Code Name: Baby

by Christina Skye

  “Steak,” the two said in the same breath.

  Kit grinned. “Figured that. I would have brought margaritas, but the doctor said no alcohol for either of you.” Izzy made a low sound of pain and Kit hid a smile. “I still don’t understand what happened or why I don’t remember any of the details about that cave in. The doctor here told me it was stress, but I’ve never forgotten things before.”

  “It was more than stress,” Wolfe said gravely. “There are all kinds of gases in old mines. Carbon monoxide can collect and you never know it’s there. But you’ll have some strange reactions.”

  Kit slanted a glance at Izzy’s arm, still hidden beneath white gauze bandages. He had been found unconscious under a creosote bush, where he’d crawled after the attack. Wolfe had given her the general outline, and she hadn’t asked for more details. She was starting to understand just how strict military security could be.

  Kit straightened the bright green sweater and capri pants she had chosen so carefully with Miki this morning. She knew she looked decent because two orderlies had whistled at her on the way up. But Wolfe hadn’t seemed to notice anything she wore since the day at the mine. He was considerate, friendly but politely distant.

  And it was driving her crazy.

  “So it was a gas that affected me? That could make sense.” She smiled as a weight was lifted from her shoulders. Thanks to a new medicine that Izzy had suggested, Kit’s pain had decreased significantly. But she had been afraid that the mix was causing side effects, disrupting her memory. It was a relief to know that the real source lay elsewhere.

  She was slicing huge slabs of chocolate cake when Baby rummaged beneath the chair beside the bed. Holding something in her teeth, the Lab trotted to Wolfe’s side and dropped the bright length in his lap.

  Kit realized Baby had given him her sheerest camisole. Hot pink silk and ecru lace, it was a recent gift from the ever-meddling Miki.

  “Nice taste, Baby. The pink’s a nice touch with your fur. But I think it may be a little loose around your front paws,” Wolfe murmured.

  “Give me that.” Kit grabbed at the piece of lingerie. “I’ve been looking for that all morning.”

  “No way.” Wolfe parried her hands smoothly. “Baby wanted me to have this.”

  Kit’s cheeks were flushed. “We can discuss this later.” She glared at Baby. “And you are a troublemaker.”

  There was a noise at the door.

  Lloyd Ryker strode in with two aides in tow. He was wearing an understated but perfectly cut gray suit, and he looked extremely pleased with himself. “How are they doing, Ms. O’Halloran? Giving you more trouble?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.”

  “It looks that way.” Ryker studied Baby thoughtfully. “Your dogs look better every day. But I expect everyone tells you that.”

  “I have a lot to be thankful for.” Kit glanced at Wolfe and Izzy. “If these two could manage to recuperate as fast as my dogs, I’d be very happy.”

  Ryker cleared his throat. “I want to discuss something with you, Ms. O’Halloran. It concerns your dogs.”

  “No. You can’t have them.” Kit’s voice was polite but firm. “They need more time. They have to work on corner training and learn more chained commands, along with hazardous zone searches. They’re nowhere near ready for service placement yet, sir.”

  “Our police and military units desperately need dogs like this,” Ryker said thoughtfully. “But I have to agree, they aren’t ready yet. I’ve been going through your reports since they were referred to me. They would be an excellent asset for me.”

  Kit thought she saw Wolfe and Izzy share a look. She didn’t know what kind of unit Ryker oversaw, but she did know it was important. “I’m not sure what kind of service work your unit carries out, sir.”

  “We do this and that,” Ryker said vaguely. “Here and there.” He looked at Baby for a long time. “I’m proposing, Ms. O’Halloran, that they stay with you for another twelve months. At the end of that time we’ll evaluate their progress. And assess their…strengths. I’m assigning Commander Houston to be my personal liaison in this matter. Will that be acceptable to you both?”

  “Yes.” Wolfe cleared his throat. “Sir.”

  “Perfectly,” Kit murmured.

  “So that’s settled.” Ryker gestured at the box on the nearby table. “Now how about a slice of that chocolate cake? I hope this is another recipe of your mother’s, Ms. O’Halloran.”

  “Yes, it is.” Things were always uncomfortable when this man appeared with his silent entourage. Kit sensed tense undercurrents among the three men and references to things she didn’t—and never would—understand. But she wouldn’t dwell on Lloyd Ryker. He seemed like he could be a difficult man, but his offer was reasonable. She decided to accept. Working with Wolfe would give her the chance to figure out the next stage in this odd relationship they seemed to be having, even though he hadn’t said a personal word to her since the attack in the mine. If Kit had her way, it would be straight into bed. She’d enjoy seeing how inventive he could be with just one arm.

  And now that they had business together, he couldn’t keep avoiding her.

  She handed Ryker the slice of cake he’d requested. “I haven’t had a chance to thank you for putting in the new security system at my ranch, sir. That was very thoughtful.”

  “I consider it a business investment. We’ve all got hard work ahead of us, young lady. I don’t want you distracted with problems.” Ryker glanced at his watch. “I’ve got to be on a plane in forty minutes. I’ll draw up a contract about the dogs and we can talk after I get back. By the way, I thought you’d want to have this. One of my men found it while he was burying the lines for your new security system.” Ryker held out a handmade leather pouch with red beadwork and long suede fringe. The bag was worn but intricate and clearly valuable.

  Kit took the small leather bag, her touch reverent. “You found this at my ranch?”

  “Near the well. Do you know what it is?”

  “It’s a medicine pouch, probably Apache. My father had one just like this.” Her fingers closed gently around the stiff beaded leather. She had a sudden suspicion that she was looking at the Apache treasure Emmett and all the others had searched for over the years. The leather was pristine, the beadwork exquisite. A fine object like this, well preserved and with a personal provenance, would be worth thousands to a serious collector.

  And Kit didn’t consider selling it for a second.

  “Thank you,” she said quietly, slipping the bag into her pocket. She’d take the time to study it later, sorting through the bittersweet memories of her father that the bag inspired. But first she had to see that Izzy ate more and that Wolfe did his rehab exercises.

  Training high-strung, energetic service dogs had taught her a thing or two about managing men like this. After they finished, she was going to herd everyone out of the room so that Izzy could rest. Not the dogs, of course. They seemed to make him relax when nothing else could.

  After that, Kit had her own offer to make to Wolfe.

  “You’ll be hearing from me soon,” Ryker said curtly. Then he strode out, followed by his aides.

  The mood lightened immediately.

  Kit stared at Izzy. “Have a second piece of cake.” She cut a slice and put it on the rolling table in front of him. Ignoring his scowl, she helped him eat all of it.

  “Damned bound hands,” He muttered.

  Wolfe was very quiet, and Kit swung around to face him next. “Out in the hall. We need to talk.”

  But as soon as the door closed behind them, Wolfe turned and pulled her against him, using his good arm. “Don’t suppose you’d be interested in spending the night with me tonight.”

  Kit’s pulse spiked. “To talk about canine training regimens?”

  “To make love until we both drop,” he said harshly.

  “Your bed or mine?”

  “Both,” he muttered. “Then the floor. Then any tables that happen to be ha
ndy.”

  “That can probably be arranged.” Kit smiled uncertainly. “As long as you don’t hurt your arm.”

  “To hell with my arm.” Wolfe pinned her against the wall as his mouth skimmed and savored. “I’ve got a few hours’ leave and I’m going to enjoy it to the full extent of my tactical capabilities.”

  The possibilities made Kit’s heart lurch. But she sighed and pulled away as Miki and Trace approached down the hall. They were arguing, as usual.

  “Wolfe, they’re coming.”

  “So what? I’ve waited two weeks to talk about our future, honey. I figure that you needed a little time to get your breath. But I’m not stopping now.”

  Kit gave up being discreet. Sighing, she flowed into the heat of his body, feeling as giddy and vulnerable as she had at thirteen when she’d watched him fumble with Marijo Shelton’s bra in the back seat of her car.

  The flood of hot fantasies left her flushed and she took a deep breath.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You. I lose my train of thought whenever you’re in the same county.”

  “That’s about the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me, honey.”

  Kit stared up at Wolfe, loving his hard face and his dark eyes and the lines around his forehead that came from staring into the sun in places that didn’t appear on any map. “Just assuming that I decide to have sex with you—”

  “Make love,” Wolfe said firmly. “It was always more than sex, Kit. You know that. We need to talk about making this relationship permanent.” He cleared his throat. “As in contracts. Blood tests. Marriage.”

  Her eyes cut to his. “You’re asking me to marry you?”

  “I sure as hell am.” He took a breath. “But I may have to cut some red tape first. Meanwhile, I thought you could consider the possibility.”

  “Yes.” There was no doubt in Kit’s mind. Not a second’s hesitation. Suddenly she was struck by his odd choice of phrase. “What kind of red tape?”

  Trace and Miki were coming closer. “Later.”

  Kit didn’t argue, touching the faint scar that had already healed at Wolfe’s jaw. Her smile was teasing and sultry. “So what about the dogs while we’re hitting the sheets and having noisy, out-of-control sex?”

  “Those four troublemakers?” Wolfe linked their fingers and pulled her hand up to his mouth, kissing her palm slowly. “They’re going to have to find their own entertainment tonight. Now shut up and kiss me, O’Halloran. I think it’s time for us to break some more rules.”

  Don’t miss Miki’s story,

  the next exciting installment

  in the CODE NAME series…

  CODE NAME: BLONDIE

  coming from HQN Books

  in Summer 2006

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