Rowan placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her. The voracity of his lips and the dampness of his palms made her smile and he drew back. “What is it now?”
Pulling him close, giddy at the feeling of his warm, hard body in her arms, she murmured into the crook of his neck. “Nothing. What did you want to do this afternoon?”
He stepped back, holding her at arm’s length, his look playful. “You’re asking me what I want to do?”
Snickering, she nodded. “Uh huh, because I know what I want to do, but I don’t want to be selfish.”
When he grabbed her hand she followed him, padding barefoot across the deep carpet as he led her through the opulent sitting room and into the bedroom. Making a sweeping gesture at the king-size bed, he flashed the sexy smile that always left her weak-kneed. “This is what I want to do this afternoon – and tonight and tomorrow and well, you get it. I hope you don’t have any other plans, because once we land in this bed, I don’t think we’ll be leaving.”
The look in his eyes sent a zing of desire through her body and she shivered again. Before she could say anything, he worked his hands under the bottom of her sweater. “May I?”
Dry-mouthed, she could only nod. Rowan tugged the sweater over her head, and she helped him pull it off. Once he’d smoothed the static electricity from her hair, he fiddled with the front fastening on her bra and gently freed her breasts. Goose bumps covered her body, but she couldn’t help a smile when he tilted his head and stared. “Wow.”
When his agile fingers unbuttoned her linen dress pants and dropped them to the carpet, she sucked in a breath. He paused. “You OK with this?”
Chuckling at her quick nod, he slid warm hands beneath her panties and they followed the dress pants to the floor. Gripping her fingers in his so she could step out of the pile of clothes, he pulled down the covers with his other hand. Sliding between the cool sheets and pulling them to her chin, she tried to keep her teeth from chattering.
Watching his boyish enthusiasm made her giggle. Rowan yanked the crew neck sweater over his head, kicked off his shoes and unzipped his dress pants, letting them drop to the floor. Clad only in boxers, he dragged back the covers on the other side and bounced into the bed next to her. “OK, since I took your pants off, turnabout is fair play.”
Thrilling at his wild grin, she wished her fingers weren’t so cold. His body felt hot next to hers, and she shivered again. When she couldn’t maneuver under the waist band of the boxers, he folded her chilled fingers inside his. “How about we get you warmed up? C’mon, let me help.”
Snuggling close, he wrapped an arm and leg around her. Starting at her forehead and working his way down, he covered her face with soft kisses, interspersed by the brush of rough beard. When he nuzzled her neck and dipped lower, teasing with his tongue and teeth, she felt the heat enveloping her body, starting at the center and radiating out. Back arching, she gasped at the sensations. Every touch turned to liquid fire and pulsed through her, clear to the bottoms of her feet.
Bolder now, she tugged on the boxers as he wiggled around, helping her pull them down. She couldn’t get enough of his body, from the spicy scent he wore, to the taut shoulder muscles, the hard abs that rippled beneath her fingers and the sinewy, hairy legs that kept hers captive. Dragging her fingers through his hair, she pulled his head up. Kissing him was something she couldn’t live another minute without. Black hair a mess, he smiled down at her. “This is fun, Danielle. And you’re beautiful. You’re perfect. I…” Pain shimmered through his eyes and he bent his head to her lips. For an instant she wondered if he’d almost said I love you. But why would that elicit the depth of hurt she’d seen – for a single, quick second?
Then his tongue touched hers and she gave herself to the mutual exploration. Moaning with the sheer pleasure of intimate contact, she wanted, needed all of him. Head thrown back, breath coming in quick gasps, she could only whisper. “Oh please Rowan, let’s do this – I can’t wait any longer.”
* * *
Sunday Afternoon
His room at the Sheraton felt especially cold. Rowan smiled at Danielle, hit the thermostat and rubbed his hands together. “Sorry it’s so chilly in here. Guess the maid turned down the heat. But it won’t take long to warm up.”
He watched while she grabbed pillows and shoved them against the headboard before kicking off her shoes and arranging herself cross-legged on the bed. The grin she gave him was teasing. “It’s OK. I’m used to the cold. Not like some people I know who don’t believe in wearing socks. Thanks for bringing me here. I don’t think I could face Derek’s grouchy attitude. Geez, he’s been such a bear, and I don’t know why.”
Unable to help a snort of disbelief, he sat down next to her and loosened his tie. “Much as I don’t want to waste time talking about your housemate, you gotta be kidding me, right? The reason Derek is in a perpetual bad mood is because he’s deep in love with you and you’re with me. He hates my guts – has since the first moment he laid eyes on me. Tell me you don’t know that.”
Danielle twirled hair between her fingers and stared at him. “You think Derek is in love with me? Nah – he’s had darn near four years to say something, and he’s never intimated that he cared about me that way. The reason he doesn’t like you is because an old buddy of his works for United Operations in Denver, and he told Derek the FBI called and said you were dangerous. He gets worried about me and thinks I’m not safe with you.”
Hell, the airline grapevine was nothing if not efficient. Unbuttoning the top two buttons of his white dress shirt and pulling off his tie, he gave her a wry smile. “Think what you want, but I know Derek has the hots for you, big-time. How about some wine? I could use a shot of Jack Daniel’s. Talking about that jerk makes me want to drink.”
Danielle giggled and reached out to pat his whiskered cheek. “You poor baby. I’d love some wine. Don’t worry about Derek. He’ll come around, you’ll see.”
Thinking he didn’t give a rat’s ass whether Derek ever came around or not, he grabbed her hand and kissed it. “Screw Derek. Did you have fun in Chicago? Want to go again sometime?”
The look that crossed her face made him smile. “I’ve never had such a wonderful time. I’d love to go again, but it had to be incredibly expensive.”
He dropped her hand and stood up. Spending a miniscule amount of his hard earned money didn’t bother him at all. “Let me get your wine.” Shrugging out of his suit jacket and draping it over the desk chair, he dug in the dresser drawer and pulled out the corkscrew and bottle of Bolgheri Sassicaia he’d purchased with this afternoon in mind.
Seeing a curious look on Danielle’s face while she watched him uncork the bottle, he raised a brow. She tilted her head and smiled. “I love that wine. Did you plan all along for us to come back here together after the weekend? You’re almost diabolical sometimes, you know?”
Frowning, he handed her the glass of wine. “You make me sound evil. I’m always thinking ahead.” The cold reality was that he hated being without her. The emptiness he lived with hovered around the edges of his consciousness, and he couldn’t bear that after the weekend.
Danielle sipped and closed her eyes. “Mm, that’s delicious. Thanks. You know, I’m not sure I can handle it when you have to leave.”
Sloshing whiskey into a glass, he spilled on the desk. “Damn it.” Giving her a sideways glance, he wondered – had she fallen as hard for him as he had for her? Tossing back the shot, he inhaled the pungent fumes, coughed and poured again, this time filling the glass halfway. After unbuttoning his shirt cuffs, he pulled the holstered Glock from inside the waistband of his suit pants and laid it on the bedside table. Grabbing a pillow, he slung it against the headboard and slid down beside her. “I’m not going anywhere – I mean, not for a while, anyway.”
Seeing the glimmer of hurt in her eyes, he stroked the side of her face. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put it like that. Besides, wasn’t it you who to
ld me that neither of us knows what the future holds?”
Now he thought she looked sad. She took another sip of wine and gave him a knowing smile. “I did say that, didn’t I? And I meant it, but I also know you’re committed to your career. I’ve learned that much about you. In the end, you’ll go.” Her voice softened to a whisper. “It’s just that I’ll miss you so much.”
Gathering his thoughts seemed hopeless. He couldn’t think past the next hour, let alone days and weeks. Nothing made as much sense as being with her. After a hefty swallow of whiskey, he sat the glass on the bedside table, took her glass and sat it next to his, then sidled close and put his arms around her. “I don’t have any answers as far as the future goes Danielle, except that I can’t imagine being anywhere without you. We just have to take it one day at a time.”
Her arm went around him like a vise and she buried her face in his shirt front. They sat in silence for a while. He smoothed a hand over her hair. Keeping one arm securely around her, he reached for his drink with the other and downed the rest, enjoying the accompanying warmth and heaviness in his arms and legs. Placing the glass on the bedside table, he put his arm back around her and yawned.
Danielle raised her head and gazed into his eyes. “I can’t imagine not having you in my life either. Please promise me one thing.”
He returned her gaze, hating the reticence he felt. The trust he saw scared him. “OK…” Now he’d blown it. Clearly she sensed his reservation.
Brow furrowed, she pushed her way out of his arms and turned so she was facing him. “You know, I get it that you can’t tell me much about what you’re really doing here. We’ve been through a lot of records of Middle Eastern passengers, and obviously the focus has become Mr. Shemal.”
Danielle paused and he opened his mouth to speak, but she put a finger on his lips. “Let me finish. You’ve been growing a beard you don’t like – and your hair gets longer by the day. You look like…” She chuckled. “I’m quite sure you know what you look like. Other people notice too, I saw that in O’Hare. Doesn’t that get to you sometimes? It seems so unfair for you to be judged totally by your appearance. That’s why you wore a suit on the flight home, isn’t it?”
Now he wished he’d held off on the whiskey, so he could keep up with her. So far she’d nailed everything. Hating to think what she might say next, he tried to intervene. “I – well, you’re right, I guess, but…” Feeling like an idiot, he simply stared at her.
Clasping her hands in her lap, Danielle continued. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m not going to ask you to betray a loyalty that obviously goes way beyond your job. Just…promise me that when you have to leave, you’ll tell me good-bye before you go.”
Her words touched him and made him feel guilty about the secrets he could never share with her. Scratching the beard and then stopping, he knew it was his turn to talk. “All right, I promise to tell you good-bye if I need to leave.”
She looked so forlorn, he cringed. “Not if, Rowan – when. I’m not that dense.” Tossing her hair behind her shoulders, she gave him a tremulous smile. “I can’t talk about this anymore. And you were right – we need to take one day at a time.” She paused to yawn. “How about a nap?”
Relieved that the conversation appeared to be over, he nodded. “Yep, a nap sounds great.”
* * *
Ralph swirled the ice in his Glenlivet and looked at his watch. Rowan was fifteen minutes late for their seven o’clock dinner meeting. Surveying the restaurant, he craned his neck to see down the hallway toward the Executive Wing. Thinking how he’d rag on his subordinate for keeping him waiting, he sipped the scotch and then smacked the crystal tumbler down on the white table cloth. Damn it, what was Rowan’s problem? His attitude and behavior on this assignment were not up to par. Something was going on, presumably involving the red-headed Ms. Stratton, and he didn’t like not knowing. Normally cold and calculating, all business and never late, Rowan had been behaving out of character practically since the get go.
When his subordinate’s phone went directly to voice mail, he downed the last of the scotch and stood up. It was time to find Rowan and have a chat. One way or another, he would get to the bottom of whatever was eating his special agent. Then Rowan had better fix it, or he wouldn’t be infiltrating a mosque, where he’d need to be focused, with all his faculties at one hundred percent. While he strolled to the elevators in the Executive Wing, he called Chad. But his blithe operative hadn’t seen or talked to his colleague since Thursday evening.
Stepping into the elevator, he hit the button for the fourth floor. Plucking the key card for Rowan’s room out of his billfold while the elevator whisked him upward, he thought about how the two of them had decided to share key cards, in case they encountered an unforeseen problem. This situation qualified, he thought sourly.
A few minutes later he stood outside Rowan’s room and knocked. When his special agent didn’t respond, he pulled the Glock from its holster and slid the key card. The tiny light blinked green, but the deadbolt prevented the door from opening. Well damn it, Rowan had to be in there. Why didn’t he answer the door? Knocking again, harder, he waited. “Rowan, its Ralph – are you there?”
The deadbolt turned and the door opened. Rowan stood looking at him, barefoot with tousled hair and a rumpled white dress shirt hanging out over suit pants. “What do you want, boss?” His subordinate’s eyes drifted down to the Glock, then back up. “What the hell’s going on?”
Annoyed that Rowan had forgotten their dinner meeting, he waved an arm. “Let me in and I’ll explain.”
Irritation changed to anger when Rowan smirked at him and said, “OK boss, come on in.” He shouldered past and stepped into the room. When he saw Danielle, fully clothed and sitting up sleepily in bed, eyes widening at his gun, he sighed and shoved the Glock back in its holster.
Rowan shut the door and yawned, then stuffed his hands in his front pants pockets. “Guess I forgot about meeting for dinner. We fell asleep a while ago. Sorry.”
Rowan knew he wouldn’t say anything in front of Danielle, which explained the smirk. But he had to say something. “Good evening, Ms. Stratton. Sorry to bother you. Rowan and I were planning to meet for dinner. I was concerned when he wasn’t on time and didn’t answer his phone.”
Danielle smiled at him, seeming unconcerned that he’d discovered her in bed with his subordinate. “That’s all right, special agent Johnston. I’m sorry if I caused Rowan to miss your meeting.”
He’d never understand young people these days. At least she was dressed – in a sexy white sweater, and that was all he could tell. For all he knew, she was stark naked under the covers. Pissed off at the heat he felt in his face, knowing it was red, he kept his eyes resolutely on hers. “Don’t you worry, Ms. Stratton, this isn’t your fault.”
Turning to face Rowan, he shot his special agent a grim smile. “Tell you what. Let’s forget dinner and meet at the restaurant in the morning. Seven o’clock sharp. No – wait. I’ll meet you here at six-thirty. That way you won’t be late.”
Grinding his teeth at the impenitent look on Rowan’s face, he wanted to tell the younger man how close he was to utter insubordination, but knew it wouldn’t do any good. Rowan was as stubborn as a mule. But he’d be in for a surprise in the morning. This shit was going to end. While he glared, Rowan yawned again. “OK boss. See you in the morning.”
Unable to think of a decent reply, Ralph turned and left.
* * *
CHAPTER SIX
Monday Morning
The first gray light of approaching dawn had appeared around the edges of the drapes by the time Rowan kissed Danielle and closed the door behind her. It was time to get out of his clothes and hit the shower before Ralph got there. He was in deep shit and didn’t want to anger his boss more than he already had. A knock on the door sent his coffee cup, halfway to his lips, clattering back onto the table. “Damn it.”
Squinting through t
he peephole, he cursed and opened the door. Ralph glared at him. “Come on, Rowan, not again. What’s the matter with you?”
Knowing Ralph was going to chew his ass and maybe even lay down some kind of ultimatum, he flung the door wide. “Come in before you wake up the entire floor. Ten minutes and I’ll be ready.”
Head beginning to pound from the bottle of Jack Daniel’s he’d finished while Danielle slept, he headed for the bathroom as Ralph stepped inside. He’d never seen his boss so angry. “Make it quick, Rowan. I’m done fucking around with you.”
Hungover and exhausted from not sleeping all night, he felt ill-prepared to handle a session with the Navy SEAL persona exuding from Ralph. And he had no idea how to explain, as his boss expected, what was going on between him and Danielle. He’d spent the night sipping whiskey and watching her sleep while he tried to figure out what to do. Over and over he’d told himself that he had no business leading her on, that he had an assignment to complete. He needed to dive into infiltrating the mosque and most of all – he had a clandestine life he couldn’t walk away from. But he couldn’t walk away from her, either. And goddamn it, he didn’t want to.
Fingers poised to unbutton his shirt, he stopped when he heard another knock on the door. Stepping out of the bathroom, he gave Ralph a questioning look, but his boss just shrugged.
Feet shuffled outside the door and someone knocked harder. A woman’s strained voice called out. “Mr. Rowan, are you there? Mr. Rowan, its Rita. My Javier, he’s in trouble. Can you help me? Are you in there Mr. Rowan?”
His hand went instinctively to his side. His Glock 36 lay on the bedside table. He’d retrieved the Glock 22 from the safe and loaded it during the night, thinking he could never have too many weapons available. What had he done with it? Ralph whispered, “One on the desk, one on the bedside table – take your pick.” What was wrong with him? Grimacing, he stepped to the desk and grabbed the Glock 22.
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