Uncharted Passage Page 5

  The sun chose that moment to break above the horizon and cast its first ray on Emily’s face. Hayden stopped breathing. A master photographer could not have staged this image as perfectly as Mother Nature. Emily was the most magnificent woman she had ever seen. The sun spread a radiance on her face that warmed Hayden to her core. She memorized every feature, from the small scar almost completely hidden in her right eyebrow to her softly parted lips, burning the image into her subconscious.

  Hayden knew she would remember this moment for the rest of her life.

  Chapter Five

  Lunch passed with nothing filling their bellies other than a few sips of the soda they’d found the day before. The children were listless and stumbled so often they could only maintain an erratic pace. After a few frustrating hours, they lay down in the shade created by the only wall left standing of a building destroyed by the water. The youngsters immediately fell asleep and Emily felt her eyes grow heavy. She wasn’t sure how long she had slept when she jolted awake by the sound of unfamiliar laughter.

  Two men stood over her, one quite a bit heavier than the other. They both wore dirty, tattered T-shirts and no shoes, but it was what she saw in their pants that made Emily’s blood run cold. Both men had erections. Their intent was clearly visible in their eyes. Frantically, she looked around for Hayden. She had grown accustomed to her always being nearby and felt vulnerable without her. The children were still sleeping a short distance from her. My God, the children. Please don’t let them see this. Don’t let them be hurt.

  Emily struggled to her feet and limped to move protectively in front of them. Her leg ached, the inflammation around the wound making the skin tug painfully. The taller man stepped forward and grabbed her shirt, tearing it as she fought him off. He wrapped a hand around her neck, choking off her scream, and pushed her back against the wall. Emily tried desperately to jerk away, her fingernails scraping skin while the vise on her neck tightened. The man assaulting her screamed something in Thai. His spittle covered her face. Lights flashed behind her eyes and she knew she was on the verge of blacking out when she heard a scream of rage and her attacker’s grip relaxed.

  He turned just in time to ward off the first blow. Emily was engulfed with relief and fear. Once again, Hayden was rescuing her. She caught a flash of movement as Hayden pivoted and swept the man’s feet out from under him. He fell heavily, the breath knocked out of him. The second man charged at Hayden with both fists swinging. Hayden stepped between him and Emily and smoothly blocked the blows, countering with two swift punches of her own. Both connected with the soft cartilage of the man’s nose. He screamed, reeling backward, blood pouring down over his lips and chin.

  Emily’s attacker staggered to his feet with a loud grunt. Before he could refill his lungs, Hayden struck again with a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. He dropped like a rock, unconscious. The second man quickly lost interest in defending his buddy and fled.

  Sagging back against the wall, Emily croaked, “Hayden,” and reached for her.

  But Hayden stood frozen over the unconscious man, her body emanating menace. She was going to kill him. Right here, in front of the children.

  “No.” Emily stumbled forward. “Hayden, don’t.”

  Hayden jumped when Emily touched her arm. She was ready to strike but immediately dropped her fists when her eyes lifted to Emily’s face. She seemed to relax in increments, her muscles releasing the tension that had bulked up her physique during their defense.

  “Hayden, it’s over. He can’t hurt us now.” Emily spoke softly, fascinated by Hayden’s transformation from warrior to guardian. With each breath that lifted her chest, the rage in her eyes cleared and the softness returned to her naturally rugged face. Her hands opened and closed into tight fists until Emily took hold of them.

  Hayden stared down at the strong fingers tightly gripping hers. She felt like a woman at sea thrown a lifeline and being drawn back to safety. The irony of that feeling struck her forcibly. Emily was the one in danger. That indelible image flashed again, of Emily pressed against the wall with that filthy hand around her throat. Thank God she’d heard her cry out.

  Hayden forced herself to calm down. She couldn’t think about what might have been. Emily needed comfort, and the children awoke looking confused and upset, obviously sensing something was wrong.

  She squeezed Emily’s hands. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. A little shook up, but I’m not hurt. Really, he didn’t hurt me.”

  Hayden searched her eyes, looking for any sign that she was not telling the truth. What she saw tore at her insides. Pain and fear were struggling to surface, but Emily was forcing them to remain at bay. At that moment Hayden realized just how strong Emily was. During the course of her military career, she’d seen men and women trained to withstand the horrors of battle and captivity collapse under less stress than Emily had experienced in the last two days. But Emily was not going to become a victim. She was smart and strong, taking responsibility for herself and those around her. When she was faced with adversity she simply refused to fall apart. Instead she grew stronger.

  Hayden knew very little about her, only fragments of her background. She wanted to know more. She wanted to know everything. The thought shocked her. Like everything else that had happened since the wave swept her away, this urge was a first.

  *

  “You’re very quiet this evening,” Emily said.

  “Just a little tired, I guess.” Hayden finished settling the children on a bed of muddy palm leaves and joined Emily several feet away.

  They had stopped for the night next to a partial wall, all that remained of a red brick building Hayden thought she recognized as a small souvenir stand she’d passed a few days ago. If she was right, they were only about a mile from the beach where help surely had arrived by now. They were tired and dehydrated, and if they didn’t get Emily’s leg looked at, and drinks for the children… Hayden shuddered at the thought, then looked up as she recognized a sound she hadn’t heard in days. The birds had returned, and their chirping and squawking were the only other sounds in a world that had fallen eerily silent.

  “I keep thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t come back in time.” Hayden could not keep her voice completely even.

  She was still cursing herself for leaving Emily and the children alone. During their long, slow trek for the rest of the day, she could think of nothing except “what if?” Anguish swept over her every time she let her mind play out the possibilities. She realized she’d been brooding and uncommunicative for hours, unable to give voice to the fears that plagued her.

  Holding everything in, being strong, keeping up a confident front—that was how she handled a crisis. Cool and calm was what she was trained for. In her world, people expected self-control, and no one would read anything into long silences and lack of chitchat. But Emily was a civilian. From her uneasy glances, Hayden could tell she wasn’t sure how to respond.

  She rubbed the tight muscles in the back of her neck and tried to come up with a casual remark that would restore normality. “Damn, I think I’ve pulled a muscle carrying the kids.”

  Emily moved behind her immediately. “Here, let me.”

  The response was not exactly the routine sympathy Hayden had expected, and the first touch of Emily’s hands sent a shock through her. “You don’t need to,” she began, but Emily was determined.

  “Relax. Let me take care of you for a change.” Her strong fingers gently kneaded the tight muscles in the back of Hayden’s neck, working magic on each knotted cord.

  Hayden made herself relax, dropping her chin to her chest, suddenly realizing just how keyed up she was. She closed her eyes, melting into the sensation.

  Emily’s voice was soothing but insistent. “Stop thinking about it. You did what had to be done.”

  “I shouldn’t have left you. Not even to go scout. I should have waited till everyone woke up.” Hayden leaned into each stroke. “I kee
p thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t come back in time.”

  “But you did, that’s all that matters.”

  “Those men, there was no doubt what—” She stopped, choking at the thought. They were still out there, and part of her wanted to hunt them down and break their necks.

  Emily frowned, feeling Hayden stiffen again. They both knew what would have happened to her this afternoon if Hayden hadn’t returned when she did. Emily suppressed a shiver. She would have been raped. For some reason, Hayden was more disturbed by the possibility than she was.

  “Nothing happened,” she said firmly, wanting to put the whole episode out of her mind. “You can’t feel guilty over this. It is what it is, and most importantly, what it wasn’t.” She continued pressing her thumbs into the muscles on the side of Hayden’s neck while her hands slipped further down the front of her throat and across her collarbones. Back and forth she went, each trip slightly lower than the last. Hayden’s breath caught and Emily leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Relax.”

  Hayden’s skin was hot under her fingertips, and she felt the shallow rise and fall of her chest. Her breathing had changed. Emily watched her fists slowly close and knew the effect she was having. Sometime in the last few minutes the massage had switched from soothing to sensuous, and Hayden’s reactions set off explosions in Emily’s body. She hadn’t intended to seduce Hayden, but she certainly wanted her now.

  She wanted her here and now in these primitive conditions under the stars. Hayden excited her, challenged her, and brought out in her feelings she didn’t know she had. Hayden was her savior, her protector, and her hero. She fleetingly thought of Michelle and just as fast the thought left, no longer an important factor in her life.

  Emily’s hands began to shake and she couldn’t take her eyes off the vein throbbing on the side of Hayden’s neck. She wanted to taste Hayden’s skin and feel the life pulsing under her tongue. Finally she couldn’t wait any longer and lowered her head.

  Hayden moaned when Emily’s lips touched her skin. They were as soft and warm as she imagined they would be. She’d known immediately when the massage turned from therapeutic to something much more, and had done nothing to resist. Emily’s fingers were soft and her skin was on fire. Stroke after stroke Emily fanned the flames, caressing her neck, whispering in her ear, dropping light, moist kisses. A shiver ran down the length of Hayden’s body and curled her toes from the skill of Emily’s tongue. She turned her head and was rewarded with Emily’s lips seeking hers.

  Passion and pent-up desire exploded at the contact and she pulled Emily into her lap. Their kisses were hot and fevered, Hayden wanting more than their lips would allow. She couldn’t get enough of the feel of Emily’s body, and she broke their kiss long enough to drag Emily’s shirt over her head and toss it aside. She cupped Emily’s breasts and deepened their kiss, tweaking an erect nipple. Emily moaned into her mouth, letting their breath mix into one.

  Hayden was out of control with desire for her. Fighting back the familiar tingling of impending orgasm, she lay her down and covered her body with her own. Emily lifted a leg and wrapped it around Hayden’s, effectively trapping her where she was. Hayden groaned and pressed her hips into Emily, seeking release. A scuffling noise made her hesitate. She looked over her shoulder at the sleeping children. She didn’t want them to wake up and see what they were doing but she didn’t want to move any farther away from them either.

  “The kids.”

  Emily’s heart exploded. Hayden’s concern for Jake and Victoria touched her deeply, and she cupped her face in her hands. “They’re out for the count. I don’t think anything will wake them.”

  She needed to feel naked skin against her own and grabbed the back of Hayden’s shirt, tugging it over her head. Hayden’s kisses were hot; her hands were everywhere. She slid her hand down the front of Emily’s shorts and Emily arched in anticipation of her touch and was not disappointed. Hayden grasped her firmly and Emily bit her tongue. Hayden ground her hips again and Emily smiled at the reaction she caused. She expected Hayden to kiss her again, but she froze at the sound of a murmur from several feet away.

  Emily glanced at the children again. “Trust me, Hayden, they won’t wake up.”

  Hayden looked deeply into Emily’s eyes. It was dark, very dark. The only light coming from the full moon cast an iridescent glow on Emily’s face. She was beautiful, and Hayden did trust her, with everything she had. She kissed her again, and the way Emily responded to her touch was the most exhilarating experience she’d ever had. She often had women in this same position, but this time it was different. She wanted to please Emily, to give her as much pleasure as she was receiving. Hayden wanted her as hot and out of control as she was, and she desperately needed to touch her. She slid her hand further. Her fingers were immediately coated with warm wetness.

  Emily’s center was soft and smooth and Hayden moaned at the sensation. She parted the wet lips with her fingers, and a rush of Emily’s desire flowed into her hand. She ran her fingers through the liquid and slid them slowly over Emily’s clit several times. She memorized every smell, every whimper, every twitch of flesh around her fingers. When Emily moaned she increased her pace.

  Hayden sensed how close to orgasm Emily was and backed off just enough to stay poised in the moment for as long as she could. She wanted to go slow and explore every inch of Emily. She wanted to remember this moment for as long as she lived. But their passion was as carnal as the nature that had thrown them together. Her senses were magnified by the raw hunger of the woman in her arms and their desperate circumstances. It was as if the combination of the two were coming together in the affirmation of life.

  Emily lifted her hips higher and grabbed Hayden tightly. She could feel the beginnings of her orgasm rise again. She wanted to wait so this intensity would last longer, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. She grasped Hayden as first one, then a second orgasm tore through her. Stars as bright as those sparkling down on them beat her eyelids, accompanied by a kaleidoscope of colors. She was soaring, her body as high as the clouds, Hayden the solid earth beneath her.

  This was the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced, a force that swept through her, washing away all that had led up to this extraordinary moment. She felt reborn, new and tender in Hayden’s arms. When she slowly emerged from the fog of orgasm, her blood still raced and her body still quivered.

  Hayden watched in amazement as Emily’s breathing slowed. A cloak of contentment draped over her. A strong, beautiful woman lay in her arms and Hayden wanted, no, she needed for her to come again. Slowly she moved her hand, and Emily’s body twitched in response. It took very little to push her over the edge once more. Hayden held her close as wave after wave of pleasure racked her body. She was beautiful. Her little moans and soft whispers only heightened Hayden’s arousal. She felt strong and powerful but soft and tender at the same time.

  Making love with Emily was more than she had imagined it would be. It was intense, then sweet and gentle. One minute she wanted to own her, the next to treasure her. Emily’s body was like a sheet of music. Every place was a different note, a different beat all coming together in a beautiful song she played over and over again. She wanted to give her everything she had.

  A light sheen of sweat covered Emily’s body as Hayden set out to explore as much of her as she could. She glanced at the children who, true to Emily’s word, were sleeping soundly. Hayden felt slightly self-conscious making love to Emily so close to the kids, but she couldn’t help herself. The passion had been released from the bottle, and it was not going back in until she had her fill. If she ever had her fill.

  Emily felt as if she were floating in a sea of pleasure. Hayden’s lips and hands and tongue were everywhere. One after another, her senses exploded in ways she never thought imaginable. She arched her neck as Hayden’s tongue sensuously licked the lone bead of sweat that slid down her collarbone. Quick kisses and soft nips followed as Hayden explored
first her left breast, then her right. She grasped the back of Hayden’s neck, encouraging her wandering mouth to settle on her nipple, and a loud moan of pleasure escaped her lips. She had a direct nerve from her nipple to her clit, and Hayden quickly discovered this when she came again. Of course, it helped that her fingers were doing magical things between Emily’s legs. She had never been loved so thoroughly. Every nerve was touched, aroused, soothed, and aroused again. The world around her was crystal clear, her senses heightened by their life-threatening situation, the stars overhead, and Hayden’s skillful lovemaking.

  It was when exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her that Emily finally grabbed Hayden’s wrist and softly whispered for her to stop. Her legs felt like lead and her arms like rubber. She barely had enough strength to keep her eyes open. Calmness settled on her, replacing stormy passion, and she smiled.

  Despite the post-orgasmic lassitude that swept over her, she wanted to touch Hayden, to return the pleasure she had received. The thought gave her the energy she desperately needed, and she rolled Hayden onto her back. Lazy eyes as black as the night sky stared up at her, and Emily looked deep into the soul of the woman who had saved her life. Hayden’s heart beat solidly beneath hers, a staccato of rhythm matching her own. The intensity of her feelings momentarily frightened her, and Hayden must have sensed it as she started to speak. Emily didn’t give her the chance. She covered Hayden’s lips in a deep kiss and made a silent promise to herself. Whatever happened, she would never forget this night.

  Hayden let Emily take the lead as their tongues jousted back and forth, teasing and exploring. Emily’s body on top of hers was as light as a feather, yet more than capable of providing the right amount of pressure to all the right places. Hayden basked in her attention, focusing on the sensations created by her touch. Once she had the presence of mind to glance at the children, she relaxed when they hadn’t moved.