Ruthless Game (GhostWalkers, #9)(26)

“Think cold-blooded snake,” Kane whispered aloud to himself as he stretched out in the saw grass up at the high point of the knoll, his ghillie suit covering his body. He could pick up the heat in an enemy’s body, and there were many other GhostWalkers capable of the same thing. Rose had slept most of the day, waking only to eat soup or drink water. He loved that she was actually resting. She looked so worn out, and the fact that she could actually sleep meant she trusted him to look after her. That was the best feeling in the world. Lying in plain sight wasn’t.

Diego Jimenez had chosen his hideout carefully. Open ground gave him a view of anyone coming at him from any direction. It would take vehicles capable of moving fast through sand to reach him, and he’d see and hear them coming miles before they ever arrived, but he hadn’t counted on GhostWalkers. Kane had the elite teams to worry about.

Whitney may have gone underground, but he had billions of dollars at his disposal and connections all the way to the White House. Thousands of men in the military had taken the psychic tests, but only a few qualified psychologically. Whitney had nevertheless experimented on some of those not completely qualified for his own personal army. Those men had disappeared from the service and were now working covertly for Whitney. Those were the men Kane expected.

He took another careful look around. Whitney would send a scout first, someone just to ascertain that Rose was in residence and very pregnant.

You in position, sweetheart? It went against everything male and protective in him to expose her to their enemy, but there was no way Whitney was going to try to kill her. By giving Whitney what he wanted—the satisfaction of being right—it would buy them some time. Rose needed time to rest and build her strength again.

I’m good. Sitting out under the stars, patting the baby, and reading on how to breast-feed.

His entire body clenched. His cock sprang to life right there on the sand, full and hard and aching with need. Erotic images poured into his head. She had full breasts, not too big, as her body frame was small, but they were beautiful. He’d been doing his best not to stare, and now she had to actually put more fantasies in his head. He didn’t need her to add any to his long, considerable list.

If you need to practice, just let me know. He tried for humor, but he wasn’t laughing. The vision of lying beside her, turning toward her, and taking her breast into his mouth, pulling her close against him, was almost more than he could stand.

Well, it’s not like I’ve ever done it before.

He groaned. His cock jerked, and blood pounded through his veins. What the hell did that mean? It sounded like she might need help, and if so, he was her man, quite willing to do whatever was necessary to get her ready for their child.

What does the book say? Even using telepathy, his voice sounded hoarse and strangled.

Well, I should have been reading this instead of the birthing book. I should have been preparing my nipples. Apparently I can get sore if I don’t.

He took another long, careful look around, just lifting his head enough that his gaze could take in the terrain surrounding the house. A man ought to take care of his woman, he said, meaning it. She might not think of herself as belonging to him, but as far as he was concerned, she did. If she needed her breasts taken care of, he was the only man who would be doing that. How’s that done? Maybe I’d better be the one reading the book.

Maybe ...

That was worse, and he swore this time. She’d just drifted off. Was she reading? Speculating? Imagining? He broke out in a sweat. What does the book say about pregnant women and sex? He’d gone so far as to imply he wanted to spend time on her breasts; he may as well go all the way.

There was the smallest of hesitations, telling him she was a little nervous, but she answered in a steady, intellectual tone. Actually quite a lot. Apparently, if there are no problems with the pregnancy, a woman can have sex without worry.

He smiled, took a breath, and leaned so he could search the night sky. That’s a good thing to know.

Well. She paused, taking a breath. Since we’re on the subject, do you think men find pregnant women attractive?

This man does. At least, he qualified, because he’d never really thought about it before, I find you attractive. I don’t think I’ve ever really looked at a pregnant woman one way or the other until I saw you that way.

Far off, he heard a muffled sound, like a distant beat of strong wings. Incoming.

Are you sure? You sound so calm. Maybe you’re wrong.

I’m not wrong. Can you do this, Rose? He had to know if she was going to panic. I can kill whoever they send, no problem.

Of course I can do this. I’m pregnant, not braindamaged. My condition doesn’t change my personality.

Kane rubbed his chin. Being pregnant might not have changed her personality, but it certainly made her a bit testy. There was a definite bite to her voice. He found himself grinning like an idiot. She had a way of making him feel incredibly happy for no reason at all. In the end, it wasn’t really Rose who was different, it was Kane. He admitted the truth to himself even as he watched the helicopter appear in the distance, no running lights, settling to the sand about a mile out. They weren’t taking any chances that Rose would hear them. He was the one who didn’t want Rose sitting out in front of the house as bait. He detested that she wasn’t safely out of Whitney’s reach.

It feels a little like I’m using you to lure them in.