Seeing Jameson Landry was as much as a surprise to Audrey as her appearance had been to him. She couldn’t deny feeling secretly pleased by a familiar face.

Particularly one that shamelessly hot.

She’d be lying to herself if she said she hadn’t thought about Jameson in the past, his chiseled features wriggling their way into her subconscious as she tried to fall asleep at night. It was more than his intense emerald eyes which bored into her whenever their eyes met or his shocking dark hair which had a slight wave to it, at times falling over his angular forehead.

Yes, he was built more like a personal trainer than a shrink but Audrey also knew that behind that stunningly handsome face was a brilliant mind.

Even if he’s all wrong about how to deal with trauma.

Audrey had been met with opposition in her line of work, of course. Her methods were not widely accepted, despite her high sales and endless speaking gigs. She was used to the cynics but she also knew that psychiatry was not an exact science. Not having an open mind was the downfall of most of her colleagues, Audrey knew.

Of course, I have a better idea of what we’re really capable of than others. If they knew what we could do, they would be more apt to accept my ways.

Audrey had piped into Jameson’s thoughts enough to know what he thought about her - he certainly hadn’t been shy about showing his disdain for her methods.

I suppose there’s something to be admired in that. He doesn’t smile to my face and talk about me behind my back.

In any case, the fact that Jameson was in La Esperanza was still surprising.

Two psychologists in the same building, treating the very poor. It’s odd, isn’t it?

She wondered what Jameson thought about it.

Maybe now was a good time to ask him, before the others all arrived.

The other doctors had already begun to arrive at the facility, monopolizing Bennet’s time and Audrey wandered through the halls, smiling vaguely at the newcomers but not pausing to introduce herself.

She wasn’t sure which hut had been assigned to Jameson but she found herself ambling through the doctors’ quarters, hoping to catch a glimpse of him as she did.

“Dr. McMahon, are you looking for something?” Bryan popped up from behind a well and Audrey almost gasped.

“Do you always hang out behind wells, Bryan?” she laughed, regaining her composure. The man cast her a taut smile.

She suddenly found herself put off by that smile.

“I was testing it,” he replied shortly.

Testing the well. How does one do that?

She studied him for a long moment, her head tipping to the side as she did.

His aura is indigo. Conflicted. Dark.

She considered probing his thoughts but she stopped herself.

Everyone is entitled to their own lives and secrets, she thought, shaking her head. You can’t just go around reading everyone’s thoughts when their colors are off.

It was something she had to remind herself about often. Since being out in the world, away from the compound, she had forgotten that the general public didn’t have the same way of blocking her as her family.

“Are you lost?” Bryan asked again, his thick Spanish accent not affecting his perfect English in the least.

It was another matter that Audrey had found interesting since her arrival. Bryan was supposed to have been brought in from San Antonio to help with the natives and locals.

Where did a poor dirt farmer learn English so well?

“I’m looking for Dr. Landry’s dwelling,” she offered, realizing that Bryan was staring at her with suspicion. “Can you tell me which one it is?”

He nodded curtly and pointed to a small house two down the path from where they stood.

“I think he is in there now,” he said. “I just saw him, not five minutes ago.”

“Gracias,” she said brightly, smiling. Bryan nodded but didn’t answer as he turned away, leaving Audrey to stare after him with some curiosity.

There’s something else going on with that guy for sure.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught Audrey’s attention and she pivoted to see Jameson leaving his hut.

“Oh,” she breathed, hurrying toward him. “Dr. Landry.”

He looked up and before he could replace it with stoicism, a glimmer of appreciation lit up his face.

“Dr. McMahon.”

“Are you heading to the hospital?”

“Actually, I was going into town,” he replied. “There’s not a lot for me to do until the doors open.”

“Oh.”

She stood awkwardly before him, suddenly embarrassed and he peered at her with those penetrating eyes which seemed to be reading her soul.

“Were you looking for me?” he asked suddenly, the idea seeming to amaze him and she sighed.

“Yes,” she admitted. “But it’s nothing urgent.”

“I’m not in a rush,” he told her quickly, sensing that she was about to leave and not really wanting her to. “You want to come in? We can compare furniture.”

She chuckled.

“Sure.”

They stepped into his cottage and Audrey idly noted that their set-ups were exactly the same—haphazardly put together and sparsely decorated.

“I don’t have anything but water to drink,” he said. “Standard bottles.”

“I’ll take one,” she replied. “I couldn’t imagine drinking alcohol in this weather anyway.”

“I don’t drink.”

He said it with such firmness, it was almost rude and Audrey peered at him, steeling herself from reading his thoughts.

“Then you probably won’t dehydrate as fast,” she responded jokingly, accepting the bottle of water from his outstretched hand – their fingers brushed briefly, and the connection seemed to catch them both off guard. The water was icy cold, from the bar fridge in the corner and she resisted the urge to rest it against her suddenly too warm cheeks. She uncapped it, taking a swig of it as she remained standing near the door.

“What’s up?” he asked. “Did you want to discuss a practice plan?”

Her eyes crinkled and she chuckled.

“Do you think we could agree on one if we tried?”

A wry smile touched Jameson’s full mouth and he, too, took a sip of his water bottle. She watched as the muscles in his neck swallowed the water, the tension within her winding tightly again.

“Probably not,” he agreed, his lips curving in an easy smile. They stared at one another for a long, silent moment, the energy flowing between them undeniable.

We might not have anything in common but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to sink my dick into her so far that she never forgets how it feels.

The thought floated through her mind without her even trying to grab it – proving that he felt it hard.

Instantly, moisture pooled at her core as she pictured him rising above her, pounding deeply as she moaned.

Jameson broke the quiet first by clearing his throat. His voice was rough as he ran a hand through his hair, turning slightly to hide the bulge that had formed in his pants.

“So, uh—”

He paused then, his head moving up and their eyes locked again.

How could I possibly think her eyes were icy before? They were like liquid silver now.

Then he wondered suddenly why she had come to see him.

Jesus, could she want me as badly as I want her? Has she been waking up, heat tightly coiled and dreams of hot passion still lingering in her mind as well?

Audrey’s face flushed, knowing he was right.

She’d been in La Esperanza for two weeks, biding her time, mostly alone but for John Bennet who made her vaguely uncomfortable, despite the fact that he had been kind to her and had probably saved her life by getting her out of the country.

Perhaps it was the way he tried to force conversation with her, despite seeming uncomfortable in her presence.

Mostly, Audrey had kept to herself since arriving.

Is that why I’m here with Jameson? Boredom? Loneliness?

Uh, no.

Definitely not, it was past time to be honest with herself. The attraction between them was palpable, and she had sensed enough from Jameson to know the feeling was mutual.

What happens in Nicaragua, stays in Nicaragua?

Her libido started doing push-ups in preparation for what it sensed was about to happen. Her core spilled more moisture, rejoicing with a not so subtle ‘hurrah!’.

Audrey barely noticed that he had stepped closer to her, his eyes glaring at her intently, almost accusingly. As if it was her fault he was attracted to her.

Her heart started thumping as she realized that he was stalking toward her, the intention plain to see in his eyes.

He’s going to kiss me. Jameson’s intention was clear and Audrey leaned forward subconsciously, closing the space between them.

He was ready for her, pulling her toward him, his shockingly strong arms encircling her waist.

“Jameson, I—”

He didn’t want her to talk, to break the heady flow of heat racing between them and he shook his head. Her eyes met his as he pressed his fingers over her lips. She watched his pupils dilate, as her mouth opened to nip one finger.

“Shut up, Audrey.”

Slowly, his lips replaced his fingers, gently at first, then with more aggression, his tongue thrusting into her mouth as a soft sigh escaped her.

The awkwardness she was feeling melted away, transforming to a sensation of pure desire, and she allowed herself to relax into Jameson’s arms.

Instantly, she felt the bulge of his crotch and Audrey’s brow shot up in amazement, entranced by his eyes as they lit with desire.

Is that all him?

It wasn’t what she was expecting, even though in her gut, she had always suspected that Jameson would be…well endowed.

His lips pressed harder against hers, his form firming against her body as the heat between them grew and Audrey found herself being danced backward toward the cot at the far side of the one-roomed hut until she was splayed onto her back. Jameson’s lips followed a line down her neck toward the swell of her breasts and Audrey propped herself up on her elbows to watch as he slid down over her body like an inflamed snake ready to strike.

Yanking her clothes off in a blur, Audrey’s legs encircled his own bare skin, pulling him close in an embrace which locked him into her as his breath trailed along her flesh. Goosebumps exploded over her, his nose nuzzling the rigid nipples before he sampled the nub deliciously.

“God, you taste just like I imagined you would,” he muttered between nibbles of her breasts. “Sweet honey.”

She sighed, his words only fuelling the heat already in her loins and she arched her back up, gently pushing his head lower against her belly. Beads of sweat formed along her body when Jameson reached around to cup her cheeks firmly in his hands and draw her upward, his tongue lashing out to delve into her core, long and deep.

Audrey mewled, a shiver of pleasure causing her to shudder. Jameson’s mouth did not slow, his fingers kneading into the muscles of her buttocks and Audrey’s breaths caught in her throat when he added his index finger into her wet center.

“Oh, please,” she choked, falling back against the pillow, her fingers curling into the sheets at her side. Jameson took her cries as encouragement, his lips suctioning against her throbbing clit as his fingers slid in and out, bringing her closer to the climax she’d unknowingly been seeking from the minute she’d gone searching for Jameson.

He purred, the vibration bringing her to the heights she needed and with a low moan, Audrey permitted herself to let go against his rasping tongue in a wave of hot release.

Over and over, she came, the moisture of her release continuing to coat his tongue.

“Holy God!” she breathed. “I-I can’t stop coming.”

Jameson’s head came up from between her thighs, his green eyes glittering as he stared at her.

“Good,” he growled, climbing on top of her. At some point he had lost his pants, his rod as huge as she had felt it to be when she’d pressed against him.

Her legs slid up to wrap around him, her neck craning up to kiss his lips as he maneuvered even deeper.

With a fluid thrust, he was inside her and Audrey cried out, her nails digging into him but his mouth stopped her screams from escalating as she tried to wrap her legs tighter around him. Her mind was still trying to grasp the sheer size of his cock as she pressed her heels into his back, urging him even deeper inside.

Low groans escaped him and Audrey sucked him inside her, feeling him reach depths she never knew anyone could.

“So…tight…” he growled, his movements becoming full, hard and swelling. She clenched the walls of her pussy around him, taking him with gasps of pleasure, knowing that the harder he moved, the faster she would come again too.

“D-don’t stop,” she begged, her eyes glassy as she stared at him but she knew he had no intention of doing anything of the sort.

He buried his face into the curve of her shoulder, muttering hotly into her ear.

“I’ve wanted to have you since the moment I first saw you,” he hissed. More wetness coated her canal, the words sending a rush through her.

“Me too,” she murmured but the sentiment was lost against a low, deep groan and inside her, she felt his cock swell to its full size, filling her to her breaking point.

Jesus Christ! She heard him groan inside his own mind.

Suddenly, he withdrew, leaving Audrey gaping at him in shock. She didn’t have a chance to react, as he turned her body over, positioning her on all fours. She let her cheek drop down to the pillow as he spread her legs wide.

Jameson used his fingers to spread the moisture dripping from her core, back to her most sensitive opening.

“W-what are you doing?” she cried out with surprise.

He rose, positioning his raging shaft between her drenched middle and slowly, he pushed his way into her throbbing hole, his fingers manipulating the sensitive nub of her clit as he worked his way inside her. The fiery sensations were driving her passion higher and higher, the stretch and burn from her bottom sending jolts of pleasure to her clit.

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned. “Damn, you’re beautiful, sweetheart. Look at that…”

Audrey cried out as he pressed his cock deeper inside her, face pressed to the pillow as he made himself fit into a place that should never have easily taken him.

“Oh my God! Oh…” She spasmed, realizing that his fingers were bringing her to another climax as his thrusts grew harder and faster.

“Come for me again,” he ordered her, his voice gruff and even if she had wanted to fight it, she was powerless to stop the spasms of pleasure that gripped her whole body, mind, and soul. Her release spilled over his fingers as his shaft exploded inside her.

In unison they moaned, their cries echoing through the small hut so loudly that they must have scared the exotic birds from their roosts in the jungle.

With a sigh, Jameson fell on top of her, his cock still quivering as he finished. Audrey didn’t move at all, lest she lose the intoxicated pleasure which engulfed her.

“Jesus,” Jameson said again, kissing the nape of her neck. “Why haven’t we done this before?”

Audrey snickered and shifted slightly so that she could see his face.

“You’re asking me?” she replied playfully. “We do seem to find ourselves in the same places at the same time with our careers.”

Their eyes met and they shared an almost shy smile.

You can’t be bashful now. A second ago, you were begging him not to stop screwing you.

“I don’t hate you, you know,” Jameson told her and slowly, they disentangled themselves from one another. He caught the playful twinkle in the depths of her eyes.

“That’s good to know, given what we just experienced ... however, I never thought you did.”

“I just don’t agree with your methods—”

“Can we not talk about work right now?” Audrey asked pleadingly. “I was kind of hoping to just forget about the outside world for the day.”

Jameson studied her face closely.

“Is that why you agreed to come here? To shut it all off for a while?”

Audrey tensed, her jaw locking.

So much for not talking about work.

“Something like that,” she said stiffly, sitting up. Her body was sore in places she didn’t know existed.

“Sorry,” Jameson told her quickly, sensing her mood shift. “I was only asking because that’s why I agreed to come. I needed a break from the whole speaking circuit.”

“Is the Upper East Side wearing you down?” Audrey teased, eyeing him through her peripheral gaze as she slipped her tank top back over her head.

“Something like that.”

She nodded.

“I’m happy to get away for a while too,” she replied. “And this is going to help a lot of kids.”

She found her underwear and shorts. As she slipped them on, she could feel Jameson watching her and the knowledge gave her a fission of pleasure.

I might be on the run out here but it doesn’t have to be lonely. There’s no one here to see us. We can have fun for a few months before we have to go home.

“Don’t you think it’s odd that they brought two psychiatrists here?” Jameson asked and she turned around to face him.

“As a matter of fact, I do, but the way Bennet sold it to me, this hospital will be the first of its kind with any kind of mental health treatment.”

Jameson’s eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, he told me the same thing but even so…”

“I’m not really looking a gift horse in the mouth,” Audrey said, offering him a tight smile.

“A gift horse? Surely you’re not making anything comparable here as you were on your tour.”

Shit. I said too much.

“It’s not about the money, for me ... it never has been.”

She didn’t add anything else but she could hear Jameson’s thoughts easily.

“So…” he said and she turned to look at him fully. “You up to exploring San Antonio with me?”

The offer was unexpected and a relieved smile formed on Audrey’s face.

“Yes,” she laughed. “I think I am. Like you said, there’s not much we can do around here until they officially open the doors.”

He grinned back and rose to dress also.

“I’ll tell Bryan we’re going together.”

“Is he taking you to town?” A small spark of alarm touched her although she couldn’t say why exactly.

“Is that a problem?”

“No,” Audrey said quickly. “I was just wondering.”

He jumped into his khakis and grabbed his button-down shirt off the ground near the foot of the bed before heading toward the door but Audrey didn’t move.

Jameson paused at the doorway and cast her a curious look.

“Are you coming?” he asked, arching a dark eyebrow.

“Yeah,” she said, forcing a smile. “Yes, let’s get out of here.”

As they made their way out into the shady sunshine of the jungle, Audrey suddenly realized why she was so uneasy.

The huts, the remoteness. This is exactly the same set-up as the compound.

The understanding hit her like a physical blow.

She had spent her childhood yearning to escape the compound, to live her life free and clear of Oculus and instead, she had come full circle, running from a new agency and living in hiding.

History is always destined to repeat itself. You know that.

She gritted her teeth and shook her head as Jameson wandered off to find Bryan.

I’m not staying underground. After my contract is up here, I’m going back to the States and I’ll face all these demons head on. I won’t live my life like this, not when I’ve worked so hard to become who I am.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to do it alone, that she would need to bring her family into the fold but it was better than running, wasn’t it?

A moment later, Jameson returned, Bryan sauntering behind him, a sullen expression on his face.

“Shall we?” Jameson asked and Audrey bobbed her head, following the men toward the nearby caravan.

But you don’t need to think about Oculus or the CIA right now. You have six months to develop a plan, out here where no one can get you.

The notion gave her a burst of confidence and a smidgen of hope as she rested her eyes on Jameson.

And in between that planning and helping the orphaned children, I can enjoy myself a little.

She wondered who she was lying to. Audrey knew she was going to enjoy her time with Jameson a lot.