Seduce and Rescue

“Did your friend mean it when he said you wanted to learn?” Lily asked. “During yoga you commune with your body and strengthen your mind. It’s a spiritual quest for unity and illumination.”

“Ma’am?” He raised his left wrist to look at a serviceable watch on a leather band. “I have to be at the base in a half hour.”

“On a Saturday? And please call me Lily.”

He glanced down and gestured loosely at the lower half of her body. “Don’t you at least wear—Never mind.” Taking a step, he almost tripped over Ingrid, who circled his leg, purring and rubbing her head against him. With an expression of annoyance, he gently pushed her away with his running shoe before striding into the kitchen. He reached into the refrigerator for a pitcher of filtered water, poured himself a glass and downed the entire contents in a few gulps.

“My panties are hanging in the bathroom to dry. I washed them out last night.”

Ethan was pouring another glassful of water, but stopped abruptly and closed his gray-green eyes. When he opened them again his gaze held only blank iciness. “I’ll be gone all afternoon. Can you find a store around here to shop for clothes?”

Ethan lived in a fairly upscale neighborhood northwest of Nellis Air Force Base in a newly built, Mediterranean-style condo with an attached garage and—according to the sign at the manager’s office—a pool and spa on the premises. It was a world away from her one-room apartment above the shop on the wrong side of the Strip.

“Oh, yes. I’ll find my way around. What would you like for dinner tonight? Have you ever tried the Raw diet? I have a wonderful recipe for beets. Or I could make—”

“No dinner. I’ll get something on the way home.”

“But I want to thank you for letting me stay here.”

He rounded the kitchen counter and headed down the hall. “No need.”

“But you have to eat. Unless you have plans.” Lily followed him, admiring the flex of his thick quads as he walked. “I didn’t think about that. Maybe you have plans. What about tomorrow?”

With a sigh, he stopped just inside the bathroom, turned and gripped the door handle. “No plans. I usually just pick something up on the way home. And tomorrow I work.” He looked pointedly out into the hallway, then back at her.

“But tomorrow’s Sunday. You work all weekend?”

His jaw muscle ticked as he stared at her. “Sometimes.”

“Oh. Well, maybe Monday.”

His brows lowered and bunched together. “You didn’t call your insurance agent last night. Are you going to speak with them today?”

“Um … about that.”

He took a step toward her and leaned in. “You do have insurance on your place, right?”

Lily breathed in his musky scent and an ache of a different kind spread through her body. “Oh, yes. I do, but …” He should have been intimidating, he was such a big guy, towering over her. A few inches over six feet. A large frame. His jaw was dark with stubble, so utterly masculine.

“But?”

She blinked and tried to remember what they’d been talking about. Oh, yes. Insurance. Oh, Ethan. There’s so much more to life. And I can’t wait to show you. She smiled and waved a hand. “Nothing. I can look it up.” She took a step backward, out into the hallway. “Have a nice shower.”

He studied her with narrowed eyes and then shut the door. A split second later it jerked open and he tossed her thong out.

Through the door she heard the shower door open and the water turn on. She pictured him tugging the T-shirt over his head and stripping out of his shorts, and had to press a hand to her stomach. A strident feline yowl was followed by a low male grunt, and a moment later the door opened just a crack and Rhett was pitched out. The orange tabby landed easily on his feet and stalked away.

Lily chuckled. Poor Ethan.

While he showered, she let Humphrey in, then pulled the towel off Bette’s cage and filled her water dispenser. “Good morning, Bette,” she greeted her cockatoo.

“Life is like a box of chocolates,” the bird squawked.

Lily smiled. “It sure is, sweetie.”

As she went back to the bedroom to look for Scarlett, the bathroom door swung open and Ethan strode out with only a towel wrapped around his waist. It reminded her of last night, except this time he didn’t even have the boxer briefs underneath. His jaw was clean-shaven now and she caught a whiff of some woodsy aftershave.

He stopped short when he saw her, and cleared his throat. “My clothes.” He gestured at the walk-in closet on the opposite wall.

“Of course.” She spied Scarlett with her twitchy nose beside the dresser, scooped her up and headed for the hallway.

Lily cuddled the quivering guinea pig under her chin for a few minutes, then busied herself finding the coffee, filters and mugs, and got a pot going. Within ten minutes Ethan emerged from the bedroom dressed in a sharply pressed uniform complete with an air force tie pin and shiny black shoes.

As he stood before the door adjusting his tie Bette squawked. “Fasten your seat belts.”

He looked over at the bird and scowled. “It talks?”

“She talks. Sometimes. That’s Bette. And she must like you because she doesn’t talk to just anyone. She was telling you to stay safe today.”

Ethan blinked at Lily, his dark look seeming permanent. “I’d appreciate it if you’d keep your menagerie confined to the bedroom at night,” he said, glancing away. “The black cat tried to sleep on me and the rodent scratched around on the floor all night.”

Lily moved into his line of vision. “Scarlett is not a rodent, she’s a guinea pig. And Ingrid likes you, too. That’s a good sign.”

“Just keep the cats away from the leather, and get something to confine the rodent.”

“Don’t you like animals, Ethan?” Lily stroked Ingrid’s soft black fur.

“Not particularly.”

“Well, no wonder your aura is so dark. Do you have anybody you really love?”

He looked blank. “Love?”

“You know.” Lily moved closer, tilting her head back to look up at him. “People you care about. Who care about you? Who would be there no matter what? Who love you, warts and all?”

Still no response.

“You know. Like a mom. A mom loves you no matter what. You love your mom, right?”

In a heartbeat his expression turned icy and he glanced at his watch again. “I have to go. Your clothes are in the dryer. There’s a spare key in the third cabinet on the right. Lock the door when you leave.”

Before she could say anything more, he was out the door.

Lily stared after him, still caressing Ingrid. Wow. He wouldn’t even talk about his mom. This might be her worst case yet.

Before she left, Lily wandered about the condo, getting a feel for what would help Ethan the most. Sad. Lonely. Cold. She shivered and rubbed her arms. It seemed desperate measures might be in order.

PAIN SHOT THROUGH ETHAN’S neck and back every time he moved. It had been a long day. Like the city it was located near, Nellis Air Force Base was never quiet. After briefing his students on their training sortie, he’d taken them out to the test range, flown four runs and then debriefed back at the office.