The Path to Freedom (Task Force 125)

by Pietsch, Lisa; Gerow, Tina

  The power she had in this situation was better than any buzz she’d ever felt. Every cell in her body was yearning for him but she fought it and stayed in control.

  She led his right hand around her waist and then let her left hand creep up his strong, solid chest and around to the back of his neck.

  His mouth opened slightly and she knew he was ready to kiss her, so she sighed meaningfully and moved to within a breath of his lips with hers. Dark desire filled his eyes.

  Sarah let her own eyes reflect what her body was feeling. Her mind maintained true control.

  Vince’s left arm tightened around her waist and held her close while his right hand slowly caressed her hip and began to travel slowly up her waist.

  When he moved to kiss her, she very gently moved her head to the side and whispered sensuously in his ear, “I am going to make him an offer no man could refuse, and then, I’m going to rock the bastard’s world.”

  It took every ounce of strength she had to step out of Vince’s embrace and pretend it was all an act.

  He can never know exactly how much I wanted to finish that!

  Sarah allowed herself the luxury of looking Vince over slowly, from head to toe, as though he were dinner and she hadn’t eaten in, well, she’d never eaten a dinner like that.

  Her gaze paused at the impressive and telling bulge below his waistline.

  Such a shame we have to let that go to waste.

  Her body screamed at her own betrayal. He was a sexual electromagnet switched on. Her mind fought to keep control of her body.

  Walk out of the room, Sarah.

  Walk out of the room, Sarah.

  Walk out of the room, Sarah.

  When she met his gaze again, she nodded to his apparent arousal. She barely managed to control her urge to pounce.

  He couldn’t tell her in any more obvious a way that he wanted her.

  She took a deep breath and appeared all business when she spoke. “Sorry about that, but I needed you to understand I can do this. By the look of things, I’d say I have you fairly well convinced.” She straightened her skirt and tossed her hair back over her right shoulder. “Now you guys need to back me up and make sure I don’t get left hanging in the warm Mediterranean breeze.”

  Vince smirked and nodded. “Good enough.” His breaths were heavy and fast.

  Sarah watched the telling rise and fall of his chest as she remembered what it was like to be held close to him. “Now I’ll leave you with your, uh, thoughts and see you out in the cabin in a few minutes.” Sarah slid her hand behind Vince to reach the doorknob as he stepped aside.

  Before she left, she turned back to take a long look at Vince. “By the way, I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you very much.”

  Vince grinned. “You should, but the pleasure was all mine, babe. You really had me going.”

  Stay cool, Stevens. He’s off limits. That was just to prove a point. Well, maybe a couple of points.

  She walked out, closed the door and strutted back to her seat with a confident chuckle.

  He may be off limits, but it sure is nice to feel wanted.

  Chris grinned at her, pointed to his earpiece and whispered, “Nice. You can rock my world any time. Don’t you worry. We’ve got your six, babe.”

  Sarah was relieved Chris received the message she meant to send. “I’m counting on it, Big Daddy.”

  Vince entered the cabin with a grin and sat back in his seat.

  When Sarah glanced at him, he smiled, blushed slightly and nodded his head.

  The team was finally ready to go.

  ~~~

  The captain announced their approach to New York. “We should be on the ground at JFK in twenty minutes. We’re going to fuel up and grab a meal before the overnight trip to London. We’re cleared for a nineteen-hundred departure so you’ve got a few hours to stretch your legs and grab some chow.”

  Jason stretched in his seat. “Great, I’m starving.”

  Sarah quickly put a brush through her hair. “Should one of us stay with the gear?”

  “No need,” Vince answered. “Jim’s got it covered.”

  Sarah checked her lipstick. “Who’s Jim?”

  A rather well equipped man stepped out of the cockpit. The boys Sarah was working with were well equipped in a physical sort of way, but this guy had loaded holsters on each thigh and two shoulder holsters equally packed.

  “Hey, Jim. How have you been?” Jason waved nonchalantly, then nodded at Sarah.

  Sarah smiled at Jason and then at Jim. “Yeah, I guess he doesn’t need us hanging around.”

  Brian cracked his knuckles and sat back in his seat. “Thank you for flying Air America. Please be sure your seats, tray tables and firearms are in their upright and locked positions.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  As they landed in London, Sarah checked her watch. Eight in the morning. She peered out the window to see an unseasonably clear day. They weren’t anywhere near the terminal and two black Range Rovers converged to the left of the aircraft.

  The vehicles parked beside the plane and the drivers stepped out onto the tarmac.

  Vince rose from his seat and stretched. “These should be our spook escorts. You all chill while I coordinate.” Vince opened the hatch that doubled as stairs and disembarked the jet.

  Sarah watched as he shook hands with the two men and spoke to them.

  The guys seemed to be collecting their personal gear.

  Vince bounded back into the jet. “Overnight gear only, girls. No weapons.” Then he disappeared into the cockpit.

  Sarah picked up her overnight bag and her leather handbag.

  Get a look at me. A Rolex, matching Luis Vuitton luggage, handbag and designer clothes. Who knew?

  Jason let out a sigh as he sat beside Sarah and pulled up his pant leg. He removed the Beretta that had been safely tucked inside an ankle holster. Next he pulled a Gerber boot knife out of his hiking boot. Then he opened his denim shirt and removed the sidearm from his shoulder holster.

  Brian slapped Jason on the shoulder. “Jesus, man. Sarah and Vince are the ones going in on this op. What the hell are you so loaded for? This is London, man, not frigging Baghdad.”

  Jason tilted his head and shrugged. “Habit?”

  Will eyed Jason as he passed him on the way to the door. “A dangerous habit you got there, brother.”

  Sarah leaned over and whispered in Jason’s ear, “I think it’s hot.”

  “See, chicks like it,” Jason yelled to Will and Brian who were disembarking.

  Sarah was the last to leave the plane and found the guys being greeted by one of the drivers.

  The first driver greeted Will with a handshake. “Jim Lloyd, MI-5.”

  “Will Adams. Good to meet you. This is Sarah, Brian, Chris, you’ve met Vince and that’s Jason.”

  “Cheers, lads.” Jim reached out to shake Sarah’s hand. “I wish MI-5 had agents that look like you.”

  Sarah gave the fellow a once-over and although he had a smaller build than the guys she was with, he was about six feet tall, built nicely, and there was something about his blue-gray eyes and bright smile that was very attractive.

  You aren’t so bad on the eyes either.

  Sarah had forgotten how much she enjoyed hearing English accents and smiled. “Thanks very much.”

  Vince’s voice came from behind her. “Sarah, Jason, you’re with me and Jim. Will, Brian and Chris, you ride with Ian.”

  Sarah carefully placed her bags in the back of the shiny, new Range Rover and sat in the back with Jason. She watched the city go by as Jim drove them to a gorgeous home in Chelsea.

  ~~~

  Sarah tried to control her enthusiasm as she marveled at the exterior of the building. She walked inside and halted in her tracks when she noticed the security panel inside the door.

  Chris paused for a moment on his way in. “Completely secure. It’s a Safe House. What’s said here stays here. No signals going in or out. It’s a smalle
r version of the Pentagon’s electronic security system.”

  Jim stood in the middle of the luxurious living room. “Right, lads. You’ll find bedrooms for each of you upstairs along with three bathrooms. The house is fully equipped with a kitchen, dining room, exercise room, parlor and living room. You’ll also find a big screen television in there and this fireplace works, too. Make yourselves at home.”

  Vince shook Jim’s hand. “Thanks, Jim.”

  “No worries. We’ll pick you up tomorrow.” He waved a hand on his way out. “Cheers.”

  “Okay, girls. Go claim your rooms.” Vince pointed up the stairs. “We’ve got twenty-four hours.”

  Sarah walked upstairs and unpacked her overnight case. Then she followed her nose to the kitchen where she found Will cooking something that smelled wonderful. She pulled up a bar stool and watched as Will continued chopping vegetables and sautéing chicken.

  Will glanced up and grinned.

  “It smells delicious. What is it?”

  “Chicken Tava,” Will answered. “It’s a Middle Eastern dish.”

  “This whole past month we’ve been together, I’ve never seen you cook, Will. That’s a very attractive quality in a man.”

  He continued chopping. “There are a lot of things we don’t know about each other, but I guarantee you, after a year or two of working with us, you’ll know every attractive and unattractive quality about each of us and we’ll know the same about you. You think you can handle that?”

  “You’d be surprised at how much I can handle. So, what’s with the secret cooking skills?”

  “I only cook when I have the right ingredients. Cooking or eating any old slop is a waste of time and energy.”

  Sarah considered the man standing in front of her. He wore Armani slacks and a silk shirt open at the neck. His tie was carefully folded and laid on the counter by the sink. His Armani jacket hung over the other barstool. “That policy seems to have worked pretty well for you. So, can I eat this, too?”

  “Yeah, pork chop.” He winked. “It’s safe. Just lean meat and vegetables with a little olive oil and spices. Guaranteed to skip the hips.”

  “Excellent. I’ll be back after I clean up.” Sarah walked back upstairs to take a bath and refresh herself after the long transatlantic flight. She strolled through the living room to see Jason and Chris hooking up a Play Station III to the big screen television. She noticed that Vince and Brian had already started their workouts in the fully equipped gym.

  They never miss a workout and it shows.

  Sarah lingered a while at the door to enjoy the view.

  “Hey, this isn’t a peep show, girl. You lifting or leaving?”

  Sarah raised her hands and smiled at Brian. “You got me. Can’t blame a girl for wanting to watch.”

  Sarah headed to her room and grabbed her toiletry case before going to the bathroom down the hall.

  Oh, wow. This is huge. Enclosed shower and a garden tub in addition to a double vanity and toilet. Very nice.

  Sarah filled the large tub with hot water and bubbles and settled in for a relaxing bath. She must have dozed off because she awoke when she heard the shower running. Unsure if she should leave or not, she decided to enjoy her bath.

  Hey, I was here first.

  Sarah opened her eyes when she heard the shower stop.

  This should be interesting.

  Brian stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel on the warming rack.

  “Go, Navy,” Sarah said appreciatively.

  “Hey!” Brian turned around and wrapped the towel around his waist. “When did you come in?”

  “Been here the whole time.” Sarah was completely impressed with what she saw, but was determined to stay cool.

  I guess Will wasn’t kidding about us getting to know everything about each other.

  “You know, for somebody who was so modest in the gym, I’m a little surprised to see so much of you now.”

  Brian squinted at Sarah and looked like he was trying not to smile. “Yeah, how do you like it?”

  “Not bad.”

  “Not bad? Girl, you know you want some of this.”

  “Yep. Just as badly as you want to get into this tub, but we both know it isn’t happening. Now get your fine ass out of here.”

  “All right, all right,” Brian said as he walked out.

  Sarah stood up to dry off.

  Almost immediately, the door to the bathroom opened and Vince walked in. He stopped just inside the door, hand still on the doorknob. “Hey there.” He smiled a wide, perfect smile.

  The sound of his voice and the look in his eyes caused an instant sexual need in Sarah. She had the presence of mind to not let it show. She feigned outrage. “Hey, nothing. This isn’t a peep show. Get out!”

  Vince laughed. “Okay, okay. I’m going.” The door almost closed before he popped his head back in. “Can you pass me the soap?”

  “Get out!” Sarah threw a bar of soap at him but he closed the door before it hit him.

  Sarah could hear him laughing all the way down the hall as she dried off. By the time she dressed and made it back down to the dining room, the guys were already seated and digging in. She sat in the empty chair near Jason and helped herself.

  Vince was the first to speak. “So, Brian. You want to tell me what you and Sarah were doing in the bathroom together?”

  “Hey! I was in there first.” Sarah jumped in before Brian could say anything. “He snuck in when I dozed off in the tub.”

  “Oh, Brian. That’s a new low for you,” Will chided. “Taking advantage of a sleeping woman? See what I meant about all of our unattractive traits? Lock your doors, kid. Always lock your doors with this guy around.”

  Brian kept a straight face as he continued eating. “Hey, it was an honest mistake. It’s not like I walked in knowing she was naked in there, Vince.”

  A thrill ran up Sarah’s spine when she realized Vince’s intrusion was intentional.

  You were looking for a chance to check me out, you dog!

  “Hey, you can’t blame a guy for wanting to watch.”

  Sarah didn’t miss the reference. She figured she had it coming after watching them work out.

  “I thought we were a team,” Jason blurted out in a hurt tone.

  “Yeah, what’s the big idea? What ever happened to all for one and one for all?” Chris whined.

  “Hey, we’re five soldiers.” Vince scowled at Chris. “Well, four soldiers and a geek, not the three frigging musketeers. If you want to see a naked woman, you’re gonna to have to do your own recon, boys.”

  Sarah shook her head and drank a sip of the wine that had been poured. “Will, this is an excellent meal. Thanks for cooking.”

  Vince swallowed a forkful of the chicken dish. “Yeah, thanks, man.”

  Will looked up at Vince. “Don’t thank me, leatherneck. Just take a picture next time.”

  Sometimes a girl just needs to be objectified.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  A knock sounded on Sarah’s door and she rolled over. “Yeah?”

  “Hey, Sarah, we’re going down to the pub. Are you coming?”

  “Yeah, Jason, just give me a minute to get dressed.”

  Sarah glanced at her watch and realized she’d slept about eight hours and it was already ten pm. She dressed in a short, red plaid skirt, tucked in a white shirt and draped on her pearls before slipping into her shoes. She ran a brush through her hair and let it fall over her shoulders.

  Hmm…add some pigtails and I’d have the schoolgirl thing going. Oh well, I look pretty damned good if I say so myself!

  Sarah strutted to the living room where the guys were waiting for her. They all wore T-shirts and jeans except for Will who wore a button down shirt the same dreamy blue as his eyes and black dress pants.

  ~~~

  Sarah gazed at the photographs behind the bar of the pub as she waited for the bartender to pour their second round of drinks.

  “Well, looks l
ike they’ll let any old loser into this place.”

  At the sound of the familiar voice behind her, Sarah spun around to see Tracey smiling back at her. “I’ll be damned! I never thought I’d see you again.” Delight filled her at having another woman to talk to, especially one that was in the same situation she was.

  Tracey hugged Sarah. “Lucky you, huh? So, are you on R&R or enroute?”

  “Enroute. You?”

  “Yep. Let’s drink.” Tracey pointed to the bartender. “Four shots of Cuervo. Hold the fruit.”

  Sarah and Tracey each picked up a shot and drank.

  “It’s good to see you, Trace.”

  Tracey slapped her empty shot glass on the bar. “You, too. Nervous?”

  “As hell! Bottoms up.” Sarah handed Tracey the last shot as she drank her own.

  Tracey took a look around the pub. “Is it just the tequila or are there some fine looking boys over there?”

  Sarah sighed. “Yeah, tell me about it. They’re my team.”

  “No shit? Those are mine over there. Not bad, but not as easy on the eyes as yours.”

  “Ah, well…somebody’s got to be second place.” Sarah nudged Tracey. “It might as well be you. Four more, barkeep.”

  Brian stood and started toward Sarah and Tracey.

  Tracey’s eyes opened wide. “Ooh, tell me about that tall drink of water.”

  Sarah remembered her first lusty response to seeing Brian and grinned. “His name is Brian. He was with the SEAL teams until he was recruited. Ladies flock to him. He’s got a house, a pool, and a boat. He’s a solid guy and great on paper but never sleeps with the same woman twice.”

  Tracey raised an eyebrow. “Once would be just fine with me.”

  Brian put his arm around Sarah’s waist. “Hey, girl, we were a little ticked that you were taking so long with the drinks until we realized you were pulling chicks for us.” He nodded toward Tracey. “Is this one for me?”

  “You can have her when I’m done. You can take the drinks back with you now though.”