Covert Affairs

by A. C. Grey

  "I knew it! Told you I could fix you!" Lucy said, a proud smirk on her face. She was in the process of doing a goofy victory dance when Meg came bounding over to her, pressing her against the nearest tree and taking her mouth in a searing hot kiss.

  The kiss took Lucy by surprise. For a split second, she thought about fighting it, reminding herself of her resolution to keep things professional. But all resolve flew out the window as Meg's tongue pressed at the seam of her lips, Meg's hot body melding against her own. Lucy's hands reached up and tangled themselves in Meg's golden locks, her eyes closed, savoring the nearness, the sexiness, the pleasure, the sheer bliss that came with being in Meg's arms again. How could she have ever been so stupid? To let this go? She was insane.

  Meg's hands roved over every inch of Lucy's body, wanting, no needing, to savor the moment. She couldn't breathe, but she didn't care. Lucy was her oxygen. She was all Meg needed to sustain herself. Abruptly, Lucy pulled away. Meg's heart dropped. Clearly Lucy had given in for a moment, but was sticking to her decision to end their romantic attachment. But then Meg saw that Lucy was staring at something intently over her shoulder. Lucy gestured for Meg to look.

  Meg turned around and saw what had caused Lucy to pull up short. Off in the distance, two men in fatigues were carrying some sort of large crate into the back door of the golf pro shop. They soon disappeared inside the building. In silent agreement, the two women headed towards the shop, though neither was exactly sure what they'd do when they got there.

  Once inside, they saw the rather bored-looking attendant sitting at the counter, flipping through a magazine. On the counter to his left sat a computer terminal. Lucy met Meg's gaze and silently gestured towards the computer.

  Knowing that she needed to buy Lucy some time at the computer, Meg sauntered up to the counter and cleared her throat. When the man didn't look up, she cleared her throat again, finally getting his attention. "Hey. My friend and I were just out playing a round and my swing is just awful today. I can't seem to get the kinks out. Can you help me?"

  He eyed her warily. "I really can't right now . . . uh . . . I'm expecting a few other guests for a lesson soon.”

  Meg leaned over and batted her eyelashes. "Please? My friend here is kicking my ass and I just can't have that. You can't help a girl out for just a minute? I'm sure it's something simple.”

  He sighed. "Well, I guess a minute or two wouldn't hurt.”

  He headed towards the door and Meg followed. When he noticed that Lucy stayed behind, he stopped. "You're not coming?" he asked.

  "Nah . . . It's so darn hot outside.” Lucy shot him a dimpled grin. "I think I might just enjoy the air conditioning for a few minutes.”

  He hesitated, clearly nervous about leaving her alone. Meg placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Come on, let's leave her to her air conditioning. I can't wait to tell Paolo how much of a help you've been.” Clearly keen on the chance to impress his boss, the man followed her outside.

  As soon as the coast was clear, Lucy sat down at the computer, her hands flying across the keys as she attempted to see what, if any, information she could gather in the short time she had.

  Meg did her best to buy Lucy as much time as she could, messing up on swing after swing. Eventually, however, her companion grew nervous and impatient. "I've really got to get back.”

  "Are you sure? Meg asked, hoping to see Lucy appear outside, signaling that she was done. "Can't we try just a few more swings? I really am terrible.”

  He shook his head. "No. I really need to get back. I wouldn't want to get caught being away from my desk . . . the . . . uh . . . lessons I've got scheduled, you know.”

  Meg fumbled for another delay tactic, but he was already back through the door.

  "What in the hell do you think you're doing?" the man asked. Lucy's heart dropped as she looked up, realizing she'd been caught.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Meg struggled not to panic. Even with her training and experience, these were the kind of situations that you tried to avoid at all costs. The kind of situations that could get you killed. She opened her mouth, stumbling a bit as she grasped for a plausible excuse. "Uh . . .” she began.

  However Lucy cut her off. "How do you play Angry Birds on this thing?" she asked the man, playing up the bimbo angle. "It's sooo boring around here. They don't have WiFi or anything and I don’t have cell service. How am I supposed to keep up on the latest celebrity gossip?"

  The man eyed her warily, and Meg's heart began to race. He was clearly weighing whether or not to believe her, but Lucy continued the ruse like a pro, her "ditzy" brain flitting from one subject to another. "Have you seen this YouTube video? It's hilarious. The woman is dancing on a table and then she just wipes out.” No sooner had she said it than a video was playing on the screen.

  The man humored Lucy and watched the video. "That is pretty funny, but I'm really not supposed to let anyone use the computer. If my boss found out, I'd be in big trouble.”

  Lucy offered him a smile as she stood up. "Don't worry, I won't tell,” she gave him a wink as she breezed past him. "Come on Meg, let's go check out the pool.”

  A stunned and still silent Meg simply nodded and followed Lucy out of the building. She was shocked. She had thought for sure that they were in deep trouble, but the way that Lucy had handled that, it was, well, damn hot. She hadn't even broken a sweat. It took all of Meg's strength not to have her way with Lucy right then and there.

  As they walked briskly away before the guy could change his mind. Neither woman spoke as they headed in silence back to their rooms.

  Once they were in the confines of their suite, Lucy let out a huge sigh of relief. Meg watched as her resolve crumbled. Before she knew it, Lucy was shaking, a few tears running down her face. Gone was the cool, calm, and collected Lucy from just minutes before.

  "I . . . I . . .” Lucy began.

  "You were amazing,” Meg whispered, ever aware of the listening devices planted in their rooms.

  "I . . .” Lucy started again. "You . . . we . . . almost . . .” she hiccupped, struggling to get the words out.

  Meg simply nodded and pulled her close. "But we didn't,” she whispered into Lucy's hair, closing her eyes and taking a moment to savor the intoxicating scent of her shampoo.

  Lucy allowed herself to collapse in the safety of Meg's arms. Right then and there, there was nowhere else she wanted to be. So strong, so warm, so safe. As the hot tears trickled down her face, she snuggled deeper into Meg. She loved being in her arms. And, at least in that moment, it wasn't about lust, it wasn't about sex. Being in Meg's arms was home.

  After a few minutes, they pulled apart. Meg smiled and tucked a stray lock of hair behind Lucy's ear. Lucy's heart did a little dance. It was moments like this, despite their short acquaintance, that made her think that maybe she could love this woman. Which made the fact that they were on this life-threatening mission, with all of the horrible consequences of failure, even more complicated.

  Lucy offered Meg a small smile as she sniffled. "I must look a right mess,” she said.

  Meg reached up and wiped away a stray tear. "Lucky for you, I like my women messy,” Meg joked, which elicited a quiet laugh from Lucy. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up,” Meg took Lucy's hand and let her to the bathroom.

  Meg leaned over and turned on the faucet, running a warm bath. She found some fancy-looking bath salts on the counter and tossed them in. When she turned around, she found Lucy studying her with an intense look on her face. "What?" Meg asked, confused.

  Lucy shrugged and a small smile played across her lips. "Nothing. You don't have to do this, you know. We should probably focus on other things,” she said, careful not to mention anything too specific about the mission.

  "I know I don't have to,” Meg said. "I want to. Let me do this for you.”

  Lucy silently stepped toward Meg and drew her into her arms. She gently placed her lips atop Meg's and hugged her close. Their lips slowly danced at a lingering
pace, neither in any mood to increase the intensity. They explored, savored, and shared with each other, as if communicating a silent language all their own. A language of the heart.

  Meg lost herself for a moment in the soft paradise that was Lucy's lips. In that moment, she needed nothing else. Not food, not water, not air. Just Lucy. After a few moments, however, her better sense kicked in and she pulled away. "We'd better stop, or the tub will run over,” Meg said as she reluctantly left Lucy's arms to turn off the tap.

  Wordlessly, Meg began to undress Lucy, who stood there equally quiet and compliant. Neither was in any hurry to fill silence, both comfortable to just have a little down time after the near disaster on the golf course. After settling Lucy into the tub, Meg removed her own clothes and joined her, sitting behind Lucy.

  Meg took some shampoo and gently massaged it into Lucy's scalp. She grabbed the handheld showerhead and turned it on, slowly rinsing away the suds. Meg made a mental note to remember the showerhead the next time they were feeling frisky, but now was not a time for the dirty. They both needed to relax, to let the stress leave their bodies. After conditioning Lucy's hair, Meg worked to relieve the excess tension from her muscles.

  Lucy leaned back against Meg as she began to massage her shoulders, placing gentle kisses along her neck as she did so. She closed her eyes, savoring the strong, but gentle touch of Meg's hands upon her skin. She had never felt more content, never felt more safe, never felt more at home. Which was saying something, considering the circumstances that had brought them to this place. And suddenly, out of nowhere, it hit her like a bolt of lightning. Though Meg couldn't see it, Lucy's lips curved into a smile. This was what they wrote songs about. This was what poets obsessed over. This was what they made movies about. This was . . . love. And she couldn't bear to keep it to herself, despite the risks. To hell with playing it safe. To hell with keeping things professional. Lucy took a deep breath , turned on the faucet to mask their voices, and spoke. "Meg . . .” She hesitated just for a moment, biting her lip in trepidation.

  "Yeah?" Meg asked.

  "I . . . I uh . . . I love you.” Lucy finally managed, in a rushed tone. The minute she said it, she regretted it. She felt Meg tense up, felt her breathing hitch. She knew it had been a mistake.

  Meg didn't quite know what she'd been expecting Lucy to say, but "I love you" was not even on the list of possibilities. Her heart began to race and she couldn't breathe. Were her ears playing tricks on her? After all, they'd only known each a short time. And there was still so much to learn about each other. And the stress of the mission. Could she really mean it?

  Lucy took Meg's stunned silence as a sign that Meg didn't feel the same way. Panicking, she began to ramble. "Listen. I'm sorry. I know it's so sudden and we don't really know each other and I kind of hit you out of the blue with it. I'm sure you think I'm crazy and I don't expect you to feel the same way in return. It's just that you're so amazing and I've never met anyone like you and I can't get my mind off you, even when I try. And trust me, I’ve tried. Really hard. But you're just well . . . so special. But here I am probably scaring you even more and . . .” Lucy stopped as she felt, and then heard Meg's intoxicating chuckle.

  "You're adorable when you ramble.” Meg whispered before placing a kiss on Lucy's temple.

  Lucy relaxed a little, knowing that at least Meg wasn't upset. Though amusement wasn't exactly the ideal reaction either. "I'm still sorry I sprung that on you. You don't . . .”

  "Will you let me finish?" Meg said, turning Lucy in her arms and shooting her a bemused look. Lucy opened her mouth to speak again, but Meg shook her head and placed a finger against her lips. "Yes, it's soon. Yes it's unexpected. But it's not unwelcome. Am I shocked? Yes. But that's okay.” Meg paused, studying Lucy.

  Lucy's heart sank a little. Though Meg's reaction wasn't the one she'd dreamed about, she could live with it. "Thanks,” Lucy began.

  "I wasn't finished,” Meg said. "I wasn't shocked because I think you're crazy. Or if you are, then I'm as crazy as you. I was shocked because you just said the words I've wanted to say to you since the first time I laid eyes on you. Shocked that you felt the same way, because it’s crazy. If this were a romance novel, this would be the part where I threw the book aside and called B.S. Things don’t happen that fast in real life. Or so I thought until I met you.”

  Lucy's eyes glistened as she struggled not to cry. Meg smiled and gently cupped her cheek. "I love you too, Lucy.” She pulled Lucy in and bent her head, capturing her lips in an embrace that spoke all the feelings she couldn't express through words.

  Their tender moment was interrupted by the ringing of the bathroom telephone. "Of course a joint like this would have a phone in the bathroom,” Meg said wryly before reaching over to grab the receiver. "Hello?" she said. After the caller spoke for a moment, Meg replied. "Okay. Sounds good. We'll see you then.”

  "Let me guess. Paolo,” Lucy said, an annoyed look on her face.

  Meg nodded. "If I'm not mistaken, someone is a wee bit jealous.” Lucy grumbled noncommittally. "Paolo wants us to have dinner with him and his friend.”

  Lucy nodded and rose to get out of the tub. "Guess we'd better get ready then.” Meg placed a staying hand on her arm.

  "Don't you think we should shower first?" Meg asked.

  Lucy gave her a confused look. Meg gave her a "you know what I'm talking about" look, and Lucy realized what she meant. It was time to plan their next step. "Sure,” she replied. She hopped out of the tub and went to turn on the shower in her room next door, so anyone listening in would assume they were both getting ready . . . separately.

  Climbing back into Meg's shower, she struggled to focus on Meg and the mission, and not the gorgeous set of curves before her. Her nerves and stress had suddenly been replaced with much dirtier thoughts.

  "Eyes up here, Lucy,” Meg said with a smirk.

  Lucy blushed and gazed into Meg's chocolate brown eyes. Though truth be told, those eyes were every bit as much of a turn on as the rest of Meg's body.

  "So, did you manage to see anything helpful on the pro shop computer?" Meg asked.

  Lucy, grateful for and disappointed in Meg's professionalism at the same time, responded. "Yeah. I think if I can install a bug on the computer, I should be able to hack into any other computer that uses the same network as that one.”

  "Is that easy?" Meg asked.

  Lucy nodded. "I'd only need a minute or so to do it. I've got the program on a thumb drive. Doesn't take long to install. We'd just need to distract that guy again, but somehow I don't think the dumb bimbo routine is going to work again.”

  They plotted for a few more minutes and came up with a plan of action. Then, they headed downstairs to have dinner with Paolo and his slimy friends. Unfortunately, they'd underestimated the stamina of the old men, and they were kept out much later than they would have liked. The combination of the stress, their mutual revelation, and the late hour meant that they had little energy left for anything beyond sleep once they returned to their room. Both were content to simply fall asleep in each other's arms, content to know that they were loved and that they were where they were supposed to be – together.

  The next morning, after a light breakfast, they headed out to the golf course to put their plan into action. Meg "accidentally" drove the golf cart into the nearby water hazard. She laughed at Lucy, who hadn't managed to get off of the cart in time and was now drenched. Meg took just a moment to admire the way the fabric clung to each curve of Lucy's entrancing body.

  Lucy rolled her eyes and ignored Meg's laughter as she pulled herself from the lake. She was just thankful she'd had the foresight to put her thumb drive in a plastic bag before their little golf outing. Per their plan, Lucy then ran to the clubhouse, as Meg pretended to try and pull the cart out of the muddy water.

  As she entered the shop, the attendant looked up from his desk and took in the sight of her completely soaked body. "What the hell happened?" he asked.

 
Lucy put on her most charming smile. The fact that she'd fallen in the lake did add a certain amount of believability to their story, she mused. "I'm not sure what happened. My friend was driving the cart and the gas pedal got stuck. It was either hit a tree or drive into the lake. Can you help us?"

  The man stood, his chest puffed out slightly, eager to help a damsel, or in this case, two damsels in distress.

  He strode toward the door. As he exited, Meg called him over. "Aha! This little bastard is the culprit!" She held up what looked to be a wooden golf tee. "It was jammed under the pedal.”

  The man headed down to the lake without giving Lucy a second glance. She took the opportunity and ran back into the building. She slipped the thumb drive into the computer and within in a few moments, her program was loaded. She headed back outside, murmuring some excuse about drying off in the bathroom, and helped Meg and the man rescue their stuff from the sunken cart.