by Lucy Monroe
He clearly had a soft spot for his wife, but all his other edges were good and sharp. Perfect for guarding Elle’s brother and Chantal. Just not someone Elle wanted to end up snug against. Which is what would happen because Beau wasn’t about to give her an inch.
The man was on a roll, flirting and teasing her with clear intent.
Ignoring her body’s reaction to the Texas-born scientist, Elle apprised Nitro and Josie of the current situation. Her brother and Chantal told the bodyguards their schedules. Beau wasn’t silent by any means. He asked questions that showed he was personally concerned about Mat and Chantal’s safety.
Nitro’s dark eyes met Elle’s. “Do you have a recommendation for a base of operations?”
“The attic, or the empty guest bedroom. I think the attic is good because if someone drops in on Mat, your stuff won’t be anywhere it might accidentally be seen.”
“Is there a bed up there, or are we roughing it?” Josie didn’t sound like she’d mind the latter option.
“You could take the bed from the other guest bedroom,” Chantal offered, with pink-tinged cheeks. “No one else is using it.”
Mat nodded, looking very happy with that fact.
Nitro ran through their plan for Mat and Chantal’s protection. It was beyond the standard, but similar to what Elle herself would have done. She approved.
“Our best option for figuring out who is making the threats is to have Chantal pretend to get them what they want,” Elle said. She’d been thinking about it all day and nothing else made as much sense.
Mat grabbed Chantal, scooting her right into his arms. “You are not using her as bait.”
The petite blonde didn’t seem to mind the overt protectiveness, but she was giving Elle a look of resigned fear. She was too smart not to have realized this was the direction the investigation was bound to take.
“Calm down, big brother. I’m not going to do anything that puts Chantal at risk.”
“Damn right you’re not.”
Elle had to force herself not to roll her eyes. “If you could notch it back just a little, I think we can get some productive planning done here.”
“Don’t talk to me like that, little sister. I know this is your job, but we’re talking about the woman I love. I don’t care if it is easier, she’s not going to be put at risk. I won’t lose her again.”
Chantal petted Mat, soothing the beast. “You will not lose me. The past is behind us, cher.”
Elle so wanted that story, but later. “I understand, Matej. I really do. I won’t put her at risk, but I do need her to play a part.”
“What part?” Chantal asked.
“The frightened but cooperative stooge.” She put up her hand before her brother could level another protest. “Only on the phone.” She looked at Chantal. “Speaking of which, we need to forward your apartment phone to this one.”
“I don’t have a landline in my apartment. He’s only called on my cell phone; he’s never contacted me at ETRD.”
“Why don’t you have a landline?” Mat asked.
“Two bills for redundant uses. Seemed like a waste of resources, and living in Southern California is expensive. I’m not paid as much as you are, Dr. Chernichenko,” Chantal said, with a teasing smile.
Elle liked seeing her show the humor. She might be wound tight by all this, but she wasn’t buckling under it.
“Cell phone numbers aren’t listed,” Beau said.
“They’re not hard to find if you know whom to go to, or have a good hacker working for you,” Nitro answered.
Elle took some notes on her computer. “That will make it easier.”
“For what? For Chantal to get more of those nasty phone calls?”
Her brother was one breath away from getting on her nerves. She understood his instincts to protect. She did, but right now he was just being argumentative. It was one of the ways he relieved stress and Elle got that, but she was losing patience. “Listen, we can end this a lot faster if we can lure the perps into showing themselves. The best way to do that is to coordinate a drop. Chantal can help us do that.”
“She won’t be making the drop, though. I can do a blond wig,” Josie said, with a grin.
Although technically the Black Eagles had not been hired to help with the investigation, Elle had not doubted for a minute that they would. Not after everything Alan had told her about the ex-mercenaries.
It was nice to know she was right. “Thanks. I really appreciate your willingness to help.”
“No problem. We like a challenge,” Nitro said.
“What about you, Chantal, can you play the part?” Elle asked.
“I’ll do my best.”
“Thanks. That’s all anyone can ask.”
“I’ll be there with you. From now on. No matter when they call.” Mat kissed her temple and then her lips as if he couldn’t help himself.
Mama was going to throw such a party.
Elle and Beau helped Josie and Nitro set up their command center, but the bodyguards opted to use the guest bedroom for sleeping, as it would put them closer to Mat and Chantal if a problem arose. Elle offered to buy groceries for them before she took off, but Mat had stocked up recently, so it wasn’t necessary.
“You going to let me drive to my place?” Beau asked when Elle finally felt it was okay to go.
He looked so delighted by the prospect, she found she didn’t want to say no. She handed him the keys. “Don’t think this means you’re getting your way about everything.”
“Don’t worry; I expect you to make your wishes known, princess. Making love wouldn’t be a lot of fun otherwise.”
“I didn’t say we were going to make love.”
“You’d rather go back to your lonely apartment and lose sleep wishing you’d said yes?”
“Maybe I’d rather go back to my apartment and simply sleep.”
“You really think that’s going to happen?”
No, she didn’t. For the second time that day, she opted for silence over false denial.
Not that it did her any good. When they got to his condo, he turned the car off and got out, the keys in his hand. She climbed out of the passenger side and closed the door. Without a word, he used the remote to lock the car as he walked toward the condo. She heard the unmistakable snick and saw the blinking light go on that said he’d armed the alarm as well.
Her heels clicked on the paved pathway as she followed him. “I didn’t say I was staying.”
“You didn’t say you weren’t.” He stopped at his door, unlocked it and then ushered her inside.
She let him, which was as good an answer as any.
Once inside, he surprised her by leading her into the living room instead of the bedroom. It made it easier to say what needed saying, though, so she was grateful.
Ignoring his silent offer for her to be seated, she faced him squarely. “Last night was a mistake. One I don’t intend to repeat.”
His jaw went taut, but other than that, he gave no indication he’d heard her. “Would you like a drink, princess? I thought we could order out later for dinner.”
“You’re not deaf. Don’t pretend you didn’t hear what I just said.” She winced at the harshness of her own words. She didn’t enjoy sounding like a harpy.
“My hearing is just fine. I’m not pretending anything or ignoring you. I’m being civil. It’s called hospitality. They teach that sort of thing where I come from. Now, it’s your turn. You answer, ‘Yes, thank you’ or ‘No, thank you.’ Or even, ‘What do you have?’”
“I should leave.”
“No.”
“Beau—”
“We obviously need to talk, sugar. We might as well be comfortable while we do it. I’m thirsty. Are you?”
She sighed. She agreed they needed to talk, if for no other reason than so there wouldn’t be awkwardness between them while she worked on her case at ETRD. But that didn’t mean she had to like it. “What do you have?”
“Wine, whiske
y, juice, water, milk. I can also make you a hot drink. I’ve got some Kahlúa left over from Christmas. Frank’s wife loves the stuff.”
“A glass of wine would be nice, thank you.” She could do polite.
“Wine it is. Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
She relaxed onto the suede sofa and looked around Beau’s domain. It was peaceful but showed hints of where he came from. With wrought-iron accents, the room was done in hues of brown ranging from the dark chocolate sofa to the tan walls. A large painting of a desert sunset hung over the gas fireplace. She’d be willing to bet it was of the Texas, rather than California, desert. The wood and wrought-iron coffee table rested in the center of a Native American rug made with the browns of the room and some of the colors found in the sunset painting.
Beau wasn’t the neat freak she and her brother were. A couple of scientific journals sat on the coffee table, one of them open to an article about hydrogen power. A T-shirt hung over the back of one of the armchairs, and a newspaper from a couple of days ago had been folded messily and left on the floor to the right of the sofa. She liked it. The room felt lived in and warm.
“Your wine, princess.”
She took the glass, not in the least surprised when he opted to share the sofa with her rather than take one of the two armchairs flanking it. He minimized the distance between them, his thigh brushing hers. Unlike at Mat’s house, she did try to move away, but Beau managed to eat up any distance she created without seeming to move at all.
The man might not be trained, but he was good all the same.
The only surprise she felt was at herself. She’d left herself wide open for his maneuver. She should have sat in a chair. So, why hadn’t she? She was a better tactician than this.
What the action said about her subconscious desires didn’t bear contemplation. Not if she wanted to get through this discussion with any level of equanimity.
“Gee, do you think you could get any closer?” Wedged between him and the arm of the couch, she fervently wished his nearness was not having the effect it was on her libido.
The look of hungry desire in his brown gaze coupled with the way his six-foot, six-inch frame dwarfed hers sent a thrill of pleasure right up her spine. She wasn’t used to feeling like the prey and would never have guessed she might actually like it.
Like it? Her panties were growing damp and she was vibrating with the need to melt into the hard body so close to her own. Yeah, she liked it. Darn it.
The expression in his eyes said he was more than aware of the effect he was having on her. “I could, but you said something about not making love again tonight. I thought we should talk about that before I start touching you.”
“No touching. That’s the point.” Great. She sounded like a breathless teenager, not a trained professional laying down parameters she had no intention of crossing.
He brushed her hair away from her eyes with gentle fingers. “No. The point is that you’re running scared and I want to know why.”
“I’m not scared.”
“Right.”
Indignation was much better than the unwanted lust. “Just because I realized it was a mistake to have sex with you doesn’t mean I’m afraid of something.”
“Why was it a mistake?”
“I’m on assignment.”
“You trying to tell me you’ve never had sex with someone while on a case? I don’t believe it.”
Why did he have to make it sound like she probably had way more sex than she did? She wasn’t about to disabuse him of his notions, though. He could think what he liked as long as he didn’t latch on to the fact that his accusation of fear hit closer to home than she wanted it to. “It won’t advance the investigation.”
“So, we shouldn’t do it? Wanting each other and sharing mind-bending pleasure isn’t enough reason?” Aggression poured off him.
His anger helped her to maintain her cool facade. “I don’t want to compromise my investigation.”
“You think sex with me will do that?”
“Yes.”
He leaned in so their faces were almost as close as their touching thighs. “You are afraid.”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are. You’re frightened of being so preoccupied with my body, you’ll make a mistake on your case.”
“I didn’t say that. You are so flippin’ arrogant.”
“You didn’t have to say it. There’s no other explanation.”
“Maybe I don’t want you.” Liar! her body screamed.
“You do. Too much. That’s your problem.”
Feeling hunted, Elle leaned away from Beau and took a fortifying sip of wine. It didn’t help the feelings roiling through her. “Fine. I want you too much. Is your ego satisfied?”
But she wasn’t admitting to fear. Special Agent Elle Gray caused fear; she didn’t feel it.
“My ego’s having no problems, sugar. And I won’t be satisfied until we’ve worked out this difference of opinion.”
“There’s nothing to work out. I am not having sex with you.”
“Now, see here, that’s where we disagree. There’s a major problem with your outlook, sugar. You’re not going to stop wanting me. In fact, if you don’t sate your desire, it’s just going to grow. That’s the way it works.”
“So you say.”
“So I know.”
“I can control my desire.”
“Can you?”
She wanted to say yes, to shout it and mean it, but she couldn’t. Not with her body aching to close the meager distance between them and do some sating.
“Something you need to think about: I’ve got no reason to pretend I don’t want you more than my next breath,” he said.
“In other words, you’re not going to try to make this easy for me?”
“Oh, I’ll make it easy for you.” He cupped the back of her head, his hand massaging her nape. “I’ll make it easy for you to find satisfaction. I’ll make it easy for you to come over and over again. The one thing I won’t make it easy for you to do is walk away from this thing between us.”
Elle had to clear her throat before she could get any recognizable sounds to come out. “You play dirty.”
“I’m not playing. I want you, princess. I have no intention of spending the next few weeks sexually frustrated while I get to know my fist better than ever before.”
“Your frustrations aren’t my problem.”
“But yours are.”
She glared at him.
“You’re worried about being preoccupied by me, right?” he asked.
Worried wasn’t afraid. “Yes.”
“So, let’s say you were a chocolate addict.”
“Why?”
“For the sake of argument.”
“Okay.”
“Now, let’s say you’ve got a piece of chocolate that’s going to follow you around, spending lots of time with you, even when you aren’t staring right at it. You with me here, princess?”
“Yes.”
“You tell yourself you can’t have that chocolate and you’re going to spend all your time thinking about it and fighting the temptation to eat it, aren’t you? Because it’s always going to be there. It’s not going away.”
She knew where this was going, but the trouble was, he had a point. “It’s a possibility.”
“You’re going to be way more distracted by me if I’m not in your bed than if you’re working out your sexual frustrations when the need arises.”
“If you’d behave, I wouldn’t be sexually frustrated.”
“You really believe that?”
“I…” She couldn’t make herself continue with the lie.
“The thing about that chocolate is that even if it never gets unwrapped and lets off the scent of all its chocolaty goodness, you’ve eaten chocolate before. You’re gonna know you want it.”
“You’re not chocolate, Beau.”
“Nah, I’m way more addictive.”
She rolled her eye
s in answer, though the truth was, he so was.
“I’m not saying I’ll behave. Like I said, I’ve got no reason to ignore what I want. Even so, do you honestly expect that if I were to ignore you, play Mr. Professional and Disinterested when I was around you, you wouldn’t want me anyway? You’ve tasted me, sugar, and that’s not something you’re likely to forget.”
“We could try it.”
“Bullshit.”
“Beau—”
“Don’t. You’re not a hypocrite, Elle. You may have to tell lies for a living, but you don’t lie to yourself. Don’t start now.”
“It’s not a good idea.”
“And the alternative, having all the distraction and none of the pleasure, is a good one? I don’t think so.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Do you think I’m a suspect?”
“No.”
“So, if I’m not one of the bad guys, or a person of interest you are trying to get information from, I’m not worth going to bed with?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Then don’t put such unpalatable thoughts in my head.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that.” But she was the one who had said sex with him wouldn’t advance the investigation. She’d been shoring up her defenses, not trying to undermine how amazing she had found the night before.
“Then stop thinking sex has to have an ulterior motive or it’s not worth engaging in.”
“I didn’t have any motives but mutual pleasure last night. Can you say the same?”
“Absolutely. Hell, do you think I wanted to share myself intimately with a woman I knew was lying to me?”
“Then why did you?”
“Because I couldn’t help myself, damn it.”
“What about now?”
“What do you mean, what about now? You know damn well that I want you.”
“I meant do you still see me as untrustworthy?”
Something softened in his dark gaze, and he shook his head in the negative. “You’ve made me see your role in my company, in my life for now, differently. I want you, sugar, and I will have you.”
