Viper's Kiss Read Online Free Page B

calendar. “Let me go.” She had to make him leave before those other men found them.
    The man shook his head. “Are you cra—?” His lips firmed as he looked behind her. “Never mind. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
    He took her arm in an unrelenting grip and dragged her through the maze of containers. Even though weak sunlight shone down, he still managed to blend in with the shadows. At each corner he held her back until he made sure the coast was clear, then pulled her along. They reached the road in a short time. He jogged up to a dumpster and wheeled a bike out from behind it.
    He gestured to it. “Come on.” He swung his leg over.
    Maggie stared at him. He expected her to go with him? She didn’t know him, didn’t trust him. Then she stared at the bike. It looked fast. And dangerous . She’d never sat on a bike before in her life, let alone ridden on one. They were death traps. She shook her head. “I can’t,” she whispered.
    The man stared at her. “Get on the damn bike.”
    Maggie looked down at her skirt. How was she supposed to—?
    A male shout followed by the sound of a gun firing spurred her into action.
    “Good idea.” She clambered onto the bike, her skirt hiking up as the engine revved and the bike lurched into motion.
    Maggie squealed and burrowed her face into the wide shoulders of the man in front of her. Her arms wrapped around his waist and she scooted her hips forward to plaster her body against his. She hung on for dear life.
     
    Luke pulled his cell phone from his pocket as the bike cruised down a quiet tree-lined street in Seattle’s Central District. He typed in a code, hit send, and a garage door belonging to a cottage farther down the road slid open.
    He hit end and drove into the garage, idling past a midnight blue Ford Expedition already parked on one side. He put his foot down for balance and pulled the bike to a stop. The garage was pitched into darkness when the door snicked closed, except for the sliver of light showing through the cracks around the door.
    Luke gritted his teeth. “You can let go of me now.”
    Damn, he was uncomfortable. He shifted slightly on the seat, then bit back a groan at the feel of the woman’s voluptuous body clinging to him. He’d been aroused the entire ride. It hadn’t helped when she’d shifted even closer at one point, and her hips had cradled his. He glanced over his shoulder and got an eyeful of her black stocking-clad leg, the skirt riding high on her thigh. The stockings were torn, he could see cuts and scrapes, but the shapely leg was still a sexy sight. He twisted to peer over his shoulder.
    She’d buried her head between his shoulder blades and still hadn’t surfaced. His lips curved. Who would have thought the notorious Viper was afraid of bikes?
    “We’re here.” He raised his voice.
    The woman lifted her head and peeked over his shoulder. There were those beautiful, eyes again, uncertainty and fear in their depths. He frowned. Viper was lousy at hiding her thoughts and feelings. He would have thought an international spy would be more accomplished at deception. Unless it was an act. She was good. He almost fell for it.
    She seemed to realize she’d smeared herself onto his back and jerked away. “Sorry.” She slid back a little further on the seat and slung one leg over the back of the bike. She stumbled a few steps, and Luke grabbed her arm.
    “Thanks,” she said, glancing around her.
    She had a puppy-dog-lost air about her, and his protective instincts awoke. He smiled derisively. Reese would have a field day with his need to protect an international spy. This was his first assignment as lead agent, and he didn’t want Reese to think his trust was misplaced. Luke forced himself to remember exactly why they were in the position they were in. He’d found Viper trying to escape her cohorts, undoubtedly in the middle of a double-cross. She’d stolen valuable information, and a prototype that would be dangerous