True Love Lost (An FBI Romance Thriller (book 3))

by Kelley, Morgan

  That caught him off guard. “I mean,” Whitefox actually blushed and continued, “You don’t eat meat and here you have animals I hunted and ate, watching you.”

  She walked into his living space and like his brother’s it was warm. It had lots of Native American colors, patterns and yes, there were the animals. “Callen, I don’t mind that they’re there. You ate them; they didn’t die just to be a trophy. People have to eat. I don’t eat meat because of the job I do. Before I was an ME I did like meat. I still will eat seafood if need be.”

  He relaxed.

  “Is that bear skin?” She pointed at the rug under his coffee table.

  “Uh yes.” He cringed as she walked over and knelt down to run her fingers over the fur. “I always wondered what one would feel like,” she asked smiling. “You can’t touch the one in the zoo. Apparently when they post the sign ‘don’t feed the bears’ they mean it.”

  Her smile was enormous, contagious, and she was funny when they were alone.

  “It’s a little different when you’ve seen him running at you and you’re his next snack, I guess. I didn’t really think ‘oh let me pet him’. I was thinking more ‘don’t get eaten by the big angry bear’,” he laughed as she wandered around his room. When she stopped at his wall with shotguns on it, he was curious to see what she’d do.

  “May I?” she asked, before touching it.

  He walked over and pulled the shot gun down for her.

  Desdemona was accustomed to shotguns, the one her grand-mère had was similar. She popped it open to see if it was loaded. “Loaded gun on the wall, Callen?” Desdemona grinned up at him. “Living dangerously huh?”

  His heart skipped a beat as he watched the sight before him. Here was this little woman, holding his shotgun and actually looking like she knew how to use one. “Are you familiar?” he asked, watching to make sure she didn’t accidentally shoot him or her.

  “I’m better with a shotgun than a handgun, believe it or not,” she smiled. “I’m a decent shot,” she added.

  This intrigued him. “Really?”

  “You doubt me?” she inquired, laughing. “Do I need to prove it to you?” She loved a challenge. In medical school when the male students doubted her, it made her work that much harder.

  “Well if you must you must.” The good ole’ boy grin said it all. Whitefox wandered to his fridge, grabbing a six pack of beer and six soda cans. “Ammo is on the shelf, join me outside.”

  Desdemona was laughing. “I hope we aren’t shooting at the beer, that just seems like a horrible waste if alcohol.”

  “That’s for drinking, the soda is for shooting. When we Blackhawks target shoot, we like to live on the edge and mix beer into the situation. We’re crazy like that.” Now he was laughing too. “It’s not much fun with Elizabeth being pregnant. She wins all the time when Ethan and I get drunk. Then again, she can outshoot me sober, so I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

  She followed him out, and they both stood on the porch.

  “I’ll set them up. You just don’t point that at me until I’m back.” He ran off through the snow and set the cans up on a log he and his brother had just used a few weeks ago. “Okay,” he trotted back. “Let the shooting begin!”

  Desdemona grinned up at him. “You give your first dates loaded guns all the time?”

  “No way! I usually don’t know their names. I sure as hell don’t want them to have a gun.” He laughed and blushed that he actually said it out loud.

  “Callen, relax and don’t screw up the date. You don’t get a re-do on a re-do,” she laughed. “It would be the date that never ends!”

  “The official date hasn’t begun yet, but thanks for the warning.” Being around her was easy. When she smiled at him, actually found himself grinning back. “Okay, six cans, you have two shots per load. First two cans are yours. If you miss, I get whatever I want.”

  She laughed. “Yeah, well I bet it’s going to be sex related. I’m betting that’s not the wager when it’s you, Ethan and Elizabeth.”

  Callen’s body clenched at the idea of that being the prize. He wished many a night it had been. “No, we go hardcore and shoot for cash, but for you the ante is sex.” He winked at her.

  “Okay, if I get them both?”

  “Then I have to make the next two, or you get what you want?”

  She thought about it. “You’re going to go vegetarian for an entire week.”

  He looked appalled. “Seriously? That’s a hardcore bet.”

  Desdemona sat on the rail of the porch and cracked open a beer, taking a long sip. “Hell yeah, Special Agent Whitefox. You aren’t going to touch meat for a full week. I sincerely hope you like salad.”

  Callen was grinning like an idiot. “I’ve been hunting since I was ten. You are going to be putting out, Desdemona. On the first date too,” he snickered and cracked open his own beer.

  “That goes to show you. I already put out and wasn’t even dating you,” she answered, laughing.

  Whitefox opened his mouth and then just started laughing. She had a point and anything he could say might be construed the wrong way. Again, zipping it to preserve the first date re-do.

  “Callen, are you sure you want to do this?” she wanted to warn him and give him a shot to back out. “A full week without meat is a long time for a carnivore.”

  “No way, I’m looking forward to making you put out again, but this time naked on the bear rug.” The idea drove him wild. Pale delicious Desdemona naked on the bearskin he hunted down. It made him feel like a caveman and primitive.

  When she finished her beer, she placed the can on the table beside her and hopped down. If she lost the bet, she’d willingly have sex with him in a snow bank, who was she kidding? The man was sexy and he made her all warm and wild. But he didn’t need to know that, and watching him eat salad for a week was going to be priceless.

  Desdemona took the gun from him, and closed it. Aimed at one of the two cans in the middle, and took her first shot. It exploded and left a spray of brown all over the white snow. She looked over at him and grinned. “Lettuce, carrots and peppers-oh my.”

  He laughed and finished his beer, opening two more. It was funny that some outsider doctor was challenging a Native in shooting. “One more shot, Desi. Don’t miss, or you’re going to be on top.” He tried to rattle her, and hoped he did. Picturing her riding him was so erotic he felt his body tighten.

  She aimed, and pulled the trigger. The second can exploded, like the first and flew through the air. “I don’t miss, Callen.” Desdemona opened the gun, popped out the cartridges in one fluid motion and took the two in his hand. “Your turn.” Desdemona exchanged places with him, and couldn’t help but watch his form. He was incredibly sexy, and she couldn’t wait to climb all over him.

  “What are you thinking about,” he asked, as he took his first shot. The can exploded and fell off the log.

  Desi waited for the right moment. “Thinking about being on top and enjoying the ride,” she said innocently, just as he aimed and fired.

  It missed the can and hit just below on the log.

  Whitefox looked over fast. Unsure if she was teasing him to screw with him, or if she was completely serious. If she was serious, he didn’t mind losing to her. It meant he’d still get the prize. The look on his face must have given him away.

  “Very serious,” she answered, and his reaction was priceless. Desdemona walked over, taking the gun from his hand. Standing really close to him, and ran her hand up the front of his body. Even with a jacket on, she could feel that Callen Whitefox was well defined.

  “Don’t tease, Desi,” he stated, earnestly. He had their first date planned and sex was on the menu, but not until later. This was about seducing the woman and making her see that they were meant to be. He would put her first, even if it was complete torture.

  Desdemona wasn’t teasing, she felt brave. Reaching up, she placed her hand on the back of his neck, and pulled him down to her lips. “I wa
s serious,” she whispered, kissing him slow and smoothly. They both tasted like beer, and it was both erotic and enticing. When she felt him pressing excitedly against her body, she deepened the kiss. Then she felt the power she had over him, and it intoxicated her. The man really did want her. Now she had to not screw it up.

  Whitefox pulled his lips away and his eyes stayed closed. God help him, his control was going to be tested.

  She giggled and took the gun.

  When he opened his eyes, he stared at her. “You’re up.” It was all he could get out.

  It was highly entertaining that for the first time meeting him, she managed to make him feel what she felt whenever they were together. Yeah, she could get used to this power. “Yes, Sir,” she winked and took aim.

  Callen was going to play dirty. “You can shoot undistracted, but what if someone’s trying to shake you up, Desi,” he whispered in her ear and stood incredibly close to her body. He put his hand on her hip.

  Desdemona blocked it all out and pictured the target. Finally she thought about him eating lettuce for a week, and started laughing as she pulled the trigger. It hit the can and immediately she took the next shot. When the cans flew, she stood up and turned into his body and looked up at him. “Apparently, it’s not a problem.”

  He grinned and leaned down to kiss her on the lips. “One can left.”

  “Doesn’t matter, Callen.” She took the shotgun shell from his hand, and loaded only one shot. I hit four out of six. You hit one out of six. I won this little game, and you’re having salad all week.”

  A bet was a bet. “I will. You won fair and square, but I’ll take my last shot.” When he took the gun from her she wasn’t finished.

  “Oh, but can you take the shot distracted, Callen?” Desdemona pressed her body against the back of his and ran her hands around his waist and up under his jacket and shirt to his really defined abs. He sucked in a sharp breath, and she started exploring them while he tried to make his shot. “Make the shot and you can still have the sex,” she whispered, and felt him flinch.

  “Deal?”

  “Promise,” she answered and continued exploring.

  He lifted the gun and aimed for the can, trying to not think about her hands running across his flesh. They were slightly chilly, and that made it more erotic, he had goose bumps and a wave of heat at the same time. “Desdemona,” he muttered.

  She pushed further, enjoying how his arm shook as he tried to focus. Then she flicked the button of his jeans open and when he quivered, she slid her hands into the front of his pants. “Make your shot, Callen.”

  Her hands were millimeters from stroking him, and he couldn’t even see the can, let alone shoot it. Now his arm was cramping up as he held the gun aimed at something he couldn’t focus on, and then she found him and he forgot everything, including how to breathe.

  Desdemona slid her hands over him, gently, silkily and enjoyed the way he tensed and throbbed at her touch. His breath was coming harder and she knew he wasn’t thinking about the target. Then he fired.

  The can flew through the air and he turned fast, dropping the gun to the table, spilling his beer. He picked her up under her arms, and carried her to the side of the house.

  Automatically she wrapped her legs around his waist, just as he pressed her against the house, kissing her.

  Whitefox felt like he was going to catch on fire out on his porch. Her hands and body cast a spell, and he wanted to take her right then and there. Lust and need overwhelmed him. He kissed her and buried his hands in her hair, as he pressed her against the house and took all he wanted from the kiss.

  Someone moaned.

  Hands wandered.

  Desdemona could feel how excited he was, he was pressed intimately against her and she wished she wasn’t wearing so many damn layers of clothing. “Callen,” she muttered into the kiss as the invasion continued.

  Slowly he refocused, and realized this was supposed to be the first date, and he was going to do it right. Even if he burst into flames and died that very second.

  “Desi, I’m going to put you down. Not because I don’t want you, or want to take you right here and now. I’m planning to, but I want to do this right, and I have our first date planned. Don’t think that I’m pushing you away,” he said softly. He didn’t want her to think he was rejecting her.

  “Okay, Callen,” she answered breathing heavy. He still didn’t put her down.

  “Promise you’ll pick up where you left off later?”

  Whitefox laughed hoarsely. “I can guarantee it.”

  Desdemona giggled.

  “Damn it!” Whitefox took a deep breath, lowered her to her feet and backed away from her. “Go take a shower. I’ll bring your suitcase in and put it on the bed. I just need you to get far away from me until I’m back in control.”

  “Okay, Callen.” Right in that moment she felt powerful, that she had the ability to make him feel that chaotic. Desdemona thought back to what Elizabeth had told her. The quote by Morticia Addams was true. She was the spider. She made a mental note to thank her friend with a text message as soon as she could.

  “Lock the bathroom door just in case I lose control,” Whitefox grinned back.

  Desdemona walked into the house laughing. “What do I wear Callen?”

  “Go with something comfortable and relaxing.”

  When she walked away he walked over to the table and chugged an entire beer. This was his entire fault. Had he not screwed up the first date, then he would have carried her in and immediately had his way with her. Now he was being forced to be patient.

  Well hell.

  Pulling out his cell phone he called and ordered a pizza, and because he promised he’d only eat veggies not meat, two salads to go with it. When he hung up, he planned on making the woman pay. He may be eating salad all week, but he was going to make her pay too, with lots of pleasure to get his mind off it.

  * * *

  Elizabeth and Ethan Blackhawk sat in the ‘Cup of Joe’ having something to eat, and reading printouts. When her phone beeped, she looked down at the incoming message and grinned.

  “What’s so funny?”

  Elizabeth shrugged. Desdemona had sent her a text saying she was a spider, and she smiled thinking about her brother-in-law finally finding happiness. “Spiders.”

  Blackhawk shook his head and went back to the reports. “You have no intention of telling me do you?”

  “Nope, it’s girl talk.”

  “Good to know,” he said, continuing to read. “I won’t even try to decipher it then. It probably will make no sense to me anyway.”

  Focus shifted, as she felt eyes watching them. Wilma May watched them from the counter, and Elizabeth wasn’t sure if it was because she manhandled her boss while pregnant, or if it was because her husband was sitting beside her looking as sexy as sin. On second thought, she knew the answer. Today Ethan Blackhawk was in a rare mood, and actually put on jeans. Although, come to think of it, his idea of jeans and hers were pretty much opposite sides of the spectrum. Hers were beat up and looked like something a cowboy would wear, and his were tailored and designer. The man had a serious clothing fetish. Go figure.

  “Baby, you’re staring in a public place.” He looked up, grinning wickedly, and leaned over to kiss her, and casually rub his hand protectively over his child growing in her body. “Not that I mind,” he whispered in her ear and followed it up with some innuendo.

  Elizabeth swallowed, hoping she could keep herself in check and not jump him right there. “I can’t help it. You’re wearing jeans, and a white shirt. I don’t know what to do with it,” she stroked his cheek. “Wow,” she looked under the table. “Boots and not dress shoes. I didn’t even know you owned boots. You know it’s cheating to buy cowboy boots already distressed. You’re supposed to wear them down and have them be authentic.”

  He laughed. “I don’t have time for that.”

  “I may have a casual clothes orgasm,” she whispered. “What’s w
ith the clothes? Usually you like to dress up when we are out interviewing suspects.”

  “I just felt like living on the edge,” he whispered something in her ear about what was going on underneath his clothing.

  “Cowboy, keep talking like that, and we are so going back to the house to find out.” Elizabeth put her hand on his thigh and planned on tormenting him when they noticed they weren’t alone. In front of them stood a blonde woman and she was staring at her husband like he was a snack.

  “My name is Carly. Jimmy said you wanted to talk to me.” She pulled out a chair and sat down.

  “Well, then have a seat, Carly,” answered Elizabeth. Already she disliked the woman. One, she interrupted her sexy talk with her husband, and two, she was now moving from staring to leering, and she had a snow ball’s chance in hell on acting out anything that was going on in her head.

  “Thank you,” she was focused on the man. She heard there were one or two hot FBI agents in town, and now she could confirm. Immediately, she checked out his ring finger. Oh well, didn’t mean a married man wouldn’t stray.

  “We were coming to you next,” answered Blackhawk.

  “Well now I'm here.”

  Elizabeth pulled out her tablet and prepared to enter the information as her husband asked her the questions. He was the one she was focused on, and he might be able to get some information from her. Personally she wanted to take her head of blonde curls and beat it off the table. It was best if she just zipped it, and let her husband drive this conversation.

  “So you have a relationship with the sheriff?” he asked.

  “It’s a small town, we all grew up together. I’ve had a great deal of relationships, Agent. I like to believe that we all should enjoy life while we have it. Look at poor Bobby Lee.”

  “Yes, speaking of Bobby Lee. You also had a relationship of a sexual nature with him?” he stated, and then looked down at his file.

  “I did. We’d hook up occasionally.”