by Dena Christy
“You’re not stupid, and I don’t think that you are.” Collette softened her voice. She could see now that she had insulted him, which hadn’t been her intention. “I think you are too honest and straight forward. Reggie’s world is infested with sharks and you need me with you. I know who it would be safe to talk to, and who it would be best to avoid.”
“I don’t want you do to it, we’ll figure out another way.”
Why were they having this argument? Surely he could see that this was the best plan they would come up with, and it would work.
“This is the best way, Ryce, and you know it,” she said as she took a step closer to him. “Why can’t you see that?”
“I know it’s a good plan,” he growled as he raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want you caught up in this mess. There is no reason you need to do this.”
Had he and Evie been comparing notes? She was tiring of explaining herself. Why couldn’t he accept her help in the spirit with which it was given.
“I swear between you and Evie I want to bash my head against a brick wall. My entire life has revolved around being the prettiest thing in the room, and I have accomplished nothing of value. I want to do this because I want to feel useful. I have been trained to navigate Reggie’s world, and I can use that training to do something good. Please don’t take that from me.”
He moved closer to her, and she craned her neck up to look at him. He was so close now that the male scent of him was in her nostrils and she closed her eyes for a moment to calm the beating of her heart.
“What if you get hurt?” His voice was a rumble in his chest, and she opened her eyes so she could see him. This was the root of his problem with her going to the ball with him. He was concerned with her safety, and that knowledge wrapped around her like a cocoon, comforting her. No one had ever shown such concern for her well being, not even her mother, and she couldn’t be angry about that.
“I won’t get hurt,” she said softly, trying to project her unwavering belief in that to him.
“How do you know?”
“You’ll be there with me.” She reached up to put her hand on the side of his face. His skin was warm, and she could feel the soft prickle of his stubble under her palm. “Are you saying you can’t protect me?”
She was unprepared for his response. His hand wrapped around her wrist and he tugged her to him. Her eyes grew large as her soft curves touched the hard musculature of his chest. Her tongue darted out, and his pupils grew huge when as his eyes tracked the movement. Nervous excitement sprang into her stomach as he leaned closer and closer to her. This was it, he was going to kiss her and no one would interrupt them this time.
His mouth came down on hers and she snaked her arms around his neck. His lips were firm, his skin soft was he moved his mouth upon hers. She pressed closer to him and opened her mouth for him so his tongue could slip inside. He let out a low growl, and his arms tightened around her waist. She didn’t know quite what to expect from kissing him, but the reality of kissing him far exceeded her imagination. The clean male scent of him filled her head, and she never wanted this kiss to end.
Reggie rarely kissed her, and when he did, it was a dry, uninspiring action, and hardly compared to this. She would gladly drown in Ryce’s arms if only to stop this moment from ever ending. He fitted against her perfectly, the hard planes of his body melding with her own soft curves as if they were made for each other. She felt like she was floating, and after a few seconds she realized he’d straightened up, while still kissing her. He held her against him, and her feet no longer touched the ground.
She let out a groan, and it seemed to break the spell over him. He pulled back and lowered her to the ground. She wrapped her hands around his hard biceps until her legs felt steady enough to hold her up.
He took a step back, and his eyes scanned her face. She didn’t know what he was looking for, but she felt slightly dazed by his kiss.
“That shouldn’t have happened, I’m sorry,” he said, his voice a deep rumble.
“Don’t be sorry, I think that kiss has been coming for a while.” She blew out a slow breath. Disappointment flashed through her when she realized that he was right. It shouldn't have happened, they shouldn't complicate their life with sex right now. “What were we talking about?”
That kiss had knocked the thread of what they were saying out of her head, and as she looked up at him she saw that it had done the same for him. He looked at her for a moment, as if searching for the answer,
“We were talking about the wisdom of this plan of yours,” he said, and her shoulders sagged. She didn’t want to argue with him about this.
“Are we going to talk this thing to death? I’m going, and that’s it.” She crossed her arms over her chest and he chuckled.
“Are you sure you want to be in a hotel room alone with me in light of what just happened?” His face grew serious as he looked worriedly at her.
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Fine.” He took a step toward the door. He looked back at her. “Just so you know, in answer to your other question, I would give my life to protect you if need be.”
He opened the door and walked out. She had to hand it to him, he knew how to set her heart racing. No one had ever pledged their life to keep her safe, and while she didn’t want it to come to that, it didn’t stop the warm feeling from blossoming inside her.
Colonel Dawson drummed his fingertips on the top of his desk. The alien was proving to be an uncooperative, frustrating captive. He stonewalled them at every turn and refused to speak. Dawson didn’t know what else could be done to him to get him to talk since all techniques they had at their disposal had not netted the results they wanted. The alien was a puzzle that refused to be solved. Dawson didn’t know what else they could do to get the information out of him, since any of their stronger interrogation techniques risked killing him, and his superiors would frown upon that. His career wasn’t worth risking for the sake of some answers, but if he didn’t get the information they needed, his career was at risk anyway.
His communicator chirped, and Dawson looked at the comm panel, and it showed that Commander Clancy was calling. Dawson’s upper lip curled, and he took a moment to school his features into a neutral expression. He was careful not to show his hatred for his superior officer since he was not yet in a position to rise above him. Once he’d done that, Clancy would no longer be a worry, but until that time, Dawson had to at least pretend to respect him.
“I won't beat around the bush, Dawson,” Clancy said, his voice ringing with confidence and authority. “I’m going to make arrangements for the alien you’re housing to be transferred to my facility for study.”
Of all the things he expected Clancy to say that wasn’t it. Heat spread through Dawson’s body and he clenched his jaw for a moment. There was no way in hell that Clancy was going to get his hands on his alien since he was his ticket to bigger and better things. Clancy had already lost the alien he had in his custody, Dawson wouldn't let his prisoner be his replacement.
“We haven’t finished with him yet... sir,” Dawson said and he suppressed his smile of satisfaction when a dull flush spread onto Clancy’s cheekbones. The commander was used to being obeyed without question, but Dawson wouldn't indulge him. The alien would be the making of someone’s career, and Dawson was determined to make sure it was his.
“Are you disobeying a direct order?” Clancy’s eyes narrowed. Dawson knew he was walking on a thin line, and that if he wasn’t careful, he would get an insubordination charge. He had to be careful in what he said next, but there was no way he would let Clancy get his hands on his alien without a fight.
“I wasn’t aware that it was an order sir. I don’t think it’s wise to move the alien to your facility at this point.” He exerted extreme will power to keep his feelings off his face and out of his voice.
“And why not?”
“Well, sir, from what I understand the staff at your facility has al
ready let one alien go. I don’t think it’s wise to give them another chance to screw up with another one. It would be best if the alien stays here, in a locked facility with competent staff who will see that he is being held securely.”
Clancy said nothing for a moment as he glared at Dawson. Dawson could see that his barb had hit its mark, and he clenched the muscles on either side of his mouth to keep from grinning. He was sure that losing his alien had put Clancy’s career on a downward trajectory and that’s why he was desperate to get his hands on another one. And if Clancy’s career was on the skids, there was no way that Dawson was going to help shore it back up.
“The staff member responsible has been held accountable, and measures have been taken to ensure that it won’t happen again.”
“While that may be true, you have to admit that it doesn’t look very good that it happened. I’m not one to disobey a direct order, so if you will send over the communication from General Rogers ordering that the alien be transferred over to your facility, then I will be happy to comply.”
Dawson knew he was taking a calculated risk here, saying he would obey an order, but he had a feeling that Clancy had no such communication from their superior officer. And he could tell by the sour look on Clancy’s face that he was right.
“I don’t need to send you anything,” Clancy said through clenched teeth and a dull red flush of frustration on his face told its own story. Under normal circumstances, with someone he like and respected, Dawson would have been prepared to circumvent the normal procedure for transferring a prisoner. That wasn't the case here, and he had no intention of letting his prisoner go without an order from higher than Clancy. He couldn’t resist poking Clancy, and the fight to keep the smirk off his face was growing more difficult with each passing moment.
“Oh, did your staff misplace the order? You should do something about that since a man is only as good as his staff.”
“You know I have no such order,” Clancy said, and Dawson felt triumph rising up inside him. All he needed to do was hammer his point home.
“You don’t? I’m not sure I should transfer the alien over to you without the General’s approval. I don’t know that he would risk losing another alien, and you have to admit that your staff hasn’t had the best track record. Perhaps the General should be made aware of your intentions to take the alien.”
“Are you threatening me?” Clancy said and his eyes narrowed into slits.
He was threatening him, and they both knew it. He wouldn't own up to it, and there was nothing that he said that Clancy could call him on with their superiors.
“I think that the best place for the alien is where he is. We are still working on getting intel from him, and I don’t think it’s wise for him to be moved at the moment.”
“Well played, Dawson. You can keep the alien for now, but if you have gleaned no useful information from him by next week, I will come to collect him.”
Clancy’s screen winked out, and the satisfaction that Dawson felt at thwarting him was short lived. It was a minor skirmish in the war he was engaged with the other man, and unfortunately he couldn’t eliminate him or directly disobey him. Clancy had powerful friends, and perhaps it was time for him to cultivate a few of his own. The ball this weekend would go along way to furthering that goal and once he had his own network of influence, Clancy would no longer be a problem.
Chapter Seven
Ryce sat in the car with Collette beside him as they made their way to the hotel they were staying at for the ball. He shifted in his seat, and in his current guise as Reggie, he felt too small for his skin. Although he could morph, he hadn’t used it much, and it would take getting used to. He couldn’t wait until they got to the hotel and he could get back into his own body.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Collette looking at him repeatedly, saying nothing.
“Is something wrong?” He turned his head to look at her. Was there a problem with his disguise? He hoped there wasn’t because his confidence in the success of this mission was already shaky enough and he didn’t think he could go through with it if she had doubts too. She knew Reggie better than anyone, and if he couldn’t fool her, then all was lost.
“No, there’s nothing wrong. I can’t get over how much you look like Reggie, even down to the mole on the side of his neck. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d swear that I was sitting beside him. It’s a little disconcerting to be honest.” She smiled at him, and relief washed through him at her words. If she couldn’t tell the difference, then his disguise was perfect.
“I would change back for you, but our success hinges on our deception. I won’t be able to go back to my true form until we get to the hotel. We can’t risk anyone seeing you with someone other than Reggie.”
A part of him wanted Collette to see him as himself, rather than Reggie. She and Reggie had a relationship once, and he wasn’t sure if she was free from the man. He hated the notion that he was sitting here reminder her of him when what he wanted was for her to forget her former lover.
They sat in silence, and he didn’t know what to say to her. They hadn’t spoken about the kiss they’d shared, and perhaps it was for the best. While he couldn't stop thinking about it, and longed to do it again, it would be better if it wasn’t repeated. They needed to keep their wits about them for this mission if they were going to pull it off. He at least would work better without the distraction. He didn’t have her confidence that they would be successful, and he needed to focus all his attention in navigating Reggie’s world.
He looked over at her to see her watching him again.
“What is it?”
“You look worried.” She reached out to put her hand on his arm. He used all his strength to resist pulling her to him. He wanted very badly to kiss her again, but he didn’t want to do it as Reggie. He didn’t want her to associate any sexual advances with her former lover, so he would have to keep his hands to himself. At least while he was in this form.
She slid her hand away and curled it in her lap. Shit. He hadn’t meant to put that withdrawn look on her face. She must have misinterpreted what he was thinking and thought he was rejecting her.
“I am worried.” He should be honest with her about his doubts. She deserved to know if he wasn’t confident in his ability to pull this off. And he acknowledged to himself that he could use assurance from her.
“What about?”
“I’m sure that going to this ball is routine for you, but I haven’t experiencedI might not be anything like it before. I’m not sure I can navigate the world you live in. I didn’t touch Reggie long enough to get a feel for his personality. What if I mess up?”
A look of relief crossed her face, and she smiled at him.
“Don’t worry about that. You look exactly like Reggie and that will be enough.” There was such confidence in her voice that she made him want to believe her.
“What do we do if someone notices that I’m not acting like him? Do we have a cover story or a back up plan to explain why I might not be. acting the way Reggie would?”
“Ryce, it will be fine. The circle Reggie moves in is not that perceptive. They are a bunch of very shallow individuals, and I doubt he has anyone in his life that would notice or care that he was acting different than normal.”
Ryce wasn’t surprised to hear that. From what little he’d gleaned from Reggie’s mind, he didn’t come across as a man anyone would want to be friends with. At least not out of any genuine liking for him. He was sure that anyone calling him friend would use him for something. That assumption did little to reassure him. There was always the possibility that someone would want to do business, and he hadn’t had enough exposure to Reggie for him to impersonate him in a business situation.
“What if someone wants to talk business?”
“That won’t be an issue. Reggie never discusses business in a social setting. He prefers to make his deals in his office where he has the advantage. If anyone has a proposal for him tell
them to make an appointment with his assistant. No one will think it’s strange if you do that.”
This wouldn't be as easy to pull off as she appeared to think, but he’d try to relax until it was go time. There was no sense in worrying about something that hadn't happened. He knew what the root of it was, and he was reluctant to admit to her that he felt like he was out of his depth with this mission. If he needed to go into a battle situation, he’d be confident because that was where his skills lie. Socializing with a bunch of wealthy snobs was definitely not his forte.
The car brought them to the hotel, and a valet was waiting for them. Ryce rolled down the window when Collette instructed him to, and he took the slip of paper the uniformed man handed to him, and looked at her. She waited until the valet walked away and took the paper from him. She read the coordinates on the paper out loud, and the car moved forward and drove through the lot until it got to the designated parking spot.
They got out of the car, and he went to the back to get out their bags. He was dressed in what Collette had assured him was they type of suit that Reggie would wear and he couldn’t wait until they got to their room so he could get out of it. The tie felt like it was strangling him as he hauled the bags out of the car and turned toward the entrance. The sooner he got out of Reggie’s suit and skin the better. He wouldn't feel like his normal confident self until he was back into his own form.
“Don’t forget that you need to ask for a key card.” Collette’s high heeled shoes clicked rapidly on the pavement as she kept pace beside him.
Ryce nodded as they approached the entrance. Another uniformed man held the door open for them, and they walked in and toward the front desk.
“Can I help you sir?” A uniformed man at the front desk pasted a welcoming, if insincere smile on his face.man his
“Yes, I’d like to get the key card to my suite.” Ryce set their bags down and didn’t bother telling the man his name. Reggie would be arrogant enough to assume that people knew who he was without telling them. The clerk looked at him for a moment before he turned and went to a drawer embedded in the back counter. He pulled something out and turned back toward him and Collette.
