by Cindy Dees
A tremendous explosion rocked the room. Plaster dust rained down from the ceiling, and Annie’s ears rang.
His voice was wry in her ear. “Well, I promised you a memorable fall, angel.”
“What was that?”
“That would be heavy artillery aimed at a target real damn close to us.”
“Are we safe?”
His chest vibrated with a silent chuckle. “Not exactly.”
“Should we leave?”
“Not tonight. There will be soldiers and rebels crawling all over the place. You don’t know enough about covert movement to make it past them, and I’m not in good enough shape to take care of you.”
“Don’t worry about it, Tom. We’ll be okay.” Her hands roamed over the expanse of his chest. “You’re in plenty good enough shape for me.”
A grin tugged at his mouth. “Don’t distract me. I’m trying to do my job here.”
“Oh, you are, are you? It looks to me like you’re lying naked on the floor with a woman who’s in need of serious distraction.”
“Annie…” his voice held a warning tone.
“There’s nothing we can do for now, so why worry about it? We either make it through the night or we don’t.”
“An admirable attitude, angel.”
She grinned and reached for him. “Come here, soldier.”
With the dawn came real silence and, finally, sleep for Annie. She roused vaguely some hours later when Tom eased away from her and made his way to the bathroom. Sounds of water filling the bathtub lulled her back toward sleep. She was just conscious enough to register that when Tom came back he smelled of French lilac.
“There’s a bar of Ivory soap on the windowsill behind the curtain,” she mumbled.
She opened one eye enough to see a priceless expression of incredulity on Tom’s face.
“You think you’re pretty funny, huh?” he demanded.
She jolted violently awake as her ribs were attacked by poking fingers.
She squealed and squirmed and was treated to a demonstration of just how good Tom’s training was as he immobilized her instantly.
“No fair using your fancy-shmancy skills on me!” she complained through her laughter.
“Who said anything about fair? I play to win, angel.”
She grinned up at him. “Did you at least save me some hot water?”
“I did.”
She climbed to her feet, surprised to find she was a bit sore. But then, after all the gymnastics they’d performed on a hard floor while they distracted themselves last night, maybe she shouldn’t be surprised.
Tom had pancakes waiting for her when she got out of the tub. As she ate, she watched him move around the kitchen. There was a grace in his movements she’d not seen before.
“You’re moving better. Does that mean you’re feeling stronger?”
He grinned over his shoulder while he flipped more pancakes. “After last night? I’m wiped out.”
She ducked her head and studied the way the butter melted into the syrup. A plate plunked down on the table beside hers, and Tom sat down to eat.
“I feel much better, actually. I think the exercise did me a world of good.”
“Oh, so I’m just exercise, am I?”
He leaned over and cupped her chin in his palm. He lifted her face and kissed her gently on the mouth. “Never, angel. I think you gave me my life back last night.”
Annie froze. Oh, Lord. If he only knew she was the one who nearly took it from him in the first place.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you. I knew the rules of engagement, too. If you want last night to be a one-time deal, I’ll understand. I’ll be disappointed, but I’ll understand.”
“I, uh, no, that’s not it at all. I don’t want a one-night stand.” She added hastily, “That is if you don’t, either.”
“Definitely not.”
Annie smiled at the vehemence in his voice.
“Well, now that that’s settled, we’ve got some work to do today, angel.”
Annie looked up, surprised. “We do?”
“We need to find out what the rebels were shooting at last night and whether or not they hit it.”
“Why?”
“Do you want to sleep directly in the line of fire again tonight?” he asked.
“I see your point.”
“If the rebels didn’t destroy their target, we’re going to have to bug out and find somewhere else to hole up. I’m not putting you that close to the action again if I can help it.”
A warm feeling bubbled up inside her. He was worried about her safety. The little voice in her head commented, For Pete’s sake, let’s hope so. It was his job to get them out alive, after all.
Yeah, but he sounded more than professionally concerned.
“So how are we going to do this reconnoitering, Tom?”
“Well, you’re going to do your hooker impersonation again, and I’m going to take you out for a walk.”
“For what hookers charge nowadays, that’ll be a pretty expensive stroll in the park.”
Tom chuckled. “I’ll deduct your fee as a business expense on my travel voucher.”
“In that case, remind me to charge you a fortune.”
After the meal Annie watched with interest as Tom sprayed himself with clear liquid from a little bottle that emerged from his pack. She watched his hands glide over his bulging muscles in utter fascination.
“What’s that stuff?”
He flashed a mischievous smile at her. “Give it about an hour and you’ll see.”
In less than an hour, Tom’s skin began to change color, darkening to a deep tan. He pulled on a white cotton shirt and slacks Annie’d bought for him before she brought him home from the hospital. Those, in combination with his new complexion and dark hair, made him look surprisingly like a local.
Annie donned her dress and wig and used eyeliner and lip pencil to change the shapes of her eyes and mouth. As she stepped back to survey her work, Tom walked into the bathroom. His presence behind her was so intimate…so domestic.
She could get used to this.
Stop it, she thought. As soon as we’re out of here, he’ll disappear into the next jungle that’s about to explode into war.
“Tom, are you sure you’re strong enough to go out? I can find out what’s happening by myself.”
“I’m sure you can. But you don’t have to prove to me that you can do the job as well as a man.”
“I…it’s not…”
He cut her off. “Isn’t it?”
She frowned. “No, it’s not.”
“Sure it is. I’ve been in this business longer than you have, and you’ve got all the signs. You’re scared to death, but you’re determined to prove to somebody that you can hack this life. Who? Who is it you’re trying so hard to impress?”
“You, I suppose.”
He shook his head in the negative. “Maybe it’s me you’re focused on in the short term, but somebody else drove you to Gavarone, drove you to be my cover, drove you not to leave with the embassy personnel.”
She considered his words. Was he right? Was some of this about showing her father she could be more than a schoolmarm in a rinky-dink town? Maybe Tom was partially right. But mostly she felt guilty. She felt a need to make up to him for what she’d done to him. Not only had he suffered terribly, but she might very well have ended his distinguished career. The very thought of it made her sick to her stomach.
She fought off the sensation. “You need to get your strength back. Why don’t you stay here and rest while I go out and have a look around?”
“No way. I’m not letting you go out there alone again. It’s too dangerous.”
She let out the breath she’d been holding. “You have no idea how glad I am you feel that way. I was scared silly the last time I went out.”
He smiled gently. “Yeah, I noticed. I’m sorry I put you through that.”
“I got the job done, and that’s what counts.”
/>
“No, it’s not. What counts is that you’re safe.”
He thought her safety was more important than the mission? Annie blinked. The mission was everything to Special Forces guys.
She had no time to ponder what it meant as Tom led her to the door and opened it. This time when she stepped out into the city, she trusted Tom to keep her safe. Even though he had to take the steps slowly and she caught a couple of grimaces on his face, she had complete faith in his abilities. It was a wonderful feeling.
Tom, however, wasn’t feeling wonderful at all. His left arm ached, and his balance still wasn’t where it ought to be. If he had to sprint anywhere today, he’d be sucking wind in a matter of seconds. He had only his brains to rely on for this outing. Usually that was enough, but not always.
They reached the sidewalk and gazed upon the previous night’s work. Broken glass, bricks and dust were everywhere, and the burned-out hull of a car partially blocked the road.
He murmured to Annie in Spanish, “Do you know any of the shopkeepers around here?”
“A few,” she answered back in the same language.
“Let’s drop in and see what they know.”
They spent the next two hours cruising the few shops that were open, encouraging gossip among the proprietors and other customers. No reliable information was forthcoming, and Tom’s arm was killing him. Not to mention that his legs were starting to ache, and he was feeling a bit light-headed.
“Love, is there somewhere we could sit down for a while?”
She took one look at him and tucked her arm under his. He was grateful for the help, but it galled him to be this weak. He had to get his strength back fast if they were going to make it out of the country.
“There’s a delightful café right around the corner. How about a bite of lunch?”
“Sounds great. Lead on.”
Tom cased out the large, shaded patio of the café. High, stone walls, no marked exits except through the indoor dining room through which they’d come. Another door into the building, probably leading to the kitchen. Not an ideal scenario, but he didn’t have much choice in the matter now. He’d have to teach Annie how to choose safer public places to hang out in from now on.
Gratefully Tom sank into his seat and rubbed his aching arm. He checked out the other diners under the guise of hunting for a waiter. Most of the two dozen tables were filled with couples, although a few groups of businessmen lounged over drinks. This place either had great food, or the clientele was determined to live it up while the living was good.
It turned out both were the case. Tom’s garlic-drenched shark steak was succulent, and Annie savored her salmon with a relish that almost made him jealous of it. They took turns feeding each other bites of their respective meals. Annie’s gaze grew limpid when he accidentally dribbled butter down her front. She followed the spill into her cleavage with one finger and drew it out languidly. She put her finger in her mouth and sucked the butter off it slowly. Tom’s mouth went desert dry at the sight.
He motioned a waiter over and ordered a bottle of wine.
Annie frowned. “You’re allowed to drink on the job?”
“Everyone else is drinking. I didn’t want us to stand out from the crowd.”
Annie smiled knowingly at him over the rim of her glass.
“What’s going on in that devious mind of yours, angel?”
“I was just thinking about those secret lovers circling the room and wondering how many of them are here today.”
He looked around the place. “A lot.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Some of these women are too pretty to be wives. They’ve got to be mistresses.”
“Chauvinist.”
Tom’s attention snapped to Annie. “Me?”
She grinned. “Yup. Admit it. You think women are weak little things that need to be protected.”
“Most are weak relative to me.”
“Hmm, and you have a big ego, too.”
He leaned close to her. “I’m stronger than you, even in my weakened state, and you know it. If you don’t believe me, I’ll arm wrestle you right now.”
“Sorry, that’s not the kind of wrestling I want with you.”
Their gazes locked, and sparks crackled back and forth between them. Her hand touched his thigh under the table, and he almost jumped out of his skin. A smile curved Annie’s mouth, and Tom met it with one of his own. He’d give his right arm to take her to bed right now, with all that sexual promise pouring off her.
Bang!
A blast from what his subconscious identified as a twelve-gauge shotgun rent the air.
“Nobody move!”
Tom froze and prayed Annie would do the same. Very slowly he moved his eyes and found the source of the voice. It was one of the waiters. He stood near the kitchen entrance, brandishing a smoking shotgun.
“We are the forces of liberation and we are here to claim a traitor!”
Tom’s gaze darted left and right. Completely healthy, he could’ve made it up one of the walls and hauled Annie over, but not now. They were trapped. He gauged the thickness of the wooden tabletop. Not heavy enough to stop twelve-gauge rounds at close range. He’d tell them Annie was a hooker he’d picked up on the street. He was buying her lunch before they adjourned to her place. Maybe they’d only kill him.
How in the blazes had he let his guard down and gotten into a trap like this? They must have followed him and Annie. He’d been too busy romancing her to notice. How could he have been so stupid?
The waiter advanced across the porch and Tom’s muscles tensed. Two more armed waiters stepped forward into his periphery vision. He couldn’t overpower three men with guns, unarmed as he was. He ruled out a takedown and willed himself to relax.
The men moved closer and closer and finally stopped at a table about ten feet away.
“Minister Ramirez, you will come with us. Our leaders wish to speak with you.”
A terrified looking man stood up and was escorted across the patio by the three rebels. They stepped inside.
As quickly as it began, the incident was over. The patio was silent for several long seconds, and then pandemonium erupted. Tom slumped in his seat as the adrenaline drained away.
It occurred to him that Annie was being awfully quiet. He looked up, and she was staring at him, her eyes huge and dark against pasty white skin.
He threw a couple of bills on the table and said, “Let’s go. The police will be here any second and will question everyone.”
“Right.”
Annie roused herself with some difficulty and followed him out of the restaurant. Tom all but ran from the building. She had to hustle to keep up with him as he ducked into stores, crossed streets without warning and dived into alleys, all the while checking for tails.
Finally they slowed and turned toward home. Annie was startled when Tom veered in yet another direction. A crowd had gathered ahead of them. A building, or what was left of it, spilled into the street in a man-high jumble of cement and steel. A rubble brigade had been established as workers lifted away bricks and chunks of debris, while rescue workers searched for victims.
Tom studied the building, looked over his shoulder in the direction of their apartment and then noted the position of the sun.
“The mortars last night came over our apartment and would have landed right about here. Annie, what was this place?” he asked tersely.
“An office building.”
“What companies were housed in it?”
She racked her brain while Tom stared expectantly at her. She’d sold him on her usefulness because she knew the city like the back of her hand. Now was the time to prove it.
Think! She looked around the wrecked street, reconstructing what it used to look like. Details started coming back to her.
“There was an insurance company and a bank. National One Television was here, and—”
Tom cut her off. “I think we found the target of last night’s s
helling. The government’s TV station.”
Annie nodded. It made sense. The network had been gushing anti-rebel propaganda like an oil well recently.
“C’mon. Let’s get off the street.”
To her surprise Tom steered her into a supermarket on their way home. He loaded their basket with piles of canned food. He added several large plastic containers, rolls of plastic wrap and duct tape, a cheap headset radio, batteries and a stack of candles big enough to elicit a rude comment from the checkout clerk. Annie didn’t ask what they were for. Right now she just wanted to get behind the walls of their apartment.
Before long Annie’s arms were killing her, and she wasn’t carrying nearly as many bags of groceries as Tom. She was huffing when they got back to the apartment, but he seemed unaffected. She’d hate to see him at full strength if he was in such good shape after his complete inactivity the past two months.
She’d no sooner put down her groceries on the kitchen table than Tom said, “Go take a bath, Annie. Take your time and enjoy it. It’s the last one you’re going to get for a while.”
Alarm sluiced through her. “But we found the target of the shelling, and it was destroyed. We don’t have to leave now, do we?”
“No, we’re staying put. But if the rebels were smart enough to go after the TV station, then surely they know to go after the utilities. I’d bet my next paycheck we’re about to lose water and electricity.”
The reality of living in a war zone struck Annie hard. “I hadn’t thought of that, but it makes sense.”
He nodded absently, his mind already at work on the next problem.
“Join me in the bath, Tom?”
His gaze jerked to her, startled. “I’d better not.”
Deflated, she replied, “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
His gaze softened and a reluctant smile lit his features. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
Tom watched her turn and head for the bathroom. Her hips swayed just enough to drive him crazy. He could still feel them undulating in perfect time with his.
And he could still see the stark terror on Annie’s face in the restaurant. He’d really screwed up back there. He should have seen it coming. The rebels wielding the guns had been clumsy amateurs at terrorism. If he’d been even half alert, he’d have seen the signs of it. But he’d been so wrapped up in flirting with Annie that he’d missed it completely.
