LITMIR.BIZ

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she sat on the harbor wall, the warm sea breeze tugged strands of hair loose from her braid and caressed her face. Below them, Tarek threw sticks for Leo to chase along the sand. It was easy to imagine, for a moment, that they were here to enjoy the beach scene.

      This mortal capacity to keep going was something that amazed Maja. This land had been ripped apart by war, yet its people continued to find happiness in their daily pursuits. And in each other. The thought brought her back to Adam. Everything brought her back to Adam.

      She forced herself to concentrate on what he was saying instead of how he made her feel. Because how he made her feel was dangerous. Exciting, arousing...but forbidden. Was that part of the attraction? If this attraction had been allowed, would it be as powerful? Was this all part of her rebellious streak?

      “Why are you thanking me?”

      “For saving my life. At the last count, it was three times.” He grinned, and it was as if he had just poured boiling water over her. Instantly, her whole body was burning with longing. With an effort, Maja restrained herself from clambering into his lap. “Are you sure you’re a Valkyrie and not my guardian angel?”

      “No. A guardian angel is assigned to protect and guide an individual. We have no training in that role.”

      She was about to embark on a more detailed explanation of the differences when Adam caught hold of her hand. Laughing, he raised it to his lips. The action silenced her. Very effectively. It also made her blush all over.

      “I was joking.” He lowered her hand, but kept it in his, placing it on his leg and holding it there. “Teasing you.”

      “Oh.” Maja was still recovering from the brush of his lips on her hand. Now she had to cope with the sensation of his hard thigh muscles beneath her palm. How many different ways was he going to torture her? “I don’t know much about these things.”

      “Don’t tell me... Odin doesn’t encourage the Valkyries to have fun?” Adam raised a brow.

      “We don’t have time for enjoyment.”

      That made him laugh even more. Maja watched him with mild bewilderment. She didn’t know what she’d said to provoke his mirth, but she liked it. Originating deep in his chest, the sound of his laughter washed over her, warm and pleasant. His shoulders shook and she could see the muscles of his abdomen tightening beneath his T-shirt. It was an extension of his smile, a joyful sound that made her want to join in, even though she wasn’t sure why.

      When he had recovered enough to be able to speak, there was still a suspicion of breathlessness in his voice. “Maja, the last few days haven’t given me much to celebrate, but you have been one of the high notes.”

      She wrinkled her nose. “Is that good?”

      “Yes, it’s good.” Briefly, he squeezed her hand before releasing it. “Now stop making me laugh. It hurts my shoulder.”

      They had come to the beach in search of the contact Edith had suggested to them, Ali El-Amin.

      Having eaten bread, olives and minced lamb at one of the restaurants on the main harbor road, they were waiting now for the last of the fishing boats to return. Ali’s wife had described his boat to Tarek. Blue and white, she had said, with a picture of a butterfly on the side.

      “There!” Tarek ran up to them, pointing excitedly in the direction of the water. “There is the boat with the butterfly.”

      Adam raised a hand, shielding his eyes from the still bright sunlight. Maja followed the direction of his gaze. Sure enough, Ali’s boat was being dragged ashore. The man who was hauling it was young and stocky. He looked tired and dispirited as he secured his vessel and spoke briefly to some of the other fishermen. His attitude suggested disappointment with the day’s catch.

      Adam got to his feet and Maja rose with him. “Let’s go and see if we can buy ourselves an illegal boat trip to Cyprus.”

      * * *

      Ali’s expression was suspicious as he listened to Tarek’s interpretation of Adam’s request. When he spoke, his response was brief and dismissive. Hunching a shoulder, he turned back to his fishing nets.

      “He said he is not a smuggler.” Tarek’s small body drooped with disappointment.

      “Ask him how much. Say he can name his price,” Adam said.

      Tarek spoke again. Although Ali continued with his task, Adam got the feeling he was listening to the boy’s words. Or am I deceiving myself? Having come this far, am I refusing to believe we can’t make the final step?

      The problem was it felt too final. He had come here to find Danny and he was going home without him. Coming to Syria had been a long shot. It was a country with a unique set of problems. Communicating, traveling, finding information about his brother...they had all proven every bit as difficult as he had anticipated. Faced with a choice between doing nothing and making an attempt to find Danny, Adam had felt obliged to try. The realist in him told him this was always the likeliest outcome, that he would leave—if he got away at all—without any information. That stubborn streak he had? It was telling him the search wasn’t over.

      Adam was exhausted, running on adrenaline and determination. The strength of will that got him through the toughest deals was about all that was keeping him upright. He knew what his rivals said of him. Arrogant. Obstinate. Inflexible. Those were among the more generous labels he had heard applied to himself. As long as he got his way, Adam didn’t care what they called him.

      Now, his shoulder was in agony and the strong, reliable body that he pushed so hard in his day-to-day life was sending him insistent messages that it needed rest. This trip wasn’t like the usual demands he made on himself. This wasn’t like a fourteen-hour-day at work, followed by a sleepless night. Shock, blood loss, disappointment, and exhaustion had all taken their toll. If he didn’t get to safety soon, he would collapse.

      But there was something other than his own willpower keeping him going. He cast a sidelong glance at Maja. The evening sunlight lent a golden tint to her skin and the breeze blew tendrils of hair that had escaped from her braid about her face. She raised a hand to brush them away, and even that simple gesture caught him full force. She was stunning and he could watch her forever. Every movement and expression held him spellbound.

      Maja’s presence was energizing him. Not only because she had come to his rescue so many times during this adventure. He wasn’t sure he’d have survived without her, but there was more to it than the way she had rescued him from physical harm. Her allure was keeping his waning strength going. It wasn’t macho posturing around an attractive woman. Adam had never succumbed to that sort of display of virility. And without being vain, he knew he didn’t need it now. The attraction between them was mutual. He had the memory of the most explosive sex of his life as proof. But he also felt it in the highly charged atmosphere. Maja was too inexperienced to hide her feelings. Even so, he wasn’t sure subterfuge was an option for either of them. The magnetism was overpowering. Despite the danger they faced, Maja was uppermost in his mind. Pushing out all other thoughts, she was spurring him on.

      “He said you can’t afford his price.” Tarek’s voice intruded into his thoughts.

      Reluctantly, Adam withdrew his gaze from Maja. Reaching into the concealed pocket in his jacket, he withdrew the wad of hundred dollar bills. “Tell him this is a deposit.”

      Adam was prepared to do whatever it took to get them to Cyprus, where his credit card would be good again and his cell phone would work. Somehow, having been to Syria, he felt closer to Danny. He understood Danny’s motives. Adam wasn’t giving up on his younger brother. He never would. I should have stopped him. Even though Adam had tried to talk Danny out of coming to this part of the world, he couldn’t shake the feelings of guilt. The sense that he could have done more, then and now. Tried harder to talk Danny out of it. Been more persuasive. Traveled to more of those sorry, ruined towns. Spoken to more sad-eyed people.

      Ali’s attitude changed dramatically at the sight of the cash. Along with a new enthusiasm

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