Fire & Ice by Anne Stuart

sounded. Of course she was needy. She was alone in a strange country with people trying to kill her. It was nothing personal when it came to Reno. Not that he'd believe it. Not when she wasn't sure whether even she'd believe it.
    “Don't I always?” He slid the door down without waiting for her answer, and she took a deep breath.
    There was a small mirror set into the molded plastic wall, arid she forced herself to look at the stranger who stared back at her. Her short streaked hair was a tangled mess, her eyes were dark and shadowed, her mouth pale. Whether it was the lack of sleep, or stress, or a combination of the two, she looked as if she'd been run over by a truck. She needed a shower, a toothbrush, clean clothes, and none of those things were in the foreseeable future.
    At least she could make sure he fed her. She'd be much better able to deal with him once she got food. Last night, if she was even going to think about it—and she wasn't—was simply an aberration brought on by exhaustion and hunger. Besides, it wasn't as if he'd given her any say in the matter. Was it rape when someone forced an orgasm on you? Maybe. Maybe she could ask Taka to kick his butt. Except she couldn't see herself explaining to her formidable brother-in-law what had gone on in the capsule hotel.
    A cool, silent dignity was the best tack. She hadn't been able to stop him the night before, any more than she'd been able to stop her own response. And what a response it had been. She'd never felt anything like that, anything as bone-shakingly powerful. If she'd known that was what could happen with a man, she would have gotten rid of her virginity years ago.
    Except that she'd been trying for quite a while now. She'd simply spent too much time as jail bait during college. No one was interested in someone her age, even if she was convinced she was an old soul. No one got close enough to find out.
    Reno had. Way too close. She was going to have to do everything she could to put distance between them. Which was just about impossible, given their present circumstances. Maybe he'd come back with a foolproof escape for her, and she'd never have to see him again—except at the occasional family occasions that she couldn't avoid, which would be just fine with her. Time would make things better. In five years she'd be able to look him in the eye without feeling oddly vulnerable. Hell, maybe it would only take five days.
    In the meantime, she had no choice but to put her clothes back on, the clothes she'd worn for too long. She managed to finger-comb her hair into some kind of order, though it was a little too punk for her peace of mind. Not that she'd ever minded looking punk; in fact, the cut had been designed for that effect. But right now Reno was punk enough for both of them. And she waited.
    Of all the crimes and transgressions Reno had committed since he'd first appeared in her bedroom, returning to the claustrophobic capsule in clean clothes, damp hair and a freshly shaved face was the absolute worst. If she'd been on the fence before, she'd gone fully over to the other side now. She wanted him dead.
    “Don't look at me like that,” he said, reading her mind. She needed to remember he had the odd ability to do that. It wasn't making life any easier. “I couldn't very well sneak you into the bath. I'm taking you someplace safe where you can shower and change your clothes.” He pulled a cloth out of his pocket and tied it around his head, obscuring the flame bright color. “Come on. The car's waiting.”
    “Let me guess—you stole another car.”
    “I couldn't very well buy it. Just keep your head down and don't wiggle your
    “I don't wiggle my hips!” she said, incensed.
    “Yes, you do. You don't walk like a man. You've got hips like a porn star, and men are always watching them.”
    She didn't know whether to be annoyed or perversely flattered. Annoyed was easier. “Maybe they'll just think you brought your femme boyfriend