Romancing Rayne Read online

  Annie was going to flip. The little spitfire had barreled into our lives with a determination I’d never witnessed before. There was never a question she was Fletch’s child and that meant she was ours, too. Between her new brother and honorary cousins, I had a feeling she’d be roping them into a whole lot of trouble and I couldn’t wait.

  “Ghost?” Rayne’s sleep-rough voice pulled me from my thoughts.

  “Yeah, Princess?”

  “Are we almost there?”

  “About another hour,” I told her after consulting my watch.

  She rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking around the plane, and I could see the trepidation was back.

  In the dark recesses of my mind, I was happy she’d have to quit her job at the airline after the baby was born. Hell, I’d be fucking thrilled if she quit now. Not that I’d ever tell her that. I wanted her to do whatever made her happy, but I’d be lying if I said her flying around to different cities didn’t make me uneasy. Especially while I was out of the country. If that made me an asshole, I didn’t care. I needed to know she was safe at home, around her tribe, while I was gone.

  “Let’s play a game,” I suggested.

  Rayne put the bottle of water she’d been drinking back in her purse and smiled.

  “A game?”

  “Word association.”

  Recognition dawned, and she laughed.

  “Are you trying to get me into bed?”

  “It worked well the first time.”

  “Ghost!”

  “What? You looked like you were ready to jump out of bed and bolt. I needed to think of something to keep you there.”

  That wasn’t necessarily the truth. She had looked nervous, but I wanted to get to know her. At the time, it was selfish of me. I should’ve kept my distance, especially knowing I was leaving in the morning. But somewhere deep in my bones, I knew she was the one. I knew she belonged to me, only I wasn’t ready. As hard as it was, I’d stupidly thought I had to let her go.

  “Fine. Let’s play your game,” she huffed.

  I tried to think of a word to start with, but I was too distracted by the way Rayne was fidgeting in her seat. There was heat behind her stare, and I knew that look.

  “Dream?”

  Her cheeks blushed, and I knew I was on the right track. What in the hell had the little minx been dreaming of?

  Rayne

  I should’ve known nothing would slip by Ghost. I was having the most erotic dream when the plane dipped and shook me awake. Now I couldn’t get the images out of my mind.

  “Mile high club.”

  “Come again?” The shock on his face was priceless.

  Being a flight attendant for as long as I’d been, I’d seen it all. Couples trying to discretely slip into the lavatory together or trying to conceal their very obvious movements under a thin airline provided blanket. Let’s just say those blankets were tossed rather than going back into circulation. Gross! I myself had never considered it, the thought of trying to get it on in a small, cramped space never sounded appealing, or sexy. However, the images my dream had provoked had me squeezing my legs together trying to get some relief.

  “You heard me.”

  “You horny, baby?” he whispered in his best Austin Powers impersonation, which sucked.

  “Not anymore after that lame attempt at a joke.”

  He pulled the blanket fully over my lap, and his hand stilled on my thigh.

  “Not anymore, huh?”

  “I thought we were playing a game,” I reminded him.

  “We are. It’s your turn.”

  I glanced out the small window, nothing but dark, puffy clouds as far as the eye could see.

  “Storm?”

  “Heathrow,” he replied then asked, “London?”

  “My first one-night stand.” I laughed when his smile faded.

  “Really?” he mocked. “I’m seeing a theme here.”

  “What’s the . . .” The rest of my question died in my throat as Ghost’s hand traveled higher, stopping just shy of where I needed it to be.

  His fingers continued to rub over my jeans when he leaned in closer and whispered, “My beautiful wife needs to be taken care of.” The rumble of his voice sent goose bumps racing down my arms.

  He wasn’t wrong, but we still had an hour before we landed and another hour after that before we’d be alone.

  “Come on.” His hand left my leg, and he grabbed mine, giving me a firm tug.

  “Where are you going?” I whispered, trying not to wake the sleeping passengers around us.

  “Not, me. Us.” He stepped into the aisle and continued to pull me behind him.

  “No way.”

  Ghost didn’t stop until he made his way to the first-class galley where, much to my embarrassment, Lou Anne was restocking the coffee on her cart.

  “Hey, guys. If you needed something, you could’ve hit the call button.” She beamed. Ghost glanced at the green, unoccupied sign on the bathroom door and it was a race between me and Lou Anne whose blush appeared faster. I imagined mine did, considering my cheeks felt like they were on fire.

  “Oh! Ohhhh!” Her eyes widened, and she smiled. “Sorry. I’ll just switch this to out of order for you.” She reached into a cabinet and retrieved the rectangular plaque and placed the magnetic, inoperative, sign on the door and wagged her perfectly manicured eyebrows at Ghost. What the hell was going on? It was against airline policy to close a fully operational lavatory, and there had to be some FAA rule against sex in an aircraft that I should’ve known. However, at that moment I was so shocked I couldn’t think of it.

  Ghost winked, yes, he winked, at Lou Anne and started to pull me toward the tiny bathroom. He was in for a rude awakening if he thought we’d both fit in the small space. The stall was larger in first class than in the world traveler, economy section but it was still an airplane lavatory.

  “Huh?” He looked around trying to puzzle out how we were both going to fit.

  I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up.

  “You think this is funny?” he asked.

  “So funny. Didn’t think this through, did you, super-spy?”

  “Oh, Princess, I’ll have your jeans around your ankles and you up against the door in two seconds. We’ll see who’s laughing then.”

  My laughter died, and suddenly my mouth was dry.

  He was serious.

  “It’s not possible,” I argued.

  “Anything’s possible. I’ve been in tighter situations than this.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  Obviously tired of our conversation in front of the restroom he tugged my hand, moving us until he could close the door. With my back against the cool metal and his broad, muscular chest pressed to my front he leaned down to whisper, “Now I have you just where I want you.”

  Oh, shit. This was happening.

  4

  Ghost

  The space may have been designed for a single person, but there was no way that was going to deter me. Between Rayne admitting she’d had some sort of dirty dream and the ever-present need I had whenever I was near her, it was too tempting. Not to mention, the thought of joining the mile-high club and giving her another first was too thrilling to pass up. Yes, I’d make it work.

  “So, tell me, what were you dreaming about?” I kissed the side of her neck, and when her head fell to the side, giving me better access, I moved lower to the front of her throat, right where I knew she loved. Rayne didn’t disappoint when she moaned as I sucked on the sensitive area.

  “You were kissing me.”

  “Was I kissing you here?” I moved the collar of the V-neck shirt she was wearing to the side and placed a few small, open-mouthed kisses on her shoulder.

  “No.”

  “Here?” I yanked her shirt up, exposing her perfect tits and took a moment to admire the swell of cleavage. So fucking beautiful. I had to taste the milky-white flesh overflowing the confines of her bra. I wished I h
ad more time. I wanted to spend hours sucking and licking her perfect nipples hidden behind the lacey material. Later. There would be plenty of time for that tonight, and every night for the rest of our lives.

  “No.”

  “Then where, Princess?”

  “Lower.”

  The groan that slipped from my mouth sounded more like a growl, and Rayne shivered in my arms. Yeah, she liked that, too, when my voice deepened, and my touch became demanding. That was when my wife lost control.

  “Tell me exactly where.”

  “My . . .” She trailed off, and I nipped her puckered nipple through her bra. “My clit.”

  I had to take a few calming breaths to get myself under control.

  “As much as I’d love to tongue your clit until you’re thrashing around and screaming your orgasm, that will have to wait until tonight. For now, we’re going to have to make do with my cock.” I quickly unbuttoned her jeans, pushed them down to her knees, and went to work removing one sneaker before I maneuvered her out of one pant leg. Happy with my progress I looked up, coming face-to-face with her closely trimmed curls. I buried my face in her pussy the best I could and licked every inch I could reach. Frustrated with the lack of space and the time restraint I knew we were under, I stood and took her mouth in a kiss, making sure there was no doubt how much I wanted her. Fuck, my wife could kiss. Her tongue dueled and danced with mine while still allowing me to set the pace. She was perfect.

  Rayne went about unfastening my pants at the same time my hand went to her now uncovered pussy. I slipped a finger inside, and my cock twitched at the tight, wet heat that welcomed me. As soon as she had my cock free, I pulled her leg up around my hip and in a single thrust, I was balls deep.

  “Ghost!”

  “Sh. Quiet. This is going to have to be quick, Princess.”

  I kept my thrusts fast and forceful, not having time to work her up the way I normally would. Needing a better angle, I pressed her harder against the door and moved my hands to her ass. With a quick lift, both her legs were around my waist and her arms went around my neck. The new position allowed me to go deeper, and the tightness of her heat threatened to unman me.

  “Jesus, you feel so fucking good,” I whispered. “Take one of your hands and rub your clit for me. I need you ready.”

  Rayne did as I asked and moaned. Damn sexy, but too fucking loud. I brought my lips to hers and spoke quietly. “I can’t wait until we get to the hotel and I can put you on your knees and see the tattoo I love so much on your back as I take you from behind.” Her pussy spasmed, and I had to close my eyes to keep my orgasm at bay. “Princess, get there.” Before she could respond, our lips met and once again I was lost in her—consumed. Her body shook in my arms and she wrenched her mouth from mine.

  “Ghost!”

  “Come with me, Rayne.”

  5

  Rayne

  “Remember the first time we were in a taxi together?” I asked after Ghost and the driver situated our luggage in the trunk, or the boot as they called it in England, and Ghost climbed in beside me.

  “Every minute,” he replied.

  “That’s doubtful since it wasn’t all that exciting.”

  The taxi maneuvered around the busy airport traffic, and I was curious if he knew where he was going.

  “Did you tell the driver where to take us?”

  “I did. Now stop fishing for clues and sit back and enjoy the ride.”

  Damn. I was hoping now that we’d arrived, Ghost would finally tell me about the plans he’d made. The suspense was driving me crazy.

  “You know I don’t like surprises,” I tried again to get him to spill the beans.

  “Yes, you do. You’ll know soon enough.” He pulled me closer to him and kissed the top of my head. “Tell me what you remember about our first taxi ride together.”

  “I remember thinking the T-shirt you were wearing was a little dirty.”

  I thought back and couldn’t help but smile; from the moment I’d clapped eyes on him in the airport I was so drawn to him I’d done something out of character and approached him. He was sitting alone, his back to the wall, eyes assessing everything. It was as if there was a magnetic pull, and with each step I took it got stronger.

  “My shirt was dirty?” He chuckled.

  “Also, you looked a little scruffy, but even in your disheveled state I could still see your muscles flexing and I wanted to touch them—without the wrinkled, days-worn shirt covering them.”

  “Is that all?”

  “No. I wanted to know you more than I wanted to see you naked. There was something about you that made butterflies swarm in my stomach, something exciting and scary at the same time. And even though all I knew about you was your name was John Benbrook from Fort Worth, Texas, I knew you’d change my life.”

  “I’m—”

  “Don’t apologize. It’s part of our story, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” As the silence continued, I mentally berated myself for bringing up the fact I hadn’t known his real name the first time we were together. Sure, when I found out he’d lied it’d stung but I quickly came to understand why he’d used an alias. “I’m serious; it’s part of our journey—part of why I fell in love with you.”

  “How’s that?” He still didn’t look convinced, and I searched for the words to make him understand.

  “First, I’d like to point out that while your ID said your name was John, you never hid your identity from me. You told me to call you Ghost, and that’s who you are, the real you. It’s funny to think about, but how many times have I called you Keane? Hell, most of the time I forget that’s your name.”

  His lips twitched, and I was happy to see his smile starting to return. “The man I fell in love with, the man you are, has a reason to conceal his name from the world. You save people, you put your life in jeopardy every time you go on a mission. You’re my real-life superhero. So, whether you introduced yourself as John, Jack, Leon, or Keane, it never mattered. I always knew the man behind the name.”

  “Thank you, Princess.”

  “So, what were you thinking once you successfully got me into the taxi?”

  He was quiet for a moment, and I hoped he wasn’t still stuck on the name thing. It had been years ago, water under the bridge. We’d worked past all those feelings, especially after he’d come home from the first mission he’d gone on after we were together. Mary had driven down to Killian with me, and when Ghost gave me shit about being there, Mary, being Mary, meaning she always had my back, went on the warpath. It was a wake-up call about just how dangerous his job really was.

  Without thought my hand went to his arm, and I rubbed the faint scars left from the skin graft he’d received. We got lucky that deployment. If the explosion had been any closer, none of the guys would’ve made it back alive. After that, any minor obstacle in our way, like a first name, seemed trivial.

  Ghost

  I hadn’t thought about John Benbrook in a long time. I had those fake credentials in my safe and still had to use them from time to time. Hell, each of us on the team had a drawer full of bogus passports, driver’s licenses, press passes, and TWIC cards. You name it, we had it in a variety of names. It was a long time ago and something that was necessary, but I still hated that was how we’d met. The first time I made love to Rayne, she thought I was John. I never thought she’d forgive me; fuck, I hadn’t known how to forgive myself until Beatle reminded me I’d told her my call sign. That was who I really was. But I’d still been untruthful, and the one thing I wasn’t was a liar.

  “Ghost?” Rayne’s voice snapped me back to the present.

  “What do you remember about our first taxi ride together?” she repeated.

  “For the first time in my life, I hated my job. I had this beautiful, sexy, intelligent, funny, spunky woman sitting next to me and I couldn’t keep her. And I wanted to. I remember sitting next to you and for a brief moment I could see what my life would be with you by my side. Then reality set in an
d I hated I had to let you go.”

  We both fell silent, and I was surprised I’d admitted that to Rayne. I loved being a Delta. I loved my team. But in that moment, I’d wished I’d been anything but a highly trained, special forces operator.

  “I couldn’t imagine you being anything else,” she said and quickly covered her mouth, stifling a yarn. “Sorry, I’m so tired all the time now.”

  “You need to rest. I’ll wake you when we get there.” She moved her hand off my arm and settled in, one hand resting on her belly, the other secure in my grasp.

  Thank God, fate had brought her back to me.

  Ghost

  “Princess, we’re here.”

  Her eyes slowly came open, but when she saw where we were she shot up to an upright position. Now fully awake, she took in her surroundings.

  “Seriously?” she gasped.

  The look of surprise was worth the weeks of pestering, begging me to tell her the plans I’d made for our honeymoon.

  The Park Plaza was a gamble. It was the hotel we’d stayed at the night we’d met but also the place I’d left her in the early morning hours. I’d snuck out of the bed we’d shared and left nothing more than a “thank you for last night” note with the front desk. I shook the thought from my head and focused on the present and the happiness that shone in Rayne’s eyes.