Donovans 01 - Amber Beach

in his hand. Clean clothes, no doubt.
    Before he reached the door, Honor was in the kitchen making a salmon salad sandwich. No matter how irritated she was, a deal was still a deal.
    But if Jake wanted any packing done, he could damn well do it himself.

20
    W HEN JAKE EMERGED from the bathroom he was wearing fresh jeans, a clean wool shirt, and boat shoes.
    “What happened at your cabin?” Honor asked the instant he walked into the kitchen.
    “Just what I told Ellen. Nice necklace you’re wearing. Did you design it?”
    “Yes. What didn’t you tell Ellen?”
    He gave up the idea of changing the subject. “The men were from the Seattle branch of the Organizatsiya. That’s the—”
    “—overseas mutation of the Russian mafiya ,” Honor finished impatiently.
    Jake raised his eyebrows.
    “Ellen mentioned them,” Honor said. “How did you know who the men were working for? Were they carrying membership cards or special guns or something?”
    “I asked them.”
    “And they told you?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Just like that?”
    “Are you sure you want to know?” he asked softly.
    Honor looked at Jake’s eyes. There was a lot more darkness than silver in them.
    “Right,” she said. “Next topic. Does that mean your good friend Pete is mafiya? ”
    “Not necessarily.” Jake finger-combed his wet hair. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. Crooks are politicians and politicians are crooks and everyone swaps favors and whores when they think no one is watching.”
    “Charming worldview you have.”
    “Thank you. It’s the result of a lifetime of study. Are you planning on eating that sandwich or does it have my name on it?”
    She handed over the sandwich and a paper towel to serve as a napkin.
    “Are you packed?” he asked.
    “I was too busy being domestic in the kitchen.”
    Jake chewed, swallowed, and watched Honor very closely. She had turned away and was rinsing a mayonnaise-covered spoon in the sink.
    “Good sandwich,” he said. “I’ll clean up here while you pack.”
    “No need.”
    “Why?”
    “I’m not going anywhere that I’ll need a change of clothes.”
    “It’s always a good idea to have a change of clothes aboard the boat.”
    “I’m not aboard the boat.” Honor looked out at the blue-white, wind-tossed sound. “Thank God.” She looked back at Jake. “Or is the wind supposed to drop?”
    “Not today.”
    She bit her lip. Relief that she wouldn’t have to go out on the rough water warred with the chill dread that never stopped gnawing on her: Kyle needed help and she was the only one in a position to give it.
    Jake had no trouble following the direction of Honor’s thoughts. Her face was almost as expressive as her body had been while he made love to her. He set the sandwich on the counter, dipped an edge of the paper towel in the running water, and turned Honor into his arms.
    “What—” she began, startled.
    “You have dirt on your cheek. Since it’s my fault, it’s only fair that I clean you up.”
    Honor’s breath caught at the cool touch of the paper towel as Jake wiped off the smudges his muddy fingers had left on her face when he kissed her earlier. He hesitated, then kissed her again. This time when he lifted his hands her face was clean and flushed.
    “I didn’t have any mud on my mouth,” she said.
    “Sure you did.”
    “I’m not going to pack.”
    “Okay.”
    She blinked, caught off balance again. “Just like that? Okay?”
    “Just like that. And like this.”
    He kissed her again, letting the leash on his hunger slip enough to make both of them breathe hard. When he finally let go of her, she looked at him with puzzled, gold-green eyes.
    “Jake?”
    “Yes?”
    “What am I going to do with you?”
    “I have a few modest suggestions.”
    “Modest?” she said skeptically.
    “Maybe modest is the wrong word. Let’s get naked and see if I can find the right word.”
    She smiled, but it slipped until it was as sad as a smile could be.
    Jake saw the change and knew what caused it. She didn’t like wanting a man she didn’t really trust. Rationally he couldn’t blame her for not believing that he wanted her more than he wanted her brother’s hide. In her shoes he would have felt the same way. Yet that lack of trust was going to make things even more dangerous. For both of them.
    “I should have just stuffed you aboard the Tomorrow and sailed over the horizon before Archer could call or Ellen could poison the well,” Jake said quietly.