by Hill, C. R.
And it was absurd. They hardly knew each other. Yet, the moment she’d touched him on that grimy floor in South America, he’d known he was in trouble.
He had been unsettled when Trent had told him that she and Daniel were posing as buyers. Couldn’t he have sent anyone else but her? But Trent had said Sierra was the best female agent he had.
He closed his eyes. If he’d been just another few minutes later yesterday, Sierra would be dead right now. All that vitality and spunk would be wiped out.
The door behind him squeaked. The smell of coffee and Sierra drifted across the air.
“Hope you like your coffee black.” Her voice was still rusty from sleep. He was almost afraid to turn and look at her if she looked as soft and sexy as her voice sounded.
She stuck the cup beneath his nose, the steam dampening his skin. He accepted the coffee and took a sip. Sierra settled on the top step of the porch and leaned against the rail to face him, cradling her cup in her hands.
Her long hair was only slightly tousled, its weight pulling it straight. She wore a gray tee shirt and a black pair of loose shorts, her feet were bare. Sitting on his front steps, her dark eyes still sleepy, she looked vulnerable. He knew better than most that looks could be deceiving.
“Sleep okay?” he asked.
“Like a baby.”
He wondered if she told the truth. He sure hadn’t slept like a baby. He’d lain awake for hours trying to forget about the kiss and decide how to handle her. Then the nightmare had destroyed what was left of his night.
He nodded and took another sip of coffee. “I’ve been thinking about the best place for you to lay low.”
Her eyes narrowed and she shook her head. “I’m not hiding, Jake.” All the sleep left her voice. “You can either accept my help or not. If you don’t, then I’ll go after Diaz on my own.”
Jake set his coffee mug on the rail. “If you go after Diaz alone, you’ll be signing your death certificate.”
He had to make her understand.
A harsh laugh escaped her throat and she shrugged. “As long as I take him down with me, I don’t care. But if you care, then you should let me go with you. Then I won’t be alone and neither will you.”
“Why must you be so blasted stubborn?”
“Why must you be so damn male?”
Jake’s jaw clenched and he met her gaze square on. “If I have to, Sierra, I’ll call in some favors and have you detained. Taken into protective custody.”
Her eyes widened. She grabbed the rail and pulled herself up. “You don’t have that kind of power.”
“I was a Marine Special Forces and then I worked for the FBI before I came to work for Trent. You’d be surprised at the contacts I have.” He was half afraid she was going to sling her coffee mug at him.
Her mouth thinned into a tight line. “Fine. It’s clear I can’t win. I don’t have the right equipment to play in your world.” She took a step onto the porch toward the door.
Jake grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him. “You may not understand this, Sierra, but it’s for your own good.”
She took a step so close to him her breasts brushed against his chest. “Let’s get something straight, Harding.” Her coffee warmed breath fanned his cheek.
Jake stood perfectly still, willing his body not to respond to her closeness or her anger.
She continued. “I’m not some little girl who you can pat on the head and say ‘good job or run along and play now, I’ve got things to do’. I don’t know what your hang up is, but I’m more than capable of taking care of things.”
Jake hated to be a bastard, but he had no choice. “Like Daniel?”
Sierra’s eyes narrowed to tiny slits and the muscle in her jaw ticked. She stepped back, tossed what was left of her coffee over the porch rail and walked inside.
Jake let out a breath as the door snicked shut. Damn it. She just didn’t get it. Jake new she was as good as any man, but Diaz was dangerous. And yes, Jake already cared too much about what happened to her. A leopard couldn’t change his spots and Jake couldn’t either. He wouldn’t willingly put her in harm’s way. He just couldn’t.
He looked at the closed door. He’d be lucky if she didn’t sneak into his room tonight and slit his throat.
~***~
Sierra finished the sandwich Jake had prepared for them and wiped her fingers on a napkin. She was still ticked from this morning, but sulking around the small cabin wouldn’t help. Nor would yelling and arguing with Jake, change his mind. She’d thought maybe she could, but realized now, he wasn’t going to budge.
So instead of continuing to bang her head against that particular wall, she’d been thinking all afternoon about exactly how to handle things. No way was she laying low. Daniel had been too important to her.
On top of that, Jake would never be able to get anywhere near Diaz again. His identity had been too deeply compromised for sure. There still wasn’t any evidence that hers had.
Diaz still had no idea what she really looked like. Besides, men were more gullible around a woman than a man. He needed her help, whether he admitted it or not.
She looked across the table at Jake. “I don’t suppose you’d take me for a spin on your bike?”
His right eyebrow hitched up. “Can I trust you behind me?”
She smiled. Even though she was mad at him, he wasn’t without his charms. His dry sense of humor was one of those. “I won’t carry any weapons.”
He put his napkin on the table. “Why the change of heart? You haven’t said two words to me since this morning.”
She tilted her head and shrugged. “I seem to be stuck here with you. I’m willing to call a brief truce.”
His eyes narrowed, but he finally nodded. “Okay, we can take the bike for a quick spin down the mountain and back.”
He stood and retrieved a key from inside the cabinet closest to the sink and a pair of dark sunglasses from the counter. She rose and followed him to the barn. She kept her gaze on the ground just in case the snake from last night had decided to crawl back out. Jake should have killed the beady-eyed creature.
Of course thoughts of the snake fueled her memories of lying beneath the stubborn, infuriating man in front of her. The reaction her body had to him pissed her off almost as much as his overbearing attitude. Riding his high-powered bike wasn’t going to help, but she’d needed to know where the key was and she wanted Jake to think she was willing to be more compliant.
The barn door opened with a squeak and Jake walked to the Harley. He pulled a black helmet off the back and held it out to her.
“Where’s yours?”
“I only have one and you’re wearing it. The mountain roads can be dangerous on a motorcycle.”
Sierra couldn’t help it. She started laughing. Dangerous, huh? Which was exactly why he probably loved riding the powerful bike. “Riding a motorcycle through the mountains is the least dangerous thing I’ve done the last eight years.”
The corner of Jake’s mouth hitched up. “And I have no control over that. This I do.”
Sierra sauntered toward him. “Ah, so you’re confirming my suspicions from last night.”
His blue eyes darkened. “Just take the damn helmet.”
Sierra decided to cut him a break. Only because it served her purpose. She took the helmet and slid it on, buckling the chin strap.
Jake straddled the bike and slid the glasses over his eyes. Sierra’s mouth watered, despite her irritation with his attitude. He looked as commanding as the expensive piece of chrome and leather. A black tee shirt molded his well-built chest with the same precision as his denim jeans clung to narrow hips and muscular thighs.
The powerful motor roared to life without hesitation when Jake started it. Sierra moved closer and threw her leg over the seat. She settled in behind Jake and placed her arms around his hard chest. His muscles tensed beneath her hands and she smiled into his back.
If she were truly evil, she’d push his control as far
as she could. She’d let her hands wander down his stomach and across his thighs. But she had the feeling such a move would backfire on her because she’d lose control too.
Jake nudged the kickstand back, revved the engine and they shot out of the barn. A rush of adrenaline surged through her. She laughed and tightened her thighs around Jake’s hips. She clutched his hard abdomen, and pressed her nose to his back, inhaling his musky, slightly spicy scent.
Her breasts barely brushed his back, bringing her nipples to full alert. She should have put on a bra, but she hated the confining contraptions. So with only the cotton of her shirt and his separating them, sensations vibrated through her. She clenched her legs tighter around him. She hoped he was as horny as she was.
The ride down the mountain was spectacular. Jake handled the big bike as well as he had the Cessna.
Completely in control.
Wind rushed around them, even though the twisty mountain road wouldn’t allow for them to go very fast. Finally, they made it to the bottom of the mountain. There was one stretch of road straight enough to test the engine. Jake didn’t disappoint her. He opened up the throttle and shot down the road. Sierra hooted.
The straight away ran out and Jake slowed the bike, turned it and stopped.
He looked at her over his shoulder. “You ready to head back?”
If she answered truthfully, the answer would be no. Yet, the game she played was dangerous and her feelings for Jake more so. Holding onto his muscular body while the powerful bike vibrated beneath her, stirred longings she wanted to tell herself would exist with any man. She was smart enough to know that was a lie. She nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Jake gazed a moment longer than required into her eyes. Even with the dark glasses concealing his blue eyes, she could feel the sparks arching between them. She could lean in and kiss him. Taste him again.
He turned back to the front and took off again. She had to grip him tighter as the bike lurched forward. The ride up the mountain gave her time to think about her plans.
Jake was determined she wasn’t going to get involved in the hunt and eventual take down of Diaz. She didn’t know why he had such an aversion to her assistance, but she wasn’t going to convince him otherwise, unless of course she had a sex change between now and then.
Sierra knew enough about human nature to understand that. Jake had made up his mind and no amount of argument from her would change his opinions.
That was okay. Sierra was pretty much the same. She had taken matters into her own hands on more than one occasion. She wasn’t averse to doing it now.
~***~
Sierra slipped quietly into her sneakers and checked her watch. Midnight. The Witching Hour. The time when the spirits were the most active, if you believed in that sort of thing.
She didn’t believe in ghosts, except for the human kind like her. People who could move under the cover of darkness with barely a trace.
She’d overheard Jake this evening on the phone with someone. He’d been talking about Diaz. Seemed the man had a house in Santo Domingo where he spent a lot of time. That’s where Jake was going, she knew it and he wasn’t planning on letting her help. Sierra wasn’t playing that game.
Jake might think that going after Diaz alone was the best thing, but he was wrong. Alone had already almost killed the stubborn man.
Rummaging in her bag she retrieved her Glock and holster. She wanted it handy…just in case. Her bed was rumpled with pillows beneath the covers. An old trick, but if Jake happened to look in at sometime during the night, it might be enough to satisfy him until morning.
The farther she got away before he discovered her missing the better. She’d pilfered the motorcycle key earlier when she’d gotten a glass of water before bed, after Jake had headed to the bathroom to shower. She took a calculated risk by taking it so early, hoping he wouldn’t notice it gone. But retrieving it now would be even more dangerous.
She threw the strap to her duffel bag over her shoulder and walked to the window. She’d spent some time in here this afternoon, fixing the contacts for the alarm system so she could slip out without setting it off.
Daniel had taught her that little trick. Holding her breath, she lifted the window. Everything remained quiet and she slipped into the cool dark air. A three quarter moon lit her way.
She said a silent apology to Jake for taking his bike, but he’d left her no choice. After rolling the big machine out of the barn, she pushed it until she was at least a half mile from the cabin. Thank goodness it was all downhill. The machine was heavy.
Sierra straddled the Harley, cranked and took off into the night.
Chapter Six
Sierra applied the finishing touches to her makeup. A bit of green eye shadow to match her fake green eyes, a little more powder across her chin and burgundy red lipstick to round out the package.
She’d called in a big favor to find out about Diaz’s habits while at his home in Santo Domingo. She learned he visited the casino at this hotel every Friday night he was here. Word had it that he was a player, and loved female attention. She planned to provide it for him tonight.
Sierra ran her hands through her newly cut and colored hair. She didn’t look bad with the shoulder length blonde hair. She hadn’t gone platinum, not wanting to contrast her natural coloring too much. This darker shade of blonde with highlights her stylist had created for her weren’t bad. She hadn’t wanted to cut it, but a wig would have been too risky with how close she’d need to get to Diaz.
A shudder tripped down her spine. The thought of the sleaze ball touching her made acid burn her throat. Hopefully, her plan would work and she’d be able to keep him at bay until she could find out not only who the mole was, but also where Diaz kept the children he kidnapped.
She padded out of the bathroom and retrieved the nude colored silk stockings she’d bought to wear. She slid them on and secured them to her black garter belt. Hard to believe some women dressed like this all the time. Way too much trouble.
Next came the emerald green, long dress that was designed to hug her every curve. Not that she was particularly curvaceous, but with the new push up bra, she did have a nice bit of cleavage to show off. The coup de grace was the slit all the way up the side—high enough to show off the top of one long leg and the garter belt.
After she slipped on the stilettos that matched the dress, she turned in front of the full length mirror. Not even Jake would recognize her.
Which was a good thing, considering he’d probably be ready to shoot her on sight for taking his Harley and disobeying him. She’d loved to have been a fly on the wall when he’d found it gone.
Of course, she fully intended to return the motorcycle. Even if it was the sweetest ride she’d ever had. Hopefully, he wouldn’t hold a grudge, but she wasn’t holding her breath on that.
Putting her room key into a small silver purse, along with a powder compact containing a chip that could pinpoint her location from USOI headquarters if activated, she left.
She used the ride down in the elevator to the casino to get into character. Squaring her shoulders when the doors opened, she strolled toward the desk. She didn’t turn to see how many looks she received from interested male parties, though she could feel several sets of eyes on her. She purchased some chips then headed toward her prey.
Diaz already sat at the black jack table, just as her informant had said he would be. He was a good looking man. Broad-shouldered, a little over six feet, shoulder length black hair and dark brown eyes. His complexion was the color of coffee and cream. The information she’d gained on him had told her he was only thirty-seven. Well into himself and the power he wielded in his world.
She settled at the table, leaving a chair empty between them and placed her chips on the table.
She glanced at Diaz, only enough to let him know she saw him, then focused on the dealer. With calculated precision, she crossed her legs, letting the material of her dress fall open to show off her legs and the hi
nt of her garter belt.
“A card for the pretty lady,” the dealer, whose name tag read Carl, said and laid a card face down in front of her. “And a card for the gentleman.” He turned his attention to Diaz.
Then a card was dealt face up to them both. Sierra was dealt a nine. She glanced at the face down card, then looked at Carl. “Hit me.”
Another card was laid in front of her. A five. Sierra suppressed a smile as the dealer waited on Diaz’s request. He glanced at her, one of his black eyebrows arching slightly at her move. “Hit me,” his words were accented, but not heavily. He was a man used to speaking English.
A queen appeared in front of him. He cursed and tossed his cards. The house dealt itself a card and stayed at eighteen. Sierra grinned and flipped over a six for a total of twenty.
“Ah, a winner.” Carl pushed some chips toward her. She glanced again at Diaz, adding a bit of flirtation in her look and made another bet.
A waitress walked up to take their drink orders. “A vodka tonic with a twist of lime.”
Sierra met Diaz’s gaze head on this time. A look of interest flashed across his face.
“Scotch on the rocks,” he said, his gaze staying on her. “And put the ladies drink on my tab.”
Sierra nodded. “Thank you.” She reached across the space and held out her hand. “I’m Leah.”
He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Very nice to meet you, Leah. I am Dominic Diaz.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Diaz.”
“Please call me Dominic.” Diaz, pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket along with a lighter. He held it out to her.
Sierra shook her head. “No thank you, Dominic.” She grinned. “I have enough vices without smoking.”
Diaz chuckled and slid a cigarette from the pack. Their dealer patiently waited as Diaz lit his cigarette and blew out a stream of smoke. He looked at Carl, pushed a stack of chips forward and nodded. Sierra followed suit.