His pulse picked up speed, and the blood surged to his groin. He glanced back down at her ass, and behind his fly, the erection that moments before had eased, swelled and lengthened. “Done. Spread your feet, beautiful.”

Slowly, she inched her feet apart until her lower body formed a sexy upside-down V. The air in the shower grew hot and sultry, vibrating with the sexual charge between them. “Aren’t you going to ask me ‘truth or dare’ first?”

“Why should I? We both know you don’t tell the truth.” He unlatched the watch from his wrist and handed it to her. Her fingers closed around the band, brushing his in the process, sending tiny sparks of electricity all through his flesh. Then he settled both hands at her waist and leaned close to her ear. “Round one. You get sixty seconds. If you can keep yourself from reacting to my touch in those sixty seconds, you win the first round and we move to the second.”

Her head tipped back, and she looked at the watch face. “Is this waterproof?”

He smiled against her neck. “Yes.”

“And what do you mean by reacting?”

Same old Eve. Always so technical. He breathed hot over her skin. “You can’t come, beautiful.”

Eve’s eyes slid closed. “Oh fuck.”

He chuckled and brushed his hands up her ribcage. “Now if you ask me to do that, I think that definitely counts as you admitting you do still want me. In which case, you lose. Are you ready, Evie? Sixty seconds on the clock.”


Stupid. Stupid idea. Why had she agreed to this?

Eve held her breath while Archer’s wicked hands ran up and down her ribcage, sending shock waves all through her body. Hot water beat against her skin, but it was the man at her back—the one wearing soaked jeans and a wicked smile she could just barely see from the corner of her eye—that was making her sweat.

She bit her lip as his hands grazed the underside of her breasts, then came around and cupped the masses gently. Against her ass, she felt his erection pressing against her through the damp denim.

Holy shit. Okay, don’t moan. Don’t rock back against him. You want him gone for good? Be tough, and you’ve got your chance.

She could win this. He’d given her an out, and this time she was taking it. After listening to what had happened to him in Guatemala, after realizing he was sticking with her now because he still felt something for her, after knowing the bullet that had grazed his shoulder wasn’t the worst that could happen to him because of her, she wasn’t about to put his life on the line anymore.

His fingers brushed her nipples, and air caught in her lungs. She went perfectly still. Warm breath fanned the skin of her neck, sending tiny shivers all through her body.

“How does that feel, Evie?” He twisted her nipples, then pinched each one, ever so slightly.

“Fine.”

He chuckled against her neck, the vibration echoing through his chest and hips, right against her ass. “I think it feels better than fine. I remember how much you used to like it when I’d play with your breasts while I slid into you from behind.”

Eve swallowed a groan. Tore her eyes open and looked at the watch. Twenty-five seconds to go . . .

One hand let go of her breast while the other continued to tease and torture. Then she felt his fingers slowly sliding down her belly, inching across her abs and slinking lower.

The first touch at her mound caused her to suck in a breath. But he didn’t press inside like she expected. Instead he cupped her mound and rubbed the heel of his hand against her until she saw stars.

“I like this, beautiful. Bare. It’s so damn sexy. Did you shave for me?”

She scoffed, but it came out more as a gasp. “No.”

He brushed his fingers across her lips and over her naked mound. “I don’t believe you.”

Eve focused on the watch face, but her vision swam. He pinched her nipple, and a jolt of electricity rippled through her, sending shock waves to her sex. It took every ounce of strength she had not to arch into his touch.

“Do you want more, Eve? Do you want me to touch you deeper”—he cupped her sex—“here?”

Eve bit down hard on her lip. Ten seconds. Eight . . .

He moved his hand up, and relief teased—that he was backing away, that she’d won this round—then two fingers pressed between her folds, sliding along her slit.

“Ooooh, baby. You are soooo fucking wet.”

His slick fingers glided up and around her clit. And every cell in Eve’s body shuddered. She gripped the watch tightly. The second hand blurred in front of her eyes. Two seconds . . . One . . .

“Time,” she groaned, dropping her forehead against the tile wall.

At her back, Zane chuckled. His fingers fell from her breast and sex, and the pressure eased against her ass. Cool air and the warm shower spray hit her body, but it did little to cool her down. She focused on the droplets splashing against her skin. Focused on her breaths. In and out. Focused on anything to take her mind off the fire growing in her core.

“You ready for round two? This time I get to add my mouth.”

Oh God. No, she wasn’t ready. The son of a bitch was sadistic. She should have realized that after he’d tied her up and cut away her blouse at that warehouse. And she was even sicker because a tiny part of her liked this.

Do not back down from him.

Her stomach caved in. She squeezed the watch in her hand. “Do it.”

His soft laughter met her ears. “A hundred and twenty seconds, Eve. Starting now.”

Fuck. Two minutes? She’d never last. Swallowing hard, she looked up at the watch. His hands landed at her shoulders, and she felt him move in close all over again.

Think about Olivia. And what Miller’s doing right this minute. And the bombing in Seattle. And how ADD Roberts fits into this mess. Don’t think about his mouth at your ear, blowing hot over your skin. Or the soft glide of his fingertips down your spine. Or—oh shit—his lips pressing softly against your neck . . .

Her eyes slid closed. Those wicked lips of his moved down her nape, then up to the sensitive spot behind her ear. A shudder rushed through her, one she couldn’t contain. He hummed his approval and moved to the other side.

He’d always been able to do this to her. Drive her wild with just one touch. With one press of his lips. It was another reason she’d walked away from him in Beirut. Because he made her forget about everything else and focus only on him.

“Mm . . .” he whispered against her. “You smell good. I bet you taste even better.” He nibbled on her ear and worked his way down her nape. Finding an extra sensitive spot, he licked, then sucked. His fingers tiptoed down her back to her hips.

Eve bit her lip again. Forced herself to remain perfectly still. Those sultry lips of his pressed against her spine, slinking lower with every kiss. When he reached her lower back, she gripped the watch tightly and held her breath.

She sensed him sink to his knees behind her. One big hand palmed her right cheek. His lips pressed against the other. He eased an inch away. “God, you’ve got a sexy ass, Eve. You work out, don’t you?”

“Um . . .” Her mind wasn’t working. She couldn’t think. “Yeah.”

“Running?”

He kept one hand cupping her right cheek. The other slid over the curve of her behind and under to brush against her sex. She was just about to answer when she felt his fingers slide between her folds. Her body jolted at the intimate touch, and she pushed her forehead against the tiles. Oh God . . .

He kissed the top of her ass and slipped his fingers up and around her clit. “You’re drenched, Evie. I can smell your arousal. Sure you don’t want to just give in and tell me you want me?”

Eve turned her head and pressed her cheek against the cool tiles. Drawing her eyes open, she stared at the watch. Forty more seconds . . .

She swallowed hard and fought back the need raging in her veins. “Piece of cake.”

He chuckled again and slipped his fingers up and over her clit, then down to circle her opening. “You never could back down from a challenge, could you? Spread your legs and arch your back, Evie. I want to kiss you here.”

Oh . . . God . . .

Eve’s heart pounded. Slowly, her legs inched wider apart, and she arched, pushing her hips away from the wall like she knew he wanted.

Twenty seconds . . . Eighteen . . .

His hands gripped her ass cheeks, pulling them open. His warm breath fanned her sex. She gripped the watch tightly in her hand. Stared at the ticking second hand. Come on, come on, come on . . .

Fourteen . . . Twelve . . .

His soft, naughty lips pressed gently against her clit. And all thought rushed out of her mind as electrical sensations shot through every cell in her body.

She groaned. Pressed back against him. He answered by humming and kissing her again and again. Slid his fingers down to circle her opening until she saw stars.

Her eyes slammed shut. Her hands pressed against the tiles. The watch fell from her grip to clatter against the shower floor.

She gasped. “Zane—”

His mouth left her sex. He pressed hot, dangerous kisses across her ass cheeks, moved slowly up her spine. But his fingers were still there. Still stroking her wetness. Still teasing her arousal. Still circling her opening, where she ached to feel him most.

His chest brushed her back. Then his mouth was at her ear, breathing heavily. The hard, rigid length of his cock behind his fly, pressing into her ass. His arm wrapped around her body, and his hand closed over her breast, squeezing tightly. “I think time’s almost up, Evie. Do you want me to stop?”