Ladies of the Night OMNIBUS Collection: Sizzling Romantic Suspense

by Taylor Lee

  At first her cheeks flamed at his insulting overview. Gray had done it purposefully to see if he could trip her fuse. He was impressed that after she’d managed to visibly restrain her response, she met his gaze with a challenging one of her own.

  “Are you saying, Agent Webb, that you will at least give me the consideration of hearing me out? After that, you might consider seeing if we can create an operation that meets your high standards for what constitutes a viable plan—besides my ass?”

  “What I’m saying, Agent Taveras, is that first I’m gonna pour myself a big glass of this passable bourbon. Then we’re gonna get you a glass of wine that I’m sure you can use. And then, Princess, we’re gonna look at the possibility of creating a plan.”

  Gratified at the relief studded with hope that coursed across her expressive face, Gray couldn’t let her saucy challenge go unremarked.

  “Oh, and then, Princess? After all of that and likely a few more glasses of liquid courage, we can get back to the discussion that interests me the most—the subject of your ass.”

  Chapter 8

  Much later that night, Topaz walked him to the door. It had been a challenging discussion, as Gray had known it would be. He’d been his most cooperative, most agreeable self, doing his best not to antagonize her. He knew how committed she was to the mission and that she would be on the defensive. Knowing that, he accepted points that she felt strongly about and gave her as many small victories as he could. Gray had to admit that some of her ideas were inspired. Again and again, throughout the conversation, he marveled at her intellect. Clearly she was a thinker, and God knows she knew their target. Where they struggled, as he knew they would, was over who would command the mission. When he’d finally convinced her that unless he was in charge there wouldn’t be a mission, she conceded.

  Standing in the doorway, he pulled her up close to him. She startled and tried to pull back.

  “Uh uh, Princess, we’re back to my rules.”

  Gray smiled when, at his suggestive remark, a rosy flush warmed Topaz’s cheeks. Looking down at her he marveled as he had throughout the evening. She might just be the most beautiful woman he’d ever been with; she sure as hell was the most desirable. He cautioned himself. It was three o’clock in the morning and she had to be exhausted. He didn’t miss the weariness on her face. Moreover, there was no way that he could do what his randy prick was begging him to do. But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t at least hold her… and maybe even kiss her good night.

  She tipped up her chin and glared at him. “When I agreed to let you command the mission, I didn’t understand that ‘your rules’ applied to off hours—when we’re not on duty.”

  Gray chuckled and stroked her cheek, delighting in the shiver he felt streak across her silky skin.

  “Ah, Agent Taveras, that’s the problem of ceding control to your commander. For the most part, the issues we face are open for discussion. However, on special occasions—like this moment—I will exercise my prerogative to command you.”

  “What… what’s special about this moment, Commander Webb?”

  Gray laughed at her pique and said teasingly, “Hmm, I like the sound of that. I think I’ll insist that you call me that routinely.”

  When she tried to jerk free, he shook his head and held her chin between his forefinger and thumb, not allowing her to look away.

  “As much as I like the sound of that, I think I’m gonna like the feel of this even more.”

  He smiled at her and rubbed a calloused finger over her full bottom lip.

  “As for what’s special about this moment? It’s a momentous occasion, Princess. Because it’s the first time that I’m going to kiss you.”

  Ignoring her startled gasp, Gray pulled Topaz closer to him. Christ, her scent alone sent his prick hammering against his jeans. Knowing that he was taking a chance, assuming that he could actually kiss her and then leave, he lifted her up to meet his mouth. He swiped his tongue across her lips, loving the taste of her. Gently at first, he nipped at her lips then tugged on her bottom lip and bit down.

  At her ragged cry, Gray pressed his tongue against the seam of her lips and murmured, “Open for me, baby. Let me taste you.”

  When she hesitated, then opened her lips slightly, he pressed his advantage and thrust his tongue into her warm, moist mouth. Tasting the wine that she’d drunk, he tangled with her tongue and pressed against her teeth insisting on entering fully. When she opened her mouth wider and tentatively met his tongue, he said gruffly, “That’s the way, Princess, show me that you want this as much as I do.”

  As he spoke, he dragged her up closer to him, pressing the ridge of his shaft between her legs. Maya moaned softly and reached up for his head. Pulling him down to meet her upraised lips she whimpered, “Yes, yes, do that, Gray. Kiss me like that, only harder.”

  A shot of electricity exploded in his groin at her unexpected request. He couldn’t hold back a low, guttural groan. For a moment he didn’t know how he could possibly stop now. Hell, he was shaking with desire and so was she. Knowing that he was not only playing with fire, he was also throwing gasoline on red hot coals, he managed to pull back. Holding her next to him, he nestled his lips in her hair.

  “Darlin’, I’m giving you fair warning. You react to me the way that you just did and how you did earlier tonight, and I gotta tell you, I won’t be able to stop. As it is, I’m dying to scoop you up in my arms and see if your bedroom is as inviting as this hallway—or your sofa for that matter!”

  As he spoke he unwound her arms and loosened her fingers from his shirt. Stepping back, he gazed at her in wonder.

  “I gotta tell you, Mia, Maya, Doc, Honey and Princess, you are one special woman.”

  Planting a soft kiss on her cheek, Gray smiled at her.

  “Good night, Topaz,” he continued. “See you in the morning—uh, make that in four and a half hours.”

  Walking outside, he looked over his shoulder and grinned at her.

  “Oh, and, Doc? Lock the door, you hear me?”

  Topaz smiled at him and gave him a snappy salute.

  “Aye, aye sir!”

  Gray laughed aloud. “Good. I like a little woman who knows how to follow orders.”

  His soft chuckle echoed across the driveway as he strode to his black and silver Jag.

  ~~~

  The next morning, Topaz cast a critical glance at the mirror. Good God, could she really wear this outfit? For some reason, her customary tailored slacks and matching button up blouse had seemed ordinary, pedestrian, and not particularly appealing or even flattering—much like her low-heeled “sensible” shoes.

  Reaching into her closet she’d pulled out a short, tight pencil skirt. She’d added a soft shirred blouse that emphasized her breasts in a way that most of her clothes did not. Which wasn’t surprising. She was an academic after all. A short, tight skirt that landed several inches above her knee wasn’t exactly standard issue University faculty attire. But the truly scandalous addition was the high-heeled shoes that added four inches to her height and made her long legs seem miles longer.

  Topaz stared at the woman in the reflection and fought her unease. It wasn’t as though she didn’t look fabulous, because she absolutely did. Gazing at her long black hair dancing across her shoulders, and her carefully applied makeup that made her bronze eyes gleam—almost like “Topaz,” she couldn’t believe how very good she did look. But that wasn’t the problem. What would Ian think when he saw her? Or Diamond? Neither one had seen her at their planning sessions in anything except her diffident tailored attire. Would either of them guess at the reason for her make-over? Or, more importantly, would Gray?

  She gazed pensively at the woman in the mirror who looked beautiful and, dare she add, sexy? She reminded herself that it wasn’t as if the other LOTN agents didn’t wear clothes like these. All of them, including her boss, dressed in a manner to attract attention. Topaz had watched as the stunning women entered a room, be it a restaurant or mee
ting place. You could always count on a wolf whistle or two and approving glances from all the men in attendance when the glamorous women sashayed in.

  But Topaz wasn’t accustomed to calling attention to her looks. If anything, she’d tried to downplay them. So what the heck had happened in the last twenty-four hours for the butterfly to emerge from her comfortable cocoon? She groaned. As if she didn’t know. In a word Gray had happened. It was a wonder that she didn’t have grapefruit-sized bags under her eyes. She’d barely slept. How could she? Every time she forced her eyes closed, the image of the daunting he-man with the riveting smile and truly sensational body would capture her consciousness, making it impossible to sleep. It didn’t help that images of the handsome commander were bound up with the erotic sensations ricocheting over her overwrought nerves.

  Topaz shook her head in dismay remembering the way she’d reacted to him. It was bad enough that she’d given into him, but did she have to moan and, God help her, even cry out? How could she have been any needier, any more on fire? But how could she have known that a single kiss would make her feel the way that she felt when Gray kissed her? Or that her panties would get wet and she would practically assault him in return! When she groaned in embarrassment at the memory of her unexpected response to him, it helped to remember the way he had praised her. Thankfully, he seemed as excited by her as she was by him.

  Looking in the mirror at the flushed woman in the daring attire, Topaz wondered if she could go through with it. She was sure it would be obvious to everyone that something drastic had happened since leaving her uncle’s office after yesterday’s meeting. While she worried about Ian and Diamond, what truly had her considering that she really should change her clothes was wondering how Gray would react. A horrible thought crossed her mind. What if what had happened last night had been merely the result of too much alcohol? Of temporary emotions running too high? What if he laughed at her unusual attire—or worse, if he didn’t notice?

  Her anxiety mounting, Topaz hoped that if she hurried she would have time to change clothes. Glancing at the clock she saw to her dismay that her machinations had eaten up her preparation time. God, even if she decided she should change clothes, she didn’t have time. As she backed her Ferrari FF sports car out of the driveway and revved it, she consoled herself. For the first time since she bought her flamboyant roadster, she actually looked as if she might belong in it. For once her clothes matched her car. Maybe this is what she needed to do. Start dressing differently. She wasn’t at the University, and didn’t plan to go back until the fall. She’d even closed down her research project. She admitted her mind hadn’t been on her work for months now—since the day Paul Swenson, the head of the DEA team that had approached her, asked whether she would consider trying to connect with Dante Torres.

  The idea had been as ludicrous to her in the beginning as it apparently had been to Grayson when he first heard it. But when Ian didn’t dismiss it out of hand, Maya confronted the fact that Dante Torres had never been far from her mind since that nightmare incident nearly fifteen years before. In fact he was much closer to the surface of her consciousness than she’d ever acknowledged. Within months, the idea of taking him down became an obsession. What had seemed ridiculous in the beginning became a certainty as she focused on the amoral but devastatingly handsome playboy who’d become a major player in the international drug market. Documenting his remarkable progress, Maya wasn’t surprised. If anyone should know how compelling Dante Torres was, she should. From a very young age, Dante had taken what he wanted, when he wanted it. Even as a teen, no one could say no to him. Not if they wanted to live.

  Maya had never admitted the extent of her nightmare to her family or any of the doctors or later to the psychologists and psychiatrists her family sent her to. As time went on she’d almost begun to believe her version of the truth. Almost. But when she began her research and saw the destruction in his wake, and the number of lives Dante had ruined directly or otherwise, Maya was able to acknowledge a truth that she’d buried deep within her psyche. Out of shame and fear of what it would do to her parents, she’d never admitted what Dante had done to her. Particularly to her father, whose life was ruled by his rigid concept of honor. She feared that her father would never survive if he knew the truth. The irony was that she’d buried the truth of what had happened to her beneath layers of denial—and it had still killed her father.

  Chapter 9

  Ian’s eyes widened when she walked into the room. Topaz prayed that he wouldn’t say anything too obvious about her altered appearance. She was relieved that after his first quick reaction, he merely smiled at her then walked over and bussed her cheek. She should have known that her uncle would be discreet. Ian was a master at concealing his emotions. Taking her by the hand he led her over to the conference table.

  “Good morning, Topaz. I hope you rested well last night. Gray has been bringing us up to speed on the mission. Before we continue, I’d like to introduce you—”

  Gray stepped forward and interrupted him. “If you don’t mind, Ian, I’ll introduce Topaz to the rest of the team I’ve assembled.”

  Topaz looked up in surprise. No one talked to Ian Ross in such a peremptory way, certainly not one of his agents.

  Ian hesitated and then murmured, “But of course, Col. Webb. The floor is all yours.”

  Meeting Gray’s gaze, Topaz understood why Ian had stepped back. Gray’s expression was calm, hard to read. If Topaz hadn’t seen the low burning fire lighting his startling eyes, she might have thought he was merely being polite. But his firm grip on her elbow as he pulled her away from Ian, confirmed that he was taking control of the operation—and of her. As he’d promised her last night that he would. Nodding to Ian, who inclined his head slightly then took the seat next to Diamond, Gray led Topaz to the empty chair next to his at the head of the table. Still gripping her elbow, he addressed the individuals seated around the conference table.

  “I believe that all of you have met Dr. Maya Taveras, but formal introductions are in order. As her title implies, Maya has a number of doctoral degrees in criminal justice and a specialty in profiling. And, as you all know, Dr. Taveras is the newest member of the elite Ladies of the Night organization. From this point forward we will collectively address her by her code name, Topaz. The exception will be when we are on site, at which point she will be using her given name.”

  Nodding to the group, Gray introduced the others at the table.

  “Topaz, you’ve already met your fellow agents, Ruby and Sapphire, and, of course, your boss, Diamond. Both Ruby and Sapphire will be actively involved in this mission. When I begin to sketch out the operation later today, I will discuss their specific roles in depth. Just know that both of these very accomplished and experienced agents will be on site with us. Also, these two formidable men, whom you’ve met, will also be on our team. Noah Walker and Jase Malone are Ian’s top agents.” He added with a wink, “In fact they are so experienced they rank with me.”

  When the chuckles died down, Gray’s slight frown and rigid jaw, as he turned to her, emphasized his unusual seriousness.

  “The fact that Ian and Diamond agreed to assign their top agents to this mission should underscore how important it is—as well as how dangerous. I trust you appreciate that, Dr. Taveras.”

  The continued use of her academic title, and the fact that he’d referred multiple times to the other agents’ experience, hit Topaz square in the solar plexus. Glancing around the table she was struck once again by the seriousness of the undertaking she’d initiated and how ill-prepared she was, in contrast to the rest of the team. While Gray hadn’t specifically referred to her inexperience, he didn’t have to. The somber expressions on all of their faces were telling enough. Topaz glanced at her uncle and tried to return his comforting smile, but it took more effort than she had. Instead, she bit down hard on her lip and focused on her hands. God, she’d been with the elite group for all of five minutes and already knew how outclassed she
was. The hardest part? Their silence confirmed they agreed with her assessment.

  Gray broke the awkward moment.

  “Before you arrived, Topaz, I changed the schedule somewhat. We’re pulling Noah and Jase off other missions and they need to brief their teams so that their current missions won’t suffer. I’ve rescheduled our operational overview for this evening to give Noah and Jase time to wind up their present assignments. I hope you don’t mind, but I would like to have the meeting at your place. You have much of the background information available and I think we have imposed on Ian enough.”

  Seeing Ian’s narrowed gaze, Topaz was confident that the change of venue was just one more instance of Gray signaling that he, not Ian, was now in charge.

  Topaz managed to murmur, “Of course, Gray. What time are we to meet?”

  Shifting his attention to his partners, Gray asked, “What do you think, fellows? Can you be available by 1900 hours?”

  Before either Noah or Jase could answer, Gray added, “That’s seven p.m. in civilian time, Topaz.”

  His voice wasn’t unkind, but he could have sliced her wrist with a razor blade—the cut she felt at the reminder of her inadequacy was that deep. Noah and Jase made it possible for her not to have to answer.

  “Works for me, big guy.” Jase said, looking at his phone.

  Noah confirmed, “Copy that, Gray. Should be plenty of time for me to unload my work on my unsuspecting team.”

  Jase guffawed. “Ditto for me. I can assure you, we are going to have some very pissed off agents who thought they were on leave.” He added with a glance at Ian, “You may need to sweeten the pot a little, Ian, or you’re going to have some unhappy grunts—worse yet, some angry wives. Happy spouse, happy house you know.”

  “I’ve already made it clear, Agent Malone, to the agents who are taking over for you and Noah that they will receive a healthy bonus. Just as I’ve indicated that all of you are on HVT pay.” He added in explanation to Topaz, “Since Gray seems interested in ensuring that you know military terminology, HVT stands for High Value Target, which is how we have categorized Dante Torres.”