Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Kissing Kalliope (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Amy Briggs

  “Good morning beautiful,” he said, nuzzling into my hair.

  “Good morning yourself,” I replied.

  “So, that was a fun night.”

  “Indeed it was.”

  “Wanna get some brunch? It’s the best meal of the day. Definitely the most important one on the weekends.”

  I thought about whether or not spending any more time with this guy was a good idea, but my reservation was short-lived when my stomach growled. I never did have that dinner the night before, and I was famished.

  “That sounds fantastic.”

  I got out of bed, wrapping a sheet around myself. I was feeling a little less uninhibited, now that it was morning.

  “Why are you covering up?” he called out from the bed.

  “Uh, I don’t know. I’m cold,” I lied.

  “Yeah, sure you are. You know that I’ve seen every inch of you now, so it doesn’t matter if you cover it all up. I know what’s there.” He chuckled, getting out of the bed completely naked, and strolled across the room to get his pants. I was rummaging through my suitcase for something brunch appropriate; of course, having no idea what exactly that was. I settled on some jeans and a dressy top, and disregarded his comment altogether, knowing he was completely right.

  “I’ll be out in a sec,” I said, as I went to the bathroom to see if my hair was salvageable. I checked myself out in the mirror and laughed. I couldn’t believe that I’d just spent the night with a total stranger, fucking like wildcats, and now we were going to brunch. Maybe it would have been better if I’d sent him on his way, but I was starved.

  After I smoothed out my hair, reapplied a bit of makeup, and was satisfied with how I looked, I came out of the bathroom to find him wearing his suit pants and white button up, sans tie and jacket.

  “You look pretty,” he said.

  “Thank you. I didn’t bring a whole lot to wear, except clothes for work. Is this ok?” I asked.

  “It’s great. Shall we?” He stood up, motioning to the door.

  “We shall.” I grabbed my purse and he followed me out to the elevator, smacking my ass with a nice wallop just as I pressed the down button. “Hey!” I exclaimed.

  “I can't help it. You have such a delicious, juicy little ass, Kallie.” He shrugged, making me laugh.

  When we got to the lobby, I realized that we didn’t have separate cars. In fact, I didn’t have a car at all. “Where are we going? Should I get a taxi or something?”

  “I know the perfect spot. I’ll drive. Come on.” He took my hand and led me out the front door of the hotel to the parking lot.

  Not ten minutes later, we found our way to this little house that had been turned into a restaurant, of sorts. There were patio chairs set outside, and a few people were seated at them, even though it seemed a little cold for that. We got ourselves seated rather quickly for such a busy little place and he ordered us both a breakfast cocktail.

  “How do you know I wanted a drink?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. I did want one, but still.

  “It’s brunch. Everyone has a cocktail at brunch. That’s one of the best parts about it. You don’t need an excuse to have a drink with your breakfast.”

  Good point. “This is a nice place, do you come here a lot?” I asked.

  “Not as much as I’d like to, but it’s a place I’ve been coming to for years.”

  We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes while I perused the menu. It seemed that he already knew what he wanted. After settling on the chicken and waffles, my absolute favorite food ever, he broke the silence yet again.

  “So, you’re here until when? Friday?” he asked.

  “Yes, I have meetings and some training throughout the week. What about you? Busy week?” It seemed a little strange to be making this small talk with someone who had his face between my legs not eight hours prior, but his company was enjoyable. I probably would have ordered room service if he hadn’t asked me to eat.

  “I do have a busy week, but I have most evenings free. I know that it might sound strange, but I feel like I know you. I mean I know you in many ways now”—he grinned and paused—“but that’s not what I mean. What I’m trying to say is that I know you’re only here for a few more days, but I’d really like to see you again this week, if you have time?”

  A smile spread across my lips. Nobody here knows me, knows my boring life. An absolutely delicious man wants to spend a little time with me this week, why shouldn’t I? I should, so I said what any smart girl would. “That would be lovely.”

  We spent the morning, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the little eatery, enjoying our breakfast, cocktails, and fantastic conversation. If this is what a relationship is, you can count me in. I had a wonderful time in his company, as if we'd known each other for years. I'd never clicked with someone quite like that. He told me about his brother, who was in the Army, but I didn't tell him that I worked for the Army. As wonderful as the connection was, there was no point in getting too personal with someone that would depart from your life in a few short days. I wasn’t dumb enough to think either of us would be willing to explore anything further, considering the distance between us.

  When we’d finished, I wasn’t sure what was next. I figured he’d want to get home, but I was mistaken.

  “Do you have other plans for today?” he asked.

  “I don’t, actually.”

  "Well then, I think I'll accost you for the afternoon and show you some of my favorite things." He smiled and took my hand as we walked back to his car. Before he opened my door, he leaned in to plant a soft, sweet kiss on my lips.

  “What was that for?” I asked, trying to be cute.

  “Well, I’ve decided that for the week, you’re mine. So, I am going to kiss you whenever I want,” he replied, quite matter-of-factly, with just a twinge of alpha. Huge turn on. “That ok with you?”

  “That’s quite good with me, thank you.” I grinned, just as he kissed me again.

  We took off in his car, destination unknown to me and I didn't even care. He had a bag in his car with a change of clothes, so we didn’t need to make any stops, we just took off. The spontaneity of everything between us was relaxing and fun, not what I would expect from someone whose last name I didn't even know. I thought about asking, and then decided better of it since I didn't want to give him mine. The air of mystery, albeit probably strange to some, was intriguing and sexy. He was a perfect gentleman. Except for the night before, of course. Then, he was bossy and dominating, and I loved the mix of both.

  I couldn't help but be drawn to his handsome looks, but we had exceptionally good banter as well. It didn't take long for me to realize we were driving to Washington, D.C., which was only twenty minutes away. I'd not been to D.C. as an adult; just when my parents took me as a child, and although I'd not planned to do any sightseeing, I was excited.

  “You look happy,” he said, glancing in my direction as he looked for a place to park.

  “I am. I haven’t been down here in years.”

  “Do you come to the area often?”

  “No. I haven’t been here since I was a kid.”

  “It’s always so crowded with tourists, but I thought it would be a fun thing to do, since it’s so nice out. The cherry blossoms are blooming early, so everything looks less gray now than it has in months.” Winter was winding down, and while there was still a bit of a chill in the air, it was a perfect afternoon. “Not everything is open because it’s Sunday, but I thought it might be nice to walk around for awhile. Sound good?”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  He finally found a place to park, and we took off on a long walk to see some of the monuments and historic buildings that were all centrally located. Basically, we had a date. After our one-night stand.

  You could call it the one-night stand that turned into a weekend.

  Ethan

  I should have gone home in the morning. Hell, I should have gone home at some point the night before, but I c
ouldn't. She was amazing. Not only was she a wildcat in the bedroom, but she was just nice to be around. I hadn't met a woman that I wanted to spend any time with in the daylight in ages.

  I took us down to the central square in D.C. where all the museums are, and you can also see a few of the monuments from. Because it was a Sunday, not everything was open, but it was sunny and warm for the end of winter, and I needed a way to spend more time with her.

  "Tell me more about yourself, Kallie. What were you like as a kid? Did you play sports, or were you a nerd?" I teased, but I was genuinely interested.

  “Oh gosh, I was a nerd. I’m still a nerd. I work in computers after all.” She giggled, and the sound was adorable.

  “I bet you were beating the boys off with a stick.” Even the morning after, when neither of us had really had a chance to clean up or anything, she was beautiful. She had her hair tied up in a messy bun, and she was comfortable and casual.

  “Not exactly. My dad was Army, so we lived on base and everyone knew he’d kick their ass. Plus, like I said, I was a nerd. I kinda stuck to myself.”

  “You intrigue me. I feel like there’s so much more to you that you’re not telling me.” I could tell she was holding back, and I knew why, but I didn’t want her to.

  "You flatter me, Ethan. I'm not that interesting. Just a computer nerd, traveling on business. My day-to-day life isn't all that extraordinary. I'm not saving lives or anything," she joked.

  We spent the afternoon touring a bit and as the sun started to set, we decided it was time to head back to Virginia. I needed to go home, to shower and get ready for work the next day, but all I wanted to do was bring her back to my place, cook her dinner, and hang out with her. I'd known her for less than twenty-four hours and she was stuck in my mind. I was already feeling pissy and anxious about leaving her.

  “I had a really nice time today, Ethan, thank you,” she said, as we pulled up to the hotel.

  “I did too.” I hesitated, then realized I didn’t know her last name, her phone number, or anything else, and I couldn’t let her slip away. “What are you doing for dinner tomorrow night?” I asked.

  “Um, I don’t know. I don’t think I have any plans, unless someone from the office is expecting to have dinner or something. I haven’t checked in there yet. Could I let you know tomorrow?”

  “Let me have your phone.” She gladly handed it over, and I put my personal number in it. I included my last name, which she never asked for. “Text me tomorrow. I want to see you again.”

  Her smile melted me. “Ok, that sounds good. How will you know it’s me? Do you want my number?”

  "I'll know it's you because it's the only message I'll be waiting for all day." Yes, I'm smooth, but it was also true. I was feeling an overwhelming sadness that she was about to get out of the car. "Come here," I demanded softly. Reaching over from the driver's seat, I pulled her toward me for a kiss.

  As her lips touched mine, a chill ran through me again. Her small hand made its way to my chest, and we shared a passionate kiss that felt like goodbye, but I hoped it wasn’t. It didn’t last nearly long enough, and when she stopped to get out of the car, I almost pouted.

  “I’ll text you tomorrow, by the end of the day.”

  “I’ll be looking forward to it, Kallie,” I said, as she stepped out of my car.

  “Bye.” She gave a small wave before disappearing into the lobby of the hotel.

  Fuck me. That woman was amazing. Never in all my years, anywhere in the world, had I met a woman so easy to be around. She's confident and relaxed, clearly has no clue how fucking beautiful she is, and in bed… my God. I got chills just recounting our escapades from the night before. I can't count how many times I came, and hearing her cry out my name was like a song I'd play over and over.

  I went home to shower and get some reading in before work the next day, but I couldn’t get her off my mind. I accomplished absolutely fucking nothing, and when I finally laid down to sleep that night, I wished I’d made her give me her number so I could text her like a goddamn teenager. I’m fucking CIA. I’ll find out her number one way or another, if she doesn’t text me. Then, the overwhelming thought of her not contacting me kept me up all night. One fucking day, and I was already a mess.

  And I liked it.

  The next morning, I arrived early as usual. I needed to get Kallie off my mind; I had to figure out what I was going to do with this Delta Force person all fucking week. She was supposed to come in at nine, and we never told her who she was meeting with. She was supposed to ask for the desk agent that worked in my division, who would bring her to my office when she arrived. By ten after nine, I was checking my watch, annoyed that she had no sense of promptness. She worked for the Army, so that figured. They seemed to do whatever the fuck they wanted.

  By nine-fifteen, I got up to get some coffee and find out where she was. I was irritated. Probably because I was distracted and projecting, but either way, she should've been on time. The desk agent, whose cubicle was right outside my office, was also missing, and it seemed like nobody was around.

  I took off down the hallway, and into the breakroom. There's one thing the CIA spares no expense on, and that's coffee. We had a fancy machine that would make whatever you wanted, and about eighty-two different bean types to choose from. I'd always a been a strong, black coffee kind of guy, probably because that's what you drink overseas. There's no cappuccino in Afghanistan, but there is coffee, water, and long hours. It becomes a necessary fuel at that point, long before the addiction takes over back in the United States.

  I got my coffee and small talked with another guy getting his fancy mocha sugar bomb for a few minutes, before heading back to my office. I’d decided that if she weren’t here by nine-thirty, I was going to be a dick about it and call her superior officer or something. Mostly to prove a point that the CIA is better because we can show up on time, and in intelligence gathering, being prompt can save a life. You know, that kind of douchebaggery. When I rounded the corner, Trent was back at his desk.

  “Your nine o’clock is here. She got tied up at security downstairs, and they didn’t know who to call,” he informed me.

  “I see,” I said, before taking a sip of my coffee.

  “I put her in your office. She’s waiting for you there.” I poked my head around to get a look at her, but from behind, all I could see was a crisp navy suit, and dark hair tied back in a sleek ponytail.

  “All right, thanks. I’m going to brief her and figure out the plan for the week on the fly. If anyone’s looking for me, you know where I’ll be.”

  He nodded his understanding, and I walked into my office with an air of defiance, a “CIA rules and Army sucks” attitude, and sat down at my desk before I even made eye contact. But, when I looked up, I couldn't believe it.

  "Holy shit," I said, then got up to shut the door.

  Kallie

  I realized it was him before he even laid eyes on me. How did I not notice his name on the goddamn door; I’d only looked at it a thousand times the night before. Ethan Stowe. My heart was racing so fast, I thought I might pass out, right then and there.

  One time. One time in my entire life, I sleep with a guy I don’t know, and he turns out to be the guy I’m supposed to work with and share secrets about collecting intelligence for national security? Fuck me.

  Once he recognized it was me, the same girl he'd fucked eighteen different ways on Saturday night, he got up and shut the door. I didn't say a word. I didn't know what to say, honestly. It was almost funny, but not quite. It's not like we worked at a donut shop; we worked for the Department of fucking Justice and Homeland Security. So, it was more than awkward. He sat back down at his desk and examined me.

  “I thought your name was Kallie,” he said, breaking the thickest tension in the world.

  “It is. Sort of.” I shrugged. I mean, what else could I do?

  “Sort of?” He looked down at the paper in front of him, which must have had my name on it, then t
urned his glance back to me.

  “My name is Kalliope. I go by Kallie to almost everyone. Nobody calls me Kalliope.”

  “Kalliope,” he muttered quietly.

  "Yeah. So, nice to meet you, Ethan Stowe. Looking forward to working with you this week. Should be really great. Not awkward at all, in fact," I said sarcastically, trying to be funny.

  His blank stare spoke more than his voice. He didn’t reply, just stared at me, clearly trying to figure out what to say.

  “Look, this is awkward. No denying that. But I have a job to do, and so do you. So, let’s put that other stuff aside for right now, and maybe just focus on that, shall we?” His continued silence was starting to irritate me.

  As if he’d read my mind, he shook his head a bit and cleared his throat. “Right, yes. You’re absolutely right… Kallie.”

  “Ok, now that we have that settled, what exactly is the plan for this week, or even just for today? My Commander made it clear to me that I’m to share the processes I go through, as well as the systems I currently have in place for intelligence gathering and review for Delta Force. This way, we can compare what I’m doing to what the Central Intelligence Agency is doing, and see if there are any gaps, or areas that we could learn from each other. Is that your understanding of my purpose here?”

  I was trying to be as professional as possible. He still seemed a bit flustered, and realistically, I was freaking out on the inside, but work is how I handle anxiety. I can’t change what happened. If I could go back in time, I’m not even sure I would change it anyway.

  This may be one of the single most uncomfortable moments in my life; however, the previous thirty-six hours were some of the most amazing. I shifted in my seat and crossed my legs when the thought of screaming out his name worked its way out of my subconscious and into the forefront of my mind, where it definitely didn't belong at that moment. I was getting turned on just thinking about what he did to me Saturday night, and this was neither the time nor the place for that memory to pop up.