She had moved closer to him than she thought she could. She had told him things she’d told no one else simply because he had asked. No, it had also been because trust had been there, the trust that she had been fighting from that moment in the forest. Trust and something else she had never experienced. She had allowed that intense sexual magnetism she’d been guarding against since she had woken on the Gulfstream to overcome the caution of years. The impulse had probably been too bold and foolish, and she shouldn’t give in to it again. But the boldness had been natural to her, and learning new things was never foolish. Those minutes had been exciting and made her come alive in a very different way than she had ever known.

Repeat it? That thought was exciting, too. Particularly since Tanner was being so difficult about such a simple thing when she’d offered to make it as pleasant as possible for him. It might be…a challenge. Why not? she thought recklessly. After all the Trials she’d been forced to do over the years, it could be interesting to do one of her own choice that might bring her pleasure. As she’d told him, she’d have to think about it.

Because it had definitely not been the whiskey.

*  *  *

He was going to have to call Volkov, Anton thought gloomily. He’d been putting it off since Stockholm in the hope that he’d have something positive to report after they got to Connecticut. But that damn bitch, Lara, had slipped through his fingers again, and Volkov was going to be furious. Not that it wasn’t Volkov’s fault, too, he thought sourly. It was his men who had been so inept that they hadn’t been able to bring Lara down during those first two nights.

Stop putting it off. The longer he stalled, the worse it was going to be when he reached Volkov. He placed the call. “There’s been a problem.”

“Which you’ve solved?” Volkov’s tone was dangerously low. “Don’t tell me you’ve failed again, Anton.”

“The situation was awkward,” Anton said. “I told you that the trail led me out of Stockholm. Once we reached Connecticut, we found they’d already closed down the airport and scattered. I was equipped for an initial attack, but I’m going to need more firepower and men to hunt them down. This is the U.S., and we’ll have to worry about the authorities. I’ve already had to kill one law enforcement official. I’m going to go to ground for a while until you can send me what I need.”

Volkov was swearing viciously. “And in the meantime Lara and Maria will find a place to go to ground, too. It will take months to dig them out while you’re sitting there waiting for me to save your ass.”