Sounds of young boys laughing in the background twisted a twinge of pain in Nick’s gut. He never expected Donovan to settle down. They were bachelor men, living the bachelor life and claiming to enjoy it. It surprised Nick how jealous he felt of Donovan’s good fortune.
Madeline must have covered the mouthpiece, because Nick heard muffled voices and then Donovan came on the line. “Edward, you old dog. How’s life treating you?”
Nick laughed. “Well, not as good as it’s treating you, apparently. Sounds chaotic at your place.”
“Yeah. The baby’s teething and my son has a friend over playing X-Box. It’s a good life, except I never get my beautiful wife alone anymore.”
“Did you get the gifts I sent?”
“Sure did. I know how you spy types are constantly on the move, so I didn’t know where to send a thank you card.” Donovan chuckled. “But enough small talk. If you’re calling me, you have a reason. What’s up?”
Nick cleared his throat. Part of the reason he liked Donovan so much was the man’s no-nonsense approach to life. It was typical for him to cut right to the chase. “Remember Jason Steele?”
“Of course.”
Even though Donovan was a police officer, he didn’t always think laws needed to be followed if justice was more expedient. Nick had met him fourteen years earlier in Los Angeles. While Nick worked his first case for S.A.T.O., Donovan had already been working the streets as a beat cop for nearly a decade. Despite their difference in age, they had a lot in common, and Donovan was the only person he truly considered a friend.
When Paul ordered him to kill Jason Steele, Nick immediately contacted Donovan. Regardless of what S.A.T.O. believed, Jason was a good man, a good agent, and Nick couldn’t kill him.
“I never asked how you got him out of the country,” Nick said. “But I may need your help that way again.”
Donovan let out a low whistle. “You or someone else?”
Nick had thought about that all day. If Carlie had to leave the country to get away from both her enemies and the United States government, Nick didn’t want her going alone. He’d never felt any emotional attachment to a woman before. Past dalliances were nothing more than a momentary satisfaction and having his needs filled. This past month, watching Carlie, learning all about her—the connection he had with her felt deeper.
“Me and someone else,” he finally answered.
“Maddie, could you keep an eye on the boys?” Donovan’s muffled voice came again. “This conversation needs to be private.”
Nick heard the click of a door shutting, and then everything went silent.
“What kind of trouble you in?” Donovan asked.
“I’m not in trouble. My target is, but I think she’s innocent.”
“She, huh?” Donovan chuckled, honing in on that pertinent fact more quickly than Nick thought he would. “And you’re going into hiding with her? Leaving everything behind that you’ve worked so hard for?”
Nick knew he hadn’t really thought things through. Right now, Carlie was pissed off. She might not want to speed off into the sunset with him. If he left the country, he’d never be able to come back. He had a house in Canada and plenty of money in private accounts not connected to S.A.T.O. The one thing he hadn’t lied about was his business investments. Nick had acquired quite a bit of wealth over the years and stashed a lot of that money into a Swiss bank account after the fiasco with Jason.
Leaving the country wouldn’t be an enormous hardship on him, but it would change everything. Was he willing to take such a big chance on a woman he barely knew?
“How did you know Madeline was the right woman?” He knew that didn’t answer Donovan’s questions, but figured he’d understand. “I never expected you to settle down.”
“I knew the second I met her.” Donovan’s voice was as serious as Nick ever heard it. “She wasn’t so sure about me, but I knew things would work out.”
“So, it’s not entirely stupid to fall for my target? I’ve only been on one date with her, but we went through some intense stuff the past few days. Today hasn’t been so peachy, though.” He sighed. “She’s pissed off at me.”
Donovan laughed. “They always get mad. The fun is in making up.”
“Will you help me, then?”
“With woman trouble, no. I’m barely able to keep my own wife deliriously happy. I will help you leave the country undetected by S.A.T.O., however. I’ll need pictures of you both to get identities and passports the government can’t trace from my source in L.A. Also, I exchanged money for Jason so he didn’t draw attention to himself. I can do that for you, if you tell me where you’re going.”
Nick hesitated. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. What was it about Carlie that drew him in? All he wanted was to protect her, regardless of the personal cost.
“Just the ID’s for now,” he decided. “I go by Nick these days, but you can choose what you like for our new names. I’ll send the pictures from this phone number.”
Nick rattled off Carlie’s address so Donovan could mail the new identities once they were complete, and then they talked about payment arrangements. It was expensive, but they would receive more than IDs and passports. Jason had an entire past with all sorts of documents provided to him.
“Donovan, can I ask one more question?”
“Go for it.”
“Is it worth it?”
Donovan needed no further explanation. “I would choose Maddie and the kids a hundred times over. I’d walk through fire. It is so worth it, my friend. Don’t be afraid of love.”
The line went dead in Nick’s ear, and he sighed. Donovan had never sounded happier. If he could have a sliver of that with Carlie, wouldn’t it be worth defying Paul and President Sharp? Wouldn’t it be worth leaving everything behind?
He flipped through the pictures on Carlie’s phone, finding one of her standing next to her car, a cute grin on her face. He snapped a picture of himself and sent both to Donovan in a text message. He then deleted all evidence of their communication.
A weight lifted from his chest once he finished. Donovan would work quickly to get the identities. Maybe Nick was wrong about Paul and the man would do the honorable thing, protecting Carlie instead of harming her. Somehow, though, Nick feared Paul would do whatever S.A.T.O. told him to, no matter what Nick tried to say about it. He definitely felt more secure having a backup plan in place.
Now, he just had to figure out how to make Carlie happy. And women were a mystery he had no clue how to unravel.
***
Carlie paced the kitchen while waiting for the coffee to brew and Nick to finish showering. She was nervous about confronting him—partly because she wasn’t sure why him keeping Stephen’s visit a secret angered her so much. She didn’t know how to explain her frustration. Maybe it was because her passion controlled her once before, and she was reluctant to let it happen again. She wondered if he’d understand that.
The bathroom door creaked open, and Nick stepped into the hallway. He looked down the length of the house to where she stood in the opening of the kitchen. Once again, he’d only bothered covering his bottom half, putting on a pair of sweat pants. The hall light glinted off his dark hair, and he flexed his pecs after they made eye contact.
“What’re you doing?” he asked, walking toward her.
She tried not to notice the sleek way his muscles flexed and contracted when he moved, first bulging in his arms, then shifting as he paced forward, highlighting his hard abs. Forcing herself to look away, Carlie took a step further into the kitchen.
“I made coffee,” she replied. “Do you want cream or sugar?”
“Nope. Black’s great.”
Suddenly, he was behind her. His body pressed into hers and his warm breath sent shivers across her neck. Fighting the urge to lean into him, she walked forward instead.
“So, you’re still mad?” He stepped into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “That puts a kink in my plans for the
night.”
Carlie held herself very still. She couldn’t give in to him. Not that easily. Before she let things go further, she needed to know he meant what he said. Make sure he wasn’t going to hurt her by leaving after he got what he wanted in the sack.
She gritted her teeth, commanding herself to ignore how good he felt against her. “You taught me how to defend against an attack like this.” She kept her voice sweet and light. “I think an elbow to your ribs or a thumb in your eye might change the romantic tone you’re hoping for.”
His arms loosened and he stepped away. “Guess that answers my question. You’re definitely still mad.”
Carlie pulled mugs from the cupboard next to the refrigerator and filled them with coffee, adding a packet of artificial sweetener to hers. She turned to Nick, holding his out. “More cautious than mad,” she qualified. “I got carried away by lust this morning, but I don’t want to repeat the mistakes of my past.”
She brushed past him, leading the way to the dining room. She took her usual place at the head of the table, blowing on the hot liquid before taking a sip.
Nick settled into the chair closest to her and set his mug down. “What is it you want from me?”
“For starters, I think we should learn more about each other before hopping into bed together.”
Nodding, Nick steepled his fingers against his lips, his dark eyes regarding her. “Because that worked out so well for you in the past? You said yourself Ryan pursued you for months before inviting you to that party. Didn’t you feel like you knew him?”
He might as well have thrown ice water in her face, as cold as his words left her feeling. Carlie ran a hand across her damp hair, hoping she didn’t appear as flustered as she felt.
He shook his head. “Look, I just thought it prudent to point out that people lie. Even if we spend the next few weeks or months getting to know each other better, that doesn’t guarantee us any sort of stability.”
“Why?” She looked at him, hoping he correctly interpreted the warning in her gaze. “Do you plan on lying to me some more?”
He plucked the coffee mug from her hand and placed it on the table, capturing her hand in his. “No matter what I say, there is no right answer. We’re both lying right now, at least to some extent, don’t you think?”
“I don’t understand what you mean. I’m not lying.”
His eyebrows rose briefly and he shrugged. “Everyone puts their best foot forward in the beginning. I can sit here and list all the wonderful things about myself, skim over the not so good parts, and hope we have a good time together.” He twisted her hand upside down and raised it to his mouth, tenderly kissing her pulse point and shooting a jolt of desire through her. “The truth is, we won’t really know each other until we’ve been dating a while and the real us comes out.”
A part of her wanted to deny the truth in that statement, but she couldn’t. She hadn’t truly known Ryan until after she lost the baby. Even longer, really, until they learned she couldn’t get pregnant again. Then he told her what he really thought about her and that he’d been forced into marriage because of Gabi.
“Maybe we should wait,” she said, “and not let things get physical until we’re sure.”
Nick released her hand and took a sip of coffee. “We can try that route, if that’s what you really want. I think you’re special, Carlie. I’m willing to wait.”
She narrowed her eyes, not quite sure what to make of that. “You don’t desire me?”
“Oh, let’s be clear.” He tilted his head slightly, his hawk stare bumping up her pulse. “I want you...bad.”
His slow, sensuous voice had a hypnotic quality to it. Carlie felt her resolve weakening. He was a kind, considerate lover from what he’d shown her in the living room, and she was attracted to him. So, why fight this so hard? Pride? Pride would end up with a cold, lonely life.
But still...
“Why didn’t you tell me about Stephen?”
His gaze never wavered. “Because I know he frightens you.”
“I can handle him.”
“No.” He sighed, finally looking away. “Carlie, you’ve been on your own for so long, you think you have to be tough. You’ve been crying out in your sleep since he attacked you. I know you’re having nightmares about him. It’s okay to be afraid.”
It was time to put her true fear out there. “I’m more afraid of you than I am of Stephen.”
Nick swirled his finger against the oak tabletop, making figure-of-eight patterns. After a few breathless moments, he pressed his hand flat against the wood. “Why?”
“He can bruise me, even kill me. I’m risking a lot more with you.”
“I talked to an old friend of mine today,” he said. “A real ladies man. I never thought he’d settle down. He got married last year, has a baby and a foster son. He sounded so happy.” He looked back up, shrugging. “It surprised me to realize it, but I envy him.”
“Marriage isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.” Carlie should know, though she wished her life turned out differently.
“Did you truly believe Ryan was your soul mate, or did you settle for him and lie to yourself about being happy after you found out you were pregnant?”
“I...” While she wanted to defend herself and say she loved Ryan, she couldn’t force those words out. Nick wouldn’t believe her anyway. She shook her head and shrugged. “You know, you’re right. Everyone lies. The most convincing lies we tell are to ourselves.”
“And Ryan was never the guy for you.” Nick nodded. “I asked my friend today when he knew his wife was the one he’d been waiting for all those years.”
She didn’t know why, but her breath hitched in her throat. Nick’s eyes seemed to promise so much. “What did he say?”
He stood and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to her feet. She rested her hand against his bare chest, wondering if his heart thudded as hard as hers. He put his hand beneath her chin and leaned close, whispering a feathery kiss across her mouth.
“He said he knew the instant he met her.” Nick’s arms wrapped around her, crushing her against him. “The way I knew when I first saw you.”
It took a second for his words to sink in, a minute for the fluttery feeling in her stomach to explode into happiness. “Oh, Nick.” She ran her hands up his chest and neck, plunging them into his hair. His mouth found hers and she lost herself in him, never caring if she came up for air again.
He scooped her into his arms without releasing his claim on her lips. Her heart trilled with excitement as his tongue flicked against hers.
Before she knew it, they were at her bedroom door and she fumbled for the handle.
Nick strode in and set her on top of the bed. He climbed next to her, caressing her neck and face. “Is this okay? Because if you want to wait, I’ll wait. As long as you need.”
Shaking her head, Carlie snuggled closer to him, running her hand down his muscled body and over the bulge growing in his pants. “Maybe fate does have a role in our lives. I’ve been drawn to you from the very start, too. Why waste time?”
He let out a soft moan as she cradled his shaft in her fingers, and Carlie didn’t want to talk anymore.
Chapter Sixteen
Nick’s heart pounded so hard, he wondered if it would explode before the night was through. Carlie slipped her hand beneath the elastic band in his sweats. Her thin fingers tickled around the length of his erection, and Nick twitched with need. She stroked to the base and then fondled his balls, provoking a deep grunt from him.
Her hand then trailed up his stomach, igniting fire wherever it touched. Reaching his shoulder, she pushed him flat against the bed and stared at him. “It’s been a while since I’ve...” She shook her head and bit her lip. In the semi-darkness of the room, her large eyes looked almost gray.
“It’s like riding a bike,” he assured her, not concerned in the least about her ability to please him. He plunged his hand into her damp hair and pulled her face closer to kiss the tip of
her nose. “Don’t worry. Being with you fulfills my wildest fantasies.”
She smiled and a faint blush colored her cheeks. “Sweet talker.”
His words seemed to make her bolder, and Carlie slung her leg over his, stroking her toes up the inside of his sweatpants and back down. She pressed her mouth into Nick’s and tweaked his flat nipple between her fingers. It puckered as she teased it, sending a jolt through him. Regardless of her lack of recent practice, Carlie certainly knew what to do. She nibbled away from his mouth and down his neck, using plenty of teeth as she worked toward his ear.
“I can’t wait to make you come,” she whispered. The feel of her hot breath against him nearly gave her what she wished for, then and there. She sucked on the bottom of his lobe, and Nick shuddered as another bolt of pleasure flowed through his body.
He tucked his hand inside the back of her pajama top and caressed her smooth skin, pleased to note she hadn’t bothered putting on a bra after showering. Working her top up, he slipped it around her neck and Carlie assisted in ripping it the rest of the way off.
While he’d felt a lot of her earlier, he hadn’t seen her. Nick let out an appreciative whistle, causing her blush to deepen. Carlie’s small breasts were the perfect size to fit into his hands, and it was his turn to push her flat against the bed. He took one already tightening peak into his mouth and kneaded the other between his thumb and index finger.
She shivered and moaned softly, sighing while tipping her head further into the pillow behind her. Her fingernails raked across his back with stinging pain that kicked his pulse up another notch.
“God, Carlie.” He had a hard time catching his breath enough to speak. “You’re making me so hard.”
She tugged the waistband of his pants, pulling them down and taking his briefs with them. Once she freed him, her hand encircled his throbbing member. She stroked the entire length of it, finding his mouth with her own while continuing the intimate caress on his manhood.
He thrust his tongue into her parted lips, licking the inside of her mouth all while longing to lick her a bit lower. She squealed softly and increased the pressure and speed of her hand.
Love & Deception (Agents in Love - Book 1) Page 13
