Her own body started to tremble. It was as if she’d lost all control—lost herself, as well, in him. The feeling shot through her like a blast of heat, again and again. Her body gripped his, tighter and tighter, and then they just went soaring, flying. She cried out his name and clung to him, gasping for breath.
A minute later, he collapsed on top of her. She could feel the smile spread across his lips, because his face was buried against the side of her neck. She shivered when he kissed her there, teasingly, the smile still on his lips.
For a long moment their hearts were in perfect rhythm, pulsing in a hard, heavy beat, pressed together, slowing ever so gradually. She loved that—their hearts beating together that way.
She had her hands in his hair again, loving the way it felt, needing to touch him, and then she opened her eyes, looking up into the sky, a smile spreading across her face.
“Oh, Alex,” she said. “You’ve got to see this.”
He barely lifted his head. “See what?”
“The sky. The stars. Look.”
“You want me to leave this spot for stars?”
“Yes.” She laughed.
“I like this spot. I worked damned hard to get here.”
“Trust me, Alex.”
He grumbled a bit, but slowly, carefully pulled away from her. He made a show of collapsing onto the ground beside her, then settling her against his side.
The night air curled quickly around them, until there was blistering heat where she was pressed against him, skin to skin, and cold everywhere else. But the view... The view was incredible.
“Isn’t it amazing?” she said. “It’s like we’re on top of the world.”
He tilted his head down to hers, until they were cheek to cheek. She could feel his smile again.
“Now, you’re going to think I’m turning all sappy on you,” he warned, rolling onto his side, so he could see her and the stars. “But I think we are on top of the world. I think you took me there.”
“No, you brought me. Right here. It’s perfect. So good it scares me.”
“Don’t be scared,” he said. “Not with me, remember?”
Then he kissed her again, and they looked at the stars. The night was so dark, the stars so dazzling, it was as if they could almost reach out and touch them. A second later, one of those stars went spinning out of control, shooting off toward the east.
“Make a wish, babe,” Alex said.
She did—a wish, a heartfelt prayer. Keep him safe.
And they lay there, side by side, on top of the mountain, alone on top of the world, until the cold chased them away.
Chapter 14
As Alex had promised, she slept deeply, dreamlessly. They’d made the cold ride back down the mountain, climbed into an equally cold bed and huddled together for warmth and then made love again. She’d fallen asleep naked in his arms and had barely stirred for the rest of the night.
She woke sometime after nine, to find Alex’s hard, aroused body next to hers. He’d kissed her awake, and was inside her almost before she realized what was happening, moving urgently and powerfully against her. They both tried to make it last, holding back for as long as they could, but it was impossible that morning. Her climax ripped through her. She cried out his name, and he smothered her cry with a kiss.
Afterward, he didn’t say anything, just held on to her tightly, and when she couldn’t stand it anymore, she felt tears slip from the corners of her eyes.
He kissed them away. “Don’t,” he insisted. “Please, don’t.”
She fought to bring her emotions under control.
“Geri?” he whispered.
She turned her face up to his. “Hmm?”
“Remember when I told you women have a nasty habit of leaving me? Of dying on me?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to lose you today.”
She forced a smile across her face. It was one of the hardest things she’d ever done—to find a smile for him that morning. “I’ll be fine, Alex,” she lied.
They waited until the very last minute to shower and get dressed, throwing their things into the bag and then getting back on the bike, to find a pay phone. Dan was waiting for her call. He was ready. He had people with him who were ready. All Geri had to do was make the call.
“Do it,” Alex said.
“Once we do, there’s no turning back,” she warned.
“Geri, there’s never been a way to turn back, not from the very beginning.”
She sighed. She realized she had tremendous faith in him. She drew strength from him. If he’d shown any hesitation at all this morning, any doubts, she couldn’t have gone through with this. But he hadn’t. He’d made his plan, and he was sticking to it.
“We’re going to end this today,” he insisted.
Geri picked up the phone and dialed Division One headquarters, asking for Tanner. He came on the line immediately, roaring at her.
“Where the hell are you?”
“Somewhere in Wyoming,” she replied.
“We’re still sorting through the ashes in that damned cabin, Geri. We thought you might be dead.”
“Hathaway blew it up,” she said, letting her nervousness come through. “He’s crazy.”
Alex grinned at that and flashed her a big thumbs-up.
“Listen,” she said hurriedly when Tanner started asking questions, “I don’t have much time. This is the first time he’s let me out of his sight in days.”
“You’re still with him.”
“Yes. His ego’s tremendous. It wasn’t hard to convince him I’d do anything for him.”
Alex grinned at that, too.
“Tanner, just listen,” she went on. “We’re on a motorcycle. A red vintage Ducati.” She read him the tag number. “I know what he’s doing now. He’s going home to Chicago. We’re taking a northern route along I-90, and we’re still about eight hundred miles away. There’s no way we’ll make it today. He’ll find a cheap little motel on the interstate. He’ll let down his guard there. You can take him then, okay?”
“Where are you, exactly?”
“About an hour from the South Dakota border. He’s being careful, sticking right to the posted speed limit. The last thing he needs is to get pulled over by a cop. You can pick up our trail along the way today and follow us in. Don’t try to overtake him on the bike. He has a laptop computer with him, and he hasn’t worried about anything in his possession but that. The formula for the explosives has to be on it. If he tries to outrun you on the bike, anything could happen to it. Take him at the motel tonight, okay? He always stops around seven.”
“Geri—”
“Listen, he’s got a gun in his duffel bag, but he doesn’t carry one on him. He’s a lousy shot, anyway. You shouldn’t have any trouble.”
“Okay, bust—”
“Here he comes. I’ve got to go.”
She slammed down the phone, shaking by the time she was through. “Well,” she said to Alex, “it’s done.”
He hugged her to him, and she took a deep breath, hanging on to him tightly.
“I hate this,” she said.
“It’ll all be over tonight,” he told her.
She nodded, never dreading a single day more in her life, never more anxious for one to be over. She reached up and kissed him—hungrily, greedily.
“Alex, there’s no telling when we’ll have a moment to ourselves again. I just want you to know, crazy as they’ve been, the last few days with you have been...the best.” The best of her life, she realized soberly.
“Hey.” He held her face in his hands. “No talk like that. And nothing about goodbyes.”
“Okay,” she said.
“We’ve got to go, babe.”
“I know.”
He finally turned serious on her, looking uncharacteristically stern. “No heroics on your part. Promise me that.”
“Alex—”
“Promise me, Geri.”
“I don’t know if I ca
n do that.”
“Your boss wants me and that damned computer of mine. And you’re going to let him have us both. Promise me.”
“Okay, I won’t try to stop him from taking you from the motel,” she said. But that was all she’d promise, and even that was going to be hard for her.
Alex kissed her one last time. They set off on the bike, this time knowing they’d be followed for sure, and at the end of the line... Geri sighed. There was no telling what would happen at the end of the line.
She never spotted her boss, but she trusted her instincts. He was there. Dan, too. Geri felt a heavy sense of dread that started out in the pit of her stomach and built as the day wore on, threatening to choke her, when they finally pulled off the interstate in southern Minnesota.
She’d talked to Dan earlier. He’d traveled ahead of them, selected a motel and checked into three rooms, side by side. She and Alex would be in the middle one—surrounded, but far from safe. They jumped off the bike, went into the motel office and picked up the key Dan had left for them.
Geri dreaded the walk to their room, every step of the way, just as she’d dreaded every mile that had passed that day. She kept thinking there had to be another, less risky way, of doing this. Not that it mattered. It was already done. They couldn’t undo what they’d set in motion, much as she’d like to.
They got to the door of the room. Alex put the key in the door, then turned to her and gave her a world-weary smile, one she would always remember, always treasure.
I love you, Alex, she thought, her heart seeming to break apart at the realization. She’d never said those words to a man—had never said them to another human being in her life.
Her father certainly hadn’t wanted to hear them, and there simply hadn’t been anyone else. She’d never been the kind of girl to fancy herself in love with every boy who showed the least bit of interest in her, the kind who fell in love at least once a week. She’d never come close to that as a grown woman.
Until Alex.
He’d broken down all the barriers she’d so carefully erected, and she felt more vulnerable than ever, knew she had more to lose than ever before.
“Let’s go,” Alex said, charging ahead.
She lost her chance to tell him. There was no more time, not even for regrets.
Alex stepped inside. Geri followed him, locked the door behind them and then clicked on the lights. The door at the back of the room—connecting it with the room next door—slowly opened, and Geri found her partner standing in the doorway.
Standing.
“Dan?” She could hardly believe it.
Braced against the wall, holding up a black cane in one band, he said, “I’m not going to win any races any time soon. But I’m on my feet.”
“Oh.” Her mouth fell open. She was amazed and so relieved. It was an incredible burden lifted from her shoulders, to see him standing. “I’m so glad. I’d hoped, but—”
“We don’t have much time,” he reminded her.
“Of course,” she said, turning to Alex. “Alex, this is my partner, Dan Reese. Dan, Alex Hathaway.”
She didn’t know anyone else in the room, except Jamie Douglass, who introduced them to a tall, dark-haired, lethallooking man she claimed as her big brother, Sean Patrick Douglass. He was obviously a military man, and he’d brought along some friends, also military. Geri shot Dan a questioning look.
“Don’t ask. Let’s just say we’ve been busy since you disappeared, and Sean and his friends have been... helpful.”
Sean Douglass stepped forward and offered his hand to both of them. “I have friends in high places.” He grinned. “Dr. Hathaway, we’re going to have to take you in when this is over, no matter what we get on Tanner. But I think I can convince some people to listen to what you have to say. Hopefully we can get this straightened out quickly.”
“Thank you,” Alex said. “All of you. I appreciate the help.”
Sean shrugged. “Hey, it’s got to be better than spending another three and a half months hunting you down.”
Alex grinned. Geri wanted to scream. How could he be smiling at a time like this?
Dan came forward with a tiny radio transmitter for her and one for Alex. She took them both, slipped one inside her right ear, and the other into Alex’s.
“Okay,” Dan said. “Tanner’s been right on your tail all day. He’s across the road at that truck stop right now, watching this room. We’ve got our own person working behind the desk at the motel. He’s going to slow the man down as much as he can.” He touched a finger to his right ear. “We’re all on the same radio frequency. You’re both picking it up?”
Geri nodded. Alex did, too.
“Okay. We’ll be able to talk the whole time. We have mikes in the room. A camera there.” He pointed to a space at the base of a photograph. “We can see nearly everything that goes on in this room from the rooms on either side, and we have sharpshooters over there, and there.” He pointed to small holes drilled into the wall. “We’ll leave you alone with him as long as we can. You’ve got to understand, we don’t have much in the way of hard evidence, except that he told people at headquarters that Geri’s mission to Texas was a bust. He didn’t say anything about a certain cabin being blown up or about the two dead bodies in it. He claims Geri’s taking a few days off. That’s all we’ve got. So you need to get him to talk as much as you can.”
“I will,” Alex said.
“Tanner’s in a beige Ford Taurus. I doubt he came alone, and we’ll be on the lookout, but we haven’t spotted his backup yet. We didn’t want to get too close today and tip him off.”
“We won’t let anyone else in this room, except Tanner,” Sean said.
“Good,” Geri replied. “We’re set.”
“You’re armed?” Dan asked her.
She nodded.
He turned to Alex. “You’re not?”
“No.”
“Do you want to be?”
Alex hesitated, then said, “No.”
“Okay,” Dan said. “We’re set.”
A voice came across the radio, informing them that Tanner was approaching the motel office. Geri took a breath and tried to calm down. Dan was looking at her. As he left the room, he got her into the corner and warned, “Watch your back.”
“I will.”
“If Tanner’s here to take Hathaway anywhere but Division One, he won’t be leaving any witnesses behind.”
“I know,” she said. It was a risk she was ready to accept. She wasn’t leaving Alex now.
“Okay. It’s up to the two of you.”
Everybody else backed out of the room. Geri sat down on the edge of the bed, wondering if the mikes could pick up the thundering beat of her heart, wishing she had one more day with Alex, one more night, one more minute. He was standing in the middle of the room and looked over at her, giving her one of his patented, award-winning smiles.
She had to fight the urge to scream, to grab him and shove him out of harm’s way. Instead, she settled for saying in a deceptively calm voice, “Don’t turn your back on Tanner.”
“I won’t,” he promised easily.
“And don’t get between him and the sharpshooters in case they need to take him out.”
Alex nodded, and then it was time. The voice on the radio told them Tanner was walking across the parking lot toward their room.
Alex had been waiting for three and a half months to confront the man who’d betrayed him. The memory of the downed guard’s face had been fresh enough in his memory at first that he’d feared the inevitable confrontation when someone found him. But later, the memory had faded. Anger had taken over. He’d become recklessly angry, so much so that he’d been eager to confront the man responsible for tearing his life apart this way.
But now that the moment was upon him, things had changed. He was concerned about the woman by his side, the one who’d come to mean so much to him in so short a time. He didn’t care how well trained she was; he didn’t want her here
in the middle of this, and had thought of a half-dozen ways he might have kept her out of this today.
“God, what are you thinking now, Alex?” she asked.
He smiled a bit. “That I should have taken off and left you by the side of the road somewhere in South Dakota today.”
“What?” she retorted.
Alex could hear someone—her partner, he guessed—laughing in his earpiece, and he cursed the fact that they weren’t alone, that people could hear everything they said from here on out.
“It would have kept you out of this, Geri.”
“I would have been furious. More furious than I’ve ever been at you, and that’s saying a lot.”
“Yeah, but it would have kept you out of this,” he repeated.
She looked at him, a wealth of emotion in her eyes. He would have given anything for just a little more time alone with her. But all he had was a moment or two in front of an audience.
“Oh, hell,” he muttered, and pulled her to him, dropping one too-brief kiss on those luscious lips of hers.
“Alex!” she protested.
He shrugged, not letting her go. “You’re supposed to be smitten with me, remember? And naturally, with my colossal ego, I bought it.”
She frowned, took a breath and turned serious. “When he comes through the door, don’t make any sudden moves. Don’t act like you’re reaching for anything inside your pockets or behind your back. He’ll think you’re going for a gun. Don’t give him an excuse to shoot you.”
“Scared that somebody besides you will get the pleasure of doing that?” he teased.
“Oh, yes. That’s my main concern right now.”
He winked at her. “I’m going to miss you, babe,” he said. One way or another, they’d be spending some time apart after this.
He read the words on her lips. “Me, too.”
And then he had to look away. He couldn’t stand there and look at her any longer and pretend that everything was okay. It wasn’t. He was scared. Somebody was going to come bursting into the room any minute with a gun in his hand, and if the bullets went flying, there was no telling what might happen.
From the radio, he heard, “Subject’s at the door and armed.”
Spies, Lies and Lovers Page 20
