She circled his neck with her arms, Unking her fingers at the nape of her neck.

"I think I'm becoming used to you hauling me around," she teased.

"Well tuck that blanket around you. I don't mind you going without underwear in front of me, but I draw the line at parading around in the nude in front of my friends. You'll give Drake a heart attack."

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"I must be picking up your bad habits," Rachael said, tugging at the blanket until it covered her bare thighs. She snug-gled against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck again, turning her head to look into his vivid green eyes.

They both smiled. It made no sense, but neither cared. They simply melted into one another. She had no idea if she moved first or if he had, but their mouths fused together and joy burst through them. The earth shifted and rocked. Monkeys chattered noisily and a bird shrieked in delight: Prisms of color radiated through the droplets of water on the leaves and moss. Petals from blossoms overhead rained down on them as the wind shifted slightly, but neither noticed.

For that moment there was only the two of them, locked in their own world of pure feeling.

It was Rachael who pulled back first, smiling because she couldn't help herself.

"You have an amazing mouth."

He had heard those words before uttered in that same voice, that same teasing, slightly awed tone. He had felt her fingertip tracing the outline of his lips before. He clearly remembered sweeping away the dishes and laying her on the table, wild with need, wanting her so badly he couldn't wait long enough to get her to the bedroom.

Rachael's fingers tangled in his hair, a gesture that always turned his heart over. Sometimes he felt as if he lived for her smile. For her kiss. For the sound of her laughter. He leaned close until his lips were pressed against her ear. "I wish we were alone right now." His tongue made a small foray, delving into shadows, his teeth nipping gently. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pushed against his chest, soft tempting mounds, her nipples taut peaks. He had known her body would react to that small tease of his tongue.

"It's just as well we aren't," Rachael pointed out, trying to keep her brain from melting along with the rest of her body. It had to be the humidity. She could testify she'd never quite felt so s.e.xy and so wanting to entice and tempt a man as she did Rio. She stared into his eyes, his strange, beguiling eyes, and felt as if she were falling into him.

126.

A leopard growled a warning, then gave a soft grunting cough from inside the house. Rachael and Rio blinked, trying to shake off the enthrallment they seemed to be under.

"Rio, you'd better tell your little friend to back off, or he's going to get a surprise," Drake called.

Rachael was shocked at the gravelly menace in Drake's voice. Rio stiffened, snapped out an instant command to Franz and the clouded leopard burst from the house. He raised his lip at Rio, his ears flat, his teeth exposed, tail switching back and forth.

"He looks really angry." Rachael couldn't quite suppress the note of fear in her voice. "It's amazing how big he looks, and his teeth are downright scary."

Rio stepped back to give the cat room. "All leopards have tempers, Rachael. They can be very moody and edgy, even the smallest brother. Franz is naturally upset and he doesn't tolerate company very well."

"He should be used to me," Drake snapped. "The little runt threatened me. If he managed to bite me, I'd stretch his hide between two trees." He stood in the doorway glaring at the clouded leopard. His eyes were brilliant and focused, almost gla.s.sy. There was an aura of danger emanating from him. His hands gripped the railing of the verandah, fingers curled tightly around the wood.

Rio slowly set Rachael onto the overstuffed sofa, never taking his eyes from Drake. There was sudden .tension in Rio's body, although he appeared as relaxed as ever. His smile didn't quite reach his eyes. Rachael could see he was just as focused on Drake as Drake was on the cat Neither man moved a muscle, so still they seemed to become part of the forest, blending into the shadows. Clouds moved overhead, darkening the skies. As the wind blew and foliage and creepers feathered back and forth the shadows grew and lengthened. A few raindrops managed to penetrate the heavy canopy and splashed on the railing of the verandah. The sound of wood tearing was loud and unnerving. Long splinters of wood fell to the floor of the porch to lie

127.

in curls. Rachael stared at them in surprise. Franz hissed and, facing Drake, backed away as he slowly slunk toward the largest tree branch. As if his back legs were springs, the clouded leopard launched himself into the canopy and disappeared.

Drake remained motionless, watching the leaves quivering, and then he took a deep breath, let it out and glanced at Rio. "Back off, man, the little runt deserved to be kicked."

"Fritz was attacked by a leopard, Drake. Franz is a little on edge. You could have given him a break."

"I don't understand," Rachael interrupted. "I thought you two were friends."

Rio immediately dropped his hand onto her shoulder. "Drake and I understand each other, Rachael."

"Well I don't understand either of you."

Rio laughed softly. "It has something to do with bad-tempered cats. Come on, let's get that leg taken care of."

"You mean put that homemade brownish paste on it?" Rachael sounded horrified. "I don't think so. I'll take my chances with the care you gave me." She stared at the railing behind Drake. There were fresh claw marks in the wood and she couldn't remember them being there earlier.

"Surely you aren't going to be a coward," Rio teased, picking her up as if nothing had happened. He didn't glance at the claw marks or seem to notice them.

All the tension was gone as if it had never been.

"Maybe we could mix a few more petals in with it and change the color," Drake suggested, preceding Rio into the house. "Tama, she doesn't want your healing concoction. Can you change the color to princess pink?"

Rachael made a face at Drake. "I'll go without it, regardless of color."

Kim smiled at her. "It works, Miss Wilson."

"Rachael," she corrected, trying to look dignified when Rio placed her on the bed. She was already tired and wanted to just lie down and sleep for a while.

"How fast does it work? And does it hurt?"

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"Your leg already hurts," Rio pointed out. "It won't make the pain worse."

Rachael curled up, drawing her leg up as best she could to protect it from any voodoo concoction Tama had whipped up. "I'm a modern sort of woman. The kind that goes with modern medicine."

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase, 'when in Rome...'?" Rio teased.

"Yes, well, we're not in Rome and I doubt if their medicine- is that particular shade of green." Rachael glared at him, slapping his hand away as Rio tried to pull her leg out for inspection. "Back off if you don't want to lose that hand!"

"Is she always like this?" Drake asked.

"She gets worse. Don't put a gun in her hand."

"That was an accident. I had a high fever." She shoved Rio's hand away again.

"I'm not getting near mat stuff. You sure turn bossy when your friends are around."

"Stop squirming around. I want Kim and Tama to see what they can do." Rio sat on the edge of the bed, casually leaning his weight across her hips so she couldn't sit up. "Just do it, Tama, don't pay any attention to her."

"What did she shoot?" Drake asked.

"The radio."

Drake laughed. "Fortunately I brought mine. You can have it and I'll pick up another. We're going to have to go after Kim's do-gooders and get them out of Tomas's camp. That was the real reason we came, you know, not to rescue you, Rio."

"Kim's do-gooders?" Rachael echoed, feigning outrage. "When I'm feeling better, you'll be talcing that back."

Rio tried to ignore the black jealousy swirling in his gut. He might come from a primitive species but he didn't have to act like it. He could be civilized. It shouldn't matter that Rachael smiled at Drake. And maybe it didn't. But it did matter that she teased him. He wanted that particular note in her voice to be reserved exclusively for him. He

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reached inward, searching for a calm center, a place he often went to conquer the part of him that lived by forest rules. Air moved through his lungs. He breathed in and out, determined not to sway from his chosen path. It was all important for him to be in control.

He felt the touch of her fingers. Feather-light. Barely there, the smallest of connections. Her fingers twisted in the waistband of his pants, knuckles pressing against his bare skin creating instant heat. It was a small gesture, but he recognized her need for comfort, for rea.s.surance. And that brought him instant relief.

"Rio, are you going to go after Don Gregson and the others?" Rachael had planned her escape so carefully. She had planned to live her life alone. She hadn't even been that afraid, yet now everything seemed different. She didn't want Rio to leave her.8.WE can't leave any of those people with Tomas," Rio answered with a heavy sigh.

"I don't think we have a choice in the matter."

"This isn't going to be like the other times," Drake cautioned. "We've always done the smash-and-grab and gotten them out of the country while we scatter into the forest. The reward money changes everything."

Rachael could feel four pair of eyes on her. She kept her face averted. She should have known the reward would be too large to ignore, especially in countries where people had very little. "Money talks. That's the motto in my family. El dinero pavimenta la manera."

"Money paves the way," Rio translated. He had heard the phrase before, but the origin eluded him. He glanced at Drake, arched an eyebrow in inquiry.

"Interesting motto for a family."

Drake shrugged and shook his head. He thought he'd read the motto before, perhaps in the papers, but he couldn't remember anything about it.

"Yes, well, I have an interesting family. Sooner or later,