by Aimée Thurlo
Annoyed with the turn her thoughts had taken, she focused on the present. Burke was, simply put, a complication in her life—one she just didn’t need. She’d use his professional expertise and pay him and, in that way, make it clear that although she’d accepted his hospitality, she wasn’t interested in a personal relationship.
When they entered Burke’s home, the place was silent. Careful not to wake Elena, Laura started down the hall, following Burke, who was going to get some extra blankets from the linen closet. As she reached her room, Laura crouched down to pet Wolf, who’d followed her. “Are you sleeping with me tonight?” she asked softly.
Burke actually choked when he heard the question. His head snapped around quickly, then he saw her speaking to the dog.
Laura saw the look on his face and realized what had happened, but before she could comment, he focused his attention on the dog.
“Wolf, come!” he ordered, and Wolf complied instantly.
“I wouldn’t have minded if he’d slept at the foot of the bed,” Laura said.
“No way. He’ll sleep on his blanket in the hall and guard all of us.”
“All right.” Laura took the blankets Burke offered her, entered the room and shut the door behind her. This room—this entire house—was Burke’s domain. She could feel him here in the furnishings he’d chosen, and in the dark, rich colors that contrasted with the light walls and ceiling. Even the very air she breathed held his unmistakable mark, making her senses come alive.
She sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered her thoughts. This just wouldn’t do. The attraction between them was too strong and too dangerous to indulge, even a little bit.
Burke had walked into her life and, unless she was careful, would turn her entire world upside down.
She sighed softly. Fate had conspired against her, and instinct told her that nothing would ever be quite the same again.
USING THE PHONE in the den, Burke called in and made his report. Handler didn’t like to be kept waiting. Burke had spoken to him when he’d gone to retrieve the wood for Laura’s back door, and asked for a trace on the license number and vehicle the intruder had used to escape. At the time, he’d promised to call back within a half hour in case Handler had tracked it down. But Burke hadn’t been able to do so until now.
“Handler” was the code name for the owner of the agency. His identity was shrouded in secrecy, and though Burke was the most senior operative and supervised the other investigators, he’d never learned who Handler was. For what he’d been told were security reasons, Handler’s identity remained a secret, even from him.
“So she’s with you now?” Handler asked, verifying what Burke had reported.
“Yes, Laura Santos is here and safe for now,” he answered. Remembering the softness of her lips and the way her body had melted into his, safe was probably not the word he should have used.
“And she doesn’t know that you’ve already been hired to protect her?”
“No, and I really don’t think she has the remotest idea what’s going on, or why she’s a target.”
“I know you’ll stay on top of things.”
The idle remark, in this instance, made a very graphic and vivid image form in his mind. His body grew instantly hard.
“Keep me posted, Burke.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’ve e-mailed you the information you asked for on the license plate of the suspect’s vehicle. You’ll find it next time you log on.”
As he placed the receiver down, Burke leaned back in the chair. Handler’s electronically altered voice had originally bothered him, but he was getting used to it now. As far as he was concerned, it was a small inconvenience that came with a job he loved. His years with Gray Wolf had been good ones, and once he’d become supervisor, he’d given up his code name to remain the only traceable operative at the firm.
He was the number one operative of an elite team, took on the most dangerous assignments himself, and, best of all, he’d avoided working a nine-to-five job—something that ranked close to getting a case of malaria on the Burke Silentman scale of really bad news.
The house was still and the hour late, but he wasn’t ready to go to bed yet. As was his habit, he switched on the computer at his desk to check his e-mail, and while the program booted up, considered the events of the last few hours. This whole case was a strange one, and had been from the beginning. Since that day three weeks ago when Doug had sent him an e-mail from West Medias, a country in Europe known for its warring factions—an e-mail that had been mysteriously cut off midsentence—things had been far from normal.
Burke fished his wallet out of his back pocket, then reached for a photo of him and Doug. It had been taken shortly after they’d completed Intelligence training in the Special Forces.
He smiled, looking at the younger version of himself and his friend. Throughout his entire life, after the death of his brother, Hoops, he’d only had one close buddy, Douglas Begay. Like him, Doug had seen hard times on the rez. They’d joined the Special Forces together as soon as they could to escape the poverty of the Navajo Nation.
Over the years, they’d managed to stay in close contact. But all Burke really knew of Doug’s life now was that he officially worked in Europe for a legitimate publishing house—a job Burke had deduced was nevertheless a cover for what he really did. His buddy was heavily involved with Freedom International, a privately funded watchdog organization that championed human rights.
Then, out of the blue, he’d sent that e-mail letter hiring Gray Wolf to protect the writer, Laura Santos—someone Doug had never met, as far as Burke knew. Unfortunately, the e-mail hadn’t only been incomplete—it had been impossibly vague. The only thing Burke knew for a fact was that Doug wouldn’t have hired them to protect Laura unless it was imperative that they do so. Recent events seemed to bear that out.
Yet the only connection he could see between Doug and Laura was that Doug worked for a small publisher abroad—and Laura was a romance novelist. Laura’s background hadn’t revealed any link to West Medias.
He needed to contact Doug and find out more, but there wasn’t any way for him to do that without heading overseas for a visit, and that just wasn’t possible. He was afraid to try and send an e-mail or a letter, or attempt a phone call, in case Doug was in as much trouble as he suspected, and was being monitored.
Checking his e-mail, Burke found only a message from Handler informing him that the license tag was stolen, and probably the car as well. Finding nothing from Doug, Burke turned the computer off. It was time to call it a night. He walked down the hall silently, leaving Wolf to guard them, and went inside his room, closing the door behind him.
Burke stripped off his clothes, letting them fall on the floor. He preferred sleeping in the nude, but considering the events of today, he decided to wear a pair of jogging pants for pajamas in case of an emergency.
Setting his weapon on the nightstand, within easy reach, he crawled into bed. But sleep wouldn’t come. The cool touch of the sheets against his chest reminded him of the silkiness of Laura’s hair and the smoothness of her skin. He’d never forget her taste and the way she’d felt in his arms.
Annoyed with himself, he pushed her out of his mind. He had normal, healthy urges, just like any other man, but he’d never found it this difficult to keep anyone out of his thoughts, particularly a woman he’d just met.
Of course, he’d known from the moment he’d kissed her that things would be different with Laura. This case would test him, but the real danger would have little to do with the men that might come after them before it was all over.
With a groan, he shifted to his side and closed his eyes. No more thoughts. Not tonight.
As he drifted off to sleep, his mind filled with vivid images of spring blossoms, a dark-haired beauty and a passion that wouldn’t be denied.
Chapter Five
Burke woke up slowly, opening his eyes and listening before he moved, as always. The house was qui
et. The two women were undoubtedly still sleeping. Today, he’d make it a priority to try and find out if the relative Elena had mentioned was responsible for what had happened to Laura. Maybe the incident had nothing to do with Doug.
But even if that were the case, Burke knew he’d still be honor bound to help Laura. After all, Doug had never said what he was supposed to protect her from—he’d only hired Gray Wolf to keep her safe, and that, in Burke’s estimation, meant from anything that threatened her. It didn’t matter to him if it was a foreign conspiracy or merely a greedy relative.
He slipped out of bed slowly, cursing mornings in general. His brain still hadn’t kicked in, but checking the clock on the nightstand, he saw it was time for him to get going. He shaved and took a quick shower, then, with nothing but a towel wrapped around his middle, and using another to dry his hair, stepped out into the room.
Hearing a sound, Burke stopped in midstride and looked up. Laura was about five feet from him, and looked as if she’d been ready to place a piece of paper on his bed.
“I—I was going to leave a thank-you note—” she stammered.
Her gaze seared over him. He was sure that she had no idea what she was doing to him with that look, but his body was growing hard, something that would be impossible to hide behind a towel. “Turn around. I need to get dressed,” he growled.
Laura did, but he sensed her hesitation. Male instinct told him that she’d liked what she’d seen. A smile of wicked satisfaction curved his lips.
“Don’t let me rush you,” she said. “I just didn’t want you to get up and find us gone. We’re going next door to pick some of the clutter off the floor before the workmen arrive. With the sun shining, the house will warm up on its own.”
“Give me a moment. I’ll walk over with you. I need more information on Doña Elena’s relative.”
“Take your time. I can wait in the living room.”
“No need. You can turn around now.”
Burke had his jeans on, but he was still bare chested. He’d done it on purpose, wanting to see that luscious, hungry look on her face again.
He was rewarded when her eyes widened slightly and her lips parted. But then, in a flash, she was suddenly very interested in the ceiling, then the window. As he saw her struggling to discipline her thoughts, he wondered if she would have better luck than he’d had. There was definitely strong chemistry conspiring against both of them.
“Was that a tattoo?” she asked.
“Where?” He knew perfectly well that she’d seen the wolf tattoo on the inside of his forearm, a place normally concealed by the large black wristwatch all Gray Wolf operatives wore, but he couldn’t resist baiting her. “You caught me just out of the shower and I want to make sure we’re talking about the same thing.”
“On your arm,” she said, her cheeks turning red and her breathing a little unsteady.
Burke laughed. “Easy. I was just giving you a hard time.” He slipped a sweater over his head. “All Gray Wolf operatives have this tattoo,” he said, showing it to her. “It’s to help us recognize each other in an emergency situation.”
“Wouldn’t you recognize each other as co-workers, anyway?”
He shook his head as he reached for his watch. “The identities of all the agency’s operatives are closely guarded, and I’m the only one without a code name, being their supervisor. It insures our safety. We work solo, but if any of us was ever in an undercover situation where we had to request agency backup, the tattoo would help us recognize an ally instantly.”
Unable to resist, she reached out to touch it before he could slip the watch over it. “It fits you…somehow,” she said, her voice low.
Her fingertips brushed lightly over his skin. Her touch was like velvet, but it left a trail of fire in its wake. Seeing her here in his room was almost too much of a temptation. He drew his arm back and quickly slipped his wristwatch on.
“Okay, let’s go.” Burke pulled on a pair of boots, then walked to the door.
“But you haven’t even had breakfast yet,” Laura protested as they walked down the hall.
“That’s okay. I generally don’t eat breakfast,” he said, knowing full well that he always did. He’d known hunger as a kid, and as an adult he seldom missed a meal. It was a matter of pride to him that he’d never gone hungry since leaving home.
Elena came out of the kitchen. “Good morning. I hope we didn’t wake you up.”
“No, not at all.” Burke smiled.
“He’s going to come over with us. He needs to ask you some more questions,” Laura said.
“He can’t go to work without eating first,” Elena said firmly. “At least some eggs and toast,” she added, immediately searching the kitchen for what she needed.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Sit,” Elena said firmly.
Both Wolf and Burke immediately sat down. Burke grinned, noting that Laura, too, had taken a seat.
“You might as well resign yourself to the fact that you’re going to have breakfast,” Laura said softly. “It’ll be easier than trying to argue with her, and eventually losing, anyway,” she added with a gentle smile.
It was a great breakfast. While Laura was making calls to arrange for the repairmen, Elena made a delicious omelette using some eggs, leftover potatoes and bits of cheese. There was also toast and fresh coffee. Although Elena wouldn’t allow him to bring up “unpleasant” topics during the meal, Burke found it a small sacrifice to pay.
Wolf looked so hungry, despite the full dish of kibbles at the bottom of his automatic food dispenser, that Elena scrambled an egg for him and placed it in his dish. The women, who’d already eaten, drank a second cup of coffee, keeping Burke company while he ate.
“This was a wonderful breakfast, thank you,” Burke said at last.
“Now you’ll have the energy you need for a morning’s work,” Elena said, satisfied.
Cleaning up became a group effort. He had never been in a family situation like this. The whole atmosphere in his kitchen changed. There was laughter and companionship—the very things he’d seen with television families but had never experienced. All his life, especially after what had happened with Hoops, Burke had told himself that this warmth and sense of togetherness was not something he either wanted or needed. But seeing it firsthand tugged at his emotions.
Before he could analyze it further, Laura and Elena started scuffling over which of them would give Wolf the last piece of toast. Their playfulness with each other made him laugh, especially after watching Wolf cock his head, trying to figure out what the strange humans were doing.
When the phone rang, Burke picked it up, still laughing as Laura and Elena chased each other around the kitchen table.
Laughter was a stranger to Burke, and he wasn’t aware of what he was doing until he heard Handler’s electronically altered voice on the other end. Quickly, he shifted back to a business mind-set.
Cordless phone in hand, Burke walked into the hall, instantly serious again.
“Any news on Begay?” Handler asked.
“No, not as of last night.” He continued down the hall to his office, and checked e-mail on his computer as they spoke.
“The subject, Laura Santos—will she be staying in your house long?”
“For another night, perhaps two. The repairs in her house will take some time, especially if the furnace needs to be replaced.”
There was a pause. “I’m worried this arrangement might have a detrimental effect on our case. You seem…to enjoy her company.”
Burke thought of denying it, but then realized it was probably a futile gesture. Handler picked up on nuances most people missed.
“It can be dangerous for both of you if you get too friendly with the woman you’re assigned to protect,” Handler added.
“I agree,” Burke said. “But there’s a matter of maintaining cover, too. Our client didn’t specify if we were to tell the subject he hired us to protect, so, for now, I haven’t
said anything. I’m strictly undercover on this one.”
“All right. Follow your instincts. But until you know what you’re fighting, stay on your guard.”
“That’s what I intend to do.”
Burke hung up, staring at the computer monitor pensively. There was still no e-mail from Doug. With every passing day Burke became even more convinced that his old friend was in serious trouble. Fear for Doug’s safety touched the edges of his mind, pressing in on him, but he pushed it back, keeping it at bay. Fear could paralyze or energize, depending on how he channeled it.
Years ago, when he’d lived day to day, never knowing if there’d be enough food for the next meal or a warm place for himself and his brother to sleep, fear and uncertainty had been his constant companions. Yet that shadow over his spirit had often compelled him to do more than he thought possible, and, eventually, he’d begun to realize that fear could be a friend and an ally.
As an adult, he’d learned that fear had another advantage. It gave life a delicious edge. These days he welcomed it, along with all the challenges and excitement of his work.
His lifestyle suited him perfectly. He was a free spirit, far removed from anything even remotely domestic, or the urge to settle down. Yet this morning he’d sat down to a family style breakfast and, instead of being bored into a coma, he’d actually enjoyed it. What the hell was happening to him?
Disgusted with himself, he went back down the hall to the kitchen to join the women, grabbing his jacket along with way.
“Are you ready?” Laura said, seeing him enter the room.
He nodded. “Let’s go.”
Wolf accompanied the three of them as they walked next door.
As they went inside, Laura’s expression turned grim. “Maybe we should have all this stuff hauled away and just start over again,” she said, half-seriously.
