“It would be even better if you went alone—”
“No problem. Dad won’t come, because he can’t leave Illinois, thanks to a court order in a case where he’s a reluctant witness. And my cousin—well, I can handle him. I agree,” she added briskly, “
it’s
best if I go alone.
And soon.
Right?”
“Thank you, Sasha. I know you’ll do well.” Allison smiled. “I assume your father will make the transportation arrangements. We can supply you with information and a few toys that might come in handy. Unfortunately, that won’t include communication equipment. You’ll be out of contact with the rest of the world while you’re in Kestonia. And we can’t supply weapons, either—Zelasko’s men will search your luggage and purse, and frisk you, as well. You’ll have to arm yourself with whatever you can find once you get inside Kestonia.”
“The toys you mentioned aren’t weapons?”
Allison laughed. “No. They’re much,
much
better.”
Sasha bit her lip, wondering how she would get through so complex an operation without Summit’s voice whispering advice and encouragement in her ear. “I’ll need to tell my handler something. Otherwise, he’ll wonder what’s going on if he can’t contact me.”
“Tell him you’re going to spend some time with your father.
A week or two.
We understand that you just performed well for the Bureau under very stressful conditions. They won’t object to your taking a little time for yourself.”
Sasha frowned. “You’re saying I can’t tell Jeff the truth?”
“Is that a problem?” Allison was clearly surprised. “I had the impression you and he didn’t get along.”
“It’s been tense, but we’ve been making progress, trustwise. I don’t want to jeopardize that.”
“To be frank, we’re controlling access to this information and being even more discreet than usual. We might have a leak.”
“You don’t have to worry about Jeff. He’s the most trustworthy person I’ve ever met. Like a rock, really.”
“Oh?”
“Check out his background. He was a star quarterback until he got a really bad concussion and the doctors warned him not to play anymore. Then the FBI recruited him and he’s been a star there, too. Completely obsessed with honor and justice—” She stopped herself, noting the flicker of concern in Allison’s brown eyes. “I don’t know why I’m making such a big deal about this. I guess because I’m used to having Jeff plan strategy with me. But you’re right—this has nothing to do with him. I’ll handle it the way you suggested.”
Allison eyed her for a long moment,
then
nodded. “I’m glad that’s settled. Luckily, I’ve planned an op or
two myself along the way,
so maybe I can be of assistance.”
“That sounds great.”
“Excellent.” Her new mentor’s tone turned brisk. “Let’s get down to details, shall we?”
It was almost 3:00 a.m. before Sasha returned home and crawled into bed for a few hours’ rest. She was sure that despite her exhaustion, she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep. Not after the multiple stimuli that had assaulted her body and her brain that evening. The wedding and all the memories it had elicited; the encounter with Vincent the Butcher Martino; the kiss; the upcoming reunion with her father, to be followed by a daring rescue of a genetically enhanced child…
But to her surprise, she drifted into a deep sleep almost right away. As a result, when her alarm rang promptly at eight o’clock, she was more than ready to jump out of bed and take on the world.
Starting with Jeff Crossman.
She liked the idea of talking to her handler early in the morning. The air was crisp, almost biting, but clear of snow or rain. People were heading to church. There was a pure, homespun feel to the day.
Nothing romantic about it, and definitely nothing sexy or obscene.
Still, it bothered her that he had sounded so good—downright rumbly, in fact—when she’d called him. And there was the complication that he had asked her to come to his private apartment, rather than the office he shared with his team members. Both locations were downtown, but Jeff had reminded her that the office building was closed, and any meeting there would seem suspicious. She had agreed, only questioning the arrangement after he had already broken off the connection.
Now she stood outside the door to his apartment and reviewed the cold hard facts, beginning with their first meeting.
She remembered
that
encounter vividly. She had been nervous, but also excited to embark on her lofty new project. It had meant so much to her that the FBI’s Organized Crime Unit might be able to make use of her, so that no one else had to suffer the fate of her mother and be killed by “the mob.” It was time for
that
brand of violence to end, once and for all.
Then she had braced herself and stepped into the office of Special Agent Jeff Crossman—the man who would be “handling” her. One look at him, and she had had only one thought: she had died and gone to informant heaven.
That’s how amazing he had looked to her that autumn afternoon. Like a god. Not one of the Roman deities, of course, but maybe one of the Celtic ones? She had no idea about them—her whole universe, until now, had revolved around Roman mythology, thanks to her father—but one look at Jeff Crossman’s broad shoulders, emerald eyes and lean muscles had made a Celt out of Sasha, at least for the moment.
A very short moment, as it turned out. Because once he opened his mouth, he had proven himself to be a first-class jerk.
Give the guy a break,
she chided herself now.
He apologized, didn’t he?
She gave a nervous laugh, remembering how hot that apology had been, and imagining what might have happened next had Allison’s roses not intervened.
Focus, Sasha! Don’t think about the kiss.
Or those shoulders.
Or his Summit voice.
This meeting is just a formality. Your mission is to save Teal Arnett, not to get laid. Puh-leeze
try
to remember that. I’m begging you!
Laughing at herself again—who knew she was so weak for football players?—she raised her fist and rapped sharply on his door with her knuckles.
“H ey, Sasha.
Nice to see you again,” Jeff said with a warm smile.
Ignoring how adorable he looked in gray warm-up pants and an untucked white tee, his wavy blond hair still damp from his shower, Sasha handed him the box of doughnuts she had purchased from a nearby bakery. Then she strode into the middle of what appeared to be a one-room apartment. “I’m sorry for calling so early, and for barging in on your day off. But I’ve got a lot on my plate today, so thanks for seeing me right away.”
Jeff peeked into the cardboard carton. “These look good. I guess I should have brought something to your place last night.”
“You brought plenty,” she assured him drily. Then she surveyed his living quarters with exaggerated thoroughness. “I see now why you were so impressed with
my
apartment.”
He laughed. “Yeah, this joint’s pretty grim. But I’m making payments on a beach house in San Diego, and I spend most of my time at the office anyway, so…”
Leaving the doughnuts on the counter, he walked over to her. “You said you’ve got a lot on your plate. Starting with me, right? I agree. We need to talk about last night. So have a seat.” He gestured toward the bed. “Want some coffee?”
“No, thanks.
I had some earlier.” Sasha hesitated, then opted for a nearby desk chair rather than the comforter that had been spread over his otherwise unmade and still-warm-looking bed.
“Right.
Let’s get to it then.” He sat across from her. “Obviously, I screwed up. But I swear
,
I didn’t come over there last night to hit on you.
At least not consciously.
I just felt like my apology was way overdue. You’ve been a tremendous asset. I don’t want to blow that, assuming I haven’t already.”
“We’re fine.” She grimaced sheepishly. “When I said I had a lot on my plate, I was talking about my father.”
“Oh, right.” He flushed as he jumped to his feet. “I’m such an idiot! Did you talk to him? How’d it go?”
“I didn’t talk to him yet. I’m headed there next. But…” She didn’t have to feign the confusion in her voice. “I think this is it, Jeff.
The big moment for him and me.
I can’t just keep ignoring him.
Or ignoring the problem.
So I’m going to force myself to hear him out. Talk it through. It won’t be easy. And I don’t want to rush it. So…” She took a deep breath,
then
blurted out, “I need some time off.
From our stuff.
Our
business
stuff, not the personal involvement.
Not that we’re involved. But you know what I mean.”
“Yeah.”
He sat on the bed again,
then
studied her intently. “Take all the time you need. And just for the record, I think you’re doing the right thing.”
“Thanks.”
“As for our personal involvement…” He gave the seat beside him an inviting pat. “Come here for a minute.”
She winced.
“I won’t bite you.
Or
kiss you. I just want to talk.”
She steadied her racing heart,
then
scooted over, sitting a safe distance from him and smiling warily. “Any chance we can postpone this till I see how it goes with Dad?”
His green eyes warmed. “It’s gonna go fine with your old man. He loves you. And you love him.
Right?”
Sasha nodded.
“It’ll make you an even more valuable asset for us. Not because we expect you to inform on Big Frankie or anything, but because it’ll remove a giant unknown from the equation where you’re concerned. I’ll be relying on you even more than I have been. And hopefully I’ll be treating you better. More like an equal partner.” He edged closer. “It’s gonna be tough, because you’re so sexy. But if I want to be your handler, I can’t—well, handle you, so to speak. And I definitely want to be your
handler,
because I think we’re gonna do great things together.”
She could see that he had rehearsed those words—most of them, at least—and she was touched by how difficult it still seemed for him to deliver them. “I know. Don’t worry about it, Jeff. I want to keep working with you, too. Plus,” she said with a wistful smile, “we’ve got less chance than Romeo and Juliet, romantically speaking.
Two different worlds and all that.”
“Don’t kid
yourself
,” he murmured. “We’d be amazing together. That’s the worst part of it, for me at least. I’ll definitely have to be on my guard against it. Because that kiss,” he added reverently, “is gonna stick with me for a long, long time.”
Sasha licked her lips, enjoying the forbidden thrill his words were sending through her. If it weren’t for her new mission—the need to save Teal—she might actually have argued with him.
Or maybe even kissed him again.
“I know what you’re thinking,” he warned, his green eyes darkening. “I’ve been telling myself the same thing. We’re both adults. We can handle it. But that’s nuts.
Right?”
“Probably.”
“I already worry every time I send you into a dangerous situation. If you were my girlfriend, I’d really go nuts.”
“Me, too.”
“You, too?”
He winced. “You mean you’d worry more?”
“No. I’d be so distracted. Your voice already gets to me when you whisper instructions. Or try to boss me around.”
“Yeah?”
He gave a sheepish grin.
“Right in the middle of the op?”
Sasha licked her lips,
then
nodded. “I
love
it when that happens.”
“Man…” He exhaled sharply,
then
leaned into her, covering her mouth with his own while urging her with gentle hands to lie back onto the bed.
Sasha’s mind reeled with delight. “Jeff…”
“One kiss, then cold turkey,” he promised, his voice descending into a sexy growl. “Man, you feel good.”
One kiss.
Apparently he planned to make the most of it, because his hand journeyed almost immediately under her blouse, caressing her breasts,
then
expertly unhooking her bra to gain more complete access. Sasha wanted to protest, but her own curiosity was strong, and her willpower was weak, so she followed his lead, allowing herself to explore his tightly muscled chest under his T-shirt as his rough fingers sent wave after wave of pleasure through her.
This is our one chance,
she reminded herself, giddy with arousal.
So he’s right to make it count. Plus, you could get killed in Kestonia! Give him something to remember you by. We’ll be good after this.
And meanwhile, yowza.
Inspired by his commitment to her pleasure, not to mention the hedonistic urgency as he ground himself against her, she slid her hand under the elastic of his sweatpants,
then
ran her fingers along the length of him, enjoying the fullness.
He gave a long, low groan,
then
told her ruefully, “We should stop.”
“One time, then cold turkey,” she reminded him breathlessly. “Why not make it count?”
“You’re sure?”
“Mmm, more than sure.”
She began stroking him again, and he flashed a sexy smile, then reached under her skirt and up along the inside of her thigh until his fingers reached their target.
“Wait, Jeff. Let me just—” She struggled to sit up, stripped off her boots and skirt,
then
wriggled out of her blouse and bra. At the same time, Jeff tore off his own clothes, revealing the hunkiest physique Sasha had ever seen at such close range.
They greedily appraised one another for a few seconds,
then
Jeff got down to business, pulling her panties off her so that she was wearing only her pink-and-blue argyle knee socks. Then he was on her again, nuzzling her neck while reaching over to open the top drawer of his nightstand.
“Rubber,” he explained.
Sasha almost laughed out loud to see her sophisticated handler reduced to one-word grunts. Then he was kissing her again, this time between her thighs, and her laughter turned to a decadent moan as he coaxed throbbing waves of heat and energy to that spot.