“Are you afraid to go back to the cabin with me?” she inquired sweetly. “Trying to slow things down?”
He shook his head vigorously. “Never, but if I have to stop the cart along the way to pee in a snowbank, that might make me seem like less of a stud.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know. I might get a peek at what the stud was packing.”
He laughed and released her hand. “Be right back.”
He disappeared around a corner at the end of the entryway, and Jenessa decided to browse a bit while she waited. After all, Camp David was shrouded in mystery since the public wasn’t allowed to run free inside. Not many people knew much about the place, and Jenessa was among them.
She wandered through the Hickory Lodge, smiling at the few Naval Officers she passed. A movie played in the theater, and a few small shops were open. It surprised her that more people hadn’t been trying to use the bowling alley since it was the weekend. Perhaps the Navy personnel stationed here weren’t allowed to use it when the President or his guests wanted to.
Still, there was an impressive amount to do in the large building. Several men and women sat inside a bar, laughing and drinking as a college football game played on televisions around the room.
“Fancy meeting you here, Jen,” a growly voice said from behind her shoulder.
The hair rose on the back of Jenessa’s neck and goosebumps broke out over her flesh. Every nerve ending in her body urged her to flee.
Forcing herself to put on a bright smile, Jenessa turned around and faced Carter. “Just checking the place out while I wait for Kole.”
Carter gave a leering grin. “He shouldn’t let someone so beautiful out of his sight. A better man might come along and snatch you up.”
He made a grab for her arms, as though to embrace her, and Jenessa stepped back. “You must be drunk. Where’s Tanya?”
“I’m not drunk,” he claimed. “And Tanya is nothing compared to you. She’s weak and totally unsuited for the job of First Lady. You, on the other hand—”
“If I was interested in becoming First Lady,” Jenessa interrupted, “I’d help your brother run for office in a few years.”
Carter frowned, as though only now realizing Jenessa didn’t welcome his advances. “I thought you were smart. I thought you wanted to be more than a private dick’s girlfriend.”
She hated even being in the room with the man—had felt that way since before they found out he was a murderer. Still, she needed to make nice and not completely blow her cover story. Maybe appealing to his sense of brotherly duty would work.
“I couldn’t hurt Kole,” she said. “He’s so sweet. I thought I wanted more than a private investigator, but I think he’s really falling for me, and I’m falling for him. The right lady for you is out there somewhere, but I’m not her. I belong to your brother.”
Carter snorted. “Kole’s a pussy. He can’t satisfy a woman’s needs. Trust me, Clarissa confirmed that he’s lousy in the sack. I guess you haven’t made it that far because once you do you’ll come running to me, begging me to give you the big O.”
Without conscious thought, Jenessa smacked Carter across the face. The entire room quieted as the sound reverberated through it. “You disgust me,” she hissed. “He’s twice the man you’ll ever be.”
Arms circled her from behind and Jenessa was ready to fight until Kole’s faint cologne and calming touch against her arms alerted her to it being him.
“She tried to be nice,” Kole said, voice low and angry. “Learn to take no for an answer. Besides, what sort of asshole actively tries to steal his brother’s girl?”
The soldiers around them murmured their agreement with Kole’s statement, and Carter realized the crowd had turned against him.
He let out a too-hearty laugh. “I was just testing her, Kole. I’d never touch her. I just didn’t want another situation like your last one.”
“You asshole!” Jenessa struggled in Kole’s embrace, wanting to go after Carter again. She didn’t care if he had been pressured into killing Ross and was innocent of Victor’s death. The man was a complete puke and deserved to be behind bars. “You and Clarissa deserved each other,” she shouted, still struggling against Kole’s firm embrace. “Don’t come near me again, or I might not keep my mouth shut about other things you’ve done.”
Both Kole and Carter sucked in identical breaths, and all the cockiness and self-righteousness in Carter’s gaze disappeared.
He brushed past them, heading for the door. “Keep a handle on your hell cat, Kole. Dad won’t be happy about this.”
After he left, the buzz of conversation erupted around them. It was painfully obvious that the soldiers in the room and the bar staff tried to pretend they hadn’t just watched the entire spectacle. Conversations returned to the game, and the clanking of beer bottles against the countertops resumed.
“Let’s get out of here,” Kole said.
Jenessa shook with reaction, but accepted his hand and let him lead her from the lodge. It seemed their happy date was over. She’d just shown Kole that she couldn’t handle mixing business and pleasure.
Their perfect day was ruined, and she’d made a mess of their investigation.
The drive back to their cabin was spent in silence. Kole couldn’t tell what Jenessa was thinking, but her body language clearly said, ‘Leave me the hell alone!’
That was okay. He could wait. Before anything else, he needed to get inside and do some damage control. It hadn’t been clear how much Carter had imbibed and whether his brother was drunk or just his regular, asshole self. Either way, Carter saying something to the wrong person about Jenessa seeming out of character could spell doom for their investigation.
If S.A.T.O. figured Jenessa out, not only would they likely fly in the wind and become untouchable like they had in the past, but Jenessa might find herself in danger. Despite her association with Nick Kendall and his people, Jenessa had worked mostly from the FBI office. It seemed to have offered her a level of protection from S.A.T.O., judging by Nick and William believing Paul wouldn’t easily figure out who she really was. He couldn’t let anything change that.
He pulled the golf cart to a stop in front of the cabin and turned off the electric engine. “I need to make a phone call before we do anything else,” he said.
She sighed, but nodded. “Damage control because I can’t handle my private life privately.”
He had guessed that was what bothered her. From everything he’d seen, Jenessa took her job seriously. Hell, it had practically started World War III when he’d implied she might not be of much help to him when they first met. She prided herself on her skills, and obviously, her usual professionalism.
“It’s going to be fine,” he assured her. “Just let me call Carter and lay down the law, then we can talk if you want to.”
She stepped from the cart without reply and led the way to the cabin, disappearing into the bathroom as soon as they entered.
He’d worry about her later. For now, he had to stop Carter before his brother blabbed to the wrong person. If Carter wasn’t the one cooperating with S.A.T.O., it seemed likely someone Carter interacted with was. Kole needed to make sure his brother didn’t talk to anyone about what happened. He already knew the Navy members present would be discrete. They might gossip about it amongst themselves, but the people who worked at Camp David were set to high standards. They wouldn’t cause an issue.
He punched the button to call Carter’s cell, pacing as it rang.
“What do you want?” Carter snarled after the third ring.
“For you to forget what happened in that bar tonight.”
“Why should I? Your little bitch of a girlfriend hit the next President of the United States!”
Kole let out a sharp bark of laughter. “President? No way. I haven’t turned you in because I want to investigate the matter, but there’s no way you can be next in line. S.A.T.O. has you by the balls, brother. I can’t let your need for power des
troy our entire country by essentially putting Paul Billings in charge of it.”
“I did it for Mom.” Carter’s voice was lower now, less sure of himself. “You’re going to turn me in?”
“I don’t want to,” Kole admitted. “I think you should turn yourself in. Offer to tell them everything you know about Victor’s death and Ross’s in exchange for a good bargain.”
“Jen knows, doesn’t she? Why did you tell your bitch?” Carter demanded. “I thought brothers stuck up for each other and kept secrets.”
“Stuck up for each other?” Kole couldn’t keep the anger from his voice. “You slept with Clarissa, knowing I had planned to marry her. Now, you’re trying to steal Jen. You don’t even know her. You just want her because she’s with me. You’re like a three-year-old who has all the toys in the world, but wants the other kids’ toys just so they can’t have them.” Kole took a few calming breaths. “I’m not sharing with you, Carter. I’m falling for her. As far as why I told her, she’s the first person I’ve been able to trust since you shattered my heart. I tell her everything. Maybe she’s just a socialite, but she has good insight into some of my cases. She’s valuable, and I’ll keep telling her things.”
“What will the press say when they find out she smacked me for no reason?” Carter just didn’t know when to quit.
“Here’s the deal,” Kole said. “You say anything to anyone about what happened tonight, and I go straight to the police without investigating your claims. I’ll make sure they know you’re a murderer.”
“But they would have killed Mom if—”
“Even if they did threaten Mom, that doesn’t mean you get a free pass for murder. You should have gone to the cops and the secret service with the threats. You should have told Mom and Dad. They could have protected her and Ross Jenkins, and arrested Victor before he died. Face it, the blood of at least two people is on your hands. Maybe more if we don’t stop S.A.T.O. soon.”
Kole pressed end on the phone and then turned it to silent. Whatever his brother’s response, he didn’t want to hear it. Carter would either be smart and keep his mouth shut, or he’d leak the story and Kole would make sure everyone knew who the real villain was.
More disturbing than that, Jenessa hadn’t exited the bathroom yet. Kole crossed the room and knocked on the door. “Nessa, you okay in there?”
The sound of faint sniffling reached him before her wavering voice said, “I’m fine.”
“Come on out. Everything’s going to be okay.”
The door cracked open and Jenessa stood with a wad of tissue in her hand, wiping at her leaking eyes. “I’m so sorry, Kole. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I just couldn’t let him do that to you. Not again. I lost it.”
She was worried that he was upset with her?
“Oh, baby.” He swung the door the rest of the way open and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head and swaying her gently from side to side as he held her. “You have nothing to apologize for. Honestly, when I saw the two of you arguing and then you slapped him...” The happiness he’d felt in that moment bubbled up again. “God, Nessa, I wanted to cheer!”
“You did?” She pulled back slightly, looking at him with wonder in her eyes. “But I screwed up. I endangered our mission.”
“You proved that you really do care about me, and I’m not wasting my time by learning to trust someone again.”
“You’re really not mad.” She stood staring at his chest for several moments, and Kole gave her time to process the information. After a bit, she looked back up, a smile on her lips. “It felt wonderful to smack that bastard. Brother or not, he’s lucky I haven’t been packing my gun lately.”
Kole chuckled. “Maybe I’ll keep you away from that until we solve the case and Carter is in police custody.”
She sighed and leaned into him, rubbing her face against his chest. “I thought I ruined everything.”
“No way,” he said. “Our future kids are going to love the story of the day Mom totally stole Dad’s heart by slapping their jerk of an uncle!”
Jenessa’s gasp of shock made Kole wish he’d stopped while he was ahead. He knew talking about kids and her stealing his heart was premature. However, he hadn’t been lying earlier. She’d enchanted him and proven he could trust her. There was no turning back. Unless she made it impossible or flat out told him to get lost, Kole would pursue a relationship with her—one that would last a lifetime.
“So, how about that bath and massage?” he asked, keeping his tone light and playful. “I hate losing to you, but I’m not a cheapskate who doesn’t pay his debts.”
“You still want to do all that?” Her chocolatey eyes held disbelief.
He nodded, kissing her lightly, keeping it nonthreatening and undemanding. “I’m not letting Carter ruin our night. I haven’t been this happy in a very long time. Let’s not waste it.”
“I’m happy too,” she admitted. “For the record, if I’d known that was all it would take to break down the last of your defenses, I would have hit Carter last week.”
Kole laughed, heart swelling with emotions he thought long dead. “No more mention of him. Let’s get in that huge tub so I can pay my debt.”
Chapter 17
Jenessa stared at the steamy jetted tub, frozen. What was she supposed to do? Just strip down to her bra and panties while letting Kole enjoy the show? Her friend, Shelley, would have had no hesitations and likely enjoyed the eyes of her soon-to-be lover on her body. Unfortunately, Jenessa was a little shyer than that.
“No bubble bath?” she asked, thinking how her light-blue underclothing would likely be as see-through as something white. The stylist had insisted on beautiful underclothes, for which Jenessa was now grateful, but she should have brought along the black set.
Kole shook his head. “Bubbles will make a mess if we turn on the jets. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to use them. My thighs are cramping from our hike.”
Now that they’d stopped moving around so much, Jenessa couldn’t deny that her muscles were also grumbling with complaints. She’d worried at dinner because they’d stiffened up, but bowling had loosened them once again. If things went the way she thought they would tonight, Kole could help keep them loose for a bit longer.
“Look at you,” he said, voice containing a note of humor. “Too embarrassed to strip. After all the harassing you did today, I thought you’d have no problems.”
“I...” She paused, wondering how honest to be with him. The last time she threw caution to the wind and hopped in bed with a man, it had been a man she’d known for years. Turned out, she couldn’t trust him. Had she known Kole long enough to do something like this, no matter how much her body wanted it?
“It’s okay, Nessa. I understand how scary it is thinking about doing something like this after our experiences with our exes.” He rubbed his hand against her arm. “Do you want me to leave while you take a bath?”
While her brain thought that would be the safest choice, her body screamed it needed closer to Kole.
“I haven’t done a lot of stuff like this,” she admitted.
“Neither have I.” He twined his fingers through hers, making no motions toward the waiting tub. “After Clarissa, I just couldn’t make myself open up to a woman. She’s the last person I slept with. It’s been a lot of lonely nights and long showers.”
Wow! That was a huge dry spell for him. No wonder he was so ready to move their relationship onward. She’d thought six months had been a long time to wait for another roll in the hay.
Kole said he wanted to be friends, even if romance didn’t work out. Somehow, she did believe him, even though she knew he could be saying what he thought she wanted to hear.
“Let’s get in the tub,” she decided.
Before she could change her mind, she yanked free from her sweater and pulled off her jeans and socks. She hopped in and quickly sat down, covering her bra with her hands to distort the view of the material clinging to her nipp
les.
Sure, it wasn’t sexy like Shelley would have advised her to do it, but she’d taken the plunge and was in the water. If things progressed, she could be sexy later.
Kole let out a chuckle. “You’ve got a rocking body, I don’t know why you are so bashful. Lucky for you, I don’t have that problem.”
With agonizing slowness, he began pulling his shirt upward.
Jenessa’s mouth drooled as the sexy v shape above his waistline led to washboard abs. The man kept in shape. As his pecs came into view, they flexed and the shirt continued its progress. Jenessa liked the fact that he wasn’t too hairy. She wanted her man to be a man, not smooth like a baby, but too much hair was a turn off. Kole was perfect.
His smile was revealed as he finished pulling off the shirt, tossing it to the ground. “See? That’s how you strip.” He flexed his pec muscles again. “Like what you see?”
She could only nod and lick her lips. He was perfection.
Kole commenced with the slow dropping of his pants. The bulge inside his briefs told Jenessa that if Clarissa really had complaints about Kole in the love-making department, the woman must have been loose as well as a slut. She could hardly believe the size of him. He wasn’t even hard, but appeared larger than any man she’d had before.
His powerful thighs were well defined, and Jenessa licked her lips again as she contemplated what positions he’d be strong enough to hold them in. She’d never done it against a wall, for instance. Kole might be strong enough for that.
“I really, really like what I see,” she said, pleased her voice came out in a soft purr. She’d get this sexy thing down sooner or later. “Get in here.”
Kole shed his socks and climbed into the far side of the tub. The water sloshed and some plunged onto the bath mat, but once he sat the tsunami calmed. “Oh, yeah. That heat feels good.” He tipped his head back to the edge of the porcelain basin, closing his eyes.
Perhaps Jenessa hadn’t needed to worry about her clothes becoming see-through. He never even looked. She hoped it was politeness and not lack of interest.
Love & Compromise (Agents in Love Book 3) Page 17