by Wendy Rosnau
“I didn’t expect you. Nadja’s about ready to have the baby. I thought she would be keeping you close to home.”
“A month away. I don’t plan on staying. I just dropped in to bring you a present. Merrick says you’ve been working your ass off and could use some help.”
“It’s true, he’s been keeping me pretty busy.”
It was then that Jacy saw the luggage in the hall. “He didn’t send me Tommy the tech, did he? Hell, I—”
“No, not Tommy. Polax and Merrick were talking the other day about this off-base tech support you’ve been doing for Onyxx and Polax has offered his new Quest agent to come on board.”
“You’re kidding, right? Merrick thinks I’m going to let a stranger move in here with me?”
“She’s not exactly a stranger.”
“She?”
Bjorn glanced at his watch. “I’m going to have to take off. I just came to see how you were doing and to drop off your personal assistant.”
“Wait a minute, Bjorn. What the hell are you talking about—”
“Pris, honey,” Bjorn called out, “I’m taking off. You want me to carry your luggage into your room before I go?”
“That’s okay. I can manage.”
Jacy had longed to hear her soft voice, thought about what he would say to her if he got the chance. He’d wanted to fly to the island to see her that first week. Then he’d decided she needed time with her mother. Then he’d talked himself into a corner—she’d made the choice to leave, and if she wanted to see him again, she would make the choice to return.
Is that what she’d done?
He glanced at Bjorn. He was wearing a wide grin. He suddenly remembered what his friend had said a minute ago. “Did I hear you right? She’s working for Quest?”
“Polax never did fill Nadja’s position.”
“Wait just a damn minute.”
“Hold on, Pris isn’t going to be put in the field. She’s going to be here, helping you out.”
“In what capacity?”
“Her specialty is deviant minds. ID fraud. Weaponry. You could use an extra pair of hands, right?” Bjorn wiggled his eyebrows. Chuckled. “Why don’t you go say hello, while I see myself out.”
“She’s nineteen years old. Polax should be shot for—”
“I’m twenty now. I had a birthday.”
Jacy looked past Bjorn. Pris stood beside her luggage with her hands on her trim hips. She was wearing jeans and a red fitted flannel shirt that cupped her breasts and showed off her little waist.
Bjorn smacked him on the back, said he’d call in a few days, then went out the door.
After a long minute, she said, “If you’re really opposed to the idea, I can catch Bjorn.”
She struck a sexy pose, sucked on her lower lip. The memory of what it felt like to kiss her sent his body into hard drive. He shook his head. “No, ah…it’s all right. I guess we can give it a try.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
Jacy removed his hat, shrugged out of his coat. “How have you been?”
“Fine, except for one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“I missed this place.”
“It was your choice to leave…out the window.”
“I did that because I didn’t want to say goodbye.”
Jacy dropped his coat and hat on the couch. He couldn’t believe she was standing there.
“How long are you going to stare? Shouldn’t I at least get a welcome kiss, or something?”
He reached her in three strides and lifted her off her feet. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.
“I’ve missed you, Pris.”
He slid her down the front of him, and when her feet were back on the floor, he cupped her face and kissed her.
Suddenly she squirmed out of his arms. “I see you’ve made some changes around here. The new window in your bedroom lets in more light.”
Jacy grinned. “Someone told me once that it would give me a better view of the lake.”
“Was she right?”
“Why don’t you see for yourself? Now you don’t even have to get out of bed to enjoy the view.”
“It’s a little early for bed.”
“I wasn’t planning on sleeping.” He scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom. Setting her down in front of the oversized window, he stroked her cheek, kissed her again.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you, too. Koko told me this was a good place to heal. She was right. I’m starting to feel better already.”
“Smart woman, my grandmother.”
“Should we call her and tell her I’m back?”
Jacy turned Pris to the window and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Somehow I think she already knows. Look across the lake.”
And there, on the far shore stood Koko wrapped in her worn coat, her pink scarf tied around her head. She raised her arm high as if she knew they saw her, and slowly she waved her hand side to side welcoming sisttsi nan home.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6735-4
PERFECT ASSASSIN
Copyright © 2005 by Wendy Rosnau
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, New York, NY 10279 U.S.A.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
Visit Silhouette Books at www.eHarlequin.com
*The Brotherhood
*The Brotherhood
*The Brotherhood
†Spy Games
†Spy Games
