Love On the Run Pt. 02

All that should matter was that he could protect her. She would treat him as a bed mate, a partner in fun, and soon enough they would part ways. As always, when she thought that, there was a wince in her chest.

Julian was dreaming of her. She was tanned and blonde, Jessie was smiling, playing on the warm beach with him. Her lithe body was in a tiny bikini and he couldn't keep his hands off her. He dreamt of the soft feel of her skin, the subtle, sweet smell of her, the salty, delirious taste of her lips.

He opened his eyes to realize the kiss was real, not a dream. The car was pulled over and it was morning, but they were on a dirt access road off the highway. Jessie was straddling him, writhing against his erection, devouring his lips.

Sleepy, Julian reacted, grabbing her head and forcing her mouth tighter against his. Her breasts rubbed his chest and he felt her hard nipples through the dress, and cursed. She reached between them and fumbled with his pants and even foggy, he reached into his pocket and grabbed the condom just as she pulled his cock free.

She gripped him strongly, her slim, cool fingers immediately massaging. He fought the urge to thrust up and struggled to open the packet.

"Hurry," she said.

Some distant alarm bell went off in his mind but then he realized beneath her skirt she wore no panties. His bare cock brushed her damp folds and she was wet, dripping. Julian lost all reasoning then and it was only Jessie's hand that reminded him to sheath himself. As soon as he did he thrust up, filling her, delighting in the tight, hot squeeze of her around him. She threw her head back and he took advantage, kissing her neck even as his hands settled on her hips and urged her to move.

Jessie found the rhythm quickly and rode him hard and fast. He was breathless, kissing her skin, biting, touching anywhere he could. She gripped his shoulders and pumped her hips, sliding against him, riding him like he was a damn horse, and Julian was in Heaven.

It happened so fast, his mind still foggy, and she felt so warm and soft, so fucking hot he couldn't hold back. Afraid he'd beat her, Julian mentally recited the stats for the Dolphins' last season until he heard that little hitch in her breath and then the sweet ripples of her cunt around him. Once she came, he let himself go, and nearly roared with it.

He grabbed her for a kiss but she turned her head and he was left to bury his face against her neck. She slumped against him for a moment and it felt nice to be buried inside her, still hard, their panting breaths dancing in syncopation, but then she opened the door and dismounted.

"Your turn to drive," she said dispassionately, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Right," he drawled, confused. He found a plastic bag from their last pit stop and put the condom in there, then stuffed himself back in and zipped up.

Damn it, he wanted a nice, soft bed, and two more hours of sleep, and it'd be nice if she was there in his arms, and just as eager to go again when he woke. Nice and slow, just as he'd imagined taking her.

Fuck, that was what was wrong. He was teasing her, giving her time to calm down, not be so skittish. Or, at least he had, but if he wasn't mistaken, Julian had just been used. Damn it, he was the one who used women, not the other way around.

He got out and let her sit shotgun, walked around to the driver's side and adjusted the seat and mirrors. By the time he made it back to the highway she was out cold, looking young and soft in sleep, even with the tantalizing hints of her delicious curves visible in that damned dress.

She was infuriating in so many ways, he was beginning to realize. Sometimes Jessie was all smiles and softness, energy and exuberance. Then something from her past would enter her mind and her eyes would shutter and she'd almost power down. And then other times she was that master seductress claiming him, pulling him under until he drowned in helpless lust.

She was tough, of that there was no doubt. She'd had to be, to have survived what she did and remain intact. But there was something to her, a sunny core, a heart that belonged to a girl whose life should have been nothing but parties, boys, and easy street. The burgeoning sex goddess would make some man very happy one day, but the kind of life she belonged in was one he wasn't welcome in.

Just when he thought he had her figured out, she surprised him, and he didn't like this turn one bit. He'd known from the start she wasn't a woman for whom casual sex came easily, but there had been that dark sense of victory in seducing her.

However, now that he realized it, she had been the one to seduce him. She'd been irresistible, a beautiful woman without artifice asking him to come to her hotel room. Then she had come to his. Now this. How had he lost control? With women Julian was the aggressor, the one in charge. Sometimes he took what he wanted immediately, and sometimes he enjoyed the game, making them beg, building the anticipation.

But this last time...it had been soulless, pure need. It should have been a relief to have a woman for once assume the responsibility, but Julian knew it should have been...better. Did he really think that?

Glancing at her once more he thought of his resolve to leave her. Why? He'd never been interested in a woman for anything longer than, at most, two weeks of fun. But with Jessie...there was a part of him that wanted more. He liked sleeping with her in his arms, he liked her jokes, as few and far between as they were. He loved her voice, lilting and almost sing-song when she got excited. He loved the way her eyes seemed to darken when she was aroused, even through the colored contacts he knew she still wore. He loved that she had survived and thrived where most people would fail, but he knew nothing really about her.

Still, the one thing he knew was unsettling enough. Julian desperately wanted to know more about her.

Jessie woke from a sound sleep to heat. Opening her eyes she saw the car was pulled off to the side of the road, a large city visible in the morning light ahead of them. Julian had slipped one strap of her dress and bra down and bared a nipple, teasing it with his fingers.

She moaned and raised her arms, stretching out, thrusting her breasts forward. God, it felt so good, her mind fogged over with the pleasure.

He bent and kissed her, lips brushing against hers lightly, and then he pulled back and slipped her dress and bra back up.

"What?"

He smiled, his eyes indigo, and she knew he was just as aroused as she. "We're about to meet my contact. You're going to be nervous, I know, but I want you to know what to expect as soon as he finds us somewhere safe to hide and we call you into the agency."

"Why wait?" she asked, her voice a husky whisper.

He kissed her passionately then, their tongues meeting, tasting one another as he fairly devoured her. Jessie shivered with need and clutched at him, aching for more, but all too soon he pulled back, wearing a devilish grin. "Because, as chefs say, hunger is the best sauce."

He left her groaning and weak then, and turned back to put the car in gear.

An hour later they had ditched the car in a parking garage with its license plates switched to buy them time. Added to that he put a cover over it. "This space belongs to the agency. As soon as I make contact they'll dispose of it, but until then no one should know we're here."

She followed him out into a busy world of hot streets baking concrete and steel buildings, the sun beating down in shafts between buildings on the citizens and tourists scurrying about. Jessie's body still burned and ached for him, confusing her all the more. She should be worrying over a thousand and one things, but when Julian was near all she could think about was stripping his clothes off, pulling his hair free, and feeling him deep inside her.

Life had changed so much. Just a few days ago, she'd been in hiding, awaiting Sam Costa with her ticket here. She would have worked her way up, hitching rides, paying for bus tickets from her savings as needed. In a few weeks she would have hit the big city, used her backup ID, and bought a ticket to Lisbon.

There she would find a job and a place to live, and when she saved enough go to school part time. Maybe at school she'd meet a man, but as she was so much older than a typical college student she doubted it. After graduation she would have. She would find a smart, steady man like Henry and settle down, maybe have kids. And he would never, ever know her real name or past, no one would.

But now here she was, with a man from the agency she'd been terrified of for so long, walking hand in hand through the big city after leaving a stolen car behind. Soon they would both have new IDs, a place to shower, maybe even do laundry, and then she would return to America. Where would she stay? A hotel room, a safe house? Would Julian be with her? Oh, the thought of having access to him every night warmed her heart, and lower things, even as it worried her.

"Come on, let's get some clean clothes and then we'll eat."

He pulled her into a clothing store and spoke with a convincingly local accent. Twenty minutes later she had new panties and a bra, her old one stuffed into her bag, and she was wearing a blue sundress. It was simple, bright, matching the color of her new contact lenses.

When she emerged from the fitting room fully dressed Julian's face was a mask, but his eyes darkened, and he paid the clerk while staring at her. They went two doors down to a men's shop and he quickly picked out what he need and paid, ducking into a fitting room after making her promise to stay put.

Jessie wandered to the glorified bookshelves posing as clothing racks in the upscale store and looked over the offerings, killing time.

"Senorita," a deep voice said.

She turned and saw a pleasant looking young man, average in every way but dressed in designer labels, his clothing and bearing screaming money.

"Si?"

"What is such a beautiful lady doing here alone?" he asked in Spanish.

"Waiting for my husband," she replied in kind.

"What kind of a man would let you out of his sight for even a moment?"

"This kind," Julian said suddenly, making her jump.

Jessie turned and felt her jaw drop. He wore an off-the-rack suit but it fit well. His shirt was crisp and light blue, making his eyes glow and emphasizing his tanned, caramel skin. His hair was smoothed back into a ponytail still, and even with the shadow of a beard he looked more like a model than a federal agent. "Ungh," she managed at last and the smile he gave her was slow and seductive, purely sexual.

"Back off," he said, quickly glaring at the man.

The other man mumbled apologies and quickly ran from the shop.

"Husband?" Julian asked her.

"When I'm alone I usually tell them I'm a lesbian, but if a man is around the husband ruse works well."

"Try to stick to Spanish," he whispered in her ear, the jolt of hot breath against her skin made her whimper. He placed his hand on the small of her back and escorted her back to the street, taking his gym bag from her.

Back on the street they blended in better. Like any large city's business district, the locals were well-dressed in subtle high fashion, only the tourists opting for comfort. He led her to a sidewalk stand where they each got tortillas piled with meat and vegetables along with bottles of water, and ate on a bench.

It was mid afternoon by then and the business day was winding down, more and more people walked past removing their suit jackets and ties, smiles widening with each step closer to home.

Julian blended in, removing his jacket and slinging it over his arm as he grabbed their bags.

"Let me take mine," she said.

"Down here a gentleman would never let a lady carry such a large bag, light though it is."

"So where are we going?"

"Into the not-so nice part of town." With that he stepped to the curb and lagged a taxi.

She got in as he held the door, giving the driver an address as their bags were loaded into the trunk. The ride was quick, like any large city the transition from the world of high finance to the slums was a short drive.

Julian directed the driver into an alley behind a run-down hotel and there they got out. He paid the man with a credit card and pulled their bags out while she waited in the shadows, trying to ignore the stench of garbage.

Unlike most of the other alleys they'd passed this one was free of vagrants and their tell-tale signs. The garbage was rotting in the heat, but kept in the bins. In fact it seemed unusually clean of debris, if in bad need of a wash.

Julian watched the cab drive off and sighed as Jessie spoke up. "Around the world almost everything is the same no matter where you go...except the garbage system. Most Americans don't appreciate the service they have."

"It's not the public service. This is Carlos' doing."

"Carlos?"

"He's my contact. Mercenary. We were in the Army together. He lives down her full time, owns this building. Come along."

Just as they reached the back door it swung open to reveal a man who had so many muscles bulging beneath his black t-shirt his joints were hard to locate. His head was shaved, revealing a large expanse of smooth, dark skin, and a black tattoo just two shades darker than his skin wound around his neck, a snake.

"J.V." he said in a deep voice.

Dear god, that couldn't be Carlos, Jessie prayed, glancing to Julian.

"Snake," he replied in Spanish. "This is a witness. Carlos is expecting us."

The large man nodded and stood back to allow them in. Julian took the lead and Jessie followed. Inside the dirty brick building the inside was nice, but old. It looked like it hadn't been updated since the twenties, even the ceiling fans spun uselessly on a belt system.

There was wicker everywhere on the black and white checkerboard floor. It was a hotel lounge, and an old man read a paper while smoking a cigar. A bored young boy stood restlessly by a shoe shine chair, and behind the front desk a man watched television, looking like a casino pit boss relaxing.

Julian nodded to the clerk and climbed the stairs. Jessie followed quietly, heart pounding. This was her last stop before returning home. Home. After ten years Miami seemed like a mythical place. Even more dim in her memory was California, where she had been born and spent the first ten years of her life.

Strangely here she felt almost comfortable, having worked in dozens of hotels just like this.

It was five stories and they went to the top. The landings led off into a hallway but the top was the penthouse, just a door at the landing guarded by a tall man built like a tank, his hair buzzed so close to his scalp she saw the sunburn clear as day.

"I got a forty-five in the bag and a knife in my boot. Carlos is expecting me, I'm J.V."

The tough guy nodded at Julian and remained fixed with his back to the wall, but took one hand off his assault rifle to knock on the door.

It opened quickly revealing a slim man, all whipcord muscle. Is hair was slicked back into a tiny ponytail and his goatee was shorn close, the same inky black color. He had a wicked scar crossing one mil-white eye, the other was the richest shade of brown Jessie had ever seen.

He grinned at Julian but when he saw Jessie he pulled something from his black cargo pants. It was an eye patch that he slipped on, transforming himself from mercenary into dashing pirate. "Julian! Sorry, miss, I didn't realize you were there. My man downstairs didn't inform me," he greeted them in English.

"Sandra, this is Carlos. Carlos, this is Sandra."

"Come in, come in," Carlos urged.

Jessie cast a questioning look to Julian at the use of her assumed name but slipped in the door ahead of him as Julian and Carlos indicated.

Inside it was all modern, from the white marble floor to the plasma flat screen TV on the wall. The furniture was all white leather , metal, and stainless steel, and the heavy electronics everywhere were black and gleamingly expensive looking.

"Have a seat. Consuela will bring us lemonade shortly." Carlos lead them to the large couch and Julian set their bags down before joining her on it. Carlos took a seat in the chair and gave a not-so subtle leer at her legs as Jessie crossed them.

Julian flashed a smile but moved closer to her, putting his hand behind her over the back of the couch. "Thank you for seeing us. We're going to need new ID and a way into Miami no one can trace."

"What's this all about?" Carlos asked.

"Diego," Julian replied, and Carlos hand raised towards his eye patch before lowering slowly back to the arm.

"I...see."

"Sandra here is the key to bringing him down. If it's safer she travels alone with guards, without me, so be it."

"Julian-" a shake of his head cut her off and his hand came off the couch to settle on her knee.

Carlos raised his eyebrows. "I don't think we'll need to separate you two, in fact it will be better if you travel together. You blend in so much better than my men. You may have to cut your hair, though."

"No," Julian said quickly with a shake of his head. "I'm not even going to consider cutting it until we get Diego. I've grown to like it."

"Women do so love the bad boy look," Carlos said with a comical wink to Jessie. She supposed with the eye patch he had to overdo it, otherwise he just appeared to be blinking.

"How soon can we leave?" Jessie asked.

"Tomorrow night. You'll need a week to get there, I'm afraid. I can get you onto a cargo plan to Cuba. From there a puddle jumper to the Keys. I have a man who can get you onto a cruise ship that will dock in Miami Beach. No one will think to look at you that way."

Julian nodded. "Fine. What will this all cost?"

"I'll bill the agency."

"No, this is on my dime."

"Then for a friend...ten thousand, American."

Julian didn't bat a lash, just nodded. Jessie's heart was pounding at the sum. To save up just over half that had taken her a decade of hard work. And why not bill the agency? Why was he paying with his own money?

"I'll get you a room on the third floor where you can rest. I assume you need only one for the night," Carlos said slyly.

Julian nodded. "I need to contact the DEA, do you have a secure connection?"

"Best you not do it here. I have a secure line in a restaurant just down the block. The place isn't mine, that's what makes it secure. I'll expect your payment tonight."

Julian stood and held a hand out to help Jessie up. "You'll get it. we're tried from the road and need rest. Which room?"

"I'll have Juan show you in just a moment." Carlos reached over and picked up a phone, pressing a single number. After a moment he instructed the person on the other line to bring up the key for number five-oh-eight.

Julian grabbed their bags with one hand and held onto hers with his other. She understood he was marking her, keeping Carlos away, but it made her uncomfortable so she pulled her hand back and ignored his look.

Carlos hung up and smiled at the action. "You'll have a large room, reserved for our VIPs."

Julian shifted the bags. "This is a safe house hotel. The men downstairs are all guards or informants. The rates are high, but this is one of the most secure locations in the city. You'll be safe her," he explained to her.

They lapsed into silence until a knock came at the door. At Carlos' order to open, it revealed the desk clerk, old-fashioned keys in hand. "Follow me."

They walked down a floor and to the end. The room was large, not nearly as nice as the penthouse, everything was still in good condition if original. The floor was black and white checkerboard but the ceiling fan was newer, not on a belt system. The bed was queen-size and brass and the chairs were wicker, the wood dresser painted to match.