“If it is, Colonel Swift?”
“Then they have themselves a highly classified mess to help me clean up. Bravo Ghost is my biggest concern. They have access to a lot of private things that can’t get out.”
Blackhawk played the game. “Like Oracle?”
Once more, there was a pause. “Are you asking or telling me, Director?”
Ethan laughed. “You can clear me with Gabriel Rothschild. My co-director and I are handling it for him. We’ve been briefed. We know all about the situation.”
He let out a breath. “Okay, send them over. Once here, I’ll have my personal attaché at the gate waiting for them. His name is Sergeant Joe Hartford.”
Blackhawk was pleased. “My two agents will also have a detective with them. He’s privy to the issue and acting as a civilian liaison in all this. He doesn’t have a clearance level, but he’s been checked and is clear. His wife is the profiler. You’ll have control of the situation.”
“Thank you for calling me on this one, Blackhawk. You have to know how hard it is to maintain control over this many people. I don’t know how this got shuffled under my rug, but I will get to the bottom of it.”
Ethan looked up at his wife. “Oh, I’ve had staff issues too. They can be a handful.”
She pointed at him, almost menacingly.
It took everything not to laugh.
“Send them, Director. Oh, and I owe you one.” With that, the call ended.
Callie was impressed. Their bosses did exactly what they promised.
“You heard the man. Mosey on over there, but make sure you check in with us. We want updates. You’re not only playing Fed on a Marine base, you’re ambassadors to this office. If you jack this up, I will kick your ass,” Elizabeth threatened.
“Remember, let the Oracle thing drop. We’ll check that avenue and pursue it if it’s deemed necessary,” Ethan promised.
Before heading out, they realized they didn't have a car.
“Ginny will get you one,” Ethan said, anticipating his people. When they finally left, he glanced up at his wife. “We have a really big problem.”
She didn't disagree. “Yeah, but I have a plan if we fix this mess.”
He was curious. Patting his lap, she crossed to him and took a spot there. “Want to tell me about it, baby?”
Whispering in his ear, a big smile formed on his lips. “I am so glad I’m married to you.”
“Why’s that, Director Blackhawk?”
“You’re sadistic but an evil genius. I happen to find that hot.”
Again, she didn't disagree.
To be in their position, you had to be.
Chapter Eight
Tuesday Evening
A fter hiking for the entire day, mostly without stopping, they arrived at the cabin. Once Maura saw it, she noticed that it wasn’t as run down as she thought it would be. After being on her feet all day, what was behind the old wooden door would be a welcome reprieve.
Scanning the area, she noticed that Luke was already grabbing some wood from the massive pile beside a tree. “I don’t think it’s going to be that cold tonight,” she offered.
He glanced up, grinning at her. “If you want water heated for coffee or to cook food, we’ll need to start the wood stove.”
“When you said roughing it, you meant it,” she teased.
“Well, it’s secluded, surrounded by trees, and pretty private,” he stated. “We need all three of those things in order to stay hidden from the world. Welcome to what I like to call Eden. Coming here is always amazing, since I can find myself when the world is too chaotic.”
She understood why he did it. There were times she did the same thing, disappearing just to find herself.
They had a lot in common.
Shit!
Following him into the cabin, she dropped her pack. It felt damn good to shrug out of it.
God!
Her entire body was numb from carrying the weight.
“You’re standing in the kitchen, but if you take three steps, you’re in the spacious living and dining room,” he added, waving his arm. In that moment, he wished he was with her somewhere much nicer than the old cabin.
He wanted to take her to places that he never dreamed of seeing before that moment-Paris, Ireland-anywhere there was a beautiful hotel and a chance at wooing the woman before him.
Lucas sent out a silent prayer. He only needed a sign and a chance.
“I’m sorry it’s not bigger,” he began.
In all honesty, Maura didn't care. This was about staying off the radar, and this place was pretty far off the beaten path.
It worked for her.
“It’s perfect for what we need, Lucas. I’m used to small caves and hills.”
He let it go. Luke didn't want to picture her in any of those scenarios.
“If you follow me this way, madam, I can show you to your room. The place only has one bedroom, so I’ll take the sleeping bag and couch,” Luke stated.
Yeah, so he could guard the door.
Once inside, the space was pretty small, but there was a decent sized bed. “I’m surprised there aren’t bunk beds in here.”
He laughed.
Suddenly, she had an idea. “You know, you don’t have to sleep on the couch, unless you’d rather sleep there than with me.”
That made the laughter bubble up from deep within his gut. If she really believed that he’d pick a dusty old couch over a gorgeous woman, Maura must think he was crazy.
Oh, there was no doubt what he’d want to do if they spent one more night in bed together.
Luke was only human.
Yeah, and male.
“I don’t want to sleep out there, but I was being a gentleman.”
“Well, we can share then. The bed will be more comfortable than a sleeping bag. Besides, if something goes bad, we’ll be in the same room together. It’ll make it easy to get an escape plan in order.”
He was infinitely disappointed that the invitation was based on her getting them out of there. Suddenly, he hated the military.
“Sure thing.”
Maura could hear the angst in his voice. She was trained to pick up just about everything. It was time for a subject change until she could figure out what had him stirred up. “What surrounds this place, other than that bitch of a hill and all these trees?” she asked, sitting on the side of the bed.
“To our north is a river. There’s this quiet little fishing hole there. One of the tributaries empties into it and it’s like glass. You can see the fish a mile away.”
“That’s handy,” she offered, rolling her neck.
“Yeah, we’ll be eating a lot of fish because I’m pretty sick of jerky,” he teased.
Maura was accustomed to missing a day or two of food at a time, so she’d pretty much consume anything she could at this point. It was all about survival and energy.
Watching her sit there, Luke could feel his temperature rising. While he was trying to be a gentleman, he couldn’t help but picture them sleeping together. Granted, the night she showed up at his place, they’d laid on his bed together, but this seemed…intimate.
“What?” she asked.
He didn't answer. Luke couldn’t. She looked amazing dressed in her black military garb as she stared up at him. It was the green eyes that pulled him in, sucking him below.
“Are you okay, Lucas?” she asked, noticing the look on his face. It was a cross between confusion and like he wanted to say something to her.
“Yeah, I’m just beat. I don’t know how the hell you do it all the time,” he said, referring to the long covert walks across great distances.
“Oh, I’m feeling it,” she admitted, sensing that he was lying to her. Something didn't feel right, and she was accustomed to using her gut for survival.
“Are you sore?” he asked, taking a step closer to her. He paused when he wasn’t sure what he would do if he reached her side.
That was another lie.
&nb
sp; He was well aware of what he would do.
Luke would kiss her.
“You could go down to the water and soak your feet. It’s probably the perfect temperature,” he offered.
One of them had to get the hell out of there. If she didn't, he was going to do something totally stupid, like pounce on his friend’s sister.
He needed to be a gentleman.
It was important.
Yeah, and so was having her.
Struggling in the moment, Luke tried to see her as Quinn’s baby sister, and it wasn’t working.
“That sounds awesome!” she admitted. “I’ll do that.”
“I’ll set up our gear,” Luke offered, watching her head out. When she was out the door, he dropped his forehead the nearest wall as he closed his eyes.
This was going to be hard.
Damn hard!
Everything in him wanted to do stupid things, and the battle was brewing. The scent of her hair permeated the room, driving him even closer to madness.
Luke was on the edge.
Taking a few deep breaths through his mouth to avoid the tantalizing scent, Luke steadied himself as he prepared to get the cabin ready. The first thing was the fire. Once it was stoked and working, he went to the sink and prayed there would be water. The plumbing in this old place was sketchy at best. When the water poured out, he was grateful.
Okay, at least they wouldn’t dehydrate.
Carrying his and Maura’s gear into the bedroom, he ran his fingers over her rucksack. It was hard to believe he was falling for a Marine.
Fate was funny.
Glancing down at his watch, he noticed that she’d been gone a little too long. Maura shouldn’t be out wandering alone in the woods.
His heart began to thump at all the potential dangers she could run into. Heading out, he decided to check on her. She was the reason they were up in the middle of nowhere, and Luke needed to reassure himself that she was safe.
Granted, she could likely take care of herself, but it didn't matter. If anything happened, Quinn would kill him.
Not to mention he’d hate himself.
He wasn’t taking the risk.
Moving silently down the trail, he followed the well-worn path until it opened at the cove. It was peaceful as the moon shone down onto the glass water.
Then, it hit him.
She was nowhere to be seen.
His heart thundered in his chest, as he began taking in his surroundings. She couldn’t have gone far.
Luke needed to find her.
Spotting an outcropping of rocks, he noticed Maura’s things. It looked like a pile of clothes.
Now, his heart was thundering for an entirely different reason. Wherever she was, the Marine was completely naked.
God!
He was in so much trouble.
Watching the water, there was no sign of any ripples, and he began to wonder if he’d been wrong. Moving closer, to assure himself that they were indeed her things, Luke saw the first telltale sign of bubbles.
Slowly, they increased in number until they formed ripples in the still water. When she gradually emerged, Luke was completely captivated.
While she looked sexy in her military gear, like this, Maura Gaines looked like some mythical water nymph. He couldn’t breathe. The siren in the lake called to him.
“It’s perfect in here,” she admitted. “I could come here for a vacation and get lost here for weeks.”
Maura wasn’t surprised when she surfaced to find him. If anything, her being gone for a while would draw him near. Maybe that was why she did it.
There was something about the man.
The harder she fought, the deeper she sunk. The Fed before her was like emotional quicksand.
She was screwed.
Yet, a part of her was testing to see how much he wanted her. Maura was well aware that sleeping in the same bed would lead to one thing--sex.
So, why not kick it off already? She was a big believer in letting the chips fall where they may. He was a sexy man, and she was drawn to him. From their night before, Maura could tell that he was attracted to her too.
That meant they might as well face this head on. In her life, she didn't like to ignore the obvious. You raced toward it and dealt with the consequences.
She was willing to do that.
“I’ve done this myself a few times,” he finally admitted, as he watched the moonlight reflect off her shoulders and the drops of water on her skin. Maura was submerged to her breast line, and he was curious as to what she would look like lying naked on the rocks.
His entire body tightened in want.
Oh, he knew what that visual would look like. He had a pretty good imagination.
“Why don’t you come in?” she asked, tempting him.
He looked around as if there was a chance this water nymph was talking to someone else.
Maura’s laughter floated like jasmine on the breeze, caressing his body as it wrapped silkily around his flesh.
“Yes, I meant you,” she admitted, “unless you don’t want to.”
Again, how could she even think he wouldn’t? There had never been a lovelier woman in the world to him. From her tipped up nose, delicate features, and grass green eyes, Luke was trapped.
At this point, he’d cut off an appendage to be naked with her in that water. For him, the tables had turned. While he believed he’d have to chase her down, now Maura was ensnaring him in her trap.
Luke loved every second of it.
She watched him consider it. That action alone proved to her that he was a decent man. Lucas Mars was actually considering the ramifications of joining her. She could see the battle brewing across his handsome features.
“Are you sure?” he offered, hoping she wouldn’t take this option off the table. He was giddy with the possibilities. There was only one other woman in the world he wanted this much, and now that he’d found Maura, Luke saw that his infatuation with Callie was nothing more than that.
He longed to be with the woman in the water.
He could feel it all the way to his core.
“I want you to join me, Lucas,” she admitted, moving closer to shore. Maura knew more of her body was being revealed, and Luke was reacting to it.
For that brief second, he watched the moonlight accentuate the drops of water on her bare breasts. It was like he’d fallen asleep and was having the best dream of his damn life.
Without having to say more, he tugged off his black t-shirt and tossed it toward her things. Toeing off his boots, they joined the pile of clothing. When his fingers found the button of his pants, they paused.
“Maura,” he began, trying to find the words to warn her that he wasn’t turning back. If he dove in, there was going to be only one outcome.
“It’s okay, Lucas. I’m not teasing you.”
That was all he needed to hear. Dropping his fly, the pants fell to his ankles, and he kicked them off. There he stood in his boxers and all his erect glory.
Maura couldn’t miss his arousal through the fabric. It turned her right on to see how much he wanted her.
Everything she had been feeling was most definitely reciprocal. There was no mistaking that.
“I need to know. Are you completely naked?” he asked, picturing the treasure beneath the water.
Slowly backing up, Maura grinned wickedly. “Yes, I am.”
It was all he needed.
Dropping his boxers, his body was in full view for her to see. It pleased him that her gaze followed the long line of his body, settling on his erection. When she licked her lips, his body shook in need.
There could be no doubt how he felt. Slowly, he moved toward her.
Maura could barely breathe.
Luke was incredibly sexy. As he approached the water, she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
She never wanted anything more in life than him at that moment.
Reaching the water, he strode toward her until he reached Maura’s side. Luke
stopped inches from her, his breath hitching in his chest. He knew that the second he touched her, all bets were off. There was no way he could stop himself from indulging in his wildest fantasies.
“Maura,” he whispered, staring down at her.
She didn't hesitate. Moving into him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth to hers.
In the moonlight, she showed Luke her heart and all the emotions housed there.
Tonight, she would be Maura Gaines, not the major. For that one moment in time, she would allow her needs and wants to supersede the rest of the world.
This evening, she would allow herself to feel.
Luke couldn’t believe it was happening. He was naked in the water with his dream come true. Two days ago, he could only hope this would happen.
Now, it was.
As her mouth moved hungrily over his, Luke let the emotions take him for one hell of a ride. It was like a storm, pulling him under. When she wrapped her legs around his hips, trapping his erection between their bodies, he moaned.
Heaven was so close, he could taste it.
Maura couldn’t get enough. The feel and scent of Luke drove her into the madness. She couldn’t believe that she was doing this in the middle of nowhere with him.
It felt perfect.
Everything about it was right.
This was her reward for serving her country and doing her duty without ever questioning it.
Tonight was theirs.
Luke lost his balance, and they tumbled into the water. Where he thought she would break the kiss, Maura didn't. With her mouth sealed to his, she only deepened the mating of mouths. As her tongue moved in perfect syncopation with his, Luke wanted to scream a chorus of hallelujahs.
This moment spoke of everything that he ever wanted.
In that moment, he needed her to survive. Luke allowed his hands to slide up her body, bracing her to him. As her mouth devoured, his fingers explored.
This time, it was her moan which filled the kiss.
Knowing they needed to breathe, Luke found his footing. Still, Maura remained connected to him. He never wanted her to let go. Luke could live like this forever. Trapped in that one incredible kiss, he could let the world go and only focus on what mattered.
Sinner Realized Page 13
