Black Tie

by Lynn Raye Harris

“Morning, beautiful.” He bent to kiss her cheek, then climbed into bed beside her. He picked up a remote and the television flared to life. An English-language news channel.

  They sat in companionable silence. She thought she should feel awkward, but she didn’t. Everything felt natural with Brett. Like it was meant to be.

  Careful, girlfriend.

  No sense indulging in fantastical thinking just because the sex was great and she felt comfortable with him.

  “I don’t remember coming upstairs last night,” she said after she’d had the first sip. He made good coffee.

  “You were out cold. And I couldn’t take another entire night on the couch or the floor, so I brought us up here. Is it warm enough?”

  “Definitely.” She was toasty under the covers. And while the air had a hint of coolness to it where it hit her bare shoulders, the radiators in this room worked fine. She could hear them creaking from time to time.

  Sunlight beamed across the bed just then, breaking free from the clouds of yesterday. She imagined it must be gorgeous out there with the sun sparkling on fresh snow. The mountains would be glorious in the sunshine too. She couldn’t wait to see them, but right now she wanted to stay under the covers with Brett and drink her coffee.

  “Got a phone call from the boss this morning,” Brett said casually.

  “Oh yeah? Good news?”

  Brett nodded as he sipped his coffee. “We’re headed back to the States.”

  Tallie’s heart did a flip. “Really? I get to go home?”

  “Not yet—but soon. We’re flying to Washington. A couple of days in a safe house there and then you’ll be home.”

  Ridiculously, her eyes filled with tears. Because she’d thought she’d never really get home again? Or because she didn’t want to go quite so soon now that she and Brett had gotten naked together?

  One night of blissful fun and it was time to pack up and head home. What did that mean for them?

  “I can’t wait,” she said, though she wasn’t sure she meant it nearly as much as she would have only a couple of days ago.

  “I thought that might make you happy.”

  It did, but so did he. Not that she needed to tell him that. They barely knew each other after all. But some things you just knew. Some things felt right because they were right. And whatever this thing with Brett was, it definitely felt right. It might only be temporary, sure—but she wanted to see where it went. Even though the idea scared her.

  “Of course,” she said carefully. “But I’m kinda happy right now too.”

  She said it casually, coolly. Brett arched an eyebrow and her heart throbbed.

  “Oh yeah?”

  She smiled. “Well… yeah. Remember the desire to yodel at the mountains? And the window shopping? It’s beautiful here.”

  He grinned. “Is that all that’s got you feeling happy?”

  She tilted her head to look at him. Handsome. Sexy. And wow did he know what to do with that tongue. “Yep, that’s about it,” she teased. “Mountains and shopping. Nothing else interesting going on around here.”

  He took her coffee from her and set it on the bedside table along with his. Then he tugged her down into the mattress and propped himself on his elbows above her. His dick was already hard and she pulled in a breath, barely able to contain a moan of excitement.

  “Think I better give you another demonstration, babe. See if a couple orgasms jog your memory about what’s making you feel so happy this morning.”

  She wrapped her arms around him and arched her breasts up to meet his bare chest. “I definitely think you should. I have a terrible memory. I might need a lot of demonstrating to remind me.”

  Brett dropped his mouth to hers. The world faded to the room around them—and the passion between them.

  Chapter Nineteen

  It took two hours to get to Munich. Brett left the car in long-term parking, left the keys inside, and knew someone would be there to get it before too long. Tallie was still wearing the contacts, but her passport turned out to be the real deal.

  Tallulah Margaret Grant of Williamsburg, Virginia.

  He’d picked it up at the Delta counter along with their boarding passes. Tallie hadn’t said anything but he knew she’d been impressed. Ian had many contacts, in many different places, and he used them to his advantage.

  Black Defense International was global, and its ties were myriad. Which is how Brett picked up passports and got first class seats all in one stop. The woman behind the counter was brisk and efficient and gave nothing away, but she handed over the passports as if they’d given them to her for identification in the first place.

  “Have a nice flight, Mr. Taylor. Miss Grant,” she’d said.

  They’d strolled through passport control like it was a walk in the park, had a beer and split a sandwich at a restaurant near the gate, and now they were on the plane in the first class section, with pods of their own where they could stretch out if they wanted.

  It was an overnight flight, not typical for Europe to the States, but it meant they’d arrive in the evening in Washington. Tallie poked at the screen in front of her, probably searching for a good movie.

  Brett sat back and closed his eyes, thinking about this morning when she’d said she was happy and then teased him by saying it was the mountains and the shopping, not him or the orgasms he’d given her.

  He’d known better. And it hadn’t concerned him that maybe she was getting too attached.

  God she was cute. And sweet and sexy and so damned hot in bed that he’d worried the sheets might combust.

  He liked that she wasn’t shy with him after what they’d done, and that she was confident enough to tease him about it too. When he’d handed her the coffee this morning, he’d had a vision of handing her coffee in bed every morning—and it hadn’t scared him. He’d liked the idea of having someone to wake up with whenever he was home.

  But how would that work? He lived in Maryland, when he wasn’t traveling, and she lived in Williamsburg. Not exactly a recipe for casual dating and getting to know each other, much less sleeping together every night.

  They landed at Washington Dulles some fourteen hours later, after a stop in Atlanta to change planes. Brett took Tallie’s hand as they walked down the concourse. All they had were their carryon bags, so no waiting at baggage claim. Most of the winter clothes had stayed behind at the house in Bavaria. Everything would be donated to a shelter so nothing went to waste.

  Tallie had her Italian clothing, and Brett had what he’d left Italy with. He’d entered Italy as Carter Walker, arriving on a private jet. His wardrobe would be returned to HQ where he’d pick it up later. Or maybe it was already there. Not that it mattered just now.

  When they exited the secure area, Brett spotted a familiar face. Tyler Scott was leaning against a pillar, watching the arrivals as they emerged. Ty straightened and sauntered toward them.

  “Hey, Brett,” he said.

  “Ty.”

  Ty’s gaze slipped appreciatively over Tallie. He smiled at her. Wolfishly, Brett thought.

  “And this is Tallie,” Brett said, his throat just a little bit tight. “Tallie, this is my coworker, Tyler.”

  “You can call me Ty, ma’am,” Ty said smoothly.

  “Hello, Ty.”

  “Colt’s waiting with the SUV,” Ty said to Brett.

  They followed him through the airport and outside where Colt pulled up a second later in a black Yukon. Ty took their bags and slung them in the back while Brett opened Tallie’s door for her and then went around to join her on the other side. Ty got in and Colt eased into traffic.

  “Hi again, Tallie,” Colt said as he glanced into the rearview. “I trust you’ve been okay with this madman?”

  Tallie smiled. “Hi, Colt. I’m fine, thanks. We had a lovely drive to Bavaria and Brett was a perfect gentleman.”

  “Excellent. Always glad to hear he was on his best behavior.”

  “What’s the plan?” Brett asked as they
merged onto the highway.

  “Taking you to a safe house near HQ for the night. Boss will see you in the morning.”

  Brett let out a breath. He was glad to hear it. It was early morning in Europe but late here. Tallie’s eyes were drooping. The pods on the plane were great, but it wasn’t the most restful sleep imaginable. He thought she was probably also excited about being back in the States and so near her family, and that had kept her awake when she should have been sleeping.

  He’d slept, but in short stretches. If he could lie down for a while, he’d be a lot fresher when it was time to see Ian and discuss Tallie’s immediate future and any potential danger to her.

  After almost an hour on the road, Colt pulled up to a plain ranch house on a plain street in a plain neighborhood in a Maryland suburb. There was a truck under the carport and the lights were on inside.

  Tallie opened her eyes as the SUV came to a stop and looked around a little bewilderedly. Then her gaze met Brett’s and she smiled. He smiled back.

  Colt and Ty swung their doors open. Brett told Tallie to wait and then he joined them.

  “You two staying here tonight?” he asked as they walked up to the house.

  “Nope, just dropping you both off. Gonna clear the place again, then we’ll get out of here. Keys to the truck are inside.”

  Brett went back to the SUV to get Tallie while Colt and Ty checked the house for a breach. It was probably overkill, but that was what the job required. What made them professionals.

  When they returned to give the all clear, Brett helped Tallie from the Yukon. She wobbled a little when her feet hit the ground and he put an arm around her to steady her. She leaned into him like she belonged there.

  Colt and Ty exchanged a look. Brett shot them both a fuck you look in return.

  Ty handed over the house keys. “Here you go, man. Sleep well. House is stocked. Weapons and ammo are in the bag on the table.”

  Brett nodded. His Sig would show up tomorrow, having been shipped home through one of Ian’s contacts. They had an entire system for getting weapons into and out of the places they traveled since they couldn’t fly armed on commercial flights.

  Brett ushered Tallie inside, then locked the door behind them. A glance out the window told him that Colt and Ty had backed onto the street. He turned to find Tallie standing in the middle of the room, peering at everything. She had her arms wrapped around her body. Brett went over to the range bag and took out a Glock 19. There were extra magazines and boxes of ammo as well as another Glock and a knife.

  “Are we expecting trouble?” Tallie asked softly.

  He looked at her. She seemed a little frightened, a little overwhelmed.

  “No, not really. It’s a habit, that’s all.” He wasn’t expecting trouble, but even if he was he’d have said the same thing. “Are you tired? Hungry?”

  “Maybe a little of both.”

  “Want a sandwich?”

  “How do you know there’s anything to make a sandwich?”

  “Because I do. This is a safe house, stocked like all safe houses. I’m guessing we’ve got ham and cheese and roast beef in there. White bread, a toaster. Bet there are cans of soup too. We could recreate our first Bavarian meal.”

  She smiled. “Would you think I’m crazy if I said I miss that place?”

  “No.”

  He kind of missed it too. Was it just last night—or the night before?—that he’d stripped her naked and fucked her in front of that fire? Aside from the incident with the damned teenager and his pot stash, their stay in Bavaria had been wonderful. He’d never forget the intimacy of listening to her talk about her parents, about how her dad fixed hot chocolate to help her sleep, and about her dad’s death.

  Brett didn’t usually trade confessions with anyone, but lying on the floor in that living room while she drank cocoa and asked him questions had loosened his tongue in ways that still surprised him. There were still things he hadn’t told her yet, but he could almost imagine himself doing so.

  “I wish we could have stayed longer,” she said. “Just a couple days more.”

  He set the pistol down and went over to take her into his arms. She came easily, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her cheek against his shirt. A wave of protectiveness washed over him.

  “Maybe we’ll go back there one day.”

  She tipped her head back to gaze up at him. “Careful, Brett, or I’ll think you plan to keep seeing me once this is over. Or maybe you’re just saying it to make me think so.”

  He threaded a hand through her hair, cupping the back of her head. He liked touching her. Just touching her. It didn’t have to be sexual, though he didn’t mind that either.

  “Would that be a bad thing? Seeing me once this is over?”

  “A few nights ago you told me not to expect a relationship if we had sex.”

  He swallowed. “I know. But I like you. I like the way I feel with you. And I don’t know if it’d work out, because I still have this crazy job, but maybe we can leave it open instead of closing the book when you go home again.”

  She arched an eyebrow and grinned at him suddenly. “If that’s your way of asking me out on a real date, then it’s no wonder you don’t do relationships. But I accept your request for a date, Brett Wheeler. Because I like you too.”

  Tallie’s sleep was all screwed up, but it didn’t much matter because when she was awake, Brett was awake too. Which meant they spent that time exploring all the ways in which they could make each other mindless with pleasure.

  She’d felt nostalgic for the chalet in Bavaria, but they’d had sex in the shower and the bed in this house and, memorably, on the kitchen counter. That had been just like a porn movie, but way better because it wasn’t about silly screwing positions for a camera. No, whenever Brett did anything to her body, he did it with the express intention of making her beg him for more.

  When she woke up again, it was after ten and the bed was empty beside her. She yawned and stretched and went to take another shower. Only after she’d dressed and fixed her hair did she walk out into the small living room.

  Brett was there with Colt and Ty. She’d heard talking after she’d gotten out of the shower so she wasn’t surprised they were there.

  “Good morning, gentlemen,” she said brightly.

  All three looked up. All three wore appreciative expressions on their faces, which bolstered her ego, but it was only Brett who looked at her with a knowing expression on his. It was intimacy and a care that went deeper than just the job of protecting her, and her heart thumped.

  He meant so much to her. Already.

  Was it possible to love someone this quickly? Or was it simply the power of their physical connection that made her all warm and tingly inside?

  “Morning, Tallie,” Colt said. “You sleep okay?”

  She felt herself blushing. “It wasn’t bad.”

  Ty was studying her carefully. It took her aback for a moment but then she remembered she hadn’t put the contacts in this morning. Her eyes were unveiled in all their craziness today. She’d hated growing up with such an obvious physical difference, but she didn’t feel that way anymore. It was a thing she shared with her dad, a connection that no one could take away.

  Tallie arched an eyebrow at Ty and he looked sheepish. “I’m sorry for staring,” he said. “I bet that happens a lot.”

  “It does. And it’s okay. You don’t see two different colored eyes everyday.”

  “No, definitely not.”

  “If you’re done staring, Ty,” Brett began.

  “I’m done. I already apologized.”

  Tallie came over and sank onto the couch beside Brett. She didn’t touch him, though. What was between them was private. Besides, these were his coworkers. Friends too, she thought. But coworkers nonetheless. What he chose to tell them was his business.

  Brett picked up a phone from the coffee table and held it out to her. “All your contacts are restored. The number is new, though. Your
suitcase is beside that chair.” He nodded toward it. “You’ll have to let us know if anything is missing.”

  Tallie glanced in surprise at the black suitcase sitting next to an empty chair. She hadn’t even noticed it until he pointed it out. She took the phone. “Thank you,” she said past the tightness in her throat.

  She’d wanted her phone so badly when she’d woken without it in the palazzo. She’d felt lost without it. And now she stared at it like it was a foreign thing. A thing she didn’t know how to use or if she even wanted to.

  But Mom was on the other end of this phone. And Sharon. Bill, too. All the people she knew and cared for.

  She hit the contacts and scrolled through her favorites. Even Josie.

  Tallie teared up at her sister’s name and picture. It was a pic of Josie with a huge grin on her face. Tallie had taken it on their last trip together. Josie was dead, but Tallie couldn’t erase her from her phone.

  “Hey,” Brett said, dropping an arm around her. She turned into his shoulder and breathed him in, trying not to cry.

  “It’s okay. I’m okay,” she said, her voice muffled.

  His other hand came up to stroke her hair. She could hear his voice, pitched low just for her.

  “I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t know it would upset you to get your phone back. I should have waited until we were alone.”

  She turned the phone so he could see precisely what had upset her. He squeezed her tighter then. She heard movement and then the door opened and closed. Colt and Ty were gone. She knew it without raising her head to look.

  She pushed herself back and met Brett’s concerned gaze as she swiped away a tear. “I shouldn’t have looked at my contacts. I don’t know why I did. I just—I couldn’t erase her name and picture, you know? I’m not sure I ever will.”

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to, honey.”

  Tallie sniffled. “I chased them away, didn’t I?”

  “Nah, they’re big boys. They can handle a lady crying. They went outside to give us some privacy.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.”

  “I wasn’t sure… I didn’t think you’d want them to know about, uh, us. And now they must.”