Agent S5: Jaydan by Joni Hahn Read Free Book Online Page B

growled as he stepped between them.
    “No,” he said on a chuckle. “But, she can. Damn...”
    He moved to pass Jaydan.
    Jaydan’s arm shot out to the side, blocking his way. The man stopped dead, his eyes zeroing in on the D.I.R.E. armband exposed by his raised sleeve.
    His sharp gaze flew to Jaydan’s face. “I thought D.I.R.E. was fiction.”
    Jaydan lifted the corner of his mouth. “Consider me your imaginary friend. Or, would that be you?”
    “I don’t – “ The man’s guilty gaze darted past Jaydan’s shoulder.
    Hope glanced back. If the woman being escorted to a private table by a bodyguard wasn’t Keegan Meeks, she had to be a clone.
    Rather than an elegant beauty like Natalie, she held an exotic appeal, her cat-like, green-gold eyes made up to look dark and dramatic. Where Natalie’s hair was more burnished copper, this woman’s hair shone strawberry blonde with streaks of copper gold. Her graceful carriage told of class and distinction, her lack of smile, her isolation.
    Hope knew her to be the woman she’d connected with in her remote view last night. She recognized the loneliness, the hopelessness.
    The desperation.
    Her beauty and her bodyguard drew the gazes of those around them, including Jaydan’s piercing stare.
    “I’m going to talk to her.” She spoke to Jaydan in a low voice.
    The man spoke from the other side of Jaydan. “He won’t let you get near her.”
    “I don’t need his permission.” She leaned around Jaydan to look at him. “Besides, I have my own bodyguard.”
    She started toward Keegan. Jaydan pulled her back, a firm hand around her arm. “No messing around, Les. I’ll keep an eye on you.”
    Even though they had no real connection, she knew Jaydan would look out for her, for Riordan’s sake.
    Nodding, she turned away. He pulled her back again.
    She couldn’t keep the exasperation from her voice. “What?”
    With a slight tug toward him, Jaydan laid his mouth against hers, his lips firm, light against her own. A starburst of tingles lit her body from within, surprising her.
    Exciting her.
    His scent cocooned them, blocking out the smell of the ocean, the food, the aroma of dendrobiums in the air. The heat of his hand at her back sent a shiver down her spine.
    She could see it so clearly now. Making love with Jaydan Rose would be pure ecstasy. She could feel it in her bones, see it in his dark eyes.  It would mean nothing beyond raw indulgence and pleasure, but it would be beyond anything she’d ever experienced.
    Rather than fighting it, she’d embrace it.
    Rising up on her toes, she cupped his face in both hands. She kissed him with brazen promise, her mouth open over his, her tongue asking for entrance – and receiving it. She gave him a taste of things to come, knowing it would happen, reveling in it.
    She dropped back on her feet, breathing hard. Jaydan’s eyes glowed pitch black, his nostrils flared.
    “Is this the line?” the man said over Jaydan’s shoulder.
    Hope chuckled as Jaydan grabbed him by the shirtfront. “Go,” he said to her, with a low note of warning. “Be careful.”
    Taking a deep breath, she picked up a mimosa from a passing waiter’s tray, her throat parched after the scorching heat of that kiss. She weaved through the crowd, making her way to the buffet board beside the woman’s table. Setting down her drink in front of the woman, Hope smiled at her. The handsome bodyguard standing behind her watched with keen interest.
    “Do you mind if I set this here while I fill my plate?”
    The woman gave her a hesitant smile, her gold highlights dancing in the flames of a lamp standing a foot or so away. “Not at all.”
    Perusing the layout, she picked up a slice of banana bread and some fresh fruit salad. She hesitated over the pasta and rice dishes.
    “I recommend the pasta.”
    Glancing over her shoulder, Hope smiled at her. Despite the dim lighting, desperation shone clear in Keegan’s slanted, hazel eyes.
    The sense of loss