wanted her, well . .