“I thought you said you didn’t want to humiliate me.”
“I didn’t humiliate you.”
“He’s not stupid, Noah. He knows you plan to spank me.”
“Of course, he does, but that shouldn’t be humiliating to you. If I wanted to humiliate you, sweetheart, I’d wait until he was there and do it so he could hear your caterwauling as my hand repeatedly connects with your ass.”
Zara rubbed her temples and slumped in her seat. “You really are infuriating.”
“What I am is pissed, and when we get to Monaco, you’re going to understand just how pissed. Jesus, Zara, you tranq’d me.”
“Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. You shot me in the ass first, remember?”
“I do, but I needed to stop you and knew I couldn’t trust you.”
“And I needed to meet with Ghazil, and I didn’t think I could trust you not to stop me.”
“Not the same thing and you know it,” he said through gritted teeth. “You would have caused a scene.”
“And you would have stopped me from doing my job. I will not give up my career for you.”
“I didn’t ask you to. We just need to find a way for you to do it that I can live with.”
“But it’s okay for me if I have nightmares about you when you’re off doing your job?”
“So, you’d have nightmares?” He suddenly seemed very pleased with himself.
“Forget it,” she said, shaking her head. “It’s pointless. When this is over, you’ll just tip your hat and ride off into the sunset.”
“Maybe.” He nodded.
Her heart started to shatter.
“Of course,” he drawled, “I’ll have you hog-tied and thrown over the front of my saddle when I do.”
“I detest you.”
He leaned across and kissed her again. “No, you don’t. But I suspect, after we get to Monaco, you’ll wish you did.”
“Why? What’s happening in Monaco? I thought there was a safehouse there. Do you think Thom is setting you up?”
“No, sweetheart. I’d trust Thom with my life. Hell, I’d trust him with yours. But did you forget the part where I told you I was going to welt your ass for this stunt?”
“And you expect me to walk calmly off this ferry with you and just go along?”
“I do. If you don’t give me your word, you’re going to do exactly that, I’ll put some sting in your tail right here and right now to remind you that you are going to do what I tell you.”
Zara glanced around. There was no one in sight, and she was quite certain he would do precisely what he was saying. Besides, he was right, someone involved in all of this had tried and come close to killing her twice. Twice, Noah’s fast thinking and reflexes had kept her out of harm’s way.
“I promise I’ll go with you to Monaco and won’t cause you any more trouble between now and then,” she said, her voice quivering.
“And after we reach Monaco?”
“All bets are off,” she said, trying to steady her voice.
Noah reached across and took her chin in his hand.
“It’s all right, Zara, I’ll keep you safe. If you believe nothing else, believe that.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
When the ferry docked, they left the keys in the SUV and walked off with the other foot passengers. Noah had his arm around her waist. To the casual observer, they would look like a couple of lovers just returning from a day trip to the Greek islands, but his grip was more than casual, and she could feel the tension in him. Oddly, she found that reassuring. Noah was good at his job, and little would escape his notice.
As promised, there was a ride for them to the airport. They boarded the chartered plane and were in the air within minutes. Once in Monaco, they went through customs and picked up the new SUV Thom had waiting for them with the GPS coordinates already programmed. Noah drove the streets of the ancient city until they led up and out to the winding roads above it.
The navigation unit took them off the beaten path, and finally, they arrived at an unassuming little whitewashed cottage with a tile roof. They stowed the SUV in an outbuilding and headed inside.
“Do you mind if I freshen up a bit?” she asked.
“Sure, I just want to check in and let them know we’re here, then see what we can rustle up for dinner.”
“I can do that while you get things checked out. I don’t have to be a millstone around your neck.”
“You can be anything you want around any part of my body,” he teased gently. “Just go freshen up, and we’ll figure out what we want to eat for dinner.”
Entering the bigger of the two rooms, she realized whoever set it up had assumed they’d be sleeping together and wanted to be more annoyed than she was. She was happy to see the room had a large private bath, no tub, but the shower was huge. She smiled—big enough for her and Noah to share. She looked in the dresser and found a collection of jeans, leggings, and various tops to go with them in her size.
“Noah, they sent clothes. Real, honest-to-God clothes,” she called to him. She turned and was startled to find him right behind her. He moved swiftly and silently when he wanted to.
“I don’t know why. My plans for you don’t involve a lot of clothes,” he rumbled seductively and pulled her close.
She stood on tiptoe and wrapped her arms around his neck, rubbing herself against him, nibbling and licking the hollow of his throat. His low, rumbling growl was all the encouragement she needed. She tugged off the sweater she had on, and with it, her sports bra. His hands slid down her back and under the waistband of the sweats to cup her ass and bring her into direct contact with his groin. She smiled as the familiar bulge enclosed by his jeans nudged her mons.
He kneaded the firm flesh of her derriere as he maneuvered himself out of his shirt, letting go with one hand for her to pull his arm out of the sleeve, but keeping the other on her rump, ensuring she remained molded to his tall, muscular frame.
She reached between them to unbuckle his belt and unfasten his jeans, reaching inside to get her prize when he stayed her hands. He pushed her sweats down, gliding them over her behind and down her thighs as he kneeled, and she stepped out of them. Drawing her closer, he slipped his hand between her legs and briefly tugged her clit before pinching it… hard.
“What the fuck?” Zara gasped.
Noah stood, fisting her hair at the nape of her neck and briefly fondling her breasts until her nipples were pebbled and stiff, waiting for further and more focused attention.
“As I recall, I told you earlier today I was going to welt your ass, then fuck you so hard, you’d have trouble sitting or walking, and I mean to do it. Let’s go.”
He dragged her toward the bed while she struggled to get away from him. She thought about trying to bite him but reminded herself that hadn’t been effective and would most likely make him angrier.
“Noah, please.”
“Don’t you Noah, please me. You earned yourself this set of stripes, and by God, woman, I mean to give them to you.”
Sitting on the bed, he threw her across one thigh, using his other leg to trap hers. Before she could make any kind of argument or formulate some kind of plan to avoid this, his hand came down and landed on her butt cheek with a resounding thwack.