Emerald Fire by Monica McCabe Read Free Book Online Page A

he whispered against her lips.
    “Yes…no,” she responded in utter confusion. “I…”
    He captured her mouth with firm pressure, his hands sliding around her and pulling her tight against him. She responded mindlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck and reveling in his strength.
    He pressed her back onto the bed and ran his hands through her hair. He nibbled her lips, her neck, tasted her skin. She moaned again as one big hand glided across her breast and lower, only to slide under her tank top and touch bare skin.
    Desire spiked hard when his lips captured hers again, and she’d gone ragged by the time he lifted his head.
    “Your curiosity satisfied?” he calmly asked her.
    The words acted like a bucket of cold water, and she stiffened. Dear Lord! She’d totally lost control of the situation. And fast.
    Embarrassment flooded her cheeks, and she shoved him away from her and sat up. Her hands were shaking and her insides quivered like jelly, yet he sat at the edge of the bed with a serene smile that clearly said he’d known what she had attempted to do. Known, took control, and used it to his advantage.
    It also pointed out her complete lack of romantic finesse.
    “You’re a cad,” she whispered harshly, anger beginning to take the place of embarrassment.
    He just laughed. “Hardly. Just an obliging partner.”
    Her jaw clenched in self-disgust as Finn stood and pulled the covers aside on his bed, then climbed in.
    “I anticipate an eventful day tomorrow,” he said. “Get some sleep.”
    She didn’t respond, didn’t know what to say. How could he fall asleep after that little lust-filled scene? She rolled down her covers and climbed beneath, battling emotions that were all over the place. She had every right to be furious, but then again, she started this. She couldn’t fault him for her lack of self-control or common sense. She also didn’t understand her overwhelming response to a man she’d met less than twenty-four hours ago.
    The man from NorthStar will be your guide .
    He switched off the light. “Goodnight, Chloe.”
    She rolled over, presenting her back to him. Despite bone-deep exhaustion, sleep was a long time coming.
     
     

Chapter 6
     
    “Boca Chica welcomes turistas , not pirates,” the town’s police captain declared with a heavy Spanish accent.
    It was an instant replay of the St. Lucia Port Authority. Lack of cooperation seemed to be a common thread in the Caribbean. Worse than that, Finn hated being lied to. He may have lost his mother at a tender age, but she’d firmly instilled in him that liars stunk. And the guy sitting across the desk reeked. Worse than that, the captain had gone from friendly to cold when the words “stolen yacht” were mentioned, then followed up with a whopper of a fish-tale detailing a major police crack-down.
    Something was rotten in Boca Chica.
    Finn may be twice the fool for bringing one tempting and naïve historian on a risky job, but one thing he definitely wasn’t, and that was gullible. One glance around the tiny derelict precinct, and he knew they hadn’t enough funds or manpower to guard an elementary school crossing, much less staff an international crime task force.
    “As a fellow lawman,” Finn said with mock sympathy, “I understand the necessity of discretion. But piracy reports indicate this area as a hot bed of activity lately.”
    “Maybe,” the belligerent captain replied. “But our policía do heavy patrol. We protect our citizeens and property.”
    “So if a missing ship is reported in the area, you’d know right where to investigate?”
    “ Sí, Santo Domingo,” the man answered.
    When Chloe began to sputter beside him, Finn kicked her leg.
    The captain didn’t notice as he warmed to his lies. “Boca Chica is safe and quiet. We have good business, happy people on vacation.”
    Finn smiled. “There is difficulty in balancing tourism and potential crime.”
    “It is difficult , sí .” The captain relaxed back in