Hide and Seek (30 page)

Beneath him, Michelle trembled, making pride swell in his chest to know that he could give her this kind of pleasure. He wanted her to forget the fear of the last few hours and show her that he didn’t only bring danger and menace into her life, but that he could deliver passion and pleasure as well.

When she put a hand on the back of his head and caressed his scalp, a shudder traveled through his body, sending a flame of hot desire into his groin. He moaned into her flesh, letting her know how she affected him, how her touch aroused him and her taste made him want more.

“Oh Nick,” she murmured on a breathy exhale, her hips undulating.

Her words and actions spurred him on, made him lick her with even more purpose. Every moan she released, every movement of her body added to his excitement of pleasuring the beautiful woman in his arms, in his bed. Because she trusted him now, trusted him with her body, and maybe, some day, she could trust him with her heart, too. But he knew he had to earn this trust.

A change in Michelle’s breathing told him that she was on the verge of her climax. A fierce sensation of possessiveness charged through him at the knowledge that he was the one to drive her to such heights. And the thought that there might be other men after him made him growl, even though he had no right to think that way. There was nothing he could offer Michelle; nothing but a life on the run.

Michelle twisted in the sheets, her moans now more pronounced, her hands fisting the duvet, knuckles white as if holding on for dear life.

He wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked the little nub into his mouth, pressing down on it, while he teased her folds with his wet finger.

Her body exploded on a moan, and he drove his finger into her spasming channel, feeling her muscles clamp down on him, imprisoning him in her warmth. Wave after wave wracked her body, her orgasm taking her, while he continued to lick over her clit, wringing more pleasure from her body.

When she collapsed with a contented sigh, Nick lifted his head.

Michelle was a sight to behold. Her face was flushed, her body glistening, nipples hard and tempting as hell. Her eyes were half-closed, but she looked at him, a soft smile playing at her plump lips.

Without a word, he leaned toward the bedside table and retrieved a condom from there. He rolled it over his aching cock and positioned himself between her spread thighs once more.

Locking eyes with her, he guided his erection to her wet sex, nudging her nether lips apart gently. In slow motion, he slid into her, feeling how the walls of her channel enveloped him in a loving caress.

Michelle’s legs lifted and she wrapped them around the back of his thighs, pulling him to her. “That’s good,” she murmured.

“Yes.” And he could make it even better, not by taking her hard and fast, but by taking his time tonight. By loving her slowly and tenderly. As if they had all the time in the world.

He braced himself on his elbows and knees, making sure not to crush her under his weight, and brushed a strand of her hair from her face. Slowly he pulled his hips back, allowing his cock to slip from her until only the tip was still inside, before descending again on a measured exhale.

“I want to make love to you all night.” He brushed his lips on hers, letting her taste herself, and caressed her face with the pads of his fingers. “I want you to know that I would never hurt you.”

Her lashes fluttered and she looked into his eyes. “I know that now.”

“No matter what happens tomorrow, I want you to remember tonight. I want you to know that if I could, I’d give you so much more than just one night.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he put a finger across her lips.

“You deserve so much more.”

He took her lips and kissed her, putting all those things he couldn’t say into it, while his hips moved in an easy rhythm, his cock sliding in and out of her, unrushed, unhurried. Because tonight wasn’t about the race to release, it was about the journey, about the pleasure of getting there. It was about Michelle.

His body heated and sweat built on his skin. It made the contact of skin-on-skin even smoother, even more natural and sensual.

The warmth in Michelle’s eyes as she gazed at him filled his heart with hope. Her hands were on him, touching him, exploring him, caressing him. His entire body hummed with awareness, pleasure building inside him, making his heart beat faster and blood race through his veins as fast as a locomotive.

Though he didn’t want to climax yet, his body didn’t give him a choice in the matter. Being connected to Michelle in such an intimate way, he hurtled toward the inevitable. He couldn’t have stopped it anymore than he could stop a tsunami.

When the first bolt of pleasure charged into his cock, he tried to hold it back, but the wave was already cresting, already hitting him broadside. Hot semen exploded from the tip of his cock, and spasms rocked his body, making his hips jerk and his cock slam into Michelle’s soft center with such force that he feared he was going to hurt her.

But when their eyes locked, all he saw was pleasure in those blue orbs. Then her body stilled for a split second, before a visible shiver overtook her and her interior muscles gripped him tightly.

Her cry of release went through him, reigniting him, sending another intense wave of pleasure over him.

Breathing hard, he collapsed on top of her, managing only in the last second to brace himself on his elbows. His knees were shaking. Noticing Michelle’s heaving chest, he rolled onto his back, releasing her.

He turned his head to the side, looking at her, unable to say a word. She shifted, facing him. He reached for her, intertwining his fingers with hers.

Wordlessly, she stared at their joined hands. He knew then that letting her go would be the hardest thing he’d ever done.

21

“You clean up pretty nice,” Michelle said, pointing to Nick’s navy business suit.

They were sitting in the back of the van that Stingray was driving toward the CIA’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia. Ranger was following them in a second car, an inconspicuous Toyota Corolla, his girlfriend, Lisa, driving a gray Buick. At first Michelle hadn’t understood the need for so many cars, but Stingray had explained that Nick needed to drive himself to the parking lot, since he was the only one who could get a car through the gate with his CIA identification. The rest of them would have to wait at a safe distance. Once Nick was back, he’d have to ditch the car he’d used to get into the CIA, and they needed to be able to switch cars, in case they were being followed. Hence the need for the Buick.

Nick tugged on his tie. “Dress code is pretty formal inside Langley. I don’t wanna stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in,” Stingray said from the driver’s seat as he pulled over by the side of the road.

Behind them Ranger came to a stop too, as did the Buick.

Michelle glanced out the windshield. She could barely make out the little hut with the armed guards in the distance, the entrance to the CIA campus everybody had to pass through to get to the headquarters building.

She must have looked worried, because Nick took her hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. “I’ve been in there many times. I know my way around.”

“What if you’re recognized?” she asked.

“Even if I am, there are so many covert agents swarming around that place that nobody will ask me any questions. That’s just how it is in there. Isn’t that right, Stingray?”

The other Phoenix nodded with a grunt. “Sure is. Though it’s not without risk.” He motioned to the ID Nick had pinned to his breast pocket. “That’ll get you in, sure, but you know as well as I do that the code embedded in Sheppard’s ID will throw up all kinds of red flags. And once those work their way to the right person, your gig is up.”

Michelle felt as if somebody had just choked the air out of her. “What?” She glared at Nick. “Why didn’t you tell me about that? I thought nobody knew about the ID.”

Nick shifted in his seat, seemingly uncomfortable. “That was the case while it was hidden in the secret archive, but the moment I activated it for myself, it became visible to anybody who cares to look.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry, this is a bureaucracy like any other. The system security administrators working for the CIA are just as overworked and underpaid as anybody else. They don’t have time to chase every single abnormality.”

She didn’t believe him. The way he avoided her gaze now told her that he was aware of it, too.

“I’ve got at least an hour before they figure out the ID is bogus,” Nick tried to placate her.

“At most,” Stingray threw in.

Nick tossed him a sideways glance. “You’re not helping.”

“If you’re talking about backing you up when you’re lying to your girlfriend about the risk you’re taking, then, no, I’m not helping. I wasn’t aware that was part of my job.”

Michelle leaned closer to Nick. “I thought after last night…” She hesitated, searching Nick’s gaze. “I thought we were gonna be honest with each other.”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “We are. But I didn’t want to worry you. Trust me, I can do this. I worked as an IT analyst in Langley for many years. I know how things work there.”

“You didn’t mention that before,” Stingray interrupted.

Nick shrugged. “How do you think I was able to hide Sheppard’s ID in the first place? The moment I got his distress call, I did what I could to leave a back door open for myself. I knew that one day I would need to be able to get back in. But I had to run, just like the rest of you. It was all I could do in the few minutes I had.” He looked back at Michelle. “I’ll be in and out in no time. They won’t even blink.”

Despite his reassuring explanation, the doubt inside her didn’t subside. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Now—”

The pinging of Michelle’s burner phone interrupted him.

She pulled it from her pocket, her heart beating in her throat. Only one person knew this number and would contact her on it: Mr. Smith.

Before she could read the text message, Nick took the cell from her and looked at it. When he looked up again, concern spread over his face, making worry lines appear on his forehead and around his eyes and mouth.

“Fucking bad timing,” Nick ground out and exchanged a look with Stingray.

Michelle took the phone from him and read the message.
Now
Smith wanted a meeting? Damn it. “In two hours? That won’t give us any time to set a trap for him.” She looked at Nick. “We have to leave now. You have to go into Langley another day.”

Nick shook his head. “I can’t. The ID is already active. Tomorrow, hell, this afternoon, it will already have been flagged as bogus and they’ll arrest me the moment I set foot in the building. It has to be now or never.”

“Crap, crap, crap!” Michelle cursed. There was only one solution then. And as much as she hated it, she knew it was their only chance. “We have to split up.”

“Out of the fucking question!” Nick bellowed.

“Just hear me out.”

“Michelle, you’re not meeting him alone. That’s suicide.”

“I have no intention of meeting him alone. But somebody has to go there to set up surveillance.” She pointed to the text message. “He wants to meet on the island that houses Lady Bird Johnson Park. I know it. It’s across from the Pentagon, separated by Boundary Channel.”

“Boundary Channel?” Stingray asked.

“A waterway that connects to the Potomac,” she explained and looked back at Nick. “There are two ways to get on and off the island: via George Washington Memorial Parkway or with a boat. There’s a marina on the southern tip of the island, Columbia Island Marina.”

“What are you saying?” Nick asked.

“Somebody has to set up electronic surveillance there in case he slips through our fingers. We have to be able to track whether he leaves the island by car or by boat. And I’m the only one who has the technical knowledge to do that.”

“So do Ranger and Stingray,” Nick protested, looking at Stingray for support.

“That’s right. I know my stuff.” Stingray looked insulted.

Michelle tossed him a glare. “I know my stuff better, no offense. Besides, Nick needs you here. If something goes wrong, you’ll have to get him out.”

She could see Nick battling with the decision before him. “Then take Ranger with you.”

She shook her head. “He’s injured. He won’t be much help. I can work much faster on my own. I’ll be done long before Smith shows up. By that time, you’ll have left Langley and can meet me outside Arlington and then we can surprise Smith together. It’s the best solution.”

Nick glanced at Stingray. His friend nodded after a few seconds.

“She’s right, man. We’re running out of time.”

Nick took both of Michelle’s hands in his. “You go there, set up the cameras and you get out. You hear me? No hanging around there. Just in and out. If you’re not at the Arlington Metro in exactly one hour, I’m going to whip your butt when I catch you. Is that clear?”

She nodded, her heart racing at his impassioned statement.

“Make sure Stingray can get a hold of you while I’m in there. Do you have a cell on you?”

Michelle shook her head. “Only the burner from Smith.”

Nick glanced at Stingray, who already nodded and said, “I’ve got some spares.”

Nodding in agreement, Nick addressed her again, “Take the van. It’s got all the equipment you’ll need.” He turned to Stingray. “I’ll take the Toyota. Wait in the Buick with Ranger and Lisa, and take the communication system with you so you and I can communicate when I’m inside and you can watch my back.”

When Nick turned back to her, his gaze was heated. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her fiercely, then released her just as abruptly, and exited the van.

22

Nick exhaled a sigh of relief when the guard at the gate returned his identification and lifted the gate to let him pass. He pressed his foot on the gas and accelerated the Toyota, driving down the long driveway flanked by trees and bushes.

The entire Langley campus was surrounded by a thick forest, sitting there like an island. Several massive parking lots—all above ground—surrounded the large building, or rather buildings, since CIA headquarters was really made up of three separate but interconnected buildings. Once inside any of them, a person could get to any part of it—given the right access credentials of course.