Ellie listened to the short, one-sided conversation. While she could understand its brevity, she had grown increasingly curious. Who the hell was Asher talking to? Who was his boss? What exactly was his organization up to? She wished she knew more. She wanted to know more, but even if she asked, Asher wasn’t likely to tell her. For her own safety, he would say. Or maybe something like only a need-to-know comment.

She sighed and reached for the laptop as he hung up the phone, taking it out of its box and wrapping. He watched her for several moments, and she finally looked up at him as she waited for the system to boot up. “What?”

“How long is this going to take?”

She frowned. “How long is what going to take?”

“You said you wanted to check on something. The senator guy. What is it you need to confirm before we can do this double attack, or whatever you want to call it?”

“Well, after the system boots up, I can . . . wait, they do offer Wi-Fi here, don’t they?”

Asher closed his eyes and leaned his head back before looking back at her. “I guess we’ll know in a few minutes, won’t we?”

She nodded. While most places did these days, they were out in the boonies here, nestled within the rolling hills, deep ravines, and mountains of New Hampshire. She glanced at the phone on the bedside table. Maybe that’s why they still had the landline phone. She waited several minutes while the system booted up, and then typed in some commands. She sighed with disappointment.

“No go,” she said. “Can’t jump on a signal out here.” She glared at the computer with disgust, then flung herself down on the bed beside it. “Any chance we can find a coffee shop, or maybe even park in the office store lot where you made that phone call? The office store will have Wi-Fi.” She glanced at the wall clock. “It should still be open unless they roll up the carpets and turn in around here at sundown. I can piggyback onto it from there.”

Asher groaned, muttering under his breath. God, she felt like such a burden. A pain in the ass. Once again, she was reminded of the danger she had put them both in. Risking his safety. Risking his life. Surely, he would rather be doing something else, just as she did. Which made her feel even worse.

She turned away, heaving another woeful sigh as she plucked at a piece of fuzz on the bedspread that looked like it came right out of the seventies. A knot grew in her throat, and she blinked back a sudden surge of warmth in her eyes. How could this have happened? When was it going to end? What if—

The mattress sank, and she turned to find Asher sitting down next to her. Close. So close she felt his heat. For a moment, he just sat there, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, hands dangling. A slight frown marred his brow. What was he doing—he suddenly straightened and placed his arm over her shoulder. She stiffened.

“Don’t cry, Ellie. Everything is going to be all right.”

“I’m not crying!” she stammered, only to feel the trickle of a tear trace its way down her cheek. With a grunt of frustration, she wiped it away.

She knew he was going to kiss her. She wanted him to. She knew he was going to touch her. She wanted him to. She tried to prepare herself for the feel of his arms around her, comforting her. Her body instantly ached for that sense of familiarity she’d experienced with his touch. Unable to stop herself, she slid her hands around his waist at the same moment he gently clutched her shoulders and pulled her closer. Her hands slipped under his shirt, reveling at his warmth, at his musculature. She felt the tug on her own shirt and didn’t need any further prompting.

His lips met hers, gently, encouraging her to open her mouth. Immediately, his warm tongue slipped inside. They broke off the kiss only to impatiently yank their shirts over their heads, and then their lips found one another again. Her heart pounded, her body thrumming with pleasure. Asher’s lips left hers and traced a trail down her neck, nibbling, licking, kissing. Her flesh flushed with his warm breath, the tenderness of his kisses against her skin. Her hands roamed his chest, his waist, his shoulders; all of him warm and strong and taut . . .

She looked up at him then and sucked in her breath at the look in his eyes as he swept his gaze from her face to her breasts. Her nipples puckered even through her bra. Liquid heat poured through her body, from her neck down to her pussy, now alert and pulsing with desire. His pupils dilated, his gaze everywhere at once; her eyes, her lips, her neck, her breasts . . . She reached her hand behind her back and unlatched the bra, shrugged her shoulders forward, and flung the bra to the floor.

Asher’s gaze followed every move she made, and when he looked at her bare breasts, she gasped as if she’d been touched. She ached for the touch, his fingers to cup her flesh and caress and gently squeeze her nipples, anxious for the electric stream of feeling that would race from her breasts and down to her core. Instead, his fingers lightly traced around her skin, his thumbs brushing casually over her nipples and then down to her waist, making her stomach muscles tense. It was entirely new, the thrill that only his touch had ever invoked in her.

He made a noise low in his throat as he grinned at her body’s response to his touch. Ellie shivered. His hard muscles pressed against the softness of her breasts and stomach as he pressed her back onto the bed. His burgeoning erection brushed against her mound.

“I love the way you feel,” he murmured, hand skimming over her breasts again.

He leaned closer to kiss her shoulder near the base of her ear. It was a slow kiss, a sensuous kiss, one not in any hurry. Those warm, moist lips made their way down her throat to the swell of her breasts. She couldn’t help herself. She placed her hand on the back of his neck and guided him closer, arching her back, desperate to feel his mouth closing around a nipple, the anticipation of his lips caressing and suckling. Fully aroused, her nipples hardened, urging his touch with a life of their own.

She lay on her back while Asher moved next to her on his side. One hand braced his head while the other casually roamed over her body. Her shoulder, the base of her throat, a breast, then down to her belly, which automatically tightened, and then skimming down a hip, her thigh, then back up again. Every place his hand touched left her body zinging with sensations. He teased her nipples and left her skin burning with increasing heat and hunger that took her breath away.

She arched her back still more, silently offering her tight peaks in invitation. Asher finally obliged. His lips and tongue slowly caressed one breast and then the other, lapping and circling as if he were eating an ice cream cone. She gasped, wiggling against him as her hands struggled to reach his pants. She moaned as his hand once again moved downward toward her thighs, first caressing them through her jeans, and then, impatiently again, both of them shifting to unbutton and unzip. He eased a hand down into her pants and then slid beneath her underwear, teasing every nerve in her body.

The hunger inside her flared and begged for release. Though her left hand was trapped between her side and his, her right was free, and she stroked his body with the same passion that he stroked hers. Her hand inched its way inside his jeans, and she grasped his hard cock. He groaned softly as she wrapped her hand around his warm, throbbing hardness. Her fingers curled around his balls. She squeezed gently, then returned to stroking his cock, which grew even harder with each stroke.

Both she and Asher wiggled in tandem again, maneuvering their jeans down far enough to provide greater access. In another moment, he lay on top of her, breathing heavily as his lips once again returned to hers. His tongue swept the inside of her mouth as their tongues tangled, she moaning and he offering low, throaty grunts.

His hand stroked her pussy, his thumb gently swirling through her dark curls as his fingers probed her increasing dampness and dipped lower, sliding along her wet pussy lips. Her body pulsed with anticipation until the moment he hesitated . . . and he reached for his pants, tucked now around his ankles. What was—oh. She watched as he plucked a small, square, brightly colored foil packet. Condom. He must have picked it up when they were at the store.

Her gaze was glued to him as he ripped the packet with his teeth. She watched with fascination as he placed the rubber on his slick head and unrolled it down the length of his shaft.

He looked at her then, one eyebrow lifted. A question. She nodded, spread her legs, and allowed him to nestle between them. Asher settled himself between her knees and without hesitation, punched his hips forward, thrusting deep inside her. She sucked in her breath at the feel of his length pushing inside, filling her, stretching her.

Ellie pushed any other thoughts from her mind. She would enjoy the moment, his touch, and the incredible feelings coursing through her. With his legs nestled inside hers, she bent her knees to enable him to go even deeper. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, balancing his weight on his elbows. He thrust again, filling her up completely. Asher slowly withdrew, and she sucked in a breath at the friction, then maneuvered her hips upward, urging him back again. After several slow and teasing strokes, they settled into a steady rhythm. Each thrust filled her senses. Her breathing grew ragged, and she felt her body flush from warm, to hot, to enflamed. His speed increased, the thrusts coming harder and faster. Ellie matched him.

She moved with him, giving as well as taking, wanting even more. Suddenly, with a blinding flash and her body pure sensation, she reached her peak. She shuddered as a white haze filled her mind. Waves of pulsing pleasure took over. Asher’s arms tightened, and he pumped harder, deeper, then slower, holding her even closer as he too reached his climax. They rode those waves together until the pleasure-filled contractions slowly ebbed.

As they lay there, gasping for breath, their skin slick and sweaty, neither of them said a word. What to say? Thank you? Ellie was more comfortable staying silent. His strong arms wrapped around her made her feel safe for the first time in days, and in that moment, that was all she needed.

Finally, Asher rolled to his side, lying on his back with his arms crossed beneath his head while his erection slowly ebbed and finally, his dick lay soft and flaccid. She glanced up at him. He was watching her, a grin on his face. As they made eye contact, his dick started to move again.

She laughed and shook her head. “I’m going to take a quick shower, and then let’s get into town to see if I can get a signal.”

He nodded, still smiling. His soft laughter followed her as she disappeared into the bathroom. Ellie glanced into the mirror. The woman staring back at her with that flushed face and dilated pupils was smiling, too.