She didn’t find Liam and say good-bye. She couldn’t look into those gray eyes and see sadness, or, worse, relief to see her gone. So she took the coward’s way out.

Lily walked out and didn’t look back.

Jude paced his room in the compound, going out of his frigging mind. He was pissed. And hurt.

One month. A goddamned month of counterdrugs, vitamins, muscle therapy, a careful diet. No sex.

And no Lily.

He was fucking sick of these four walls and if McKay didn’t release him pronto, he’d walk.

From his chair, Liam piped up. “Calm down, man. He’ll be here soon.”

“You’re damned right, he will. Even if I have to hold him at gunpoint to make him sign my papers.”

“We’ll go get her soon. Just hang in there.” He paused. “I miss her as much as you do. I’m afraid I wasn’t very thoughtful of her when she was here, but I was so afraid for you, I wasn’t thinking of anything but getting you well. I think she might’ve gotten the wrong idea, that I was mad at her.”

“Well, she’ll get a big clue before long.” Groaning, he pushed on his zipper, adjusting his neglected cock.

“You planning to save some of that for me?” He heard the grin in his friend’s voice.

Jude glared in his direction. “It’s your fault I’m so hard I’m cross-eyed,” he hissed. “You’re the one who won’t even spring for a quickie.”

“Hey, McKay said strenuous activity might set you back,” he said, defending himself. “My first concern was for your health, not getting off.”

“Sorry.” He shot his friend a contrite look. “I’m just-”

“Here we go,” McKay said cheerfully, striding into the room crackling a sheaf of papers. “Congratulations, St. Laurent. You get to walk. You’re a medical miracle.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“Sign where I place your hand. Just make a scribble, best as you can do.”

Jude took the papers and a pen, and he was a free man. Damn, that felt good.

McKay took the papers back. “Michael wants to see you before you guys take off. Says it’s important.”

“I’d planned on it anyway, but thanks. And thank you for saving my ass.” He offered his hand and the other pumped it with enthusiasm.

“Anytime… but not anytime soon, okay?”

“No worries. I’m taking a leave of absence, starting now.”

“Good man.”

After he’d gone, Jude and Liam walked to Michael’s office. Liam helped guide him while he tapped with his new cane. He’d lost track of the old one somewhere in the chaos.

The door was open, the man inside. Jude knocked and stepped in, Liam behind him.

The big man sounded as though he was smiling, something he rarely did. “God, you’re a sight for sore eyes. A little thin, but vastly improved from a couple of weeks ago.”

“I feel almost as good as new. Lost twenty- three pounds, but I’ll gain it back. Wasn’t a bad trade-off.”

“Hear that. So. I assume you’re here to demand the location of a certain agent who also happens to be on leave?”

“Now will you tell me?” During their last three conversations, Michael had refused, holding the information as a way to get Jude to work even harder at his recovery before he spilled. It worked.

“Now that you have your release papers from McKay in hand? You bet. Though I bet you could figure it out on your own, given a day or two.”

“Michael.”

“Okay, I give. She called yesterday and said she’d decided to head back to Los Cabos-”

“Hot damn!” Jude laughed. “Michael, I love ya, man, but don’t call me for at least a month.”

“Yeah, I sort of figured. I’ll tell you what I told Lily. Give me a ring when you decide what you want to do here. I’ll accommodate you any way I can.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Now get out of here. I think you have a woman to rescue.”

He didn’t wait around to hear more.

Seventeen

Lily sat in her lounger on the beach, watching the ocean lap gently at the shore. Despite the warmth, she felt desolate inside. gently at the shore. Despite the warmth, she felt desolate

She’d spoken with Michael several times over the past few weeks, and he’d insisted Jude was going out of his mind demanding to know her whereabouts. But that could mean anything. He might only want to have his say, and bring things to a close between them.

So she sat here or wandered the resort, fending off advances from sexy would-be playmates. Without Jude, the thought of sex with strangers no longer held any appeal, more than on a base level.

And that was no longer enough. It was the connection, the sharing, between them that made their adventures so special. Without the ones she loved forming her anchor in life, the act held no joy.

“Sparing any thoughts for me, baby?”

Oh. Oh, please.

Pushing out of her lounger, she turned and saw him. Jude, holding a new cane, looking thinner but healthy, auburn hair on fire in the sunlight. He was dressed for the beach, in swim trunks, and nothing else. Obviously he’d checked in, and her pulse leaped at the implication.

With a happy cry, she closed the distance between them and launched herself into his arms. His body pressed into her, warm and safe, surrounding her. He smelled so good, felt so right.

He was hers, and had come to reclaim what was his.

She lifted her face and her mouth was claimed in a kiss that melted the ice in her chest. Set her ablaze. Their tongues danced, stroked, affirming their reunion. Reestablishing the bond that hadn’t been broken after all.

They went down on the sand together, unwilling to be parted, touching every available inch of skin. Jude loosened her bikini top, then yanked at her bottoms. In seconds, she was naked, reaching for Jude’s trunks, pulling them down. He was hard and leaking, cock standing at attention.

“Spread your towel on the sand, baby,” Jude murmured in her ear. “I want you.”

Oh, yes! She spread it quickly and pulled him down with her. “I missed you so much,” she whispered.

“I missed you, too, sweetheart. Let me show you how much… and how much I love you,” Jude added, swooping in for another kiss.

“Oh, God,” she whimpered. “I love you, too. So much it hurts. I wasn’t sure you’d really forgive me.”

“Do you doubt me now?” He turned and lay on his back, stroking his erection.

“No,” she said, laughing. She’d never been so happy.

Lily crawled over Jude and straddled his hips. Impaled herself slowly, relishing the connection, his hot cock spearing her. He grabbed her hips and moaned, gazing up at her with those pretty eyes. So clear she could almost believe he saw her.

In his own way, he did.

“God, yes,” he said. “Missed this. So crazy about you.”

She opened her mouth, but words fled as he began to move inside her, thrusting upward.

“Hang on, baby, and let me give you a ride you won’t forget. Make sure you never want to run away again.”

“I wasn’t running. I was waiting.”

With that, they began to move together. Whirls of fire torched her clit, her sex. Never had she experienced anything as wonderful as riding Jude in broad daylight. Him filling her completely, making love by the sea.

Mind-blowing, the sensation of them connected by their hearts as well as their bodies. She gasped as he pumped faster, her hands splayed on his chest. Braced herself as they found just the right rhythm, building the pressure, increasing the tension threatening to explode.

He pounded into her and they slapped noisily, the delicious buzz starting in her womb, ready… right there…

“Oh, God! God, yes, yes!”

She went over the edge, came in a fiery burst. He followed, hoarse shouts carrying in the air, cum bathing her in a heated rush.

Completing her.

As they came down, a contentment she’d never known stole over her, soothed her weary heart.