Deliberately Saber forced a smile, studying the other woman, trying to place her, trying to figure out if they'd ever been in the same compound. Whitney had several training facilities and he liked to keep the girls in groups, but he separated the groups and introduced different training techniques in an effort to find what worked best. She'd never seen Mari before, but there was no doubt she was a soldier, a GhostWalker.
Saber stuck her hand out, her breath catching in her lungs--waiting. Would they take her hand? Did they know? If Whitney had sent them to retrieve her, they'd hesitate or find some excuse not to touch her. They'd fear even her touch.
Mari took her hand immediately, a welcoming smile on her face. "It's so good to meet you."
Ken not only took her hand, but covered it with his other one. If they knew about her, they were too good to show fear. "So you're the woman who has finally put Jess in his place."
For a moment she thought she hadn't heard right. "It's not like that...," she began to protest, but Jess reached up and took her hand right out of Ken's and kissed the center of her palm, his gaze locked with hers. She lost her train of thought.
"She's the one," Jess admitted. "She'll deny it, but that's because she's an outrageous little liar. We were just about to dance."
Ken leaned close to him. His voice was a pseudo-whisper. "It was Mari who dragged me here too. I sympathize greatly."
Mari smiled and shook her head. "I can't dance at all. Ken loves it."
Ken wrapped his arm around her waist and took her out onto the dance floor. She slipped easily into his arms. They didn't dance so much as hold one another and sway.
Jess's black gaze burned possessively over Saber. He glided easily onto the floor and held out his hand to her. Saber's smile was slow, unconsciously sexy, blue eyes clinging to his. She slid onto his lap, circling his neck with her slender arms, slowly relaxing against the wall of his chest, head on his shoulder. Jess's hand slid up her back, his other swaying the racing chair to the slow, sensuous rhythm of the music.
She was unbearably soft, her skin hot through the thin separation of their clothing. Their hearts beat together, his body stirring to a fierce arousal all too noticeable against the back of her bare thigh. She smelled fresh and sweet and Jess couldn't resist sliding his tongue along her neck, tasting soft, scented skin. His teeth nipped experimentally, the hand at her back drawing her even closer so that he could experience the reaction of her body. She laid her head on his shoulder, her hand tapping out a rhythm on the nape of his neck.
Saber was lost in the music, in the hard strength of his body. It was a melting heat, a merging of souls, a slow, erotic pulsing of blood and instruments, body and mind. It lasted an eternity, forever, it lasted a heartbeat, a moment.
As the soft strains of music faded away, the real world forced entrance to their private sanctuary. Bereft, Saber lifted her head, eyes starry, breath impossible to control. She looked as if he'd made love to her and for a moment Jess tightened his hold, almost forgetting where they were.
A swift upbeat number had couples breaking apart. Ken clapped Jess on the back. "Enough of that, you two," he reprimanded. "Let's see some moves."
Reluctantly, Jess allowed Saber to slide from his lap, closing his eyes against the savage ache as her firm, rounded buttocks slid enticingly over his lap.
"Is that some kind of challenge?" He winked at Saber, his voice a little bit husky, his breathing not quite under control.
Ken nodded. "You got it, Calhoun. You and Saber are supposed to be so hot, at least that's the word from Max." He winked at Mari. "Well, maybe you already are."
"Very funny." Saber moved back, hips swaying to the beat of the music, feet picking up the rhythm. She didn't know who Max was, but they'd all obviously discussed her in the context of her belonging with Jess, and she was absurdly pleased about that.
Jess smiled, a slow sensuous response to the rhythm of her body, easily tilted his chair, balancing on two wheels, moving with her, around her, Saber around him, close, apart, eyes locked on one another. Her body flowed with all the grace of a ballerina and the strength of a gymnast. She was a wild little thing of pure beauty, music mysteriously coming to life.
It was obvious they were in a world of their own, the only two people on the dance floor. It looked as though every moment had been choreographed to perfection, a swirl of man, woman, and machine. Jess's ability to spin, jump, and glide in his wheelchair was phenomenal. Their soft, muted laughter and wild, skillful dancing continued for several songs.
Ken and Mari, laughing together, joined Saber and Jess at their table.
"So are we the champions?" Jess asked, grinning at his friend.
"I give up," Ken conceded. "You two can keep your crowns."
"I can't dance at all," Mari admitted. "Ken makes me look good, but I don't think I'll ever get the hang of it. Where'd you learn to dance like that, Jess?"
Jess sipped his drink, eyes on the perfection of Saber's face. "This lady right here. She loves to dance, and has music going all the time. She'd nag me all the time, until I had no choice."
He smiled at Saber tenderly.
You have it bad, Jess. Ken sent the thought telepathically. She's definitely a GhostWalker, but Mari has never seen her before. Have you checked her out?
Jess tried not to react to the faint hint of suspicion in Ken's voice. If the positions had been reversed, he would have been suspicious as well.
"Well, she taught you well," Mari said, shyness in her voice. "You're very good."
Saber had the impression Mari wasn't used to crowds. Ken slipped his arm around her waist, bending to brush her temple with a quick, tender kiss. They were obviously not pretending to be married for her benefit and that made her feel safer. Maybe Jess hadn't called in his team. His friends would want to check up on him, visit him and make certain he was doing all right. She wanted to believe Ken and Mari were just at the club to have fun with Jess.
"He is good, isn't he?" Saber said with pride.
Mari nodded. "I've never seen anything quite like that."
It was kind of funny that they were all sitting at the same table pretending they were all just friends--normal people--instead of their reality. Saber had learned to handle the crush of energy others gave off, but it was difficult over long periods of time. She usually avoided crowds. Mari wasn't an anchor either and she would have the same problems being out in public. It gave Saber a kindred feeling toward Mari.
"I love to dance, and Jess was so good about dancing at home with me."
Home. Jess liked the way she said it. He'd never thought much about having a home. He'd taken it for granted, growing up in a loving family the way he had. He wondered what Saber's childhood had been like. He knew Mari's
had been extremely difficult. Jess reached for Saber's hand, thumb feathering over her knuckles. "It was fun," he said decisively. "Although I think she's always afraid I might fall over backward."
"That's because you deliberately scare me." She laughed because she couldn't help it as he caught at the wheels to do a pop-up. "Stop, you know I hate that."
"Stop showing off for your woman," Ken ordered. She's laughing but she's really worried about it.
Jess shot his friend a shut-up look, but he stopped teasing her. "I do it all the time, honey, and I never fall."
"I know," Saber sipped at her drink and flashed him a reassuring smile.
That was the problem right there, Jess decided. That smile. Like she was taking care of him, watching over him. Afraid he'd hurt himself. He knew where all the exits and windows were. He knew who would be the most dangerous men in the room in a fight. He knew the make and model of every car in the parking lot and exactly how they were parked. He knew which of the customers were armed and which ones he could take--most likely all of them--without breaking a sweat and still sitting in his wheelchair. But she didn't see him as someone who could take care of her.
He wanted to shake things up. He was tired of pretending to be less capable than he truly was. But he couldn't tell her the truth because he was a top secret national security weapon. And most likely, she couldn't say anything to him for the same reason.
As if reading his mind, Ken gave a small shake of his head. Mari thinks she's on the run.
Was he really that transparent? He wanted to lean across the table and kiss her. She melted when he kissed her, forgetting all about the chair. Jess sighed and sought a safe topic of conversation. "How's Briony? Her baby must be due soon." He found Saber's hand again, tangling their fingers because he needed to touch her. "Briony, Mari's sister, is married to Ken's brother, Jack."
"Jack and I are twins," Ken explained. "And so are Mari and Briony. Briony is expecting twins."