Agent Undone

by Cassidy Reyne

  Madison was soon engrossed in her work and had earbuds in to listen to the conversation with Lisa she’d previously recorded. The words were flowing across the pages and she only stopped occasionally to get quotes down word for word. It was a harrowing and upsetting story, but Madison had learned to shutter her own feelings while telling it to the magazine’s readers. It was the only way she could do the job without falling apart and become a total basket case.

  Once the recording had finished, and Lisa’s story was written across the screen, Madison sat back and took a deep breath. Her coffee gone cold, she padded back into her little kitchen and made herself another. Settling back in her chair, she read the story through again and made notes of where it needed changing or developing. Once she was happy with the article, she closed the lid of her laptop and sank down on the little sofa instead with her legs curled up underneath her. She sipped slowly from her coffee while gazing out over the blue ocean. The sun was up and only a few wisps of white cotton scudded across the sky. Madison let her thoughts wander freely as she watched a couple of pelicans contemplating a swim at the edge of the water. She loved the peace and tranquility reigning over the morning and was grateful her little cottage was at the far end of the beach as not many people ventured this far.

  Her gaze wandered along the shoreline and suddenly stopped as she spotted movement at the end towards the village. Someone was moving along the sand, but she couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman. As the figure got closer, she saw that it was definitely a man. With her heart thumping in her throat, she sank back against the cushion of the sofa trying to make herself as small as possible. She knew it was silly as no one knew she was here and probably wouldn’t even spot her as they went past anyway. Still, she kept an eye on the man and soon realized he was out jogging. The closer he got the more familiar he looked, and her adrenaline spiked in time with the rapid beating of her heart. Who was it? She didn’t know any men out here — none that went jogging anyway. It was really only some of the shopkeepers she’d chatted to occasionally as she picked up groceries or other supplies, and none of them would be out jogging on the beach, as far as she knew. The man drew nearer, and she frowned as she saw he ran with a noticeable limp. That’s when she recognized him. It was the man from the grocery store the other day. The one who had come in while she was doing her shopping, and whom she’d hidden from. So he hadn’t found it too small and quiet here, as she’d expected. Was it possible he had sent him? Somehow she didn’t think so as he wouldn’t be jogging past her house. If he had found her, the door would have been broken down by now, and she’d be dragged kicking and screaming to a vehicle before it raced back to Seattle as fast as possible. No one would even know until it was far too late. The only people who would miss her would be her editors at the magazines, and they had no way of knowing where she’d gone. They would probably just give her up as a lost cause when she didn’t reply to their emails, or answered their calls.

  The man jogged past her at a leisurely pace, but didn’t seem to notice there was anyone on the little porch. He was tall and well built, his hair a chestnut brown with darker strands where it had been soaked by sweat. She couldn’t see much of his face, although his profile told her his jawline was chiseled and his nose straight. Another chill of fear down her spine dragged her attention away from the man and she realized she’d been staring at him. Suddenly, her mouth felt dry and parched. Blood pounded in her ears and she balled her hands into fists so hard her nails dug deep into her palms. As he retreated in the distance, she drew a ragged breath of relief and sat up straight again. She felt dizzy and stayed still while her breathing calmed. Her hands loosened and she felt the sharp sting where her nails had left deep, crescent shaped marks in the skin. After a few deep breaths she felt almost normal, and relaxed somewhat. She finished her coffee and went back inside to get another one. She didn’t normally have this many, but the jogger had rattled her and she needed something to do.

  Standing in her little kitchen she decided to make some tea instead, and took out her fruit infusions. She could do without any more caffeine for a few hours. As soon as her tea was ready, she grabbed another book and went back outside. The heat was picking up and the sun was almost at its highest in the sky. Once more, she lost herself in a story while the fresh breeze from the ocean played with the ends of her hair and caressed her bare legs and arms.

  A rhythmic, rustling sound pulled her away from the book and as she looked up, she realized it was the jogger coming back. She froze. If she tried to move now he’d definitely spot her and she didn’t want to draw any attention to herself. Her hands felt clammy and she berated herself for letting her attention slip. Why hadn’t she kept an eye out or disappeared inside before he was close enough to see her? She had to be alert at all times. It was the only way she’d keep herself safe. Her heartbeat increased, there was a rushing sound in her ears and she forced herself to calm down and breathe. As the man ran past by the water’s edge he looked up and gave her a quick wave and a smile. At least, she thought it was a smile. He had clearly seen her, and it made her feel nauseous, with shivers running down her spine. She was trying so hard to stay under anyone’s radar, she didn’t want anything to ruin the quiet life she’d built for herself. It was difficult enough to be on your own as it was, but to also not be able to live a life out of the shadows was depressing at the best of times. This is what she had, though, and it was much better than what she’d escaped from.

  With a sigh she picked up her empty teacup, and walked back into the house, casting a final glance at the man who had now stopped running and was walking instead as he made his way back towards the far end of the beach.

  Madison spent the rest of the day putting the final touches to her articles before emailing them to the magazines for final approval. She knew she’d have to go and see them soon so she might as well start planning another road trip to Atlanta. The incident with the jogger had rattled her enough to stay inside her little house for the rest of the day despite the heat and humidity. With all the doors and windows locked she felt a little calmer and could concentrate on her work.

  Chapter Five

  That evening, as Carter sat sipping his beer on the deck watching the sun go down, he found himself thinking of the woman he’d spotted at the cottage. He’d gotten the impression she was petite and slender, and without even having seen her face clearly, he somehow knew she was beautiful. He felt a tightening in his jeans and angrily shook himself out of his musings. How the hell could he get a semi just thinking about a woman he’d only caught a glimpse of for a few seconds? He must have gone too long without getting laid if this was how desperate he’d become. Maybe it was time to see what the local nightlife in the village had to offer. Surely, there had to be some women willing to share a bed for a few hours. Tomorrow night, he’d definitely take a walk to the local bar and find out. He might have to go in to Port St. George one evening, but that was doable. At least he wouldn't run the risk of bumping into the women again if he didn't tell them where he was staying. It wasn't as if he was settled here permanently, anyway. With his mind, made up he pushed all thoughts of the mysterious woman out of his mind and decided to go to bed. He was drained from having written up his accounts of what had happened when he got shot, and didn’t feel much like watching anything on TV. There was only so much staring out to sea a man could do.

  As dawn broke the next morning, Carter was up and ready for his run with more energy than usual. He’d already decided to run to the end of the cape again, all the while telling himself it was not because he wanted to catch a glimpse of long chestnut hair swaying in the breeze. On the way back, he wasn’t disappointed and gave the woman another quick wave and a smile. This time, he definitely saw a small hand hesitantly return the wave before she turned back to her computer. For some odd reason, it felt like a small victory to him, and he found himself wanting to see a smile on her face. He got the strange feeling that she was sad and lonely, but he gave himself a mental
slap for putting thoughts in his own head based on a quick wave of a hand and long hair hiding a face. He was being ridiculous, and he knew it.

  Carter followed the same pattern for several days and was rewarded with a similar, small gesture in response to his own, but he also realized he wanted more. For the life of him he couldn’t understand why he was so drawn to a lonely woman he hadn't been able to see up close, and had never exchanged a single word with. It wasn't like him. Going to the local bar hadn’t happened either as he’d made up excuse after excuse every night. He was either too tired, had too much to do, wanted to watch something on Netflix or, best one yet; wanted to finish a chapter in his book. It was total crap and he knew it, but as long as it was only himself he was lying to, he figured it didn't really matter.

  After nearly a week of running past the beach house and waving to a complete stranger, Carter was very disappointed one Monday morning when he’d got up a little earlier than usual with every intention to stop and say hello. He had a strong urge to see this woman up close and find out if she was as beautiful as he’d imagined. As he ran past on his way to the tip of the peninsula, he noticed the car wasn't in the driveway and there were no lights on. He felt his heart sink a little and had to push himself to go all the way to the end before turning back. When he neared the house again he could see no signs of anyone on the porch and there were still no lights on in any of the windows. Had she left for good? Maybe she was just renting for a short period and had gone back to her real life? Somehow, Carter felt sad at the thought he might never see her again, and increased his pace the last quarter of a mile back to his own beach house to chase his stupid thoughts away. For fuck’s sake; he’d never said a single word to this woman. Why was he so drawn in by her? So fascinated by her existence? He just couldn't understand it and vowed to himself he would definitely go to the bar that evening and find a woman to have some hot sex with. It was about damn time he got back in the game. His leg was much better and could certainly take the strain of having a woman under him, and around him.

  That evening, Carter found himself sitting in the only bar the village had to offer at this time of year. In just a week or so, there would be another two opening up for the holiday season, and the locals were now gearing up for the onslaught of tourists with kids to treat and money to spend.

  The bar was about half full, which was surprising as there were still no vacationers around. Then again, it was a Friday night, so the locals had to go somewhere for their date nights. He looked around and saw a few promising prospects for some fun, but decided to wait a bit longer, just in case something better came along. The fact that his dick hadn't even stirred at the thought of getting some action was quickly pushed aside. The right woman just hadn’t come along yet, that was all.

  By 10.30 pm, Carter walked out of the bar with his shoulders hunched, disgusted with himself. There had been several gorgeous young ladies in that bar. A couple even came over to join him for a drink or two, but he had felt way too old and mature for them. What the fuck? Since when had he ever felt too old for a pretty girl? He was only thirty two, for fuck’s sake. Ok, admittedly, two of the women were probably about ten years younger than him but that had never bothered him before.

  Carter strode down to the beach and stood staring out over the dark ocean, taking deep breaths to clear his head. He must still be suffering the after effects of being shot, he rationalized. Yes, that had to be it. It had been a traumatic experience, and even though it hadn’t been the first time, it had most definitely been the worst. Hopefully, it was the last, as he had no wish to get an even worse injury next time. At least it hadn’t hit any major organs or damaged things permanently. With a scowl darkening his face, he returned to the bar and sat down with a nod to the surprised barman. He drained his drink in one and turned on the stool to survey the possibilities. Over in the corner, a woman with long brown hair caught his eye, and as soon as she glanced his way he made a beeline for her. She gave him a confident smile as he approached and tossed her hair over her shoulder. Her top was cut low — very low — and what he saw piqued his interest. Her skirt barely reached past the cheeks of her ass, and if her comments were anything to go by, she was definitely interested. His only problem was he now doubted how much he’d be able to do with his leg still on the mend.

  Thirty minutes later, Carter found himself leaning against the wall at the back of the diner with the girl’s lips wrapped around his cock. He leaned his head against the concrete and groaned at the sensation as she deepthroated him. The girl had style, that was for damn sure. He wrapped her long hair around his hand, and started thrusting in short little jabs into her mouth. She hummed in pleasure. Her wet mouth slid up and down his shaft, and her hands squeezed his ass to hold him in place. Her tongue was stroking and licking him and he could feel his dick swell and throb against her lips. Letting go of his ass with one hand, she started to caress his balls and it nearly tipped him over the edge. He sucked in a breath between clenched teeth and held her head still for a few seconds to stop himself from coming too fast. Most of his weight was on his good leg, but he could feel a cramp building up in his left thigh. Carter started to buck his hips, grunting loudly. She went back to sucking hard, and he could feel the tip of his cock hitting the back of her throat. As she started to hum again, the vibrations of her vocal cords made his balls tighten. With a shout, he emptied himself in explosive jets of hot, ropy cum into her mouth. As soon as he was done, he pulled out and brought the girl up from her knees. She tried to kiss him, but he didn’t want to taste himself on her lips, so he spun her around and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her skirt up with one hand as the other snaked inside her panties. His dick stirred at the sensation of his finger slipping through her dripping folds before pushing it inside her slick heat. His free hand slid underneath her top and cupped her breast before he pinched the nipple hard. He repeated the movement with her other breast. The girl moaned and squirmed in his arms, but he wouldn’t let go. Sliding his finger harder and deeper into her, he soon pushed her over the edge, and she came in great, shuddering whimpers. He held her for a minute as she slumped forward before he pulled her up and removed his hands. He wiped them on a tissue from his jeans pocket and handed one to her as well. With a quick kiss on the cheek and a muttered goodbye, he walked away and strode down to the beach and towards the house.

  His head was spinning like a whirling dervish with his emotions all over the place. He alternated between feeling pretty fucking good and thoroughly disgusted with himself. The only relief was that the girl had told him she was only there for the weekend and would be gone by lunchtime tomorrow. At least he knew he didn’t have to see her again, and there was no chance of her becoming clingy and making things awkward. He finally settled on feeling satisfied and sat down on the porch with a quick shot of vodka. The satisfaction he’d just felt soon vanished as his leg started throbbing again. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d just been given blowjob and left the girl with an explosive orgasm of her own. Why did that fill him with a burning sense of guilt in his chest?

  He went to bed in a foul mood and tossed and turned until a few hours before dawn when he finally succumbed to a fitful sleep. He awoke before daybreak from a nightmare that had him in a cold sweat and feeling like he had the hangover from hell. He knew it was from not sleeping properly, as he’d only had a couple of drinks in the bar, and even with the little tryst in the dark he’d been home early — for him, anyway. He threw his covers off and found his running gear in the dark. His sneakers were by the porch door and he laced them up tight to stop them from coming off in the sand. Running was the only thing that would keep his nightmares at bay and make him tired enough to sleep a few more hours once he returned.

  With a sense of both anticipation and dread, neither of which he could understand, he set out on his usual track in the damp air. It was a little earlier than normal and dawn had only just started to lighten the skies.

  The feeling of dread increased
in his chest as he jogged past the cottage where there were no signs of life. It was too dark to be able to see if there was a car in the drive, there were no lights on and nothing stirring anywhere. He felt weirdly disappointed, but shook it off as it didn't make any sense. Running hard, he made it to the end of the cape and turned around at a slower pace. His leg was hurting like a motherfucker with every step, but he pushed through as some kind of weird punishment for his actions the night before. The skies were getting lighter and the sun worked its way up over the horizon. Halfway back, another jogger drew nearer, and his heart picked up started beating faster upon seeing long, dark, flowing hair pulled up in a high ponytail. It was her, the woman from the beach house, he was sure of it. There was no mistaking the color of that mane and the classical features of her face. He’d only caught glimpses of her from a distance, but he knew it was her.

  He slowed to a gentle jog and smiled as she came closer.

  “Hi. You enjoy torturing yourself at the crack of dawn as well, I see.” Carter smiled broadly to show he was only joking. The woman came to a stop a safe distance away, looking as if she was about to bolt. There was a haunted look in her eyes and mistrust displayed all over her face.

  “Uhm, hi. Yeah, I guess.” Her voice was soft and melodic and made Carter feel strangely happy. He stayed where he was as he didn’t want to scare her off now when he finally had a chance to actually talk to her. He got the distinct feeling she was wary of people — or maybe just men?

  “Do you run often? It’s just I’ve only seen you on your porch.” He winced immediately at his words. He sounded like a stalker and that was the last thing he wanted. “I mean, I’ve seen you sitting there when I’ve run past in the mornings. I’m not a crazy stalker or anything, I promise!” Talk about putting your foot in your mouth. He’d just put both his size 12’s in at the same time. Why couldn't he explain himself without sounding like a psycho? For some inexplicable reason, this woman made him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time. It was like he was a fumbling teenager again.