The first few minutes were painful and then it became…magical. All of the stiffness disappeared and she felt as if she were melting. “You’re very…good at this.”
“Yes, I am. I learned the technique from a madam in a house in Beijing that specialized in ‘special’ services. Madam Nadia spent two years studying it with a tribe in Mongolia, but I persuaded her to give me some pointers in the three months I was hiding out there.” His fingers were kneading, twisting. “Give me another few minutes and you’ll be okay.”
Okay? She felt as if every muscle in her upper body was warm…flowing. Even the beat of her pulse seemed to be slowing. Her eyes were closing…
Then his fingers were gone. “The wine should do the rest. I’d much rather keep my hands on you, but I made you that damn promise.”
She took a deep breath and then forced her lids to open. “I definitely don’t need this wine to soothe me.” She took a sip anyway. “I was almost hypnotized. But I feel much better. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He tilted his head. “Now I wonder if I’ve gotten you in a relaxed enough mood to return the favor.” When he saw her tense, he chuckled. “Don’t stiffen like that. If you’re not careful, you’ll ruin my therapy. I just want you to satisfy my curiosity.” His voice lowered dramatically. “The general’s infamous bright red underwear.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, don’t you ever give up?” She sighed. “That was easy. There was a single red thread caught in the general’s zipper. I hate to think where else it might have come from, but red underwear was the likeliest candidate. So I went for it.”
“You certainly did.” He grinned. “Do I dare ask about all the other personal information you hurled at him?”
“No, you said favor. Singular. Tit for tat. You’ll have to earn anything else. Besides, you were only intrigued by the underwear.” She smiled as she slowly rotated her neck and felt no pain. “Though I believe I got the best of the deal. I really am grateful, Lynch.”
“My pleasure.” He grimaced. “Sort of.” He sat down again and studied her. He added softly, “At least this moment is a pleasure. Your cheeks are flushed and you’re glowing. You look like you do after we’ve had sex.” He held up his hand. “I know, wrong thing to say. It just came out. I can see you’re already drawing away from me. I won’t follow up on it. I don’t want you jumping up and running out of here.” He took a sip of his wine. “Which you probably would have done already if you weren’t so mellow at the moment. But it’s difficult not to comment on how much I love sex with you when I think about it a hell of a lot of the time. So I thought I’d get it out and then go back to being my discreet, stoic self again.”
“I’m not that mellow anymore, and I’ve never seen you stoic,” she said unevenly. “But regardless, I think this sudden burst of frankness from you is going to be a deal breaker. I’ve told you what we had was a mistake. I could be a friend, I want you for a partner, but there’s no way I want an emotional relationship that could tear me apart. I can’t handle it.”
“Sure you can.” He bent forward and brushed his lips against her temple. “You can handle anything and anyone.”
“Then I don’t want to handle it. Not with you.” Her grasp tightened on the stem of her glass as her eyes blazed up at him. “Anyone would be crazy to let herself become involved with a man who might disappear any minute if he gets a call from some government to help bring down a dictator or negotiate the rescue of hostages from a Somali pirate who’s already said he’s going to kill them anyway.” She leaned closer to him and spat her words like bullets. “You’ve built a gorgeous house that’s like an armed camp because of all the people who want to kill you. I’ve seen the scars on your body from the hit men who have tried.” She punched her forefinger at his chest. “I’d never ask you to change the insanity you call a life. That’s your choice. But I’m not like all those other women who think it’s exciting to watch you skate on thin ice so they can applaud you when it doesn’t