Desperate Play (Off the Grid: FBI Series Book 3)

by Barbara Freethy

  "Probably not much, but it's worth a shot."

  "I thought Hamilton wanted to keep the bureau at a distance."

  "He also wants to know what's going on. I know how to play it." As he left the auditorium, he didn't dial Joanna; he contacted Bree. Now that she was part of their group, he preferred talking to her over anyone else.

  * * *

  Avery's mind spun with Wyatt's recent revelations, but as she opened her computer, she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. She had already sent the video file to the computer on stage, but she wanted to double-check that everything was working correctly and ready for the media at nine o'clock in the morning.

  It actually felt good to think about work, because considering whether Carter had cheated on Noelle and whether or not her father had tried to log in to Kyle's email account was making her sick to her stomach. She wanted new leads, but each one that came seemed worse than the last.

  Wyatt returned to the auditorium a few minutes later and seeing him stride toward the stage with confidence and strength made her feel better. She was fast becoming addicted to his handsome face, strong presence, and the sharp intelligence in his eyes. When he was with her, she felt like they might just get to the bottom of everything. She also felt like he was the only person who really understood what she was going through, but that was because she'd shown him her grief, her fear, her vulnerability. She'd let loose of her emotions in front of him and cried all over him, and he hadn't judged her; he'd held her.

  Her body tingled as he drew closer, as his gaze met hers. It was scary how attracted she was to him. He'd only been gone a few minutes, but she'd actually missed him, and she felt an absurdly giddy feeling that he was back. Clearly, she was getting too involved. But she couldn't back away. There was too much at stake.

  "What did the FBI say?" she asked, as he stepped onto the stage.

  "Very little. I told them they should look more closely into Carter and Kathryn. They assured me they were on it."

  "Do you think that's true?"

  "Yes. They won't ignore solid leads, but they're frustrated with Hamilton's reluctance to give them unfettered access, so they weren't particularly interested in sharing information with me."

  "Did you say anything about my father?"

  "No."

  She felt an unexpected wave of relief. It wasn't her job to protect her dad, but she was happy her father's name had not come up.

  "Like you said, it could have been Whitney or Kyle," Wyatt added. "I can ask them tonight."

  "I'd wait until after cocktails. Both Kyle and Whitney enjoy their wine."

  "What about your father? Is he a drinker?"

  "Not at all. He's cleansed his body of toxins the past few years."

  Wyatt smiled. "I'm really looking forward to meeting him. He sounds very interesting."

  "Then he'll like you, because he finds himself very interesting."

  "Are you almost done?"

  "I actually want to run through the show. It only takes fifteen minutes. What do you think? Feel like being my test audience?"

  "Sure, why not? I've actually never seen any of your shows."

  "What?" she asked in surprise. "It's supposed to be part of your orientation. Everyone sees the welcome to Nova Star video."

  "Hamilton fast-tracked me through orientation."

  "Then this will be good. You'll be a completely objective audience, like the reporters coming tomorrow. Take a seat in the first row. I'm going to turn off the lights and soon you will be taking an incredible journey through the universe."

  He smiled. "This better live up to the hype."

  "Space always lives up to the hype. I know you don't like to look up, but today you will, and I'll be surprised if you aren't amazed."

  "So says the space geek," he teased.

  She grinned back at him. "This is my world, Wyatt."

  "I can't wait to see it."

  Something passed between them that had nothing to do with Noelle or Carter. It was a personal, intimate moment that only they were sharing. Her lips tingled as she remembered the kiss they'd shared the night before and wondered if it would happen again

  Wyatt cleared his throat, his gaze filling with shadows. "I better take my seat."

  "Yes," she said, letting out her breath as she turned to her computer and got the show ready to go.

  * * *

  Wyatt kicked back in the leather recliner in the first row, grateful when Avery turned off the lights. It gave him a chance to regroup. For a moment there, he'd been tempted to kiss her again, and he'd promised himself that wouldn't happen—shouldn't happen. But that had been close, too close.

  Thankfully, his racing heart began to calm in the cool darkness, only a small light coming from the podium where Avery stood in the shadows.

  A moment later, she walked down the steps and took a seat in the chair next to him.

  Then she pressed the switch in her hand, and the massive ceiling turned into the night sky. A trillion stars appeared, pulsating music playing in the background, building an expectation for what was to come.

  And then a voice came through the speakers, and his nerves tightened. It was Avery's voice—hushed, breathy, excited. He glanced over at her, seeing her smile at him in the shadows and light from the night sky.

  "Look up," she said.

  He didn't want to look up; he wanted to keep looking at her.

  But as her voice rang out again, stirring his senses, his gaze moved to the sky overhead.

  "The universe is an endless, infinite space of immense distance and time. Where does it begin? Where does it end? What lies beyond what we've discovered so far? And who will lead the way to interplanetary travel? Who will be the first to defend space and protect it for all mankind?"

  Her questions were followed by a kaleidoscope of colors. Stars, and planets spun around above him, carrying him away in a manner he had not expected.

  He'd been working at Nova Star for a month and hadn't really paid much attention to the space stuff. But now he was looking up in a way he hadn't before—at least not in a very long time.

  The sky above was filled with possibilities, with hope, optimism, wonder at the unexplainable, inexplicable universe…and the men and women who wanted to understand it, wanted to explore it, wanted to explain it…

  He'd never been that interested in the universe, but he had wanted to change the world. He'd wanted to leave his mark on Earth. He'd wanted to take down the dark and bring out the light, although he'd never put it in those terms.

  He'd been working undercover for the bureau for almost six years. He'd played so many different parts. He'd caught bad guys, protected innocent people, saved a few lives.

  But was it worth it? Could he live forever in the shadows, never being who he really was, never letting anyone really know him?

  He'd thought he could. But lately, he'd been feeling restless, yearning for something he couldn't quite define, wanting what he couldn't have…

  His gaze moved to the woman next to him. He couldn't really see her in the darkness, but he was acutely aware of her presence, of the faint hint of lavender that must come from her shampoo or her body lotion. And thinking about her body only made the ache in his gut worse. Her kiss had taken him on an adventure, too. That brief taste had whetted his appetite for more, and he'd spent half the night telling himself to let it go, think of her as a job, but none of those reminders had worked. As soon as he'd seen her again, he'd wanted her back in his arms.

  She was such an intriguing blend of smart, sexy and sweet. She didn't just fill him with desire, she also filled him with affection. And she'd slid in past his defenses before he'd even realized she was there. He still couldn't believe he'd told her about his family. That story had brought them closer. He just wished he could tell her everything.

  But that couldn't happen. He needed to rein in the reckless feelings.

  Looking back up at the sky, he told himself he was just tired. He never took vacations
between jobs, and he probably should. It had been a long time since he'd been able to let down his guard and just be himself—whoever that was. He was starting to forget, which was another disturbing feeling. Agents older than him had warned him about the dangers of staying out in the cold too long. But he'd always believed he could handle it, because he didn't want what other people wanted. His happy family illusions had shattered years ago. He didn't believe in love or happily ever after. He didn't think being a husband, a father, was in the cards. He didn't know if he had it in him to open himself up to all the possible pain again.

  But being with Avery…made him think about what he was missing in his life, made him want more than he had. Were the possibilities for his life as endless and as dream-worthy as the sky above him?

  As Avery's captivating voice fell away on a lingering, magical-feeling kind of whisper, he thought maybe, just maybe, they were.

  He drew in several deep breaths, needing to get back to reality fast.

  He was only with Avery because she needed protection and because she might be able to help him with his assignment. He really couldn't forget that.

  But as she turned on the lights and gazed at him with eager, expectant, and very beautiful brown eyes—that resolve went right out the window.

  "Well, what did you think?" she asked impatiently.

  He raised his recliner to an upright position. "That was amazing. You took me right out of this world."

  Her happy smile almost undid him.

  "I'm so glad," she said, delight in her gaze. "That show was designed for people who have had no interest in space until now. It's supposed to whet their appetite to want more."

  "It definitely did that," he muttered. "You have a very mesmerizing voice. Your passion for space is…palpable. I almost felt like I was spinning through the heavens."

  "That's what I wanted you to feel. I remember the first time I saw a show like this. It was at the Griffith Park Observatory, and I went with my dad. Selfish quirks aside, he's the person who taught me how to dream. I think I was about nine at the time, and I was mesmerized by all the planets beyond this one. After that, I wanted to learn everything I could about space. Birthdays and holidays, I asked for books and more trips to the observatory. My mom used to say, 'Brett, look what you started—our daughter is obsessed.'"

  He smiled. "Your obsession looks good on you."

  She grinned back at him. "You're nice to say that. Not all guys have felt the same."

  "No?"

  "No," she said with a shake of her head. "I was late to my boyfriend's birthday my senior year in high school because I was waiting for a comet to shoot through the sky. He got mad and ended up hooking up with Lorraine Hobbs. And that was the end of that. He couldn't believe I'd blown him off. But it was a comet, Wyatt. Do you know how rare it is to see something like that?"

  "I'll take your word for it."

  "I would have made it up to him if he hadn't cheated on me so quickly."

  "He wasn't worth your time."

  "He wasn't. And I knew that even then, but you know how high school is. No one wants to be alone, even geeky science nerds."

  "You had to be the most beautiful nerd at that school."

  She flushed at his words. "That's a charming thing to say but not true. I was very awkward back then. I still am, if you want to know the truth. When I study data, I wear really ugly glasses with thick black frames."

  "Sounds sexy," he said, not knowing why the thought of Avery in a pair of glasses got his motor running, but it had certainly done that.

  "It's not, trust me. I'm a very single woman."

  "Is that the way you like it?" he asked curiously.

  She licked her lips as she pondered his question. "I'm not unhappy on my own. My obsession does take a lot of time, and I love to work. But sometimes it's a little lonely. It would be nice to share my life with someone—the right someone. He hasn't come along yet."

  "Maybe he's waiting for you to come back to Earth," he teased.

  She made a face at him. "That could be a long wait."

  He laughed. "You know, I've worked here for a while, but I don't really think I thought about what's being done here."

  "Our mission is about more than just sending ordinary people into space. The satellites bring back important data as well as power the internet, GPS, so many things from ordinary life that people don't even realize. And, of course, they can also be used for spying, for war, for destruction. I worry sometimes that the beautiful universe will become a war zone. It's already happening with space debris from previous tests gone awry. Where will all the junk go?"

  "I don't know, but I do know that almost every amazing technological advance can also be used in the worst possible way."

  "Yes. That's why we have to fight to protect the technology we're developing."

  "And that's why Hamilton hired me. I appreciate you reminding me of what's at stake from a science perspective."

  "I'm glad it helped. So, now you know what I dreamed about as a little girl. What about you? What did you want to be when you grew up? A soldier? A security guy?"

  "None of those jobs were even on my radar when I was a kid."

  "Then what?"

  "Well, let's see. I thought I could be a professional baseball player for a while, until I realized I wasn't that good."

  "When did that happen?"

  "When I got to college and realized that everyone there had been the best player on their team. There was nothing that special about me. I certainly wasn't the fastest or the biggest."

  "Did you play in college?"

  "First two years. I hurt my arm, and during the time it took to rehab, I discovered there was another life off the baseball field, and unlike you, I did not find that life in the library or the classroom. I had way too much fun."

  She smiled. "I bet you did. What was your major?"

  "Economics. At the time, I thought I'd probably go into the family financial business. I had no idea what was to come. I was probably lucky to be born nine years after my brother. He was already entrenched when everything went bad."

  "Nine years is a big gap."

  "I was an accident. My parents had only wanted one kid, but they apparently went to Hawaii and had too many vodka tonics, and voila—I was on deck."

  She laughed. "Well, at least you were conceived in fun."

  "They were happy then," he admitted, barely remembering those days now. "At least, I thought they were. I second guess everything now."

  "It's weird how similar our dads are. Even though my father has never broken the law, he does kind of sell snake oil. And it sounds like your father did the same." The smile on her face dimmed. "What you said earlier about a possible email hack coming from my dad's house—I don't think he would do that. He sells dreams, and maybe he gets paid for his bullshit, but he's not a criminal. And he barely knows how to send an attachment to an email; I can't see him trying to hack into Kyle's account. I also doubt he'd understand anything Kyle was talking about. I've had Kyle talk to science groups before, and even physicists were lost when he went off on one of his tangents."

  "Now you sound like my mother defending my father for his sins," he said.

  She frowned. "Do I? It's not like I don't see his flaws. But…"

  "But you don't want him to be guilty of anything more."

  "He can't be guilty of anything more, because if he was involved in this, then that would mean that he had something to do with Noelle's death and that man pulling a gun on me, and that could not be true," she said with pain in her voice.

  "We don't know that it is true. We're still fact-finding."

  She frowned. "I want to find the facts more quickly."

  "It actually hasn't been that long. Things are moving fast."

  "I guess. I'm usually better at being patient."

  "Well, usually your life isn't on the line. I get that, Avery."

  "I know you do." She paused. "Your life has been on the line before, hasn't it?" />
  "Many times."

  "How did you get from college fun to the Marines?"

  "It was the fastest way to change my life after everything that happened with my dad," he said, hating that he had to keep playing with the truth and also annoyed that by telling her some of the truth about his life, he'd opened himself up to this line of questioning.

  "And you couldn't just move to another city? You had to go risk your life?"

  "I had to do something worthwhile, something to balance things out." He was talking about why he'd gone into the FBI, but in this instance, the reason worked for both his real life and his cover.

  "Pay for your father's sins?" she questioned.

  "Not exactly. But it turned out to be a good move."

  "And now you're in security."

  "Not quite the clear-cut route that you took toward a career, but I'm happy with where I am."

  "I'm happy with where you are, too." She took a breath. "I'm kind of getting used to having you around, Wyatt."

  "I'm not a pain in the ass, huh?"

  "Well, I wouldn't go that far."

  "Fair enough," he said with a grin.

  "I do appreciate everything you've done to keep me safe."

  "That's my job," he said, reminding himself not to forget that.

  "And you do it well. I have no idea what's going to happen next, and that's scary for me. I like to know what's around the corner before I make the turn but being with you makes the unexpected easier to handle."

  "Well…good," he said somewhat tersely, her faith in him starting to make him feel like the worst kind of person.

  "Wait. What did I say? You're suddenly annoyed." Her brows drew together in a frown.

  "I'm not annoyed. You feel safe with me. That's great. That's what you're supposed to feel."

  "It's not the only thing I feel, Wyatt. You know that." Her gaze connected with his. "There's an electricity between us. I can feel the pull right now. I think you can, too. But we said we shouldn't do anything about it, right?"

  It was the hesitancy in her question that made him lean across the armrest and answer her with the kiss he'd been thinking about since the last one they'd shared. He gripped her arms and covered her mouth with his, savoring the sweet heat of her lips, the passion that was so uniquely Avery, a mix of innocence and desire that was as out of this world as she was.