Chapter 13

Nicki sat back in her chair and watched the sun sink lower over the horizon. She'd been to Turkey before, of course. This exact location, less than a year earlier. But she hadn't come here via private yacht, she'd come by economy plane, and she'd stayed in a quaint hotel that had shared bathrooms down the hallway.

Viewing the country from the deck of a freaking royal yacht was definitely a step up in the world.

She knew that Stefan was watching her, but for once, the prospect of his attention didn't fill her with nervousness or doubt—merely excitement. And not the excitement of cliff diving either. Or not exactly. The jump was the same, sure…but she knew she'd be totally safe at the bottom of the drop. Maybe she wouldn't be the second time she stepped into the open air, but this time…yes.

The thought made her twist her lips ruefully. Her one-time-only preference was really less of a rule than what had become the natural order of things, but it seriously worked for her. She scared off most men before they got to the first kiss, though that clearly hadn't been a problem with Stefan. The rest of the few guys she'd kissed she'd never really cared to see again, but those she did—after the second time, that was it.

Sometimes the decision was mutual, sometimes the guy simply drifted away. Most of the time she distanced herself—usually by heading off on a new adventure living halfway around the world. Her heart was unpredictable, and she would not—could not—endure the expression on someone's face when they learned that she had an off-the-charts risk factor that had nothing to do with her next snowboarding run.

But Stefan had several built-in failsafes against anything serious coming from a hookup between them. First off, he was a highly placed diplomat smack in the middle of a freaking royal family, which meant the guy stayed busy. Secondly, he was a flippin' demigod whowas pushing 200 years old, which probably meant he wasn't exactly looking to hook up long-term with anyone. Thirdly, he?—

His amused voice cut across her thoughts. "Do I want to know what you're thinking?"

"Hmm?" Nicki refocused, fast. "Nothing too deep, I promise. It's just so incredibly beautiful here—and so peaceful." She gestured to the coastline with her wine glass. "Which is amusing given what goes on in this country. It's not peaceful at all, I'm sure. But from out here…"

"Altering distance can provide an enhanced perspective." Stefan laid his napkin on the table, then stood. He reached out a hand and she put her fingers in his, feeling the zing of anticipation when he drew her to her feet. "For example, I find my perspective improves greatly when I'm closer to you."

He turned her in his arms until she was facing outward again, her back to his chest. She could feel the pulse of his heartbeat in this intimate embrace and the strength of it startled her. Forget the whole demigod thing. Stefan was alive, real, and more vital than any guy she'd ever met. He was capable, yes, but it went beyond that. She'd never once felt endangered today at the scavenger's encampment, when by all rights she should have. And the moment Tamas had urged her to move into Stefan's sight line, she'd experienced an almost surreal sense of calm—her heart steady, her mind certain.

She felt the same way now. Stefan covered her hands with his and brought them up, so that both his hands and hers were crossed over her heart. She closed her eyes and leaned back at him, willing the tears that sparked behind her eyes to go away. He didn't understand the significance of what he was doing. He didn't understand the symbolism of protecting her greatest weakness. And there was absolutely nothing sexy about a girl who cried the first time she had sex with a guy. Tears were so not going to happen.

"I suspect you're thinking too much again," Stefan said, leaning forward to brush his lips against her hair. "For a woman of action such as you, it's a surprising defense."

Nicki snorted, and her tension unraveled that much more, her back muscles easing until she leaned more heavily against Stefan's rock-hard chest. "I should be verifying whether this particular activity is moving our mission forward, shouldn't I?" she asked, smiling as he tightened his hold on her. She was surrounded by the strength of his body, its solidity. This may be ground that she hadn't covered in some time, but Stefan moved without hesitation.

He dropped his head down near her ear, his breath soft against her hair. "I assure you, this is absolutely essential to ensuring the mission goes off without a hitch. You trust me, don't you?"

With my life.The words were so forceful in her own mind it was a miracle she hadn't spoken them out loud. Instead, she managed a breathy, "Of course."

"Then I think it might be best if I tell you what to do at this point. So there's no confusion."

Nicki stiffened a little, and Stefan's chuckle was deep and rolling, filled with masculine certainty. "And here I thought you could take direction. Going back on your word, Nicki?"

The tension filled her to bursting then crested over again, and she sighed against him. "Not at all. You ask for it, you get it, though. So be prepared."

"Excellent. I think this will work out for us both." He loosened his hands on hers. "Turn around. I want to see you."

Obligingly, Nicki turned in Stefan's arms. No sooner had she done so than he lifted his hands to her face, drawing her closer to him. His lips brushed hers and she caught her breath as he nuzzled her mouth. "You taste like the sky," he murmured, and his voice held a note of wonder that made her stomach tighten and her limbs feel a little too loose, too unsteady.

She lifted a hand to his chest, feeling the steady beating of his heart. He leaned back from her and stared at her intently. "I want to make love to you underneath the open sky," he said, his lips quirking into a rueful grin. "Unfortunately, I can only trust my men so far."

Her eyes widened. She hadn't expected that. "Would they spy on you?"

"I would if I were them. So this is the better option." He held out a hand and pulled her back into the shadowy confines of the room, but he left the large French doors open to the deck, the brilliant sky beginning to turn a soft orange. In the shadows, Nicki almost felt self-conscious again, but Stefan didn't give her a chance to back down.

"Now where were we," he murmured, stepping close to her. "Oh yes." He dropped his head to hers as his hands came up to cradle her face in his palms. "Yes, much better."

This time, when he kissed her he didn't restrain himself to nuzzling her lips. He pressed firmly, insistently, and her lips opened naturally against his, the silky intrusion of his tongue foreign and right all at once. Her heart rate picked up then, but only in the best possible way, and she wrapped her fingers around his. He pulled away from her and his eyes glittered with intensity. "I think the next directive is definitely that you surrender your clothes."

A strange flare of power shivered through Nicki. Sex to her had always been merely recreational, but with Stefan, all of a sudden it felt momentous, like every second was something she wanted to preserve in her memory banks. She stepped back and grimaced down at her serviceable tank and cargo pants—perfect for a walk into a scavenger's den, but not for seduction. "I'm afraid there's no easy way to do a strip tease with these," she said.

"That's good," Stefan said. "Because I have no interest in waiting for one." He walked her backward until the back of her legs hit the bed. "If you're not out of those clothes in the next thirty seconds, however, I can't be responsible for what I do."

"Noted." She pulled off her tank with one tug, then dropped her pants to the floor, leaving her standing only in her underwear. She thought Stefan would stop her—after all, he'd seen her this naked already—but he didn't. So with a slight hesitation, she reached behind her back to unhook her bra, letting it fall forward.

If she had any doubts about how he would react to her body, his expression of profound pleasure resolved them.

"Perfect," he muttered.