The heat rose like a flame to her cheeks as she watched Logan while Del’s words branded her ear. Latitude. She had certainly, um, exercised that right. She cleared her throat and forced herself to forge ahead. “Yes, sir, I agree with you. I’ve long believed that our individual approach to each assignment is what makes us so successful.”
There was a brief pause, and Scottie’s heart paused along with it. Del couldn’t suspect … could he? She found her gaze locked with Logan’s. She hadn’t compromised anything, she reminded herself. Liar, her heart responded. If something happened to Logan, could she absolutely promise her responding actions would be based on what was best for the success of the current mission? Or what was best for her personally?
“He knew I couldn’t pull him out of there, not with the recent changes in plans.” Del’s gruff voice yanked her thoughts back to the matter at hand. “I ordered him to contain the situation as best he could without involving Ms. Gladiston.” There was another short sigh, followed by a string of swear words, most of them Spanish.
If she hadn’t been so worried and confused, she might have smiled. This sounded like the Del she’d worked for.
“I guess I should be getting used to losing that battle by now,” he said. “Hearts are dropping like flies out there.”
The team had taken many hits over the decade they’d been in existence, but none so crucial as the most recent changes. In fact, it had been those potential losses that had caused Scottie to take the team in a new direction. She had been given the job of not only running the team, but rebuilding it from the ground up. With several agents losing their field credibility, she’d begun an interior team as well as an exterior, or field team.
“As much as you’d like us to be otherwise,” Scottie said, “we are human.”
This time the brief pause made her swallow. She’d said too much. “Sounds like you know whereof you speak,” he said.
Wisely, she evaded a direct answer. He’d get his explanation when she got hers. Maybe by then she’d have an explanation to give him. “I know the team was close to being wiped out and that under my management and new direction, we’ll thrive.”
Del knew better than anyone how fragile an agent’s necessarily inviolable status could be. His own past confirmed it. And if that weren’t enough, one of the three agents they’d lost in the last three months, Diego Santerra, had lost his status by falling in love with Del’s daughter, Blue, during an assignment.
Then there had been John McShane. He’d abandoned an assignment midstream to fly halfway around the world because a woman he hadn’t seen in ten years had sent him a note saying she was in trouble.
The third agent had retired just weeks ago. Scottie vividly recalled the conversation she’d had with T. J. Delahaye in her office only weeks before. He’d been crawling out of his skin, trying to track down a woman he’d known for less than twenty-four hours. He’d been convinced this woman was his future.
Scottie had questioned him then, unable to fathom such a thing. But now …
Her attention was drawn unerringly to the man leaning negligently in the door frame, arms folded casually across a bare expanse of chest. A chest she’d been cradled against less than an hour before. A chest she wanted to be cradled against again. And again. Logan Blackstone.
A man she’d known less than a week.
How would she feel if Logan suddenly disappeared? Would she track him down as T.J. had done with Jenna? Would she be willing to give up her career as McShane and Santerra had been willing to do? If Logan really wanted more, as he’d said he did … well, what exactly did more mean? She knew from his experience with Sarah that when he committed, he committed fully. Every muscle she had tightened in anticipated pleasure at the thought of having Logan Blackstone committing himself to her. The idea overwhelmed her. The possibility thrilled her.
How much more did she want?
All, came the instant, resounding answer. She wanted it all.
“Maybe we only come with a ten-year guarantee,” she told Del, suddenly fighting a smile. A powerful rush pounded its way through her veins. Could she really pursue this, whatever it was, with Logan? Should she? Again, the word yes reverberated inside her head. And her heart.
Del grunted at her suggestion. “Whatever the hell it is, it’s making me old before my time.”
“You’re ageless,” she said. And single. Hmm. Ideas and thoughts that she had no business thinking, crossed her mind. If Del so much as suspected them, he’d not only fire her, he’d have her committed. If someone had told her even a month earlier that she’d be having these thoughts, she’d have had herself committed. For some reason, that thought made her smile as well.
Logan began to walk across the room toward her. Her pulse thrummed, and her heart started a staccato beat. Could this man really be mine? she wondered. Forever?
“Ageless?” Del grunted. “I guess that’s probably the one side benefit to having your appearance overhauled on a regular basis.”
Her attention snapped back to the conversation. “Is that what you’ve done?” It made sense. If he changed often enough, he could run the team without compromising himself or them to the many enemies he’d racked up over the years, enemies who knew his real face from the drug trial. They could track him through a change or two, maybe, but after a while … “How many times?”
“Often enough.”
“Then you are back.”
“There is really no time for this, Giardi. Later. I promise you. Right now I’ve got an agent not reporting in, and a wanna-be journalist in way over her head, running wild in the compound doing God knows what. Without someone on the inside, Martina Gladiston is like a loose cannon. We have no idea what she might have done. I trust your skills as commander or I wouldn’t have recommended you for the position, but I am pulling rank this time. I can’t give you those twenty-four hours. We need to move now before—”
An idea popped into her head as Logan came to a stop directly in front of her. “What if I could give you an insider?”
“What?” Del sounded wary, but he was listening.
“I said, what if I could give you another inside agent. One who happens to look exactly like the agent already in there?”
After a moment, followed by another grudging sigh, Del responded. “I’d say it sounds as if this will definitely be your last field assignment.”
He knew. Scottie should have felt chastened by his retort. Instead, she grinned at Logan as she said, “Yeah, that might be a safe bet.”
“I should read you the riot act, Scottie, but I find I can’t. Maybe I am getting too old for this.”
“Seve—”
“Later. All of this will be handled later. For now, I want to talk to you about putting Logan inside the compound.”
“He’s highly trained, Del. He’s—”
“I know what he is. I have the report right here in my hands. Your instincts are good, Giardi. I’m of the mind to agree with your proposal, except with his brother in there in heaven knows what circumstance, he could be a worse loose cannon than the senator’s daughter.”
Scottie wanted to drill Del on the contents of the file. She was dying of curiosity. But she’d have the time to read the file later. She caught Logan’s steady gaze. Staring at him while she spoke, she said, “You can trust him, Del.”
“His service record is a cause for concern. Some of the stunts he’s pulled make our guys look like choirboys. The guy thinks he’s the Lone Ranger or something.”
She grinned at that. “James Bond,” she corrected, “as played by Mel Gibson.” Logan’s mouth quirked into a sardonic smile, but he remained silent. Her smile faded under Logan’s continued regard. He had to know enough from her end of the conversation what the gist of the situation was. He’d made no indication one way or another about his willingness to be involved, but Scottie knew. She looked into his black eyes and knew. She took his hand in hers, wove her fingers through his, and held on tight. He held on just as tightl
y and gave her a short nod.
“I’d trust him with my life, Del,” she said quietly.
The pause this time was almost nonexistent. “Then let’s do it. I’ll hammer out the details with you and send in whatever you need. You get back to the location where you stowed the snowmobile. I can get a helivac unit in there without alerting too much attention. You’ll be responsible for prepping Blackstone. It will be your show after that, Commander.”
Scottie straightened her shoulders. Even knowing she’d compromised her field status by becoming personally involved with Logan, Del still trusted her. Her throat a bit tight, she said, “Yes, sir. I won’t let you or the team down, sir.”
“Of course you won’t.” Typical of Del, he didn’t give her time for any further expression of gratitude. “Let’s get down to business.”
Logan listened to Scottie’s end of the conversation and waited as patiently as possible for her to conclude and disconnect before speaking.
She turned to him, her face flushed, her eyes bright with anticipation. The wheels were turning at warp speed.
“You miss fieldwork, don’t you?” He had a million questions, but for some reason this was the first thing on his mind.
It obviously surprised her as well. “I enjoy what I do for the team now. It’s even more challenging than fieldwork.”
“But it’s still management. You like this playing on the edge, surviving on your wits.”
“I’ll admit I miss it. Sometimes. But I wouldn’t go back.” Her eyes widened slightly after she said it, as if she hadn’t known it herself until then. “Not that it makes any difference at this point. My field status is shot.”
Logan’s expression hardened. “Why? You haven’t done anything to compromise this mission. I’ll talk to Del directly if you—”
Scottie stopped him with two fingers on his lips. “No, you won’t.” She smiled. “But thank you for wanting to defend me. It’s a unique experience for me, but I find I’m liking it. You’re more a white knight than you think you are.”
“Hardly.”
She pushed her fingers into his hair. “Okay, a dark knight then. Does that appeal more to your rogue warrior sensibilities?”
Logan actually felt his cheeks heat up. She was quite sincere. The combination of having earned Scottie’s respect along with the feel of those fingers stroking his scalp was potent. “You don’t know me, Scottie.”
“Yes, I do.” She looked intently into his eyes. “I am you.”
He studied her long and hard, hearing the truth in her words, knowing them to be the truth deep inside his soul. If there was ever a woman who was his match, it was Scottie Giardi.
“I think maybe you are,” he said gruffly. He pulled her close to him. “Put your other hand on me, Scottie. I find I like to be stroked by you almost as much as I enjoy stroking you.”
She came willingly, her other hand circling his neck, teasing the sensitive skin at his nape.
“You’re a dangerous woman, Anunsciata Bernadina.”
She grinned. “I do like hearing my name on your lips.” She stepped in a little closer. “Now are you going to hurry up and kiss me before we are forced to get down to business, or am I going to have to play rough?”
“See, I knew there was more to this bondage thing with you.” Logan grinned and pulled her hips tight. Her soft gasp sent his pulse pounding. “You’re one breath away from finding yourself back on that couch.”
“I wish,” she said, her tone so heartfelt, he laughed even as he groaned.
“You’ll be the death of me, Scottie.”
She sobered immediately. “No. No, I won’t.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him hard on the mouth. When he tried to take it deeper, she pulled away. Even that short contact left them both breathing abnormally hard. “Promise me you will take every precaution inside that compound. You have to come back out of there in one piece, do you hear me?”
Logan felt his heart slip away. He let it go willingly, knowing she would keep it safe. “I hear you,” he said softly. “You’re right, you know.”
“Of course I am.” She smiled, the worry in her eyes abating slightly. “About what?”
“About it being a pretty nice thing having someone out there worrying about you, wanting to protect you. I could get used to that.”
“Good. I’m really not good at playing the helpless female who stands on the sidelines wringing her hands.”
Logan’s heart tightened at the fleeting thought of Sarah. Scottie was headstrong, but she was smart where Sarah had been impulsive, a clear thinker even when her heart was engaged, where Sarah had let passion rule her actions. Logan realized in that moment just how little control he’d really had over Sarah’s actions that night. Even had he not been involved with her, the chances of Sarah pulling a crazy stunt of some kind at some point were pretty high. Part of the responsibility would always be his, but he looked at Scottie and realized that for the first time, he could commit all of his heart with complete faith and trust.
“I’m not looking for a helpless female,” he said quietly. “I’m looking for a partner. I’m looking for a woman who will stand for me and beside me, just as I will her. I’m looking for a woman who won’t mind being watched over and won’t mind watching over me as well. I’m looking for a woman I can champion no matter what life throws her way … and one who will champion me. I’m looking for my own dark knight.”
“I’m not sure such a paragon of virtue exists.” She spoke barely above a whisper.
“No paragon,” he said. He felt her tremble in his arms. “Answer me this, Scottie, why is your field status compromised? Because you made love to me? To a man who was your assigned target?”
She shook her head slowly. “No. I lost my field status because I fell in love with the man I was assigned to protect, the man I made love to.”
He thought his heart would burst wide open. He never knew a person could feel such joy. “Then I guess I can stop looking.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. “I love you, Anunsciata Bernadina.”
“I love you, too, Logan Blackstone.” She buried her head against his chest and held on tight.
“I only wish Blackie were still alive,” Logan said. “He’d have loved you and vice versa.”
“I can’t give you that, but I can give you a brother that I know you’ll love.” She smiled. “He is the Lone Ranger. You guys can grow old swapping superhero stories. But we gotta rescue him and his lady love first.” Her smile was sly as she winked up at him. “Shall we, James?”
Logan whooped and scooped her up in his arms, kissing her hard and long as he spun them both around. She was laughing and so was he as he set her feet back on the floor. His arms wrapped tightly around her, he grinned and said, “Absolutely, my dear Catwoman. Let’s go save the planet one more time.”
TWELVE
Scottie sat behind her desk in her office, observing the small crowd gathered there while she spoke into the phone. No one was paying attention to her. It was a New Year’s celebration, albeit a few weeks late, and the atmosphere was festive.
She spun her chair around, facing away from the chatter, and looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows. A thick blanket of snow decorated downtown Denver. “Del, I was counting on you to be here today. You know how important it is to me for us to—” She broke off and listened to his protestations for a few seconds before breaking back in. “Blue is here. You owe this to your daughter, Seve. She should get the news from both of us. And don’t chastise me for using her. I’m serious about getting you in here and not above using emotional blackmail to do it. Now, I plan to announce your return whether you want me to or not. If you want to have any control over how I do it, then I suggest you arrive in the next hour. And don’t tell me you can’t. I know you’re in Denver. And if that’s not enough, I have a feeling there might be another announcement made today that you’d like to hear as well.” She hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.
>
She only hoped it worked.
“You going to come join the party, or don’t they let the boss have a day off?”
Scottie smiled as she turned back to her desk. T. J. Delahaye, all six feet seven inches of the man, stood on the other side. “It’s an ongoing compromise,” she said. “That’s why we’re partying in my office.” She looked around him. “Where’s Jenna?”
“Talking to Blue and Diego. They hit it off right away. She’s trying to talk them and the McShanes into coming out to the ranch.” He looked pointedly at her.
She raised her hands, palms out. “I know, I know. I promised you I’d give you a date, and I will.”
“He might be bigger, but nobody makes time with my woman without getting by me first.” Logan stepped out from behind T.J. and skirted the desk.
His voice sent chills down her spine. His woman. Oh yes! She was still getting used to it, and she loved it. She laughed and looked up at him. “Hey, I can fight my own battles.”
“What, and deprive us of some good testosteroneladen fun and adventure?” T.J. joked. He turned to Logan and extended a hand. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced yet. T. J. Delahaye.”
“Logan Blackstone,” Logan responded, shaking his hand. “Although I guess that’s not hard to figure out.”
T.J. chuckled and looked across the room to Lucas, then back to Logan. “It is pretty wild seeing the two of you together. I’m glad it all worked out,” he added sincerely.
Logan looked across the room, his chest tightening up as his gaze landed on his brother. Lucas looked up at that moment and the two shared a short smile and a nod. It was eerie, the instant connection he’d felt with Lucas, a complete stranger despite their genetic ties. They’d both talked about it many times over the last several weeks. “Yeah,” he said, clearing his throat. “Me too.”
Scottie tugged on his hand until Logan leaned over for a short kiss, delighting T.J., who made encouraging noises for her to continue. She blushed and broke it off, smiling private promises at Logan as he straightened. He fell in love with her all over again. Something he found he’d been doing on an almost hourly basis.
Dark Knight: A Loveswept Romance Classic Page 16
