“Oh, God. Don’t remind me.”
He slid his hand over her shoulder and flattened it above her breasts. “I noticed something that morning I’ve been wondering about.”
“Underwire,” she muttered.
“What?”
“The reason my boobs looked so perky tonight. I don’t want to give you any false hopes.”
Laughter rumbled through his chest to her back. He slid both his hands beneath her arms and cupped her breasts to bring them above the water. “These little beauties don’t need any enhancement. They are perfect just as they are.”
“Little beauties? Well, it’s all a matter of proportion, you know. On a smaller woman they wouldn’t look so—” She gasped as he rolled her nipples between his fingers. “Mmm.”
“That’s not what I was talking about.” He ran his index finger up her breastbone. “I meant the hives on your chest. Was it from the champagne?”
“Oh, that. No, it was from the strawberries.”
“Ah.”
“I knew I would break out, but they were chocolate-dipped.” She lifted his hand to her mouth and licked his fingertips. “I couldn’t help myself.”
“Sometimes it’s tough to keep away from things we want, even though we know there’ll be consequences.”
She pinched his arm. “Don’t start.”
“What?”
“Don’t think about your duty or your honor or whatever it was that made you try to talk us out of this. I know the mission ends tomorrow.”
And I’m going to miss you. I don’t want to say goodbye.
She swallowed the words before they could come out. It wasn’t love, she reminded herself. “I’m not asking for a commitment. In case you forgot, I’m not exactly the poster girl for lasting relationships. Let’s just enjoy the moment.”
“I intend to, Emily. Back where I come from, we have a saying about not bothering to close the barn doors after the horse gets out.”
“Horse, huh?” She slid her buttocks against his groin. “Well, I wouldn’t say that, but I wouldn’t call it a little beauty, either.”
Chuckling, he crossed his arms beneath her breasts. “Once you take your armor off, you’re a generous, passionate woman, Emily.”
“Only with you, Tyler.”
He nuzzled his face against her hair. He didn’t respond.
An ugly thought flitted through her mind. Could his initial resistance to sleeping with her have been about more than his job? She should have considered the possibility that someone as gorgeous and as good at sex as Tyler wouldn’t lack for women. “You said your sisters are all married.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Have you ever thought about settling down, too? I started to ask you that before but you never said.”
“Yes, I’ve thought about it. Someday, I’d like to have a marriage like my parents’. They’ve been together for forty-three years and seem to be more in love every time I visit.”
“The only good marriages I saw when I was growing up were the ones in fairy tales. No, on second thought, those stop at ‘I do.’”
“My mom and dad didn’t have a storybook life. There were plenty of troubles, but they got through them as true partners. They set a good example for all their kids.”
“Yet you’re still single?”
“Uh-huh.”
“There’s no special girl waiting for you back in Miller’s Hole?”
“I’m unattached, Emily,” he said firmly. “Tonight wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t, no matter how hard you tried to seduce me.”
She pushed the ugly thought back where it belonged. Of course, he wouldn’t be cheating on anyone. He was too honorable a man to deceive a woman. She shouldn’t let her experience with Christopher’s dishonesty taint what she had with Tyler.
“And the truth is,” he said, “there’s no special girl back home because none of them would have me.”
She was surprised into a laugh. “Very funny. A hunk like you? What’s the real reason?”
He was silent for a while before he replied. “I had a hard time getting dates when I still lived at home. I was the proverbial runt. It’s why I first got into the habit of wearing cowboy boots. I needed every extra inch I could get. I didn’t start growing until I was seventeen and then I was as liable to trip over my own feet as my own tongue.”
She realized he’d been serious. She tried to picture Tyler as a boy, but it was impossible to get past the image of him as he was now. He was simply too much…man. “I had no idea.”
“Being puny in my formative years wasn’t my only problem. I was a loner. I preferred the solitude of the range to The Hole and wasn’t comfortable doing much talking.” He rested his chin on her shoulder. “Things changed when I moved away. Besides filling into my height, I mean. People saw me for what I was instead of what they expected me to be.”
“That’s when you joined the Olympic biathlon team,” she said.
“Right. I had some great coaches. They believed in training the mind as well as the body. That continued when I joined the army. It gave me skills I’m proud of and the opportunity to be part of the bigger picture.”
“You’re good at your job.”
“It’s important to me. It’s where I belong.”
She took a few moments to digest what he’d said. The self-confidence he displayed now had been hard earned. They had more in common than she’d guessed. Perhaps it wasn’t that surprising. Only someone who had experienced repeated rejection would understand the need to develop armor. That’s why Tyler got her. It was more evidence that the bond they’d developed over the past week went beyond the physical. She rubbed her foot against his calf. “Want to know why I wrote my first newspaper article?”
“You said you were in the ninth grade?”
“Our school’s quarterback wanted me to write his English assignments for him. Like an idiot, I’d assumed he had been paying me all that attention because he liked me, but he set me straight. No jock like him would take a second look at a red-headed beanpole. So to save my pride I wrote an article about the systemic cheating that was going on with the entire football team. They all got suspended a week before the regional playoffs.”
“Whoa. You had guts.”
“Needless to say, that didn’t make me Miss Popularity in Packenham Junction.”
“I would have liked you.”
“I would have liked you, too, Tyler.”
He kissed her cheek through her hair. “My family would like you.”
“My family would eat you alive.”
“That reminds me.” He lifted her right arm off the tub rim and turned her so that she faced him. Water sloshed to the tile floor. “I seem to recall you once made a threat about biting.”
Emily laughed and opened her mouth for his kiss.
And in that moment, all logic, caution and experience to the contrary, she realized she could far too easily fall in love with a man like Tyler Matheson.
Chapter 9
Black-and-white images were flickering across the monitors in fast-forward as Tyler entered the briefing room. There was another hour to go before sunrise, but Esposito and Duncan were already at work. Or more accurately, judging by the weariness on their faces, they were still at work. He poured a mug of coffee and went to stand behind them. “Are those the surveillance tapes from last night?”
“What’s left of them,” Esposito replied.
“What happened?”
“According to palace security,” Duncan said, “the equipment malfunctioned.”
“Sounds too convenient.”
“That’s what I said.” Esposito ejected one tape and started up another. It showed the corridor outside the grand ballroom. The time stamp indicated the footage had been taken two hours before the reception had begun. Figures in catering uniforms moved past purposefully. So did the canine team from the palace guards. “They all cut off ten minutes after the first guests started to arrive.”
“Who had acce
ss to the security system, Duncan?” Tyler asked.
“In that section of the palace, the feed was split between the regular police force and Gorrell’s guards.” His jaw worked as he suppressed a yawn. “I already showed them how to tweak the setup so it can’t happen again.”
“You figure El Gato had help from the police?”
“He had to. We didn’t find any stripped cop in the area, or any chubby woman missing her dress. That means he didn’t play it by ear by acquiring his disguise once he got in. This was planned beforehand.”
Esposito rubbed his face. Stubble rasped under his palm until he moved his hand to his bald pate. “Gorrell’s got some more housecleaning to do. Someone on the inside is playing on the other team.”
“Did anything come back on those security checks your pals reran, Dunk?” Tyler asked
“The staff all checked out. We’re still waiting for more background on some of the politicians. Oh, and we did get an ID on the prints we sent them from El Gato’s body. His real name is Miguel Castillo. He’s originally from Rocama. Used to work for the Juarez family as an enforcer before he tried his hand at freelance work and went international.”
“Which means he’d have connections all over the island. Any one of them could be the one who helped him get past security.”
“Yeah. We can’t relax our watch on the envoy. There could be more trouble to come.”
“Let me know if anything pops up from Intelligence.” Esposito got off his stool and stretched. “I’m going to catch a few hours’ sleep before the major’s briefing.”
“Sure thing, Chief.”
He looked at the mug that Tyler held. “Careful with that stuff. It’s been cooking all night.”
Duncan waited until Esposito’s footsteps had faded, then swiveled to face Tyler. He regarded him in silence.
Tyler set the coffee down without tasting it. “You got something you want to say to me, Duncan?”
“What’s the point? I’m not your keeper. I’m not hers, either.”
There was no reason to ask whom he was referring to. Kurt and Gonzo had seen him go into Emily’s room. They’d also seen what time he’d left. Word traveled fast among the team. It wouldn’t take a trained observer to put the pieces together.
Tyler wasn’t going to make any excuses. For one thing, what had happened between him and Emily wasn’t anyone else’s business but theirs. For another, he had enjoyed it too much to pretend he was sorry. Making love with her had been inevitable. Though the timing had been bad, he couldn’t honestly regret the act. Or acts. He only hoped that eventually, she would feel the same way.
He checked his watch, then emptied his mug and put on a fresh pot of coffee. He watched as the coffeemaker burbled. “Any meetings on the envoy’s schedule before she leaves?”
“Only one. It’s the payoff.”
“Why?”
“Seems she got what she wanted. Gorrell’s going to sign the deal for the base.”
Tyler turned, surprised. “When did that happen?”
“There were some midnight phone calls while you were busy. The incident with El Gato knocked most of the president’s cabinet off the fence. The general consensus was that any group who has the capability to get an assassin through palace security and stage a direct attack is a serious threat to the government itself. They realize they need help to stop the Juarez cartel.”
“Politicians can see the advantage of having a powerful friend.”
“The annual rent for the base won’t hurt, either. The cartel won’t find it so easy to buy support once we move in.”
“The major must be pleased,” Tyler said. “I heard he’s been wanting to finish the job against the Juarez family for seven years.”
“Uh-huh. Looks like everyone got what they wanted last night.”
It was the second swipe. “I thought you had nothing to say.”
“Hell, Tyler. Emily was hanging on by a thread after Jack finished with her. We all saw that. You were supposed to be the one who was concerned with her feelings.”
“I was and I still am, Duncan.”
“She’s earned our respect. She deserved better.”
Tyler fought to hang on to his temper. He wasn’t going to let Duncan provoke him, because he would need all his resources for the battle that was yet to come. It was the only one that really counted.
He’d told the major he would see his duty with Emily through to the end. Now that the envoy was going to get her deal, it appeared the end had arrived.
“You’re right about one thing,” Tyler said. “Emily did deserve better, but you’re wrong about the other.” He poured a fresh mug of coffee and walked to the door. “I didn’t get what I wanted. Not by a long shot.”
Emily lay on her back and listened to the distant rumble of thunder. The stars had disappeared behind a bank of clouds hours ago, so the only way to judge the time was from the gradual lightening of the gloom. She wasn’t sure whether she’d slept after Tyler had left, yet she didn’t feel fatigued. She felt energized. All she needed was to think about the things they’d done together and an echo of pleasure went zinging through her body. If she felt any shame, it was because an evening that had ended so tragically for others had ended so perfectly for her.
Well, not quite perfectly. Perfect would have been waking up to see Tyler’s face on the pillow beside hers. She moved her arm to the place where he’d lain. His warmth had faded hours ago. She rolled to her side and pressed her face to the sheet. Only a trace of his scent remained. She closed her eyes and inhaled what there was of it, then flopped onto her back again and draped her arm over her face. “Damn,” she whispered. “You’ve got it bad.”
So much for not letting her emotions get involved. She’d almost convinced herself that it was going to be strictly sex. After all, any healthy woman would have had a hard time remaining physically unaffected by a man like Tyler.
Yet as much as he’d pleased her physically, it was his words that had made the deepest impact. It took a very secure man to admit his vulnerabilities. It also took a secure man to admit that he did want a stable, loving partnership for life. That wasn’t fashionable for most guys. There was still a double standard in society. Men, particularly handsome, sexy ones, were expected to play the field and to avoid commitment like the plague. Yet Tyler had spoken readily about admiring his parents’ marriage. It amazed her that no woman had snagged him before this.
Not that she could consider him snagged now. One night of sex, especially an incomplete one with a whole truckload of extenuating circumstances, did not a relationship make. She’d been the one to say she wasn’t expecting a commitment. She knew full well that she shouldn’t let her imagination get away from her. She needed to be cautious. She was still on the rebound from the most disastrous relationship of her life. Her judgment was impaired.
Yet if she wasn’t already half in love with Tyler, it wouldn’t take much to push her the rest of the way over the edge.
As if on cue, there was a gentle rap on her door. Emily rolled off the bed and drew on her robe. She winced when the sleeve caught on the edge of her bandage, but she’d already dismissed the pain before she’d crossed the room. She knew of only one person who would seek her out at this hour. She also felt as if she could sense his presence.
She stopped to take a steadying breath before she touched the doorknob. Sensed his presence? God, she did have it bad. She fluffed her hair, pulled her robe closed and tied the belt. “Emily?”
Tyler’s low voice sent another one of those pleasant zings through her body. She reminded herself to at least attempt to keep her cool. She didn’t have too much experience with morning-afters, and she’d had no experience whatsoever with mornings after nights like the one she’d just had. How was she supposed to act cool when the thought of seeing him again was already making her melt?
She opened the door.
“Good morning.” He held up a mug of coffee. The aroma drifted across the threshold like a spiced
kiss. “It’s not as good as Chief Esposito’s but it should do the job. Can I come in?”
Oh, yes. She was teetering right on the brink. She closed the door behind him and went to turn on the bedside light. He’d showered and shaved. His hair was still damp and rumpled by his typical finger-combing. He was wearing his jeans and a blue golf shirt instead of a suit. It reminded her that the mission would be ending today.
Some of her pleasure dimmed. “Thanks, Tyler.” She took the mug from his fingers. “I could use some coffee.”
He glanced around the room. Instead of going to the bed, he walked to the window seat.
The clouds beyond the window flashed with lightning. Emily tried to ignore the chill she felt as she moved toward him. It was probably the weather. “What I’d really like is a good-morning kiss.”
He cradled her face in his palms and gave her a long, thorough kiss. Yet when she pressed closer, he caught her elbow and stepped back. “We need to talk, Emily.”
“What’s wrong?”
A volley of rain hit the windowsill and drummed on the notebook she’d left on the seat. Tyler shut the window, drew the curtains closed, then picked up her notebook and moved it to the floor, along with her stack of printouts and her camera. “Please, sit down.”
“If you’re getting delayed conscience pangs about whether or not you took advantage of me, just forget them. I thought we got that settled.”
“No, this concerns something else. I need to clear the air.” He took her hand and guided her to the cushion. “Please, sit. This may take a while.”
She did as he asked because her legs were beginning to feel wobbly. “You’re making me nervous, Tyler. My experience with morning-afters is pretty limited, but I don’t think they’re supposed to go like this.”
“I’m sorry. I realize I should have discussed this before we slept together, but once I touched you I couldn’t bring myself to stop.”
Emily raised the mug of coffee to her lips to give herself something to do with her hands. “I’m not going to get pregnant,” she said against the rim. “I had just finished…” She cleared her throat. “It was the wrong time of the month.”
Accidental Commando Page 14
