Deliciously Dangerous (11 page)

Time that would soon grow very short.

“Where do we go from here, Jammer?” She held his gaze intently.

“Tell me something about yourself—anything.”

“Why…” Her brow furrowed, as if she just couldn’t figure him out. When he did reveal to her who he was, she would be surprised, but would she forgive him for keeping his identity a secret? Or would she be fuming mad?

He shrugged. “Because I want to know. I just want to know.”

Her hand went to his biceps and she wound her fingers over him. A small smile curved her lips and her eyes met his. “My guilty pleasure is martial arts B movies.”

“Ah, a peek into the dangerous woman’s psyche. You like all that physical stuff, huh?” he asked, bumping her hip. “Is that why you’re in this line of work? So you can live out your guilty pleasure?” He smoothed his hand down her back in a slow caress, enjoying the feel of her soft skin.

“I’m not sure,” she said with a laugh, “but I do get to kick butt on a regular basis, which makes me happy. I just don’t shout
‘Hiya!’
when I do it.”

He laughed and pulled her close. “Next time you kick ass, and I’m anywhere near the vicinity, you will shout
‘Hiya!’
”

“Is that a requirement for staying with you until this deal is over?”

He didn’t answer. He was torn—torn up inside and torn by his need to protect her. But he had to be realistic.

She sighed. “Do I have to go through how it was all your fault that I ended up compromised, or are you going to give in easily? Don’t make me shout
‘Hiya!’
at you.”

“It would almost be worth it. The part about you being a distraction hasn’t changed.”

“So, worry about me while I’m right beside you. You can allay all your fears and have me, too.”

“I like that course of action,” he said. For a moment they lay together without speaking.

The silence was soothing, and holding her was a boon to his soul. Finally her breathing slowed and he knew she was asleep.

It was time to pay the piper.

J
AMMER LEFT A SLEEPING
Gina. Donning a pair of jeans and a shirt, he slipped out of the hotel room and went down to the busy, noisy lobby.

He’d screwed up royally. Completely. Now came the damage control. He dialed the number and waited until the line was picked up.

“Since you’re calling me at this hour, it must be important.” The voice was slurred and concerned.

Jammer didn’t sugarcoat it. There was no time to break the information gently. “My identity has been breached.”

Now the voice was wide-awake. Jammer heard the rustle of blankets and a light being snapped on. “That’s not possible. Only you and I know that you’re—”

In a voice that sounded much calmer than he felt,
Jammer said, “No, not my real identity, the Ghost identity.”

“How did this happen? Who is involved?”

Jammer gave him the story, leaving nothing out. The silence on the other end of the line stretched, but Jammer was used to it. His partner needed time to think about the next move.

“All right, we’ll snatch up Roorback and Fromme and put them on ice until you’ve finished with Fuentes. I’ll set that in motion as soon as I get off this phone.”

“What do we do about Gina Callahan?”

“What do we do with an undercover Watchdog agent who has the knowledge that the very man everyone is after has now just blown his cover?”

Jammer rubbed at his temple. “Yeah. I think I can persuade her to keep the information to herself. My guess is that I’m her target, but if she can bag Fuentes in the process, she’ll be happy to wait just a little bit longer.”

“We’ll neutralize her in a different way than we planned. Leave that up to me. She is still unaware that you know she’s Callie Carpenter, correct?”

“Yes, I’ve managed not to reveal that information. It would require explanations that I can’t give her right now.”

Jammer looked out at the people milling about the hotel—checking in at the front desk, going to dinner and moving in and out of the elevators. He sat down on one of the sofas in the lobby, suddenly exhausted.

“I understand why you revealed the Ghost’s identity.
You had no choice. Letting a government agent die is not what we’re about.”

“I’m aware of that. If anything had happened to her, I would go mad and that would effectively screw up this whole thing anyway.”

“You in that deep, then?”

The question was not unexpected, and it was just common sense to reveal everything. This situation couldn’t get any worse. “I’m afraid so. I intend to keep her with me until this is all over, so square that up.”

“I think that’s the best solution at this point. At least with her by your side, you can watch her. Let me get moving on these problems. I’ll call you back when they’re handled. Jammer, stay focused. We’re almost to ground zero.”

Jammer sighed. “It doesn’t change anything for us. I still can’t have a relationship with anyone and you know it. We both do.”

For the first time since Jammer had met the man on the other end of the line, he heard compassion in his voice. “If she’s willing to go under with you…?”

“You think I would subject her to the hell that I’ve had to go through these last three years?” Jammer hissed. “I can’t ask her to give up everything like I did. She has a family.”

“You have one, too.”

“It’s not the same. I’d be asking her to choose between us, and that just isn’t fair. I had no other choice to make. I was already dead. I made my choice based on what happened to me. It was the right thing to do. Fuentes has to be taken out of action.”

“Yes, it’s a tough situation you’re in. I admire what
you’re doing. We wouldn’t have even gotten this close to realizing our plan if it wasn’t for what you sacrificed. When we lost those agents…Even though we found you alive, I was incensed the mission had gone so wrong.”

“I bought into it. It was my decision. Their deaths are on both of us.”

“And now we have a real chance at making it right. So much is at stake—that’s why it’s critical to keep all this top secret. No one—I mean no one—can know.”

“I’ve kept my part of the bargain. I agreed to the rules.”

“I believe it’s what’s protected you all this time. Everyone—other agents, their agencies, even the president—was kept in the dark. It was our plan that the other agencies would perpetuate your cover for you. The disappearance of a few people all worked in our favor. But now those agencies are getting serious about bringing you in. So I’ll have to break protocol and reveal information to the director of Watchdog that I wouldn’t normally reveal.”

“Do what you have to do to buy me more time. Fuentes is so close to prison orange. He has to pay, or this has all been for nothing.”

“And the Watchdog agent? Would you risk it for her?”

“No. I couldn’t and still be able to live with myself—or look her in the eye.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

R
USSELL
S
TANFORD
, the director of the DEA, lay back on the pillows. He’d never had a case like this one. It
was unique, and the whole burden of the plan fell on his shoulders. It had been his idea. Of course, Jammer had leaped at the chance to bring Fuentes to justice.

Even now, Russell wouldn’t let himself think of what he had done to protect the whole operation. Sometimes justice required a hefty price, and someone had to pay it.

“Russell, is everything all right?” his wife asked in a sleepy voice.

“No,” he replied. “I need to talk to the director of Watchdog.”

“I hope you’re not in the doghouse,” she said with a chuckle.

That’s why he loved her. She didn’t mind being woken up in the middle of the night, she endured his sometimes unreasonable working hours and she was always there to support him. A true patriot’s wife.

“Go to sleep, sweetie. I’ll just be a minute.” Russell bent over and kissed her, then turned off the light. He went into the study for privacy and so he wouldn’t disturb his wife.

The first few phone calls he placed were to a couple of agents who excelled in what Russell liked to call a bag and gag. After indicating that Joost Roorback and Dieter Fromme must be kept on ice for an indefinite span of time, he then placed his next call to Gillian Santiago, director of Watchdog and the one who was going to keep Callie Carpenter on a short leash. She was a formidable woman and an excellent director. She would understand
that the DEA wouldn’t ask for dispensation unless it was due to dire circumstances. It looked as if he wasn’t the only one who was going to lose sleep tonight.

“A
RE YOU GOING TO
wear that on the plane?” Jammer asked.

Callie went to a mirror to check out her backside, trying to see what he was talking about. “Why, do I have a rip or something?” The denim skirt she wore was short and tight, made out of spandex. The hot-pink top covered her torso, but bands of see-through material played peekaboo with her skin.

“Or something,” he said, looking her up and down and shaking his head.

“What? It covers me,” she said with a smirk.

His eyebrows rose. “In all the right places.”

“If anything, it might get us through the customs line a little bit faster.”

Callie’s phone rang and she glanced at the number. Answering, she said, “Tina, you can’t believe what Jammer just said about my outfit.” Callie had been trying to reach her boss ever since she had woken up this morning. It was 3:00 a.m. in Washington, D.C., but Callie
knew that Gillian would be anxious to hear about the information she possessed about the Ghost.

“Can you get away?” Gillian asked.

She sounded very tired, but fatigue came with the job. “I only have a moment. We’re getting ready to fly back to Napa. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you.”

“I’m sorry about that. I’ve been on the phone with the DEA,” Gillian said.

“I have much more pressing news.”

“Gina, I’ll take the bags downstairs and check out. We still have enough time for you to talk to your sister,” Jammer said as the bellboy rapped on the door.

She chatted about Amsterdam as the bellboy efficiently stacked their bags on the trolley. He and Jammer left the room.

“Okay, he’s gone. You’ll never guess who Jammer really is.”

“I hate to steal your thunder, but I already know he’s the Ghost.”

Callie paused in pulling on a short black boot. “What? How is that possible? I just found out last night, and the only other two people in the room were Joost Roorback and Dieter Fromme.”

“Yes, that is true, but the DEA director called me himself. They had an agent in the organization who overheard.”

She pulled on the other boot. “Is that going to be a problem for us?”

“No, but you can’t arrest him until the Fuentes deal is done. The DEA has an operation going and they don’t want to jeopardize the agent they have in the field.”

“So we have to back off.”

“Don’t worry, the DEA director promised me there would be enough of the Ghost to go around. Just don’t lose him. Stick to him like a second skin.”

Callie smiled at Gillian’s words. Her boss had no idea how close Callie was to the Ghost.

“Oh, and, Callie, watch out. The Ghost is notorious for eliminating anyone who knows his identity. Roorback and Fromme have disappeared.”

“What?” Callie sank down on the unmade bed, her heart pounding.

“Yup, off the face of the earth. It takes some doing to make people disappear without a trace. I don’t want to lose one of my best agents. If it gets hot, abort and return to D.C. Let the DEA take over.”

Callie stiffened. “I don’t think so. I have lost this guy too many times to let someone else nab him.”

Gillian chuckled at Callie’s stiff tone. “I’m not going to lie and tell you this wouldn’t be a feather in Watchdog’s cap. But, Callie, I’m serious. Protect yourself first.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Don’t get smart with me,” Gillian said, and added quietly, “Be careful.”

“I didn’t take the job to be careful, Gillian, but I won’t be reckless, either.” It was way too late for that, anyway. That advice would have served her much better if she’d heeded it the first time she’d ever laid eyes on Jammer, the sinfully sexy bastard.

She exited the hotel room and met Jammer in the lobby.

“Did you have a nice chat with your sister?” Jammer asked as she came abreast of him.

“Yes, I did,” Callie replied, easily letting the lie roll off her tongue. She couldn’t stop thinking about Joost and Dieter. Had he killed them to keep them quiet? It was hard to reconcile this man with the reputation. There was something about him that suggested he wasn’t a cold-blooded killer, but what had happened to those two thugs?

He checked the slim Rolex on his tanned wrist. “She’s up at 3:00 a.m.?”

Was there suspicion in his voice? “Yes, she’s a party girl. Doesn’t get to bed sometimes until dawn.”

Jammer nodded. With his hand settled comfortably against the middle of her back, he ushered her out of the hotel and into the waiting cab.

“So what is the next step? When do you deliver?”

“Not for a few more days. Thanks to you and Roorback, I’m ahead of schedule.”

The airport was as crowded as she suspected, so it took them quite a bit of time to get through customs and security.

Three flights and seventeen and a half travel hours later they landed in San Francisco. Shortly after that, they were back at Jammer’s Napa Valley winery.

Jammer dropped the luggage at the front door, then grabbed their toiletry cases and her hand. “Time to get some sleep,” he said with a yawn.

“Really?” she inquired.

“Yes, sleep. We’re both exhausted. I’ll need to be fresh for the harvesting that’s going on here. I have
details to handle regarding the shipment for Fuentes and travel arrangements for our trip to Colombia.” He pulled her forward.

“I’m all for some rest. I’m beat.”

“Good.”

As they climbed the stairs, Callie asked, “So did you have Joost and Dieter killed?” She had to ask. It had been on her mind the whole trip back to California.

Everything about him went utterly still for a split second, as if her question had literally stopped him cold. But he recovered so quickly, Callie almost convinced herself she had imagined the response. He turned to look at her. “How did you hear about that so soon?”

“It’s a natural assumption. I know how you operate, Jammer. Everyone does. Those who find out the Ghost’s identity quickly disappear.”

“I did what was necessary to protect my alter ego. The Ghost needs to remain a secret. It’s the way it works.”

“Why is that?”

“For one, it keeps me out of prison. You can’t arrest someone who doesn’t exist. For another, it’s also very difficult to find someone who doesn’t exist. Jammer is a good cover. I’m just the Ghost’s muscle. No one usually pays me much attention.”

“I think it’s a brilliant idea. Sure had me fooled.” She scooted past him on the stairs, remembering where his room was.

“I can’t have anyone knowing who I really am.” He caught up to her and followed closely as they moved down the hall.

She turned to him, her tone serious. “Who are you?”

He yawned again and grinned at her, his smile bright in the dimness. “A tired man.”

She let him duck the question, because soon enough he was going to have to reveal who he really was. When she snapped handcuffs around his wrists. Confusing and conflicting emotions twisted and writhed in her chest, the pressure building like a steam engine.

“I know who the Ghost is. What are you going to do about me?” she asked, poking him in the chest. Outside they heard thunder rumble.

They hadn’t quite made it to the bedroom and Jammer hadn’t had a chance to turn on a light. The only illumination came from the moon, which was quickly getting swallowed up by clouds outside the wide windows. He suddenly pushed her up against the wall.

His gaze, hot and magnetic, caught her, his dark eyes glittering. “I don’t think you’re going to tell anyone my secret.”

Callie looked up into his face and felt her heart break. She’d already told her boss he was the Ghost. Already breached his trust. But, she rationalized, Callie wasn’t Gina Callahan and she wasn’t an arms dealer. She also wasn’t deeply, hopelessly, in love with the Ghost. All she had to do was repeat that to herself over and over again until it sank in.

“Why wouldn’t I tell anyone?”

Lightning flashed in the distance, casting his hard, handsome face in silver. “Because you’re not a blabbermouth, and you will keep the secret because it’s to your advantage. Now you have some leverage over me.”

“Do I?”

Dropping the toiletry cases, he leaned down, meeting her at her level, his nose almost touching hers, his eyes a shocking gray as if the storm that gathered outside now raged in his eyes, and said, “You know you do, Gina.” He grinned an unholy grin, his eyes shining like hard granite in the shadows. “You must know you do,” he whispered, his whiskey-hoarse voice scraping her nerve endings like a rasp.

As his lips found her throat and he began to kiss her with teasing little nips, Callie closed her eyes. She wanted to savor the feel of his mouth against hers and to compose herself, because, damn the bastard, he was right.

“There’s a part of you that wants to keep me safe from harm, a part that wars with self-preservation and your own goals. But it’s there,” he murmured, his deep voice thick with words he couldn’t say.

“I thought—” She broke off at the breathless sound of her own voice, cleared her throat and tried again. “I thought we were going to bed to sleep.”

He chuckled wickedly against her neck, sliding a hand up and down her upper arm, his thumb brushing seductively against the side of her breast.

“You’re right. I’m getting sidetracked.” His expression grew serious, intense, as he stared down at her, and a tremor went through her. This Jammer looked like a dominant male, a predator, capable of anything.

Callie shook her head, sidestepping him as he moved away from her and retrieved their toiletries from the floor. She was amazed at his ability to go from teasing
to serious, then seductive, then teasing again. It was almost more unnerving than his ability to make her want him.

He lifted his hand and cupped her cheek, the fire in his eyes softening to tenderness.

She leaned into him as his arm slipped around her. Together they went into the bathroom to clean up and get ready for bed.

Was that why she wanted to save him, protect him, find some way out of this tangled, impossible mission? Because Jammer treated her with the utmost care?

They quickly undressed and crawled beneath the covers. He immediately pulled her to his side, and she moved willingly into his arms.

“I hope you don’t hog the blankets,” she said.

“I hope you don’t snore.”

Callie chuckled and hit him with one of the bed pillows. He laughed.

Her eyes were drifting shut as he buried his nose in her hair. Softly, she whispered, “Jammer?”

“Yes?”

“If I didn’t have leverage, would I have ended up like Joost and Dieter?”

There was only silence in answer to her question. It spoke volumes.

C
ALLIE WOKE TO THE MOST
delicious scents, her nostrils flaring at the smell of freshly cooked eggs, mushrooms and peppers and the heavenly fragrance of coffee.

“Caffeine,” she murmured against the downy softness of the pillow. “This had better not be a dream.”

She heard a low chuckle and suddenly realized that she was alone in the big bed.

“Come on, sleepyhead. It’s time to rise and shine.”

“Just five more minutes, Mom.”

He laughed and then said, “I’ve got omelets and coffee. I even made fresh-squeezed orange juice.”

“Okay, then I think I’ll keep you around for a decade or so. Gimme.”

She emerged from the covers and discovered that he was carrying a tray and had nothing on except an apron tied around his taut middle.

“Eggs and a naked man. What more could I have asked for?”

“How about cream in your coffee?”

“Pour it on, buster, and give me a fork and a napkin. The fork for the eggs and the napkin for my drool.”

“At your service.”

“You can service me later. I’ll eat now.”

He set the tray in front of her, and without hesitation, Callie dug in. She groaned at the first bite as she discovered that Jammer had also used a little salsa in the omelet. The combined taste of the peppers, mushrooms and salsa stimulated her taste buds until they were dancing. “Damn, Jammer, your cooking is spoiling me for other men.”

He frowned at that. “Then I’d better stop.”

“This is the heartiest breakfast I’ve had in a long time. Are you trying to fatten me up?”

“You’re going to need your energy today.”

“Why is that? Are we going to spend the day in bed?”

His eyes flared at that, but he smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s harvest time. Don’t you want to see what we do here?”

“Oh, I’d love to.”

“Then finish up and have your shower. I’ll go first so I’m not tempted.”

He turned and walked away from her, giving her an eyeful of the perfectly muscled globes of his ass. “Nice butt,” she said. He threw a look over his shoulder, grinned and shut the bathroom door.

True to his word, Jammer drove her in a small cart down into the vineyards, where the clusters of grapes were heavy on the vine. Many people were already there, easily detaching the fruit with small curved knives.

At least, Callie
thought
it was easy until Jammer put one of those curved knives in her hand and started teaching her the maneuver.

“Leave a little bit of stem on the end, so we can handle the cluster,” he said, showing her a whole different side to him. A patient side.

Together, shoulder to shoulder, they harvested all the way down the row.

The sky was beautiful, the air washed clean from the short thunderstorm the night before. The temperature was perfect to be out in her black tank top and white peasant skirt.

As she moved along, she put the grapes in yellow buckets to be picked up by the truck.

“How did you get involved with this vineyard?” she asked, checking to make sure no one was in hearing distance.

“It was a cover, pure and simple, a place for me to escape to when I wasn’t traveling. Who would have guessed that I would love it? Jim was great in teaching me what I needed to know. At first he assumed I was one of those corporate types making an investment in a business I was totally ignorant about. I think he was surprised when I caught on and started running it. Then he was worried I would let him go, but of course I need someone here when business calls me away.”

He turned to look at her with a perfectly content smile. She brushed a leaf out of his dark hair, returning his smile. She bent back to the vines, trying to decide how big a fool she was for letting herself get caught up in Jammer. Really caught up in him, so that she almost believed in this fairy tale.