In Too Deep
By
R.W. Shannon
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
In Too Deep
Copyright© 2015 R.W. Shannon
ISBN: 978-1-60088-931-8
Cover Artist: Rebecca Sterling
Editor: Lynne Anderson
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
Cobblestone Press
www.cobblestone-press.com
Chapter One
Wind and rain pounded on the floor to ceiling windows of Reagan International Airport. The sound meant that Analeigh’s flight to Dublin, Ireland would be delayed for another hour. She stared at the rolling dark clouds and shook her head. There was nothing she could do about the weather or the delay. But if she stayed here any longer, she’d have nothing to do during her eleven-hour trip and she needed something to distract her from her fear of flying. Speaking at this women’s conference would be easier than slicing through the sky in a tin can. Her therapist had advised Analeigh to face her phobia head-on. However, that seemed to be easier said than done.
When a chill ran down her spine, she pulled her black cardigan tightly around her. Maybe she should call her sister. Lynelle could always calm her down in these types of situations, but she didn’t want to waste the minutes. Or, maybe, she could cancel the trip altogether. Analeigh dismissed the idea. The conference at Trinity College was an opportunity of a lifetime. She’d be presenting her paper on the role of women and religion in terrorist groups. Her colleagues were already waiting for her in Ireland. They had left yesterday.
The windowpanes rattled, as did her nerves. What she needed was a drink. Something to knock her out for the entire flight. No. That wasn’t the answer, either. However, there had to be a way to distract her from her thoughts of impending doom. The ideas that popped into her mind caused her to blush. She pushed them out of her mind with a sigh. Since she was single and making this trip alone, the fantasy to join the mile-high club wasn’t going to happen.
Analeigh looked at the throng of travelers that surrounded her. None of them seemed particularly interesting. Mostly couples and travel groups. At least there were no children on this overnight flight. She stood to stretch out the kink in her back. As she was about to sit back down, her eyes locked with the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen. He sat a good distance away with a tablet in his lap and a Bluetooth earpiece in his ear. His physique was made for cuddling in this type of weather. He was dressed in a gray overcoat over a tan turtleneck sweater and dark slacks, and Analeigh studied his dark blond hair and pale skin. His gaze met hers before he stood and strolled a short distance away.
Oh well. He was probably married or had a couple of girlfriends. He was too handsome to be single. Analeigh noticed the door to the walkway open. She quickly gathered her things and hoped that they were about to board. To her delight, they were. A flight attendant rushed to the microphone and made the official announcement.
“Flight 154 to Dublin is now boarding rows A through F.”
Analeigh looked around for the handsome stranger, but he was nowhere to be found. Was he taking a different flight? Her heart sank. Turning, she lumbered down the metal tunnel to the waiting jet. She made her way to the window seat in the very last row. Her seatmates hadn’t arrived yet and she was grateful. She settled into her seat and as she fastened her seat belt, she scanned the faces of the other passengers for the stranger. Instead, she saw a middle-aged couple glance at the two seats beside her and then look at their ticket. Their progress was blocked by a slow-moving passenger loading her luggage into the overhead bin. Cursing, she closed her eyes and faked being asleep.
“Excuse me. Is this seat taken?”
The man’s baritone held a distinct Irish accent. Analeigh opened her eyes. She looked up into the eyes of the man she had looked eyes with in the terminal. He smiled. It wasn’t just any smile, but one that was loaded with desire and accented the dimple in his chin. Her breath lodged in her throat. She tried to get her voice to work, but became lost in his crystal green gaze.
“Hey!” the older passenger yelled. “Those are our seats.”
Heads turned. The stranger cursed and made his way down the aisle toward them. Analeigh watched him motion toward the beginning of the economy section and then give the tickets to the couple. When he pulled out his wallet to add a few bills to sweeten the trade, her nipples hardened. What was it about a man that went after what he wanted that aroused her? The older gentleman shook the stranger’s hand and guided his wife back toward the front of the plane. The stranger turned and made his way back to his new seat beside her.
“That was smooth,” Analeigh commented, amazed that her voice worked. “And how much did it cost you?”
He chuckled while settling his athletic frame in the seat and fastening his seat belt. “Five hundred. But it was worth every penny. I had to meet you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I saw you in the terminal and I knew I wouldn’t rest until learned your name.” He paused to lean across the empty center seat. “Unless I’m wasting my time. If you have a boyfriend squirreled away in the States, I’ll go get my seats back from Ivan.”
Analeigh shook her head and looked him in the eye. “I don’t.”
He smiled. “Well, then, the first free soda’s on me.”
She laughed. “That’s kind of you.”
“My name is Blake,” he said, extending his hand. “Blake Callahan.”
“Analeigh Taylor.”
She reached out to grasp his hand. As soon her palm touched his, her skin sizzled. Blake’s grip was firm yet gentle. When she caught herself imaging his callused fingertips skimming her breasts, she yanked her hand away. Her eyes were still locked with his and in his intense gaze, she could see herself being loved like she’d never been loved before. The feeling both excited and scared her. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. The nerves weren’t from the flight, but from how she was going to last the ten hours to Dublin without ripping his clothes off.
“I hope I didn’t wake you a moment ago,” he said.
“No. I was resting my eyes. It was a long wait to board.”
“Tell me about it. These bastards charge an arm and a leg for a flight but give shitty service.”
Analeigh laughed. Under the harsh cabin lights, she studied him. Blake’s deep-set green eyes and strong jawline seemed to be chiseled out of stone. He had dark blond, almost brown, hair that was cut short on the sides and long on top. Beneath his broad nose were full lips that were meant to be kissed long and slow. Feeling her arousal build, she glanced away and watched the flight attendant’s security lecture.
“I noticed you too,” she admitted, but didn’t dare say anymore.
“Aye. Watching you made the hours tick by more rapidly. I would have introduced myself them, but you seemed engrossed by your novel.”
Analeigh shrugged. “It was just to pass the time. And you seemed engrossed with your phone call.”
Blake grinned. “My mum. I can’t take a flight without checking in with her.”
“Oh.”
His mother? Analeigh relaxed fully. It touched her that a hard-bodied man like him still checked in with his parents. His confession also set off a new firestorm of desire within her. She turned to look at him. Her distraction from thoughts of doom were short-lived. The plane rocked as it maneuvered to take its place in line for takeoff. She shuddered
and gripped the armrest. The takeoff was always the hardest part for her. Seeing her tension, Blake reached for her hand and she let him hold her hand.
“What’s the matter, love?”
“I hate flying.”
He nodded and stroked her fingers. “Just focus on me.”
She tilted her head to look at him. Yet when the plane built up speed to climb into the air, Analeigh squeezed Blake’s solid hand out of fear that she was about to die. Every muscle in her body tensed to near panic levels. For some reason, she had forgotten how to breathe. Analeigh glanced away from him. Why didn’t she just get drunk at the bar like she’d planned?
Blake tucked his finger under her chin and gently coaxed her to focus on him. “Breathe,” he told her. “I promise not to let anything happen to you.”
She exhaled. Inhaled. Her heart still slammed against her rib cage at a rapid rate. Though her hands trembled, he stroked her fingers and she slowly began to relax. Her eyes were lost in his tender but firm gaze. Now she was embarrassed about behaving like this in front of a stranger. Letting go of his hand, she sat up and ran her hand through her hair.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I must have looked like an idiot.”
“Quite the opposite. It’s normal to be afraid of something.”
“I doubt that you have any fears.”
He chuckled. “I do. That bloke on the Lucky Charms box. He used to scare the crap out of me as a child.”
She recalled the leprechaun mascot and laughed. “Yeah, he was kind of creepy.”
“He gave me the willies but I loved that cereal. Still do.”
Analeigh laughed. His presence was comforting. Hopefully she could get through the rest of the flight without a hitch. That thought was short-lived when the plane hit a patch of turbulence. The cabin violently shook at the same time the fasten seat belt sign illuminated. As she released a small scream, her body once again tensed and she gripped the armrests as if that would prevent the plane from falling from the sky.
Chapter Two
Blake reached for her hand again. He had to pry it from the armrest. Once he did, he brought Analeigh’s trembling hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. He was a man of his word. Nothing would happen to this gorgeous woman on his watch. When he saw her sitting at the gate, he was instantly captivated by her chocolate skin, long ebony hair, and haunting dark eyes. He’d actually been spying the crowd for someone else when she caught his attention. It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced in years. And one he couldn’t afford to experience given his job. Still, he didn’t plan to lose her. Nor did he plan to simply say good-bye to her at the end of the flight. The plane shook as it fought to level off in the air. Analeigh’s eyes widened. Blake stroked her hand.
“Don’t think about it,” he said. “Imagine you’re in your favorite place.”
“That would be Macy’s,” Analeigh said. “During their annual shoe sale.”
Blake laughed. Though she began to relax, he didn’t release her hand. Even the Jaws of Life wouldn’t be able to make him let go of her. He looked down at her slender fingers, a ploy to make sure a ring wasn’t present. Her nails were painted a dazzling shade of green. The hue, he thought, showed her fun side and piqued his curiosity.
“What brings you to Ireland?” he asked.
“I’m speaking at Trinity College.”
“Really? On what?”
“The role of women in terrorist groups.”
He raised his eyebrow. “That sounds interesting. Are you a professor?”
She nodded. “I teach theology at Georgetown University.”
Blake nodded. So she was beautiful and intelligent. In his circles, that was a deadly combination. And one that he could never stay away from. The light banter seemed to be working. Despite the plane’s sudden drop in altitude, he felt her hand relax in his. The fear was gone from her eyes and he could see into the depths of them. The way her eyes sparkled, even in the dim lights, sent a shiver down his spine.
“Are you from Dublin?” she asked.
“I do have family there. However, my trip this time is for business.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a lawyer.”
This was a reply that he’d used so many times he was starting to believe it himself. It was partly true. He did have a law office in Washington, D.C., but he was rarely there. If she questioned him further, he would say that he did civil law. Though he did have a degree in law enforcement, much of his education came in the form of training for his real occupation. However, Blake was on a business mission. Normally he didn’t take commercial flights; too risky. Today he was on this flight for a reason. And that reason was something he’d probably have to take to his grave.
The plane violently shook again. A few passengers began screaming. Blake concentrated on Analeigh, making sure she was okay. She had turned her face to the window but her eyes were closed.
Suddenly the commotion stopped. Blake and Analeigh sat in nervous silence, still holding hands, for the next twenty minutes. After a few more miles of clear flying, the pilot turned off the seat belt light. Passengers began to stand and stretch as if they hadn’t been afraid the plane was about to crash moments ago.
“Thank you,” she said softly. She released his hand and ran her fingers through her hair. “I owe you.”
“I may have to collect on that.”
She smiled. “I mean it. Maybe I can buy you a soda.”
He chuckled. “You’re on.”
For the next two hours, they chatted about their lives and got to learn more about each other. It surprised Blake how earnestly he spoke about his own life. It wasn’t a subject that had ever come easily for him. And when he caught himself telling her about his family, who had moved to the States when he was thirteen for his father’s embassy job, it caught him off guard. He wasn’t used to giving out information about himself so freely. He’d even given her his real name, not the code name he normally used in such settings. But there was one secret he still held close to his chest.
When the flight attendants began rolling out the beverage carts, they each got a cola. He settled back into his seat. His target was only two rows ahead. Blake watched the man get up and make his way to the restroom. To everyone else, the man probably looked like any other traveler, but Blake knew the man was a Russian terrorist who was also involved in organized activities that included child trafficking and molestation. Blake’s mission was to take him out before he reached Dublin. He grimaced. To do so, he’d have to leave Analeigh’s side and hoped she wouldn’t question his absence.
But why should she? They had only met hours ago. There was no connection between them except mutual attraction, right?
“Would you excuse me,” Blake said. “Duty calls.”
“Of course.”
Blake stood. He twisted around to witness the man enter the bathroom. With a heavy exhale, he made his way to where the man was sitting. His seatmates were asleep. The ones in the row opposite were engrossed in a sci-fi movie. Swiftly Blake removed the capsule of poison that was hidden in the cuff of his sleeve and dropped it in the man’s unoccupied drink as he made his way to the restrooms in the front of the plane.
That seemed too easy. Blake suspected it would be. The man never traveled with bodyguards. He used his own name but deliberately misspelled it and took crowded commercial flights to cover his activities in an attempt to throw off any government agency that might be watching. He was also a cocky bastard who didn’t think anyone would be able to kill him. This gave the man a false sense of security. Probably didn’t think the international governing community was onto him. The poison Blake used was slow acting and would make it seem as though the man had had a heart attack during the flight.
Blake continued on to the restrooms. He ducked inside the unoccupied room. While leaning against the stainless steel counter top, he counted to thirty, flushed, and then washed his hands. He reflected on his career, his training. Right out of high school, he’
d joined the navy. There, he worked his way up the ranks to become a Navy SEAL. After his tour ended, he was offered a position with the agency and has worked for them ever since.
He left the room. By the time he made it back up the aisle, the man had made his way to his seat. Blake watched him take a long sip of his drink. The poison was odorless and tasteless. The man wouldn’t feel its effects until well into the flight. By then, they should be beginning their descent into Dublin. Blake nodded to his partner, Duncan Archer, who sat directly behind the man. Their boss, Brooklyn Stewart, was masquerading as a flight attendant. She nodded subtly while she passed him in the aisle.
Suddenly the plane dropped in altitude. Immediately the fasten seat belt sign lit up. The pilot ordered everyone back to their seats. There was a flurry of activity while people did just that. Analeigh’s eyes were widened by fear. Blake slid into the empty middle seat that had once separated them. After fastening his seat belt, he gathered Analeigh into his arms and held her against his chest. The front of his shirt became wet with her tears.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t be so afraid.”
Cupping her cheek, Blake tilted her face to his. “Don’t ever apologize for how you feel. I know this is scary for you and I’m right here.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you are. I don’t know how I’d survive this flight without you.”
To his surprise, Analeigh leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Her soft, sweet mouth took his mind off of the vibrating plane. Instead of him comforting her, her kiss became his refuge. That soft place to land that he’d been searching years to find. His cock strained against his zipper, begging for freedom.
The plane’s war with the turbulence had ended, but the war within Blake had just begun. He leaned away first. She seemed startled, as if she hadn’t realized what she’d done. Pulling away from him, she rested her back against the window. When she parted her lips to speak, Blake covered them with his index finger.
In Too Deep Page 1