“I want you,” I whispered against his mouth. “But we have to be careful.”
He instantly slowed down, his hands seeming less desperate. “You’re right. We should wait until…we know for sure.”
He meant we should both get tested for diseases or infections. I was glad he agreed. I couldn’t be reckless, not while I was sharing my body with someone else. Not ever again. I pulled on his wrist, looking at his watch. “We still have twenty minutes.”
I reached back, my gaze meeting Trex’s as I unbuttoned my bra and pushed the straps down until it fell to the mattress between us. I didn’t own the sexiest undergarments in the world, but it was impossible to find a sexy full support for a size E bra. During my pregnancy, my double D’s had grown out of control.
Trex put one hand on my back, the other behind my neck, and slowly lay me onto the mattress. His lips touched the skin just beneath my collarbone and I sighed. It was a place that was low enough that it wouldn’t be seen or touched in any situation other than intimacy, and that made the kiss that much more arousing. Shawn had never paid attention to details like that, and I could tell Trex was relishing the privilege to kiss me in that exact spot.
Trex undressed me one piece of my clothing at a time. We were aware of the minutes ticking away, but he was savoring every second. When I was finally naked and beneath him, he ran his fingers from my collarbone, and made a tender, slow line from between my breasts to my navel, then reached down between my thighs and caressed my tender skin. His fingers moved in small circles, and he bent down to kiss me occasionally, but mostly he took simple enjoyment in my expressions and the way I writhed and trembled under his touch. I moaned, and whimpered, and then cried out. Trex covered my mouth with his while I shivered beneath him.
His fingers slowed, and he settled between my legs, bearing his weight on his elbows. He was still dressed. “Your cheeks are flushed. And your hair is a mess.”
“I should probably brush it before I go back to work. And maybe get dressed.”
“Definitely get dressed,” he said with a wink. “Those hotshots would catch on fire if you walked out there like this.”
“And you?”
He squinted one eye, thinking. “I’m not sure if I would burst with pride or die of jealousy.”
“You’d be proud of me walkin’ around in my birthday suit?” I said with a giggle.
“I’m just proud of you in general. You’re tough as nails, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and you let me do this.” With that, he bent down to peck my lips. “I’m a lucky, lucky man, and don’t pretend you don’t already know it.”
I touched his lips with my index finger, then his chin. “I’m the lucky one.”
He leaned down to kiss me again, this time slower. His hips rocked into me gently, and he hummed. He sat up quickly and crawled off the bed. “I should leave. Let you get ready. See you later?”
I sat up on my elbows. “Yeah.”
He nodded once, walking backward to the door. “Awesome.”
The door cracked open just enough for him to slide out, and then he was gone.
I lay back, covering my mouth, my body feeling relaxed, my heart full, hoping Trex was everything he seemed.
Chapter Seventeen
Trex
Her bare back was exposed, the sheet wrapped around her from the waist down. She lay on her stomach, her left arm bent, her palm down, her thumb touching her perfect nose. The only light was coming from her bathroom, the door cracked just enough for me to avoid tripping over something and waking her. I tried to memorize every freckle, every curve of her body in that position, her eyes closed, the corner of her mouth slightly turned up from a good dream. It was the second night I’d spent in her room, and I wasn’t looking forward to returning to sleeping in my room Sunday nights through Thursdays.
Although I’d spent most of our time alone pleasing her, I was determined to wait until we had a chance to get tested before we went any further. I didn’t trust my willpower enough to have nothing between us. Our opposite work schedules would help a little, not that I was happy about it.
Darby had Fridays and Saturdays off, but she had to work doubles until Stavros hired someone new for Tilde’s three-to-eleven shift. Those were the only two days where she wasn’t at work when I was getting off work, sleeping, or leaving for work. I spent dinner and a few late-night hours with her when she wasn’t busy. I’d encouraged Stavros more than once to get someone hired as soon as possible.
I slipped out into the hall, walking down the hallway to the lobby.
“Morning,” Stavros said from behind the checkout desk. “That’s twice in a row you’ve come from down the hall and not the elevator.”
“Mind your business,” I said as I passed. “You have one week to get someone hired and get Darby off doubles.”
“She won’t quit.”
“No, but I’ll steal her. I think I’ve found a place.”
“Don’t you dare!” Stavros called.
“One week!”
I jogged out to the parking lot, in a rush because I’d spent too much time lying awake with Darby, then watching her sleep before I left. It was still dark, the crickets and frogs still wailing. There was nothing I hated more than leaving her alone in that bed. It made it hard to leave for work, to enjoy my job, even though my team made it bearable.
Naomi skidded into her parking spot, Harbinger and Kitsch next. Just before we’d decided to walk in and clock in, Martinez parked, followed by Sloan.
“You’re late,” I barked to the last two.
“We’re not late! We’ve still got ten minutes!” Sloan said.
“That’s late!” Kitsch said.
We reported, and then I gave assignments. I wanted to check the perimeter again. It seemed after the weekend, we always found weird shit near a group of residual boulders near the fence line. The rumors ranged from satanic rituals at the base of the mountain to gang activity. We found dismembered rabbits and fire pits with burn marks that somehow never showed up on the security cameras, but today there was nothing. Harbinger and Kitsch had a bet going, and I’d hoped Harbinger’s thought that it was just bored kids would win. Naomi and I went down Echo to bother the Deep Echo security. They’d gotten to where they’d turn on the light and sound the warning horn before we reached the door.
“Don’t you wonder what they’re guarding down there?” Naomi asked, walking with me toward the chow hall.
“Aliens, probably.”
Naomi laughed once, and then her eyes grew wide. “You’re serious.”
“Completely.”
“Wow. I thought I knew you.”
We stopped at our lockers before heading to the chow hall. It was Italian day, and Naomi was overly excited about the Make-Your-Own-Pasta-Bowl option. As soon as we pushed through the orange double swinging doors, the smell of oregano, basil, and tomato hit our noses, and we breathed it in. Naomi grinned wider each time she added an ingredient to her pasta.
We sat, waiting for the rest of the team. Martinez and Sloan pushed through the doors, barely acknowledging us before making a beeline to the noodle buffet.
“You’ve been smiling a lot today,” Naomi said. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed. Things going well with Darby?”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Oh?”
“I told her I loved her the other night. She hasn’t said it back, and I don’t even care. She’s everything I thought she would be.”
Sloan and Martinez sat, followed closely by Harbinger and Kitsch.
“Already? You said the L-word already?” Naomi said in disgust. She wiped her face with her napkin and threw the wadded white paper to the table. “Right after you told her the truth, I hope?”
“Most of the truth,” I clarified. “She knows I was a federal agent.”
“Wow,” Harbinger said. “How did she take it?”
“Amazingly well,” I said. “I’m telling you, she’s the one.”
“How is she not running away screaming?” Martinez said with a smirk.
“All right, that’s enough,” Kitsch said.
“I’ve never seen you like this,” Naomi said. “You’ve been smiling for days.”
I shrugged. “I’m in love, what can I say?”
The team traded glances, not sure what to say next. I couldn’t blame them. They were used to seeing me brood. Seeing me grinning like an idiot and talking about love must have been jarring.
“How do you know?” Sloan asked.
“Because now that I’ve found her, I never want to know what it’s like to be without her.”
“Hey,” Martinez said, exchanging pushing me for hooking his arm around my neck. “We’re happy for you, man.”
“You know, I remember you talking about her a couple of years ago,” Kitsch said. “On our last deployment. It’s cool that you’ve finally met her. I know you didn’t actually mean Darby, but that you feel like you’ve met that one person out there for you.”
Everyone nodded, and Sloan slapped my shoulder. “Perfect timing, now that we’re all settled.”
The double doors swung open, and Senator Bennett came in. He loosened his tie, sweat glistening on his forehead. Being underground, we didn’t have an air-conditioning unit, but that was because there was no need. We were too deep for the sun to warm the air. “I just heard about what guys walking the perimeter found the other day. Why the hell wasn’t I informed?”
I wiped my mouth with a napkin and sat up tall. “Uh, I apologize, sir. You’re not in the chain of command, and I—”
“The hell if I’m not. I run this goddamn facility. I should be the first to know if there’s a bunch of sacrificed animals found on the property.” He glanced at Naomi. Unsettled.
I cleared my throat. “My apologies, sir. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened since. We think it was one of the lab rats or maybe one of the flyboys playing a prank.”
“You’re sure?” Bennett said.
“What else could it be?” Naomi asked, eyeing Bennett.
“I came here to ask you that question. I want anything else suspicious reported to me immediately.” Bennett swiped a napkin off the table and dabbed his brow. He glared at me. “Naomi, bring me a full report in an hour.”
“There is no report, sir,” I said before Naomi could respond.
“I’m sorry, Trexler. I misheard you. It sounded as if you didn’t complete an official report of suspicious activity near a top-secret government facility,” Senator Bennett said. “When you’re the goddamn head of security!” he yelled.
“The general was very specific,” I said.
“Peter, why are you so nervous about this? What’s up?” Naomi asked.
“If this gets out, the media will be all over it.”
“Over a few dead animals?” Naomi asked.
“There’s been an underlying fear in Colorado Springs of the cult activity around this mountain for decades. You know a girl was found murdered not three miles from here fifteen years ago? They’re still doing stories about her on the six o’clock news! How the fuck am I supposed to explain the no-fly zone to news helicopters? It’s a goddamn PR nightmare.” He straightened his tie and then loosened it again. “It’s bad enough with the fires. We have to warn off news choppers every day.”
“This mountain houses NORAD, sir,” I said. “This is a restricted airspace. With all due respect, you don’t have to explain shit.”
Bennett resituated his tie and walked away. He looked back, pointing me out to Saunders, who was standing at attention by the door. “I like him. Make sure he stays put.”
“I’ll tell the general, sir.”
We all relaxed once the last man had followed Senator Bennett.
“Jesus Christ, that’s not normal,” Harbinger said. “Surely he’s not that uptight about a little conspiracy-theory press.”
“He’s young and he was put on the committee for this facility because of who his dad is,” Naomi said. “He doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. Not yet.”
Everyone stared at her.
She held up her hands. “It’s just a guess.”
“Sure,” Martinez teased.
Naomi grabbed her fork and stabbed it into the table centimeters from Martinez’s hand. He stared at the fork, wide-eyed.
Sloan chuckled. “Haven’t you learned yet?”
“We were talking about Trexler’s love life, not mine,” she said. I frowned. “Aw, c’mon. Did you lose your sense of humor when you moved here?” Naomi said, nudging my arm.
“Did he ever have one?” Martinez asked.
“When do we get to meet her?” Sloan asked.
“Never,” I said.
The team complained, quickly shushed by Kitsch.
“I haven’t told her I’m a Marine. She can’t know. Not yet.”
Naomi frowned.
“I’m going to tell her. I just need her to get to know me first so she knows I’m nothing like him.”
“Like who?”
“Her ex, Shawn. He was a real bastard. He hurt her. She’s said on several occasions she wouldn’t date a military guy, and I don’t—” Naomi kicked me. “Ow! Fuck!”
“Trex,” Naomi snapped. “You continue to keep shit from her and she won’t just accept that you can’t tell her the details of your job. And if she figures it out, she’s a threat to national security.”
Martinez pointed to Harbinger. “What do you tell your wife?”
Harbinger shrugged. “Just that I got new orders. She doesn’t ask. I’m not missing soccer games or birthdays anymore…that’s all she cares about.”
Sloan pointed at Harbinger. “See?”
“This is still new, Sloan. I’m not fucking it up to introduce her to you heathens.”
“Heathens? Now I’m offended,” Kitsch said, unable to keep a straight face.
A group of whitecoats pushed through the doors, Drs. Philpot and DuPont among them. The group eagerly moved toward the noodle buffet. As far as we knew, they’d all just spent the past months in Deep Echo. They looked pale and tired, but excited to venture out.
Dr. Philpot rubbed his hands together while he pointed out ingredients to the cook, and then chatted with another man in a white lab coat twice his size. Philpot had to stand back several steps just to avoid cranking his neck back. One by one, they took their trays and sat at the table behind me.
Naomi was eyeing them, chewing her food at the same time. “What?” she said finally.
I turned to see Dr. DuPont smiling at her.
“Isn’t it interesting,” Dr. DuPont began, “that there are thirty tables in this cafeteria, and Dr. Cohen—the first of us to get his tray and sit—chose to sit at the table next to yours? Humans inherently fear loneliness. We crave belonging, whether we realize it or not.”
“It ain’t because we smell good,” Sloan said. The team chuckled, but Dr. DuPont’s small, creepy smile didn’t change.
“You’re looking a bit tired, Dr. DuPont. We haven’t seen you in a few weeks. Where have you been?” Harbinger asked.
“Deep Echo,” Philpot said, chowing down on his bowl of noodles.
“Have you been sleeping down there?” Naomi asked.
“We do when there’s a lot of work to be done,” Dr. DuPont said.
“Not that it’s necessarily voluntary,” the tall doctor grumbled.
“Trex, meet Dr. Andrew Cohen. He’s our biophysicist.”
“Biophysicist?” Martinez asked. “Why the hell does the mountain need a biophysicist? I guess that’s classified, too?”
“Yes,” Dr. DuPont said.
“Are there some kind of crazy-ass expe
riments on people happening down there? Aliens?” Martinez asked.
“All classified,” Dr. DuPont said.
“Horseshit,” Sloan said, gaining Dr. Philpot’s attention.
“Be glad you don’t know,” Dr. Philpot said. “In the mountain, ignorance truly is bliss.”
“At least you have the knowledge to make an informed decision whether you want to be working for this outfit or not,” Harbinger said, unhappy.
“No, you’re wrong,” Dr. Cohen said. “Knowledge here takes away decision.”
“Well that’s just creepy as all hell,” Martinez said.
“All right.” I stood. “Break’s over, let’s reconvene in our quarters.”
My team followed me out, across and down the hall to our locker room. I sat on the center bench, typing out a message to Darby that would never reach her since she didn’t have a phone.
“That’s so…creepy,” Naomi said.
“Mind your business, then,” I said.
“Why don’t you just get her a phone?” Sloan asked. “Girls like that stuff, don’t they?”
“I’ve asked. She likes not having one. Shawn freaked out if she didn’t pick up on the first ring or text back immediately. I can’t blame her, but now…I have to figure out a way to get her one. I’m looking at a house soon. It’ll be easy to wire security cameras and an alarm system. Panic buttons. It’s a mile and a half from a police station. If I could get her there, she’d be safe around the clock.”
“Not sure about the house, but maybe if she knew all you wanted it for was to write her love notes on the phone, she’d go for it,” Naomi teased.
My radio scratched, and Saunders came over the speaker. “Trex, report to the control room with your team immediately.”
“Copy that,” I said, gesturing for the team to roll out.
From Here to You Page 20