Sebastian loved seeing her so happy. She’d had a spring to her step ever since they’d left the Pentagon, and she was much cuddlier than usual. Linking arms when they walked, snuggling close during the car ride, planting a spontaneous and unbelievably passionate kiss on his lips in the hotel elevator. That kiss had succeeded in getting him harder than concrete, but neither of them had been in the mood for sex as they got settled in the suite.
They hadn’t slept for twenty-four hours, which was probably why they collapsed on the huge bed the moment they got to the hotel.
When Sebastian’s eyes opened hours later to find that it was pitch-black beyond the floor-to-ceiling window, he groaned with unhappiness.
Julia stirred beside him, her warm ass wiggling into his groin. “What’s wrong?” she asked sleepily.
“We’ve been sleeping for sixteen hours.”
“You’re lying.” She gave a loud yawn. “What time is it?”
“Eleven.”
“That’s not too bad. We checked in only at six.”
“Eleven at night, Doc.”
That got her attention. Propping herself up on one elbow, she twisted around and stared at him in horror. “We wasted the entire day and night?”
“I wouldn’t call it a waste,” he pointed out. “We did need the rest.”
“Yeah, but...”
He cocked a brow. “But what?”
Julia’s cheeks went pink. “I was looking forward to spending all those hours in bed with you.”
“Technically, we were in bed.”
“You know what I mean.”
Before she could blink, he flipped her onto her back and slipped his hand underneath her T-shirt and inside her bra. When he found her nipple poking straight up, he groaned in approval. “I know exactly what you mean, baby.”
She let out a little laugh before squirming and shifting out from under him. “Well, now you can wait a bit longer. I’m hungry. Let’s order some room service. Oh, and I feel super-grimy and I kind of want to try out that Jacuzzi.”
He injected a seductive note into his voice. “How about we try out that Jacuzzi together, and we’ll peruse the room service menu while we do it?”
“Oooh, sounds like a plan.”
Five minutes later, they were doing precisely that. The tub was big enough for them to stretch out at opposite ends, but now Sebastian was the one feeling cuddly. Leaning against the porcelain tub, he opened his legs and pulled Julia into the cradle of his thighs, so that her back rested against his chest, her round bottom pressed into his groin and her legs tangled with his.
After they studied the menu, Sebastian set the plastic sheet on the edge of the sink and began running his hands over Julia’s slippery body. The jet directly behind him placed steady pulsing pressure against his back muscles. A naughty idea involving positioning one of those jets between Julia’s legs sent all the blood in his body down to his groin, a transformation that didn’t escape the woman in his lap.
Rubbing her butt on his growing erection, she let out a throaty laugh that echoed in the bathroom. “Food first,” she chided.
“Fine. Then at least let me get out so I can place our order.”
Her hands latched onto his thighs before he could move. “No way. I’m nice and comfy. We’ll order when we get out.”
She let her head fall back against his chest and sighed with pure and utter contentment. Sebastian rested his hands on her flat belly and let out a sigh of his own. The hot water felt incredible as it lapped over their naked bodies, and Julia’s loose hair floated around like strands of silk, tickling his shoulders and collarbone.
“I could stay like this forever,” she said happily.
His throat tightened. “Me, too.”
Christ. He really could stay with this woman forever. And maybe, just maybe, that was actually possible.
All the thoughts he’d put out of his mind before the takedown now came rushing back.
You’re the reason I’m alive.
It was true, wasn’t it? He’d been protecting Julia from the moment he’d heard the general say her name in Esperanza. Every dangerous situation they’d encountered, she’d come out of alive. And here she was, still safe. The woman he loved was safe in his arms, and for the first time in his life, he truly believed it could stay that way.
“Will you come back to Ecuador with me?” His gruff voice hung in the hot, moist air rising from the Jacuzzi.
“Yes.”
No hesitation. That one syllable left her mouth swiftly and without an ounce of uncertainty.
Sebastian had to smile. “You will?”
“Of course I will.” A note of sarcasm crept in. “Where else would I go?”
That gave him pause. “Wait—are you coming with me because you think you have nowhere else to go?”
“No, I’m coming with you because I can’t bear the thought of being away from you, dummy.”
A laugh popped out of his mouth. “You’re really mean sometimes, you know that?”
“I am not. I’m just honest.” She changed positions, turning around to straddle his lap, while those hazel eyes bore into his face, unwavering. “And because I’m being honest, I might as well tell you that this is about more than just sex for me. It stopped being about that a long time ago.”
The joy that streaked through his chest caught him by surprise, but once it registered, he realized he couldn’t deny it. Julia’s declaration made him happy.
Because he felt the same damn way.
“I understand why you’re scared of commitment,” she went on, her voice gentle, “but you need to know that you’re not cursed. You’re not the only one who’s lost people, Sebastian. I lost the two people I loved most in the world, and I’m sure if I try hard enough, I could link their deaths to something I’d said or done. Like Mia went to South Africa because of that one time I had PMS and told her she’d never cut it as a travel writer—” her expression grew pained “—which I totally regret saying, by the way, because she was an amazing writer. And I could easily say I’m to blame for my dad’s death because the night before his heart attack, we were at a restaurant for dinner and I talked him into ordering a sixteen-ounce steak, even though he was on a strict no-red-meat diet.”
Sebastian exhaled in a weary rush. Christ. It did sound ridiculous when she put it that way. And yet...yet he wasn’t ready to let go of that guilt. Wasn’t ready to admit that the burden of responsibility might fall elsewhere—or nowhere.
“We can take it slow,” she said, her hazel eyes shining with what he could only describe as faith. Faith in him. Faith in them. “No promises, no weddings. We’ll just see what happens. How does that sound?”
It was damn difficult speaking through the monstrous lump in his throat. “It sounds perfect.”
With a smile, Julia leaned in and brushed a fleeting kiss on his mouth. “Good. Now let’s get out of this tub and order some food. I’m ready to pass out if I don’t put something in my stomach.”
They stepped out of the Jacuzzi and dried off, slipping into a pair of complimentary terry cloth robes rather than getting dressed. Sebastian was all over the robe situation—he didn’t plan on letting Julia wear a stitch of clothing for the rest of the night. Or maybe ever again.
They both ended up ordering cheeseburgers and fries, along with a plate of onion rings to share. Probably wasn’t smart to eat such a heavy meal at midnight, but they were both starving, and Sebastian was just happy to see Julia eating. She’d filled out since he’d met her, which was ironic considering they’d been doing nothing but traveling and hiding out in motel rooms. Still, no matter where they’d been, he’d encouraged her to stuff her face, and his efforts showed in the rounding of her cheeks and the fact that he was no longer able to count each of her ribs.
“When you get a new assignment with the foundation, you’re not allowed to overwork yourself anymore,” he announced as he watched her munch on a French fry.
She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, really
? Who’s gonna stop me?”
“I will.” He shot her a mocking look. “I won’t be in hiding forever. Sooner or later, me and Tate and Nick will figure out who killed our unit and attempted to kill us, and once we find those bastards, I’ll be free to travel the world with you, Doc.”
The moment he said it, he realized just how much he wanted to do that.
Julia looked as surprised as he felt. “You really want to follow me all over the globe while I work for Doctors International?”
“Why not?” he said with a shrug. “I’ve never wanted a boring old nine-to-five job. My only ambition was to join the military, but I’m a tad soured by the United States Armed Forces at the moment. My military career is over, which means I’m free to do whatever the hell I want. And I told you, I’ve got a case of wanderlust.”
She tilted her head, intrigued. “But what would you do when I’m at the clinic?”
“Anything. Everything. Take pictures. Explore. Pick up odd jobs here and there if we run out of money.”
After a beat of silence, Julia’s beautiful face broke out in a smile. “I kind of like the sound of that.”
So did he. In fact, he couldn’t wait to start a life with this woman. Julia Davenport was the smartest, sexiest, kindest, sassiest woman he’d ever known. She’d fascinated him from the second he’d met her in Valero, and during their time together, she’d managed to breach his defenses. Make him yearn for something he hadn’t yearned for in years. Companionship. Laughter. Love.
As a wave of emotion swelled in his gut, he helped Julia gather up their empty plates, then dropped them on the room service cart and rolled it out to the hall.
He returned to the suite to find Julia lying in the center of the bed—and she wasn’t wearing her robe.
This time, as he made love to her, he didn’t hold back or fight those intense emotions. He opened his heart and welcomed all those feelings in. He thrust into Julia’s tight heat with long, languid strokes, gripping her upper thigh to prop her knee up so he could drive deeper. She moaned, and the glazed look in her eyes told him she was close.
Capturing her mouth, he gave her a long, reckless, tongue-tangling kiss that made her gasp, then quickened his pace and sent her flying over the edge. As she came apart beneath him, he threw himself over that same cliff, pleasure seizing his lower body before shooting out in all directions, until he was gasping, too.
Afterward, they lay tangled in each other’s arms. Sebastian didn’t remember falling asleep, but when his eyes blinked open, it was suddenly morning again. Sunlight streamed into the room, blinding him, bringing a sharp ache to his head.
With a groan, he rubbed his temples, hoping the massage would soothe his headache.
“You’re like a furnace,” Julia mumbled.
Yeah, he did feel hot. And slightly lethargic, too, as he climbed out of bed so he wouldn’t disturb Julia. The clock on the night table read 7:39 a.m. Last time he remembered checking the clock it had been 3:00 a.m., which was probably why he was so exhausted. Sixteen hours of sleep the night before, then four and a half hours the next night. Clearly his REM cycle was all screwed up.
Sebastian left the bedroom and wandered to the other room of their suite, which featured a kitchenette, a living area and a dining table. Fortunately, the kitchen had a coffee maker, and a few minutes later, he was happily sipping on a cup of coffee, almost instantly feeling more alert.
Drifting toward the bedroom, he stood in the doorway and watched as Julia tried to find a comfortable position. One slender leg was poking out from the covers, and she was hugging a pillow as she rolled around on the white sheets, making soft little noises that brought a smile to his lips.
But the smile faded when a flash of red caught his eye.
“Julia,” he blurted out.
She stirred but didn’t open her eyes.
“Julia.” He spoke louder this time—it was the only way he could hear himself over the deafening pounding of his heart.
Those hazel eyes focused on him, sleepy and annoyed. “What?” she mumbled.
“You’re bleeding.”
Her ability to snap into a state of alertness was as honed as his. She sat up like she’d just been shot out of a cannon, fixed her gaze on the crimson stain marring the stark white pillow, and then her hands flew to her face. She touched her nostrils, her eyes widening, her lips parting in shock.
As icy-cold fear paralyzed every muscle in his body, Sebastian stood frozen in the doorway, seeing nothing but the two trails of blood pouring out of Julia’s nose.
Chapter 16
Shock pummeled into Julia’s body. When she touched her nostrils, the blood dripping from them seemed to flow faster. Horrified, she launched herself out of bed, then halted when a wave of dizziness overtook her. Her legs felt like they were made of lead, and her torso suddenly weighed three hundred pounds, making it difficult to support her own weight.
Sebastian was at her side in a flash, steadying her with his strong arms.
“Hey, you need to sit down.” His voice held an unambiguous note of terror.
He was scared.
Oh, God. She was scared.
Why wouldn’t her nose stop bleeding, damn it?
She allowed Sebastian to lead her back to the bed. He forced her to sit down, then hurried into the bathroom and returned a moment later with a box of tissues. He ripped out a handful and brought them to her nose, staunching the blood flow. With his other hand, he touched her forehead, then her cheeks and then her neck. “You’re burning up,” he said hoarsely. “You’re on fire, Doc.”
Julia didn’t doubt it. She felt like she’d been dropped in a vat of boiling water. And that sluggish wave of exhaustion continued to slither through her veins.
“In the first hour, it’s a fever, lethargy and bleeding from the ears, nose and eyes,” she said weakly.
“Don’t.” Sebastian’s voice was as sharp as a razor blade. “We don’t know if this is...if you’ve been...”
“Infected by the virus? Let’s not kid ourselves, Sebastian. I was perfectly healthy when we went to sleep, and now I’m exhibiting all of the initial symptoms Frank described.” Swallowing a lump of panic, she forced her brain not to shut down on her, no matter how tired she was. “If humans react to the virus the same way as the mice, then symptoms start after twenty-five hours. That means I ingested the virus...” It became impossible to do basic math, so she simply gave up and quit talking.
“Six-thirty yesterday morning,” Sebastian supplied.
“Right, six-thirty. We were...at the Pentagon. Brent’s office.”
The tissues were almost completely soaked from her bloody nose. Sebastian tossed them on the floor and replaced them with a new batch.
“You were drinking a bottle of water,” he reminded her. “Remember? You gave me the rest.”
“Not the rest, the whole thing. I never opened that bottle.” She struggled to search her memories. “I had a cup of coffee when we first got there, around three in the morning. I didn’t have anything else to drink after that.” She frowned. “Maybe my symptoms are showing up later for some reason? I guess the mice had a more accelerated reaction to—”
“The coffee wasn’t the last thing you drank,” Sebastian cut in. His face had gone white, and his hands trembled as he pressed the tissues beneath her nose. “I gave you my water bottle after I drank yours.”
“Right. Right, I remember.”
“And that was around six-thirty, so the timing of the symptoms fits.” An anguished curse flew out of his mouth and then he started mumbling. “Brent got me that water bottle, Julia. It was my freaking water. It was meant for me.”
His low mutterings made her head spin. Battling a rush of disorientation, she staggered off the bed. Sebastian shot up without delay and put his arm around her.
“Hospital,” she wheezed out. “We have to get to the hospital. Seizures will start...in an hour or two.”
Oh, God, and the paralysis soon after.
 
; Terror seized every muscle in her body. She was going to die.
Holy mother of God, she was actually going to die.
The next ten minutes were a total whirlwind. She didn’t remember getting dressed, but somehow she was wearing jeans and a tank top when they stumbled out of the hotel. She didn’t remember getting into the car, but somehow she was in the passenger seat while Sebastian murmured soothing words in her ear and kept a firm hand on her thigh.
Her skin was on fire. Her nosebleed refused to ebb; she could taste the coppery blood in the back of her throat and she almost gagged.
In the driver’s seat, Sebastian wasn’t saying a single word.
“Maybe...maybe the CDC developed an antidote already,” she said feebly.
He sucked in a breath. “An antidote.”
“Maybe,” she murmured again. “Sometimes they can develop one fairly fast.”
Yeah, right. It would take weeks, months, years even. She knew that, yet she refused to give up hope. After everything she’d been through, this couldn’t be the way it ended.
Lissa. Simone. Marcus.
Kevin. Marie-Thérèse. Kendra. Nadir.
Me.
“No,” she mumbled. “I don’t want to die, Seb.”
His fingers curled over her denim-clad thigh. “You’re not going to die, Doc. I won’t let you.”
Julia started to laugh. Of course he’d say that. Her warrior, always coming to the rescue, always looking out for her.
“There’s a team of medical professionals waiting for you at the hospital,” he went on. “Doctors and CDC folks and federal agents and researchers. You’ll be in good hands.”
She squinted, as if that would somehow help her make sense of what he’d said. “What are you talking about?”
“I arranged everything before we left the hotel. You’ll be taken care of, baby.”
She didn’t remember him making any phone calls. Then again, she was so out of it she couldn’t be sure.
But she certainly hadn’t missed his continued use of the word you’ll.