Charming the Snake Read online

  “Must have been one helluva fight.”

  She sighed. “It was, and there were some things both of us said that may not ever go away, but... well, I have to find him. He has a habit of finding trouble. And since neither one of us knows where he is...”

  “Who knows where the hell he is?” He sighed and then a smile tugged at his lips. “Hey, you remember that job on Yentalan, where those Saber Tooths came after us?”

  Her eyes widened and her lips parted as if in surprise. She swallowed, visibly. “Of course I remember that.” Her voice had turned a shade colder, and she wouldn’t meet his gaze. “We better get going. I take it you have your own ship?”

  “Yeah. I figured you might know where to start.”

  She stood and started to gather up her things. “Yes, I tracked him to Bulivenia. It wasn’t fun. The last I heard after that was they were headed to Dranirick.”

  “Good God.” Dranirick was barely surveyed. Several species inhabited the overgrown rain forest. One was a group of humans who thrived on strange sexual practices.

  “Yeah, that’s why I came to find you. I couldn’t trust anyone else.”

  He grunted and grabbed her arm as she tried to walk past him. “What the hell is the matter?”

  Every muscle in her arm grew rigid, and that same damn broom handle stiffened her spine. “Forget it.”

  “Listen, sweetheart, we’re going to be in each other’s pockets for a few days, if not a few weeks. We should make the most of it.”

  She glanced up at him. Instead of the cold look he expected, there was something else, something that struck him as hurt, portrayed there. “I think we’ll both survive. We did last time.”

  “Libby --”

  She wrenched her arm away. “Listen, Saint, I have no problem with it. It was just the mention of Yentalan. That’s all.”

  “What? So I was reliving some of our old times together.”

  “Nothing. Listen, I’m going to use the bathroom, and then we can get out of here before any other admirers come after me.”

  Before he could say another word, she left him, locking the bathroom door with a definite click. What the hell did he do now? If it wasn’t one thing with Libby, it was another. The woman was harder to please than anyone he’d known. All he’d done was mention Yentalan.

  Then it hit him like a right hook to the chin. He shut his eyes as he realized what he’d said. What he’d brought up. Damn his fucking mouth. Sterling always said it was the thing that would get him in trouble. Brady shook his head and opened his eyes, thinking of what an ass he’d made of himself.

  They’d been after some Yentalianese artifact that Sterling was sure would make them rich beyond their dreams. Brady was twenty-one to Libby’s nineteen, and the two of them had bickered the whole trip. Her damn ethics were always getting in the way.

  As the past came roaring back to him, he walked to the window and stared blindly out, allowing the memories to wash over him. They’d found that damn treasure. It hadn’t been worth as much as Sterling had suspected, but they’d still celebrated. Too much. Sterling had gone off to bargain. Brady and Libby decided to split a bottle of wine. Dressed in camos, dirty from the firefight they’d been through, they’d found a deserted cave and collapsed.

  “You know that one of these days both of you are going to get caught doing something illegal, and you’ll both end up in jail.”

  The flickering light from the campfire washed over her, casting a golden glow to her skin. Brady knew at the moment he’d never seen anything as beautiful as Liberty Wainwright. All that red hair, those slanted golden-brown eyes... even the freckles that danced across the bridge of her nose turned his mind to mush. They had since she was fifteen.

  “And you’ll bail us out, as usual.” His words were slurred, and even he heard his Irish slipping into his speech. He reached out and brushed the back of his fingers along her jaw. She shivered. “You know, lass, that every time we do something on the border of illegal, you come to the rescue.”

  She took a swig of wine and looked away. “Maybe one of these days I won’t.”

  “Is that some kind of threat? Come on, sweetheart, you know better than to threaten us. Your da and I both know you aren’t going to leave. You’ve been threatening it for three years.”

  “Just don’t count on it.”

  “We can always count on you.”

  “I was accepted into training at the Freemont Center. They have ethics. I want to learn about real archeology. Not fortune hunting.”

  Panic clawed at his throat. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that she’d threatened this before. She’d never followed through.

  “Lying again, are you, Libby? You know you won’t leave your da.”

  “Really, why?”

  “He needs you.”

  She laughed without humor. “Do you think he’d actually notice if I disappeared, Brady? I sometimes think it would be better if I left.”

  Her voice was so sad, so filled with need. He swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing what she was feeling. He’d been there with his own family too many times to count, but in this case, she had no one else. Damn her father for being a shit. He heard a suspicious sniff and leaned forward, bridging the gap between them. Cupping her chin, he tilted her face up. Just touching her soft skin sent a shock of heat roaring through him. She’d been under his skin, driving him crazy.

  Unshed tears shimmered in her eyes, and the sight almost broke his heart. “Ah, lass. Don’t let Sterling get to you.”

  She tried to pull away, but he held her chin firmly. Before he could think twice about it, he leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers. He held her gaze as his tongue darted out and traced the seam of her lips. Her eyes drifted closed and she opened her mouth. Any blood left in his brain traveled south. He closed his eyes and took possession of her mouth. Her arms slid around his neck and his dropped to her lower back. In one move, he pulled her forward and covered her body with his.

  The heat between them went from spark to inferno within seconds. All the years they’d been holding back, broke free. They tore at each other’s clothes between kisses. When he’d finally stripped her to her waist, he slowed down. The cool air washed over them; her nipples puckered.

  “Brady?”

  He’d have been a fool not to hear the fear in her voice. “Shhh, lass.”

  He bent his head and took the turgid tip into his mouth. Instantly, her fingers speared through his hair as she pressed him closer. Her moan echoed in the cave, but he didn’t notice anything but the feel of her flesh against his, the taste of her skin, and the feel of her heat against his groin. He pressed his cock against her pussy. Even through the layers of clothing, he could feel her damp core.

  “Brady.” He didn’t say anything, just moved to her other breast, pausing to lick the skin between them. “Brady.”

  It finally hit him she was pulling on his hair. He looked up and smiled at her. Ever neat and in control, Liberty Wainwright was a mess. Her short hair stood on end. He could already see the razor burn on her neck left from his beard. Passion clouded her eyes.

  “What?” His voice was soft, coaxing.

  “I’ve never...”

  Even in the dark cave, he could see her flush.

  “Ahh, Libby.” His mind couldn’t function, not without one drop of blood in it. He’d never slept with a virgin. It had never mattered to him before. Now it frightened the hell out him. It was also damned arousing. “You trust me, don’t you?”

  She nodded, and he swooped in for a kiss. By the time he raised his head, both of them were breathless. “I promise it will be fine.”

  A husky laugh bubbled out of her. “I know that, Brady. I just wanted you to know.”

  She was offering something to him that she’d never given to another. Something trembled around his heart, but he pushed it aside. “Well, first off...”

  He slid down her body, kissing her stomach and undoing her pants. He pulled them away --
/>   “Brady?”

  Her voice jolted him out of the bittersweet memory. He tried to ignore her and move back into his memories, but she’d broken the spell. Wiping his forehead, he looked at her and inwardly sighed. It was damn bad luck to want a woman as much as he wanted Libby. His body vibrated with unrelieved passion as if they had been making love just moments earlier.

  “Are you ready?” His voice was rough, but he couldn’t help it. Whispers of his earlier thoughts still washed through him. She still got to him.

  “Sure.”

  He followed her to the door, trying to ignore the throbbing in his cock and the sweet sway of her ass. Drawing in a deep breath, he reminded himself why they split up six years ago.

  But damned if he could remember one reason that outweighed his feelings for her. He just hoped they found Sterling, quickly.

  A knock sounded at the door, and both of them froze.

  “You expecting company?”

  She looked back over her shoulder at him. “Whadya think?”

  He braced himself against the wall next to the door. She watched him, and when he nodded, she followed right along.

  “Who is it?”

  “Robbie Masters. I heard you were looking for help.”

  Chapter Three

  Liberty watched Brady raise his finger to his lips. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he ground his teeth together. From the narrowed-eyed look he sent her, he wasn’t happy with the situation.

  Masters was a slimy gunrunner, and all-around gopher when needed. There’d always been rumors about one deal or another he’d been involved in, but he seemed to come through it clean. She needed to buy a little time.

  “Who did you say you were again?” She tried her best to sound like the scared little woman. Macho jackasses always fell for it. Glancing at Brady, she noticed his lips twitched. He knew exactly what she was pulling.

  “Robbie Masters. I’m a friend of the Saint’s.”

  She arched her eyebrows. Brady bit his lip, probably because he was ready to laugh out loud.

  “You don’t say?”

  “Yes. He told me you might be interested in hiring someone to help find your father.”

  The laughter faded from Brady’s eyes and a different light altogether flashed in them. Ohh, boy, she’d seen that look before. Suspicious and predatory.

  He moved in behind her, pressing against her back. Instantly, every thought in her brain faded as heat singed along her nerve endings. The scent of him filled her senses. His breath brushed her earlobe, and she suppressed a shiver.

  “Open the door, slowly. Get him in the room.” Whisper-soft, his command should have irritated the hell out of her. She liked to be the one giving orders when working. It was something that had always been a problem between the two of them. But she couldn’t get past the fact that his breath was against her skin or that her nipples had hardened the moment he stepped behind her.

  Liberty turned her head and looked up at him. The moment his gaze caught hers, the breath she was taking tangled in her throat. The intensity in his blue eyes sparked a fire in her stomach. A wave of sensual longing wound through her. She could feel his heartbeat against her back accelerate the moment they made eye contact. Damp heat slid from her belly to between her legs. Shifting her weight, Liberty brushed against his erection, and both of them stopped breathing. Brady closed his eyes, visibly swallowed, and drew in a deep breath.

  Her whole body throbbed. She didn’t understand it at all. Less than a day in his presence, and she was panting after him. She’d never been able to respond to her husband the way she had to Brady. An innocent touch and she was ready to jump him like some cat in heat.

  He opened his eyes, and she noticed the banked fire simmering; the look he shot her told her he wouldn’t let this go. Nodding his head to the door, he stepped back. Cold air replaced his heat, and she shivered as she opened the door.

  She didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t the tall, handsome man standing across the threshold. Short blond hair and sparkling green eyes stood out against lightly tanned skin. Long and angular, his face sported a more-than-once-broken nose and full, smiling lips. He wore camos, just like every other human in the business.

  “Ms. Wainwright?”

  She smiled. “Mr. Masters, I have a feeling you already know who I am.”

  His own smile broadened. For a moment, she was held mesmerized by the boyish good humor on his face. She knew now that the other rumors, those of his many conquests, were probably true.

  “Why don’t you come in?” She gestured with one hand while keeping the other on the door. Masters nodded and walked into the room. The moment Masters crossed the threshold, Brady came forward, stungun raised. In one fluid movement, he grabbed Masters by the arm, twisted it behind him, and shoved him against the wall.

  “Shut the fucking door.”

  She bristled at the harsh tone, but did his bidding.

  “What the hell is wrong with you, Saint?” Masters words came out muffled since Brady held his head against the wall.

  “What the hell is wrong with me? Jesus, Masters, what the hell is wrong with you? What the fuck do you think you’re doing here, anyway? Retrieval is not your forte.”

  When Masters didn’t comment, Brady squeezed his neck harder. Brady’s anger was making her uncomfortable. She’d never seen him in such a rage.

  “Brady. He can’t talk. You’re holding on to him too tightly.”

  He glanced at her as if he’d forgotten she was there. She recognized the moment he realized what he was doing. Shaking his head, he let up the pressure. The breath Masters drew in was audible.

  “Now, hand Libby all your weapons.”

  Masters, apparently terrified of the murderous look on Brady’s face, quickly handed over a stungun and a couple knives.

  She walked over to the bed and dropped them by her bag.

  “That’s good. I’m going to let up, and you are going to park your mangy ass in that chair.”

  Masters nodded jerkily and followed Brady’s directions.

  “Now, what do you want with Libby?” Masters opened his mouth, but Brady interrupted him. “And don’t give me that crap about wanting to help her find her father. I know you better. There has to be something else in it for you. Money.”

  Masters rubbed his neck then smiled. “Not always money. I have other wants.”

  She heard the challenge in his voice, but didn’t understand anything. Whatever it was, Brady’s fist shot out before she could stop him. Masters flew backward, chair and all. Both crashed against the wall. So much for keeping it quiet.

  “Brady, stop it this instant.” He’d stepped forward and was towering over Masters like a raving lunatic. “All this noise is going to draw attention.”

  His face was flushed with anger, but he nodded and stepped back.

  Masters slowly rose to his feet and moved his jaw back and forth. His lip was bleeding. “Jesus, Saint. I thought she was free territory.”

  “You thought wrong.” Brady’s voice held the same lethal tone as before. And a second later, their comments hit home.

  “What the hell do you mean, ‘free territory’?” She settled her hands on her hips. Brady snorted. She rounded on him. “And what do you mean by your comment, buster?”

  Instead of taking her seriously, Brady laughed in her face. “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart.” His gaze shifted to Masters. “Are you telling me you came sniffing around here because of her. Not because of the legend of the Snake King?”

  Masters grinned, but then winced and touched his lip with his sleeve. “What other reason would I have? You know me. I don’t go after anything unless it’s a sure thing.”

  Anger simmered. “A sure thing? A sure thing?”

  “Easy there, sweets, you’re repeating yourself.” He turned to look at Masters. “She does that when she gets irritated.”

  She shot him what she hoped was a withering glance and gathered up her bag.

  “Are
you ready to go?” She tried her best to hide her anger, but she knew some of it threaded her voice, because Brady smiled at her. Damn jackass.

  “And she ignores comments she doesn’t like, when she’s really pissed.”

  Crossing her arms beneath her breasts, she tapped her foot and stared at him. Masters stood, and one look told her that he was enjoying himself.

  “I’ll wish you both luck in your quest.” But before he could reach the door, Brady stepped behind him and smacked Masters on the head with the butt of his stungun. Masters collapsed into a crumpled heap, out cold from the blow.

  “What the hell did you do that for?”

  Brady glanced at her, then back down at Masters. “I know him, worked with him once or twice, but that doesn’t mean I trust him. He seems to get out of trouble too easily.”

  She sighed, and watched as he went through Masters’s pockets. When he found nothing but some money, he pulled open the door. After peeking out, he gestured for her to follow him. She did, carefully stepping over Masters’s prone body.

  As they left through the backdoor, she thought about her reaction to Brady and his strange territorial behavior.

  Maybe asking for his help wasn’t a good idea.

  * * * * *

  Brady set the ship on autopilot. Their departure had gone smoothly. Too smoothly, for his thinking. He knew they were being watched. Felt it in his gut.

  “That was easy enough.”

  He glanced at her and tried his best not to remember the encounter in her room. The memory of their first time together was still churning heat through his body. Besides that, emotions he had thought long gone seemed to have sprouted the moment he heard her prissy voice in the bar.

  “That’s what I’m worried about.”

  Her gaze focused on his face, and for a second, he lost all thought. She was paying attention like she had years ago. Looking to him for guidance. Believing in him. Her admiration had always been a sort of aphrodisiac where he was concerned. Hell, she could probably look at him crossed-eyed and he’d have a boner.