Desert Moon Page 12

  He kissed her hard and hungrily, his mouth swallowing up the soft confession, his green eyes dark when they met and held hers. ‘Don’t say anything, Natalie. Not yet, not now.’

  Had he known what she had been about to say? Was it something he didn’t want to hear? The questions haunted her as they dressed again and ate some of the stale bread then set off. Natalie could feel them drumming inside her head as the hours passed, an endless rhythm which made her feel sick and hollow because of their implications. She loved Flynn and had given herself to him because of that, but had it been merely sex for him, an appetite to be slaked like any other?

  By the time they stopped at midday, Natalie’s nerves were raw with tension, her head throbbing. She sank down on to the ground, resting her forehead against her bent knees, avoiding looking at Flynn as he sat beside her and pulled the bottle of water out of the bag. He unscrewed the cap and took a swallow then handed it to her, his face filled with so much concern when he saw the pallor of her face, the lines of strain etched in it, that tears started to her eyes.

  ‘What is it, Natalie?’ Reaching out, he brushed the long strands of hair back from her cheek with a gentle hand. ‘Are you feeling ill?’

  What would he say if she told him yes, she did feel ill? Yet lovesickness wasn’t a recognised illness; it didn’t feature in any of the medical journals, she’d bet, but it was a painful ailment all the same!

  ‘I’m fine,’ she mumbled. ‘Just tired.’

  ‘It’s more than that.’ He turned her face to meet his searching scrutiny, swearing softly at what he saw. ‘Natalie!’

  The need to ask him was just too great. She closed her eyes and screwed up all her courage. ‘Last night and... and before...was it...was it just sex for you, Flynn?’

  The question seemed to hang in the air between them, stark and unadorned. Flynn’s fingers tightened on her chin for a second then he groaned deeply, his voice rough with emotion when he finally spoke. ‘No, damn it! It wasn’t just sex, Natalie. You must know that!’

  The joy she felt was so sweet that she could barely speak, but she didn’t need to as her face said everything for her. When Flynn bent and kissed her, she returned the kiss with every scrap of love she felt for him, feeling the deep shudder which ran through his powerful body, the way his arms contracted convulsively around her so that she was locked against him. ‘Natalie, I...’ He stopped abruptly, and something about his sudden rigid tension alarmed her.

  ‘What is it? Is something wrong?’

  He moved her away from him, his voice emotionless when he answered. ‘There’s a car coming.’

  ‘A car?’ Natalie looked round, her first instinctive surge of relief fading as she turned back and saw Flynn’s face. ‘You don’t think it could be those people... the ones who kidnapped me, do you?’

  Flynn’s hands balled into fists as he stood up and stared towards the cloud of dust churned up by the aproaching vehicle. ‘It’s possible. Whoever it is would need a damn good reason for being out here. In case it is I want you to do exactly what I tell you. Understand?’

  Natalie nodded, her throat tight with nerves as she scrambled to her feet and stood beside him. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Good.’ He picked up the blanket then nodded towards a small depression at the base of some rocks a few feet away from where they stood. ‘Lie down there while I cover you with this. And don’t move until I tell you to!’

  ‘No! I’m not leaving you to face them on your own!’

  His eyes went icily hard. ‘I’ll be a damned sight better off if I don’t have to worry about you getting in the way! Now do it.’

  Natalie did as she was told with ill grace, Flynn’s tone stopping any other protests she wanted to make dead. He ignored her mutinous expression as he covered her with the blanket when she lay down. Natalie lay quite still, her heart pounding as she listened to the sound of the vehicle coming closer then the silence as the engine was cut, jumping when it was suddenly broken by a man’s voice.

  ‘You’ve led us quite a dance, I can tell you, O’Rourke. You’re definitely going to pay for this!’

  Natalie pushed the blanket aside, careless of all Flynn’s orders as she reacted to the threat. Scrambling to her feet, she started towards the dusty Jeep and the dark-haired stranger standing next to it, her temper igniting to overcome her fear. He wouldn’t find it so easy to deal with two of——

  She stopped dead, her eyes widening as a woman suddenly appeared. She ran to Flynn and hurled herself into his arms, hugging him. He returned the embrace, swinging her off her feet while he kissed her soundly on the cheek.

  Natalie’s anger fizzled out like a damp squib, replaced by another emotion, not red this time but a definite shade of green! She had no idea what was going on, who these people were or anything about this scene she was witnessing. All she did know was that she would have preferred to see Flynn facing a whole posse of gun-toting villains rather than watch him hugging and kissing that woman!

  The woman’s name was Gabrielle. She was perhaps a little older than Natalie and extremely beautiful!

  Lips compressed, Natalie sat in the back of the Jeep as they drove to El Khârga, trying to push the tormenting memory of Gabrielle in Flynn’s arms to the back of her mind; only it refused to go. Just who was she? What did she mean to Flynn? They obviously knew one another extremely well if that whole-hearted embrace was anything to go by!

  ‘Are you feeling OK?’

  Natalie started nervously when a hand touched her arm, and gave the other woman a chilly smile. ‘Fine, thank you.’

  Gabrielle’s face was full of concern but Natalie found it impossible to respond. It had nothing to do with how Flynn and Gabrielle had greeted each other, she told herself piously; it was the fact that she had no idea who Gabrielle and the man driving the Jeep were except that they must be mixed up in this sordid business. And that was hardly a recommendation!

  Gabrielle gave a rather strained laugh, glancing towards the front as though seeking help, but the two men were deep in conversation. ‘Well, I must say that you seem to be taking all this very well. Doyle was worried sick when you failed to turn up at the rendezvous. Once he heard about the sandstorm he wouldn’t rest until we were on our way to find you.’ Gabrielle shot a wryly affectionate look at the two men. ‘One thing I can say, though, is if you have to get stranded anywhere then try to make sure that either my husband or Flynn is with you!’

  ‘Your husband? You mean that you and Doyle are married?’ Natalie couldn’t disguise her surprise nor her sudden relief, and Gabrielle laughed gently.

  ‘Mmm, very much so, and I happen to be crazy about him too!’

  Natalie flushed, looking away from the friendly, teasing gaze. ‘I’m sorry, but when I saw you hugging Flynn...’ She tailed off.

  ‘You put two and two together and came up with a round dozen.’ Gabrielle patted her arm. ‘I understand, Natalie. I would have felt exactly the same in your position. But despite how it looked Flynn is just a friend. And believe me, if Doyle thought he meant anything more than that to me then he wouldn’t have trekked out here to dig him out of the sand!’

  Natalie laughed despite her embarrassment. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone jumping to hasty conclusions, I guess.’

  ‘I imagine it was a purely natural reaction.’ Gabrielle treated Natalie to an old-fashioned look although her tone was bland. ‘And you do have an excuse. You’ve been through quite an ordeal one way or another, haven’t you, Natalie?’

  Natalie sighed, her eyes turning to Flynn. ‘I suppose so. The trouble is that I don’t really know what’s been going on. All I know is that Flynn has something the people who kidnapped me want desperately. Have you any idea what he’s involved in?’

  She held her breath but Gabrielle shook her head emphatically, leaving Natalie in no doubt that she was telling the truth. ‘None. The first I knew about it was when Flynn telephoned Doyle the other night and asked him to fly out here immediately. But then Flynn always pl
ays things close to his chest, as you probably know.’

  Gabrielle leant forward to speak to her husband, leaving Natalie to ponder on what she’d said. The trouble was she didn’t know Flynn in that way, and had no idea what he was mixed up in! It was crazy really; she had fallen in love with a man she knew absolutely nothing about!

  By the time they drew up in front of the hotel where Gabrielle and Doyle were staying, Natalie was exhausted with thinking about it. She climbed wearily from the Jeep, stopping when Flynn laid his hand lightly on her arm to draw her aside while the others went in.

  ‘Doyle is going to fly you out of here just as soon as he can. I’ve arranged for you to stay with him and Gabby for a couple of days until this is all sorted out. After that you’ll be able to go back home and forget this ever happened.’

  What did he mean by that? That she should forget about what they had shared as well because it was over now? Pain darkened her eyes as she gave him a tremulous smile. ‘Will I? You imagine it’s going to be that simple?’

  His face tautened, his eyes silvery as they met her haunted gaze. ‘I was talking about the danger you were in! The rest of what happened is something we need to discuss, Natalie, but not right now.’ He smoothed a stray wisp of hair behind her ear with a gentle hand. ‘Right now you need time to rest and recuperate from your ordeal. There will be plenty of time to talk, I promise you that.’

  There was a tenderness in his eyes which made her heartbeat quicken, her blood race. Something of what she felt must have shown because suddenly his eyes darkened and he took a step towards her. ‘Natalie, I want you to...’

  ‘Natalie, do you...? Oh, sorry.’ Gabrielle hesitated in the doorway with an apologetic smile. Natalie gave a shuddery little sigh, wishing that the other woman could have chosen a better moment. She’d had the feeling that Flynn had been about to tell her something then, something important, although she had no idea what it might have been.

  Pinning a smile to her mouth, she turned to Gabrielle. ‘Did you want me for something?’

  Gabrielle smiled ruefully. ‘I was just wondering if you’d like a bath before we set off.’ She grinned at Flynn. ‘And I imagine you won’t be sorry to wash that dreadful dye out of your hair!’

  He returned her smile, although it didn’t quite dispel the tension Natalie sensed in him. ‘I certainly won’t. However, I’ve a few phone calls I need to make first.’

  ‘Fine. Whenever you’re ready. Doyle’s somewhere about, I think. He’ll show you which room we’re in. Come along, Natalie. Let’s get you out of those dusty clothes.’ Gabrielle studied her assessingly. ‘I should be able to find you something to wear as we’re much the same size, I imagine.’

  Natalie smiled. ‘Thank you. That’s very kind of you.’

  ‘Not at all. Any friend of. Flynn’s is a friend of mine, as they say.’

  Gabrielle headed back inside, leaving Natalie to follow her, but she hesitated, wondering if Flynn would tell her now what he’d been about to before. ‘What were you...?’

  ‘Go with Gabby, sweetheart.’ He smiled at her, his green eyes glittering with an emotion which stole her breath and made her senses swim. ‘We’ll talk later.’

  She turned and hurried inside, feeling shivers of anticipation rushing through her body. There had been something in Flynn’s eyes just now which made her go weak just thinking about it! No matter what he was involved in they would work it out. They had to because she loved him!

  Pulling the plug out of the bath, Natalie wrapped a towel around herself and sighed in pleasure. It felt marvellous to be clean at last! Picking up the bottle of moisturising lotion which Gabrielle had thoughtfully left for her, she started back to the bedroom then stopped when she heard the outer door open, and Doyle’s voice. She opened her mouth to call out to him in case he didn’t realise she was there then stopped when she recognised the answering deep tones. Her heart gave a foolish little lurch, sending the blood surging through her body so that for a moment she had to lean against the wall to regain her equilibrium.

  ‘And you say that nothing has happened? Cole got the message we set up for him but there’s been no sign of anyone checking the place out?’

  Flynn’s voice was hard-edged, carrying clearly to where Natalie was standing, yet it wasn’t the tone which froze her to the spot but the words. She drew in a soft little gasp of breath, her hands closing numbly on the damp folds of the towel. Deep inside a small voice was telling her to speak, to say something to alert the men to her presence, but she couldn’t seem to form any words. What did Flynn mean? Why should he have sent a message to Marcus? And why did she have the sudden, awful feeling that it affected her in some way?

  ‘No, there’s been nobody around the place at all. Cole came back a couple of days ago and I did exactly what you wanted—made sure it got through to him where Alessi was supposedly being held, but...’ Doyle sighed heavily ’...I don’t know, Flynn! I just have the feeling that you’re barking up the wrong tree, that Cole isn’t behind it as you thought.’

  ‘Dammit, Doyle, he has to be! He’s the only one who knew where Alessi was! The leak had to come from him, I tell you!’

  ‘Maybe. I just wonder if there’s something we’ve overlooked. Did you find out anything from Natalie about his contacts which could give us a lead?’

  ‘No.’ Flynn’s tone was curt as he bit out the single word. ‘I think it was a mistake bringing her into it. Things could have turned out a lot worse than they have.’

  ‘Meaning her being kidnapped?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘Yet I think in a way that backs up this gut feeling I have about Cole. If he was working for them then would they have involved his girlfriend to such an extent?’

  ‘She isn’t his girlfriend, not in that sense, at least. In fact, I doubt our friends latched on to Natalie because of her involvement with Cole. I think the link was me.’

  ‘I see.’ There was speculation in Doyle’s voice now. ‘Then doesn’t that cast a whole new light on things?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Natalie could hear the sharp edge of impatience in Flynn’s voice, could imagine his expression, those aqua eyes glittering with frustration. She could see perfectly what his expression was, which was ironic because up till now her eyes had been clouded. Now it was as though a veil had been torn aside. Flynn had used her to try to find out something about Marcus! What could be clearer?

  She must have made some slight sound, a small release of the numbing pain she felt—she had no idea—because suddenly heavy footsteps crossed the room and the door was thrust open. For a long moment Natalie stared into Flynn’s face, unable to hide the agonising hurt she felt at his deception.

  ‘Natalie, I didn’t realise you were still in here,’ he said tersely.

  She gave a hard little laugh. ‘I’m sure you didn’t! Still, don’t they always say that eavesdroppers never hear anything good?’

  She pushed past him, barely glancing at Doyle who was standing by the bed. ‘If you two will just give me five minutes then I shall get out of your way.’

  Doyle shot a glance at Flynn, then turned and left the room without a word. Natalie stopped beside the bed where Gabrielle had left an assortment of clothes for her to try on. She tossed her long wet hair back, feeling the icy ripples of shock coursing through her system. It was only pride which stopped her from breaking down, only pride which kept her standing there staring defiantly back at Flynn, only pride that she had left now. ‘If you don’t mind...’

  ‘How much did you hear?’ he demanded shortly.

  Natalie arched one black brow, pinning an artificial smile to her numb lips. ‘Enough. Now please leave. I want to get dressed.’

  He came across the room to her, anger thinning his mouth, glittering in the depths of his eyes. He must have managed to shower because his hair was once more restored to its usual blond, the light grey shirt and trousers he was wearing clean although they hung loosely on him. Natalie felt her traitorous s
enses stir even now, and turned away, unable to bear the agony of what she’d learnt.

  ‘Just go, Flynn,’ she said hollowly. ‘There isn’t anything left to say.’

  He swore roughly, his hands hard on her bare arms as he swung her round so fast that she stumbled against him. He held her there, breasts pressed against his chest, thighs touching, seemingly unmoved by the sensations which were rocking her, reducing her pride to tatters. He had deliberately set out to trick her, used her to try to find out what he needed to know, yet she still wanted him!

  ‘I’m not going anywhere until we sort this out!’

  His arrogance was the spark needed to set fire to her anger and she fanned the flames, needing its burning heat to burn away all those other unwanted emotions. ‘I think it’s all been sorted out! I think for the first time since we met I actually have some idea what the truth ist’

  She pushed him away, almost surprised when he let her go until it occurred to her that now he had no reason to hold her. She was of no more use to him, not now that she had discovered what he had wanted with her—a direct link to Marcus!

  Pain cut through her heart, stealing every vestige of colour from her already pale face, making her sway for a moment before sheer courage steadied her. ‘You tried to use me as a means to find out information about Marcus, didn’t you? You saw me as the link you needed, someone with an insight into his life.’ She laughed bitterly. ‘No wonder you were angry when you found out just what sort of link we have, Marcus and I! Not what you expected, was it, Flynn? Did you hope that our pillow talk would include some indiscreet little snippets Marcus had told me which I would pass on to you?’

  ‘It wasn’t like that, Natalie! Making love to you had nothing to do with this!’

  ‘Oh, spare me, please! Do you think I’m a complete idiot, Flynn?’ She fixed him with a faintly rueful smile which cost a vast amount of effort to produce. ‘It’s a nice try but we both know it’s just another of your smooth little lies. But I wonder what you’re hoping to achieve by it? Keeping me sweet so that you can use me again at some later date to dig out more information?’